Sambhal To Ajmer: Sangh Parivar Silence Betrays Unease After Bhagwat’s Note Of Caution
New Age Islam News Bureau
4 December 2024
On November 24, four people died of gunshot wounds metres away from the mosque after violence broke out after a survey team showed up at the mosque in Sambhal and police were deployed at the spot.
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· Sambhal To Ajmer: Sangh Parivar Silence Betrays Unease After Bhagwat’s Note Of Caution
· Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham Seizes Control Of Aleppo Amid Ongoing Conflict
· Dhaka Summons Indian Envoy, Hands Him Protest Letter, Blames Indian Media’s Misinformation
· Aleema, Imran At Pains To Clarify Role Of Former First Lady Bushra Bibi In Islamabad Protest
· Stabbed By An Islamist, Because Of Harsh Criticism Of Islam, Now Silenced By The State: Activist Michael Stürzenberger
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India
· Faultlines Surface In BJP As Its Muslim Leaders Condemn Ajmer Sharif Petition, Flag ‘Dangerous Trend’
· Seven Detained Briefly For Reciting Hanuman Chalisa During Namaz At Mosque On a Varanasi College Premises
· 'No Justification For Such Actions': Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Condemns Injustices Against Hindus In Bangladesh
· LoP Rahul Gandhi Stopped At Ghazipur Border On Way To Violence-Hit Sambhal
· Body of village defence guard with bullet wound found in J-K
· LeT terrorist involved in Kashmir's Gagangir attack killed in gunfight
· Police Suo Motu Book Muslim Youth For Kidnapping After Bike Ride With Girl; Mother Comes To Rescue
· 2018 notice claiming mosque in Varanasi college was revoked in 2021: Waqf Board
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Mideast
· UN General Assembly pushes for Palestinian state
· Doctors urge medical evacuations from war-torn Gaza to east Jerusalem
· Palestinian factions Hamas, Fatah close to deal on postwar Gaza governance
· Lebanese refugees return home from Iraq despite widespread destruction
· Israel says killed three Hamas members in strike on West Bank
· Israel says killed Hezbollah liaison with Syria army in Damascus strike
· UN commission warns against placing already struggling Syrians in crossfire again
· Sunni rebels advance deeper into Syria, Assad prepares for counterattack
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South Asia
· Islamic Republic holds military drills on Afghanistan-Iran border
· 27 killed in political violence, clashes
· Construction Resumes on Kabul-Logar Road’s First Phase
· Afghanistan Eyes Iran’s Expertise to Boost Agricultural Practices
· Public Health Minister Arrives in China for International Health Conference
· Ministry of Finance to Establish Temporary Port for TAPI Project Operations
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Pakistan
· PM Shehbaz stresses global cooperation to overcome water crisis
· After 'final call' fiasco, Imran Khan still 'holds trump card close to his chest'
· Govt moves to curb social media use by terror outfits
· Karachi to hold second Islamic capital market conference on Dec 12
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Europe
· Go bright or go Gucci? British Muslim men discuss what they wear to Friday prayers
· Creative Marathon aims to unite creative young people from Islamic countries - official
· Russian human rights chief ‘hopes gays are doing okay’
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North America
· At Mosques Steps From Campus, Young Muslims Take The Lead
· In pardoning his own son, Biden argues that US justice sucks
· US Democrats Re-Elect 74-Year-Old Senate Leader, Chuck Schumer
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Africa
· “I Have Been Intimidated And Detained For The Principle Of What I Believe In – Tinubu
· ARM Investment Managers Unveils Sharia-Compliant Fixed Income Fund
· New Militias Sow Future Danger For War-Weary Sudan
· UN condemns deadly shelling of Sudan displacement camp
· South Africa Relaxes Visa Rules For Nigeria Tourists, Business People
· Port Harcourt Refinery Is Working – Festus Osifo
· LG Autonomy Will Transform Rural Areas – Nigeria Governors’ Forum
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Southeast Asia
· PM Anwar Says Strengthening Knowledge Foundation Key To Malaysia’s Madani Aspirations
· Veep says PAS not a political party that jockeys for positions, after members press it to lead Perikatan
· PM Anwar: Malaysia-Singapore deal on Johor economic zone likely delayed to January
· Najib: ‘Only fools would believe’ I would risk my career to receive just US$20m as Malaysia’s most powerful person
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Arab World
· Crown Prince: World Is Facing Mounting Challenges In Water Sector
· How Saudi Arabia and France aligned national visions for prosperity at Riyadh investment forum
· Macron tours At-Turaif district as Saudi Arabia, France sign major cultural agreements
· Saudi climate envoy meets UK counterpart in Riyadh
· Ticket to great urban living in the Kingdom’s capital
· Kingdom reaffirms disability support on global day
· Saudi project clears 618 Houthi mines in Yemen
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/sambhal-ajmer-sangh-parivar-silence/d/133923
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Sambhal To Ajmer: Sangh Parivar Silence Betrays Unease After Bhagwat’s Note Of Caution
By DeeptimanTiwary
New Delhi : December 4, 2024
On November 24, four people died of gunshot wounds metres away from the mosque after violence broke out after a survey team showed up at the mosque in Sambhal and police were deployed at the spot.
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THE silence of the Sangh Parivar on the latest petitions filed in local courts claiming Hindu rights over Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal as well as Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Ajmer, betrays a sense of both unease and uncertainty.
Ideologically, this move resonates with the RSS’s claim that multiple Hindu temples were destroyed and converted into mosques by Islamic invaders. Indeed, the Ram Janmabhoomi moment that led to the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya — and the launch of the Ram Temple this year in the wake of the 2019 Supreme Court judgment is seen as the Sangh’s ideological triumph.
However, the latest petitions also strike some discordant chords within.
Several RSS leaders told The Indian Express that making “too many such claims”, some of which may turn out to be frivolous, could weaken the cases where Hindus have “genuine claims such as Kashi and Mathura”. Sources said the Sangh has even advised restraint to certain petitioners who have reached out to it for guidance.
“We had three key issues — Ram Mandir, Kashi and Mathura. One (Ram Temple) is done and the other two are on track. By making such claims everywhere randomly, it hurts our genuine cases. People begin to believe they too are being claimed as part of some political agenda and are based on frivolous grounds,” a Sangh leader said.
None of the RSS leaders was willing to make any comments over the issue on record, though.
This silence is not without reason.
In June 2022, amid a legal battle in Varanasi following a petition claiming Hindu rights over Gyanvapi mosque, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said: “Hindus are not opposed to Muslims. The ancestors of Muslims were Hindus. Many feel that what was done (the demolition of temples) was done to break the morale of Hindus. A section of Hindus now feels that these temples need to be reconstructed. (But) one should also not raise a new issue every day. Why escalate fights? On Gyanvapi, our faith has been there for generations. What we are doing is fine. But why look for a Shivling in every mosque?”
Bhagwat was addressing the RSS workers in Nagpur following the conclusion of a training session.
“What happens in mosques is also a form of prayer. Okay, it has come from outside. But Muslims who have accepted it are not outsiders, they need to understand this. Even if their prayer is from outside (this country), and they wish to continue with it, we are fine with it. We are not opposed to any form of worship,” the RSS chief had also said.
Since then, these words haven’t found much of an echo in the Sangh even as case after case has been filed claiming Hindu rights over sites such as Kamal Maula mosque in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar and even Qutub Minar in Delhi and Taj Mahal in Agra.
One reason for the RSS silence despite Bhagwat’s cautionary note is, of course, that these petitions apparently have the support of the Sangh cadre who feel that “historical injustice” against the Hindu community must be “corrected”. At the same time, these petitions, by keeping the communal pot on simmer, also add to the rich fodder for elections — consider the refrain in Jharkhand and Maharashtra on infiltration and Hindu unity.
Yet, sources said, the Sangh has adopted a “wait-and-watch policy” over the Sambhal and Ajmer petitions to see how they play out in the courts before deciding to either engage with them or denounce them. On November 29, the Supreme Court ordered that the Sambhal survey be under sealed cover and it asked the trial court to pause proceedings until the masjid committee approaches the High Court.
The Sangh’s unease also stems from the supposed “randomness” of some of these petitions which is not necessarily related to the idea of making such bids in the first place.
For instance, the temple side’s claims over Gyanvapi mosque and Mathura Idgah mosque have been issues close to the RSS. In fact, some of its past resolutions have flagged them even before the Ayodhya row snowballed. Also, the Sangh has largely refrained from making specific claims on other such sites so far.
A senior RSS leader insisted that the Sangh “has not formed an opinion” as yet on the Sambhal and Ajmer petitions, adding that these matters need to be seen on “case-to-case basis”. He, however, underlined that Bhagwat’s 2022 advice to not look for Shivling in every mosque should “also be understood”.
“There is no point in digging up all the graves. But these matters have to be seen on case-to-case basis. If there are genuine claims, they have to be seen in light of correct perspective and situation in the country. After all there is the Waqf issue too…The Waqf Board is claiming whichever property you like. As for Sambhal, the priority is that peace must be established first. We can think about the issues later,” the RSS leader said.
He also echoed an old Sangh line, saying “The RSS has no control over an awakened Hindu society”. He, however, added: “But what Bhagwat ji has said (in 2022) remains our stand and his statement must be understood.”
There were others within the Sangh Parivar who felt that certain individuals were raking up these rows for quick publicity and swift political gains.
“Now that there is a BJP government in power, everyone is professing to be from the Sangh Parivar. Some people are using these suits for publicity. They feel they might get some rewards or they have some political ambitions. But RSS does not have such short-term goals. It is a very disciplined organisation. We don’t function like this,” another senior Sangh leader said.
Source:indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/sambhal-ajmer-sangh-parivar-mohan-bhagwat-9705508/?utm
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Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham Seizes Control Of Aleppo Amid Ongoing Conflict
04 December 2024
The emergence of HTS could signal shifts in the Syrian Civil War as international powers recalibrate their support strategies.
Under the shadow of relentless conflict, the Syrian rebellion has entered a dramatic new phase, particularly highlighted by the rapid resurgence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). After years on the brink of stabilization, the instability of the Syrian Civil War has been reignited with HTS’s recent offensive, catching the attention of both regional and global powers.
Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city, once raged with the clamor of artillery and the cries of displaced civilians during the heart of the war. The city, which witnessed some of the most ferocious fighting from 2012 to 2016, saw its control shift back to the Assad regime after Russian military intervention. This history makes HTS's new assault on Aleppo particularly poignant, and its success raises immediate concerns about the war's direction as rebel forces, seemingly rejuvenated, now control significant territory around Aleppo and Hama.
The HTS, previously known for its extremist roots as part of al-Qaeda's affiliates, has softened its rhetoric over the years, claiming to embrace more nationalistic goals. Still, for many, the specter of their past remains, framing their current advances with skepticism. The group has established itself as the leading force among Syrian rebels, now controlling major parts of the northwest.
After HTS's successful maneuvers, the Syrian government, already weakened and distracted by other regional conflicts, finds itself at a precarious junction. Assad’s forces are reportedly regrouping, aided by allies such as Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, but their capacity to mount effective counteroffensives remains uncertain.
HTS's gains come amid turmoil throughout the Middle East, significantly influenced by the Israel-Hamas conflict. The swift rise of HTS has prompted reflection on the shifting alliances and outcomes of these wars as they interconnect, illustrating the complex web of regional dynamics.
Internationally, reactions have sparked concerns over how this new power balance will impact civilians, especially among religious and ethnic minorities living under HTS control. The historical relationships between these communities and the Syrian state, as well as groups like HTS, have been fraught. Notably, Kurds and Alawis—the latter being closely aligned with Assad—face significant uncertainty about their treatment under HTS's rule. Assurance statements by HTS mentioning inclusion and protection of minorities, including Christians and Armenians, serve to downplay fears but may not provide much long-term solace.
%u201CThe concerns persist, and actions speak louder than words. Many minority groups are apprehensive about what governance under HTS would entail, considering the extremist language associated with the group,%u201D notes Leila al-Shami, a British-Syrian writer and activist.
Despite these apprehensions, certain reports have emerged documenting ordinary life continuing amid HTS control, with local Christians partaking openly in holiday celebrations. Symptoms of life returning to some semblance of normalcy clash with deeply rooted fears about the future.
Analysts suggest Assad’s government has, historically, used the discourse of protecting minorities to bolster its position. This narrative served as propaganda during the early stages of the war, aiming to paint itself as the defender against extreme upheaval, particularly from rebel factions. Yet the devastation wrought by Assad’s regime complicates this portrayal, showcasing how opposition also spread across various societal segments, including among Alawis themselves.
Joseph Daher, a Swiss-Syrian professor, points out how the rise of groups like ISIS and the militarization of the rebellion alienated many, including minorities. This rampant factionalization left remnants of communities shattered, with previous trust lost, creating barriers for any government entity, including HTS, to gain legitimacy.
Governance under HTS and the various factions of the Syrian National Army (SNA), which have become known for their brutal tactics and lack of discipline, presents another challenge. Robin Yassin-Kassab, an expert on the conflict, emphasizes the need for stronger internal management within these groups to prioritize civilian coexistence.
HTS’s recent statements publicly advocating for the rights and dignities of ethnic and religious minorities signify attempts to recast its previously radical identity. By acknowledging the importance of various groups within Syria's social fabric, HTS attempts softening its image. Such transformation, though, is still met with skepticism by those who recall the violent atmosphere created during past HTS operations.
The backdrop to this tumultuous evolution includes the role of external powers, particularly Russia and Iran, whose shifting commitments may affect Assad’s stability. Moscow’s prior support for the regime has been shaken with the reality of competing regional conflicts, namely the war in Ukraine and the localized struggles against Israel and US-backed factions. The halt of steadfast support could expose Assad's regime to greater vulnerabilities and embolden rebel factions like HTS.
Operatives for both Iran and Russia are expected to step up military efforts, with airstrikes reported against HTS-controlled areas. The real test lies within how much these regional players can support Assad's defense as new groups vie for control.
Meanwhile, the presence of US troops, numbering around 900 mainly stationed to support Kurdish forces, complicates the US's potential involvement or engagement amid the political and military consequences of HTS’s advances. The recent escalation appears to put the Biden administration at a crossroads with its policies on Syria, where it has denounced HTS as terrorists yet must navigate the humanitarian dimensions of its involvement.
Given this complex situation, there are palpable concerns over whether HTS can sustain momentum as their advances may expose them to risks of overextension, especially if the government organizing under Assad implements effective countermeasures. Therefore, the crux of this new phase centers not just on territorial gains but on establishing stable governance structuring to support local concerns and ensuring protection for minority groups amid shifting power dynamics.
Rebels striving for control of Aleppo were driven not merely by the desire to expand territory but underpinned by the strategic aims of creating operational havens to fortify their influence against remaining opposition. The battle for Aleppo reverberates beyond merely territorial disputes—set against the larger narrative of civil war, national identity, and regional power shifts.
With internal dynamics and external actors shaping Syria’s future, determining the winners and losers of this renewed conflict becomes increasingly complicated. War, once dormant, resurfaces, pulling local realities and broader geopolitical interests toward the frontline, leaving the fate of Syria once again uncertain.
Source: evrimagaci.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/hayat-tahrir-alsham-seizes-control-of-aleppo-amid-ongoing-conflict-75876
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Dhaka Summons Indian Envoy, Hands Him Protest Letter, Blames Indian Media’s Misinformation
Dec 4, 2024
Photo: Courtesy
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The foreign ministry summoned Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Pranay Verma and handed a protest note yesterday, a day after the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala was attacked by protesters of the Hindu Sangharsh Samity.
Hours after the attack, the foreign ministry said the Bangladesh government deeply resents the violent demonstration and attack, which was in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Following the attack, the Bangladesh mission in Agartala suspended all visa and consular services until further notice, citing security issues.
The Bangladesh foreign ministry did not issue any statement or speak to the media regarding the summoning of the Indian envoy.
"He has been asked to come," Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain told the media yesterday, minutes before Verma entered the ministry around 4:00pm for a meeting with acting foreign secretary Riaz Hamidullah.
However, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, yesterday said, "We have issued a protest letter and conveyed our concerns. The foreign ministry has engaged with the Indian authorities diplomatically."
During the meeting, Verma said the authorities in India has beefed up security for the Bangladesh missions in New Delhi, Kolkata and Agartala, according to sources.
Speaking to journalists after the nearly a half an hour meeting, the Indian envoy said the wide-ranging and multifaceted Indo-Bangla relationship cannot be stuck on one issue.
He also said India wants to build a constant, stable, and constructive relationship with Bangladesh.
"We are ready to engage with Bangladesh's interim government and are committed to working together to achieve our shared aspirations in peace, security, and development."
Verma said India and Bangladesh have many things to collaborate on and there have been many positive developments in different areas, including power supply, essential commodities, and trade.
