'Used to Visit Veg Hotel Run by A Muslim': SC Judge, SVN Bhatti
New Age Islam News Bureau
23 July 2024
Supreme Court on Kanwar Yatra order
----------
·
'Used to Visit Veg Hotel Run by A Muslim': SC
Judge, SVN Bhatti
·
‘Good Taliban’ Feature in KP Govt-Jirga Talks
·
Turkish Imam Draws Interest to Islam by Singing
Hymns with Street Musicians in US
·
The New Spirit of Islamism: Interactions
between AKP, Ennahda and the Muslim Brotherhood
·
Military Rescues 330 Women, Children from Boko
Haram’s Enclave, Hands Them Over to Borno Govt
India
·
Nuh Jalabhishek Yatra Ends Peacefully with
Muslim Welcoming Devotees with Garlands
·
‘Why Defame Muslims?’ On Kanwar Yatra Route,
Mixed Feelings On Diktat to Display Names
·
Meet The Muslim Artisans Behind the Sacred
Kanwar
·
Demolition of Centuries Old Qutb Shahi Era
Mosque in Telangana; Immediate Action Initiated for Reconstruction of the Mosque
·
BJP will be decimated in Jharkhand polls if it
continues Hindu-Muslim politics: Hemant Soren
·
Soldier injured as Army foils infiltration bid
in J-K’s Poonch
·
Egypt a valued strategic partner of India:
Jaishankar
·
Militant killed, soldier among two injured in
gunfights in J&K’s Rajouri
·
Jammu and Kashmir: Militants target Shaurya
Chakra awardee VDG Purshottam Kumar's home
--------
Pakistan
·
Policy shift allows Pakistani asylum seekers to
get passports
·
PM ‘delays’ cabinet meet to take up PTI ban
·
CM Gandapur likely to convene KP Apex Committee
huddle post-Bannu jirga meeting
·
Imran, Bushra seek high-quality jail facilities
in new IHC petition
·
Three terrorists trying to infiltrate Dir from
Afghanistan 'sent to hell': ISPR
·
Pakistan Army wants nation to 'stand up against
militants, digital terrorists'
·
Police arrest PTI's Hasan for operating
'anti-Pakistan digital media cell'
--------
North America
·
Georgia Muslim Lawmaker Urges Kamala Harris To
Endorse Middle East Ceasefire
·
Edison High School Assistant Principal Accused
of Intimidating Muslim Students
·
Mosque with ties to Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali
receives historic preservation funds
·
CAIR Calls for Probe of Possible Bias Motive
for Vandalism Targeting North Carolina Mosque
·
Man accused of breaking mosque windows in Gastonia
--------
Europe
·
Harrow GP who led banned Islamist group has
work suspension overturned
·
Imam, rabbi, bishop and a minister perform
mitzvah
·
Pendle mayor's apology for row in Nelson mosque
with council officer
·
US state-run media editor jailed in Russia ‘for
disinformation’
·
‘House of Terror’ claims lives of two young
women
·
War of the words: How Ukraine broke its
promises to Russian speakers
--------
Africa
·
Director of MSF talks about the repercussions
of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan
·
Sudan: UAE president expresses support in call
with Burhan
·
Bawumia to rehabilitate Bole Mosque following
appeal
·
‘Let’s Learn from India, Sudan’s Experience’ –
Tinubu Cautions Nigerians Against Planned Protests
--------
Mideast
·
Amnesty International: International Court of Justice's
Fatwa Historic Victory for Palestinian Rights
·
Israeli Government Quietly Sends Millions to
Unauthorized West Bank Settler Outposts
·
Palestinian officials say Israel troops kill 5
in West Bank raid
·
Palestinian factions sign declaration to end
divisions after talks in China
·
Islamic Resistance Targets Zionist Spying
Equipment
·
Inauguration events & activities
commemorating Imam Zaid martyrdom in capital secretariat
·
Islamic Resistance Continues Targeting Israeli
Occupation Sites near Lebanon Border
·
'He saved my children': Oman mosque shooting
victims hailed as heroes
--------
Arab World
·
Jeddah’s Historic District Celebrates 10 Years
On UNESCO World Heritage List
·
Saudi Focuses On Global Economy at G20 Development
Meeting
·
Saudi farmer turns worm waste into wealth in
innovative move
·
Saudi minister meets Swiss ambassador to Riyadh
·
Saudi Real Estate Registry clinches prestigious
Esri GIS Award
·
Saudi, North Macedonia to strengthen Islamic
affairs cooperation
·
KSrelief delivers essential aid to thousands in
Syria and Sudan
--------
South Asia
·
Fazlur Rehman: Taliban to Revise Curriculum to
Foster Positive Afghan Perception Of Pakistan
·
Education Minister Unveils Six Educational
Projects Worth Over 122 Million AFN in Balkh
·
Foreign ministry strongly condemns Zionist regime’s
air raid on Hudaydah port
·
Handicrafts exhibition held in Bamyan
·
1,500 sheep killed in mountain fall in
Badakhshan, Afghanistan
·
Pakistani troops kill three militants at
Afghanistan border
·
Nearly 4,000 Afghan migrants deported from Iran
and Pakistan
--------
Southeast Asia
·
Education Ministry says no exemptions over ban
against school donations from tobacco, alcohol sponsors
·
Fahmi tells WhatsApp, Telegram to be more
responsible amid complaints of sexual grooming, porn and scams
·
Federal Court dismisses Bangladeshi’s appeal to
reduce sentence for girlfriend’s murder
·
Six former UPNM students sentenced to death for
Zulfarhan’s murder
·
‘Study, Study, Study’: Jokowi on Children’s Day
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
'Used to
Visit Veg Hotel Run by A Muslim': SC Judge, SVN Bhatti
23 July
2024
Supreme
Court on Kanwar Yatra order
-------------
Batting
for hygiene at eateries, Supreme Court judge SVN Bhatti said on Monday he used
to frequent a vegetarian restaurant run by a Muslim while posted in Kerala as
it maintained international standards of hygiene.
