No Text In Sharia Law Disallows Muslims Extending Greetings To Christians, Says Head Of Muslim World League
New Age Islam News Bureau
26 December 2022
Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa
speaks during an interview with the "Afaaq" program aired on MBC 1.
(Screengrab)
-----
• Banning NGOs From Employing Women Crosses
Humanitarian Red Line: Humanitarian-Affiliated Organizations
• Islam In Indonesia Was Spread By Indians, And Not
Arabs, Claim Many Islamic Scholars: Indo-Islamic Heritage Centre Report
• Actress Tunisha Sharma Death Case Matter Of Love
Jihad, Says BJP Leader; Actor Sheezan Mohammad Khan Arrested
• Christmas: Muslim Sects Occupy Kaduna Church
Service, Present Gifts, Awards To Foster Peace
Arab World
• Arab News Publishes A Special Christmas Edition For
First Time In Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Shoura Council speaker arrives in Turkiye on
official visit
• Egypt government denies plans to cede Nile River
ports to a foreign country
• Protesters call for expulsion of US troops, allied
militants from Syria
• Syrian Kurds protest against Paris attack
• At least 27 injured in Cairo basketball stadium
collapse: Health ministry
• Turkey in talks with Russia about using Syrian
airspace in potential operation
• UAE to send generators to heat cold Ukraine homes as
war rages on
• Saudi Arabia, Bahrain launch bilateral naval
exercise
--------
South Asia
• Implementation of Ban on Women’s University
Education Satisfactory: Taliban Minister
• Brother And Sister’s Future Separated After Taliban
University Ban
--------
Southeast Asia
• Rohingya Muslim Refugees Land On Indonesia Beach
After Weeks At Sea
• Merry Christmas and Hamka’s fatwa
--------
India
• BJP Spreading Hate Via TV, 24X7 “Hindu-Muslim,
Hindu-Muslim” Is Aired: Rahul At Red Fort
• Muslims converge at Srinagar church to celebrate
Christmas
• Mathura: Shahi Idgah Masjid's Counsel Vows To
Challenge Court's Order For Survey Of Mosque Complex
• Huge desperation on Pakistani side to infiltrate
terrorists, smuggle war-like stores into Kashmir: Army officer
• UP: 3 cops beat Muslim man for alleged cattle theft;
suspended
--------
Africa
• Clashes in Sudan’s Darfur kill at least seven: State
media
• Eastern Libyan commander announces ‘final
opportunity’ to hold elections
• Tunisia rights group slams ‘inhumane’ move to deport
migrants
--------
Pakistan
• Govt Pins Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan Rise On PTI
Chairman, Imran Khan
• Adherence to Quaid’s ideology can make us defeat all
odds: PM
• FIA records statements of suspects Gen Bajwa tax record
leak case
• Uplift in KP’s southern districts to resume after PM
visit to Dera: Fazl
• 'Will Not Accept A Weak Govt This Time,' Says Imran
Khan
• 6 security men martyred in Balochistan terror
incidents
• Islamabad blast: martyred cop’s family to get Rs20m,
taxi driver’s Rs10m
• Balochistan Terror Attack Kills Four Pakistani
Security Forces
• PTI To Approach Pakistan National Assembly For
Acceptance Of Lawmakers' Resignations
• Pakistan ‘ill-prepared’ to combat new Covid variants
--------
Mideast
• Thousands Of Protesters Rally In Haifa Against
Incoming Netanyahu-Led Cabinet
• Hamas: Netanyahu’s Cabinet ‘Neo-Fascist’;
Palestinians Capable Of Defeating Israel
• Suicide cases soaring at alarming rate among Israeli
troops, hit new record
• Iran Supreme Court upholds death sentence of
protester
• Houthis abduct famous Sanaa YouTuber following
corruption remarks
• Fisherman return to Iran years after Somalia
kidnapping
• Aide to Turkish president Erdogan blames Paris
unrest after shooting on PKK
• Turkish court releases journalist detained under
‘disinformation’ law
• Iran Supreme Court accepts appeals of two protesters
sentenced to death
• Fuel shortage causes largest hospital in Yemen’s
Taiz to shut down
• Israel offers to transfer Palestinian prisoners of
Jordanian origin to complete sentence in Jordan
• Yemeni armed forces can target depths of aggressors:
Defence chief
--------
North America
• US Embassy In Pakistan Warns Of Possible Attack On Islamabad
Marriot Hotel
• UN Seeks Clarity From Taliban Over Ban On Women From
Working In NGOs
• Kuwaiti foreign minister meets US Congress
delegation
--------
Europe
• Two-State Solution Used As ‘Smokescreen’ To Fake
Concern For Palestinian Rights: EU Lawmaker
• French Protests Once Again Reveal West's
Double-Standard Policy Towards Iran Riots
• Everyone Must See ‘True Face’ Of PKK Terror Group,
Says Turkish Defence Chief
• Supporters of PKK terror group turn Paris into
battlefield, injure 31 police officers
• In stern warning, British MPs say Saudi Arabia might
use Christmas as 'cover for mass executions'
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
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No Text In Sharia Law Disallows Muslims Extending Greetings To Christians, Says Head Of Muslim World League
Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa
speaks during an interview with the "Afaaq" program aired on MBC 1.
(Screengrab)
-----
December 26, 2022
DUBAI: Islam does not prohibit Muslims from exchanging
Christmas greetings with Christians, the head of the Muslim World League has
said in an earlier interview.
Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa particularly reiterated
that there was no text in Sharia law that disallowed Muslims from extending
greetings to Christians.
He noted that fatwas regarding the exchange of holiday
greetings with non-Muslims were issued by senior scholars in the Islamic world,
and it was not permissible to object to any issue related to Sharia
jurisprudence.
He added that objection was only on issues with
definitive consensus, not presumptive ones.
Al-Issa also said there was no religious text that
prohibited such greetings, and when a Muslim greeted another non-Muslim on
holidays, this did not mean he was acknowledging another faith.
Al-Issa indicated that congratulating non-Muslims on
their holidays “is an apparent interest that serves the reputation of Islam.”
“The purpose of these greetings is to promote
coexistence and harmony in a world that is in dire need of that,” he said.
Al-Issa also pointed out that Islam permits eating the
food of “The People of the Book” in a reference to Christians and Jews, and did
not allow the food of others.
Al-Issa is the head of the Makkah-based
nongovernmental organization Muslim World League, which aims to clarify the
true message of Islam.
Some Muslim scholars over the years have triggered
debates by labeling Christmas greetings as un-Islamic and thus prohibited.
Source: Arab News
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2222176/saudi-arabia
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Banning NGOs From Employing Women Crosses Humanitarian Red Line: Humanitarian-Affiliated Organizations
Photo: Khaama Press/The leaders of NRC, CARE and
Save the Children announced that they cannot effectively reach children, men
and women in desperate need in Afghanistan without female staff.
-----
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
December
26, 2022
The
leaders of NRC, CARE and Save the Children announced that they cannot
effectively reach children, men and women in desperate need in Afghanistan
without female staff.
In
response to the announcement of a ban on NGOs employing women in Afghanistan,
the leaders of renowned international non-government, mostly
humanitarian-affiliated organizations on Saturday stated that banning NGOs from
employing women crosses a humanitarian red line.
“Beyond
the impact on the delivery of lifesaving assistance, this will affect thousands
of jobs in the midst of an enormous economic crisis. Whilst we gain clarity on
this announcement, we are suspending our programs, demanding that men and women
can equally continue our lifesaving assistance in Afghanistan,” the leaders of
NCR, CARE, and Save the Children said.
The
ban on employing female staff by the national or international NGOs in
Afghanistan was put in place following the harsh decree announced by the
Minister of Higher Education of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan a couple of
days earlier. The latest two decrees prompted condemnations from the
international community and sparked protests by female university students in
different parts of Afghanistan.
To
show solidarity with Afghan women and girls being barred from attending
universities and educational institutions, some male students were denied
taking university exams, while a number of university lecturers resigned from
their positions.
Amid
the economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the ruling regime has
started exercising extremely harsh practices, discriminating against girls and
women from attending university, getting work, or appearing in public spaces.
The
immediate ramifications of barring women from being employed at NGOs is ceasing
operation as NRC has already announced. More NGOs will follow this until
clarifications are provided in this matter.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Islam In Indonesia Was Spread By Indians, And Not Arabs, Claim Many Islamic Scholars: Indo-Islamic Heritage Centre Report
Representative image (File Image)
----
23
December, 2022
New
Delhi [India], December 23 (ANI): Many historians and Islamic scholars in
Indonesia believe that Islam in Indonesia was spread by Indians and not Arabs,
according to a report by the Indo-Islamic Heritage Centre (IIHC) based in New
Delhi
The
IIHC report also says that “this is the reason that Indonesian Islam, like the
one followed in India, believes in syncretism, tolerance and co-existence.
People pray, fast and travel for Haj as piously as any Muslim should go and yet
embrace Indonesian culture shared by Hindus and Buddhists.”
This
belief is supported by evidence. Tombs like that of Sultan Malik al-Saleh, in
Java and Sumatra, have striking similarities with the ones found in India’s
Gujarat. Also, several practices of Gujarati Muslims are similar to those found
among Indonesian Muslims, argued a well-known dutch scholar of Islam, Snouck
Hurgronje.
The
Earliest Muslims to reach Sumatra were from Gujarat and Malabar, believe many
medieval travellers. Also, the tombstone used at the grave of Malik al-Saleh,
an Acehnese who established the first Muslim state of Samudera Pasai in the
year 1267, is from Cambay in Gujarat.
Sufi
missionaries from India’s Gujarat and Bengal went to Indonesia and played a
significant part in the country. “Unlike Islam in the Middle East and India,
Indonesia wasn’t conquered by force. The Sufis came not only as preceptors but
as dealers and politicians who entered the courts of autocrats, the diggings of
merchandisers, and the townlets of the country,” according to the IIHC report.
In
medieval times, merchants from India’s Western coasts also dealt with Java and
Sumatra. A large number of merchants, rich nobility and the ruling class
converted to Islam under their influence. The process, over the years, expanded
the Muslim population in the archipelago.
Recently,
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at an event at India Islamic
Cultural Centre in New Delhi, said that India and Indonesia are both home to
the world’s largest Islamic populations, Indonesia is the world’s largest
Islamic country and India is home to the third largest Muslim population in the
world.
“Much
like in India, Islam in Indonesia was spread by traders from present-day Kerala
and Gujarat and Sufis from Bengal and Kashmir. This peaceful spread led to the
development of a syncretic culture, where not only pre-Islamic religions flourished
side by side, but age-old traditions and local customs greatly influenced
religious practices,” the NSA said.
“We
may speak different languages, but we share a common desire for peace and
harmony. Our dialogue today is a vital medium to help us achieve that
objective,” he said. (ANI)
Source:
The Print
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Actress Tunisha Sharma Death Case Matter Of Love Jihad, Says BJP Leader; Actor Sheezan Mohammad Khan Arrested
A file photo of TV actress Tunisha Sharma, who died
by suicide
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Dec
26, 2022
In
the latest development in the television actress Tunisha Sharma's death,
Maharashtra Minister and Bhatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Girish Mahajan
claimed that Sharma's death was linked to “love jihad.”
The
Maharashtra minister said, “It is a matter of 'love jihad' and police are
investigating the case. We are seeing that such cases are increasing day by day
and we are mulling bringing a strict law against it.”
His
comments on the case came on Sunday, two days after she died by suicide on
December 24.
TUNISHA
SHARMA NO MORE
The
actress was shooting for her TV show, Ali Baba: Dastaan-E-Kabul when she
reportedly died by suicide. Initial reports suggested that she ended her life
on the sets, in the make-up room at Naigaon. Tunisha was rushed to hospital,
where doctors declared her brought dead.
After
the actress’ death, police arrested her co-actor Sheezan Mohammad Khan under
section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Tunisha
was reportedly in a relationship with Sheejan Khan before she broke up with
him, which purportedly prompted her to commit suicide. Sheezan was produced
before the Vasai court on December 25 and was sent to 4-day police custody.
CREMATION
IN MUMBAI TODAY
The
post-mortem of television actress Tunisha Sharma was completed at JJ hospital
in Mumbai during the early hours on December 25. A team of 4-5 doctors were
present during the post-mortem.
The
body is still at JJ Hospital and was to be handed over to the family on
December 25. However, it has now been delayed. The cremation will be done today
as the mortal remains were handed over later yesterday.
Source:
India Today
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Christmas: Muslim Sects Occupy Kaduna Church Service, Present Gifts, Awards To Foster Peace
Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai PHOTO:
TWITTER/GOVERNOR KADUNA
-----
25
December 2022
A
large number of Muslim youths and Islamic scholars attended this year’s
Christmas service and shared many gifts to sthrengthen Christian – Muslim
relationship in the northern part of the country.
(ad)
According
to the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry,
Pastor Yohanna Buru, every year, hundreds of Muslims from 19 northern states
usually joined them in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at his Church,
to promote peace and unity.
Buru
said the different sects of Muslim organizations, including members of Tijjaniya, shiites under
Islamic Movement of Nigeria and other Sunni Muslims joined them with the sole
purpose of strengthening peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance.
The
Muslim groups also presented gifts to the Church as a sign of peace, love and
better understanding.
“They
came with many gifts and awards which they shared to the Christians to
strengthen Christian and Muslims relationship.
The
Christian cleric said this year’s Christmas celebration came amids high
inflation, insecurity, and rising costs of foodstuff, poverty and unemployment
bedevilling peace and stability in the country.