INDIAN MEDIA BLAMED FOR ATTACK
Speaking to journalists yesterday, CA's Press Secretary Shafiqul said the attack on the Bangladesh mission in Agartala is the result of Indian media spreading misinformation on the minority issues in Bangladesh.
"The misinformation campaign is showing that something dangerous is happening in Bangladesh. I will put the blame on the Indian media for this."
He said Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, during his conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said a campaign was being carried out on alleged minority repression in Bangladesh, and requested him to send Indian journalists to Bangladesh so that they can see the ground realities.
"They can investigate into what is happening -- if the violence is there. I also requested the Indian media to visit Bangladesh," Yunus had said.
Shafiqul said unfortunately, the Indian media are citing reports of the Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (HBCUC) and other sources of their liking.
He said a Netra News investigation showed a HBCUC report contained distorted information. The report showed nine people were killed in attacks on minorities, but actually not every death was related to communal violence. "Those were mainly personal or political in nature."
The report of the HBCUC was "cited by the media 11 million times", and unfortunately, the HBCUC did not issue a single statement on the Netra News report nor did it revisit its own report.
"We also called upon the global human rights bodies to come and see. We are not stopping anyone from coming here. We have openness. We are transparent in our activities," the press secretary said.
However, those blaming the Bangladesh government of not open to accepting anything are only pretending to listen to the Bangladesh government, Shafiqul said.
The Indian media is spreading misinformation without verification, and as a result, a section of Indian people are inciting violence, he said.
The press secretary said the citizen groups, political parties, and the civil society should be vocal about it because the Indian media outlets are "trying to put the Bangladesh government on trial".
He said Bangladesh wants good relations with India, which is a big neighbour, but that should be based on fairness and equity.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/dhaka-summons-indian-envoy-hands-him-protest-letter-3767416
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Aleema, Imran At Pains To Clarify Role Of Former First Lady Bushra Bibi In Islamabad Protest
Ikram Junaidi
December 4, 2024
• Tweet from Imran’s X account says ex-first lady led marchers on his instructions
• His sister defends decision to retreat to ‘save lives’, claims Imran still has ‘trump card’ up his sleeve
ISLAMABAD: As a controversy rages over the role played by former first lady Bushra Bibi in the PTI’s protest in Islamabad last week, both Imran Khan and his sister Aleema came forward in a bid to ‘clarify’ her role.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the incarcerated PTI founder in jail on Tuesday, Aleema Khan said that it was indeed Bushra Bibi who led the march, and was present on the container, but lamented that other PTI leaders remained absent.
However, Ms Khan noted that it would not have been a wise decision to stay on the container and let workers die once the firing started.
In an apparent response to criticism from certain quarters that party workers should not have left D-Chowk, she questioned how people could have stayed on the container while marchers “were being shot dead by snipers”.
“Earlier, I was suggesting people to retreat but the workers were not willing to move back. They were saying that they were willing to sacrifice their life for Imran Khan,” she said.
“But the government should be asked why bullets were fired at peaceful protesters,” she said.
When asked about whether the marchers should have moved to D-Chowk or Sangjani, she said that there was confusion over the issue.
“While firing was going on and people were showing us the [teargas] shells, we had directed them to move backward so that lives would be saved. The ground reality was different from the imagination of those who were sitting far away. The container was the place from where messages had to be conveyed to workers, but at that time there was no one on the container. So we decided to retreat to a safer place. It was dark and no one was there to guide people,” Aleema Khan said.
Ms Khan also insisted that her brother still had a ‘trump card’ up his sleeve, which he would play soon.
Imran backs spouse
Meanwhile, a post on Imran Khan’s official X account — which he does not personally have access to — issued the content of his talk with journalists on Tuesday, where he also addressed the issue of Bushra Bibi leading the protest.
“I had instructed Bushra Bibi on how to take the protest to Islamabad. Whatever she did, she did as per my instructions.”
“I have demanded from the Supreme Court to form an impartial judicial commission to investigate the massacre of innocent and peaceful citizens and to give severe punishment to those who ordered the massacre and those involved in it,” he was quoted as saying.
Mr Khan said the PTI would not stay quiet on the matter and would continue to raise its voice on the issue.
“The data of hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi regarding the martyrs and injured should be made public as soon as possible and CCTV footage of all hospitals and Safe City should be preserved so that evidence cannot be lost like on May 9.
Omar Ayub quits JCP
Separately, PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan has stepped down as a member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), suggesting that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan be nominated as a member instead. His resignation has reportedly been sent to the Speaker National Assembly.
“This decision has been taken after careful consideration and is necessitated by the multitude of First Information Reports and legal cases filed against me, which require my immediate and undivided attention,” he stated.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1876508/aleema-imran-at-pains-to-clarify-role-of-bushra-in-islamabad-protest
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Stabbed By An Islamist, Because Of Harsh Criticism Of Islam, Now Silenced By The State: Activist Michael Stürzenberger
4th December 2024
Earlier this year, activist and blogger Michael Stürzenberger became the victim of an Islamist attack because of his harsh criticism of Islam. Now, six months later, he has been convicted for incitement to hatred and given a fine by a regional court in Hamburg – also because of his harsh criticism of Islam.
In May, a former refugee from Afghanistan targeted and attacked Stürzenberger and six others during a rally organised by Stürzenberger’s campaign group, Pax Europa, in Mannheim, south-west Germany. The incident left one policeman dead, Stürzenberger severely injured – he needed several operations on his face and knee – and a nation in shock.
Stürzenberger’s incitement conviction is not directly related to the incidents in Mannheim. Instead, it relates to statements he made at a rally in Hamburg in 2020. He was originally found guilty of incitement to hatred and given a six-month prison sentence at a Hamburg court in September 2022, but appealed the conviction. Last month the court upheld the original verdict, but reduced his sentence to a fine of €3,600.
According to reports, his punishment was reduced because he had since become a victim of an assassination attempt. Another mitigating factor was that he had not given any public speeches since the Mannheim attack.
The Stürzenberg case shows how dangerous, intimidating and anti-democratic Germany’s laws against incitement to hatred and hate speech are. It would be difficult to find a country in Western Europe that restricts free speech as radically as Germany does – especially when it comes to criticising Islam. Indeed, the German elites regard criticism of Islam as an act of right-wing extremism that needs to be censored.
This is why Stürzenberger, infamous for his anti-Islam stance, has been the subject of so much scrutiny from the authorities and the mainstream media. As far back as 2014, Der Spiegel published a feature on Stürzenberger and others criticising their ‘anti-Islam rhetoric’ and asking ‘whether it’s time for a new kind of hate-crime legislation’.
There’s little doubt that Stürzenberger can be offensive. He claims that his criticism only applies to ‘political Islam’, calling it a threat to democracy and an ideology that oppresses women. But he has also compared parts of the Koran with Hitler’s Mein Kampf, and – while saying that not all Muslims are rapists – has talked of ‘thousands of women’ who have been sexually assaulted by Muslims from Northern Africa and Arabia.
Still, such statements hardly warrant the harsh, legal persecution that Stürzenberger has faced. It is difficult to escape the impression that he has been targeted by German political and media elites because of their fear of right-wing populism. That is, they fear his criticism of Islam will further fuel the rise of the populist right. After all, Stürzenberger gives voice to many Germans’ scepticism and rejection of mass migration from majority Muslim countries.
Indeed, over a decade ago, the then mayor of Munich said how worried he was about Stürzenberger making his speeches against the background of rising support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD). He claimed that populists were trying to appeal to people through anti-Islam rhetoric.
It seems German elites have responded by trying to clamp down on criticism of Islam. This determination to censor Islam’s critics, and therefore suppress the populist surge, was reflected in the mainstream media’s coverage of the Mannheim terror attacks. They largely refused to characterise Stürzenberger as any sort of victim, despite the severity of his injuries. One article in the left-liberal taz newspaper simply stated that ‘Bavarian Michael Stürzenberger has been agitating against Islam for years [and] now he has been seriously injured by a knife attacker’. In other words, he brought it on himself.
It’s difficult to avoid the frightening conclusion that both Islamist terrorists and the German authorities share a similar objective. Both want to silence critics of Islam. It’s just that where the Islamist terrorist would like to silence Stürzenberger through violence, the authorities are attempting to do so through the law.
Both send out a chilling warning to everyone – criticising Islam in Germany can get you in deep trouble.
Source:spiked-online.com
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https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/12/04/stabbed-by-an-islamist-now-silenced-by-the-state/
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India
Faultlines surface in BJP as its Muslim leaders condemn Ajmer Sharif petition, flag ‘dangerous trend’
SHANKER ARNIMESH
03 December, 2024
New Delhi: A Rajasthan court’s decision to admit a petition seeking a survey of the revered Ajmer Sharif shrine to determine if it was originally a Hindu temple has drawn criticism not only from firebrand All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi but also from Muslim leaders within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
While the BJP’s Hindu leaders have largely maintained silence or expressed their trust in the judiciary to resolve the matter, Muslim leaders have condemned what they see as a growing trend of controversial surveys targeting mosques and shrines.
“This is a dangerous trend. Ajmer Sharif is one of the most sacred shrines in the country. There is a growing trend in the country of filing frivolous petitions in court to survey masjids and shrines. This should stop,” Jamal Siddiqui, the president of the BJP’s national Minority Morcha , told ThePrint.
He added: “I condemn the frivolous petition to survey Ajmer Sharif. When (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat himself said in 2022 that there is no need to look for a shivling in every mosque, why has such a petition even been made? Even Prime Minister Modi has offered a chadar at the Sufi shrine. I offered a chadar on behalf of Prime Minister Modi in 2023 and 2024.”
The latest controversy erupted after the local court in Ajmer issued a notice seeking the response of the dargah committee, the Union government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) following the petition’s claim that the dargah was built over a Shiva temple. The petition was filed by Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta.
The notice came amid fears of escalating communal tensions after violence erupted in the city of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh, leaving several people dead, following a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid after claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site.
Following the claims in Ajmer and Sambhal, opposition parties have called for the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991—which mandates that the status quo of religious sites be maintained as it was at the time of Independence—to be followed.
“The BJP came to power with the help of RSS. Why don’t they listen to the RSS? A law was made in 1991 to maintain the status quo of religious places before 1947, but you are not following that either. You make the laws and you break them too,” said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Uncomfortable position
The BJP’s Minority Morcha—which has been working to win the confidence of the Muslim community and most recently organised a Sufi Sambad outreach programme in Lok Sabha constituencies with a significant Muslim population—isn’t alone.
Other Muslim leaders in the party also find themselves in an uncomfortable position after the Hindu Sena’s petition over Ajmer.
One of the BJP’s prominent Muslim leaders, party spokesperson Shazia Ilmi, voiced her discomfort in an op-ed published in The Indian Express.
Condemning the move to seek a survey of Ajmer Sharif to find a shivling, Ilmi wrote, “I wish Gupta (the petitioner) had paid heed to the words of Mohan Bhagwat, who clearly said there is no need to find a shivling in every mosque and start a new dispute every day.”
She underscored the historical importance of the shrine, saying Emperor Akbar had visited it 17 times and it was the birthplace of his grandson, Dara Shikoh, who famously translated the Upanishads into Persian.
“The holy shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is venerated as much as by the Hindus and Muslims. More than 75 percent of hotels and shops in the Dargah market are owned by Hindus. From Jawaharlal Nehru to Prime Minister Modi, all prime ministers have sent their chadar on the occasion of the Urs,” Ilmi wrote.
She added: “After the dispute of Babri Masjid, Gyanvapi and Sambhal, this is the newest strain on the fabric of peaceful coexistence of the two communities. However, while the other disputed sites are masjids, this one is a renowned Sufi shrine.”
Former Union minister of minority sffairs and key BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who has offered a chadar at Ajmer Sharif on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also expressed strong concerns over the petition seeking a survey of Ajmer Sharif.
“There is a conspiracy to ignite the flames through Sambhal or Ajmer and disrupt the communal harmony of society,” Naqvi told the media.
Building trust
Analysts said the controversy could hurt the BJP’s efforts to build trust with the Sufi community.
“The BJP has often benefited from controversies and polarisation during elections to offset the impact of caste fault lines. However, the claim over the shrine could undermine the party’s efforts to build trust within the Sufi constituency,” Shashi Kant Pandey, a political science professor at Lucknow’s Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, told ThePrint.
When Prime Minister Modi addressed the World Sufi Forum in 2016, he highlighted the essence of Sufism as a message of peace, coexistence and compassion.
“In the words of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, of all the worships, the worship that pleases the almighty God the most is the grant of relief to the humble and the oppressed,” Modi said.
He added:“Sufism is the voice of peace, co-existence, compassion and equality; a call to universal brotherhood. And, just as India became a principal centre of Islamic civilisation, our nation also emerged as one of the most vibrant hubs of Sufism.”
The government is also promoting Sufi heritage with plans to build a Sufi corridor connecting to other shrines in the country.
In August, Union Minister of Minority Affairs KirenRijiju praised India’s Sufi legacy, calling it “a testament to our centuries-old tradition of unity in diversity.”
The government has also actively promoted Sufi heritage, with plans for a “Sufi Corridor” connecting Ajmer to other major shrines across India.
The Ajmer Dargah has emerged as one of the most important Sufi shrines in India over the centuries. People from all communities throng Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti’s shrine every year for the Urs festival, which marks the Sufi saint’s death anniversary.
‘Could write about any masjid & courts would have to listen’
Some BJP leaders have expressed concern over the growing tendency to stoke disputes around religious sites, cautioning that such moves could hurt the government’s governance agenda and disrupt communal harmony.
Kunwar Basit Ali, the head of the BJP’s Minority Morcha in Uttar Pradesh, also referred to Bhagwat’s 2022 remark that there is “no need to find shivlings in every mosque”.
‘“It looks like there is a conspiracy going on to fan the flames continuously to create discord in society. It applies to Ajmer and Sambhal too,” Ali said.
Another BJP leader said, “If such an ecosystem is promoted, anyone could write a book about any masjid, and the courts will be forced to listen to their petitions.”
“There are several thousand masjids or mandirs that were destroyed during different regimes. The government will have to create another ministry to verify such claims and counterclaims,” the leader added.
Former leader of the Opposition in Rajasthan, Rajendra Rathore, dismissed the issue as a “storm in a teacup”.
“Admission has not even taken place yet, and this matter is like a storm in a teacup. Whatever decision the court takes, everyone should accept it. According to the Indian Constitution, every Indian has the right to present a claim in court,” he told the media in Jaipur.
Hameed Khan Mewati, the Rajasthan BJP Minority Morcha’s head, said allowing the survey petition was an “attack on worshippers’ faith” as Ajmer Sharif draws worshippers from across communities and every prime minister—including Narendra Modi—has sent a chadar to the shrine to seek blessings.
“The silence on Ajmer can hurt the Hindu vote bank even as many worship the Sufi shrine and consider it a sacred place,” added another leader.
But most BJP leaders justify the claims over historically disputed sites.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya tweeted on Monday, “In 1947, the Congress partitioned India on religious lines and created Pakistan and Bangladesh, for Muslims. Not satisfied, they enacted the draconian Waqf Act in 1954, which allowed Muslims to claim any property as their own, and create mini Pakistan within India.”
“But the same Congress legislated the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which put embargo on Hindus from claiming even their legitimate places of worship. This is the kind of regressive appeasement politics the Congress unleashed on Bharat,” he added.
Although he maintained silence on Ajmer, he tweeted that the place where the Jama Masjid is situated in Sambhal was once a Harihar temple.
“During the reign of Emperor Prithviraj Chauhan, Harihar temple was built here, which was later demolished to build Jama Masjid. This claim is also confirmed by some maps and many government documents,” Malviya said.
“ Many ancient relics associated with the temple still exist, including the idol of Lord Vishnu and his chakra-like figures, statues from the Shunga period and the idol of the Nagamukhi Mother Goddess from the Mauryan period. The mythological name of Sambhal was Sambhalpur,” he added.
While some BJP leaders acknowledged that religious polarisation had helped the party in elections, they also added that such controversies are often aimed at creating publicity.
“The BJP got a major vote from the Hindu majority community and religious polarisation has helped the party one after another in elections. The recent Maharastra election win was due to the polarisation of the Hindu community,” said a senior party leader.
“But while such incidents help the party, sometimes the ecosystem exploits the situation,” the leader added.
Source:theprint.in
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https://theprint.in/politics/faultlines-surface-in-bjp-as-its-muslim-leaders-condemn-ajmer-sharif-petition-flag-dangerous-trend/2385349/
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Seven Detained Briefly For Reciting Hanuman Chalisa During Namaz At Mosque On a Varanasi College Premises
04.12.24
Seven people were detained briefly for reciting Hanuman Chalisa near a mosque on the premises of a college premises here when their fellow students were offering namaz there, police said on Wednesday.