Justice
Bhatti shared his experience when he was with Justice Hrishikesh Roy on a bench
hearing pleas against directives issued by BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and
Uttarakhand.
The top
court stayed the directives asking eateries along the Kanwar Yatra routes to
display the names of their owners and staff but said they may be required to
display information about the kind of food they are serving like they are
vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
"I
have my experience and knowledge when I was in Kerala. I may not state openly
as I am a sitting judge of this court. Without disclosing the name of the city,
there is a vegetarian hotel run by a Hindu. There is another vegetarian hotel
run by a Muslim."
"As
a judge of that state, I was going to the hotel run by a Muslim for vegetarian
food. When it comes to food standard and safety, he was displaying everything.
He had returned from Dubai. He was maintaining international standards with
regard to safety, cleanliness and hygiene. So it was my choice to go to that
hotel," Justice Bhatti said.
Senior
advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP
Mahua Moitra, said," You chose by menu card and not name."
Singhvi
said as a consequence of the directives, services of some employees of the eateries
have been terminated.
He
asserted the directives lack any constitutional or legal backing and infringe
upon the secular character of the country.
The top
court said the directions and their enforcement will have implications for
multiple states in the country where Kanwar Yatra takes place.
The
bench issued notice to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya
Pradesh, where the Ujjain municipal body has issued a similar directive, on a
host of petitions against the orders.
The top
court was hearing a batch of pleas including those by Moitra, academician
Apoorvanand Jha and columnist Aakar Patel, and NGO Association for Protection
of Civil Rights challenging the directives.
Source: outlookindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.outlookindia.com/national/used-to-visit-veg-hotel-run-by-a-muslim-sc-judge-as-court-stays-kanwar-yatra-order-on-displaying-names-at-eateries
--------
‘Good
Taliban’ feature in KP govt-jirga talks
July 23,
2024
PESHAWAR
/ LAKKI MARWAT: The issue of ‘good Taliban’ — a euphemism for militants who
surrendered to security forces — was one of the main items on the table when
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur met with representatives of
the 40-strong Bannu Aman Jirga.
A
meeting to iron out the issues resulting from the violence during a peace rally
in the district ended “on a happy note” late on Monday night, with sources
saying both sides had basically agreed on all points.
A day
earlier, the jirga comprising local elders and representatives of protesters
had put forth 16 demands in their meeting with the district administration,
which were subsequently forwarded to the KP government.
In their
demands, the jirga sought an end to centres of Taliban militants who had
surrendered, as well as a stop to their patrols and pickets.
40-strong
Bannu Aman Jirga demands end to militant pickets and patrols; says it won’t
accept military operation in province
The
presence of ‘good Taliban’ groups has become a contentious topic and observers
believe this issue is the thorniest of all and likely to pose a challenge for
the government, both in KP and the Centre.
On
Sunday, CM Gandapur issued a video message on social media and said he had
pointed out at the first meeting of the apex committee that some armed men —
posing as government officials or claiming to represent government agencies —
were roaming the area and interfering in government affairs.
He said
that he had also informed the forum that the people of the province, police and
government had serious reservations over this. CM Gandapur said that he had
ordered the police to immediately arrest such individuals.
‘No to
Azm-i-Istehkam’
In
addition to the demand for the removal of ‘good Taliban’, the iirga said they
would not accept the proposed operation, namely Azm-i-Istehkam, in the province
in general and Bannu in particular. It also sought night patrols by the police
and action against the militants without pressure from any security agency.
Similarly,
the jirga also requested the search and strike operations at houses and
seminaries be carried out by police and its Counter Terrorism Department,
instead of the military.
