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Islamic World News ( 13 Sept 2023, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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Uttar Pradesh To Terminate Approval Of 240 Madrasas, after A Comprehensive Review

New Age Islam News Bureau

13 September 2023

Muslim girls in Madrasa

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India

· Bajrang Dal Leader Monu Manesar Arrested in Connection with Nuh Violence, Murder of Muslim Duo, Nasir and Junaid

· Allahabad HC fixes September 18 for hearing Gyanvapi mosque case

· ‘Threat to customary laws’: Nagaland passes resolution against Uniform Civil Code

· Assam CM has promised to give homes to evicted people: Badruddin Ajmal

· Bengaluru autorickshaw driver caught scamming Bangladeshi blogger on camera, police take action

· Kashmir fruit growers up in arms against Centre's duty cut on American apples

· Second terrorist killed during encounter in J&K’s Rajouri
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Africa

· Terrorists Have Killed 23 Pastors, Shut Down Over 200 Churches in Kaduna Alone – Christian Association, CAN

· In The Wake of Storm Daniel, Libya's Fatwa House Calls on Libyans to Help "Brothers" In the East

· Libya Floods: 'the damage is huge, hard to describe' says Khalifa Haftar

· Expert says earthquake is a turning point for Morocco's regional aspirations

· Nigerian Police Working with Land Grabbers To Detain Innocent Residents – Ogun House Of Assembly Petitions Inspector-General

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Southeast Asia

· Selangor Sultan Warns Politicians Against Issuing ‘Fatwa’, Says Doing So Irresponsible And Dangerous

· Muslims And Christians Polled Agree: Can't Be 'True Believers' If Disrespectful Of Elders And Malaysia

· "I'd rather be jailed than pay fines," says Hadi

· Duo claim trial after being charged of cheating two Tamil schools of RM1 million

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Mideast

· Hamas hails Huwara shooting as ‘heroic response’ to Israeli violations in al-Aqsa

· Raeisi: Iran has authority on released funds, spends ‘wherever’ it needs

· Groups Of Israeli Settlers Invade Al-Aqsa Mosque

· Iran's mission to UN identifies five Iranians to be released in prisoner swap deal with US

· Iraq moves against Iranian Kurdish groups: Minister

· 18 Iraq police get jail terms over Sweden embassy fire

· 2 Israeli settlers injured, one critically, in Palestinian resistance operation

· Iran says supports regional initiatives aimed at resolving Afghan woes

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South Asia

· Pakistan’s Interim Prime Minister: Taliban Govt lacks legitimacy in Afghanistan

· Human Rights in Afghanistan ‘In A State of Collapse’, Warns UN Rights Chief

· Terrorist commander Badshah Khan killed in Afghanistan

· Registered Afghan refugees arrested in South Pakistan police crackdown

· 28 Afghan prisoners released from Sindh province jails in Pakistan

· SC to get four-storey modern mosque

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Arab World

· Saudi Ministry of Interior Shows Off Firefighting Robots and Chemical-Sensing Drones

· Arab World in Rush to Aid Victims of Disasters in Libya and Morocco

· Saudi Arabia, Japan hold training on manufacturing expertise

· Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Libya over flood victims

· Cabinet praises positive results of Crown Prince’s India visit; commends Kingdom’s leading role in G20

· WHO praises Saudi Arabia’s healthcare efforts

· Yemen giving aggressor regimes ‘one last chance’ to end war: PM

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Pakistan

· Imran’s Cipher Trial to Continue in Attock Jail After Fresh Notification

· OIC Chief Lauds Pakistan’s Robust Engagement for Addressing Challenges of Muslim World

· Imran, Qureshi's judicial remand extended till Sep 26 in cipher case

· Bushra skips appearance before NAB in Toshakhana case

· Peshawar blast: Martyred soldier laid to rest with full military honours

· Children of couple that fled Britain put into Pakistan state custody

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North America

· CAIR Encourages American People to Aid Libya Flood Victims

· US okays fund transfer to Iran in prisoner deal

· US charges five ex-Memphis police officers beating death of Tyre Nichols

· CAIR-CO Condemns Distribution of Antisemitic Flyers in Arapahoe County

· Trump legal cases expose corrupt political system in US: Putin

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Europe

· UK Trade Unions Back Boycotts of Israel Over Palestinian Oppression

· Frontline report: Burning fields make mines visible, aiding Ukrainians to advance in

· Ukraine returns 13 children from Russian-occupied territories

· 32 Shahed drones downed over Odesa Oblast overnight, 7 truck drivers injured

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/uttar-pradesh-madrasas-terminate/d/130668

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Uttar Pradesh To Terminate Approval Of 240 Madrasas, after A Comprehensive Review

Muslim girls in Madrasa

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September 13, 2023

By Muslim Mirror Staff

The Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board has decided to terminate the approval of 240 madrasas across the state. The decision comes as a result of a comprehensive review by District Minority Welfare Officers, who identified a multitude of issues, including non-functioning institutions and incomplete documentation.

The list of affected madrasas, which has been submitted to the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board, primarily targets institutions that are either not in operation or have failed to meet essential documentation requirements. Many of these institutions have not uploaded the necessary documents on the UDAYS portal due to an insufficient number of enrolled students.

One of the main factors contributing to the termination of approval is the declining number of candidates appearing for madrassa board exams, which has become a growing concern.

This year, a mere 172,000 applications were received from madrasas across the state, signalling a sharp decline. This trend is attributed to the implementation of new regulations by the Madrasa Board, which mandate students from other boards to pass Urdu, Arabic, or Persian at the High School level to be eligible for admission to Alam and to have completed Intermediate or an equivalent examination for admission to Kamil.

Dr. Priyanka Awasthi, Registrar of the Madrasa Board, said that the situation has prompted even some madrasas themselves to seek de-recognition, with ten institutions in Mayo voluntarily sending letters to the board. Additionally, 204 madrasas in Ambedkar Nagar are not functioning, and four in Lucknow have failed to submit essential student records. Notably, Amroha and Sant Kabir Nagar also feature among the institutions affected by the termination of approval.

The decision to terminate approval aligns with the Madrasa Rules of 2016, which stipulate specific criteria for recognition. Subtaniya to Munshi Maulvi madrasas require a minimum of 150 students for approval, while Munshi Mulavis must have no fewer than 30 students. Furthermore, Alam, Kamil, and Fazil madrasas must have a minimum of 10 students appearing for examinations to maintain their recognition status.

Source: muslimmirror.com

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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/uttar-pradesh-to-terminate-approval-of-240-madrasas/

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At Least 5,000 Dead, Thousands More Missing After Eastern Libyan City Of Derna Storm

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13 Sep 2023

The eastern Libyan city of Derna on Wednesday counted its dead in the thousands, and feared a very heavy toll, after two dams broke under the pressure of torrential rains, releasing powerful floodwaters that swept away everything in their path.

Given the difficult access to this town of 100,000 inhabitants, uncertainties remain over the number of victims of the disaster, which could have left several thousand people dead or missing, according to the authorities.

Roads were cut off, landslides and floods prevented rescue services from reaching the population, who had to make do with rudimentary means to recover bodies buried by the dozen in mass graves, according to images broadcast on social networks.

Derna and other towns are virtually cut off from the rest of the world, despite efforts by the authorities to restore cell phone and internet networks.

Authorities in the east and their rivals in the west are speaking of "thousands" of deaths.

Osama Ali, spokesman for Libya's "Emergency and Rescue Service" under the internationally-recognized government in Tripoli, told AFP on Tuesday that the floods had left "more than 2,300 dead" and around 7,000 injured in Derna, while more than 5,000 people are missing.

An official of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported a "huge" death toll, which could run into the thousands, with 10,000 still missing.

This is the worst natural disaster to hit Libya's eastern province of Cyrenaica since the great earthquake that shook the eastern town of al-Marj in 1963.

On Sunday afternoon, storm Daniel reached Libya's eastern coast, hitting the metropolis of Benghazi before heading east towards the towns of the Jabal al-Akhdar (north-east), such as Shahat (Cyrene), al-Marj, al-Bayda and Soussa (Apollonia), but above all Derna, the most devastated city.

On Sunday night, the two dams on Wadi Derna, which hold back the waters of the wadi that runs through the city, broke.

Witnesses told Libyan media they heard a "huge explosion" before powerful torrents reached the city, overflowing the riverbanks, washing bridges and entire neighborhoods with their inhabitants into the Mediterranean.

Relief efforts trickle in

As early as Tuesday, bodies began to be washed up by the sea, which had turned the color of mud. In images published on Tuesday by Libyan media, a military helicopter can be seen recovering bodies from a beach strewn with debris and pieces of iron.

Both in Libya and abroad, people are mobilized to help the victims, even if help is still arriving in dribs and drabs.

Aid convoys from Tripolitania in the west are on their way to Derna. The Tripoli government, headed by Abdelhamid Dbeibah, has announced the dispatch of two air ambulances and a helicopter, 87 doctors, a team of rescue workers and search dogs, and technicians from the national electricity company to try to quickly restore the power that has been cut off.

Rescue teams sent by Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have also arrived in eastern Libya, according to the authorities.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2023/09/13/at-least-5000-dead-thousands-more-missing-after-libya-storm/

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Nearly Nine In 10 Muslims Back Making Shariah Code Malaysia's 'Official Law': Pew Survey

The survey also found that Malaysian respondents agreed with religious leaders actively participating in politics, with 58 per cent of Hindus and Muslims feeling so. — Picture by Farhan Najib

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By Ida Lim

13 Sep 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — A whopping 86 per cent of Malaysian Muslims polled recently are in support of making the Shariah code the "official law" here or in other countries where they are the majority.

A survey by the Pew Research Center involving Malaysia and five other countries in Asia found that in comparison, just 64 per cent of Muslims polled in Indonesia felt the same way.

In Malaysia, Islam is stated in the Federal Constitution's Article 3 to be the "religion of the federation". Each state also enacts state laws that are binding on all Muslims within the state on matters such as Islamic family law and Shariah offences.

The same report also found that most of the Buddhists surveyed supported basing laws on religious doctrine with 43 per cent of those in Malaysia backing such an "official law" where they are the majority.

It also found that Muslims in Malaysia who pray daily were "moderately more likely" compared to others to want to base their country's laws on religious teachings, with the same observation seen among Buddhists in Sri Lanka and Thailand who pray every day.

This finding indicated no change from a similar survey in April 2013 titled "The World’s Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society", where 86 per cent of Malaysian Muslims surveyed then had favoured "making Sharia law, or Islamic law, the official law of the land in our country".

Additionally, the survey also found that Malaysian respondents agreed with religious leaders actively participating in politics, with 58 per cent of Hindus and Muslims feeling so.

Muslims in Malaysia also topped the list in agreeing that religious leaders should join political protests (56 per cent) and "talk publicly about what politicians or political parties they support" (69 per cent).

"In general, adults who have received more education are less likely to say religious leaders should be politicians or talk publicly about what politicians or political parties they support," the report said.

"And people who are more religious — that is, those who say religion is very important in their lives — are slightly more inclined than others to believe that religious leaders should publicly support political parties or candidates."

Additionally, the survey found that more of the Malaysians polled preferred a leader with a strong hand to solve Malaysia's problems at 58 per cent, while 42 per cent preferred a democratic form of government.

The report said those with more education and who are younger than 35 years old prefer a democratic form of government, and 63 per cent of Malaysia's respondents said that those who disagree with the government's actions should be able to publicly criticise the government.

But at the same time, relatively more Malaysian respondents preferred harmony over the right to speak one's opinion at 54 per cent, while 45 per cent said people should be allowed to speak their opinions publicly even if they upset others.

The survey by the US-based non-partisan think tank was carried out in six countries in Asia from June 1 to September 4, 2022, for the report titled "Buddhism, Islam and Religious Pluralism in South and Southeast Asia", where 13,122 adults were interviewed.

In Malaysia, a total of 1,999 adults were polled through computer-assisted telephone interviewing using mobile phones from June 1 to August 9, 2022 in the languages of Chinese, English and Malay, with a margin of error of 3.0 percentage points.

Out of those, 75 per cent said they were Muslims, followed by Christians (10 per cent), Buddhists (7 per cent), Hindus (5 per cent), while 2 per cent said they have no religion, and 1 per cent said they are a follower of Chinese traditional religions (which includes Tao, Confucian, or Chinese local religions).

According to the latest census by the Department of Statistics in 2020, the population is comprised of 63.5 per cent Muslims, followed by Buddhists (18.7 per cent), Christians (9.1 per cent), Hindus (6.1 per cent), and others (2.7 per cent).

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/09/12/pew-survey-nearly-nine-in-10-muslims-back-making-shariah-code-malaysias-official-law/90488

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Iraq Asks Sweden to Extradite Iraqi Refugee Salwan Momika Who Desecrated Holy Quran

Salwan Momika

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September 13, 2023

STOCKHOLM: Baghdad has asked Sweden to extradite Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, who stoked international outrage by desecrating the Holy Quran, he and his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Earlier, Swedish police questioned Momika in connection with the extradition request.