However, student leader Vivekanand Singh of Uday Pratap College claimed Hanuman Chalisa was recited on Tuesday to protest against "outsiders" gathering at the mosque to offer prayers.
"We have no problem if the students here offer namaaz or worship in the mosque or temple on the college premises. But we do not accept that outsiders are gathering here in the name of offering namaz on the college premises," he said.
Additional Commissioner of Police, Varanasi Cantt area, Vidush Saxena said the students were adamant about reciting Hanuman Chalisa near the mosque in the college premises on Tuesday.
"The police pacified them and sent them back. The police also detained seven students who were released in the evening," he said.
The college's principal D K Singh said a notice was sent to the institute in 2018 claiming the mosque located on the campus was donated to the Waqf Board by the Nawab of Tonk and the land was a Waqf property.
Singh said the notice had come from Wasim Ahmed Khan, a resident of Varanasi.
In reply to the notice the college administration had said that the mosque was built illegally, while the property of the college belongs to the trust and it can neither be bought nor sold.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Varuna Zone, Chandrakant Meena said that in 2022 construction work in the mosque was stopped on the complaint of the college administration.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/seven-detained-briefly-for-reciting-hanuman-chalisa-during-namaz-at-mosque-on-college-premises/cid/2068121
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'No justification for such actions': Jama Masjid Shahi Imam condemns injustices against Hindus in Bangladesh
Dec 3, 2024
NEW DELHI: Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid in Delhi, has criticised the attacks on the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. He urged Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh's interim government, to take immediate action against these injustices.
In a letter, Bukhari stressed the close ties between India and Bangladesh. “Since the establishment of Bangladesh, our national leadership, media, civil society, and influential circles have maintained close relations with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his daughter Sheikh Hasina Wajid, and their party, the Awami League. In diplomacy, regional matters, international affairs, and issues concerning the Muslim world, Bangladesh has always stood by us as a close ally,” he said, according to an ANI report.
Bukhari expressed concern over the unrest following Sheikh Hasina's departure to India, which has affected both Muslim and non-Muslim supporters of the Awami League. He specifically condemned the violence targeting the Hindu minority.
“Until now, this remained an internal matter of Bangladesh. However, the ongoing injustices, assaults, and unilateral actions against the Hindu minority are condemnable and must stop immediately. There is no justification for such actions. The government must always acknowledge the role we have played in their establishment and development process, as well as our unparalleled history of supporting and caring for millions of refugees. We were the first to stand by them during every natural disaster,” he wrote.
Bukhari also referred to the UN's declaration on minority rights, calling on Yunus to intervene. “As a credible neighbour, a close ally of Bangladesh, and a custodian of shared cultural heritage, I expect the current head of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, to take immediate steps to address the injustices against the Hindu minority. He should ensure that his international reputation remains untarnished. As a Muslim-majority country, Islam and Islamic jurisprudence inherently leave no room for any form of prejudice or injustice against minorities in Bangladesh,” Bukhari added.
Over the weekend, more than 60 monks were reportedly stopped from entering India at the Benapole land port in Bangladesh, according to an ANI report citing an ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson. Additionally, a Bangladesh court has set January 2, 2025, as the hearing date for Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested on sedition charges. Das is currently in custody in Bangladesh.
Source:indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/no-justification-for-such-actions-jama-masjid-shahi-imam-condemns-injustices-against-hindus-in-bangladesh/articleshow/115941926.cms
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LoP Rahul Gandhi Stopped At Ghazipur Border On Way To Violence-Hit Sambhal
04 Dec 2024
GHAZIABAD: With prohibitory orders in place in Sambhal, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was stopped at the Ghazipur border here on Wednesday on his way to the district, a senior police officer said.
Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders reached the Ghazipur border in the morning where heavy police force was deployed and barricades put up to stop them from entering Sambhal.
Curbs under Section 163 (power to issue an order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which were set to expire on Sunday, have now been extended till December 31 in Sambhal.
Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia on Tuesday wrote a letter to the police commissioners of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad and the superintendents of police of Amroha and Bulandshahr districts, urging them to stop Rahul Gandhi at the borders of their districts.
Gandhi, who has Z+ security cover, stood close to his car and was seen talking with UP Police personnel. According to sources, he was shown a notice by the police in which he was disallowed to go towards Sambhal.
"We will not permit Rahul Gandhi to Sambhal as prohibitory orders have been issued by the administration there. Police will stop Gandhi at UP gate," Ghaziabad Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra told PTI.
He said ample police force has been deployed at the spot, he said.
Thousands suffer due to traffic at Delhi-Noida border
While the Congress delegation on one side kept negotiating with cops, massive traffic jams kept building up causing extreme inconvenience to the people and disrupting traffic since the early hours on Wednesday. Vehicles were seen clogged on the road for several kilometres.
The cops placed a wall of barricades on the national highway while hundreds of police personnel stood there to stop any kind of intrusion of politicians.
"My daughter is having an examination in Meerut at 1 pm. I have been stuck in traffic for the past two hours. If politicians want to protest, they can sit on the side of the road. Why should the public suffer?" a commuter told this newspaper.
Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19, when a Mughal-era mosque was surveyed on court orders following claims that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site.
Violence erupted during a second survey on November 24 as protesters gathered near Shahi Jama Masjid and clashed with security personnel.
Four people were killed in the violence and many more were injured.
Source:newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Dec/04/rahul-gandhi-stopped-at-ghazipur-border-on-way-to-violence-hit-sambhal-massive-traffic-jam-ensues
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Body of village defence guard with bullet wound found in J-K
03 Dec 2024
JAMMU: The body of a village defence guard with a bullet wound was found in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir a day after he went missing, police said on Tuesday. His rifle was recovered from the spot, they said.
"The body of a VDG member, Ashok Kumar, with a bullet injury was found in the upper reaches of Chapper. However, it remains unclear whether he shot himself or was shot by someone else," a senior police officer told PTI.
After receiving information about the body, a police team was rushed to the spot.
The body was shifted to a hospital for post-mortem.
Kumar's rifle was found at the spot, the officer said.
The post-mortem report revealed that he was shot in the abdomen and the bullet was fired from his rifle, the officer added.
A case has been registered in the matter, police said.
Source:newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Dec/03/body-of-village-defence-guard-with-bullet-wound-found-in-j-k-2
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LeT terrorist involved in Kashmir's Gagangir attack killed in gunfight
Muzaffar Raina
04.12.24
Police on Tuesday said they had shot dead a Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist who was allegedly involved in the October 20 attack in Kashmir's Gagangir in which seven civilians were killed.
Junaid Ahmad Bhat was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the Dachigam forests on the outskirts of Srinagar.
The killing came on a day the police booked two women in Jammu’s Udhampur under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) for their alleged role in assisting militants. A village defence guard (VDG) also died of gunshot wounds in the same district.
A local doctor and six non-residents working on a tunnel project in Ganderbal'sGagangir were killed and five others injured on October 20, making it the deadliest attack in the Valley in years.
The forces had launched multiple operations in and around Dachigam in recent weeks. A police spokesperson said they acted on specific intelligence inputs on the militants by launching a cordon-and-search operation in the upper reaches of Dachigam on Monday night.
The operation turned into a gunfight after militants fired at a search party of the security forces, he said. In the exchange of fire, Bhat, an A-category militant of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, was killed. He was a resident of Qaimoh in Kulgam.
“In the ongoing operation, one terrorist is killed and has been identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat (LeT, Category A). The said terrorist was involved in civilian killing at Gagangir, Ganderbal and several other terror attacks,” the Kashmir zone police said in a post on X.
The police also said that a cordon-and-search operation was under way. Dachigam, a national park on the fringes of Srinagar, is famous for sheltering endangered hanguls, a Kashmir stag.
Bhat is one of the two militants who reportedly carried out the October 20 attack.
The police have detained two women, Maryama Begum of Loudhara village and Arshad Begum of Rai Chak, from Basantgarh in Udhampur district under the PSA.
Their detention under the PSA marks a new hardline policy in the Jammu region. Women have been rarely booked under the Act in the area. Last week, the police arrested 10 alleged overground workers of militants in separate raids in Jammu.
While the police have accused the women of sheltering and assisting militants, locals said they do so reluctantly and are helpless before the heavily armed militants.
A police spokesperson said the two women were detained after it was concluded that they posed a significant threat to the region’s security. “These terror associates were found to be involved in providing logistical support to terrorist groups and working as guides and facilitators for terrorist organisations,” he said.
“Their continuous actions posed a serious risk to public safety and tranquillity.”
The spokesperson said they were ordered to be detained under the PSA to prevent “further criminal activities detrimental to the security of the region”.
The police released pictures of the two women in handcuffs.
Udhampur police chief AmodNagupre said they recovered the body of VDG Ashok Kumar from the forest on Tuesday.
He said there was no terror angle in the killing and suspected it was a case of suicide.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/lashkar-e-toiba-terrorist-involved-in-kashmirs-gagangir-attack-killed-in-gunfight/cid/2068012
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Police Suo Motu Book Muslim Youth For Kidnapping After Bike Ride With Girl; Mother Comes To Rescue
DECEMBER 03 , 2024
Kasaragod: At 11 am on Tuesday, Sreelakshmi R*, a roadside eatery owner, and Divya Varghese*, a young nurse at a private hospital, came to the Kasaragod Sessions Court, hoping at least the judge would hear them out. Kerala Police would not listen to them. They wanted to make it clear that Sayyid Hiban Muhammed (23), an operation theatre technician from Lakshadweep, neither kidnapped nor misbehaved with 17-year-old Nandana P R*, Sreelakshmi's daughter and Divya’s trainee at the hospital. (*Name changed to protect identities.)Sessions Judge Sanu S Panicker, hearing the anticipatory bail application of Muhammed for the fourth time, did not put the women on the witness stand. He ignored public prosecutor Venugopalan P's inflammatory argument that granting bail to Muhammed "would flare up communal tensions in the district because the girl and the man belonged to different religions", and focused on the law."Taking someone (out) is not an offence unless it is coupled with an intention to commit an offence. As far as this case is concerned, no offence was committed while they were together outside," Judge Panicker orally observed, granting Muhammed anticipatory bail. Muhammed's case raises troubling questions about moral policing by the Left government's police and prosecution, who bought into a rightwing conspiracy theory and filed a kidnapping case without a complaint, solely driven by prejudice rather than evidence, said AdvShajjidKammadam, who represented Muhammed in the court. 'Police, BJP pressured me to implicate Muhammed' On September 13, the hospital where Sayyid Hiban Muhammed and Divya Varghese worked celebrated Onam. After dinner, Nandana, who had joined the hospital for a two-month internship before starting nursing college, asked Muhammed to take her on a motorcycle ride around town, said Divya."She made the request while we were all sitting together after the celebration," Divya said. Around 12.45 am on September 14, the two left the hospital on a motorcycle and returned two hours later, she said. But their night outing was given a "communal twist" by several staff members aligned with the BJP, said Divya. As the chatter grew louder, the hospital's managing director on September 19 wrote to the Kasaragod Vanitha Police, requesting them to "discreetly inquire into the incident." But within hours of receiving the letter, the Vanitha Police registered a suomotu FIR booking Muhammed for kidnapping a minor under Section 137 (2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita."There was no complaint. The girl's family did not have an issue. Neither did the hospital," said AdvKammadam. The girl's mother Sreelakshmi told Onmanorama that she had told the police that she did not have any complaint. The girl, now 18 years and in a nursing college, also gave a confidential statement to a judicial magistrate saying they went out together with her consent, and it was just a joy ride in the night."But BJP leaders came home and pressured me to implicate Muhammed. The police also took my statement several times, expecting me to change my stance. But I stuck to my position that the boy was not in the wrong," said Sreelakshmi. Sreelakshmi's brother then called up the BJP leaders and asked them to back off. But the police did not."Though we did not have a complaint, the police took my daughter for a medical examination in the hospital. The medical examination also cleared my daughter. Still, the police booked Muhammed," said Sreelakshmi. In the FIR, Sub-inspector Ajitha wrote she booked Muhammed for kidnapping because she "strongly believed the accused took the girl, who is merely 17 years old, out of the hospital with the intention of abusing her". When contacted, District Police Chief Shilpa Dyavaiah said the police got an intimation from the hospital "about a POCSO case. As per legal provisions, a case was registered". To be sure, the hospital's letter mentioned about the "communal twist" given to the motorcycle ride and did not refer to any sexual assault on the minor intern. On November 27, when the court took up Muhammed's anticipatory bail, public prosecutor Venugopalan vehemently opposed the plea, saying granting bail to Muhammed would create communal tension in the town. But the judge dropped enough hints that there was no case and scheduled it to be taken up for a detailed hearing on December 3. When the case came up for hearing on December 3, the public prosecutor repeated the communal conspiracy theory but did not oppose the bail plea "because the mother and daughter said they don't have a complaint". AdvKammadam said the mother and daughter's statements were with the police when Muhammed moved the court for anticipatory bail on November 20."The prosecution backed off now sensing the mood of the court," he said, adding that Muhammed will move the High Court of Kerala to quash the FIR. "I hope today's order means Muhammed won't be troubled by the police anymore. I was also called to the station several times. I just hope they leave us in peace now," said Sreelakshmi.
Source:onmanorama.com
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https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2024/12/03/kerala-police-false-kidnapping-case-communal-bias-moral-policing.html
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2018 notice claiming mosque in Varanasi college was revoked in 2021: Waqf Board
Dec 03, 2024
The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board on Tuesday clarified that a 2018 notice claiming a mosque and adjoining land on the Udai Pratap College campus in Varanasi as Waqf property was cancelled in January 2021. The clarification came in response to a letter by the joint secretary of the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid committee, SM Yasin, seeking the current status of the issue.
Yasin, in his letter addressed to the Waqf Board chairman, highlighted the prestigious reputation of the college and the confusion surrounding the 2018 notice. In response, the Board’s law officer, Abdul Mobin Khan, confirmed that the notice issued under Section 36(7) of the Waqf Act, 1995, by then assistant secretary Ale Ateeq, had been revoked, and no related action was pending.
The notice, issued on December 6, 2018, alleged that the mosque and college land were Waqf properties donated by the Nawab of Tonk. “The notice came from Varanasi resident Wasim Ahmed Khan. The then secretary of the college had responded to the notice, asserting the mosque was built illegally and the property of the college belonged to a trust and it could neither be bought nor sold,” said college principal DK Singh.
Singh also recalled a 2022 attempt by the Waqf Board to build a mosque on the campus, which was halted by police after the college’s complaint.
The situation reignited in 2024, prompting Yasin to seek clarification to dispel any misunderstandings. Following the Board’s response, he expressed gratitude, stating, “The confusion has been resolved, and I appreciate the board’s prompt clarification.”
Source:hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/2018-notice-claiming-mosque-in-varanasi-college-was-revoked-in-2021-waqf-board-101733238790765.html
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Mideast
UN General Assembly pushes for Palestinian state
December 04, 2024
UNITED NATIONS, United States: The UN General Assembly on Tuesday called on Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories and pushed for the creation of a Palestinian state, convening an international conference in June to try to jumpstart a two-state solution.
In a resolution passed by a 157-8 vote, with the United States and Israel among those voting no, and seven abstentions, the Assembly expressed “unwavering support, in accordance with international law, for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine.”
The Assembly said the two states should be “living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, based on the pre-1967 borders.”
It has called for a high-level international meeting in New York in June 2025, to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to breathe new life into diplomatic efforts to make the two-state solution a reality.
The assembly called for “realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent state.”
The United Nations considers the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip to be unlawfully occupied by Israel.
Israel occupied the Gaza Strip in 1967 and maintained troops and settlements there until 2005. Though it has withdrawn, it is still considered the occupying power there.
Alluding to recent rulings by the International Court of Justice, the assembly called on Israel to end its “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible” and halt all new settlement activity.
“The question of Palestine has been on the UN agenda since the inception of the organization and remains the most critical test to its credibility and authority and to the very existence of an international law-based order,” Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour said.
It was a UN General Assembly resolution in 1947 that divided British-ruled Palestine into two states — one Arab and one Jewish.
But only the creation of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948. This triggered a war between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581727/middle-east
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Doctors urge medical evacuations from war-torn Gaza to east Jerusalem
December 04, 2024
JERUSALEM: Medics and rights groups on Tuesday called for the immediate opening of a humanitarian corridor from Gaza to allow the urgent evacuation of patients to hospitals in east Jerusalem.
Israel controls all points of departure from the Gaza Strip which has been battered by over a year of war between Israel and militants led by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
Rare medical evacuations have been organized by international organizations or foreign countries in coordination with Israeli authorities.