Buru
added that last year, more than 1,000 Muslims attended the Christmas service
and they came with their different gifts to share with Christian brothers to
strengthen interreligious tolerance .
Buru
further called on Islamic and Christian clergies to embark on ceaseless prayers
towards the conduct of peaceful elections in 2023.
He
called on Nigerians to equally pray for the Nigerian Army and para military
organisaions to defeat insecurity challenges bedevilling peaceful coexistence.
Reports
revealed that Muslim youths, in corporate dresses, visited other Churches
including Unguwar Rimi Church.
Responding,
one of the Islamic scholars sheik Salisu Abdullahi Giwa, who headed a
delegation of buses loaded with Muslims from katsina, Kano, Zamfara, said they
were in Kaduna to join their brothers, the Christians, to celebrate the birth
of Jesus.
Source:
Guardian Nigeria
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Arab World
Arab
News publishes a special Christmas edition for first time in Saudi Arabia
December
24, 2022
RIYADH:
Arab News, the Riyadh-based regional leading English-language daily, has put
out a special Christmas edition, making it the first time ever a Saudi
newspaper to ever do so.
“While
of course this is not a new tradition in most countries around the world, it is
a first in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the ancient proverb does say:
better late than never”, wrote Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas.
“In
fact, this symbolic edition — as simple of an idea it is — couldn’t have
happened if it wasn’t for the remarkable reforms the kingdom has been living
under our leadership which has clearly ushered in a new era of more religious
tolerance and coexistence,” he added vowing to make the special supplement an
annual tradition.
The
special edition also contains a range of features that look into how the
Christmas spirit is embodied within the Kingdom’s wide ranging social
transformation. The features detail how the occasion was frowned upon and
celebrated in secret in the past, and how this festivity has now been tolerated
and respected.
“Where
to order the best Christmas meal” and “Christmas turkey with an Arab twist
brought to you by a Saudi chef” are only a couple of the headlines lined up for
the season.
Other
features include a look into celebrating Christmas in crises-ridden Lebanon and
how Palestinians in Bethlehem are celebrating in caution as they anticipate a
new ultra right wing government in Israel.
While
Saudi Arabia does not officially celebrate Christmas, cafes have now been
offering Christmas dinners and brunches, while hotels are offering private
catering to expat households.
The
Christmas spirit is felt throughout the kingdom through novelty-themed drinks
and products.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2221351/media
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Saudi
Shoura Council speaker arrives in Turkiye on official visit
December
25, 2022
RIYADH:
The Speaker of the Kingdom’s Shoura Council Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh has
arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara on an official visit, the Saudi Press
Agency has reported.
Al-Asheikh’s
visit is at the invitation of the President of the Turkish Grand National
Assembly Mustafa Sentop.
The
speaker was received by senior officials from Turkiye’s Grand National Assembly
on his arrival at Ankara International Airport.
Al-Asheikh
lauded the ties of friendship between the Kingdom and Turkiye in a press
statement, stressing the significance of holding regular meetings and
maintaining open lines of communication between the two councils to advance
bilateral cooperation and strengthen parliamentary relations and coordination
in matters of shared interest.
Meanwhile,
Saudi Assistant Minister of Defense Talal Al-Otaibi paid an official visit to
Turkiye on Saturday, where he headed a high-level delegation and met with a
number of Turkish officials.
He
met Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar and they discussed the
importance of defense cooperation between the two countries, activating
agreements signed between them, and strengthening and developing them to serve
common interests in supporting security and stability of the region.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2222026/saudi-arabia
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Egypt
government denies plans to cede Nile River ports to a foreign country
GOBRAN
MOHAMED
December
25, 2022
CAIRO:
Egypt has dismissed claims that it plans to cede the ports of the Nile River to
a foreign country under a law that reorganizes the General Authority for River
Transport.
The
Egyptian government said that the law only aims to encourage investment.
In
an official statement, the nation’s cabinet rejected as untrue information
published on some websites and social media platforms.
The
cabinet’s media center urged all media outlets and social media users to first
verify information before publishing, to prevent public confusion.
The
cabinet’s media center said that it had contacted the Ministry of Transport,
which denied these reports.
The
ministry emphasized that the ports are wholly owned by the state and will
remain under its control.
The
River Transport Authority, established by presidential decree No. 474 of 1979,
is the legal entity meant to oversee the smooth operation of this aspect of the
nation’s transport system.
According
to the statement, the draft law aims to encourage private sector investment in
river transport without selling or ceding ownership of any ports.
The
law ensures that there is one entity that issues licenses for transporting
passengers, goods, missions, materials of all kinds, and the management and
operation of shipping lines and ports.
It
emphasized that public utility powers will be granted to investors — whether
Egyptian or foreign — for the purpose of establishing, managing, operating,
maintaining, and exploiting ports, river anchorages, and navigational routes
under a contract system.
Depending
on the nature of each project, the law also has conditions and procedures that
guarantee the protection of government facilities. These facilities have to be
in good condition and free of any fees when contracts expire.
The
General Authority for River Transport is the sole authority to issue
navigational licenses for mechanized and non-mechanized river units, fixed
pontoons, floating hotels and crews working on them, and commitment lines for
ferries of all kinds.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2221881/middle-east
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Protesters
call for expulsion of US troops, allied militants from Syria
26
December 2022
Syrian
people have staged a protest rally in the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr
against US troops stationed in the country and their allied militants from the
so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Citing
local sources, Syria’s official news agency SANA said residents of the villages
of Harmushiyah, Hammar al-Ali, al-Kasrah, and Muhaymidah in the western part of
Dayr al-Zawr staged an anti-SDF protest rally on Sunday for the fifth day in a
row.
According
to the report, the demonstrators blocked roads using burning tires and called
for the expulsion of SDF militants and the US forces from the al-Jazira region.
They
also demanded that Ahmed al-Khabil, the head of the so-called Dayr al-Zawr’s
military council, which is affiliated with the SDF, be held accountable for the
crimes of rape and murder of two displaced women in the al-Suwar area by a
number of his relatives and companions several days ago, as well as the death
of a protester by the SDF’s fire.
Security
conditions are reportedly deteriorating in the areas controlled by the SDF in
Syria’s northern and northeastern provinces of Raqqah, Hasakah, and Dayr
al-Zawr amid ongoing raids and arrests of civilians by the US-sponsored
militants.
Locals
argue that the SDF’s constant raids and arrest campaigns have generated a state
of frustration and instability, severely affecting their businesses and
livelihoods.
Residents
accuse the US-backed militants of stealing crude oil and failing to spend money
on service sectors.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Syrian
Kurds protest against Paris attack
25
December ,2022
Hundreds
of Syrian Kurds staged a protest in northern Syria on Sunday in response to a
deadly attack targeting members of the ethnic community in Paris this week.
A
gunman opened fire at a Kurdish cultural center and a hairdressing salon in
Paris on Friday, killing three Kurds.
The
suspected gunman, a 69-year-old Frenchman, was arrested and later confessed to
a “pathological” hatred for foreigners, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said.
The
semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria called for the Sunday
protest in Hasakeh, which drew hundreds of people brandishing photos of the
three victims and calling for accountability.
“Kurds
are fighting against oppression and they are massacred everywhere, even in
Paris, the city of love and freedom,” said feminist activist Evin Basho, 33,
demanding that the killer be brought to justice.
She
was among those who marched through the city chanting “the martyrs of Paris are
forever in our hearts” and repeating slogans against “the extermination” of the
Kurdish people.
Often
described as the world’s largest people without a state, the Kurds are a Muslim
ethnic group spread across Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran.
Protester
Azad Suleiman, 55, told AFP he felt Kurds were being targeted in the diaspora
and at home.
“This
is a war against our people, targeting us in the four parts of Kurdistan and
even in Europe,” he said, adding he had high hopes that the French authorities
would bring the perpetrator to justice.
“We
will not concede to the enemies in Kurdistan and we will not abandon our
revolution,” Suleiman said.
Furious
Kurdish demonstrators had clashed with French police after the attack, which
revived the trauma of three unresolved murders of Kurds almost 10 years ago in
the same area of Paris.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2022/12/25/Syrian-Kurds-protest-against-Paris-attack
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At
least 27 injured in Cairo basketball stadium collapse: Health ministry
25
December ,2022
At
least 27 people were injured on Saturday when part of a sports stadium south of
Cairo collapsed during a basketball match, Egypt’s health ministry said.
Ministry
spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said “27 people were injured, some with
fractures and bleeding,” adding that “most were non-life-threatening injuries.”
The
Egyptian basketball federation suspended the match between Alexandria’s Al
Ittihad and Cairo’s Al Ahly as first responders rushed to the Hassan Mostafa
Sports Hall in the October 6 suburb.
More
than 20 ambulances were dispatched to take the injured fans to hospital from
the sports venue, the ministry added.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkey
in talks with Russia about using Syrian airspace in potential operation
24
December ,2022
Turkey
is in talks with Russia to use the airspace above northern Syria for a
potential cross-border operation against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia,
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday.
Turkey
has carried out several incursions into northern Syria against the YPG and has
been threatening a new incursion for months. It stepped up preparations last
month after a deadly bomb attack in Istanbul it blamed on Kurdish militants.
The
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group and the US-allied Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded by the YPG, have denied involvement in the
bombing of the busy pedestrian avenue.
Turkey
launched air strikes against YPG targets in November and President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan signaled a possible ground offensive.
Speaking
to reporters on Saturday, Akar said Ankara was in talks with Moscow, which
supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, about the operation.
“We
are in talks and discussing with Russia about all issues including opening the
airspace,” he said.
Turkey
sees the YPG militia, the leading presence in the SDF, as the Syrian wing of
the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United
States and the European Union.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UAE
to send generators to heat cold Ukraine homes as war rages on
24
December ,2022
The
UAE will send 2,500 electricity generators to power civilian houses affected by
the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The
Emirates News Agency on Saturday reported that 1,200 of the 2,500 units will be
transported to Warsaw on Saturday before being delivered to Ukraine. The
remaining units should be delivered before January.
Reem
bint al-Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, was quoted as
saying by WAM that the aid is part of the country’s “continuous efforts to
mitigate the humanitarian repercussions of the Ukrainian crisis.”
The
generators are reported to have a power output of 3.5 and 8 kilowatts.
According to online sources, depending on the type of fuel used, the generators
are capable of powering a conservative household for about five to eight hours
at a stretch.
This
is dependent on the electricity consumption of each appliance. Air conditioners
can be powered by these generators, according to the same sources.
The
aid is part of a $100 million humanitarian relief package to Ukraine from the
UAE.
So
far, the Gulf state has flown eight planes carrying 360 tons of food supplies,
medical aid and ambulances for Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Moldova and
Bulgaria.
Earlier
this week, Russia launched kamikaze drones at electrical infrastructure in and
around the Ukrainian capital, the latest in a series of strikes that have left
millions without power as temperatures drop below freezing.
The
attacks, which began in October as Russia suffered a string of battlefield
defeats following its February invasion, have destroyed at least 50 percent of
the country’s power infrastructure, according to the United Nations.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain launch bilateral naval exercise
December
26, 2022
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabian and Bahraini naval forces began a bilateral maritime exercise in
Bahrain, the Saudi Defense Ministry announced on Sunday.
The
“Bridge 23” drill includes forces from the Royal Saudi Navy, represented by the
Eastern Fleet, and the Royal Bahraini Navy. It was launched in the presence of
Royal Bahraini Navy Cmdr. Rear Adm. Mohammed Al-Assam and military attache at
the Saudi Embassy to Bahrain Brig. Gen. Fahad Al-Thunayan, as well as a number
of senior officers taking part in the exercise.
The
director of the exercise, Col. Ahmed Al-Osaimi, said that “Bridge 23” aims to
raise combat readiness, standardize tactical concepts and aid in the
implementation of joint operations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He
added that the exercise will also cover naval battles, command and control, and
will raise the efficiency of communication procedures in both navies.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2222051/saudi-arabia
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South Asia
Implementation
of Ban on Women’s University Education Satisfactory: Taliban Minister
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
December
25, 2022
Nida
Mohammad Nadim, the Acting Minister of Higher Education of Afghanistan’s
interim regime expressed his gratitude for the implementation of the decree in
the universities.
In
a meeting today with the officials of private universities, the Acting Minister
of Higher Education expressed his optimism on the exercise of baring female
students from universities, saying, “there has been no opposition to the
education of girls as per the recent decree of this ministry”
The
minister assured the officials of the private universities in solving the many
challenges they are faced with. He further added the current administration is
not opposing the education of the new generation but believes in developing a
comprehensive system in accordance with the Islamic Sharia and the national
values of the country.
This
happens as the Ministry of Higher Education on Wednesday, December 21,
announced a decree banning girls’ university education in public and private
universities, accompanied by worldwide condemnations – calling for revoking the
act and allowing Afghan women and girls to access education and work.
In
order to overcome the problems of the private universities, Mr. Nadim spoke of
forming a joint commission between the Ministry of Higher Education and private
university professors – reiterating these sectors should prepare in accordance
with the legal provisions of the ministry.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Brother
and sister’s future separated after Taliban university ban
December
26, 2022
KABUL:
Marwa was just a few months away from becoming the first woman in her Afghan
family to go to university — instead, she will watch achingly as her brother
goes without her.
Women
are now banned from attending university in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan,
where they have been steadily stripped of their freedoms over the past year.
“Had
they ordered women to be beheaded, even that would have been better than this
ban,” Marwa said at her family home in Kabul. “If we are to be so unlucky, I
wish that we hadn’t been born at all. I’m sorry for my existence in the world.