“To be extradited to another country, the law (in Sweden) dictates that the crime has to be a crime in both Sweden and Iraq,” David Hall, the lawyer, said.

Burning a holy book “is not a crime in Sweden, so it’s not possible for Sweden to extradite him”, Hall said.

The Swedish government has condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran, but upheld the country’s laws regarding freedom of speech and assembly.

Momika said Iraq was seeking his extradition “so that I can be judged and held accountable in Iraq according to Islamic laws”.

“I will file a complaint against Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein because he committed a political crime against me,” he added.

Momika has burned the Holy Quran at a slew of protests in Sweden since June, sparking widespread outrage and condemnation in Muslim countries.

Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad twice in July, starting fires within the compound on the second occasion.

Sweden’s intelligence agency heightened its terror alert level in mid-August to four on a scale of five after angry reactions made the country a “prioritised target”.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1775606/iraq-asks-sweden-to-extradite-man-who-desecrated-holy-quran

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Living In A Democratically Governed Country Important For 91pc Bangladeshis

People stand in queue to cast vote during Sylhet City Corporation election at Haji Abdus Sattar High Scholl centre in Tukerbazar, Sylhet on 21 June 2023Anis Mahmud

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Sep 13, 2023

An overwhelming 91 percent Bangladeshis say it is important for them to live in a democratically governed country while 63 percent believe the rise of China will have a positive impact on Bangladesh's economy, according to a survey by Open Society Foundations.

The US-based platform released the survey tilted "Open Society Barometer: Can Democracy Deliver?" on Monday.

Between May and July, Open Society Foundation team and partners surveyed over 36,000 respondents in a representative group of 30 countries, including Bangladesh, around the world and these countries have a combined population of over 5.5 billion people.

The Open Society Barometer is "one of the largest studies of global public opinion on human rights and democracy ever conducted", and it serves as a global reality check, painting a picture of the attitudes, concerns, and hopes of people across 30 countries, the foundation said.

According to the study findings, younger people hold the least faith in democracy of any age group, presenting a grave threat to its future. Eighty-six percent of respondents say they want to live in a democracy and only 20 percent believe that authoritarian countries can deliver "what citizens want".

Seventy-two percent of the respondents across the globe believe that human rights have been a "force for good" in the world, and 71 percent agree that "human rights reflect values that I believe in".

In Bangladesh, 88 percent of people believe human rights have been a force for good in the world, the survey finds. Besides, authoritarianism appeals to some, especially the young, the study revealed.

Just 57 percent of 18-35-year-olds think democracy is preferable to any other form of government, compared to 71 percent of older respondents.

The study found equity and justice made little progress across the countries surveyed. The ability of leaders to deliver outcomes at the national level raises questions at a time when one in two respondents (49 percent) have expressed worries about putting food on the table.

In Bangladesh, 18 percent of the respondents said they struggled every day to feed themselves and their families in the past year while 15 percent experienced so every week and 11 percent every monthly. Forty-six percent of the respondents said they faced no struggle to eat in the past year, according to the study.

The survey said 58 percent -- and majorities in 22 out of the 30 countries polled -- are worried that political unrest in their countries could lead to violence in the next year. In Bangladesh, that figure rises to 70 percent.

Source: thedailystar.net/

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/living-democratically-governed-country-important-91pc-bangladeshis-3417736

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India

Bajrang Dal Leader Monu Manesar Arrested in Connection with Nuh Violence, Murder of Muslim Duo, Nasir and Junaid

13.09.23

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui

Bajrang Dal leader and cow vigilante Mohit Yadav alias Monu Manesar was arrested in Haryana on Tuesday and later handed over to Rajasthan police in connection with the murder of two Muslim men whose charred bodies were found inside a vehicle in Haryana’s Bhiwani district in February.

Rajasthan police had earlier booked Manesar for the murder of Nasir, 25, and Junaid, 35, and filed a chargesheet naming him as a prime accused. He had been on the run for seven months.

On Tuesday, the Haryana police arrested Manesar in connection with the recent communal violence in Nuh district in which six people, including two home guards and a cleric, were killed.

Police sources said Manesar was arrested on the charge of inciting violence in Nuh and was produced before a local court, which remanded him in 14 days' judicial custody.

“Soon after, a Rajasthan police team approached the court around 6pm and submitted a production warrant in connection with the double murder case. The court granted his custody to the Rajasthan police,” said a Haryana police officer.

Junaid and Nasir, residents of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, were allegedly abducted by cow vigilantes, who then crossed the state border into adjoining Haryana.

Manesar heads the cow vigilante wing of the Bajrang Dal in BJP-ruled Haryana. He gained prominence over the past few years in Haryana as a leader of the cow protection task force and was allegedly supported by local BJP leaders.

Bajrang Dal leaders in Nuh claimed there was no case against Manesar and accused the police of harassing their workers.

Manesar’s name had cropped up in connection with the communal violence on July 31 in Nuh district and adjoining Gurgaon, with his social media posts vowing to be part of a religious procession led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal being seen as incitement.

“He had also uploaded objectionable and inflammatory posts under a fictitious name on social media days before the violence on July 31,” said a Haryana police officer.

In a video that had surfaced on social media, purported local VHP leaders were seen delivering hate speeches against Muslims hours before the religious rally started in the afternoon.

Police sources had said the trigger for the violence were two videos — one by Manesar saying he would also take part in the procession and urging his supporters to participate in large numbers. He, however, did not participate in the rally.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bajrang-dal-leader-monu-manesar-arrested-in-connection-with-nuh-violence-murder-of-muslim-duo/cid/1965787

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Allahabad HC fixes September 18 for hearing Gyanvapi mosque case

12th September 2023

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday fixed September 18 for further hearing on a petition challenging the maintainability of a suit seeking "restoration" of a temple where the Gyanvapi mosque stands in Varanasi, after neither the petitioner nor the defendant appeared in the case.

The court of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwakar had allowed a virtual hearing in the case due to lawyers' strike.

The petition was filed by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, the committee which manages the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The chief justice is hearing the suit which was earlier heard in the court of Justice Prakash Padia.

During the last hearing in the matter on August 28, the chief justice had accepted the mosque committee's plea seeking time to study the case afresh and adjourned the matter till September 12.

The court will also hear a petition challenging a Varanasi court direction in 2021 to conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque by a commission headed by an advocate.

During the course of the August 28 hearing, a mention was made on behalf of the mosque committee that the matter was heard at length by another single judge of the high court and judgment was reserved by it.

Counsels of both sides had argued at length before the single-judge bench, therefore, proprietary demands that the judgment has to be delivered by that bench, the mosque committee had said.

However, the chief justice had said according to the high court rules, when a judgment in a case is not delivered even after completion of the hearing, the case is deemed to stand released and the chief justice being "master of the roster" has the power either to send the case to another bench or hear the case himself.

The chief justice in the last hearing had said since March 15, 2021, the judgment in the case was reserved on several occasions but the same was not delivered following which, the counsel for the mosque committee made a request for the adjournment of the case, saying he needed some time to study it.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/sep/12/allahabad-hc-fixes-september-18-for-hearing-gyanvapi-mosque-case-2614172.html

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‘Threat to customary laws’: Nagaland passes resolution against Uniform Civil Code

September 12, 2023

Kohima : The Nagaland Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution strongly urging that the state be completely exempted from the purview of the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC).

The 14th house of Nagaland legislative Assembly unanimously resolves for exemption from the proposed enactment of UCC in its application to the State of Nagaland, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said moving the government resolution on the second day of the monsoon session of the House.

“The Nagaland government and Naga people are of the view that the UCC will pose a threat to customary laws, social practices and the religious practices of the Naga people, which will be in danger of encroachment in the event of imposition of UCC,” he said.

The apparent objective of the UCC is to have a single law on personal matters like marriage and divorce, custody and guardianship, adoption and maintenance, succession and inheritance, he said.

The Nagaland government through a cabinet decision submitted its views on the subject to the Commission on July 4 conveying its opposition on the grounds of the “unique history” of Nagaland since the pre-Independent British era, the assurance of non-interference policy starting since pre-Independence times and continued by the Centre in the social and religious practices and customary laws of the people of and the constitutional guarantees given under Article 371A, Rio said.

He also recalled that in the consultative meeting with various stakeholders on the subject of UCC organised by the state government on September 1, the representatives of the various Tribal Organizations and civil societies have expressed their strong resentment and objection to the idea of having UCC.

The Government of India (GoI) appointed the 22nd Law Commission of India on February 21, 2020 and extended its term up to August 31, 2024. It issued a public notice on June 14, 2023 inviting views and ideas from all stakeholders on the subject matter of having a UCC throughout India, he said.

Article 371A of the Constitution mainly states that no act of Parliament will apply to the state of Nagaland in a matter relating to religious or social practices of Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure administration of civil or criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law and ownership and transfer of land and its resources will apply to the state unless its Assembly decides so by a resolution, he said.

The legislators on Monday deliberated on the consequences of implementing UCC in the state and the Nagaland Speaker SharingainLongkumer had granted leave to the government to bring a resolution on Tuesday.

Longkumer put the resolution to vote and it was adopted unanimously by voice vote without any amendment. ( With PTI inputs )

Source: muslimmirror.com

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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/threat-to-customary-laws-nagaland-passes-resolution-against-ucc/

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Assam CM has promised to give homes to evicted people: Badruddin Ajmal

September 12, 2023

Guwahati : All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader Badruddin Ajmal on Tuesday said that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has promised to give homes to individuals who were left homeless during anti-encroachment drives held around the state.

“The kind of eviction taking place throughout Assam is on inhumane grounds. The Chief Minister told us that the homeless would also receive land and a home, though it would take time. Now, let’s hope that he keeps his word,” Ajmal said after meeting the Chief Minister.

He said that no person may be called a Bangladeshi until they can prove it, and that they must be given access to all essential services like other citizens. The AIUDF leader also said that his party will continue to fight for the homeless people.

Notably, to clear encroached lands, the Assam government has been undertaking a number of eviction operations in localities like Silsako, Burachapori, Gorukhuti, Bogapani, and Orang, among others.

However, earlier tensions erupted in Silsako in Guwahati on September 1 when hundreds of women showed up to oppose the eviction drive of Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).

According to the administration, at least 130 bighas of land there were encroached by illegal settlers and police were deployed to remove the encroachment. — IANS

Source: muslimmirror.com

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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/assam-cm-has-promised-to-give-homes-to-evicted-people-badruddin-ajmal/

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Bengaluru autorickshaw driver caught scamming Bangladeshi blogger on camera, police take action

By: Trends Desk

New Delhi | September 13, 2023

A Bangladeshi blogger and his girlfriend were scammed by an autorickshaw driver in Bengaluru, a video of which has gone viral after it was shared on the microblogging platform X.

Mritunjay Sardar shared the video on X, which was originally posted on YouTube by the Bangladeshi blogger named Md Fizz. The Bengaluru police also took note of the viral post and informed that the driver had been arrested.

In the video, the blogger said he and his girlfriend decided to take an autorickshaw to go see the Bengaluru Palace. The autorickshaw driver had agreed to go by the meter and when they reached their destination, the fare was Rs 320. The blogger handed him a Rs 500 note which is clearly visible in the video. However, the driver managed to slip the note into his sleeves and pretended that he was given a Rs 100 note that he was holding in his hand. Fizz then gave him another Rs 500 note.

“Bangladeshi blogger and his girlfriend were traveling – “Bengaluru Palace”. A local auto driver cheated them. This is how we treat foreigners ?? please take action,” Sardar, who shared the video on X, wrote as the caption.

The Sadashivanagar traffic police station responded to the post and wrote, “The auto driver has been handed over to Sadashivnagar law and order police station for further action.” They also posted a photo showing the driver in police custody.

“Happened with my parents in Bangalore near Belandur a couple of months ago. Very unsafe feeling!” a user commented. “It happened with me also when I took auto from satellite bus stand Mysore road to RR nagar Bengaluru,” said another. “Most of the auto drivers even cheat us by adding extra 20 or 30Rs or whatever amount on the meter and say us to pay so much when we get down. But they will not say this when we catch the auto. There should be strict rules against this too. They are just looting us by doing this,” shared a third.

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/bengaluru-autorickshaw-driver-caught-scamming-bangladeshi-blogger-on-camera-8937819/

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Kashmir fruit growers up in arms against Centre's duty cut on American apples

13th September 2023

By Fayaz Wani And Jitendra Choubey

Express News Service

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: Fruit growers of Kashmir as well as opposition parties have expressed strong objections to the Centre’s decision to allow some relaxations on duty on apples imported from the United States, saying it will spell doom for the local industry.

Earlier In 2019, India had imposed a 20 per cent extra duty as a retaliatory measure on agricultural products, including apples, lentils and chickpeas, after the USA raised the duty on India’s aluminium and steel and exports on the grounds of national security in 2018.

In June this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the USA and reached an agreement to remove the retaliatory measures of increasing duty which led to six litigation disputes at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

India has reportedly removed the retaliatory duty of 20 per cent but will keep the existing 50 per cent duty on apples under the most favoured nation category. Also, the US government reciprocated the same by removing the raised duty on metals. About 22 lakh tonnes of apples are produced in Kashmir annually and thousands of families are directly or indirectly associated with the apple industry in the Valley.