But amid mounting casualties from the war, the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network and Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) called for the immediate reopening of the Gaza to east Jerusalem medical corridor, estimating that about 25,000 patients in Gaza were in need of urgent care.
FadiAtrash, the director of the Augusta Victoria Hospital in east Jerusalem, said the reopening of the evacuation corridor “is essential to allow us to continue to provide vital treatments in hospitals in east Jerusalem, where we have both the space and the medical expertise.”
Prior to the war, patients in Gaza who were in need of medical care unavailable in the Palestinian territory could be evacuated to hospitals in the Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem or the occupied West Bank, and in some cases in Israel.
But since the Gaza war broke out last year, that mechanism has been defunct.
During an exceptional evacuation of about 200 patients from Gaza in early November, the World Health Organization said about 14,000 people were awaiting medical evacuations.
Days later, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said “Israeli authorities blocked, without explanation, the medical evacuation of eight children and their caretakers from Gaza who are in need of medical care, including a two-year-old with leg amputations, to the MSF hospital in Jordan.”
“We strongly denounce this decision,” it said.
On Tuesday, “31 patients and caregivers left Gaza” through the Kerem Shalom crossing between Gaza and Israel, COGAT, the Israeli Defense Ministry agency managing civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, said.
It added that the patients were to be transferred to Jordan and the United States for treatment.
World Health Organization Director-General TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus said in a post on X that the 31 comprised 11 children with cancer awaiting treatment and 20 companions.
“Thousands of patients across Gaza still need medical evacuations for life-saving medical care. We urge that all corridors be utilized for the safe transfer of patients outside the Gaza Strip,” he said.
More than 105,000 people have been wounded in Gaza since the war erupted on October 7, 2023, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry which the United Nations deems reliable.
Gaza’s health care system has largely been decimated by the war, with only a handful of medical facilities now able to provide care.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581715/middle-east
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Palestinian factions Hamas, Fatah close to deal on postwar Gaza governance
December 03, 2024
CAIRO: Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war. It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel.
The two factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by Fatah.
A Palestinian Authority official on Tuesday confirmed that a preliminary agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations in Cairo. The official said the committee would have 12-15 members, most of them from Gaza.
It would report to the Palestinian Authority, which is headquartered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and work with local and international parties to facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction.
A Hamas official said that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on the general terms but were still negotiating over some details and the individuals who would serve on the committee.
The official said an agreement would be announced after a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo, without providing a timeline.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the talks. There was no immediate comment from Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and scores of Israeli hostages are returned. He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza, with civilian affairs administered by local Palestinians unaffiliated with the Palestinian Authority or Hamas.
No Palestinians have publicly volunteered for such a role, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with the Israeli military.
The United States has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2581712/middle-east
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Lebanese refugees return home from Iraq despite widespread destruction
December 03, 2024
NAJAF: Lebanese families displaced in Iraq by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah have begun returning to their homes in southern Lebanon following a recently brokered ceasefire.
The cessation of hostilities has allowed many to return despite widespread destruction.
“After two months, we are returning to our homeland. We will return even if we find our homes destroyed; we will sit on the ground,” said Ali Abdulla, a southern Lebanon resident, waiting along with dozens of others at Najaf airport in Iraq to fly back to Beirut with his family.
More than 20,000 Lebanese have sought refuge in Iraq since the outbreak of the war, according to official figures.
“Returning home was faster than we expected. A ceasefire has been achieved. We, the southerners, have not and will not abandon our land,” said Yousef Barakat, who was also waiting in Najaf to board a Middle East Airlines flight to Beirut. Najaf airport officials said around 800 Lebanese were leaving for Beirut every week, while others were using government-provided buses to travel to the Qaim border crossing with Syria and then on to Lebanon.
Iraqi local officials said at least 1,000 Lebanese had been crossing into Syria daily for three days.
But then an escalation of hostilities in Syria following a militant offensive against Syrian government forces led many to shun the land route, fearing for their safety.
They now prefer to wait for flights.
Iraq’s government and some institutions in Najaf and Kerbala have provided essential support, including free accommodation, healthcare, and meals, ensuring that displaced families have a safe, supportive environment during their stay.
The ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, aims to end the conflict across the Israeli-Lebanese border that has killed at least 3,768 people in Lebanon since it was ignited by the Gaza war last year, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
However, not all Lebanese are eager to return, saying their homes are uninhabitable due to damaged water and electricity networks.
They are uncertain about what will happen once the 60-day ceasefire ends.
Source:arabnews.com
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Israel says killed three Hamas members in strike on West Bank
December 03, 2024
WEST BANK, Palestinian Territories: The Israeli military on Tuesday said it killed three Hamas members in an air strike near the occupied West Bank city of Tubas, after the Palestinian health ministry reported two dead.
“Three Hamas terrorists who planned an imminent terrorist attack were eliminated” when the Israeli air force struck vehicles in the Aqaba area near Tubas, the military said.
Following the strike, “soldiers conducted a targeted raid in the vicinity of the strike, locating four weapons,” it added.
The Palestinian health ministry had earlier said an Israeli strike on a vehicle in Aqaba killed two Palestinians and wounded one.
All three Palestinians were transported to a hospital in Tubas, it added, but later said Israeli forces raided the same hospital, which the army denied in a statement to AFP.
The Israeli military had earlier told AFP that the air force, “acting on intelligence, struck a terror cell that was about to carry out an attack” in the Aqaba area.
It said an army unit “was then dispatched to collect the bodies and operated in the area of the Turkish Hospital in Tubas.”
However, it added, “they did not enter the hospital.”
Israel often seizes the bodies of Palestinians killed during operations, particularly those who belonged to militant groups, although an AFP journalist present near the hospital at the time of the operation did not see soldiers carrying bodies.
The Palestinian health ministry said the Israeli army besieged the hospital, before breaking into it, shooting inside, “assaulting staff and patients, and arresting a number of them.”
The AFP journalist in Tubas saw Israeli armored vehicles stationed outside the hospital and soldiers deployed around it.
The journalist saw Israeli soldiers exiting the hospital and detaining staff, some of them wearing scrubs or doctor’s gowns, before loading them into the armored vehicles.
Violence in the West Bank has soared since the war in Gaza erupted on October 7 last year after Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 787 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry.
Palestinian attacks on Israelis have also killed at least 24 people in the West Bank in the same period, according to Israeli official figures.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
Source:arabnews.com
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Israel says killed Hezbollah liaison with Syria army in Damascus strike
December 03, 2024
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said it killed the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s liaison with the Syrian army in an air strike on Damascus on Tuesday as a fragile six-day-old ceasefire stutters.
“The (Israeli Air Force) conducted an intelligence-based strike in Damascus targeting Hezbollah’s representative to the Syrian military, Salman NemerJomaa,” the military said, adding he played a key role in weapons deliveries between Syria and the militant group.
“As part of his duties, Jomaa was responsible for coordination between Hezbollah agents and the Syrian army, including to support the smuggling of weapons between Syria and Hezbollah,” it added.
Syrian state news agency SANA had reported an Israeli strike on a car on the road to Damascus’s international airport, while a war monitor reported one person killed.
“A car exploded after it was targeted in an Israeli aggression on the road to Damascus International Airport,” SANA reported, citing a police source.
According to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the car was targeted by an Israeli drone.
“A man who was inside was killed and another was injured,” said the Observatory, without providing details of their identities.
The strike occurred near a military airfield, added the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria.
Since Syria’s war broke out in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, mainly targeting the army and Iran-backed groups including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Israel rarely comments on such strikes but has repeatedly said it will not allow Iran to expand its presence in the country.
The strike on Damascus came amid mutual accusations between Israel and Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire that came into effect in Lebanon on November 27.
Source:arabnews.com
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UN commission warns against placing already struggling Syrians in crossfire again
EPHREM KOSSAIFY
December 03, 2024
NEW YORK: The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic expressed concerns on Tuesday that the renewed flareup of violence in the country will once again place civilians — already enduring years of war, economic collapse, and the brutality of armed groups and security forces — in the crossfire.
The Syrian civil war has been back in the spotlight since last week, when a coalition of opposition forces launched their largest offensive against the government in years.
They quickly swept through villages outside Aleppo and now say they control much of the city, meeting little resistance as the Syrian military quickly withdrew.
The government’s key ally Russia is conducting airstrikes against rebels who are now fighting the Syrian military in the central city of Hama.
There are reports of civilian casualties, displacements of tens of thousands of people, damage to civilian infrastructure, and interruption in essential services and humanitarian aid.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Monday said: “Syrians have endured the conflict for nearly 14 years. They deserve a political horizon that will deliver a peaceful future — not more bloodshed.”
As hostilities risk spreading across the country, the commission of inquiry urged all parties to the conflict to “strictly” adhere to international law and ensure the protection of civilians.
“We are investigating reported attacks impacting civilian infrastructure in the city of Aleppo, including at least one hospital and a university dorm, as well as reported airstrikes on Idlib city and other densely populated civilian areas,” said Commissioner HannyMegally.
“Both the airstrikes and the rapid changes in territorial control are causing massive displacement of civilians.”
The commission was established in 2011 by the UN Human Rights Council with a mandate to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since the beginning of the war earlier that year.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the commission’s chair, warned that the “brutality of past years must not be repeated,” and stressed that Syria must not veer toward a new cycle of atrocities.
He called on all factions involved to break from past patterns of violence and uphold human rights in line with the Geneva Conventions.
There are reports that the fighting could expand to other areas, with the government and its allies reportedly preparing a counteroffensive.
The commission has said it is closely monitoring the treatment of minorities and prisoners of war as opposition forces advance into government-controlled areas.
Particularly concerning is the situation in northern Aleppo, where the opposition Syrian National Army has taken control of areas with a Kurdish population, the commission said.
“There are some welcome statements by parties indicating that they intend to ensure the protection of the civilian population and their rights, so what is required is that their deeds match their words in the coming days and that humanitarian actors on the ground obtain the access and sufficient resources to alleviate suffering,” said Commissioner Lynn Welchman.
Source:arabnews.com
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Sunni rebels advance deeper into Syria, Assad prepares for counterattack
December 03, 2024
Nearly a week after launching a surprise offensive against Bashar al-Assad's army, Syrian rebels, spearheaded by Salafist organization Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, continue their gains, seizing four towns near Hama and advancing to within six miles of the city, the country’s fourth-largest. Assad's regime is fortifying defensive lines in preparation for a counterattack. Meanwhile, clashes have erupted on a new front in Deirez-Zor province, where Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have launched an attack.
The rebel offensive began on Wednesday, coinciding with a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Exploiting the weakened state of Assad’s allies – Hezbollah, pro-Iran militias, and a distracted Russia – the rebels captured large areas of Aleppo province, forcing Syrian forces to abandon their positions. For the first time since the war's onset, rebels have taken full control of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city. Assad’s forces admitted they are “reorganizing” and have received reinforcements from Iraqi militias.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Assad's forces regained one village, Khanaser, but the rebels are advancing south toward Hama. Four towns – Halfaya, Taybat al-Imam, Mardis, and Suran – have been captured, with rebels claiming to have killed 50 regime fighters in the process. A photographer from AFP witnessed dozens of abandoned tanks and military vehicles on the road to Hama.
"Violent clashes are taking place in northern Hama province," reported the Observatory, adding that Syrian and Russian air forces are carrying out heavy bombardments.
In Deirez-Zor, Kurdish-led SDF forces, supported by the U.S., claimed to have seized seven villages near a U.S. military base. However, Syrian media denied their advance, and the Observatory confirmed no significant Kurdish gains. Pro-Iranian militias were accused of artillery fire that killed four civilians, including a child. Airstrikes also targeted Idlib, a rebel stronghold, killing three civilians in a hospital bombing. The EU condemned Russia’s actions, accusing it of targeting populated areas.
Fear and uncertainty loom over Aleppo, now under rebel control. “We don’t know what will happen,” one resident told AFP, adding that rebel fighters “haven’t harassed” them but have asked his daughters to wear veils. G
eorgeManessian, an Armenian political commentator in contact with Aleppo Armenians, said jihadists from Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham have promised not to harm minorities. “On the first day, one fighter knocked on the door of an Armenian neighbor and assured him they would respect Christians and Armenians,” he told the BBC. However, he warned against trusting such promises, citing past incidents where Islamist militias initially avoided harming minorities but later committed crimes against them.
The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011 during the Arab Spring, has claimed over half a million lives and displaced millions. While fighting had diminished in recent years, this new offensive marks a major escalation, threatening Assad’s hold on key territories. Since the attack began, 514 people have been killed, including 92 civilians, and nearly 50,000 have been displaced, many of them children.
Source:ynetnews.com
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South Asia
Islamic Republic holds military drills on Afghanistan-Iran border
By Fidel Rahmati
December 3, 2024
State-run media of the Islamic Republic reported that the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces held an “extraordinary” military drills along the Afghanistan border.
According to the news agency, the exercise focused on countering “terrorist cells and their movements outside Iran’s eastern borders.”
The report stated that the operations carried out by the Islamic Republic along the Afghanistan-Iran border were planned in close coordination and collaboration with Iran’s neighbors, including the Taliban government.
The Islamic Republic’s official news agency, IRIB, released a photo report of the military drill, showing military equipment and helicopters in action. The exercise took place near the border wall between Iran and Afghanistan in the Khorasan Razavi province, where the Iranian government has been constructing a “border barrier project” for some time.
Officials from the Islamic Republic also announced that 65 kilometers of the border wall with Afghanistan have already been built, and an additional 300 kilometers will be completed by the end of this year.
This military exercise underscores the growing security concerns along the volatile Afghanistan-Iran border.
The military exercise highlights the Islamic Republic’s focus on border security and regional cooperation, reinforcing its commitment to safeguarding its eastern frontier and countering perceived threats with neighboring nations.
Source:khaama.com
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27 killed in political violence, clashes
Dec 4, 2024
At least 16 people were killed and 599 others injured in 103 incidents of political violence across the country in November, according to a report from Human Rights Support Society.
Ten of the deceased were BNP men, three were activists of Awami League and one was a United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) activist, it added.
Besides, 11 others -- including several BNP, AL and Jamaat men -- were killed in clashes over establishing supremacy or attacks by miscreants.
In November, at last 110 women and children were tortured and of them 32 were raped, HRSS said.
The HRSS monthly report is prepared based on its own findings and media reports.
The rights body said at least 225 persons were injured in 12 incidents in colleges and universities.
The attack and counter-attack at Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, and Dr Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College are also mentioned in the report.
HRSS said 46 more cases were filed against former PM Shiekh Hasina and AL leaders and activists last month. Meanwhile, at least 46 journalists were assaulted and harassed in at least 27 incidents in this same period.
The rights body said one temple was attacked and three idols were vandalised. It also reported the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif at Chattogram court during a clash in November following the arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in a sedition case.
Source:thedailystar.net
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Construction Resumes on Kabul-Logar Road’s First Phase
2024-12-04
KABUL(BNA): The Kabul Municipality has announced the resumption of construction on the first phase of the Kabul-Logar road, valued at 920 million Afghanis, after a brief delay.
The Deputy for Construction Affairs at Kabul Municipality, Engineer Amir ZmarakYasar, stated that the remaining portion of the Kabul-Logar road, located within Kabul city, was assigned to the municipality for completion following a decision by the Cabinet of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
This phase stretches seven kilometers, from Nijat Square to the Charkh Ab area, with a width of 60 meters. It will feature two main and two auxiliary lanes built to international standards. The project is slated for completion within two years and will subsequently be opened for public use.
This road project not only serves as a vital economic connector linking Kabul to six southern and southeastern provinces but is also expected to alleviate traffic congestion and improve urban infrastructure significantly.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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Afghanistan Eyes Iran’s Expertise to Boost Agricultural Practices
2024-12-03
KABUL(BNA): Mawlawi Sadar Azam Osmani, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, held discussions with Iran’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture during an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In a statement released by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, both sides emphasized the importance of enhancing bilateral agricultural ties. Discussions covered a range of topics, including sharing expertise, adopting modern agricultural and irrigation technologies, organizing capacity-building initiatives, and strengthening trade in agricultural products between the two countries.
MawlawiOsmani’s visit, undertaken at the invitation of the Iranian government, focuses on exploring Iran’s advancements in water management and soil development projects, particularly modern irrigation techniques. This engagement reflects Afghanistan’s efforts to modernize its agricultural practices by leveraging Iran’s experience in the sector.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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Public Health Minister Arrives in China for International Health Conference
2024-12-03
KABUL (BNA): Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, the Acting Minister of Public Health, has arrived in China to attend an international health conference. The visit aims to enhance bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector and explore opportunities for collaboration.
The Ministry of Public Health stated that during this visit, MawlawiJalali will not only participate in the conference but also visit several prominent healthcare facilities and engage in discussions with senior health officials.