“We
are being treated worse than animals. Animals can go anywhere on their own, but
we girls don’t have the right even to step out of our homes.”
The
19-year-old had recently passed an entrance exam to start a nursing degree at a
medical university in the Afghan capital from March. She was thrilled to be
joining her brother, Hamid, in attending the campus each day. But now their
futures have been pulled apart.
“I
wanted my sister to achieve her goals along with me — to succeed and move
ahead,” said Hamid, 20, a student of business administration at a higher
education institute in Kabul.
“Despite
several problems, she had studied until the 12th grade, but what can we say
now?”
Dreams
crushed
The
ban by the hardline Islamist government, which seized power in August last
year, has sparked global outrage, including from Muslim nations who deemed it
against Islam.
Neda
Mohammad Nadeem, the Taliban’s minister for higher education, claimed women
students had ignored a strict dress code and a requirement they be accompanied
by a male relative to campus.
But
the reality, according to some Taliban officials, is that the hardline clerics
that advise the movement’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada remain deeply
sceptical of modern education for females.
Girls
have also been banned from secondary schools in most of the country.
Women
have been slowly squeezed out of public life in recent months, pushed from
government jobs or paid a fraction of their former salary to stay at home.
They
are also barred from travelling without a male relative and must cover up in
public. Women are prohibited from going to parks, fairs, gyms and public baths.
Marwa
and Hamid come from an impoverished family but their parents had supported
their pursuit of higher education.
With
dreams of becoming a midwife, Marwa had planned to visit remote areas of
Afghanistan where women remain deprived of health services.
“I
wanted to serve women in faraway places so that we never witness the loss of a
mother’s life during childbirth,” she said.
Instead
she will now stay home to teach her six younger siblings, while her father, the
family’s sole breadwinner, earns money as a vegetable vendor.
History
repeatingMinister Nadeem insists women students behaved in a way that insulted
Islamic principles and Afghan culture.
“They
were dressing like they were going to a wedding. Those girls who were coming to
universities from home were also not following instructions on the hijab,” he
said in an interview on state television. But Hamid strongly rejected the
justification for the ban.
“When
universities opened under the Taliban, different days were specified for boys
and girls,” he said.
“They
(girls) were not allowed to enter unless they wore a mask and hijab.
How
then can they (the Taliban) say they were without hijabs?” After the Taliban
seized power, universities were forced to implement new rules, including
gender-segregated classrooms and entrances, while women were only permitted to
be taught by professors of the same sex, or old men.
Marwa’s
mother, holding her newborn baby in her arms, said she felt history repeating
itself. Two decades ago she was forced to quit her studies during the Taliban’s
first regime between 1996 and 2001.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1728334/brother-and-sisters-future-separated-after-taliban-university-ban
--------
Southeast Asia
Rohingya Muslim refugees land on Indonesia beach after weeks at sea
YAYAN
ZAMZAMI
Dozens
of hungry and weak Rohingya Muslims were found on a beach in Indonesia’s
northernmost province of Aceh on Sunday after weeks at sea, officials said.
The
group of 58 men arrived on Indrapatra beach at Ladong, a fishing village in
Aceh Besar district, early Sunday, said local police chief Rolly Yuiza Away.
Villagers who saw the group of ethnic Rohingya on a rickety wooden boat helped
them to land and then reported their arrival to authorities, he said.
“They
look very weak from hunger and dehydration. Some of them are sick after a long
and severe voyage at sea,” said Away, adding that the men received food and
water from villagers and others as they waited for further instructions from
immigration and local officials in Aceh.
At
least three of the men were rushed to a health clinic for medical care, and
others are also receiving various medical treatments, Away said.
The
United Nations and other groups on Friday urged countries in South Asia to
rescue as many as 190 people believed to be Rohingya refugees aboard a small
boat that has been adrift for several weeks in the Andaman Sea.
“Reports
indicate those onboard have now remained at sea for a month in dire conditions
with insufficient food or water, without any efforts by States in the region to
help save human lives,” the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said in a statement.
“Many are women and children, with reports of up to 20 people dying on the
unseaworthy vessel during the journey.”
Away
said it wasn’t clear where the group was traveling from or if they were part of
the group of 190 Rohingya refugees that has been adrift in the Andaman Sea. But
one of the men who spoke some Malay said they had been at sea for more than a
month and had aimed to land in Malaysia to seek a better life and work there.
More
than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to
refugee camps in Bangladesh since August 2017, when the Myanmar military
launched a clearance operation in response to attacks by a rebel group. Myanmar
security forces have been accused of mass rapes, killings and the burning of
thousands of homes.
Groups
of Rohingya have attempted to leave the crowded camps in Bangladesh and travel
by sea in hazardous voyages to other Muslim-majority countries in the region.
Muslim-dominated
Malaysia has been a common destination for the boats, and traffickers have
promised the refugees a better life there. But many Rohingya refugees who land
in Malaysia face detention.
Although
Indonesia is not a signatory to the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention,
the UNHCR said that a 2016 presidential regulation provides a national legal
framework governing the treatment of refugees on boats in distress near Indonesia
and to help them disembark.
These
provisions have been implemented for years, most recently last month when about
219 Rohingya refugees, including 63 women and 40 children, were rescued off the
coast of North Aceh district aboard two rickety boats.
“We
urge the government of Indonesia to rescue the boats and allow them to safely
disembark,” Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director Usman Hamid
said. “We also urge the Indonesian government to lead a regional initiative to
resolve the refugee crisis.”
On
Thursday, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar, Tom Andrews, urged governments in South and Southeast Asia “to
immediately and urgently coordinate search and rescue for this boat and ensure
safe disembarkation of those aboard before any further loss of life occurs.”
Source:
The Globe And Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Merry
Christmas and Hamka’s fatwa
December
24, 2022
In
2018, then-PAS Youth chief Khalil Abdul Hadi caused controversy when he
prohibited Muslims from offering the traditional “Merry Christmas” greeting,
equating the festivity with idolatry. Khalil’s view is not an isolated one.
In
recent decades, the question of permitting Muslims to wish “Merry Christmas”
has become a point of contention among Muslims and non-Muslims.
Salafist
preachers, such as the Zimbabwean-born Ismail Menk, American Muslim convert
Yusuf Estes and Zakir Naik from India, are known to advocate against offering
such Christmas greetings.
Two
days ago, Naik’s prohibition against wishing “Merry Christmas” was reposted on
his official Facebook page and is making its rounds on social media.
such
preachers, offering the greeting is tantamount to agreeing with Christian
beliefs on Jesus Christ.
Their
views, however, are not uncontested. The Egyptian premier fatwa institution,
Dar Al-Ifta, issued a ruling on the permissibility of greeting non-Muslims on
Christmas, including visiting Christians and giving gifts.
Notable
individuals in Malaysia, such as former Federal Territories mufti Zulkifli
Al-Bakri and Indonesian Quranic scholar Quraish Shihab hold a similar view.
Another
prominent ulama, KH Said Aqil Siradj, went as far as issuing an official
Christmas greeting to Christians during his chairmanship of the Nahdlatul
Ulama, the world’s largest Muslim organisation.
These
examples contradict the opinion of largely Salafist notables, such as Wahhabi
preacher Soleh al-Uthaimin and former Saudi Arabian mufti Abdul Aziz Baz.
The
emergence of the Salafist prohibition on wishing “Merry Christmas” had
generated some confusion among Malay Muslims.
As
observed, this controversy is relatively recent. It emerged with the
corresponding rise of what an academic, Roel Meijer, termed as “global
Salafism”.
Those
who advocated for the prohibition, however, were quick to deny its link to the
global spread of Salafist ideas.
They
would point to a similar view purportedly held by a Nusantara ulama, Abdul
Malik Karim Amrullah or Hamka. Hamka is a widely respected Indonesian ulama and
whose influence spans both Malaysia and Singapore.
Hamka’s
view had been grossly misrepresented.
Hamka
and the 1981 MUI fatwa
The
popular reference to Hamka’s view emerged after a widely circulated 2012
article titled “Sekali Lagi, Hukum Mengucap ‘Selamat Natal’”.
Published
in a hardliner Indonesian magazine, Hidayatullah, reference was made to a 1981
fatwa purportedly issued by the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) — then headed by
Hamka — declaring it haram to wish “Merry Christmas”.
The
article further claimed that Hamka had resigned from MUI in protest of the
Suharto government’s insistence that he withdraw the fatwa.
The
fatwa, dated March 7, 1981, however, was grossly misrepresented. It made no
mention of the Christmas greeting.
In
fact, the fatwa acknowledged that Muslims were encouraged to cooperate and mix
with non-Muslims on worldly matters.
What
was prohibited is Muslim participation in the religious rituals of Christmas.
The
concern of the fatwa, therefore, was on joint religious rituals. MUI’s original
fatwa, thus, is hardly controversial at all.
Prior
to the fatwa, Hamka had written an article published in 1974 saying that it was
acceptable for Muslims to say “Merry Christmas” to Christian neighbours as an
expression of religious tolerance, but not to participate in the celebration
itself.
He
likened this to Christians wishing Muslims “Happy Idul Fitri” but never to
participate in the Idul Fitri prayer itself.
Hamka’s
objection to joint ritual is reasonable: Muslims disagree fundamentally on
Christian doctrines about Jesus, such as his divine sonship and the atonement.
But
Hamka himself has no problem with the greeting and, as his son Irfan Hamka
testified, Hamka did make such greetings to his neighbours.
But
why did Hamka resign from MUI shortly after the fatwa?
This
fatwa must be seen within the wider context of Christian-Muslim relations in
that period.
The
fatwa was originally requested by religious affairs minister Alamsyah Ratu
Perwiranegara for internal discussions in a lead-up to a public policy
regarding joint religious observances.
Suharto,
at that time, was pushing for religious harmony in the midst of inter-religious
tensions that had seen occasional violence in various parts of Indonesia.
Copies
of the fatwa, however, were leaked and circulated widely in public, leading to
Alamsyah’s decision to resign because he felt pushed into a corner by the fatwa
and therefore could not work on a viable policy that could appease all sides.
In
response, Hamka said, “It is illogical for the minister to resign. I am the one
responsible for the circulation of the fatwa, therefore, I will resign.”
On
May 5, 1981, however, the national daily Pelita published the fatwa.
But,
on the next day, the same newspaper published a decree (dated April 30, 1981)
withdrawing the fatwa from circulation and clarifying that a Muslim was only
prohibited from participating in ritual practices during Christmas.
The
letter was signed by Hamka and MUI general secretary Burhani Tjokrohandoko, in
consultation with the religious affairs minister.
Two
days after, on May 7, 1981, Hamka reiterated the validity of the fatwa while
emphasising that the decree was on the circulation of the fatwa, which the
government had every right to do.
The
controversy, however, had taken its toll on Hamka, particularly in his
relationship with the government.
Therefore,
it led to his decision to resign from the chairmanship of MUI on May 19, 1981.
Straightening
the legacy of Hamka
Examining
the surrounding issues and the fatwa itself, it is clear that the hardliners
were misconstruing and misappropriating the 1981 incident to legitimise their
particular viewpoint.
Nowhere
did the fatwa prohibit the Christmas greeting, nor was Hamka’s resignation in
protest against the Indonesian government.
The
fatwa itself ought to be located within the context of Christian-Muslim
relations in the early years of Suharto’s New Order regime.
The
period leading up to 1981 was rife with tensions between the state and
Christian/Muslim groups.
Many
Muslims felt insecure as they had lost bargaining power with the state under
Suharto’s authoritarian measures against Muslim political bases. At the same
time, Christian proselytisation and foreign aid through Christian organisations
and churches were causing anxiety and unhappiness.
With
increasing pressures for Muslims to participate in social activities with their
Christian counterparts, MUI’s fatwa must therefore be seen as their attempt to
shore up the Muslim faith.
Ultimately,
as James Rush, author of Hamka’s intellectual biography, “Hamka’s Great Story”
wrote: “Hamka was a fervent believer in religious harmony, and he frequently
wrote and spoke about Islam’s history of tolerance.”
As
a great ulama of the Nusantara world, Hamka’s vision of religious harmony is
about different religions peacefully co-existing as Indonesians, but
worshipping in their own ways among fellow believers only.
For
him: “Mutual respect was the key. Trying to convert members of other religions
violated this respect.”
This
has been the essence of interfaith advocacy which has often been accused by
hardliners as “diluting Islam”.
Such
an accusation reflects the hardliners’ desire for power and control on the
narratives of Islam; it is not about how Muslims can display the ethics and values
required of a modern, pluralistic society.
Guarding
against historical amnesia
Many
societies today are facing a rise in inter-religious tensions centred around
religious identity politics.
Hardliner
groups are fervent in their exclusivist views that divide society into an “us
versus them”, particularly along religious lines.
In
confronting the permeation of hardliner views in Malay society, we need to be
equipped with deep knowledge.
Many
had emphasised knowledge of theology to be able to sift from right and wrong
Islam. This is not sufficient.
Theology
without an understanding of the historical and sociological contexts will lose
its ability to correct the abuses of theology that serve ideological battles of
the present.
As
the incident of the 1981 MUI fatwa by Hamka shows, it is not about theological
arguments but how the fatwa has been misconstrued to serve the ideological
position of Salafism.