Mohammad Ashraf, president of Fruit Mandi in Shopian, said: “The reduction in custom duty on import of US apples will make it cheaper in Indian markets and the apples from Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand can’t compete with cheaper US apples. The growers cannot get the cost of premier apples in such a scenario and will incur heavy losses.”

Ashraf also remarked that many countries, including Japan, charge 100 per cent cess to protect their own fruit and agriculture industry.

Opposition parties in J&K have slammed the Centre for the relaxation in import duty. Former J&K and NC president Farooq Abdullah said: “When the concessions were announced during the G20 summit, it wasn’t thought of what impact it would have on our economy. Not only J&K but it will impact Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.”

Senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said dropping import duty on Washington apples is PM Modi’s G20 gift to Joe Biden. Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Himachal Pradesh lashed out at the Centre saying the decision will harm apple growers.

Defending the Central government’s decision, the Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Peeyush Kumar said the removal of 20 per cent retaliatory customs duty on imported American apples will have "zero impact" on Indian farmers as the government has sufficient policy space to support growers if there is any implication of the move.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/sep/13/kashmir-fruit-growers-up-in-arms-against-centres-duty-cut-on-american-apples-2614336.html

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Second terrorist killed during encounter in J&K’s Rajouri

September 13, 2023

Rajouri/Jammu

PTI

A second terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, raising the death toll during the ongoing three-day search operation in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district to three, officials said.

A suspected Pakistani terrorist was killed in an encounter in the remote Narla village on Tuesday. An Army personnel and Kent, a six-year-old female Labrador of the Army’s dog unit, also died while three security personnel were injured in the gunfight.

Additional Director General of Police (Jammu Zone) Mukesh Singh said another terrorist was killed in Wednesday’s encounter.

Despite bad weather, security forces laid a strong cordon around the area, 75 kilometres from Rajouri town, throughout the night and extended the search to nearby areas in the morning, officials said.

Intermittent firing was reported during the night, creating fear among locals who demanded permanent security posts, they said.

The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the forested Patrada area on Monday and fired a few rounds after noticing the suspicious movement of two people, the officials said.

However, both the suspects managed to escape under the cover of darkness and the thick foliage. They left behind a rucksack and some clothes and other articles that were recovered by the search parties.

A wreath-laying ceremony was held for Ravi Kumar, the slain rifleman from Kishtwar district, at the Army garrison in Rajouri early on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner (Rajouri) Vikas Kundal and senior Army officers along with those from other ranks laid wreaths on Kumar’s coffin. His body is being airlifted to his hometown for last rites with full military honours.

“White Knight Corps salutes the supreme sacrifice of Rifleman Ravi during ‘Op Sujaligala’ in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. His unwavering dedication and service to our nation will always be remembered,” the Kammu-based XVI Corps said in a post on X.

A defence spokesperson said a brave Army dog lost her life while saving her handler during Tuesday’s gunfight.

“The Army dog, Kent, was at the forefront of Operation Sujaligala. Kent was leading a column of soldiers on the trail of the fleeing terrorists. She came down under heavy hostile fire. While shielding her handler, she laid down her own life in the best traditions of the Indian Army,” the spokesperson said.

On September 4, a terrorist was killed and two security personnel were injured in nearby Gali Sohab village in the Chassana area of Reasi district.

The border districts of Rajouri and Poonch have witnessed several encounters this year, resulting in the deaths of about 26 terrorists and 10 security personnel.

Most of the terrorists were killed while attempting to sneak into this side from across the border, the officials said.

Source: thehindu.com

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/fresh-encounter-erupts-as-security-forces-widen-search-operation-in-jammu-and-kashmirs-rajouri/article67302278.ece

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Africa

Terrorists Have Killed 23 Pastors, Shut Down Over 200 Churches In Kaduna Alone – Christian Association, CAN

September 13, 2023

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Kaduna State, Rev Joseph Hayab has said that within the past four years, terrorists locally dubbed as bandits have killed 23 pastors and shut down over 200 churches across Kaduna State alone.

Speaking in Kaduna on Tuesday during a meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Musa Garba, and pastors from different church denominations from the 23 Local Government Areas, LGAs, of the state, Hayab explained that the church had gone through difficult times due to the activities of criminal elements in the state, Vanguard reports.

“A pastor who was kidnapped on 8th August, 2023, told the CAN leadership that there are over 215 Christians abducted by the bandits in Birnin Gwari forest. They are still there and the pastor told us that the bandits asked him to lead prayers for the 215 Christians while he was in their den.

“We are calling on the CP to look into this issue among many others holistically to build the confidence of the people once again,” he said.

Former Secretary General of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, worldwide, Rev. Dr. Yunusa Nmadu and other pastors who spoke at the meeting, urged the Commissioner to also consider bringing to book Pastors and Imams who engaged in hate sermons and speeches.

They called on the CP to look into cases of those selling hard drugs, saying most of the criminal acts were committed under the influence of hard drugs.

In his remarks, the CP told the pastors that criminality had no religion and whoever engaged in any act of criminality should be addressed as a criminal without profiling him or her as a Christian, Muslim or by their tribes or ethnicity.

According to him, “Security is the responsibility of all and not only that of the government. While the government takes the lead in the protection of lives and property, individuals are also expected to play their parts particularly in the area of providing information.

“The meeting was basically to strengthen relationship between the police and religious leaders and listen to their challenges and together foster possible solutions. The police force under my leadership in the state will do its very best in the discharge of our duties, We should all be our brothers’ keeper.

“Always reach out to security personnel around your communities with prompt information once you identify suspicious persons.”

Source: saharareporters.com

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https://saharareporters.com/2023/09/13/terrorists-have-killed-23-pastors-shut-down-over-200-churches-kaduna-alone-christian

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In the wake of Storm Daniel, Libya's Fatwa House calls on Libyans to help "brothers" in the east

12/09/2023

Libya's Fatwa House on Monday offered condolences to the families of those lost in the floods that submerged the northeastern parts of Libya as a result of Strom Daniel.

The authorities declared the cities of Derna, Shahat, and Al-Bayda a "disaster zone, as different localities reported at least 150 fatalities amid fears that the death toll could rise further, with many still trapped in hard-to-reach areas.

The Fatwa House reminded Libyans across the country at the official and civil levels - of "their duty towards their brothers", urging them to reach out to the victims with all possible assistance, including Zakat donations.

It underscored that donors should only hand their aid offerings to a reliable party to ensure timely and effective end-to-end delivery to persons of concern.

"This support is obligatory and is not a favour or a voluntary act; this revives the meaning of one body mentioned by the Prophet, Muhammed peace be upon him," the statement read.

Source: libyaobserver.ly

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https://libyaobserver.ly/news/wake-storm-daniel-libyas-fatwa-house-calls-libyans-help-brothers-east

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Libya Floods: 'the damage is huge, hard to describe' says Khalifa Haftar

12 Sep 2023

**"The damage is huge, it's hard to describe or measure it" says the military strongman in Libya's eastern administration, Khalifa Haftar as thousands are feared dead or missing after huge flash floods devastated eastern regions. The devastation with a surge of muddy river water ripping away entire neighbourhoods in one coastal city, local authorities and international aid groups said. **

Nearly 3000 people have been confirmd dead and up to 10,000 people are missing with twice as many displaced according to Libya’s Red Crescent spokesman Taqfiq Shukri.

Massive destruction have been captured in images published online from the port city of Derna, home to 100,000 people, where multi-storey buildings on the river banks collapsed and houses vanished in the raging waters after two upstream dams broke.

The disaster in the country was caused by torrential rains from Storm Daniel, which made landfall in Libya on Sunday after earlier lashing other Mediterranean countries, especially Greece but also Bulgaria and Turkey.

The coastal city of Derna, 250 kilometres (150 miles) west of Benghazi, is ringed by hills and bisected by what is normally a dry riverbed in summer, but which has turned into a raging torrent that also swept away several major bridges.

"The death toll is huge and might reach thousands," warned Tamer Ramadan of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, echoing reports from local leaders who said 2,084 people had died.

"We confirm from our independent sources of information that the number of missing people is hitting 10,000 persons so far," Ramadan told reporters in Geneva via video link from Tunisia, which borders Libya.

Footage on Libyan TV showed dozens of bodies, wrapped in blankets or sheets, on Derna's main square, awaiting identification and burial, and more bodies in Martouba, a village about 30 kilometres to the southeast.

More than 300 victims were buried Monday, many in mass graves -- but vastly greater numbers of people were feared lost in the waters of the river that empties into the Mediterranean Sea.

- 'Catastrophic' situation -

Libya, an oil-rich country in north Africa, is still recovering from the years of war and chaos that followed the 2011 NATO-backed popular uprising which toppled and killed longtime dictator MoamerKadhafi.

The country is now divided between two rival governments -- the UN-brokered, internationally recognised administration based in the capital Tripoli in the west, and a separate administration in the eastern region impacted by the flood disaster.

Access to the eastern region is limited, and phone and online links have been largely severed, but the administration's prime minister Oussama Hamad has reported "more than 2,000 dead and thousands missing" in Derna alone.

The military strongman backing the eastern administration, Khalifa Haftar, issued a similar warning, though the toll had yet to be confirmed by emergency or medical services.

A Derna city council official described the situation as "catastrophic" and asked for a "national and international intervention", speaking to TV channel Libya al-Ahrar.

Rescue teams from Turkey have arrived in eastern Libya, according to authorities, and the UN and several countries offered to send aid, among them the United States, Italy, France, Qatar, Egypt and Tunisia.

- 'Harrowing images' -

The storm also hit Benghazi and the hill district of Jabal al-Akhdar, and flooding, mudslides and other major damage were reported from the wider region, with images showing overturned cars and trucks.

Libya's National Petroleum Company, which has its main fields and terminals in eastern Libya, declared "a state of maximum alert" and suspended flights between production sites where it said activity was drastically reduced.

Libya's UN-brokered government under Abdelhamid Dbeibah announced three days of national mourning on Monday and emphasised "the unity of all Libyans" in the face of the disaster.

Aid convoys from Tripoli were heading east and Dbeibah's government announced the dispatch of two ambulance planes and a helicopter, as well as rescue teams, canine search squads and 87 doctors, as well as technicians to restore power.

Alarm has spread globally, with many foreign leaders voicing their condolences.

European Council president Charles Michel, writing on X, formerly Twitter, noted the "harrowing images from Libya following deaths & destruction caused by floods, especially in the east ... EU stands ready to help those affected by this calamity."

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller also offered "sympathies and condolences" to those affected and said Washington was working with the UN and Libyan authorities to help relief efforts.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2023/09/12/libya-floods-the-damage-is-huge-hard-to-describe-says-khalifa-haftar/

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Expert says earthquake is a turning point for Morocco's regional aspirations

12 Sep 2023

France has insisted that Morocco’s reluctance to accept its help in the wake of Friday's devastating earthquake is not a snub, even though it comes at a time of growing tensions between Rabat and the former colonial power.

Sylvie Brunel, geographer and former president of the humanitarian organisation, Action Against Hunger, said that there was also perhaps an element of pride on the part of the Moroccans, who do not want to be seen as “the poor battered country” France has come to help.

And, she said, one also needs to see the situation from another perspective.

“If we had a disaster on our territory today, or when the United States had 9/11, no one enters the territory of a sovereign country. And the principle of international public law is non-interference in internal affairs,” said Brunel.

“So of course this is a political decision. There is geopolitics of humanitarian aid, in the same way as there is pure geopolitics. And humanitarian aid is a power like any other."

She says all major disasters have systematically been the starting point for a reorganisation of political relations and agendas, and the earthquake in Morocco is no exception to the rule.

"This earthquake marks a turning point, a shift in international relations where Morocco, which aspires to the status of a regional power, intends remaining master of its own agenda and not depend on French assistance. We really need to see this as an historic moment that marks the emergence of the South."

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2023/09/12/expert-says-earthquake-is-a-turning-point-for-moroccos-regional-aspirations/

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Nigerian Police Working With Land Grabbers To Detain Innocent Residents – Ogun House Of Assembly Petitions Inspector-General

September 13, 2023

The assembly also accused police of making illegal arrests and detainment of innocent residents of the state on trump-up charges in connivance with land grabbers in the state.

The Ogun State House of Assembly has accused the police in the state of conniving with land grabbers to intimidate victims.

The assembly also accused police of making illegal arrests and detainment of innocent residents of the state on trump-up charges in connivance with land grabbers in the state.

The speaker of the assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, made the allegations at the plenary on Tuesday when lawmakers complained about the rampant cases of land-grabbing in their various constituencies while debating on the second reading of the State Anti-land Grabbing (amendment) bill.

According to Daily Trust, he lamented that hundreds of innocent residents had continued to languish in various police cells at Alagbon in Lagos and the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Oluomo appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to wade in and ensure that innocent people are not made to suffer on account of trump-up charges.