The key objective of this mission is to align Afghanistan’s healthcare system with international standards and foster multi-dimensional partnerships to address pressing healthcare needs effectively.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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Ministry of Finance to Establish Temporary Port for TAPI Project Operations
2024-12-03
KABUL(BNA): The Ministry of Finance announced plans to establish a temporary port in the Cheshmeh Alim border area between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, facilitating logistical operations and enhancing bilateral cooperation.
A joint Afghan delegation, led by Haji Mufti Abdul Mateen Saeed, Deputy Minister for Revenue and Customs, met with Yelamanov, Deputy Minister for Border Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Chairman of the TAPI project, and a representative from Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Discussions centered on key operational matters, including the dispatch of technical personnel, equipment, and machinery to Afghanistan for the TAPI project, streamlining visa processes, and defining work schedules. The creation of the temporary port aims to ensure smooth transportation and logistics for project activities.
The Islamic Emirate delegation reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of the TAPI project and approved Turkmenistan’s proposals regarding staff movement and equipment transfer. These agreements will be formalized through an exchange of notes between the foreign ministries of both countries.
The Turkmen delegation pledged to expedite the TAPI project’s progress and provide necessary resources to ensure its timely execution.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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Pakistan
PM Shehbaz stresses global cooperation to overcome water crisis
By Web Desk
December 03, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday stressed the need for strong political will, and global leadership to overcome the water crisis posing threat to the nations across the world.
Addressing the “One Water Summit” on the Margins of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP-16) under the theme “Restore, Preserve, and Adapt”, PM Shehbaz expressed his profound gratitude to Saudi Arabia, France, and Kazakhstan, as well as the World Bank for organising the timely summit, to deliberate upon, one of humanity’s most pressing challenges.
He said: “Water is the lifeblood of the planet; a cornerstone of economic development, food security, and environmental sustainability.”
Speaking the summit in Riyadh, the premier said: “This life-sustaining resource, however, is coming under increasing stress. Nearly half of the world’s population is facing, water scarcity, for at least part of the year. Billions remain, without clean drinking water, as water pollution, is rising, at alarming levels.”
The country’s chief executive said that the water resources were fast depleting and degrading which was displacing millions, and causing, unprecedented destruction.
“This is not a distant threat, but an alarm bell, for collective action. Pakistan is no stranger to these challenges. Our rivers, glaciers and aquifers are increasingly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, and population growth.
He apprised the leaders at the summit that Pakistan was still grappling with the 2022, catastrophic floods, that caused, widespread damage, to its water resources and irrigation sector, in addition to affecting, millions of lives and livelihoods.
At the same time, he said droughts posed an equally potent threat to the country.
“Nearly 70% of our land consists of arid and semi-arid areas, and around 30% of our population, is directly affected by drought-like conditions. Projected temperature increases in Pakistan, are significantly higher, than the global average,” he added.
The PM highlighted that such catastrophic disasters and challenges were likely to scale up further in the absence of concerted international actions as it was one of the top ten countries, most vulnerable due to climate change.
Commenting on transboundary water management, he said that water transcended political boundaries, connecting nations and fostering shared ecosystems.
“Pakistan, therefore, attaches great importance to transboundary cooperation. The Indus Water Treaty, which governs, the sharing of the Indus Basin’s waters, is one example of such an arrangement.”
He added that the treaty witnessed unprecedented challenges in recent years, due to a number of factors, including construction of upstream dams, whereas its effective functioning was key to maintaining regional peace and stability.
The prime minister also shed light on the “Recharge Pakistan” initiative that aimed to address, climate-induced, flood risks, and mitigate drought impacts, through ecosystem based adaptations.
“We are also finalising a National Drought Plan that identifies, the most drought-affected areas, and proposes, effective response mechanisms, to mitigate, the impact of drought in these areas,” he said.
The prime minister proposed a six-point agenda at the global level to overcome water-related challenges.
He advocated for the need of international cooperation and collaboration, to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”, as provided for in the SDG-6, exchange of knowledge and expertise, as well as transfer of technologies on innovative water management on priority.
Adequate funding for climate-resilient infrastructure, and overcoming financing gap—a critical challenge for climate-vulnerable countries, the PM added.
He said that the world must also focus on a framework for transparency, data sharing and regional cooperation to avoid conflicts and promote water sharing.
The premier called for investment in skills development, research, and institutional strengthening, to tackle water challenges, at national and global levels.
“Last but not least, we required strong political will and global leadership to overcome the water crisis,” he added.
He commended the visionary leadership, and initiative of Saudi Arabia’s Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to establish the global water organisation.
“We are proud to join this initiative, as one of its founding members and look forward to providing, all possible support, in achieving its important goals,” he said.
The PM is currently in the Saudi capital on a two-day official visit to participate in the water-related global summit.
Upon his arrival at Riyadh’s Royal Airport Terminal earlier today, the premier was warmly received by Prince Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman bin Abdulaziz, the deputy governor of Riyadh, along with Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and other senior diplomatic staff.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi were part of the premier's delegation.
"Just landed in Riyadh to join Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and other global leaders at the One Water Summit, a timely event to deliberate upon collective strategies to tackle water security challenges," he wrote on his X official handle.
"Together, we aim to accelerate action to combat desertification, address water pollution, and advocate for local, regional and global action. Let’s unite in our pursuit for water sustainability!" he added.
PM meets Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
PM Shehbaz met Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the water summit.
Taking to his official X handle, the PM wrote: “Had the pleasure and honor of meeting my brother HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the One Water Summit in Riyadh.”
“We reaffirmed our strong brotherly ties and discussed ways to further enhance our cooperation in trade and investment.”
He further said that the frequent high level exchanges were paving the way for mutually beneficial economic cooperation between our two countries.
“Grateful for his royal highness’ personal interest and support in building closer Saudi Arabia-Pakistan ties for the benefit of our peoples.
In addition to this, PM Shehbaz held a “warm and productive” meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the water summit in Riyadh.
During the meeting both the leaders agreed to enhance cooperation through business-to-business contacts in the areas of agriculture, livestock, Information Technology, skills development and clean drinking water.
Both the leaders reiterated the shared desire of two sides to remain closely engaged on all regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Expressing satisfaction at its positive trajectory, the two leaders exchanged views on the full spectrum of Pakistan-France relationship, including political, economic, trade and investment, as well as cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations.
In his remarks, PM Shehbaz stressed upon the need to further strengthen mutually advantageous economic and trade ties between the two countries and encouraged France to take advantage of investment opportunities in Pakistan, especially in areas of climate adaptation and renewable energy.
Commending France's leadership role on climate change and development issues, the premier recalled with appreciation President Macron's strong advocacy for the people of Pakistan in the wake of 2022 devastating floods.
He also warmly congratulated President Macron on the successful co-hosting of the water summit in Riyadh.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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After 'final call' fiasco, Imran Khan still 'holds trump card close to his chest'
By Shabbir Dar
December 03, 2024
After the "final call" protest triggered new political and legal challenges for the former ruling party, sister of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, Aleema Khan claimed on Tuesday that her brother "still holds trump card close to his chest" which he would use at an appropriate time.
"PTI founder told me that he would not reveal his trump card right now," Aleema told reporters after meeting the former premier at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated for more than one year.
She said that she "waited for six hours yesterday but she was not permitted to meet Imran".
Aleema also dismissed rumours about the PTI founder's deteriorating health conditions, saying that he is "totally fine".
Detailing his brother's stance on the outcomes of the "do-or-die" protest, she claimed that the PTI founder had no access to newspapers and television in prison to stay updated about the country's developments.
She added that the PTI founder received information about the Islamabad demonstration from his lawyers who met him today and yesterday.
It is noteworthy to mention here that at least four law enforcers, including three Rangers and one policeman, were martyred during the PTI protest.
On the other hand, the former ruling party claimed that at least 12 of their workers and supporters were killed.
Pointing towards Islamabad police's crackdown leading to arrests of hundreds of PTI protesters, Aleema said: "Imran was shocked after getting updates about the tragedy from us and instructed to register a first information report (FIR) against [Prime Minister] Shehbaz Sharif and [Interior Minister] Mohsin Naqvi."
Subsequently, Imran said that the incident would intensify public outrage and ordered the issue to be raised on national and international levels. Aleema also called for questioning the incumbent government for opening fire at the demonstrators.
Criticising the former ruling party's top leadership, Aleema said: "They should have been there on the container [during the protest] when Bushra Bibi was leading the protesters."
The former ruling party's much-hyped protest, aimed at securing Khan's release, had started on November 24 and "postponed" abruptly in the wee hours of Wednesday, November 27, following a late-night crackdown on party workers and leaders at Islamabad's D-Chowk.
A day ago, the jailed PTI founder was arrested in seven new cases linked to the recent protests of his party which saw fierce clashes between the law enforcers and the protesters.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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Govt moves to curb social media use by terror outfits
Iftikhar A. Khan
December 4, 2024
• NAP body told over ‘200 terrorists’ killed in around 8,000 operations in Jan-Oct ; independent figures suggest this is a modest estimate
• Ministry to enlist PTA to ensure terrorists can’t use online tools for nefarious purposes
• Nacta to enhance coordination with provinces; security of Chinese citizens stressed
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to tighten noose on terrorist outfits and restrict the use of social media by banned terrorist groups.
The National Action Plan (NAP) coordination committee, which met on Tuesday with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in the chair, decided to take comprehensive measures to prevent the activities of banned terrorist organisations on social media.
It was decided that social media accounts of banned terrorist outfits would be blocked in cooperation with the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), while the provinces would take steps under a comprehensive strategy to stop the usage of illegal SIMs.
The top officials of all relevant institutions, including PTA, were directed to come up with an effective mechanism in the next meeting.
However, many believe the decision at this point of time has political connotations, as several ministers have been labelling the opposition PTI a violent group and not a political party. Amidst talk of imposing Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and placing ban on PTI, they allege hardcore criminals used the PTI protest as a cover to ‘storm Islamabad’.
They also accuse the party of using arms against security personnel and causing colossal loss to public and private property during the ‘violent protest’.
Action against terrorists
The NAP coordination committee meeting was informed during a briefing that 206 terrorists have been killed in 7,984 intelligence-based operations till October this year.
The interior minister condemned the recent incidents of terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and told participants that a National Fusion Centre was established for effective coordination.
He emphasised that full cooperation would be provided to improve the professional capabilities of the counter-terrorism forces in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to deal with terrorism, adding that the police and Frontier Constabulary would be strengthened.
However, the figures on terrorist killings mentioned by the Interior Ministry, appear to be on the lower side.
According to data compiled by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), an Islamabad-based think tank, 464 militants were killed and 66 injured in 129 operational strikes by LEAs conducted between January and November. They clarify, however, that those killed during retaliation against terrorist attacks have not been included in the data.
As many as 84 terrorists were killed in October this year alone.
“…the intensified response from security forces, resulting in the reported killing of 84 militants across 15 districts in all four provinces, not only indicates a proactive counterterrorism strategy but also highlights the widespread nature of militant activity,” said the PIPS monthly security report for October, released last month.
Better coordination
During Tuesday’s meeting, it was also decided to enhance coordination between the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) and the provinces.
The interior minister announced that the needs of law enforcement agencies would be fulfilled on a priority basis, directing all agencies to submit a report on their requirements to the ministry within seven days. He said reforms were initiated in Nacta, with its original role being restored so that it could better fight terrorism.
He underscored that everyone has to work together to improve the law and order situation. He said that along with increasing capacity, the police of all provinces should be equipped with modern technology. At the meeting, the arrangements made for the security of Chinese citizens also came under review.
The minister sought complete implementation of the foolproof security plan, stressing that Pakistan Coast Guards should be strengthened to prevent narcotics smuggling in coastal areas.
The meeting also reviewed progress on the decisions made regarding counterterrorism. Nacta’s national coordinator, Khalid Khattak, gave a detailed briefing regarding the implementation of the decisions.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1876521/govt-moves-to-curb-social-media-use-by-terror-outfits
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Karachi to hold second Islamic capital market conference on Dec 12
By Our Correspondent
December 04, 2024
KARACHI: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) announced the Second International Islamic Capital Market Conference & Expo 2024 during a press briefing held at its Karachi office on Tuesday.
The event, themed ‘From Tech Transformation to Realising Sustainability: Building an Inclusive Islamic Capital Market’, will take place on December 12, at a local hotel in Karachi. SECP Chairman Akif Saeed, alongside Commissioner Mujtaba Ahmed Lodhi and Executive Director Khalida Habib, highlighted the significance of the conference in advancing Islamic finance. The SECP’s Head of Islamic Finance Tariq Naseem noted that Pakistan’s Islamic capital markets are thriving, with 55 per cent of market capitalisation, 65 per cent of voluntary pension fund assets, and 95 per cent of REITs being Sharia-compliant. He also announced plans for an independent assessment of compliance with the IFSB’s principles, aiming to elevate Pakistan’s global standing in Islamic finance.
The conference, co-hosted by AAOIFI and IsDBI, will feature over 20 international experts from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkiye and the UK, among others. A pre-conference workshop, a gong ceremony at the Pakistan Stock Exchange, and an Islamic Finance Exhibition displaying 38 leading institutions will complement the main event. Discussions will focus on challenges and opportunities in creating sustainable and inclusive Islamic capital markets.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1257800-karachi-to-hold-second-islamic-capital-market-conference-on-dec-12
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Europe
Go bright or go Gucci? British Muslim men discuss what they wear to Friday prayers
3 December 2024
Every Friday, for eight months, people attending Jummah at one of four mosques in Tower Hamlets became familiar with the same sight: a man with a camera and a woman with a clipboard, chatting to men as they entered and left the mosque, as part of a special project.
Jummah, or Friday prayer, is a spiritual highlight of the week that brings the spectrum of Muslim communities together. And ever since it was established by the prophet Muhammad – who described Friday prayers as an “Eid” or celebration – there has been an idea of wearing your “Friday best”. What comprises this uniform is wide-ranging, from monochrome ankle-length Arab thobes to colourful south Asian kurtas, easy tracksuits to stylish blazers. The project set out to document the whole range, and forms the basis of a new exhibition in London’s Bethnal Green called Jummah Aesthetics: British Muslim Men and Their Sartorial Choices.
It was the idea of Dr Fatima Rajina, a sociologist based at the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre, and Rehan Jamil, a social documentary photographer from London. The 25 photographs were taken over the course of eight months, from February to October. They wanted to capture a demographic that Jamil argues “gets left behind when we’re talking about clothing”. Both he and Rajina were keen to shift the focus to men, since the spotlight has been almost exclusively on Muslim women’s fashion through the global phenomenon of modestwear.
The styles captured are eclectic. “Our communities cross so many cultures,” says Jamil, a born and bred East Ender who attends Friday prayers every week in the mosques where he chose to photograph. He describes Jummah at East London Mosque “like a mini Hajj every Friday”, as it attracts around 7,000 worshippers from all walks of life, in all styles of clothing. Jamil himself wears Nehru-collar shirts in the summer in a nod to his south Asian heritage, and Oliver Spencer wool polo tops in the winter. He pairs them with Nudie jeans made from recycled fibres, in a conscious effort to wear environmentally friendly clothing, as inspired by his faith to take care of the planet.
One of the men featured in the exhibition is Maruf, 33, who was dressed in a grey blazer and pristine white cotton thobe in his photograph. He is an imam of Bangladeshi heritage at Brick Lane Mosque and likes to wear white on Fridays as it is the purest colour. “It gives me a special feeling, and makes me feel happier,” he says. “It’s important for Muslims to dress their best for Jummah. We’re presenting ourselves before God, like people do before a king.”
The 22-year-old Sufi, who has half-Yemeni, half-Kenyan heritage, opted for a light coloured, smart-casual shirt and trousers from Uniqlo the day he was photographed. He likes to be comfortable, clean and presentable. “I keep it simple, humble and smart, as I’m in the house of Allah,” he says.
When it comes to wearing colour, Rajina noticed a generational gap: they found that the older men are far more comfortable in bright colours such as purple, green, pink or mustard, perhaps indicating a closer connection to their country of origin, since colourful clothing is an inherent part of the culture in places such as Bangladesh and west Africa. But many of the younger men spoke of how they would never wear bright colours, preferring grey, black, or navy – which Rajina observes is “more in line with British men’s fashion”.
For Meraaj, a 24-year-old entrepreneur of Sri Lankan heritage, he calls his vibe a “British Muslim look”. In the photo, Meraaj wears a traditional, black Moroccan thobe with a Gucci jacket and Nike trainers, saying it’s a mixture of comfort and cultures; a “new generation twist on the old fashion of thobes”. Thobes, while Arab in origin, are often adopted by non-Arab men as a practical, modest garment to pray in. It is a choice influenced by the prophet Muhammad, who himself wore one.