Ultimately,
the debate surrounding the prohibition of “Merry Christmas” is not a religious
one but a contestation between two social attitudes that continue to shape
Christian-Muslim relations from past to present. The first is one of conflict
and division; the second is that of affinity and cooperation.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2022/12/24/merry-christmas-and-hamkas-fatwa/
--------
India
BJP
Spreading Hate Via TV, 24X7 “Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Muslim” Is Aired: Rahul At Red
Fort
by
Sourav Roy Barman , Abhinaya Harigovind
December
25, 2022
With
the Red Fort as a backdrop, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who led the Bharat
Jodo Yatra into the Capital Saturday, attacked the BJP, accusing it of
“relentlessly spreading fear and hatred” across the country to “divert”
attention from people being “crippled economically”.
Claiming
that TV channels are “controlled by powers who want to spread hatred,” he said
“24 ghanta Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Muslim” is aired.
The
yatra, the biggest mobilisation exercise by the Congress in decades, hit a
nine-day year-end pause as it reached the Red Fort, covering 2800 km through
nine states over a span of 108 days, from the coast of Kanyakumari.
It
has another 700-odd km to cover through Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and
Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing
a large gathering outside the historic fort, Rahul said: “Turn around and see,
there’s a Jain mandir, a gurdwara, a masjid. This is Hindustan. But this is not
a new thing. This has been the country’s truth for centuries. People live with
each other in harmony.”
He
said he can still make peace with the fact that TV channels “do not show us”.
“But
they spread hatred. 24 ghanta Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Muslim. But hear it from me,
I am walking from Kanyakaumari. I have met lakhs of people on the road. People
of this country love each other, embrace each other. This country is one,” he
said.
The
BJP, he said, falsely projects itself as the custodian of the Hindu religion.
“Where in the Hindu religion is it written that the weak and the marginalised
should be crushed and killed? I have read the Gita, Upanishad. Nowhere have I
read this. These scriptures talk about embracing each other. They are sowing
fear in the minds of youth, women, small traders, farmers,” he said.
“Making
a speech in Rajasthan I had said we will open stores of love in your market of
hatred. Aapne laakhon dukan khol di hai (you have opened lakhs of stores),” he
said to cheers from the crowd.
Rahul
said the “Prime Minister and the BJP used thousands of crores to sully my
image. But I did not utter a word. The entire media, WhatsApp, Facebook
machinery were used to spread rumours against me. But I showed you the truth in
a month. This is how truth works. One cannot suppress the truth. It has a
tendency of coming out”.
While
the jury is out on the final outcome of the yatra, which will culminate with
the unfurling of the Tricolour in Srinagar, Rahul suggested he is certain that
it has helped correct his image as a leader, making an implicit admission that
his “rebranding” was one of its objectives.
The
yatra, he said, has helped him “realise” that “hatred” has not really consumed
the country.
“When
I started walking from Kanyakumari, I thought that hatred had spread to every
corner of the country. But that is far from the truth. This is something the
television media wants us to believe but that is not the reality,” he said.
“In
reality, people live together in harmony, people embrace each other. They are
not at each other’s throats as the TV shows us,” he said.
During
the day, as the yatra crossed over from Haryana through the Badarpur border,
Rahul was joined by his mother Sonia Gandhi, sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her
husband Robert Vadra and their children.
Thousands
of Congress workers and supporters marched along as the yatra made its way
through the city. At one point, actor Kamal Haasan also joined Rahul. Later,
Haasan delivered a short speech at Red Fort, along with Rahul and Congress
president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Kharge
claimed the BJP government is rattled due to the yatra. “They are trying to use
Covid as an excuse to halt the yatra. The PM got the Health Minister to
publicise that Covid is spreading across the country. The PM wears masks inside
Parliament, but was not spotted wearing a mask while attending a wedding
recently… Come what may, the yatra will continue,” he said.
Rahul
mentioned the border crisis with China to target the government. “China has
taken up 2000 sq km of our land. The Prime Minister says no one entered Indian
territory. Then why have the two countries held 21 rounds of talks?” he said.
He
devoted a large part of his speech to the “relentless streaming of hatred” by
TV channels.
“Many
press people ask me: Don’t you feel cold? Why don’t they ask this to the
farmers, workers, poor children of this country. They say Rahul walked 2800 km,
but that is no big deal. The entire country walks. Maybe a farmer walks 10,000
to 20,000 km in his lifetime,” he said.
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Muslims
converge at Srinagar church to celebrate Christmas
25th
December 2022
Srinagar:
Wearing Santa hats, a group of Muslims on Sunday converged at a church here,
distributed sweets and exchanged greetings as Christmas was celebrated in
Kashmir with traditional enthusiasm and religious fervour.
The
members of the miniscule population of Christians in Kashmir thronged the
churches for Mass at many places. The biggest Mass was held at the Holy Family
Catholic Church at Maulana Azad Road here, where dozens of Christians,
including women and children, assembled to celebrate the birthday of Jesus
Christ and held special prayers.
The
church was decorated with colourful buntings, lights and balloons and it wore a
festive look.
A
group of Muslims also celebrated Christmas at the church to give a message of
communal harmony. They wore Santa hats, distributed sweets and exchanged
greetings.
The
group members said they came to the church to spread the message of communal
harmony, brotherhood and peace.
“We
did not want to let them (Christians) feel that they were isolated. This is a
very small community. So, we came here to celebrate this festival with them,” a
group member said.
Safiya,
a resident of the city, said she visited a church for the first time.
“I
feel good because people from every community are here and are celebrating with
each other, which is very good and rare as well,” she said.
Father
Brito said Muslims in the valley have always stood by the Christians.
“Christmas
is a message of love, joy and happiness. Our Muslim brothers and sisters are
always with us. They always help and support us. This is an opportunity for us
to share happiness, joy and love with each other,” he said.
Among
the believers were tourists from different parts of the country who joined the
locals on the auspicious day.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/muslims-converge-at-srinagar-church-to-celebrate-christmas-2487914/
--------
Mathura:
Shahi Idgah Masjid's Counsel Vows To Challenge Court's Order For Survey Of
Mosque Complex
26
DEC 2022
The
counsel for Shahi Masjid Idgah on Sunday said they will file their objection on
January 20 to the district court order on the submission of a survey report of
Idgah.
Civil
judge senior division (III) Sonika Verma, who is hearing the suit Bal Krishna
and others Vs Intezamia committee and others, had earlier directed a revenue
department official to submit a survey report of the Shahi Idgah mosque complex
on January 20.
Petition
seeks removal of mosque
The
petitioners had filed the suit seeking shifting of Shahi Masjid Idgah,
constructed on a part of the 13.37 acre land of Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust
allegedly after the demolition of Katra Keshav Dev temple by Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb. The petitioners claim it is the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
"We
will file an objection against the order on January 20," Tanveer Ahmad,
secretary and counsel for Shahi Masjid Idgah, said on Sunday.
The
hearing in the case could not take place on December 22 as the judge was on
leave on that day. The court has now fixed January 20, 2023 as the next date of
hearing, when the survey report is to be filed.
"The
learned judge had ordered Amin (a term used to refer to a revenue department official)
on December 8 to inform both the parties and submit a survey report on the next
hearing," the petitioners' counsel
Shailesh Dubey had said on Saturday.
Source:
Outlook India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Huge
desperation on Pakistani side to infiltrate terrorists, smuggle war-like stores
into Kashmir: Army officer
Dec
25, 2022
SRINAGAR:
There is huge desperation on the Pakistani side to either infiltrate terrorists
or smuggle war-like stores into Kashmir as the number of ultras and arms and
ammunition was at an all-time low in the Valley, a senior Army official said on
Friday.
He
said such manoeuvres were seen when the situation was near normal in Kashmir.
General
Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army's 19 Infantry Division Major General Ajay
Chandpuria made these remarks while addressing reporters in Baramulla after
security forces recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition near the Line of
Control (LoC) in the Halanga area of Uri in the north Kashmir district.
“The
situation is near normal in Kashmir valley as the number of terrorists and the
availability of war-like stores is at an all-time low. So, there is a huge
desperation from the other side to either infiltrate terrorists or smuggle
war-like stores,” he said.
Security
forces keep getting such reports on a regular basis and whether it was an
attempt by terrorists or smugglers to get war-like stores cannot be said, the
Army officer said, referring to the recovery of the weapons.
“We
are still following up the leads and certain details cannot be shared, but a
movement close to the launchpads was picked up. Probably, they (terrorists)
panicked and left the war-like stores behind and withdrew to that side,” he
said.
Maj
Gen Chandpuria said there have been attempts on the border not only of
infiltration but also of smuggling war-like stores and drugs in the past as
well.
“There
are some areas like this one where we have houses ahead of the LoC fence,
closer to the LoC, and because of the movement of the people right to the LoC,
such attempts are reported from time to time,” he said.
He
said based on the intelligence inputs received from multiple intelligence
agencies over a period of two weeks about infiltration attempts and dumping of
war-like stores by terrorists in the Hathlanga area of Rampur Sector, multiple
ambushes and search operations were conducted since fortnight along the LoC.
On
Friday, a search operation was launched in the general area of Hathlanga Nala
which lasted for eight hours and concluded with the recovery of arms,
ammunition and other war-like stores, the Army officer added.
He
said the recoveries include eight AK-74 rifles, 24 AK-74 rifle magazines, 560
7.62mm AK-74 live ammunition, 12 .30mm Chinese pistol, 24 Chinese pistol
magazines, 244 .30mm pistol live ammunition, nine Chinese hand grenades, five
Pakistani-origin hand grenades, 81 balloons with “I Love Pakistan” marking on
them, and five synthetic gunny nags with Pakistani marking.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UP:
3 cops beat Muslim man for alleged cattle theft; suspended
25th
December 2022
Budaun:
Three policemen were suspended in connection with beating up a man over a case
of buffalo theft, a senior police official said here on Sunday.
Additional
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Siddhartha Verma said a woman named Gulshan
has alleged that sub-inspector Waris Khan and his two colleagues had taken her
husband Tanveer to the Daftori police outpost in connection with a case of
buffalo theft.
According
to the woman, her husband was badly beaten at the outpost following which his
condition deteriorated, and he was admitted to a hospital, he said.
She
alleged that the sub-inspector also took Rs 60,000 as a bribe to release
Tanveer, a charge termed baseless by the police.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/up-3-cops-beat-muslim-man-for-alleged-cattle-theft-suspended-2488138/
--------
Africa
Clashes
in Sudan’s Darfur kill at least seven: State media
24
December ,2022
Clashes
between Arab and non-Arab groups in Sudan’s restive Darfur region have killed
at least seven people, state media reported Saturday.
Violence
erupted on Wednesday around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the South Darfur
state capital Nyala pitting Arab herders against farmers from the Daju minority
and other non-Arab ethnic groups, witnesses said.
It
was not immediately clear what sparked the fighting.
“A
group of herders riding camels and vehicles attacked the village of Amuri on
Friday, leaving the site burnt and four people killed,” the official SUNA news
agency said, adding that two people were killed between Wednesday and Thursday.
Another
person was killed when the fighting spread to nearby villages, which were
“partially burnt” as shops were looted, the news agency added, quoting a
government statement.
At
least 20 people were treated at Nyala hospital for bullet wounds, a medical
source told AFP.
Security
forces were dispatched to the area to contain the violence, SUNA said.
Ethnic
clashes often break out in Darfur, a vast region the size of France which was
ravaged by a bitter civil war that erupted in 2003.
Some
300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million displaced, according to the United
Nations.
While
the conflict has subsided over the years, violence still flares between nomadic
herders and settled farmers over access to scarce water and grazing land.
Sudan
is still grappling with the crippling aftermath of a military coup led by army
chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in October last year.
Civilian
groups signed a preliminary deal with the military to end the crisis earlier
this month but it has been criticized as “opaque.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Eastern
Libyan commander announces ‘final opportunity’ to hold elections
24
December ,2022
The
Libyan National Army (LNA) of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar on Saturday
announced “a final opportunity” to draw up a road map for elections, Libyan
al-Hadath TV reported, a year to the day after rival factions agreed to hold
the polls.
Many
Libyans believe their political leaders are unwilling to find a way out of the
endless political logjam because elections could push them all from power.
“The
General Command (of LNA) announces a final opportunity through which it will
draw a road map and hold elections,” Haftar was quoted by the TV channel as
saying.
He
addressed Libyans in the second largest city of Benghazi, home to his forces,
on the 71st anniversary of independence.
After
a 2020 ceasefire, the rival eastern and western sides agreed to hold elections
on December 24, 2021, and installed a new unity government that was meant to
reunify divided national institutions. But the process fell apart.
Libya
has had little peace since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted Muammar
Gaddafi and led to a 2014 split between the warring eastern and western
factions.
Haftar
waged war on factions in the west after 2014, including a 14-month offensive to
capture Tripoli which was repelled by the internationally recognized
government.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Tunisia
rights group slams ‘inhumane’ move to deport migrants
December
25, 2022
TUNIS:
A Tunisian rights group has condemned a “repressive and inhumane” government
decision to deport a group of migrants who had been evacuated from a defunct
refugee camp.
The
25 men from Egypt, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan had sought asylum in Tunisia after
fleeing violence in Libya in 2011, but their requests were denied, said
Romdhane Ben Amor of the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights.
He
said their repatriation would “put their lives at risk.”
The
Tunisian Cabinet approved on Friday the expulsion “as soon as possible of a
group of migrants residing illegally in Tunisia,” the government said in a
statement.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2221936/middle-east
--------
Pakistan
Govt
Pins Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan Rise On PTI Chairman, Imran Khan
Amjad
Mahmood
December
26, 2022
LAHORE:
Amid an increase in the number of attacks by militants in parts of the country,
federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday blamed former prime
minister Imran Khan for the resurgence of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP).