Oluomo advised that any land related matters should be charged to court while promising that the new amendment to the bill titled: H. B. No. 006/ OG/ 2023 – Prohibition of Forcible occupation of Landed properties, armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, violence and other related offences (Amendment) Law, 2023 would ensure a constitution of a task force by the state government to handle land related matters.

Earlier while opening debate on the bill, the sponsor, Damilola Soneye, lamented that the issue of land-grabbing had become rampant in the state, hence the need for the amendment to make the law more effective and efficient.

Source: saharareporters.com

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https://saharareporters.com/2023/09/13/nigerian-police-working-land-grabbers-detain-innocent-residents-ogun-house-assembly

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Southeast Asia

Selangor Sultan warns politicians against issuing ‘fatwa’, says doing so irresponsible and dangerous

By Shathana Kasinathan

12 Sep 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has today warned politicians against issuing “fatwa” or Islamic religious rulings, calling the irresponsible move a “dangerous trend”.

The Selangor Sultan warned that such a practice must stop as the nation will face strife, division and even violence if politicians are allowed to do so.

“I urge the people, especially the political leaders, to immediately stop issuing fatwas irresponsibly in order to preserve the unity of the people in this country,” said a statement issued on the Selangor Royal Office’s Facebook page.

The Sultan said fatwas can only be issued by each state’s mufti or fatwa committee after obtaining the consent of their Malay Rulers.

He added that there is already a Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs that is responsible for issuing Islamic jurisprudence opinions based on discussions between muftis with approval from the Conference of Rulers.

“The fatwa issued is not solely based on the individual views of a mufti, but rather it is made by consensus of the majority of members either in the national or state fatwa committees consisting of scholars and those who are experts in their respective field.

“This is to ensure that the issued fatwas are accurate and bring good to Muslims and all the people,” said the Sultan.

Sultan Sharafuddin also urged senior and veteran political leaders to refrain from causing enmity among Malaysians and to prioritise unity in order to foster a strong sense of national solidarity among diverse ethnic and religious groups for the well-being of the country.

“Take good care of our country because this is the only land of our blood, that we need to defend its prosperity and sovereignty,” said the Sultan.

The Sultan also called on the police to take proactive action in investigating and taking action against those who raise sensitive issues involving religion, race, and the position of the Malay Rulers.

“I emphasised here that the Malay Rulers and the Conference of Rulers have a role in preserving the rights of the Malay people and the Islamic religion is always guaranteed,” he said.

“In addition, the Malay Rulers are also responsible for guaranteeing the rights and safety of the other races that make up the Malaysian people.”

The Sultan said that people should not worry about the preservation of the rights of their respective races and the religion practised by each race in this country.

“This is because national laws, especially the Federal Constitution, have provided rights for all races and religions to every Malaysian,” he said.

Earlier today, the police said Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had finished giving his statement to the police after allegedly issuing a political fatwa that declared voting for Pakatan Harapan’s candidate Suhaizan Kayat in the Pulai by-election last week as “haram”, or forbidden for Muslims.

Last week, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain warned that stern action will be taken against those who play up the topics of race, religion, and royalty, also known collectively as “3R” issues.

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/09/12/selangor-sultan-warns-politicians-against-issuing-fatwa-says-doing-so-irresponsible-and-dangerous/90475

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Muslims and Christians polled agree: Can't be 'true believers' if disrespectful of elders and Malaysia

By Ida Lim

13 Sep 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — What makes one perceived as less of a Buddhist, Muslim, Christian or Hindu? Here's what Malaysians think, based on the latest survey by non-partisan and non-advocacy pollster Pew Research Center.

Its latest survey released last night showed that Muslims and Christians here mostly agree that in order to be true believers, one has to respect both their elders and the country.

When it comes to "celebrating" each others' festivities, 81 per cent of Muslims surveyed in Malaysia said one cannot truly be a Muslim if they celebrate the Buddhist festival of Wesak, while 79 per cent of local Muslims said the same for the Christian festival of Christmas.

The corresponding proportion for Christians in Malaysia was 53 per cent for Wesak, followed by 35 per cent for the Muslim festival of Eid which is better known here as Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Buddhists in Malaysia were more open towards the view that one could still truly be a Buddhist if they celebrate other religious festivals, with only 28 per cent saying one is not truly a Buddhist if they celebrate Eid while 23 per cent said the same for those celebrating Christmas.

Additionally, 28 per cent of Hindus said one cannot truly be one if they celebrate Christmas, while 21 per cent and 20 per cent said the same for those who celebrate Wesak and Eid.

The report however did not define what "celebrating" would mean, including whether it refers to participating in religious ceremonies. In multireligious and multiethnic Malaysia, such festivals are often marked with public holidays and the practice of visiting each other or hosting open house events.

In the same survey, 95 per cent of Muslims in Malaysia said one cannot truly be a Muslim if they do not respect elders, while 91 per cent of Christians, 87 per cent of Hindus, and 83 per cent of Buddhists said the same regarding whether disrespecting elders would make one not a true adherent of the faith.

For those who do not respect their country, 92 per cent of local Christians polled, 91 per cent of Muslims, 80 per cent of Hindus, 66 per cent of Buddhists said such persons cannot be truly a member of their religion.

While 98 per cent of local Muslims and 83 per cent of Hindus said a person cannot be truly a member of their religion if they drink alcohol, a relatively lower percentage was seen saying the same thing among Christians (62 per cent) and Buddhists (34 per cent).

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/09/12/muslims-and-christians-polled-agree-cant-be-true-believers-if-disrespectful-of-elders-and-malaysia/90505

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"I'd rather be jailed than pay fines," says Hadi

Qistina Sallehuddin, Luqman Hakim

September 13, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang today said he would rather be jailed than pay fines if found guilty for allegedly disputing the authority of the Pardons Board, a body that is linked to the royal institution.

The Marang member of parliament said the money used to pay fines would be better channelled to the Islamic centre, Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti).

"Many police reports have been lodged against me (on the Pardons Board statement) and I have no problem in providing my statements when being called.

"For this reason, I am also waiting for trial in court and I will wait whether I will be punished or need to pay any fines.

"However, I'd rather be jailed if I am being punished, rather than paying some fines which could be channelled to Pasti," he said during his debate speech of the 12MP mid-term review in Dewan Rakyat, today.

Previously, Hadi was alleged to have questioned the power of the Pardons Board in a ceramah on Aug 26 at Pas headquarters in Muar.

Hadi was reported as saying the way the Pardons Board grants amnesty or pardons was not according to Islamic teachings.

Following this, police on Sept 4 summoned Hadi to assist in investigations with regard to an alleged statement disputing the authority of the Pardons Board.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Ayob Khan MydinPitchay reportedly said the recommendation was for the Pas president to be charged under Section 4 of the Sedition Act as well as Section 233 of the Multimedia and Communications Act.

Source: nst.com.my

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https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2023/09/954818/id-rather-be-jailed-pay-fines-says-hadi

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Duo claim trial after being charged of cheating two Tamil schools of RM1 million

Shahrin Aizat Noorshahrizam

September 13, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: Two men pleaded not guilty after being charged by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of cheating two Tamil vernacular schools of more than RM1 million.

In a statement today, MACC said both men Mohd Syafeeq Mohd, 40 and Cheah Seng Nam, 48, had pretended to be contractors and claimed that they were hired by the Ministry of Education (MoE) for maintenance and repair works for Tamil vernacular schools.

"From September 4, 2020 until December 7, 2020, the two men with a common intention deceived the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Ladang Kampung Baru management board , Kuala Selangor (SJKT LKB) thus prompting the management board of SJKT LKB to hand over RM863,500.00 to them.

"Before that, on August 25, 2020, the two of them also tricked the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Batu Arang Tamil management board (SJKT BA) into handing over RM381,500.00 to them," it said.

Both men were charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code of cheating the schools' boards, which is punishable by up to 10 years jail, caning and a fine, upon conviction and read together with Section 34 of Penal Code.

The charges were read at Shah Alam Sessions Court.

Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud tset bail of RM20,000 for each accused person for each case and instructed both men to report themselves to their nearest MACC office as well as to submit their international passports to court.

Both accused were represented by Ridha Abdah Subri.

Source: nst.com.my

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https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2023/09/954814/duo-claim-trial-after-being-charged-cheating-two-tamil-schools-rm1

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Mideast

Hamas hails Huwara shooting as ‘heroic response’ to Israeli violations in al-Aqsa

13 September 2023

The Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement has hailed the retaliatory shooting operation in the occupied West Bank town of Huwara, describing it as a heroic response to repeated desecration of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound by extremist settlers.

Mohammad Hamadeh, the spokesman for the Hamas branch in occupied al-Quds, said on Wednesday that the operation sent a clear message to the occupying Tel Aviv regime and Zionist settlers, who intended to invade al-Quds and the holy al-Aqsa Mosque during the Rosh HaShanah holidays for the Jewish New Year.

“The struggle against the Israeli occupation will continue until full restoration of Palestinians’ rights,” he added.

He praised the brave Palestinian nation who stood up against Israeli forces, and resistance fighters who prove their might every day to create deterrence against Israel and dispel its invincibility myth.

Hamadeh also said that the operation was a response to the follies of far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir against Palestinian prisoners.

Earlier this month, Ben-Gvir declared that Palestinian prisoners would now be permitted family visits only once every two months instead of once a month.

He also revoked a policy allowing for the early release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

Earlier this year, he attempted to enforce stricter regulations on the duration of showers and ordered the elimination of ovens in prisons.

The Hamas spokesman called on Palestinians living throughout the West Bank and al-Quds to intensify their retaliatory operations against Zionist occupiers and target illegal settlements.

The resistance fighters and the entire Palestinian nation must turn the occupiers’ lives into utter hell in order to finally force them out of the occupied territories, and stop their crimes against al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian prisoners, he said.

The remarks came after two Israeli men were wounded in a retaliatory shooting attack in the northern West Bank town of Huwara on Tuesday evening.

The Israeli Magen David Adom ambulance service said the pair, in their 30s, were in good condition, after suffering minor injuries by glass shards as a result of the gunfire toward the windshield of their car.

Two Israeli settlers are injured, one of them critically, following a Palestinian resistance operation in the West Bank.

Israeli Army Radio cited a security source as saying the shooting was carried out by someone on foot, rather than a drive-by attack. It remained unclear how the assailant fled the scene.

Israeli forces launch raids on various cities of the West Bank on an almost daily basis under the pretext of detaining what it calls “wanted” Palestinians. The raids usually lead to violent confrontations with residents.

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed this year in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza. The majority of these fatalities have been recorded in the West Bank.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/09/13/710748/Retaliatory-shooting-in-Huwara-heroic-response-to-Ben-Gvir%E2%80%99s-follies,-Aqsa-Mosque-violations--Hamas

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Raeisi: Iran has authority on released funds, spends ‘wherever’ it needs

12 September 2023

President Ebrahim Raeisi has underscored Iran’s full authority on its recently-released assets, saying it is the Islamic Republic that decides how to spend the funds and that the money will be spent "wherever we need it."

Raeisi made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the American broadcast television network NBC in the capital Tehran on Tuesday.

He pointed to last month’s deal between Iran and the United States to exchange prisoners and to secure the release of $6 billion of Iranian funds that had remained blocked in two South Korean banks since 2018 because of US pressure on Seoul.

The administration of US President Joe Biden claimed at the time that the funds and the proceeds of Iranian oil sales to South Korea could only be spent on “humanitarian” purposes.

Raeisi said during the interview that Iran would have “authority” over how the funds would be spent, stressing, “This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money.”

Asked whether the released funds would be used for other purposes rather than humanitarian needs, the Iranian president said, “Humanitarian means whatever the Iranian people need, so this money will be budgeted for those needs, and the needs of the Iranian people will be decided and determined by the Iranian government.”

Raeisi also said the American detainees in Iran were “very healthy,” and would be coming home soon as the US-Iran prisoner exchange deal would be completed in “due time.”

The US administration has reportedly issued a blanket waiver to allow transfer of six billion dollars in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar.

The Biden administration announced on Monday that it had taken concrete steps to clear the way for the prisoner exchange, issuing a waiver that allows international banks to transfer the $6 billion to Qatar without the threat of US sanctions.

The waiver means that European, Middle Eastern and Asian banks will not be in violation of US sanctions in converting Iran's money, which was frozen in South Korea, and transferring it to Qatar’s central bank, where it will be held for Tehran to be used for the purchase of non-sanctioned goods.

The Biden administration also agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United States.

The five Iranian detainees were identified as Mehrdad Moein Ansari, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Reza SarhangpourKofrani, Amin Hassanzadeh, and Kaveh Lotfollah Afrasiabi.

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations has identified the five Iranian citizens that will be released as part of a perisoner exchange deal with the US.

Top Iranian officials have emphasized that there is no connection between the prisoner exchange agreement reached with the United States and the release of Iran's frozen assets.

Earlier in August, Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said, "The exchange of prisoners is a completely humanitarian issue and has nothing to do with unblocking our funds in foreign banks.”