Also emulating the prophet’s attention to cleanliness and self-grooming, many of the men photographed prepare for Jummah by having a shower, clipping their nails, getting their hair trimmed and beards oiled. “I want to come in my best form,” says Meraaj. “It’s nice to show everyone I’m proud to be Muslim.”
Each picture tells a story, and for Rajina, many of the chapters are written into the details. She points to the picture of 41-year-old Musa, who works in Tower Hamlets, and has prayed at Shoreditch mosque for the past six years. He is wearing a purple top from Sierra Leone in his photograph and, she says, “if you look closer, you’ll spot that he’s holding a tasbeeh [prayer beads] in one hand, and a mobile phone in the other, which signifies the age-old spirituality v modernity debate”. She points to another image of an “uncle”, Latif, a 70-year-old retired businessman, in a plain shalwarkameez, air-bubble trainers and a topi (cap) that he’s been wearing for more than 20 years, given to him by a friend. Look closer and you’ll notice the geometric embroidery adorning the front of the hat, which is particular to the Sindh province of Pakistan.
It was important for Jamil that he was photographing a community to which he belongs. “If we as a minority Muslim community in London don’t document our own lives, we can’t expect anyone else to do it for us,” he says. “From the point of view of a social documentary photographer, it is best when we can document our own communities.”
Rajina agrees. “One of my frustrations as an academic is that so much of the research is oversaturated with Muslim men in relation to radicalisation and the Prevent strategy, which you see in the dominant mainstream discourse too,” she says.
Her hope is for people to enjoy the images from a fashion and portrait – as well as sociological – perspective. “No one is looking at Muslim men from this lens.”
Jamil sees Jummah aesthetics as only gaining more ground. “Friday prayer, and dressing for it, is not something that is dying out,” he says. He envisages more conversation will be sparked, and hopes that traditional clothing will be worn beyond religious or ceremonial contexts to “normalise and destigmatise wearing traditional attire”.
“Traditional clothing carries so much history, meaning and artistry, and wearing it in everyday life is a powerful way to celebrate identity and heritage. Imagine walking through the streets of London and seeing a vibrant mix of agbadas, thobes, kilts, kurtas and more, all blending seamlessly with modern urban fashion,” Jamil adds.
“Fashion is such a great medium for storytelling, and this kind of visibility could foster mutual appreciation and understanding between different communities.”
Source:yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.style.yahoo.com/bright-gucci-british-muslim-men-120049937.html
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Creative Marathon aims to unite creative young people from Islamic countries - official
3 December 2024
SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, December 3. The main goal of the “Creative Marathon” is to unite creative youth from Islamic countries, Head of Baku Fashion Academy Katerina Eren, acting as a mentor at the “Creative Marathon” organized by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan in the “Youth Capital” in the city of Shusha, told reporters, Trend reports.
She noted that 21 people are taking part in the “Creative Marathon”.
“The day before, the teams were divided into four zones. They create a variety of outfits. I think that the participants will show a successful result in this program. Everyone is working with great enthusiasm. It is encouraging that Baku Fashion Academy is also present at the event. This will help creative young people from Islamic countries to unite,” she added.
Source:trend.az
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https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/3977931.html
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Russian human rights chief ‘hopes gays are doing okay’
4 Dec, 2024
The head of Russia’s Human Rights Council has said the state ban on LGBT propaganda has no bearing on private homosexual relationships, and that he hopes gay people have not been negatively affected.
In an interview with the news outlet RBC published on Tuesday, Valery Fadeev was asked whether he thought the Kremlin is interfering in citizens’ private lives.
“Homosexual relationships and propagandizing those relationships are different things,” the human rights chief responded. “A homosexual relationship, that’s private life. And no one interferes with that. Gays have always been around, in all times, more or less.”
“The State Duma did not ban personal relationships, it banned propaganda,” he stressed.
When asked whether gay people are affected by the ban, Fadeev replied that he thought not.
“No. I hope the gays are still doing okay,” he said.
However, the wider LGBT movement is “a very damaging imported” threat to Russian society, Fadeev said.
On Sunday, Russian media reported that police had raided three Moscow nightclubs on suspicion of “spreading LGBT propaganda.” According to the Interior Ministry, a number of weapons were seized at one of the clubs. The establishment was also found to have been selling illegal, presumably unlicensed, alcohol.
Moscow has been implementing stricter laws regarding LGBTQ information for more than a decade, first banning related propaganda among minors in 2013 and broadening the ban to cover adults in 2022. Soon after, the Russian Supreme Court outlawed the “international LGBT public movement” as an extremist organization.
Source:.rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/608685-human-rights-chief-gays/
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North America
At Mosques Steps From Campus, Young Muslims Take The Lead
Audrey Thibert
December 3, 2024
(RNS) — Imam Anwer Imam, a Muslim clergyman in Austin, Texas, remembers his wife telling him that he seemed more himself in his sessions talking to college students about their faith. “Even my own parents,” he said in a recent interview, would tell him, “Your jokes are funnier. You look happier when you’re preparing for those sessions. I used to joke, ‘I wish there was a mosque just full of college kids.’”
Now, he leads one — or rather, he allows the kids to do so.
At Nueces mosque, a three-minute walk from the University of Texas at Austin but with no official affiliation with the university, a majority of the congregation is made up of students and young professionals. Under Imam’s supervision the teens and 20-somethings take the lead in the liturgies and even mosque administration.
It’s a community that Inaya Sheikh, a senior at the school and public relations director at Nueces, said most of the students have never had before.
“A majority of religious centers are run by older people who have experience and wisdom but also lack in certain areas when it comes to connecting with younger folks and catering to their needs, making them feel welcome and helping them grow,” Sheikh said.
Filling that gap, mosques like Nueces and others on and near university campuses around the United States tailor their services to younger congregants, encouraging them to learn to lead prayers and providing opportunities for students interested in public speaking or leadership roles.
They also provide community for many young Muslims, who make up the bulk of the U.S. Muslim population. In 2017, Pew Research Center found that Muslims are “considerably younger than the overall U.S. adult population,” with more than a third between 18 and 29 years old, “a far higher percentage than the share of the general population that falls in that age bracket (21%),” Pew said.
A 2020 study by PRRI, a research group that tracks American religion, similarly showed that the average age among Muslim adults in the U.S. is 33, “significantly lower than the median for all Americans (47), and among the youngest of all religious groups.”
At least nine universities in the U.S. have mosques on or near their campuses that serve younger congregations, including Texas A&M in College Station, Texas Tech in Lubbock, University of Arizona, University of Washington Notre Dame, New York University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Texas at Austin and Georgetown.
Imam, who has led Nueces mosque since finishing a seminary program in Dallas three years ago, said he fell in love with the community at Nueces.
“It’s a very niche kind of time in university students’ lives,” he said. “It’s beneficial for them to plug into any mosque, but having one on campus, where even the day-to-day programs, classes and seminars are managed and curated by students, for students adds a layer.”
He added: “They’ve dedicated a portion of their life to serve something beyond themselves, to serve the community. I think it’s something very, very beautiful.”
Another near-campus mosque, the Islamic Center of Madison, is located minutes from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ibrahim Saeed, president of the mosque, called it a “training ground” for students who want to get more involved with reciting the Quran or giving the khutbah — the formal sermon given during Friday prayer or on special occasions.
“We test students who show interest to see how good is their reading on the Quran, all kinds of things,” Saeed said. “If I’m not there or somebody else is not there, then some of the students will lead. That’s very interesting for them. They are very happy with that.”
Saeed said about 10 students help lead night prayer during Ramadan, which can take over an hour to complete.
Saeed, who is also the imam at the Islamic Center of Madison, has committed to making the mosque a home for the students. “We told them, ‘This is your place, it’s not ours,’” he said. “We lead the thing, but it’s your place. I think they feel more at home when you let one of them lead the prayer.”
To help prepare the students to give their talks, Saeed sits with them and listens to their reading, recitation and pronunciation of Arabic letters.
Aslam Sayeeduddin, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison last year, gave talks at the student mosque in Madison starting in spring of 2023. He said the experience gave him an opportunity to share with the Muslim student community the traditional version of Islam he follows. Sayeeduddin emphasizes that he is not a learned person or an imam, but has spent a lot of time picking up on what scholars have taught him.
“Obviously, you’ve got 18- or 19-year-old students doing this, some of them for the first time. They’re going to make mistakes,” Imam said. “We at Nueces kind of embrace it. We expect them to make mistakes. Otherwise, how can we correct them?”
Students at Nueces who want to give talks go through training workshops, then practice in front of Imam to get feedback. Imam gives his students autonomy to lead projects they are passionate about, as long as they run it by him first. “My role is I sort of reality-test, validate and temper some of their ideas,” he said. “And put them through the ethos of Islamic values.”
And at the Islamic Center of East Lansing in Michigan, Aamir Baig, a senior at Michigan State University and a member of the school’s Muslim Student Association, has been leading night prayers at the Islamic center for more than four years, and through a program at the mosque has memorized the Quran.
Baig said life at the mosque, which is on the Michigan State campus but not officially affiliated with the university, is driven by the youth, including a strong representation from the area’s high schools.
“Until last year, it was just me leading the sermons, but now we’re getting more participation from the other college students who want to lead and who want to be involved in public speaking and things like that,” Baig said. “Our mosque is really good at incorporating the youth from a younger age too if they want to be engaged in the community here.”
Nueces also offers a seminary program that helps Sheikh and other students learn about the foundations of Islam through a biweekly class. But she said it’s about more than just learning about their religion. “It’s just a great way for students to not just practice their religion or their religious duties, but also basic things like public speaking and research and making sure they’re able to communicate specific things with a large audience,” Sheikh said.
Sheikh said she has been able to develop her leadership skills and grow professionally. “I think in the same way as in the political realm, we’re seeing a lot of older people taking the lead, which there’s nothing wrong with,” Sheikh said. “But I think we also need to pave a way for the younger generation to participate and gain experience.
She added: “I also do think that there is so much value in having elders in your community. One thing Islam preaches is seeking advice and consult from your elders. In order for us to ensure that we are doing the best we can to serve our community, we want to make sure that we’re seeking that advice and checking in with our elders.”
Imam, who hopes Nueces will serve as a model for all campuses, said the mosque offers the broader Muslim community the virtues of both youth and age. “The Muslim community, especially with these campus mosques, has struck a really beautiful balance,” he said.
Source:religionnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://religionnews.com/2024/12/03/at-mosques-steps-from-campus-young-muslims-take-the-lead/
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In pardoning his own son, Biden argues that US justice sucks
3 Dec, 2024
One of the big bonuses of being US president is that you can pardon any federal crimes you want on the way out the door. It’s a chance to help out family, friends, donors, or curry favor with potential future business associates in your post-White House career.
US President Joe Biden just handed one out to his own son, Hunter Biden, who was facing up to 25 years prison in a firearms case and 17 years for a tax case.
That length of sentence would make it seem that Hunter was accused of waving a gun around or firing it off in the vicinity of someone, but that’s hardly even the case. Instead, he was convicted of lying on his paperwork when applying for one. One of the questions asks whether you’ve smoked pot or done any other drugs “unlawfully.” No way, Hunter said. But unfortunately for him, a quick Google image search reveals spades of images of him with a crack pipe hanging from his mouth. Whoops.
In the tax case, he was convicted of three felony offenses and six misdemeanor offenses, according to his dad’s Justice Department statement, having “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills.” And when he was finally made to pay up, having blanked out on paying for four tax years, he indulged in some creative accounting in inventing some business deductions.
Enter Joe in the role of the parent who shows up at the school principal’s office to explain why his kid is such a screwup and can’t get his homework done on time for the tax man.
“Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently,” Biden wrote in a statement. Sounds like Hunter’s serious addiction in this case was not paying taxes, just like every other American facing similar charges. Everyone’s addicted to something. Maybe some other Americans were too busy double-fisting Ding Dongs or Twinkies to cater to the tax man? Or working on their gains at the gym? Or on a Netflix bender? Where’s their pardon? I’m sure Americans will be thrilled to learn that the president figures that indulging in some nose candy constitutes a free pass from any serious consequences of messing up your taxes – or just ignoring their existence altogether. Tax man knocking at the door? Just answer while smoking a giant blunt and tell him to bugger off.
What about the gun stuff, though? Joe has an answer for that, too. “Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form,” he wrote. Yeah okay, and most drivers who speed aren’t hauled up on speeding charges. Not because they aren’t doing it, but because there isn’t a cop sitting in the back of each one of their cars waiting for them to go over the limit and give them a ticket.
Biden is literally saying that Hunter has been “treated differently” simply because he’s Biden’s son. Is he seriously blowing the whistle on his own Justice Department, and American justice, in general, with accusations of political prosecutions? Sure sounds like it. Too bad that, as president, he wasn’t actually in any position to actually do anything about it, huh?
How about the tax man targeting Donald Trump’s returns? Is that not political, too, Joe? What about all the other felony charges that seemed designed to derail his return to the presidency?
“For the first time in American history a former president that is a convicted felon is now seeking the office of the presidency,” Biden said earlier his year. “But as disturbing as that is, more damaging is the all-out assault Donald Trump is making on the American system of justice.” Are we talking about the same system of justice that sucks so much that you had to correct its errors so your kid could avoid becoming someone’s Alcatraz amigo?
“It says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world,” Biden said amid a prisoner swap with Russia this summer. How much work has Biden done – beyond his own kid’s case – to ensure that people who mess up on government paperwork in the US aren’t facing prison terms that rival those of genocide perpetrators?
“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said. Sounds like a real problem. Too bad that time’s up for you to actually do anything about this kind of systemic selective prosecutorial bullying, beyond serving your own family’s interests.
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/608583-us-legal-system-biden-pardon-hunter/
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US Democrats Re-Elect 74-Year-Old Senate Leader, Chuck Schumer
3 Dec, 2024
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was unanimously backed by his caucus on Tuesday to continue his role in the next Congress.
It marks the fifth re-election as party leader for Schumer, a 74-year-old New York senator, who has led the Democrats in the upper chamber since 2016. Next year, however, he will head the minority party after Republicans managed to unseat a handful of senators and take a vacant seat, securing a 53-strong majority.
Schumer said he was “honored and humbled” by the trust placed in him by his colleagues to lead them “during this crucial period for our country.” Schumer pledged to work with Republicans whenever possible.
“As I have long said, our preference is to secure bipartisan solutions wherever possible and look for ways to collaborate with our Republican colleagues to help working families,” he said in a statement posted on Meta’s Threads social media platform.
“However, our Republican colleagues should make no mistake about it, we will always stand up for our values,” he added without elaborating.
The announcement appeared to receive a mixed reaction at best, with numerous Threads users flocking to Schumer’s thread to vent their anger. The discontented users accused the senator of being unable to provide the Democratic caucus with strong enough leadership and urged him to step down before he leads “us over another cliff.”
Source:rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/608683-schumer-senate-leader-reelected/
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Africa
“I Have Been Intimidated And Detained For The Principle Of What I Believe In – Tinubu
3 December 2024
By OladipoAbiola
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, submitted that no other system of government is better than democracy.
The Nigerian leader recalled how, in the past under military rule, he had been detained and intimidated for expressing the principles he believed in.
Naija News reports President Tinubu said this in Cape Town while speaking with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa during the opening of the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) on Tuesday in Cape Town.
He however expressed how grateful he is to be in South Africa as the President of Nigeria.
“I have been intimidated and detained for the principle of what I believe in, but today I carry the torch of that freedom, value, strong determination and commitment to the principles of justice, fairness. I’m grateful I am here as the President of my country,” he said.
In other news, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), NyesomWike, has given an order for the immediate rehabilitation of public schools in the Kabusa community of Abuja.
Wike, who lamented the dilapidated nature of the structures, said if President Bola Tinubu sees the status of the schools, he would lose his job as a Minister.
Naija News reports Wike gave the directive on Tuesday during the flag-off of rehabilitation works on the 9.8km Kabusa–Takushara road in Abuja.
He said the school structures are not fit for a place where children can come to acquire knowledge, hence the need for immediate rehabilitation to make it befitting.
Source:naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/12/03/i-have-been-intimidated-and-detained-for-the-principle-of-what-i-believe-in-tinubu/
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ARM Investment Managers unveils sharia-compliant fixed income fund
December 3, 2024
ARM Investment Managers, one of the country’s leading asset management firms, has announced the launch of the ARM Sharia-Compliant Fixed Income Fund. The fund is designed to provide sustainable financial growth opportunities while adhering to Sharia principles.
This innovative investment solution caters to individuals and organizations seeking to grow their wealth ethically, offering a portfolio that aligns with Islamic financial guidelines. The fund focuses on Sharia-compliant fixed-income instruments, such as Sukuks, Mudarabah contracts, and other non-interest financial products.