While
referring to rise in terror attacks and the dialogue with the banned outfit
initiated by the PTI government last year, the PML-N leader said the nation had
seen the result of Imran Khan’s strategy of opening talks with the Taliban.
“Imran
Khan (while in power) did not curb terrorism. Rather he allowed negotiations
with those who had martyred children at the Army Public School (in Peshawar).
And now a new wave of terrorism has begun because of those negotiations.”
The
former speaker also urged former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa to reveal his
“role” in the 2018 general election in “ensuring” the victory of the PTI. He
said the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) representatives said they were under
pressure in 2018 to join the PTI.
He
said the support extended by Mr Bajwa to Imran Khan when he was prime minister
had never been given to any other premier in the past. But, the PTI chairman is
“ungrateful to his benefactors” as he was now maligning the ex-COAS. He said Mr
Khan did the same thing to Aleem Khan and Jahangir Khan Tareen.
He
advised Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi to remain “vigilant” while doing
favours to Imran Khan since his “characteristics cannot change as I know him
since the 1960s”.
Mr
Sadiq lambasted the PTI chairman for using the religious card in politics,
abusing and victimising rivals, as well as preferring his personal interest
over national interest.
“The
one who had been talking of the state of Madina committed corruption by taking
away gifts from Toshakhana worth Rs6 billion, declaring one of them (in his tax
statement) and devouring the rest. The claimants of the Madina state would
neither steal nor conceal (one’s wealth).”
He
lamented that Imran Khan always foul-mouthed PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who
always addressed the PTI chairman decently. He alleged that Mr Khan got spying
cameras installed even in the bathrooms of the jail where Maryam Nawaz Sharif
was imprisoned.
The
PML-N leader said those who brought Imran Khan to power were responsible for
the financial damage caused to the country during the around four-year rule of
PTI as the national debt doubled in the PTI regime, which took $44 billion in
loans.
In
reply to a question, he said while listening to the conversation between Parvez
Elahi and his son Moonis Elahi one “gets the impression that the PML-Q got just
20 seats” in return for a promise to dissolve the Punjab Assembly at the
directives of Imran Khan.
He,
however, cautioned the ‘Q’ leadership that the crutches available during the
2018 polls would be missing in the next general elections and they as well as
the PTI would have to stand on their own legs.
Referring
to U-turns often taken by the PTI chairman, he said on one hand Imran said that
he would fight his political fight on his own, and on the other, he was
requesting the establishment to intervene and save him from likely
accountability.
In
response to a question, the minister said if the PTI chairman intended to
dissolve the Punjab and KP assemblies he would have done so at once after the
announcement during a Pindi rally in November.
Answering
a question, he said if the coalition in Punjab had the backing of the required
number of MPAs to remain on his post then why was Mr Elahi trying to delay the
trust vote.
Source:
Dawn
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1728300/govt-pins-ttps-rise-on-pti-chairman
--------
Adherence
to Quaid’s ideology can make us defeat all odds: PM
December
25, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that adherence to the
Quaid-e-Azam’s ideology could make us defeat all the odds.
On
celebrations of the birthday of the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad
Ali Jinnah, the prime minister on his Twitter handle said that as a nation,
they had failed to live up to the Quaid’s ideals.
“Nothing
undermines a nation more than lack of unity. Adherence to Quaid’s ideology can
make us defeat all the odds. My resolve on this Day is to keep working for the
well-being of our people,” he added.
In
a related tweet, he said Quaid-e-Azam single-handedly changed the course of
history through his sheer will power, clarity of thought & unwavering
struggle. “Commitment to constitutionalism marked his leadership. His motto of
unity, faith & discipline continues to serve as a clarion call for the
nation,” he added.
SHUHADA
PACKAGE FOR MARTYRED ICT POLICE CONSTABLE
Prime
Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has formally issued a directive for the grant
of Shuhada package to martyred police constable of Islamabad Capital Territory
Police Syed Adeel Hussain who laid down his life during a suicide attack in
Sector 1/10.
The
prime minister also directed for handing over a cheque worth Rs10 million as a
financial package to the bereaved family of late taxi driver Syed Sajjad Haider
Shah, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release on Sunday.
The
deputy commissioner Islamabad would hand over this cheque to the bereaved
family.
The
Prime Minister’s Office issued directives to the ministry of interior for
taking necessary steps in this regard.
ASSISTANCE
CHEQUE FOR TERROR VICTIM
Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a financial package for the taxi driver who
lost his life in an explosion in the I-10/4 sector of Islamabad this week.
He
approved the package in light of the investigation of the law enforcement
agencies.
He
sanctioned a financial package of Rs 10 million for the heirs of driver Syed
Sajjad Haider Shah. On the instructions of the prime minister, the cheque of
the approved amount was handed over to the heirs of Sajjad Haider.
According
to the investigation, Sajjad had no connection with the terrorists or their
plan.
Source: Pakistan
Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
FIA
records statements of suspects Gen Bajwa tax record leak case
December
25, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) on Sunday
recorded the statements of three suspects, arrested in connection with the
income tax data leak of former army chief retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
According
to details, the arrested suspects recorded the statement before a duty
magistrate under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc).
The
three suspects include: Shahzad Niaz, Arshad Ali Qureshi and Mohammad Adeel
Ashraf.
Earlier
in December, an Islamabad court remanded three suspects in custody of the
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday in connection with the income
tax data leak of former army chief retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Shahzad
Niaz and Ashraf also deleted tax data, which “they had accessed illegally”.
Their mobile phones were sent for forensic analysis to enable the investigators
to extract data obtained by the suspects, according to the prosecution.
On
November 27, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)
rubbished nefarious campaign launched against Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his family related to their tax records.
In
a statement, the ISPR said that the reports were “totally untrue and based on
blatant lies”.
“Misleading
data regarding the assets of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his
family have been shared on social media. These misleading figures are
exaggerated and based on assumption,” the ISPR said.
The
military’s media wing said that a certain group has “cleverly and dishonestly”
attributed the assets of General Bajwa’s daughter-in-law’s father and family to
the army chief and his family.
The
Federal Board Revenue (FBR) on Saturday included three more income tax officers
in the investigation of leaked tax record details of Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and his family.
Sources
said that FBR will carry out an investigation from the chief commissioner,
commissioner and additional commissioner in connection with the leaked tax
record details of Gen Bajwa and his family.
Source: Pakistan
Today
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--------
Uplift
in KP’s southern districts to resume after PM visit to Dera: Fazl
December
25, 2022
DI
KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday
vowed that the development process would be resumed in southern districts of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the expected visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz
Sharif to Dera Ismail Khan on Monday.
He
stated this during a special meeting of District ‘Majlis-e-Amla’ held here in a
local hotel to discuss various aspects of the expected visit of the prime
minister to DI Khan. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for
Communications Mufti Asad Mahmood, Senior Deputy Amir Maulana Obaidur Rehman,
Engineer Ziaur Rehman and the Party’s Tehsil Nazims and Ameers.
Fazl
said Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif would announce mega projects for DI
Khan, Tank and Lakki Marwat districts including Yarik to Saggu CPEC project.
He
opined that after the visit of the prime minister, the process of development
and prosperity in these districts would be resumed which was stopped for the
last nine years. The mega projects announced by the premier would be remedy of
the deprivations among the people of these areas.
Source: Pakistan
Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
'Will
not accept a weak govt this time,' says Imran Khan
Dec
26, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Sunday took a sharp dig at
the ruling coalition regarding the early polls in the country and said that he
would instead choose the opposition benches rather than forming a weak
government this time, ARY News reported.
In
an interview with a private news channel, Imran Khan conceded that forming a
weak government was his mistake.
The
PTI chief stated that a weak government will not be tolerated this time. He
explained that a political party with a clear majority in parliament might
modify the legislation.
"Whenever
we capture mafias, they got released on bail on the next day. We had failed to
implement the rule of law and we know that we appointed the wrong people to key
positions," ARY news quoted Imran as saying.
Moreover,
Khan also criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for being charged with Rs 16
billion in corruption but being released owing to their powerful position.
In
April this year, the PTI announced mass resignations from the National
Assembly, a day after party chief Imran Khan's ouster as Prime Minister through
a no-confidence vote.
After
the submission of their resignations, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim
Suri at the time, in the capacity of the house's acting speaker, accepted the
resignations of 123 PTI Members of the National Assembly.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
6
security men martyred in Balochistan terror incidents
Saleem
Shahid
December
26, 2022
QUETTA:
Six security personnel, including a captain, embraced martyrdom while at least
17 people suffered injuries in different incidents of terrorism across
Balochistan on Sunday.
According
to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a clearance operation was
underway in Kahan after an explosive device targeted security forces.
The
military’s media wing said that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off
close to the leading party of the security forces. Captain Fahad, Lance Naik
Imtiaz and sepoys Asghar, Mehran and Shamoon were martyred in the blast.
The
statement further said that the sanitisation operation continued in the area to
apprehend the suspects involved in the attack.
In
another statement, the ISPR said that an operation against militants in the
Sambaza area of Zhob left one security man martyred. One terrorist was killed,
while two personnel were injured.
ISPR
said the forces had started an operation in Sambaza on the basis of
intelligence reports to deny militants the use of suspected routes to move
across the “Pakistan-Afghanistan border to sneak into KP along the
interprovincial boundary and target citizens and security forces”.
A
group of the terrorists was intercepted in the early hours of Sunday, it said,
adding, “during the establishing of blocking positions to deny them escape
routes, terrorists opened fire on the security forces”.
As
a result of a shootout, one terrorist was killed while Sepoy Haq Nawaz embraced
martyrdom and two other soldiers got injured.
“The
terrorists were supported by their facilitators from across the border as well
through firing,” the statement added.
Attacks
in Quetta, Hub, Kalat
More
than one dozen people, including three policemen, were injured in different
attacks in the capital of Balochistan. In a grenade attack on Sabzal Road on
the outskirts of Quetta, at least four people, including two teenage girls,
were injured.
The
wounded were identified as Muhammad Qayyum, 25; Zubair Ahmed, 25; Kaynat Bibi,
17; and Bibi Ewa, 13. They were moved to Civil Hospital.
Police
said that the grenade blast took place near Amir Dasti police station.
Officials said that unknown people hurled the grenade and escaped. Police added
that an improvised explosive device recovered from the area was defused.
In
a grenade attack on a police check-post in Satellite Town, at least eight
people, including three police officials, received injuries.
“We
have received 12 injured [including four injured in the Sabzal Road attack] who
had been hurt due to splinters of the hand grenades,” Dr Wasim Baig, spokesman
of the Provincial Sandeman Civil Hospital told Dawn.
Another
attack in Quetta targeted an FC post on Sariab Road. Police said unknown
motorcyclists hurled a grenade that exploded some distance from the check post.
“No casualty was reported in the blast,” they added.
Meanwhile,
in Hub, an explosion in the evening injured three persons. Police said the bomb
went off outside the Saddar police station in Hub.
“We
are investigating the blast,” Dostain Dashti, SSP Hub told Dawn. He added the
nature of the blast could not be ascertained. The injured were shifted to Jam
Ghulam Qadir Memorial Hospital.
In
Khuzdar, a police vehicle came under a grenade attack in the heart of the town.
The police vehicle was damaged but fortunately, there were no casualties, Fahad
Khosa, SSP Khuzdar said.
In
Kalat and Turbat, security forces were attacked in separate incidents. However,
no loss of life or injuries were reported as a result of these attacks.
Condemnations
Meanwhile,
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos
Bizenjo strongly condemned terrorism incidents in the province.
PM
Sharif paid tribute to Sepoy Haq Nawaz who was martyred in Zhob. In a
statement, he lauded the security forces for their “effective operation against
the terrorists”, state-run APP added.
In
response to the Quetta attack, the Balochistan CM instructed the Inspector
General Police (IGP) to take measures to ensure the protection of the lives and
property of common citizens.
He
also sought a report after the conclusion of the investigation into these
attacks.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1728306/6-security-men-martyred-in-balochistan-terror-incidents
--------
Islamabad
blast: martyred cop’s family to get Rs20m, taxi driver’s Rs10m
Ikram
Junaidi
December
26, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a financial package for the
families of a policeman and a taxi driver who lost their lives in a suicide
bombing in Islamabad on Friday (Dec 23).
Syed
Adeel Hussain, a head constable in Islamabad police, and Syed Sajjad Haider
Shah, the taxi driver, were martyred and six other people, four policemen among
them, injured in the blast at Islamabad’s I-10/4 sector.
Television
footage showed the fiery wreckage of a vehicle with several cops at the scene
after the explosion. Shortly afterwards, the Islamabad police declared a “red
alert” in the city.
The
outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, which called off a stop-start ceasefire
with the government last month, claimed responsibility for the blast in a
statement. It was established during investigation the taxi driver had no links
with the suicide bomber.
Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the district administration of Islamabad on
Sunday to hand over a cheque for Rs10 million to the family of Sajjad Haider.
The cheque was handed over to his family the same day.
The
premier also directed the interior ministry to ensure that the martyred
policeman’s family received the Shuhada (martyrs) Assistance Package.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Balochistan
Terror Attack Kills Four Pakistani Security Forces
By
Nizamuddin Rezahi
December
25, 2022
Four
Pakistani security personnel were killed in a terror attack that took place
earlier today in Balochistan, Pakistan, according to media reports.
The
security convoy came under attack in the Kech district of Balochistan leaving
four army officers dead and eight others injured. The attack has so far not
been claimed by any organization or insurgent group. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) or Baloch militants are likely behind the fatal assault on the Pakistani
forces.