Last week, Kazem Gharibabadi, secretary of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, also roundly dismissed the notion that Iran has agreed to release the American prisoners in order to have access to its assets.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/09/12/710731/Iran-President-Ebrahim-Raeisi-frozen-assets-television-network-NBC-spend-wherever-we-need-it

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Groups Of Israeli Settlers Invade Al-Aqsa Mosque

September 13, 2023

Under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, groups of Israeli settlers invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. The Israeli settlers conducted provocative tours within its courtyards and performed Talmudic rituals.

Former MK Yehuda Glick led settlers’ incursions into the Mosque.

Restrictions on Muslims’ Entry

The Israeli occupation forces have been imposing restrictions on the entry of Muslim and Palestinian worshippers coming from Jerusalem and the occupied territories to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

They meticulously check their identities and detain some of them at the external gates.

Daily, Israeli settlers invade the Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of occupation forces to assert full control over the holy site, both spatially and temporally.

The so-called “Temple Mount groups” continue to call for the largest possible number of settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque during the upcoming Jewish holidays, set to begin later this month.

The Jewish holidays begin with “Rosh Hashanah,” which falls on Saturday and Sunday, September 16th and 17th of the current year. This is followed by the “Ten Days of Repentance,” during which incursions intensify. Then comes “Yom Kippur” on Monday, the 25th of the same month, followed by “Sukkot,” which starts on Saturday, September 30th, and continues until Saturday, October 7th of the upcoming month.

Source: daysofpalestine.ps

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Iran's mission to UN identifies five Iranians to be released in prisoner swap deal with US

12 September 2023

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations has confirmed that five Iranians detained illegally in the United States on charges of circumventing US sanctions will soon be released as part a prisoner swap deal between Tehran and Washington.

The mission told the official IRNA news agency in New York on Tuesday that some of the Iranian citizens will stay in the United States after their release from prison, while others will return to Iran.

The five Iranian detainees were identified as Mehrdad Moein Ansari, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Reza SarhangpourKofrani, Amin Hassanzadeh, and Kaveh Lotfollah Afrasiabi.

In an exclusive interview with NBC News in Tehran, Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi revealed that the prisoner exchange process will be completed as scheduled.

He also said that the American prisoners in Iran are in "very good" health, and that they will soon return home.

The prisoner exchange agreement was officially announced on August 10, following two years of indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

Iran has received the “necessary guarantees” that its assets frozen abroad due to the US sanctions will be unblocked.

In a gesture of goodwill, Iran has moved four American detainees from prison to house arrest. They joined a fifth American who was already under house arrest in Tehran.

The talks, mediated by Qatar, also encompassed the issue of billions of dollars worth of Iranian assets blocked overseas since 2018, when the United States unilaterally abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal and reinstated its sanctions against Iran.

US media reported on Monday that the Joe Biden administration has issued a blanket waiver allowing international banks to transfer $6 billion of Iranian funds, which have recently been unfrozen, from South Korea to Qatar.

The US administration has reportedly issued a blanket waiver to allow transfer of six billion dollars in frozen Iranian money from South Korea to Qatar.

The waiver means that European, Middle Eastern and Asian banks will not be in violation of US sanctions in converting Iran’s money and transferring it to Qatar’s central bank, where it will be held for Tehran to be used for the purchase of non-sanctioned goods.

Source: presstv.ir

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Iraq moves against Iranian Kurdish groups: Minister

September 13, 2023

BAGHDAD: Iraq has begun taking Iranian Kurdish opposition groups away from the country’s border with Iran, its chief diplomat said on Tuesday, after Iran warned that its neighbor must take action.

“The necessary measures have been taken to remove these groups from the border areas, and they have been settled in distant camps in the center of Kurdistan,” an autonomous northern region of Iraq, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told a press conference.

A year ago, Tehran launched several deadly missile and drone strikes on Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

The strikes came just after protests began in Iran over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, 22, an Iranian Kurd arrested for allegedly breaching the Islamic republic’s strict dress code.

Tehran accused the Kurdish groups in Iraq of fomenting the protests.

Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region hosts camps and rear bases operated by several Iranian Kurdish factions, which Iran has accused of serving Western or Israeli interests in the past.

In March, the two countries signed a “security” agreement covering their common border.

Tehran last month said that, under the deal, Iraq should disarm the groups before September 19, remove them from their bases and transfer them to camps.

“The September 19 deadline will under no circumstances be extended,” and Iran will “assume its responsibility” if Iraq does not comply, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said at the time.

Without raising the question of disarmament, Hussein said his country had “begun implementing the agreement” and that he would bring this message to Tehran during a visit on Wednesday.

“We expect from the Iranian side that they do not turn to violence against Kurdistan or against the sovereignty of Iraq,” he emphasised.

Hussein said negotiations with Iran would focus on how “to stop these opposition groups from crossing the border and using weapons against the Iranian government.”

They would also address the importance of “avoiding threats of violence, and threats of bombing certain areas of Iraqi Kurdistan.”

Until now, the regional government of Iraqi Kurdistan has not spoken publicly about implementation of these measures, even though several meetings between officials of the Kurdistan region and Iran have taken place.

Source: arabnews.com

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18 Iraq police get jail terms over Sweden embassy fire

September 13, 2023

BAGHDAD: An Iraqi court gave 18 police officers jail sentences of up to three years Tuesday for failing to stop protesters storming and torching Sweden’s embassy in Baghdad, security officials said.

Supporters of the powerful Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr set the Swedish embassy in Baghdad alight on the night of July 20, after a Stockholm-based Iraqi refugee desecrated the Qur'an in Stockholm.

The internal security forces court in Baghdad on Tuesday found 18 police officers guilty of failing to carry out their duties by allowing the protesters to attack the embassy, said a copy of the verdict seen by AFP.

Eight police received three-year jail terms, seven got two years and three months and three others were sentenced to 18 months in prison according to the text authenticated by an interior ministry official who attended the hearing.

Some of the police involved in the case were permanently disbarred from the force, according to the verdict.

The officers, who included members of the diplomatic protection forces, can appeal the ruling.

The desecration of the Qur'an, which happened repeatedly in Sweden and Denmark this summer, sparked tensions between the Scandinavian countries and Muslim nations in the Middle East.

Iraq retaliated against Stockholm for permitting protests in which the Qur'an was desecrated by announcing the expulsion of the Sweden’s ambassador.

Swedish authorities had allowed the demonstrations on free-speech grounds, but said giving their permission did not signal any approval of the action taken in the protests.

Source: arabnews.com

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2 Israeli settlers injured, one critically, in Palestinian resistance operation

13 September 2023

Two Israeli settlers have been injured, one of them critically, following a Palestinian resistance operation in the north of the occupied West Bank.

The "shooting operation" took place in the town of Huwara, south of the city of Nablus, on Tuesday, the Palestinian Information Center news agency reported.

The agency attributed the operation to "Palestinian resistance fighters." Other outlets said the al-Fajr Brigade, which is associated with the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades -- a coalition of West Bank-based Palestinian resistance groups -- had claimed responsibility for the incident.

Israeli media sources, meanwhile, said one of the settlers was in a "critical condition," while the other had been "moderately injured."

The fighters managed to flee the scene, the sources added, saying that Israeli military reinforcements had been deployed to the area to conduct a comprehensive search operation in pursuit of the fighters.

The West Bank has been witnessing a surge in such resistance operations in reaction to the Israeli regime's and its illegal settlers' incessant instances of deadly aggression against the Palestinians, and their near-daily violations against Palestinian properties and holy sites.

The Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas, which is based in the nearby Gaza Strip, commended the operation.

Spokesman Hazem Qassem said the successful operation showed that the Palestinian fighters in the West Bank would continue resisting the Israeli occupation.

Palestinian resistance groups have staged large-scale Mighty Pillar 4 exercises in various neighborhoods of the besieged Gaza Strip.

The operation coincided with the anniversary of the Israeli regime's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, he reminded. Qassem stressed that "this reflects the Palestinian people’s ability to resist the Israeli occupation until there will be no place for the invaders," the Palestinian Information Center reported, citing his remarks.

Source: presstv.ir

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Iran says supports regional initiatives aimed at resolving Afghan woes

13 September 2023 Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has underlined the need to support regional initiatives designed to settle challenges in Afghanistan.

During a meeting with Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s special representative on Afghanistan Affairs, in Tehran on Tuesday, Amir-Abdollahian highlighted the influential role of Iran and Pakistan in developments in Afghanistan and the entire region.

The top Iranian diplomat further expressed hope that continued consultations between Tehran and Islamabad will enhance peace in the region, especially in Afghanistan.

He stressed the need for supporting “regional initiatives” developed by Afghanistan’s neighbors to help resolve challenges gripping the Central Asian country.

Durrani, for his part, expressed satisfaction with his talks with the Iranian foreign minister.

Presenting an assessment of Afghanistan’s political and security conditions, the Pakistani envoy said his country is resolved to cooperate with the Islamic Republic in a bid to help establish peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Regional nations say the establishment of peace in Afghanistan is only possible through the formation of a broad-based government.

The Taliban, who had previously ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, took power again in August 2021 as the US was in the middle of a chaotic troop withdrawal.

Following the Taliban’s takeover, the US and its allies rushed to cut off Afghanistan’s access to international aid and froze assets belonging to the country’s central bank.

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank followed suit, compounding one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and sparking a new refugee wave.

The Taliban has failed to form an inclusive government that accurately reflects Afghanistan’ multi-ethnic society and protects the rights of all people.

Source: presstv.ir

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South Asia

Pakistan’s Interim Prime Minister: Taliban Govt lacks legitimacy in Afghanistan

Fidel Rahmati

September 12, 2023

Anwar al-Haq Kakar, interim Prime Minister of Pakistan, has said recently that there is no central government in Afghanistan.

Mr Kakar, Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister for the past month, asserted in a recent interview with Pakistani media that the Taliban government in Afghanistan lacks legitimacy.

Anwar al-Haq Kakar’s exclusive interview with a media outlet known as “Aaj” was published on Monday. In this interview, he talked about the expulsion of illegal Afghan migrants from Pakistan.

The interim Prime Minister of Pakistan emphasises that Afghanistan has no central government.

Pakistan has historically been considered a close ally of the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan. During the first period of the Taliban regime rule from 1996 to 2001, Pakistan was one of the three countries that officially recognized their government.

However, the resurgence of the Taliban administration after two decades has been accompanied by complexities, and even this close ally has not only refrained from recognizing it but also deemed it an illegitimate government, according to Pakistan’s Prime Minister.

Recently, the relations between the Taliban administration and the Pakistan government have deteriorated. As a result, the Torkham crossing border has been shut down.

Pakistani officials said that they cannot accept the construction of any structure by the Taliban government across the border.

“Pakistan cannot accept the construction of any structures by the Interim Afghan Government inside its territory since these violate its sovereignty. On September 6, instead of a peaceful resolution, Afghan troops resorted to indiscriminate firing, targeting Pakistan military posts, damaging the infrastructure at the Torkham Border Terminal, and putting the lives of both Pakistani and Afghan civilians at risk when they were stopped from erecting such unlawful structures,” Pakistani Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“Such unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on Pakistani border posts cannot be justified under any circumstances. The unprovoked firing by Afghan border security forces invariably emboldens the terrorist elements. As confirmed by the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, these elements enjoy sanctuaries inside Afghanistan in its latest report,” the statement added.

Afghan officials argue that Pakistan’s closure of the Torkham border crossing, coinciding with the arrival of Afghan agricultural products and fruits, goes against previous agreements, customary law, and international commitments.

This move by Pakistan, stemming from border skirmishes, not only disrupts Afghanistan’s trade and regional economy, which is heavily reliant on exports. It has also led to tragic casualties, including four Afghan children, two Taliban fighters, and two Pakistani military personnel losing their lives.

Source:

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Human rights in Afghanistan ‘in a state of collapse’, warns UN rights chief

September 13, 2023

The United Nations says use oppression of Afghan women by the interim government in Kabul has put Afghanistan future in jeopardy.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in New York that compounding all of this is a deeply troubling lack of accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations.

The High Commissioner called on the de facto authorities to change course and bring Afghanistan back to the international fold with full respect for its international human rights obligations.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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Terrorist commander Badshah Khan killed in Afghanistan

September 12, 2023

Terrorist commander Badshah Khan has been killed in Paktika province of Afghanistan.

According to the details, the right hand of Mufti Noor Wali was killed in a landmine blast.

Badshah Khan's name was included in the most wanted list. He remained involved in different attacks on Pakistan Armed Forces.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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Registered Afghan refugees arrested in South Pakistan police crackdown

September 12, 2023

Fidel Rahmati

In Karachi, Pakistan, hundreds of Afghan nationals have recently been arrested by the police on charges of residing illegally in the country. However, Afghan diplomats and human rights activists argue that many detained people hold valid documents to prove their legal status.

The Pakistani authorities launched the crackdown on Saturday, which some believe is a response to reported militant infiltration from Afghanistan into Pakistan’s Chitral district.

This infiltration resulted in a gun battle on Thursday in which four security personnel were killed. In response to this incident, Pakistan issued a demarche to the Afghan charge d’affaires in Islamabad, registering a strong protest.

During a three-day crackdown, Karachi police have booked 293 Afghan nationals under the Foreigners Act, as confirmed by a police spokesperson.