MounirBouba, executive director at ARM Investment Managers, described the fund as a reflection of the firm’s commitment to inclusivity and innovation.
“At ARM, we are dedicated to creating investment solutions that resonate with the diverse values of our clients. The Sharia-Compliant Fixed Income Fund empowers our clients to grow their wealth in alignment with their faith and ethical values, without compromising on competitive returns,” Bouba stated.
The ARM Sharia-Compliant Fixed Income Fund stands out for its thoughtful design and appeal to both faith-based and ethical investors. At its core, the fund is guided by Sharia principles, with an independent Sharia Advisory Board ensuring strict compliance in all investments. Investors can enjoy competitive returns, with the added benefit of semi-annual dividend playouts that offer both reliability and growth. Accessibility is another highlight, as retail investors can begin with a modest N10,000, while institutional and high-net-worth clients have tailored options starting at N20 million. Additionally, the fund provides a valuable opportunity for portfolio diversification, focusing on less volatile, asset-backed investments that combine ethical alignment with financial security.
While the fund is designed with Islamic principles in mind, it is not restricted to Muslim investors. Individuals and organizations looking for ethical investment options that prioritize transparency and sustainability are encouraged to explore this offering.
The launch of the ARM Sharia-Compliant Fixed Income Fund comes when there is a growing appetite for investment products that combine financial growth with ethical considerations. ARM Investment Managers is once again demonstrating its leadership in catering to the evolving needs of Nigeria’s diverse investor base.
Source:businessday.ng
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://businessday.ng/insurance/article/arm-investment-managers-unveils-sharia-compliant-fixed-income-fund/
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New militias sow future danger for war-weary Sudan
December 04, 2024
CAIRO: Mohamed Idris, 27, has despaired of ever finding a job in war-torn Sudan. Instead, he’s now set his sights on a training camp on the Eritrean border, hoping to join a militia.
“I got my university degree but there aren’t any job opportunities, if I get into a training camp I can at least defend my country and my people,” he told AFP from Kassala in Sudan, the nearest city to the border.
Analysts say the growing role such militias and armed groups are playing in the war will only prolong the country’s suffering.
Sudan’s war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023, sparking what the UN calls the world’s worst displacement crisis.
More than eight million people have been uprooted internally and more than three million have fled abroad.
The northeast African country is on the brink of famine, according to aid agencies, and a UN investigation found both sides committed rights abuses with the RSF particularly implicated in sexual violence.
In Sudan’s east, Kassala and Gedaref have so far been spared the chaos of war, but host more than a million people who have fled fighting elsewhere.
In both cities, AFP correspondents have seen convoys of four-wheel drives mounted with anti-aircraft weapons speed through the streets.
Each vehicle, blasting its horn as it went, was manned by a handful of young men waving assault rifles — though the nearest battles are hundreds of kilometers (miles) away.
The men, like Idris, are part of a generation who have lost their futures to the flames of Sudan’s war.
Now, they represent recruiting potential for new armed groups being formed, particularly along ethnic and tribal lines in the country’s army-controlled east.
“The forces I want to join are from my tribe and my family,” said Idris.
According to Sudanese analyst and former culture and information minister Faisal Mohammed Saleh, “these groups haven’t yet joined the fray in the current war.”
“But the fear is that they could be preparing for future rounds,” he told AFP.
Sudan, which has only known brief interludes of civilian rule since independence from Britain in 1956, is rife with armed groups, some with the capacity of small armies.
For decades, many were locked in wars with the central government, claiming to champion the rights of marginalized ethnic minorities or regions.
In 2020, most signed a peace agreement with the government in Khartoum, and several rebel leaders subsequently became senior officials in the government of army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.
“In the first months of the war, many of these groups were neutral, but have since declared allegiance to the army,” Sudanese policy researcher QusayHamrour told AFP.
They established the so-called joint forces to fight on the army’s side, while other groups “wavered, before throwing their weight behind the RSF,” Hamrour said.
According to former information minister Saleh, “what’s new now is the eastern Sudanese groups, most of which are training inside Eritrea.”
Eyewitnesses told AFP earlier this year that they saw Sudanese fighters being trained in at least five locations in neighboring Eritrea, which has not commented on the allegations.
The witnesses said the camps were linked to Burhan’s army or to figures from the former Islamist-backed regime of ousted dictator Omar Al-Bashir.
Historically, though ethnic or tribal armed groups “may ally themselves with the regular army, they remain essentially independent,” according to Ameer Babiker, author of the book “Sudan’s Peace: A Quagmire of Militias and Irregular Armies.”
Khartoum has long relied on armed groups to fight its wars in other parts of Sudan.
In response to an uprising in Darfur in 2003, Bashir unleashed the Janjaweed militia, leading to war crimes charges against him and others.
The RSF, formalized by Bashir in 2013, are descended from the Janjaweed.
In 2021, army chief Burhan led a coup that derailed a fragile civilian transition that followed Bashir’s own ouster.
By April 2023, a long-running power struggle between Burhan and his deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into all-out war.
Now, what Babiker calls “the weakness of the Sudanese state” has compelled it to again to depend on militias to secure territory.
He said this strategy would “only lead to these groups growing stronger, making them impossible to bypass in the future.”
Already, there have emerged “multiple centers of decision-making within the army,” he told AFP.
According to a May report from the International Crisis Group think tank, “both main belligerents are struggling with command and control.”
Burhan, increasingly reliant on powers from the Bashir regime “as well as communal militias and other armed groups ... risks losing his hold on the various factions.”
Meanwhile the RSF is “an ever more motley assortment of tribal militias and warlords,” according to Crisis Group, which says that both wartime coalitions have become more unwieldy.
Source:arabnews.com
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UN condemns deadly shelling of Sudan displacement camp
December 04, 2024
UNITED NATIONS, United States: The United Nations on Tuesday denounced the shelling of a displacement camp in North Darfur by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which killed at least six people.
The famine-stricken Zamzam camp, just south of state capital El-Fasher, came under intense rocket and artillery bombardment by the RSF on Sunday.
“The United Nations and humanitarian partners in Sudan strongly condemn these acts of violence against innocent civilians,” the UN resident coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, said in a statement.
She added: “I am deeply concerned by reports of the indiscriminate shelling of Zamzam camp, health clinics and shelters of displaced people. Their protection is paramount.”
Since April last year, a war between the regular army and the RSF has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 11 million and created what the UN has called the worst humanitarian crisis in recent memory.
El-Fasher has been besieged by paramilitaries for months, paralyzing aid operations and plunging the Zamzam camp, which is home to at least half a million people, into famine.
According to the UN, which managed to deliver its first aid convoy to Zamzam in months in November, families have been reduced to eating peanut shells to survive as children die of malnutrition.
“It is now 232 days since the siege of El-Fasher began, which has resulted in unacceptable levels of human suffering,” Nkweta-Salami said.
Both sides of the conflict face accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians, shelling residential areas and blocking or looting aid.
In recent weeks, the RSF has tightened its grip on El-Fasher, launching attacks on multiple fronts against Sudan’s military and allied armed groups.
Source:arabnews.com
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South Africa Relaxes Visa Rules For Nigeria Tourists, Business People
3 December 2024
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has announced that tourists from Nigeria can now apply for a visa without submitting a passport.
Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement on Tuesday by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, BayoOnanuga.
Ramaphosa spoke on Tuesday at the opening of the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Cape Town, which President Bola Tinubu attended.
He said South Africa has simplified its visa processes to facilitate travel for Nigerian business people and tourists, with measures such as five-year multiple entry visas.
“Our efforts to create a favourable environment include our simplified visa process for Nigerian business people to travel to South Africa. Qualifying Nigerian business people can be granted a five-year multiple entry visa,” he said.
He also pledged South Africa’s commitment to removing constraints on greater investment and addressing the challenges faced by companies in both countries.
“As we mark 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, we see a bright future for our relationship. Our strong bonds of friendship provide a firm foundation for more meaningful economic cooperation.
“Nigeria is host to a number of South African companies. South Africa has always been open to Nigerian business, reflected in the number of investments and operations established in this country.
“But there is much more we need to do. We need to remove the remaining constraints to greater investment, just as we need to address some of the challenges that companies have experienced,” he said.
President Ramaphosa acknowledged the Nigerian government’s reforms to further strengthen and foster a business environment that offers assurances to investors, including from South Africa.
“Our government continues with its efforts to improve the ease of doing business in South Africa. We want to enable investors to operate, trade and pursue opportunities in various sectors.
Source:naijanews.com
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Port Harcourt Refinery Is Working – Festus Osifo
3 December 2024
By UdezeEkene
The President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has confirmed that Port Harcourt Refinery is working.
Festus Osifo, who is also the National President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said the refinery has been producing petrol, diesel, kerosine and other products since it came on stream last week.
He stated this on Tuesday at PENGASSAN’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
Clarifying questions from newsmen on the true position of the refinery, Osifo explained, “When they blend this, it gives us PMS. But what we should be interested in, as material, is that does Port Harcourt refinery produces AGO today. The answer is yes.
“Does Port Harcourt Refinery produce DPK today? The answer is yes. Does Port Harcourt Refinery produce PMS today? The answer is yes.
“So the processes are not much of our concern. The man on the street does not understand what CTU is.”
The PENGASSAN President continued, “The man of the street does not understand what is classified. What the man of the street understands is PMS, kerosene, and diesel. Are we getting these from Port Harcourt? The answer is yes.”
According to the Nation, Osifo called for speedy work to complete the rehabilitation of the country’s refineries. He further advised the privatization of the country’s refineries.
Source:naijanews.com
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LG Autonomy Will Transform Rural Areas – Nigeria Governors’ Forum
3 December 2024
By UdezeEkene
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has said the 36 state governors are committed to achieving a completely autonomous local government to ensure development in the grassroots.
The Chairman of NGF and Kwara State Governor, AbdulrahmanAbdulrazaq, said the ruling of the Supreme Court was in order, noting that it would help ensure economic viability of the rural areas.
Governor Abdulrazaq stated this on Tuesday at the National Dialogue on Local Government and Constitution Amendment organized by the House Committee on the Review of the Constitution in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
Represented by the Director of Legal Services of the Forum, ChijiokeChukwu, the NGF Chairman explained that autonomy would deepen democracy and accountability, guaranteeing efficient service delivery in critical sectors including healthcare, education and security.
He assured of the commitment of the country’s 36 state governors in ensuring the transition to full autonomy is achieved.
“By empowering local governments to manage resources effectively, we can collectively ensure that development reaches every Nigerian, no matter how remote their community may be.
“The Governors’ Forum remains resolute in its commitment to the effective implementation of local government autonomy. The Governors are keen to collaborate with stakeholders, including development partners, civil society, and other arms of government, to translate this autonomy into tangible improvements in the lives of our people.
“It is our belief that a well-structured autonomy with a mutually aligned implementation framework would not only drive accountability and efficiency in resource management but also catalyze sustainable development goals at the sub-national level. Together, we can transform the local government system into a vibrant vehicle for economic growth, social development, and national integration.
“The Nigerian Governors’ Forum also reiterates its readiness to ensure that this transition to local government autonomy is impactful. Let us continue to work together in building a stronger, more inclusive Nigeria,” the Guardian quoted him.
Source:naijanews.com
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Southeast Asia
PM Anwar says strengthening knowledge foundation key to Malaysia’s Madani aspirations
04 Dec 2024
BANGI, Dec 4 — The tradition of seeking knowledge and intellectual enlightenment must continue to be strengthened, especially among the younger generation, to ensure Malaysia achieves its aspirations of becoming a MADANI nation, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said efforts to uplift the dignity of the ummah must begin with reinforcing the foundation of knowledge.
“To train our people in areas such as digitalisation or Artificial Intelligence requires us to equip ourselves with a strong foundational framework of knowledge,” he said at the launch of the books ‘Amanah Dakwah’ and ‘Mohamad Natsir: IlmuwanUlung Alam Melayu Abad ke-20’ in Bangi last night.
Also present were Education Minister FadhlinaSidek and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr MohdNa’im Mokhtar.
Anwar emphasised that the younger generation must embody the concept of ‘addabani rabbi fa ahsanata’dibi’, which reflected the integration of divine values with the strength of knowledge, reading, and engagement with great scholarly works.
The Prime Minister also noted that the mastery of knowledge encompassed not only technical skills but also the ability to understand the philosophy and values underpinning the development of a harmonious and progressive society.
Excellence, he said, did not solely depend on technology but also on how Malaysians utilised it with wisdom and decorum.
He stressed that the strengthening of knowledge was a shared responsibility to ensure Malaysians were prepared to face increasingly complex global challenges.
The book ‘Mohamad Natsir: IlmuwanUlung Alam Melayu Abad ke-20’, authored by Tan Sri Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan or M. Kamal Hassan, highlights the personality, intellect, and contributions of Mohamad Natsir throughout his life, serving as a model and guide for the Muslim Ummah, especially the younger generation of Malay Muslims.
The book ‘Amanah Dakwah’, written by Dr RazaliNawawi, examines, from his perspective, the mission of spreading the message of Tauhid across the globe as carried out by Prophet Muhammad. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
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Veep says PAS not a political party that jockeys for positions, after members press it to lead Perikatan
04 Dec 2024
BANGI, Dec 4 — Islamist PAS is not in politics to compete for positions, its vice-president Datuk Seri Idris Ahmad told reporters here last night after the party’s spiritual adviser pushed for it to head the PerikatanNasional (PN) coalition from partner Bersatu.
The Bagan Serai MP said its focus is always on the public good.
“PAS, from the very beginning, has never been about competing for positions.
“For example, when it came to choosing the Opposition leader. Our focus is on the people’s agenda,” Idris said during a dinner at the Bangi Golf Resort the party hosted for journalists.
He added that PAS received praise from former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Ismail who belongs to rival party Umno when both parties allied to govern the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Others held senior minister positions, but we didn’t ask for them. This is the attitude instilled in us.
“We don’t mind. What’s important is consensus, and we see what matters to the people,” Idris added.
PAS Spiritual Leader Datuk Hashim Jasin recently made an open call for the party to move forward and take charge of PN since it has the most number of seats of the three main Opposition parties in the Dewan Rakyat — 41 out of 222.
PAS Youth chief AfnanHamimiTaibAzamudden backed the call and mooted its secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan to also be the office-bearer for the coalition, instead of Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, who was recently named to the position by PN chairman and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Afnan was merely suggesting, not forcing. That’s normal. He’s with the youth and it’s part of his role,” Idris replied when asked about his party colleague’s proposal.
Source:malaymail.com
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PM Anwar: Malaysia-Singapore deal on Johor economic zone likely delayed to January
04 Dec 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — A planned signing between Malaysia and Singapore of a deal to create a special economic zone in the southern Malaysian state of Johor will likely be postponed to January, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
The signing, originally planned for Dec 9 during the two countries’ annual leaders’ retreat, had to be called off after Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong contracted Covid-19 this week, Anwar told Dewan Rakyat.
On Tuesday, Wong said on Facebook he was self-isolating at home after testing positive for Covid-19 for the first time.
The Southeast Asian neighbours in January agreed to develop the SEZ in Johor, just north of Singapore, aiming to attract investment and free up the movement of goods and people.
Proposals for the project include a passport-free immigration clearance system, cooperation on renewable energy and simplifying business approvals. — Reuters
Source:malaymail.com
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Najib: ‘Only fools would believe’ I would risk my career to receive just US$20m as Malaysia’s most powerful person
By Ida Lim
04 Dec 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today said it is unbelievable to think that he would stake his position as the head of government at the time to commit a crime for just US$20 million of 1MDB’s funds in 2011 in his personal AmIslamic bank account.
Challenging this accusation that he would abuse his powers for US$20 million, Najib pointed out he was the most powerful official in Malaysia then as the prime minister.
“Yet, the prosecution alleges that I – while holding the two most powerful positions in terms of being the head of the government of Malaysia and the head of the financial sector of public spending, prime minister and finance minister respectively – would jeopardise my political career and reputation, built over 40 years, to commit a criminal act for the sake of receiving US$9,999,977 on two separate occasions.
“This is a desperate claim that only fools would believe,” he told the High Court when testifying in his 1MDB trial.
Najib was responding to the prosecution’s assertion under his first power abuse charge that he abused his position to direct the 1MDB board of directors to pass a resolution authorising the company to join a US$1 billion joint venture with PetroSaudi International Limited in order to receive the US$20 million.
The prosecution said Najib received the US$20 million in two tranches of US$9,999,977 or over US$9.99 million on February 24, 2011 and on June 14, 2011, which originated from US$700 million – from 1MDB’s US$1 billion for the joint venture – that was diverted in 2009 to Low TaekJho’s Good Star Limited.