This
is the second terrorist attack taking place in Pakistan over the past week.
Suicide bombers blew up a vehicle before reaching the final target in the
capital Islamabad on Friday, December 23, killing one police officer and
injuring many others.
The
second attack targeted the Pakistani army convey earlier today causing to the
death of four military personnel and injuring more.
These
terror attacks come as the Pakistani Taliban called off their year-long
ceasefire with the government of Pakistan, and intensified their operations in
different parts of the country.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/balochistan-terror-attack-kills-four-pakistani-security-forces/
--------
PTI
to approach Pakistan National Assembly for acceptance of lawmakers'
resignations
Dec
25, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Farrukh Habib on Sunday said that
lawmakers from his party will visit the National Assembly on Wednesday for the
acceptance of their resignations as members of the lower house of parliament,
Dawn reported.
On
Sunday, Farrukh Habib said, "We are going to the National Assembly on
Wednesday to get our resignations accepted. The PTI lawmakers had tendered
their resignations in writing. However, only 11 resignations were accepted
based on mala fide (intentions)."
Habib
stressed that the matter was also a "test for the Election Commission (EC)
of Pakistan," according to Dawn.
"Now
accept our resignation. Why are they (EC) being evasive?" Dawn quoted
Farrukh Habib as saying.
In
April this year, the PTI announced mass resignations from the National
Assembly, a day after party chief Imran Khan's ouster as Prime Minister through
a no-confidence vote. After the submission of their resignations, National
Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri at the time, in the capacity of the house's
acting speaker, accepted the resignations of 123 PTI Members of the National
Assembly.
Incumbent
speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf later decided to verify the resignations and
accepted the resignations of only 11 lawmakers on July 27, as per the Dawn
report. Ashraf stated that he will not approve any resignations until he is
satisfied that they are "voluntary and genuine". He even invited the
PTI's lawmakers to appear for the verifications of their resignations, as per
the Dawn report.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
‘ill-prepared’ to combat new Covid variants
Ikram
Junaidi
December
26, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
As new variants of coronavirus spread at a rapid pace in parts of the globe,
including India, China, and the United States, health authorities in Pakistan
seem to be ill-prepared to stop the arrival of the virus in the country.
Even
though the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) claimed that the
situation was being closely monitored, there have been no measures at airports,
such as rapid testing and screening of inbound travellers, to detect positive
cases of Covid-19.
NCOC
member Dr Shahzad Ali Khan said the Centre was regularly holding its meetings.
He added it was yet to be seen how new variants would behave in Pakistan since
“viruses behave differently in different environments”.
“We
have been closely observing the situation. It is a fact that a sudden spread
[of Covid-19] has been observed in China because there were strict restrictions
in place and an abrupt removal of these curbs allowed the virus to spread,” he
said.
Dr
Khan claimed that the immunity level of the citizens of Pakistan was better due
to vaccination.
Experts
urge NCOC to issue updated guidelines amid lack of screening at airports
“New
variants may disturb those who are not inoculated, so I would urge people to
get vaccinated and get booster shots. Although NCOC has not issued any
guidelines, I would advise people that they should avoid social gatherings for
some days,” he said.
Time
for updated SOPs
On
the other hand, independent experts believe that NCOC should issue fresh
guidelines and give a “position statement”. Since the world has become a global
village, the virus can enter the country anytime, they said, adding that people
would prefer to travel following the new guidelines.
Microbiologist
Prof Javaid Usman said that in China virus started spreading at a fast pace
after restrictions were suddenly lifted. He added that currently, the
atmosphere due to a lack of rainfall has become polluted, with dust acting as
one of the major pollutants.
“Such
atmosphere contains Influenza, swine flu (H1N1), non-Covid-19 coronaviruses,
para-influenza viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Due to the
presence of all these other germs, it becomes difficult to tell if a person is
suffering from Covid-19 or some other virus,” he said.
Dr
Usman urged people to wear masks and take precautionary measures.
Prof
Dr Javed Akram, a renowned general physician, told Dawn said that over the
months, the transmissibility of the virus has increased, but so far there was
no evidence if vaccines were effective against Covid-19 or not.
“I
suggest that NCOC should regularly issue guidelines because it keeps masses and
health authorities vigilant,” he said, adding that international organisations
watch these steps very closely and people start travelling in the light of
advisories.
While
replying to a question, Dr Akram said that the immunity level of Pakistanis was
high due to the Expanded Program of Immunisation (EPI). “Moreover, we have more
experience with viruses because of hygiene and other issues. Although it is not
good for our health, but in the case of Covid-19 it is good,” he said.
According
to a document from the National Institute of Health, 15 new Covid-19 cases were
reported across the country on Sunday. The case positivity ratio was 0.4 per
cent and 16 patients were in critical condition.
At
least 3,749 Covid tests were conducted: around 406 tests were conducted in
Islamabad, 107 in Faisalabad, 920 in Lahore, and 321 in Peshawar.
The
coronavirus strain spreading in China is a sub-variant of the highly infectious
Omicron variant: BF.7 or BA.5.2.1.7, CBS News reported.
Following
widespread protests, the country of 1.4 billion people this month began
dismantling its “zero-Covid” regime of lockdowns and testing that had largely
kept the virus away for three years — at great economic and psychological
costs.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1728304/pakistan-ill-prepared-to-combat-new-covid-variants
--------
Mideast
Thousands
of protesters rally in Haifa against incoming Netanyahu-led cabinet
25
December 2022
Thousands
of protesters have staged a demonstration in the port city of Haifa in the Israeli-occupied
territories against the regime's incoming right-wing administration led by
prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The
protesters and left-wing activists blocked roads near the center of Horev,
marched with burning torches, and chanted against the initiatives of Likud
political party and its partners.
The
main focus of the demonstration was a series of controversial bills that would
give the right-wing coalition more power over the occupied Palestinian
territories in the West Bank, and police policies.
In
addition to the bills, there is a law that would allow for the chairman of the
Shas religious political party, Arye Deri, to assume a ministerial position
despite a past conviction for tax offenses.
The
protesters called on all Israelis to “demonstrate against the dangerous
legislations being promoted by the incoming criminal administration.”
The
protest was attended by former minister for military affairs Moshe Ya'alon,
former Israeli army spokesman Brigadier-General Ron Kitri, and several formerly
top-brass military commanders.
The
participants said the demonstration was in continuation of the rally staged a
week earlier at Habima Square in Tel Aviv.
That
demonstration had been attended by thousands of protesters.
It
mainly targeted the incoming right-wing coalition administration, and their
legislative blitz to pass a slew of controversial laws.
Source:
Press TV
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Hamas:
Netanyahu’s cabinet ‘neo-fascist’; Palestinians capable of defeating Israel
25
December 2022
A
senior member of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has slammed the
“neo-fascist” Israeli coalition cabinet led by Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the
Palestinian people are capable of defeating the far-right occupying regime.
Khaled
Meshaal, the head of Hamas’ political bureau abroad, made the remarks on Sunday
in a mass ceremony held on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the founding
of the resistance movement in the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon.
The
new Israeli regime is “teeming with the most extreme religious and nationalist
right in the history of the entity,” Meshaal said, adding, “Our great
Palestinian people are capable of defeating the occupation and its neo-fascist”
cabinet.
He
said Israel thinks that with its extremist cabinet, it “will end our cause, but
our great people, with their originality and unity, can turn this challenge
into an opportunity as all settlement projects have been defeated, the latest
of which was the deal of the century.”
Netanyahu,
as the Likud chairman, is currently engaged in assembling a coalition that will
see far-right figures Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Jewish Power party and Bezalel
Smotrich of the Religious Zionism party likely exert more power over occupied
Palestinian territories in the West Bank and with the police.
Thousands
of protesters have over the past few days staged demonstrations in various
cities across the Israeli-occupied territories against the regime’s incoming
right-wing administration.
Elsewhere
in his address, the Hamas official pointed to the so-called normalization deals
between the Israeli regime and a few Arab countries, saying the 2022 FIFA World
Cup in Qatar showed that normalizing ties with Israel is nothing but an
“illusion.”
“The
Qatar World Cup confirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and its
active and strong presence, which disturbed the Zionists who felt that
Palestine was the 33rd team in this tournament,” Meshaal said, referring to the
much-frequent waving of Palestinian flags in Qatari stadiums.
“The
normalization has proven to be an illusion, and it is an artificial thing that
has no roots among our peoples,” he noted. “We have a position in the
international arena and when we stand united, the world will stand with us.”
Back
in 2020, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed United States-brokered
agreements with Israel to normalize their ties with the regime. Some other
regional states, namely Sudan and Morocco, followed suit soon afterward.
The
move, however, sparked widespread condemnations from the Palestinians as well
as nations and human rights advocates across the globe, especially within the
Muslim world. Palestinians denounced the normalization deals as a “stab in the
back” and a “betrayal” to their cause.
Source:
Press TV
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Suicide
cases soaring at alarming rate among Israeli troops, hit new record
25
December 2022
A
recent report has revealed that suicide cases among Israeli army personnel
continue to increase at an alarming rate, with the latest figures causing
serious concerns among the occupying regime’s top-ranking military and
intelligence figures as they have established a new record.
According
to a report published by the Israeli daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, fourteen
Israeli soldiers have taken their lives since the beginning of the current
year, and the number marks a dramatic rise within the last five years.
The
Israeli military recorded a total of 11 suicides for the whole of last year and
nine cases in 2020.
According
to the Palestine Today news agency, suicide is still the leading cause of death
within the ranks of the Israeli army in non-combat situations, and the number
has soared dramatically in recent years.
Official
data from the Information and Research Center of the Knesset (Israeli
parliament) show that the Tel Aviv regime registers 500 suicides each year, 100
of which are among young people in the 15-24 age bracket.
Last
May, the Hebrew-language daily newspaper Israel Hayom reported that a senior
Israeli intelligence officer had taken his own life by jumping from a high
building. Initial investigations concluded that the unnamed lieutenant decided
to end his life due to personal problems.
The
newspaper said there existed undeniable links between the lieutenant's suicide
and what drove another Israeli intelligence officer to commit suicide inside a
military prison last June.
The
Israeli officer was found in serious condition in his cell at the newly-opened
Neve Tzedek prison on the night of May 16, 2021, and later pronounced dead in
what military officials said was a suspected suicide.
Source:
Press TV
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Iran
Supreme Court upholds death sentence of protester
24
December ,2022
Iran’s
Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of a protester, state media
reported on Saturday, after earlier reporting that his appeal had been
accepted.
Earlier
on Saturday, state media reported that the Supreme Court had accepted the
appeals of Mohammad Ghobadlou and Saman Seydi, two protesters who had been
sentenced to death.
The
Supreme Court later issued an amendment, saying Ghobadlou’s appeal has been
rejected and that his death sentence has been upheld, the semi-official Tasnim
news agency reported.
The
22-year-old’s life is in “serious danger,” the activist group 1500tasvir
tweeted after the news that his death sentence had been upheld.
Iran
has already executed two protesters. Mohsen Shekari and Majidreza Rahnavard,
both 23, were hanged earlier this month.
“At
least 39 protesters are currently at risk of execution or death penalty
sentences,” Oslo-based rights group Iran Human Rights (IHR) said last week.
Protests
– described by the regime as “riots” – have swept across Iran since September
16 when 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini died after her arrest by
the morality police in Tehran.
Since
Amini’s death, demonstrators have been calling for the downfall of the regime
in a movement that has become one of the boldest challenges to the Islamic
Republic since its establishment in 1979.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Houthis
abduct famous Sanaa YouTuber following corruption remarks
SAEED
AL-BATATI
December
25, 2022
AL-MUKALLA:
Yemeni social media activists in Houthi-controlled Sanaa said that the
Iran-backed militia has kidnapped a prominent YouTuber off a Sanaa street days
after he sharply attacked them on social media.
Ahmed
Hajar, a well-known Yemeni comedian, actor and YouTuber was strolling last week
along Al-Zubairi street in Sanaa when he was kidnapped by armed men in civilian
clothing driving a bus and taken to an unknown destination.
The
news of his disappearance spread over the weekend after his relatives reported
him missing.
The
Houthis did not claim responsibility for the kidnapping, but their leaders and
sympathizers on social media condemned Hajar for inciting the populace against
the movement.
Hajar’s
abduction has prompted considerable sympathy for him and indignation over the
militia’s suppression of free speech and dissidents.
Hajar
uploaded a 10:22-minute video on YouTube last week in which he criticized the
Houthis for excessive taxation, extensive corruption, the destruction of the
educational system and the inability to pay public workers.
“Houthi
Ansar Allah! Every Yemeni inside and beyond Yemen is protesting about you
…People say that you are criminals, fraudsters and losers and that you came to
(Sanaa) to steal, plunder and take vengeance,” Hajar remarked in the Sanaani
dialect, using a scathing tone.
Hajar,
who has 214,000 YouTube subscribers and 68,598 Facebook followers, stated that
the public — including bakery owners, taxi drivers, grocery store owners and
even wealthy people — urged him to post a video expressing their complaints
about fleecing charges and taxes, hunger and the militia’s indifference to the
suffering of the people.
“People
are hungry and looking for food while also trying to save enough for their
children’s private school education. You have ruined education,” he said,
warning the Houthis that increasing animosity toward their movement will lead
to a revolt. “The people will explode.”
The
video has received over 8,000 comments and thousands of likes on YouTube and
has been extensively shared on other social media sites. It garnered even
greater media and public attention when Hajar’s family reported him missing.