Moniza Kakar, a lawyer and human rights activist, expressed her concerns on social media, highlighting that the police arrested Afghan refugees and confiscated their proof of registration (PoR) cards.

Moniza Kakar conveyed her concerns on her social media platform X, saying that an alarming situation in Karachi involved the arrest of over 150 Afghan refugees, including many who were registered, and reported confiscation of their registration cards by the police. She emphasized that these mass arrests were rooted in racial profiling and called for immediate action to safeguard the rights of refugees.

The Karachi police and Pakistani officials did not comment on the allegations when requested.

Meanwhile, Syed Abdul Jabbar, the Consul General of Afghanistan in Karachi, confirmed that his office had formally expressed concerns to Pakistani authorities.

“When we contacted the federal authorities in Islamabad and provincial authorities in Sindh, they assured us that no registered Afghan refugees would be arrested,” he continued. “However, the police are continuously arresting registered Afghan refugees.”

Syed Abdul Jabbar, the Consul General of Afghanistan in Karachi, appealed to Pakistani authorities not to detain registered Afghan refugees. He further suggested that individuals without proper documents should be granted a grace period to make arrangements to return to their home country.

The recent arrests of Afghan nationals in Sindh and across Pakistan followed the government’s directive to apprehend undocumented Afghans. However, Afghan refugees and human rights advocates contend that these arrests predominantly affect vulnerable Afghans who cannot return to their homeland under Taliban rule, citing security risks and economic hardships as significant obstacles.

Source: khaama.com

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28 Afghan prisoners released from Sindh province jails in Pakistan

Fidel Rahmati

September 12, 2023

The Afghan political representation in Karachi has reported the release of 28 Afghan prisoners from jails in the province.

On Tuesday, the diplomatic mission of Afghanistan said on its social media platform X that 28 Afghan prisoners have been released from prisons in the Sindh province. They also called for the release of other prisoners.

According to this representation, some Afghans are still detained in Sindh province, and the consulate of the de facto administration of Afghanistan is trying to secure their release.

The statement mentioned that the released prisoners had been transported to Afghanistan at the government’s expense.

This comes in the context of previous incidents where Pakistani police had detained hundreds of Afghan migrants on charges of lacking legal residency documents.

After a while, many of these Afghans were deported from Pakistan and sent back to Afghanistan.

In a recent crackdown, Pakistan’s southern Sindh province authorities have apprehended over 250 Afghan refugees and migrants, primarily in Karachi, since September 11, 2023.

This move is part of a government directive to arrest undocumented Afghans residing in Sindh and across the nation. Afghan refugees and human rights advocates in Pakistan argue that these arrests primarily target vulnerable Afghans who cannot return to Afghanistan under Taliban rule due to security concerns or economic hardships.

Source: khaama.com

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SC to get four-storey modern mosque

12 Sep 2023

DHAKA, Sept 12, 2023 (BSS) - A four-storey modern 'Majar Masjid' will be built on the Supreme Court (SC) premises at a cost of Taka 110.58 crore, to be funded by the government.

The posh new mosque will be able to accommodate around 3,500 devotees at a time when it will be completed in 2025.

The project was approved at the meeting of Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) today.

Two hundred women devotees will be able to say their prayers on the ground floor of the mosque, a law ministry source said.

To be implemented by Law and Justice Division and Department of Public Works, the mosque will have two basement parking facility for 158 vehicles and four waiting rooms for the drivers and six store rooms in total.

Source: bssnews.net

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Arab World

Saudi Ministry of Interior shows off firefighting robots and chemical-sensing drones

September 13, 2023

RIYADH: Firefighting robots and chemical detecting drones are the center of attention at the Saudi Ministry of Interior pavilion at The Cityscape Global Exhibition at Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center.

The firefighting robot is equipped with three openings for water and foam exits, thermal cameras to provide clear images, and the mobility mechanism of the robot in firefighting operations in that operations challenging human firefighters.

The robot is designed to enhance safety levels for firemen, especially in high-severity fires, inaccessible areas, and dangerous tasks.

Also on display is a drone specifically designed for monitoring radiation and chemical substances using a device attached to its base.

The data collected by the device is sent directly to a tablet for analysis and interpretation. (SPA)

The data collected by the device is sent directly to a tablet for analysis and interpretation.

This advanced drone even has the ability to hover vertically at an altitude of 2 km, cover a horizontal distance of 7 km, and reach speeds of up to 88 kmph.

It is built with a reinforced carbon fiber frame to withstand radiation and is equipped with 8 engines for stability.

The Ministry of Interior is participating in the Cityscape Global Exhibition, the largest global exhibition debuting in the Kingdom, through which Saudi Vision 2030 projects will be displayed under one roof, with the participation of more than 170 countries.

Source: arabnews.com

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Arab world in rush to aid victims of disasters in Libya and Morocco

September 12, 2023

JEDDAH: The Arab world rushed on Tuesday to offer aid and support to the victims of natural disasters in Libya and Morocco.

In eastern Libya, more than 2,000 people died and at least 10,000 were missing after Storm Daniel caused devastating floods, mainly through the city of Derna.

In Morocco, nearly 3,000 people died after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck late on Friday near the High Atlas mountains 72 kilometers southwest of Marrakech, flattening whole villages.

Offers of assistance came from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Tunisia and Turkiye.

The Kingdom on Tuesday expressed grief and solidarity with “Libya and its brotherly people, and the victims of the floods.” King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman earlier ordered aid flights to Morocco, and the crown prince called King Mohammed to affirm the Kingdom’s solidarity with Morocco and its people.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared a three-day mourning period in Egypt, and directed armed forces personnel to provide humanitarian aid, including relief teams, rescue equipment and shelter camps for Libya and Morocco.

The president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, ordered the dispatch of urgent relief aid and search and rescue teams to Libya.

King Abdullah of Jordan ordered assistance to Libya, and said his country stood “in solidarity with Libya during these tragic circumstances.”

Tunisian prime minister Ahmed Hachani called Abdul Hamid Al-Dabaiba, head of the Libyan Government of National Accord, to express his “sincere condolences to the brotherly Libyan people.”

Massive destruction shattered the Mediterranean coastal city of Derna, where buildings on the river banks collapsed and houses and cars vanished in the raging waters. One UN official described it as “a calamity of epic proportions.”

Emergency services reported an initial death toll of more than 2,300 in Derna alone, with 7,000 injured and 10,000 people still missing.

“The situation in Derna is shocking,” said Osama Ali of the Rescue and Emergency Service in Tripoli. “We need more support to save lives because there are people still under the rubble and every minute counts.”

In Morocco, survivors of Morocco’s earthquake struggled in makeshift shelters on Tuesday after a fourth night in the open. Rescuers from Spain, Britain and Qatar were helping Morocco's search teams, while Italy, Belgium, France and Germany said their offers of assistance had yet to be approved.

The situation was most desperate for people in remote areas cut off by landslides that blocked access roads. Mehdi AitBouyali, 24, said his group of survivors had received food and blankets from people driving by, but nothing from the state. “The villages of the valley have been forgotten. We need any kind of help. We need tents,” he said.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi Arabia, Japan hold training on manufacturing expertise

September 13, 2023

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources held a training program in Japan on Sept. 12 focusing on Toyota’s manufacturing processes.

Several Saudi students took part in the program with local factory workers, as part of efforts to transfer technology and skills between Japan and the Kingdom.

The ongoing program includes lectures and visits to various Japanese factories.

This is an initiative of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources to help boost the Kingdom’s manufacturing sector.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Libya over flood victims

September 12, 2023

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has expressed its condolences to and solidarity with Libya and its people for the victims of the floods that devastated the city of Derna.

In a statement issued by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it expressed the Kingdom's condolences for the victims' families and relatives.

Saudi Arabia also expressed its sincere wishes for the survival of the missing and the speedy recovery of the injured.

Storm Daniel, which struck eastern Libya, caused heavy rains exceeding 400 millimeters in some areas, and the Libyan unity government confirmed that the amount of rain in the east of the country had not been recorded for more than 40 years.

According to the Libyan Minister of Health, he said that the number of victims of the floods had reached 3,000 people, while the Red Cross said about 10,000 people were missing.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

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Cabinet praises positive results of Crown Prince’s India visit; commends Kingdom’s leading role in G20

September 12, 2023

NEOM — The Cabinet, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman on Tuesday in NEOM, praised the positive results of the official visit paid by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to India, where he met with Indian President Droupadi Murmu, held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and attended the first Saudi-Indian Strategic Partnership Council, which resulted in several memorandums of understanding that are expected to expand cooperation in all fields, in the interest of both peoples.

The Cabinet also commended the outcome of the Crown Prince’s participation in the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which was also held in India, and which reflects the global status, political and economic weight of the Kingdom, and its leading role in safeguarding the stability of the global economy and energy markets.

The Cabinet praised the decisions reached by the G20 leaders, which are expected to boost cooperation among G20 member states and the global economy.

Minister of Media Salman Bin Yousef Al-Dosari said the Cabinet stressed that the Kingdom’s contribution to the establishment of an economic corridor connecting India, the Middle East and Europe arises from its strategic geographical location and global leadership as a reliable source of energy, as well as from its competitive advantage, which makes its participation vital to the success of this project.

The Cabinet also discussed the memorandum of understanding signed by Saudi Arabia with the United States, which entails cooperation in developing a protocol for the establishment of intercontinental green transit corridors, passing through the Kingdom, that connect Asia with Europe with the aim of facilitating the transport of renewable electricity and clean hydrogen via transmission cables and pipelines, as well as rail linkages.

The Cabinet was briefed on the content of the two letters that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques had sent to Burkina Faso’s interim president and to the president of Côte d’Ivoire, and on the contents of the phone calls made by the Crown Prince to the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) following the session, Al-Dosari said that the Cabinet reviewed talks and meetings that Saudi Arabia conducted recently with various countries, in view of the pivotal role the Kingdom plays through its memberships in many entities and its bilateral relations through which it strives to boost international cooperation.

Al-Dosari said that the Cabinet expressed appreciation for the results of the first strategic dialogue between the Saudi and Japanese foreign ministers, stressing the depth of relations between the two countries and the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation at various levels.

The Cabinet also touched on the phone call the Crown Prince held with the king of Morocco, in which he reiterated the Kingdom’s solidarity with the earthquake-hit Morocco.

The Saudi leadership directed concerned authorities to urgently provide the necessary relief and humanitarian aid to help alleviate the impact of the disaster. These efforts reflect the Kingdom’s crucial role in aiding peoples affected by natural disasters or in need around the world.

The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement between the government of Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan in the field of energy.

It authorized the minister of culture to discuss with the Kyrgyz side a draft MoU for cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Cabinet approved a draft MoU for cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan.

It authorized the minister of investment to hold talks with the Vietnamese side regarding a draft MoU with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in Vietnam for cooperation in promoting direct investment.

The Cabinet authorized the minister of economy and planning to hold talks with the Austrian and Georgian sides regarding draft memorandums of understanding with each of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Labor and Economy, and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, to boost cooperation.

It authorized the Ministry of Economy and Planning to hold talks with the University of Chicago regarding a draft partnership and research cooperation agreement. It approved the by-law of the General Authority for Media Regulation. — SPA

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

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WHO praises Saudi Arabia’s healthcare efforts

September 13, 2023

RIYADH: A delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) praised the efforts of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties in improving the healthcare sector, state news agency SPA reported.

This came during the WHO’s delegation visit to the commission’s headquarters in Riyadh.

WHO experts said the Saudi authority’s successful experience contributes to the healthcare sector “at the local and international levels.”

They were briefed on the authority’s role in Saudi Arabia’s ‘Health Sector Transformation Program’ and the services it provides to medical practitioners across the Kingdom.

The visit also highlighted the authority’s experience in postgraduate and training programs aimed at nurturing the next generation of healthcare practitioners.

Source: arabnews.com

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Yemen giving aggressor regimes ‘one last chance’ to end war: PM

13 September 2023

The prime minister of Yemen’s National Salvation Government says there is only “one last chance” for the member states of the Saudi-led aggressor coalition to end their war on the impoverished country.

In a statement carried by al-Masirah TV on Tuesday, Abdulaziz bin Habtour warned that Sana’a will consider an “appropriate response” to the aggressor regimes that have deprived the government of its revenues.

“The countries involved in aggression are stubborn and believe that they are exerting popular pressure on us regarding salaries, however, we trust the awareness of our people in Sana’a and consider the appropriate response,” he said.

“We give the countries involved in aggression one last chance” as was stated by the leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

The premier also said that currently, all the government’s revenue sources were in the hands of the occupiers.

Previously, 75 percent of Yemen’s budget revenues came from oil and gas, 15 percent from taxes and customs, and the remaining from grants, loans, etc., he added.

Today, however, Hudaydah port is the only source of income and constitutes only 10 percent of the entitled revenues which is sufficient to pay half of the salaries of civil servants every three months, according to Habtour.

Bin Habtour further said that Yemen is “still in a state of war with the aggressor countries” despite efforts by Oman to revive talks aimed at the extension of a truce between Sana’a and the coalition.