Najib said he was not involved in the misappropriation of 1MDB money, and claimed there is no evidence that any of 1MDB’s US$700 million misappropriated through Good Star came to him. While the prosecution produced a money trail report showing how US$20 million originating from 1MDB’s US$700 million reached Najib’s account, the man himself challenged the assertion.
Najib said the money trail report had distorted the facts.
He described the power abuse charge against him as baseless and absurd, contrasting the idea that he was willing to undertake a crime for just tens of millions with others who he claimed received hundreds of millions in 1MDB funds.
He named the Malaysian fugitive better known as Jho Low, and PetroSaudi officials, notably its CEO Tarek Obaid and its chief investment officer Patrick Mahony as having received much more money than him.
Najib said the prosecution paints him as the “most generous and self-sacrificing” alleged co-conspirator in history, but called this claim illogical and defying common sense.
“The prosecution’s narrative essentially alleges that I generously enabled everyone to enrich themselves with hundreds of millions while I, purportedly Jho Low’s ‘mirror image’ and the so-called joint mastermind of this scheme, received a mere fraction of the spoils years later, while on the other hand Jho Low immediately would receive a total of US$547 million, Tarek Obaid US$120 million and Patrick Mahony US$33 million,” he said.
He said even Mahony as a company employee received US$33 million, adding that Low and Tarek used the hundreds of millions to buy multi-million dollar properties, luxury jewellery and other extravagant items.
Najib claimed that Low, Tarek and Mahony orchestrated an elaborate deception to misappropriate and siphon off 1MDB’s US$700 million, and said he was not involved in this scheme.
“Importantly, the court made no mention of me as a participant in these fraudulent transactions or as a recipient of any laundered funds,” he said, referring to the Switzerland Federal Criminal Court’s August 28 decision which convicted Tarek and Mahony for their role in a US$1.8 billion 1MDB fraud case.
In the 1MDB trial, Najib is facing 25 criminal charges, including four charges of abusing his power for RM2.27 billion for his own financial benefit, and 21 money laundering charges involving over RM2 billion of 1MDB funds.
On the first day of trial, the prosecution said it would prove that Najib had made it clear to 1MDB officers and 1MDB directors that Low was his alter ego, and that Low was Najib’s mirror image and that they had acted as one.
Source:malaymail.com
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Arab World
Crown prince: World is facing mounting challenges in water sector
December 04, 2024
RIYADH: The world is facing mounting challenges in the water sector, including rising drought rates that lead to multiple crises represented by a shortage of usable water, the exacerbation of desertification, and the subsequent threat to human life and societies, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Tuesday.
He was speaking while inaugurating the One Water Summit in Riyadh in the presence of several presidents and top officials, including French President Emmanuel Macron.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-JomartTokayev and several ministers and officials were also present.
The crown prince said the summit was being held in conjunction with the Kingdom hosting the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, which aims to reduce land degradation and drought.
He said that the Kingdom had contributed $6 billion in supporting 200 water-related projects in more than 60 developing countries around the world.
The summit is being jointly chaired by Saudi Arabia, France and Kazakhstan, and supported by the World Bank.
It underscores Saudi Arabia’s pioneering international role in confronting water challenges across the world and its commitment to sustainable environmental issues.
The crown prince also confirmed that Saudi Arabia is preparing to host the World Water Forum 2027, in cooperation with the World Water Council.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, he called on UN member states and international private sector organizations to join the World Water Organization that the Kingdom will establish to develop and integrate efforts to address water challenges.
The crown prince expressed his hope that the efforts of the international community to address water challenges will contribute to achieving the goals to which all aspire.
The Saudi-French Investment Forum in Riyadh, also on Tuesday, marked an important milestone in bilateral relations, with the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding and investment agreements worth billions of dollars.
Held to coincide with the state visit of President Macron, the event brought together officials, policymakers, and business leaders from both nations, aiming to align their national visions for a prosperous future.
Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih welcomed French stakeholders in his opening remarks, emphasizing the strong ties between the two countries.
He praised Macron as a “good friend of the Kingdom, leading a strong delegation.”
Al-Falih highlighted the enduring economic partnership, the breadth of sectors covered, and the presence of French companies in Saudi Arabia.
“Every time there is an event involving Saudi Arabia and France, there is a special magic and attraction,” he said, noting France’s early support for Riyadh’s bid to host Expo 2030.
Macron highlighted in his remarks opportunities for collaboration in clean energy, mobility, technology, culture, and artificial intelligence, noting the synergy between Saudi Vision 2030 and France 2030.
He said: “For all the French business people and investors, I want to encourage them to invest more in this country because investing here is investing in the cornerstone of the whole region.”
Tuesday’s forum hosted six panels, featured 50 keynote speakers, and facilitated hundreds of bilateral meetings.
Marc Ferracci, French minister delegate for industry, underscored the forum’s importance in strengthening ties amid Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented transformation. “The Kingdom is undergoing one of the biggest transformations in recent history,” Ferracci said.
Detailed coverage Page 3 Spotlight
Source:arabnews.com
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How Saudi Arabia and France aligned national visions for prosperity at Riyadh investment forum
ZEINA ZBIBO
December 03, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi-French Investment Forum that took place in Riyadh on Tuesday marked an important milestone in bilateral relations, with the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding and investment agreements worth billions of dollars.
Held to coincide with the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, the event brought together officials, policymakers, and business leaders from both nations, aiming to align their national visions for a prosperous future.
In his opening remarks, Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih welcomed French stakeholders, emphasizing the strong ties between the two countries. He lauded Macron as a “good friend of the Kingdom, leading a strong delegation.”
Al-Falih highlighted the enduring economic partnership, the breadth of sectors covered, and the presence of French companies in Saudi Arabia. “Every time there is an event involving Saudi Arabia and France, there is a special magic and attraction,” he said, noting France’s early support for Riyadh’s bid to host EXPO 2030.
Among the agreements signed were collaborations with French oil giant TotalEnergies and Al Jumeih Energy and Water for the Rabigh 2 solar power plant. Additionally, power purchase agreements for the Al Masa’a and Al Hnakia 2 solar projects involved EDF, SPIC, and the Saudi Power Procurement Company.
Another major deal involved the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), and Veolia, focusing on waste management and recycling initiatives in the Kingdom.
In his own remarks at the Forum, Macron highlighted opportunities for collaboration in clean energy, mobility, technology, culture, and artificial intelligence, noting the synergy between Saudi Vision 2030 and France 2030.
“For all the French business-people and investors, I want to encourage them to invest more in this country because investing here is investing in the cornerstone of the whole region,” he said.
On Monday, Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a strategic partnership aimed at boosting cooperation in defense, energy, and AI.
The partnership aims at “multiplying co-operation and concrete achievements in all areas,” the Elesee Palace said in a statement. It also includes plans to co-host a Summit for Action on AI in Paris in February, according to the Elysee.
Tuesday’s Forum built on a long history of cooperation, highlighted by reciprocal delegations at major events like VivaTech in Paris and Saudi Arabia’s LEAP conference. Al-Falih emphasized the shared history, values, and mutual respect underpinning the partnership.
“Saudis love anything French — French design, French furniture, French technology,” he said.
Al-Falih noted that Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s fastest-growing economy, achieved 3 billion euros in French investment in 2023. France is the Kingdom’s second-largest foreign investor.
“We are ahead of targets in overall investment, and (France) was a significant part in achieving our targets,” said Al-Falih.
“The value of our trade relations exceeded 10 billion euros last year; and with roughly 3 billion euros of French investment into the Kingdom in 2023, and the nation’s accumulated foreign direct investment in Saudi Arabia reached 17 billion euros.”
He added: “We are proud to be hosting in Saudi Arabia close to 500 leading French companies. Significantly, around 30 of these companies have established their regional headquarters here in Riyadh because their target is not just the Saudi market but to use Saudi Arabia as a platform to reach further beyond.
“We stand today as the world is changing so fast in a new era of partnership. There is alignment of our interests and complementarity in our capabilities. And we also have shared worldviews that are lifting this partnership to a new height, culminating in the signing of our strategic partnership.”
Green energy was a central theme, with agreements supporting renewable energy projects and emphasizing sustainability’s role in economic growth. French biopharma leader Sanofi also signed agreements to expand its healthcare projects in Saudi Arabia.
French expertise continues to play a significant role in Saudi Arabia’s development, from Riyadh Metro to the innovative tram systems in AlUla. The historic region, home to Saudi Arabia’s cherished heritage sites, is set to welcome Macron on Wednesday, reflecting ongoing cultural cooperation led by the French Agency for AlUla Development (Afalula).
French experts have been deeply involved with development in the historic region of northwestern Saudi Arabia. “Sharaan” by Jean Nouvel and Villa Hegra by Lacaton and Vassal are just two examples of cultural and heritage cooperation.
Tuesday’s Forum hosted six panels, featuring 50 keynote speakers, and facilitated hundreds of bilateral meetings. Themes included net-zero policies, urbanization, technology, entertainment, and fostering innovation.
French Minister Delegate for Industry Marc Ferracci underscored the Forum’s importance in strengthening ties amid Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented transformation.
“The Kingdom is undergoing one of the biggest transformations in recent history,” Ferracci told the Forum. “And as the second largest investor in the Kingdom, France supports the Kingdom in different sectors.
“Saudi Vision 2030 and France 2030 are transformative blueprints designed to tackle the challenges of our time, creating sustainable growth for the future, and the development of smart inclusive cities,” he added.
The objectives of France’s National Vision include achieving carbon neutrality and cooperation on green energy.
Ferracci added that France views Saudi Arabia as a vital partner, emphasizing shared goals of carbon neutrality and innovation. “The forum is a testament to our economic relationship and an opportunity to shape the future of our partnership,” he said.
The French economy is viewed as a gateway, offering access to the wider European market, making it an attractive investment destination.
“The relationship between Saudi Arabia and France is not new, rather dates back to centuries not decades,” Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, the mayor of Riyadh, told the Forum.
He highlighted historical milestones, including the meeting between Saudi King Faisal and French President Charles de Gaulle in 1967, which marked the debut of stronger ties, evolving through personal contacts and visits at the highest levels.
King Khalid visited France in 1978 and 1981, and King Fahd visited twice when he was crown prince, in 1975 and 1981.
“Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 represents an ambitious roadmap towards a more prosperous and sustainable future,” said Prince Faisal.
“Riyadh, as the capital of the Kingdom, plays a pivotal role in achieving that Vision. The city is undergoing an unprecedented economic developmental transformation. The city today stands as a workshop … the future is greater than what we can imagine.”
Prince Faisal highlighted the examples of King Salman Park, which aspires to be the largest urban park in the world, and New Murrabbaa, which is set to become the world’s largest urban development.
“It’s not our journey alone,” said Prince Faisal. “We invite everyone to join.”
Source:arabnews.com
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Macron tours At-Turaif district as Saudi Arabia, France sign major cultural agreements
December 03, 2024
RIYADH: French President Emmanuel Macron visited the historic At-Turaif district in Diriyah on Tuesday during his official trip to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Hosted by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the visit highlighted the district’s historical significance as the birthplace of the Saudi state and its UNESCO World Heritage status.
Macron and his delegation explored At-Turaif, attended a horse show, and toured the Diriyah Museum, SPA added.
The visit also showcased the growing cultural collaboration between Saudi Arabia and France, which reached a milestone with the signing of nine executive programs aimed at advancing cultural heritage, museums, libraries, and cinema.
Among the agreements, Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission partnered with French institutions to enhance site management, restoration, and archaeological research.
The Museums Commission also signed agreements to facilitate exhibition exchanges, provide training programs for professionals, and expand expertise in photography.
In the libraries sector, an agreement with the National Library of France will focus on preserving Islamic and Arabic manuscripts while sharing knowledge on their management.
In the field of cinema, Saudi Arabia’s Film Authority entered a partnership with the French National Center for Cinema and Moving Images to support the development of Saudi talent, preserve cinematic heritage, and encourage joint productions.
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Saudi climate envoy meets UK counterpart in Riyadh
December 03, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir met UK Minister for Climate Kerry McCarthy and UK Special Representative on Climate Rachel Kyte at COP16 in Riyadh, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X on Tuesday.
During the meeting, they discussed strengthening bilateral relations on the environment, climate and desertification.
They also discussed key topics on the conference agenda.
UK Ambassador to the Kingdom Neil Crompton was among the officials present during the meeting.
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Ticket to great urban living in the Kingdom’s capital
HEBSHI ALSHAMMARI & NADA ALTURKI
December 03, 2024
RIYADH: Riyadh’s new metro system will offer time-efficient transportation to all segments of society, the CEO of the Saudi Quality of Life Program has said.
The working hours of the Riyadh Metro begin daily from 6 a.m. until midnight, with multiple trips operating around the clock on each of the six metro lines.
The headway between each train at a station does not exceed “a few minutes,” said Salem Al-Omair, manager of the Yellow Line.
“There are several ways to purchase tickets, including ticket vending machines available at the stations, where passengers can choose the appropriate package and obtain a Darb card. Tickets can also be purchased at the information desks located within the stations,” Al-Omair told Arab News.
The capacity of the trains is similar, ranging between 240 and 260 passengers per trip. Riyadh Metro, a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030, is a crucial step toward reducing traffic congestion in Riyadh, he said.
Quality of Life Program CEO Khalid Al-Baker told Arab News that the Riyadh Metro is a significant step toward enhancing quality of life in the Kingdom’s capital. It diversifies public transportation options and promotes a culture of using mass transit, thereby reducing excessive reliance on private vehicles.
The project also helps ease road congestion and provides a fast, time-efficient transportation solution at prices accessible to various segments of society, he added.
The metro will enhance Riyadh’s appeal and drive urban development in areas surrounding stations. Additionally, it will facilitate access to the capital’s major destinations through comfortable and efficient transportation options, Al-Baker said.
The project, which was inaugurated by King Salman, is providing job opportunities, and is expected to play a larger role in the future in enhancing the appeal of Riyadh and supporting the achievement of Saudi Vision 2030 goals, he added.
The first three lines of the Riyadh Metro opened on Dec. 1, forming part of the largest urban railway network in the Middle East.
The first phase of the Riyadh Metro starts with three lines: The Blue Line, connecting Olaya Street to Al Batʼha; the Yellow Line, running along King Khalid International Airport Road; and the Purple Line, covering Abdul Rahman bin Awf Road and Al-Shaikh Hassan Bin Hussain Street.
The Red Line, covering King Abdullah Road, and the Green Line, spanning King Abdulaziz Road, are both scheduled to open on Dec. 15, while the Orange Line, which covers Madinah Road, begins operations on Jan. 5.
The total length of Riyadh Metro’s six lines covers 176 km, including 85 stations, with four primary stations.
The Orange Line is the longest in the Riyadh Metro project, extending about 41 km. It is followed by the Blue Line, the backbone of the whole project as it connects with all other lines over a length of 38 km.
The Green Line along King Abdulaziz Road is about 13 km long, while the Red Line on King Abdullah Road stretches almost 25 km. As for the Purple and Yellow lines, they are about 28 and 29 km long, respectively.
The Riyadh Metro was launched 12 years after the project was announced in April 2012, when the Saudi Cabinet approved the implementation of the public transport project and formed a high-level committee to oversee it.
The contracts for the Riyadh Metro project were awarded in 2013 to three global consortiums, with a total value of about $22.5 billion.
The project features several sustainable characteristics that promote eco-friendly transportation options. The metro system employs energy-efficient trains and stations, as well as technologies like regenerative braking to reduce energy consumption.
Additionally, some stations will be equipped with thousands of solar panels, and each metro station will rely on electricity sourced from renewable energy along the six lines.
Source:arabnews.com
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Kingdom reaffirms disability support on global day
December 03, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi Authority for the Care of People with Disabilities on Tuesday reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities — helping them achieve their aspirations, improving their quality of life, removing barriers to their potential and ensuring their full integration into society.
The World Health Organization, along with global partners, marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3 to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
To observe this day, the Saudi authority launched a campaign raising awareness about invisible disabilities, such as psychological challenges, sensory difficulties, mild motor impairments and other often overlooked conditions.
The campaign aims to increase societal awareness of the challenges faced by individuals with invisible disabilities, promote a more inclusive society, and highlight the importance of fostering an environment that empowers these individuals to navigate their daily lives with equal opportunities.
Such campaigns are vital in strengthening the role of disabled persons, improving services, raising awareness of their rights and supporting their path to success, the authority said.
This year’s theme, “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,” highlights their vital role in creating an inclusive world and stresses their involvement in decisions affecting their lives.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi project clears 618 Houthi mines in Yemen
December 03, 2024
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 618 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included one anti-personnel mine, 23 anti-tank mines and 594 unexploded ordnances, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said a total of 471,034 mines had been cleared since its inception in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate safe movement for civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.
Source:arabnews.com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/sambhal-ajmer-sangh-parivar-silence/d/133923