Along
with overwhelming support for the victim, the kidnapping has spurred
influential people in Sanaa to condemn the movement for abducting Hajar and
disregarding public demands that it combat corruption, solve rising inflation
and improve public services.
Ahmed
Elaw, a Sanaa-based figure with 786,00 YouTube subscribers, demanded that the
Houthis acknowledge the spread of corruption and famine and cease their
persecution of dissenting voices.
“He
is speaking about the country and criticizing its domestic affairs,” Elaw said,
referring to Hajar. “He is telling the truth, which you reject.
“People
are starving. People cannot afford to purchase yogurt and are eating rubbish.
We won’t remain quiet. Put us in prison and shoot us to death.”
Yemenis
from all walks of life, including some of the movement’s supporters, decried
the YouTuber’s kidnapping and demanded his immediate release.
“This
man is equivalent to a thousand men, and we must support him with all our
might,” Saddam Ahmed commented on the video.
Mohammed
Al-Mahdi, adviser to the Ministry of Culture, said that what Hajar disclosed
about the situation in Sanaa and other Houthi-controlled regions is just the
tip of the iceberg.
“This
video illustrates a portion of the deplorable reality in their regions and
demonstrates the disdain people have for them and their practices,” Al-Mahdi
tweeted.
As
with many other similar arrests of opposition figures, the Houthis did not
formally state that Hajar was abducted. Nonetheless, their followers and even
authorities on social media viciously attacked the man, accusing him of
undermining the sacrifices of their warriors and assisting their adversaries.
Abdulkader
Al-Murtada, head of the Houthi prisoner exchange committee, hinted at their
involvement in the kidnapping of Hajar by stating the movement would not accept
critics against it and its warriors.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2221926/middle-east
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Fisherman
return to Iran years after Somalia kidnapping
25
December ,2022
Fourteen
Iranian fishermen seized by the al-Shabaab militant group in Somalia, some as
long as eight years ago, have returned home, news outlets in the Islamic
Republic said Sunday.
The
fishermen were abducted in international waters near Somalia and released after
“lengthy negotiations with government officials, tribal chiefs and Somali
elders,” the ISNA news agency reported.
They
were welcomed in a special ceremony at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International
Airport on Saturday night before being transported to their southern hometown
of Chabahar, it added.
Their
release comes almost a month after Somali police said they discovered 20
foreigners -- 14 Iranians and six Pakistanis -- near territory controlled by
the militant group.
At
the time, Somali police said some had been kidnapped by al-Shabaab in 2014,
while others had been abducted on the southern coast of Harardhere in mid-2019.
It
was unclear how they came to be released, and police provided no further
details, citing an ongoing inquiry.
Reports
suggested they could have been abducted by pirates and handed over to
al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda that includes foreign fighters among its
ranks.
Al-Shabaab,
which controls swathes of rural Somalia, has been trying to overthrow the
central government for 15 years, funding its insurgency through criminal
activities including kidnapping and ransom.
Somalia
has also been plagued by piracy for years, though attacks on maritime vessels off
the coast have fallen off sharply in recent years since peaking at 176 in 2011.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Aide
to Turkish president Erdogan blames Paris unrest after shooting on PKK
25
December ,2022
A
top aide to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday blamed street
unrest that gripped Paris following the killing of three Kurds on outlawed PKK
militants.
“This
is PKK in France,” Erdogan’s foreign policy adviser Ibrahim Kalin tweeted,
posting images of overturned and burning cars in Paris.
“The
same terrorist organization you support in Syria,” he wrote in apparent
reference to the YPG.
The
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is designated as a terrorist organization by
Turkey and its Western allies.
Ankara
has been feuding with the US and European powers about their support for
Kurdish fighters in the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which it portrays as
the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.
The
YPG played a central role in the US-led campaign against ISIS in Syria. It is
not proscribed as a terrorist organization by either the US or the European
Union – an issue of constant tension in their relations with NATO member
Turkey.
“The
same PKK that has killed thousands of Turks, Kurds and security forces over the
last 40 years. Now they are burning the streets of Paris. Will you still remain
silent?” Kalin wrote.
The
street protest broke out Friday after a 69-year-old white French gunman opened
fire at a Kurdish cultural center in Paris, killing three.
A
source close to the case told AFP that the gunman admitted to investigators
that he was racist.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Turkish
court releases journalist detained under ‘disinformation’ law
24
December ,2022
A
Turkish court ordered the release of a journalist held on remand under the
country’s new disinformation law after his lawyer objected to his detention, he
said.
Sinan
Aygul became the first person to be jailed pending trial under the law,
approved by parliament two months ago, that the government says is aimed at
protecting the public, but which critics say could be abused to stifle dissent.
Aygul,
a journalist in the Kurdish-majority Bitlis province, wrote on Twitter last
week that a 14-year-old girl had allegedly been sexually abused, including by
police and soldiers.
He
retracted the posts and apologized for writing them without confirming the
story with authorities but was later arrested.
Aygul
said in a video posted to Twitter late on Friday that he was released after his
lawyer filed an objection to the detention order.
“I
am free again after 10 days of captivity,” he said in the video. “I hope
neither I nor any of my journalist colleagues has to experience such a
situation.”
The
law carries a jail sentence of up to three years for anyone who spreads false
or misleading information.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Iran
Supreme Court accepts appeals of two protesters sentenced to death
24
December ,2022
Iran’s
Supreme Court has accepted the appeals of two protesters sentenced to death due
to flaws in investigating their cases, the country’s judiciary said on
Saturday.
“The
Supreme Court accepted the appeals of Mohammad Qobadloo and Saman Saidi Yasin,
accused of the recent riots,” the judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported.
“Due
to research deficiencies, the Supreme Court has referred them to the same
courts for re-examination.”
Nationwide
unrest erupted in mid-September after the death in custody of 22-year-old
Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by morality police
enforcing the Islamic Republic’s mandatory dress code laws.
Iran
hanged two protesters earlier this month. Mohsen Shekari, 23, was accused of
blocking a main road in September and wounding a member of the paramilitary
Basij force with a knife. Majid Reza Rahnavard, 23, who was accused of stabbing
to death two Basij members, was publicly hanged from a construction crane.
Amnesty
International has said Iranian authorities are seeking the death penalty for at
least 21 people in what it called “sham trials designed to intimidate those
participating in the popular uprising that has rocked Iran.”
Qobadloo
was charged with killing a police agent and injuring five others during the
protests.
Yasin,
a Kurd who raps about inequality, oppression and unemployment, was accused of
attempting to kill security forces and singing revolutionary songs.
Rights
group HRANA said that as of Friday 506 protesters had been killed, including 69
minors. It said 66 members of the security forces had also been killed. As many
as 18,516 protesters are believed to have been arrested, it said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Fuel
shortage causes largest hospital in Yemen’s Taiz to shut down
25.12.2022
SANAA,
Yemen
A
fuel crisis has forced the largest hospital in Yemen’s central Taiz province to
stop operations on Sunday, according to the hospital.
In
a statement, Al-Thawra General Hospital said fuel shortage has caused all
hospital’s sections to shut down.
“The
lives of patients at the hospital are at risk,” the hospital warned.
Al-Thawra
hospital runs on fuel donations from UN agencies and international
organizations, in addition to fuel shipments from the local authorities.
The
Yemeni government and Houthi rebels share control of Taiz province amid a
protracted civil war in the Arab country.
The
Yemeni conflict began in September 2014 when Houthi rebels captured much of the
country, including the capital, Sanaa. A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia
entered the war in early 2015 to restore the government to power.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Israel offers to transfer Palestinian prisoners of Jordanian origin to complete
sentence in Jordan
MOHAMMED
NAJIB
December
25, 2022
RAMALLAH:
In a surprise move, Israel has offered Palestinian inmates with Jordanian
citizenship the option of being transferred to prisons in Jordan to continue
serving out their sentences there.
The
National Committee for Jordanian Prisoners and Missing Persons in Israeli
Detention Centers has revealed an agreement presented by the Israeli Prisons
Administration to Palestinian prisoners of Jordanian nationality.
Four
out of 18 Jordanian prisoners have so far accepted the offer of the prison
administration, most of whom had been served with long sentences.
Others,
including Abdullah Barghouti, are sentenced to life imprisonment.
Barghouti
serves a prison term of 67 life sentences and 5,200 years — the longest in
history.
He
is entering his 20th year in Israeli prisons.
He
was arrested on March 5, 2003, in the city of Al-Bireh in the central West
Bank.
Israel
accuses him of contributing to the killing of more than 60 Israelis.
Barghouti’s
family learned from a released Palestinian prisoner close to him that he agreed
to the offer made by the prison administration to transfer him to Jordan to
complete his sentence.
Um
Usama, Barghouti’s wife, confirmed this to Arab News.
She
said that her husband, 50, was being detained in Eshel prison in Israel and
that she, her two daughters and her son had only been able to visit him only
four times since his arrest 20 years ago due to security obstacles.
His
parents have not been able to see him since his arrest, except last summer,
when they came from Jordan, despite their illness, for a visit that lasted 30
minutes.
Sources
in the Barghouti family told Arab News that they had contacted the Jordanian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Jordan’s willingness to receive Barghouti
and the other prisoners.
The
ministry, however, told them it did not know anything about the matter.
Arab
News contacted Mohammed, Barghouti’s brother, who resides in Qatar and who
obtained a copy of the agreement, which was extended to Barghouti in mid-2017
and which he agreed to this month.
He
said his brother accepted the agreement after Hamas was informed of it and its
opinion was taken into consideration.
“If
Abdullah can be closer to his parents, that’s better because he has been in
jail for more than 20 years. They have only seen him once," he said.
Maj.
Gen. Qadri Abu Bakr, head of the Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Prisoners
Commission Affairs, told Arab News that he had no confirmation of the matter.
If
confirmed, the move will alleviate the suffering of the prisoners’ families,
who have not been able to visit them for years.
A
senior source in the Fatah movement told Arab News that the latest development
indicated that a prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel was imminent.
Under
the agreement, Israel would be able to remove members of Hamas serving long
terms within its prisons without appearing as if it made great concessions to
the movement by releasing prisoners such as Barghouti.
A
senior Palestinian official, who has dealt with security prisoners’ issues and
who spoke to Arab News on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Israeli jail
authorities summoned a prisoner a week ago and asked him to sign a document
that would allow him to be transferred to Jordan to complete the rest of his
sentence.
The
prisoner asked for advice from Palestinian officials.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2221921/middle-east
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Yemeni
armed forces can target depths of aggressors: Defence chief
26
December 2022
The
Yemeni defense minister says the country’s armed forces are prepared to target
the strategic depths of Saudi Arabia and its allies in retaliation for their
devastating military onslaught and all-out blockade against Yemen.
Major
General Mohammad al-Atifi said on Sunday that Yemeni soldiers and their allies
are fully mobilized and prepared to decisively counter any hostile threat or
act of aggression by the Riyadh-led military coalition.
He
noted that the aggressors are intensely regrouping and trying to expand their
presence in Yemeni provinces, regions and islands, which have been occupied by
Takfiri militants either allied to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
‘New
phase of military confrontation will be completely different’
Meanwhile,
a senior member of Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement said on Sunday night
that “the new phase of military confrontation with Saudi Arabia will be
completely different compared to previous bouts, as Yemeni armed forces will
employ all tools of power in their possession to exercise power against any
threat.”
Mohammad
al-Bakhiti told Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network
that the Saudi-led alliance has failed to put forward any initiatives that
would respond to the Yemeni nation’s demands and has not provided a mechanism
aimed at resumption of salary payments to all civil servants.
He
denounced the Saudi-led coalition over attempts to provoke internal disputes in
Yemen by means of paying salaries of a fraction of civil servants and pitting
people against each other.
“Our
hands will not be tied and we will give an adequate response to the Yemen siege
if the legitimate demands of the Sana’a-based National Salvation Government are
not taken into consideration,” Bakhiti said.
“Yemeni
armed forces enjoy the necessary combat preparedness to strike the depths of
aggressor countries,” the senior Ansarullah official asserted.
‘Complete
ceasefire established once Yemen siege lifted’
Separately,
the head of Yemen’s national negotiating delegation Mohammed Abdul-Salam told
Yemen’s Arabic-language al-Masirah television network on Sunday evening that a
nationwide ceasefire would be established once the brutal siege against Yemen
is lifted and Saudi-led coalition forces are completely pulled out.
He
said the Omani delegation had constructive negotiations with Ansarullah chief
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, head of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council Mahdi
al-Mashat, and Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mohammad Abdulkarim
al-Ghamari.
“Since
the end of the UN-brokered nationwide ceasefire in early October, we have had
intensive consultations with other parties, including direct meetings with
representatives from Saudi Arabia and the United Nations in Muscat. Our forces
have also imposed new military equations in Yemen,” Abdul-Salam said.
“The
Saudi-led coalition must realize the fact that we have entered a new phase of
confrontation. We are not witnessing any commitment on the part of the
Riyadh-led alliance to the ceasefire. Our Omani brethren are making efforts to
secure the truce,” he added.
“A
permanent ceasefire could be established once the all-out siege against Yemen
is lifted, the salaries of civil servants are fully paid, and occupiers are
completely withdrawn,” Abdul-Salam said.
Saudi
Arabia, in collaboration with its Arab allies and with arms and logistics
support from the US and other Western states, launched the devastating war on
Yemen in March 2015
The
objective was to crush Ansarullah, which has been running state affairs in the
absence of a functional government in Yemen, and reinstall the Riyadh-friendly
regime of Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi.