Omani delegation arrives in Yemen to potentially revive truce negotiations between Sana

The UN-brokered ceasefire, which was reached last year, is still largely in place despite its official expiry. It has significantly reduced clashes over the past months.

The Yemeni prime minister hailed Oman’s mediating role as “sincere,” noting, however, that its impact is limited.

He emphasized that the Saudi-led coalition members are the ones who should take the initiative and stop the war.

Saudi Arabia initiated a brutal war of aggression against Yemen in March 2015, enlisting the assistance of some of its regional allies, as well as massive shipments of advanced weaponry from the US and Western Europe.

The Western governments further extended their political and logistical support to Riyadh in their failed bid to restore power in Yemen to the country’s former Saudi-installed government.

The former Yemeni government’s president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, resigned from the presidency in late 2014 and later fled to Riyadh amid a political conflict with Ansarullah. The movement has been running Yemen’s affairs in the absence of a functioning administration.

The war further led to the killing of tens of thousands of Yemenis and turned the entire nation into the scene of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/09/13/710756/Yemen-last-chance-aggressor-regimes

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Pakistan

Imran’s cipher trial to continue in Attock jail after fresh notification

Malik Asad

September 13, 2023

ISLAMABAD: A special court will resume proceedings in the cipher case against former PM Imran Khan today (Wednesday) after the law ministry issued a notification on Tuesday, expressing no objections to conducting the trial in Attock jail.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved its order on a petition challenging the conduct of Mr Khan’s trial in prison, rather than Islamabad.

The PTI chief’s 14-day judicial remand expired on Tuesday, and as per the law ministry’s fresh notification, the special court judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain had requested that proceedings be held in Attock jail “due to security reasons”.

During Tuesday’s proceedings in the IHC, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard arguments from Mr Khan’s counsel Sher Afzal Marwat, who was seeking his client’s transfer from Attock to Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, the upgrade of his prison class and his trial in an Islamabad court, instead of jail premises.The counsel read out a notification issued ealier by the law ministry to hold Mr Khan’s trial in Attock jail, and argued that since the cipher case was registered against his client in Islamabad and the special court assigned to try suspects under the Official Secrets Act was based in the federal capital, the law ministry’s notification to transfer the case from Islamabad to Attock was without legal backing.

He said that since Mr Khan is currently on judicial remand, he was required to be kept in the territorial jurisdiction of the relevant court.

Mr Marwat also said that only the Supreme Court could transfer the case from one province to another, adding that Mr Khan was detained in Attock jail following his conviction in the Toshakhana case and was supposed to be shifted to Adiala when his sentence was suspended.

But Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal argued that the notification to conduct the trial in jail was issued for ‘one time only’.

Special Prosecutor Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi pointed out that the court did not commence the trial in the cipher case and asserted that Mr Marwat’s petition had already become infructuous as the notification to conduct the court proceeding in Attock Jail was issued for August 30, which had passed.

But Justice Farooq observed that the court would determine the law ministry’s authority, anticipating the possibility of another notification being issued.

Justice Farooq concluded proceedings by saying that he would pass an “appropriate order”.

Legal team denied access

On the other hand, Mr Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and sister Noreen Niazi met him in Attock jail, but his legal team was once again denied access to the former prime minister.

Sources said the one-on-one meeting between the couple, held in the deputy superintendent’s room, lasted an hour.

It was Bushra Bibi’s sixth meeting with her husband in Attock jail and first meeting of his elder sister after the PTI chairman was sent to jail in the Toshakhana case on August 5. Two other sisters of Mr Khan, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, met him in the jail on August 29.

Both Bushra Bibi and Noreen Niazi were earlier stopped at a police checkpoint in the vicinity of the prison for about half an hour in hot and humid weather. A police contingent comprising elite force led by a DSP kept them at picket halt. Following a brief standoff with police authorities, Bushra Bibi was allowed to enter the jail to meet her husband. She was accompanied by the legal team outside the Attock Jail but the lawyers were stopped at the checkpoint.

Talking to newsmen outside the jail, Noreen Niazi termed the health and morale of her brother “strong” despite being kept in “poor conditions” for the past 38 days“.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1775626/imrans-cipher-trial-to-continue-in-attock-jail-after-fresh-notification

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OIC Chief lauds Pakistan’s robust engagement for addressing challenges of Muslim World

September 13, 2023

Pakistan has maintained a firm position and traditionally played an active role in steering Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s response to all important issues.

This was stated by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to OIC Ambassador Syed Mohammad Fawad Sher during a meeting with Organization's Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha in Jeddah.

On the occasion, a wide range of issues facing Muslim world including Islamophobia were also discussed.

Ambassador Syed Mohammad Fawad Sher thanked Secretary General’s unwavering support to Kashmir cause and urged for complete implementation of OIC Plan of Action on Jammu and Kashmir adopted by 48th Session of Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad.

On repeated incidents of desecration of Holy Quran, he reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of these despicable incidents.

The Secretary General appreciated Pakistan’s robust engagement with OIC and its effective participation in addressing challenges confronting Muslim world.

Source: radio.gov.pk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.radio.gov.pk/13-09-2023/oic-chief-lauds-pakistans-robust-engagement-for-addressing-challenges-of-muslim-world

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Imran, Qureshi's judicial remand extended till Sep 26 in cipher case

By Arfa Feroz Zake

September 13, 2023

A special court on Wednesday extended Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi's judicial remand in cipher case till September 26.

Khan has been imprisoned in the jail since his conviction in the Toshakhana case on August 5 for failing to properly declare gifts he received while in office.

While the Islamabad High Court had overturned a lower court's decision to jail him for three years with a Rs100,000 fine — a judgment that kept him from contesting upcoming elections, he remains behind bars due to his arrest in the cipher case.

The FIA had officially arrested the former prime minister in the cipher case last month after booking him under the Official Secrets Act.

Source: thenews.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1109447-imran-qureshi-judicial-remand-extended-till-sep-26-in-cipher-case

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Bushra skips appearance before NAB in Toshakhana case

September 13, 2023

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday clubbed the petitions of PTI chairman’s wife Bushra Bibi and Zulfi Bokhari pertaining to audio leaks with an identical case of Najam Saqib for hearing together.

IHC Justice Babar Sattar heard the case filed through Bushra Bibi’s lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa. At the outset of the hearing, Khosa adopted the stance that their phones were being bugged. The court asked the lawyer to assist the bench on tapping of phones of people. The lawyer said the police and FIA were harassing Bushra Bibi. He requested the court to stop the FIA from harassing his client.

Justice Sattar said the court would pass an appropriate order. The court served notices on the respondents and adjourned the hearing till September 18.

Meanwhile, Bushra Bibi did not appear before the NAB and submitted a written reply to its combined investigation team probing the Toshakhana case. In her response, Bushra Bibi said she had to appear in two cases in accountability courts and sought a fresh date for appearance before the anti-graft organisation. She submitted the written reply through her lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha and sought a fresh date and permission to meet her husband in the Attock Jail as jail authorities only allow meetings on Tuesdays.

Also on Tuesday, Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir extended the pre-arrest bail of Bushra Bibi in the 190-million pound Al-Qadir Trust case on Tuesday.

Source: thenews.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1109419-bushra-skips-appearance-before-nab-in-toshakhana-case

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Peshawar blast: Martyred soldier laid to rest with full military honours

September 12, 2023

Funeral prayers of Lance Naik Abdur Rehman were offered on Tuesday as he was laid to rest with full military honours, according to the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The said soldier embraced martyrdom on September 11 due to an improvised explosive device (IED) blast near Warsak Road, Peshawar. Meanwhile, a large number of serving/retired military and civil officials, relatives and people from all walks of life attended the funeral prayer, said the ISPR statement.

“[The] security forces of Pakistan remain determined to thwart the menace of terrorism till the last terrorist standing,” it added.

The military's media wing had earlier relayed that 29-year-old resident of Bannu district Lance Naik Abdur Rehman embraced martyrdom while three soldiers sustained injuries due to the IED blast.

It stated that the cowardly terrorist act also resulted in the injury of three innocent civilians as well.

According to ISPR, the sanitisation of the area was being carried out in the area to eliminate the terrorists and their facilitators.

Source: tribune.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435457/peshawar-blast-martyred-soldier-laid-to-rest-with-full-military-honours

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Children of couple that fled Britain put into Pakistan state custody

September 12, 2023

ISLAMABAD:Five British-Pakistani children brought to Pakistan by a fugitive couple wanted over the death of a 10-year-old girl in Britain were taken into the custody of state protective services on Tuesday, police said.

Surrey Police in Britain said last week the welfare of the five children was "a priority" after Sara Sharif was found dead with multiple injuries in her family home in August.

They believe her father Urfan Sharif, aged 41, his partner Beinash Batool, 29, and his brother Faisal Malik, 28, fled to Pakistan with the children aged between one and 13 before Sara's body was found, sparking an international manhunt.

The children were found at Sharif's father's house in Jhelum after police received information that the couple were hiding there.

"We have been conducting investigations and raids for some time and were finally successful in recovering the children yesterday," Mudassar Khan, spokesman for the Jhelum police, told AFP.

Jhelum police are still investigating how long the children had been in the house as the search for Sharif and Batool continues. The house where the children were found was otherwise empty.

After a court appearance on Tuesday "the area magistrate has ordered the children be handed over into the custody of the child protection bureau," Khan said.

The fugitive couple said last week they were prepared to cooperate with UK authorities.

"Sara's death was an incident. Our family in Pakistan are severely affected by all that is going on," Batool said in a video shared with AFP by her relatives.

"My main concern is that Pakistani police will torture or kill us, that is why we have gone into hiding."

Surrey County Council in Britain, the local authority with responsibility for the welfare of children living in its area, said it was "monitoring developments" and "working with our partners to establish next steps".

The British High Commission in Islamabad did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Source: tribune.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2435446/children-of-couple-that-fled-britain-put-into-pakistan-state-custody

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North America

CAIR Encourages American People to Aid Libya Flood Victims

(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/12/2023) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today encouraged American Muslims and Americans of all faiths and backgrounds to do whatever they can to aid the victims of the deadly floods in Libya.

At least 3,000 people are feared dead and another 10,000 missing in Libya after a storm in the Mediterranean caused dams to burst, wiping out entire coastal settlements.

SEE: Thousands dead in Libya floods after Storm Daniel bursts dam: What we know

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/thousands-dead-in-libya-floods-after-storm-daniel-bursts-dam-what-we-know/ar-AA1gCcwO

How to Help Flood Victims in Libya

https://time.com/6313307/help-flood-victims-libya/

In a statement, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

“To God we belong and to Him we return. We pray for the victims of the devastating flooding that has affected Libya and urge our nation and the international community to provide immediate aid to the survivors. We pray that God protects all of humanity from such tragedies.”

He noted that yesterday, CAIR called on Americans to aid the victims of the earthquake in Morocco.

SEE: CAIR Encourages American People, Biden Administration to Aid Morocco Quake Victims

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-encourages-american-people-to-aid-libya-flood-victims/

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US okays fund transfer to Iran in prisoner deal

September 13, 2023

WASHINGTON: The United States confirmed on Monday it had signed off on the transfer of $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds from South Korea, paving the way for five US citizens to leave Tehran.

The two countries announced last month, after protracted negotiations, a deal in which the US citizens were freed from prison and put under house arrest, with the expectation they will fly out of Iran once the funds are moved to an account in Qatar.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken notified Congress that he had gone ahead on a key part of the agreement, signing a waiver that will shield banks involved in the transfer from US sanctions.

The money transfer is “a critical step in securing the release of these five US citizens”, a State Department spokesperson said.

President Joe Biden’s administration has insisted that Iran will only be allowed to use the money to buy food, medicine and other humanitarian goods, a point contested by Iran.

“We have not lifted any of our sanctions on Iran, and Iran is not receiving any sanctions relief,” the State Department spokesperson said.

In Tehran, foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani insisted that the money will allow his country to “purchase all non-sanctioned goods” which are not limited to food and medicine.

“We hope that this transfer will be completed in the coming days and that Iran will have full access to its assets,” Kanani said.

Kanani voiced optimism that the prisoner exchange “will take place soon”. The official IRNA news agency had reported that five Iranians would also be released from the United States.

The five Americans had been held for as long as eight years. All are of Iranian descent, with Tehran not recognising dual nationality.

Sources had said last month the five Americans were expected to leave Iran in mid-September.

‘Ransom payment’

Iran had generated the $6bn in question by selling its oil to South Korea, a close US ally, which froze the funds after the United States, under former president Donald Trump, reimposed sanctions as he withdrew from a nuclear accord.

“As we have said, no money is going to Iran directly and no taxpayer funds are being used. The funds held in South Korea are Iran’s funds,” the State Department spokesperson said.

Biden took office with hopes of restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement, under which Iran promised to constrain its contested nuclear work in return for sanctions relief.

But months of talks failed to produce a breakthrough, in part over Iranian demands for a full lifting of sanctions that were not directly linked to the nuclear programme.

Biden himself has conceded that the 2015 agreement is “dead”, with prospects sinking further after massive protests broke out in Iran a year ago following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic dress code.