Source:
Press TV
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--------
North America
US
embassy in Pakistan warns of possible attack on Islamabad Marriot Hotel
26
December ,2022
The
US embassy in Pakistan warned of a possible attack against Americans at the
Marriott Hotel in the capital, Islamabad, “sometime during the holidays.”
In
a statement on its website, the embassy said all American staff are barred from
visiting the hotel.
The
statement comes two days after Islamabad had its first suicide bombing in eight
years, which killed a policeman and the two attackers.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
UN
Seeks Clarity From Taliban Over Ban On Women From Working In NGOs
December
25, 2022
New
York: United Nations is seeking to meet with the Taliban leadership to obtain
clarity on the reported order barring all female employees of national and
international organizations (NGOs) from going to work, according to the UN
Humanitarian office, OCHA.
"The
UN will seek to meet with the Taliban leadership to obtain clarity on the
reported order. Women must be enabled to play a critical role in all aspects of
life, including the humanitarian response," the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement on Saturday.
"Their
participation must be both respected and safeguarded. This latest decision will
only further hurt those most vulnerable, especially women and girls," the
statement added.
On
Saturday, the Taliban regime ordered all local and foreign NGOs to stop female
employees from coming to work in the country. The Taliban-led Ministry of
Economy (MOE) ordered all national and international non-government
organizations to suspend the jobs of female employees until further
announcement, TOLO news reported.
This
order came only a few days after the Taliban ordered the closure of
universities to female students across the country.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern about the ban
imposed by the Taliban on women from working for national and international
non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
"The
Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by the reported order of the de facto
Taliban authorities banning women from working for national and international
non-governmental organizations," said Secretary-General Spokesperson
Stephane Dujarric in a statement.
"This
decision will undermine the work of numerous organizations working across the
country helping those most vulnerable, especially women and girls," he
added.
The
United Nations and its partners, including national and international NGOs, are
helping more than 28 million Afghans who depend on humanitarian aid to survive.
The reported ban on women working with the international community to save
lives and livelihoods in Afghanistan will cause further untold hardship for the
people of Afghanistan.
Source:
ND TV
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Kuwaiti
foreign minister meets US Congress delegation
December
26, 2022
KUWAIT:
Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met on Sunday US
representatives from the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and House Homeland
Security Committee, Kuwait News Agency reported.
During
their official visit to Kuwait, the US delegation was led by Congressman David
N. Cicilline, chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East,
North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism.
The
meeting reviewed the two countries’ bilateral relations and cooperation, which
have grown stronger over the past six decades.
Sheikh
Salem praised the progress made towards realizing shared aspirations in the
economic, cultural, educational and security fields.
The
foreign minister said that the two countries collaborated to promote diplomatic
coordination and to share their counter-extremism and terrorism experience.
The
US representatives reaffirmed the US’s commitment to Kuwait’s safety and
security, and expressed gratitude for its hosting of US troops.
They
also praised Kuwait’s humanitarian and diplomatic efforts in recent years to
restore regional security and stability.
Source:
Arab News
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2222066/middle-east
--------
Europe
Two-state
solution used as ‘smokescreen’ to fake concern for Palestinian rights: EU
lawmaker
25
December 2022
An
independent Irish Member of the European Parliament (MEP) says the so-called
two-state solution has been used as a “smokescreen” to fake concern for
Palestinians’ rights while leaving the illegal entity to press ahead with its
acts of genocide.
Mick
Wallace, an MEP from Ireland for the South constituency, made the comments in a
post on his Twitter account on Sunday, which was accompanied by video footage
of his address at a European Parliament’s plenary session held on December 13.
“The
2 State Solution is dead — killed by the apartheid” regime of Israel thanks to
the US and the EU, Wallace wrote.
“It
has been used as a smokescreen to pretend concern for the rights of
Palestinians while leaving Israelis to pursue their genocide,” he added.
“Palestinians have to fight for their human rights.”
Addressing
the plenary session, the Irish MEP rebuked the Israeli regime and said the
international community had turned a blind eye to the illegal entity’s crimes
in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“Who
is going to make them respect the 1967 lines? No one lifted a finger while they
evicted Palestinians from their homes and lands, illegally annexed territory
and built countless illegal settlements. Why should Palestinians accept the
terms of a deal that they know from bitter experience the other side is
incapable of honoring?” Wallace said.
“Three
decades, we have talked about this proposal as it becomes more of a fantasy,
while the Palestinians suffer the brutal grinding reality of apartheid,” he
underlined.
“If
this is all we have to offer, then the Palestinians are better-off pursuing
their right to resist the colonization of their lands, to fight for
self-determination, independence and the right of return for all Palestinian
refugees, to fight for human rights and freedom.”
More
than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967
occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds.
The
UN Security Council resolutions have in the past called for the two-state
solution based on the 1967 boundaries, and pronounced settlements in the two
areas “a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the
achievement of the two-State solution.”
Israel
occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds during the Six-Day War in 1967.
It later annexed East Jerusalem al-Quds in a move not recognized by the
international community.
Palestinians
want the resolution of the conflict with Tel Aviv based on the so-called
two-state solution along the pre-1967 boundaries. However, Israeli officials
insist on maintaining the occupation of Palestinian territories.
Source:
Press TV
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French
protests once again reveal West's double-standard policy towards Iran riots
25
December 2022
The
latest wave of protests over the killing of three members of a Kurdish
community in the French capital of Paris has once again highlighted the
doubled-standard policy and the politically-motivated approach of the Western
media regarding the recent foreign-backed riots in Iran.
The
widespread protests in Paris erupted after gunmen carried out the killings at a
Kurdish cultural center and nearby cafe on Friday in a busy part of Paris' 10th
district.
Police
arrested a 69-year-old suspect who the French authorities said had recently
been freed from detention while awaiting trial for a sabre attack on a migrant
camp in the capital a year earlier.
In
response to the killings, the Kurdish Democratic Council in France (CDK-F)
called on its website and social media channels for a gathering from midday on
Saturday at Republic square, a traditional venue for demonstrations in the
city, which led to several hundred people assembling at the venue.
Brimming
with fury, the protesters, holding flags and chanting slogans, became
disruptive at one point, broke the street railings and set bins on fire, which
led to clashes with police forces after they used tear gas and water cannons to
scatter the indignant demonstrators.
Police
said cars were overturned, at least one vehicle was burned, shop windows were
damaged and small fires set ablaze near Republic Square, adding that there had
been 11 arrests and around 30 minor injuries.
Later
in the day, hundreds of Kurdish protesters, joined by politicians including the
mayor of Paris' 10th district, listened to tributes to the victims of the
deadly attack.
"We're
angry because we have repeatedly sounded the alarm, the last time was just 20
days ago,” said Agit Polat, the spokesperson for the CDK-F. "We're angry
because we have not been heard. We're angry because we are constantly being
arrested; we are constantly being repressed by the French authorities."
Local
media reports as well as witnesses said the French police spared no effort to
quash the protests as they resorted to excessive use of force, in what was
literally construed as a “heavy-handed crackdown” on dissent, a phrase that was
vindictively and by mischief employed to refer to police containing the violent
riots in Iran after the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the
capital, Tehran.
While
turning a blind eye to protests by French Kurds, Western media have over the
past 100 days utilized such phrases as “suppression of peaceful protests” and
“police quashing of anti-government demonstrations” in Iran in an exaggerative
and hyperbolic fashion to alter the international media’s narrative about what
is actually transpiring in the country.
Earlier
in December, Iran's Interior Ministry said the enemy waged a hybrid war against
the Islamic Republic to weaken national solidarity and hinder the country's
progress, stressing that some 200 people lost their lives in the riots sparked
by separatist and terrorist groups since September.
The
ministry said the deceased include security forces, people killed in terrorist
acts, innocent people who fell victim to the “false-flag killing project” by
foreign-affiliated groups, rioters, and armed counterrevolutionary elements who
were members of secessionist groups.
It
also noted that the riots have inflicted trillions of rials in damage to state,
public and private property.
Mahsa
Amini died in hospital three days after she collapsed at a police station. An
investigation attributed her death to her medical condition, dismissing
allegations that she had been beaten by police forces.
Source:
Press TV
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Everyone
Must See ‘True Face’ Of PKK Terror Group, Says Turkish Defence Chief
Sarp
Ozer
25.12.2022
The
Turkish defense chief on Sunday said that everyone must see the "true
face" of the PKK terror group after violent protests by supporters of the
group left more than two dozen police officers injured in the French capital.
Evaluating
the defense and security issues, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said
that with their successful operations, the Turkish Armed Forces have shattered
the “terror corridor” that was aimed to be established in the south of Türkiye.
"No
one should expect us to tolerate the terrorist elements nesting near our
border. The Turkish Armed Forces have taken and will take all necessary
measures at the appropriate place and time for the security of our country and
noble nation," he said during a visit to units near the Syria-Türkiye
border.
Regarding
the violence perpetrated by supporters of the PKK terror group in which at
least 31 French police officers were injured in Paris, Akar said: "They
saw how troublesome it is to help and support terrorists."
“The
snake fed by the French began to bite themselves,” he added.
Having
gathered at the central Place de la Republique at around 2.00 p.m. local time
(1300GMT) on Saturday, thousands of supporters of the terror group marched to
the Boulevard du Temple chanting pro-PKK slogans and carrying posters of the
terror group's so-called leaders.
They
then ripped off paving stones and threw them at the police, nearby homes, and
shops. The attackers also destroyed bus stops.
The
police intervened in the scene in a limited fashion, occasionally using tear
gas against the attackers.
On
Friday, a 69-year-old gunman in Paris opened fire, killing at least three
people and injuring three others, according to local media reports.
Paris
prosecutor Laure Beccuau said on Sunday that the shooter, named as William M.
by the local media, has “pathological” hatred for foreigners and that he
“wanted to kill foreigners” after a robbery in his home in 2016.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Supporters
of PKK terror group turn Paris into battlefield, injure 31 police officers
Selen
Temizer and Esra Taskin
24.12.2022
PARIS
At
least 31 French police officers were injured in violent acts perpetrated by
supporters of the PKK terrorist group in Paris, police chief Laurent Nunez said
on Saturday.
Having
gathered at the central Place de la Republique at around 2:00 p.m. local time
(1300 GMT), thousands of supporters of the terror group then marched to the
Boulevard du Temple chanting pro-PKK slogans and carrying posters of the terror
group’s so-called leaders.
They
then ripped off the paving stones and threw them at the police, nearby houses,
and shops. The attackers also turned the scene into a battlefield with
fireworks and sparklers, destroying the bus stops.
Speaking
to local broadcaster BFM TV, Nunez said at least 31 security personnel were
injured along with one protester. There had been 11 arrests, he added.
The
intervention by police at the scene was rather limited and they occasionally
used tear gas against the attackers.
On
Friday, a 69-year-old gunman in Paris opened fire, killing at least three
people and injuring three others, according to local media reports.
Suspected
racist motivations behind the attack will be investigated, Paris prosecutor
Laure Beccuau said.
Following
the incident, supporters of the PKK terror organization wounded at least six
police officers in Paris on Friday, according to local media.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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In
stern warning, British MPs say Saudi Arabia might use Christmas as 'cover for
mass executions'
24
December 2022
The
British government has warned of Saudi Arabia's plans to take advantage of the
Christmas season buzz internationally to carry out mass executions with a
lesser risk of diplomatic backlash.
In
a letter to Foreign Secretary James Cleverly seen by the Telegraph, members of
the British parliament said that Riyadh would use Christmas as “cover for
committing atrocities.”
"We
are gravely concerned that Saudi Arabia may carry out a mass execution over the
holiday period, when the world’s eyes are elsewhere and Saudi authorities feel
they will face less diplomatic blowback," the MPs said in their letter.
They
emphasized that Saudi Arabia "has a history of carrying out executions
over the festive and New Year period, as it did in 2016 and 2020, when it is
harder for the international community to quickly respond."
The
British parliamentarians called on the foreign secretary to "make
representations ahead of the holidays to communicate that this would be utterly
unacceptable, before it’s too late."
The
letter was signed by MPs across the party spectrum, including David Davis,
Hilary Benn, Sir Peter Bottomley, Alistair Carmichael and Andy Slaughter.
The
Telegraph quoted human rights groups as saying that around 60 people are
currently known to be on death row in Saudi Arabia, with the real figure likely
to be significantly higher.
Death
row prisoners are often beheaded with swords, hanged or put in front of firing
squads, the daily said.
Britain
and a number of Western countries are believed to pursue a softer stance on the
death penalty in Saudi Arabia as the oil-rich state is trying to mitigate high
energy prices caused by the Russian military offensive in Ukraine.
However,
in their letter to Cleverly, the British MPs said Saudi Arabia had executed at
least 20 people, including 12 foreigners, over the past two weeks.
"It
is no coincidence that Saudi Arabia carried out its recent spate of executions
while the world was watching the World Cup," the letter read.
Maya
Foa, the director of the legal charity Reprieve, said, "[US President] Joe
Biden, [former British prime minister] Boris Johnson and [French President]
Emmanuel Macron all met the Crown Prince this year – and all failed to condemn
the bloodshed. Haven’t we learned how short-sighted it is to cosy up to
dictators, hoping they will change?
"In
the case of Saudi Arabia, more executions for childhood crimes, for protest
offences and for non-violent drug crimes are the inevitable result."
Back
in March, Saudi Arabia executed 81 prisoners in a single day over
‘terror-related offenses,’ in the largest mass execution carried out by the
highly-conservative Arab kingdom in recent memory.
Source:
Press TV
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