The release of the funds and prisoners could come almost exactly on the anniversary of her death, Sept 16, and just as Biden and Iran’s hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, are in New York for the annual UN General Assembly, although they are not expected to meet.

Joe Biden’s Republican rivals have gone on the attack, describing the president as agreeing to a “ransom payment” to Tehran.

The transfer “creates a direct incentive for America’s adversaries to conduct future hostage-taking”, said Representative Mike McCaul, the Republican chair of the House foreign affairs committee.

“The administration is demonstrating weakness that only further endangers Americans and freedom-loving people around the world,” he said.

Source: dawn.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.dawn.com/news/1775621/us-okays-fund-transfer-to-iran-in-prisoner-deal

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US charges five ex-Memphis police officers beating death of Tyre Nichols

13 Sep 2023

MEMPHIS, Sept 13 ― A federal grand jury yesterday indicted five former Memphis police officers in the beating death of Black motorist Tyre Nichols, accusing them of trying to cover up their unlawful assault by turning away body cameras and lying to superiors about what happened.

The federal charges of civil rights violations, witness tampering and obstruction of justice will proceed separately from an existing state prosecution that has charged the five African-American officers with second-degree murder, aggravated assault and official misconduct.

The Shelby County District Attorney's Office said in a statement it was moving forward with its Tennessee state case and welcomed the assistance of the federal government, adding that the two probes were unlikely to intersect.

Police video captured images of the officers beating and kicking Nichols, hitting him with a baton, spraying him with pepper spray and firing a stun gun at him on Jan. 7 following a traffic stop. The case renewed a long-running national discussion of race relations and police brutality.

Nichols, 29, a father, aspiring photographer and avid skateboarder, cried out for his mother during the beating, expressing disbelief at being targeted and saying: “I'm just trying to go home.”

The federal charges allege the officers refused to render first aid afterwards and concealed the beating from emergency medical responders, violating his civil rights.

“Tyre Nichols should be alive today. No one in this country should have to bury a loved one because of police violence,” Kristen Clarke, who leads the US Justice Department's civil rights division, told a press conference.

The five former officers ― Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith ― pleaded not guilty in February to the state charges after they were fired from the Memphis Police Department.

All the defendants were expected to make their initial court appearances on the federal charges in the coming days, said Kevin Ritz, the US Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.

Defence attorney Michael Stengel, who represents Haley, said his client would plead not guilty and defend himself in court.

“The indictment is disappointing, but not surprising,” Stengel said in an email.

William Massey, an attorney representing Martin, said in an email: “We have been expecting it and are ready to move forward.”

Attorney Blake Ballin, who represents Mills, said the federal indictment “does not change Mr. Mills's position ... (he) will continue to defend himself against all allegations in both the state and federal court systems.”

Each of the two civil rights charges carry a maximum punishment of life in prison if convicted, Ritz said.

The other two counts each have a maximum sentence of 20 years. They accuse the officers of lying to superiors and investigators to cover up their crimes, in part by removing or turning away their body cameras at crucial moments and fabricating an account that Nichols tried to grab their weapons and “was so strong that he lifted two officers into the air.”

In July, the Justice Department opened a separate, civil investigation into whether the Memphis Police Department has an unconstitutional “pattern or practice” of using excessive force and racial discrimination.

The Justice Department said it had received multiple reports of Memphis officers using excessive force and reports they may have used force against people who are already restrained or in police custody. The department was conducting community meetings as part of that civil investigation, Clarke said. ― Reuters

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/09/13/us-charges-five-ex-memphis-police-officers-beating-death-of-tyre-nichols/90545

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CAIR-CO Condemns Distribution of Antisemitic Flyers in Arapahoe County

Ibrahim Hooper

September 12, 2023

(BOULDER, CO, 9/12/2023) – The Colorado chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CO), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the distribution of antisemitic flyers in Arapahoe County.

People in several neighborhoods in Arapahoe County discovered the flyers on their properties on Saturday. The flyers advertised a white supremacist film billed as a documentary.

“The people of Colorado must stand together in repudiation of the hatred this antisemitic propaganda seeks to promote,” said CAIR-CO Board Chair Krista Cole.

She said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging white supremacy, antisemitism, anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and all other forms of bigotry.

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-co-condemns-distribution-of-antisemitic-flyers-in-arapahoe-county/

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Trump legal cases expose corrupt political system in US: Putin

13 September 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the numerous criminal cases lodged against former US president Donald Trump as "politically-motivated persecution" on behalf of his Democratic rivals, which exposes the corrupt political system prevalent in the United States.

Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum gathering in Vladivostok on Tuesday, Putin said the numerous court cases filed by US judicial authorities against Trump were political revenge by his rivals which showed the existing fundamental corruption rooted in US politics.

“As for Trump, for us what is happening in today’s conditions, in my opinion, is good because it shows the rottenness of the American political system, which cannot pretend to teach others democracy," Putin said.

Trump, who is the frontrunner Republican candidate for the 2024 US presidential elections, is stuck in a mire of criminal cases lodged against him. Among other things, he is charged with making an attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat to Biden.

“Everything that is happening with Trump is the persecution of a political rival for political reasons. That’s what it is. And this is being done in front of the public of the United States and the whole world,” the Russian leader added.

Donald Trump warns that the Ukraine war could escalate into another world war.

Trump, who used to claim to have good relations with the Russian president, has vowed to end the Ukraine war if re-elected.

“We hear Mr. Trump say he will solve pressing problems in a few days, including the Ukrainian crisis. Well, this cannot but bring happiness. This is good,” Putin said.

Meanwhile, Pertinent to Putin's argument, on Tuesday, the GOP speaker of the Republican-led House of Representatives gave the go-ahead for an impeachment investigation into US President Joe Biden.

Democratic lawmakers have denounced the Republicans' move as an attempt to take revenge against Biden, who is a Democrat, for the double impeachment of Trump in 2017 and 2019 during the latter's presidency.

Source: presstv.ir

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/09/13/710751/Russia-Putin-US-Legal-case-against-trump-shows-corrupt-political-system

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Europe

UK trade unions back boycotts of Israel over Palestinian oppression

September 12, 2023

LONDON: Trade unions in the UK have passed a motion in support of boycotting Israel, condemning its oppression of the Palestinian people.

The motion, which was proposed by the National Education Union at the Trades Union Congress in Liverpool, called for political opposition to the upcoming Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, which, if passed in Parliament, would make it harder to boycott Israel.

It also called for support for a coalition of more than 70 groups called Right to Boycott, which includes Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Liberty, the Quakers, the Methodist Church, the Muslim Association of Britain, and Na’amod: British Jews Against Occupation.

The motion stated that the bill “would undermine ethical investment and procurement by public bodies by restricting the consideration of human and workers’ rights, international law and environmental concerns, linked to the behavior of a foreign state.”

It added: “It damages freedom of speech, local democracy, devolution, and pension scheme members’ rights.”

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said in a statement: “We welcome the passing of this important motion which confirms the enduring support of the British trade union movement for the Palestinian struggle for liberation, and its opposition to the government’s attempts to repress the BDS movement.

“The motion importantly rejects any attempt to delegitimize the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel and companies supporting its oppression and support for that call here in the UK.

“We urge the Labour Party leadership to pay heed to this overwhelming vote by a body representing millions of British workers, including thousands of Labour Party members.”

The Labour Party said it would oppose the government’s bill but has called suggestions the BDS campaign is solely motivated by opposition to Israeli oppression of Palestinians “problematic.”

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2372446/middle-east

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Frontline report: Burning fields make mines visible, aiding Ukrainians to advance in Zaporizhzhia’s Tokmak direction

13/09/2023

As of 12 September, the biggest news comes from the Tokmak direction. After Ukrainian tank crews conducted an extensive series of raids on the Russian positions in front of Novoprokopivka, Ukrainians set perfect conditions for infantry attacks.

Recently released footage shows Ukrainian fighters entering the tree line and clearing positions. The tree line was still burning, which means that the infantry assault was either conducted immediately after a tank raid or after an intense artillery preparation.

Such conditions are not rare because there are many Russian ammunition and mines in the tree lines, some of which detonate during the strikes.

Ukrainian fighters said that with the increased use of cluster shells, destroying enemy ammunition and causing fires in the tree lines became very easy.

On top of leaving the enemy with less ammunition, the burning ground helps Ukrainian assault units to identify scattered mines more easily.

The density of mines on the fields is insane, and demining equipment would not withstand so many explosions in one go. However, what Ukrainians found out is that when they attack through the burned field, the drivers of vehicles can just move around the mines because they can see them.

The mine clearing equipment, therefore, works as insurance in case some mines cannot be avoided. So, the use of cluster shells significantly improved the efficiency of infantry assaults not only by destroying ammunition but also by allowing Ukrainian assault units to get to their positions safely and much faster because Ukrainians can use armored cars with light demining equipment instead of T-64 tanks.

After the positions are taken, Ukrainians are demining the tree lines and the area around them. Ukrainians also recently created an improvised demining device with a remote control that specializes in demining light but tricky-to-find anti-personnel mines. All of that helped Ukrainians to deepen the bridgehead substantially.

As of 12 September, Russian sources reported that Ukrainians are already virtually on the outskirts of Novoprokopivka. After clearing all the fields and tree lines, there is only one field that separates Ukrainians from entering the village itself.

Recently released footage by Russian soldiers confirms that those units that are operating north of Novoprokopivka are retreating. The retreating soldiers pass the destroyed Russian equipment and personnel right behind their positions.

The destroyed units were likely a reinforcement that never got to the contact line due to the Ukrainian artillery and drone fire. Less than 1 minute in, the retreating Russian soldiers were detected by a Ukrainian drone and suffered from artillery fire. The Russians tried to run, but their fate is unknown.

As the Ukrainian command saw that Ukrainians were gaining momentum and the bridgehead – and, therefore, the area of operation was increasing, the assault units were reinforced.

Russian sources confirmed that the front line shifted even more to the south and reported that Ukrainians moved in additional elements from the 71st Jagger Brigade toward Robotyne and elements from the Ukrainian Special Forces toward Verbove to ramp up the offensive operation.

To undermine Ukrainian plans and not allow fresh forces to reinforce the units on the contact line, Russian forces conducted a massive flank attack. The main area where Russians delivered the hit was between Novopokrovka and Verbove, and those fresh forces reportedly had to engage with Russians not where they expected.

Russian sources reported that the goal was achieved, and the fresh Ukrainian troops were fixed and now are stuck defending the eastern flank instead of storming the southern line.

But Ukrainians breached the Russian defense in the south anyway.

Recently released geolocated footage shows how Russian artillery is shelling Ukrainian troops inside the newly captured Russian trenches right behind the passed dragon teeth.

As you can see, the situation remains difficult, but Ukrainian fighters are consistently getting closer to Tokmak.

In the meantime, in anticipation of the liberation of their land, Ukrainians who are living in the villages near Tokmak were seen launching a Ukrainian flag in the sky towards Ukrainian forces on the southern contact line.

In our daily frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Source: euromaidanpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/09/13/frontline-report-burning-fields-make-mines-visible-aiding-ukrainians-to-advance-in-zaporizhzhias-tokmak-direction/

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Ukraine returns 13 children from Russian-occupied territories

12/09/2023

On 12 September, the NGO Save Ukraine returned 13 more children from the Russian-occupied territories of Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts as part of its 11th rescue mission, the NGO’s executive director, former Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Mykola Kuleba reported.

“In total, we have returned 176 children to Ukraine in 11 rescue missions,” Kuleba said.

In his Telegram post, Kuleba also revealed some details of the children’s stories.

“Olesia’s mother hid her from the occupation authorities and fellow villagers for a whole year so that no one would find out that she was living with her and force her to study at a Russian school”

“The divorced parents of Polina, Taras, and Matvii took different positions after the outbreak of the full-scale war: their mother supported Ukraine, and their father became pro-Russian. And it was the father who banned the mother from taking the children out of Russian-controlled territory. There, under occupation, the children were forced to attend Russian schools and threatened with the deprivation of their parental rights.”

A Russian official has admitted that Russian authorities have brought about 700,000 Ukrainian children from the occupied territories to Russia since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war in 2014.

Source: euromaidanpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/09/12/ukraine-returns-13-children-from-russian-occupied-territories/

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32 Shahed drones downed over Odesa Oblast overnight, 7 truck drivers injured

13 SEPTEMBER 2023

Ukrainian air defence forces shot down 32 attack drones over Odesa Oblast on the night of 12-13 September, the port infrastructure was hit, and 7 people were injured.

Quote: "The enemy attacked Odesa Oblast with attack drones for 4.5 hours at night. Once again, they targeted civil infrastructure facilities in the Danube region in Odesa.

32 Shahed-131/136 UAVs were shot down by air defence forces.

Unfortunately, the hit on the port infrastructure damaged non-residential buildings and caused a fire in a truck parking area. The fire was promptly extinguished.

Seven civilian drivers were taken to a medical facility with injuries of varying severity."

Source: pravda.com.ua

Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/09/13/7419571/

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Uttar Pradesh To Terminate Approval Of 240 Madrasas, after A Comprehensive Review

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