They
also demanded that local police resources and strength should also be increased
as well as the strengthening of the CTD.
Besides,
they also demanded that Jumma Khan Road and Burma Shell Point be opened for
traffic. The jirga also asked the authorities that all missing persons be
presented before the court of law. In addition to this, the jirga demanded that
the CTD take action against the ‘good/ bad Taliban’ without any interference by
any agency.
They
also demanded treatment for injured police officials at the combined military
hospitals and a due share in local natural resources, especially gas and
minerals. In addition to this, the jirga also calls for the restoration of
internet/cellphone services. “Cops suspended due to last month’s scuffle
between the Military Intelligence and police should be reinstated,” one of the
demands stated. Similarly, it asked for a judicial inquiry into the death of
three martyred civilians during the recent terrorist attack at the Bannu
cantonment.
Bannu
sit-in
On the
other hand, a protest sit-in attended by thousands of people continued on the
third consecutive day at Abdul Sattar Shah Chowk in Bannu.
An elder
said that any agreement reached between the government and the committee would
be placed before the participants of the sit-in to take them into confidence
over it.
“If
demands are not met, the second phase of agitation will be launched for which
an announcement has been made at the protest camp,” he said.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1847469/good-taliban-feature-in-kp-govt-jirga-talks
--------
Turkish
imam draws interest to Islam by singing hymns with street musicians in US
22.07.2024
A
Turkish Imam or prayer leader at a well-known Islamic center in Maryland, which
serves the Muslim community in the Washington metropolitan area, gained
attention on social media after appearing in a video with a street musician in
New York singing a hymn.
Dursun
Sahin, the Imam at the Diyanet Center of America in Lanham, Maryland, has
gained social media attention with a video in which he sings a hymn alongside
an American street musician.
Along
with his theological studies, Sahin's musical education enables him to reach
out to people's hearts.
He
graduated from Samsun Imam Hatip High School and attended Istanbul University's
Faculty of Theology.
Driven
by his interest in music, he pursued a master's degree in Turkish Music at the
State Conservatory of Necmettin Erbakan University in Türkiye’s central Konya
province.
He has
served as an imam in various mosques across different provinces in Türkiye, including
Istanbul’s Uskudar Cinili Mosque, for 22 years.
For the
past six months, he has been the Imam at the Diyanet Center of America.
He
captures the attention of passers-by and sparks their interest in Islam by
singing hymns to the tunes of a street musician at iconic locations in New
York.
Sahin
told Anadolu that the video in which he spontaneously sang a hymn in the
"Nihavent Makam" – a traditional Turkish music scale – with a street
musician in New York went quickly viral on social media and received a lot of
appreciation.
"When
I heard the musician, the Nihavent Makam came to my mind. I suggested that we
sing something. The musician added some embellishments in between, and it
turned out beautifully," he said.
"I
don't think it would have been as good if we had prepared. It was completely
spontaneous, and we didn't expect to receive such a positive response. Everyone
began taking out their phones to record, and they applauded when I was
finished. They said they wanted to visit the mosque," Sahin recalled.
"I
recite the call to prayer in five different maqams at the mosque, which draws a
lot of attention. I've seen this arouse curiosity about religion in both
Uskudar and America, with people influenced by the sound looking into what the
Quran says," he explained.
Source: aa.com.tr
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkiye/turkish-imam-draws-interest-to-islam-by-singing-hymns-with-street-musicians-in-us/3282601
--------
The New
Spirit of Islamism: Interactions between AKP, Ennahda and the Muslim
Brotherhood
July 22,
2024
Egypt’s
Muslim Brotherhood, Tunisia’s Ennahda and Turkiye’s AKP have enjoyed close
relations going back decades. Understanding the dynamics and nature of these
relations can be somewhat complex, as research into these movements by
journalists, analysts and academics is often coloured by what they think of
Islamism broadly, which is often fused together with things like the war on
terror, concerns about subversion of national identity and fears of radical
transformation of societies such as those witnessed after the 1979 Iranian
revolution, or Daesh after seizing control of parts of Iraq and Syria between
2014-2017. This can lead to some very poor analysis of Islamism, in general,
and Islamists, in particular. However, many scholars have been pushing back
against these simplified notions and have attempted to understand different
Islamist movements through the nuances and contexts in which they exist.
There is
now a rich body of scholarship to work from and Ezgi Basaran’s new book, The
New Spirit of Islamism: Interactions between AKP, Ennahda and the Muslim
Brotherhood attempts to explore the evolving relationship between three key
Islamist movements which have shaped the Middle East and North Africa.
Against Erasure: A Photographic Memory of
Palestine Before the Nakba
A key
observation Basaran makes about Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Tunisia’s Ennahda
and Turkiye’s AKP is ‘They do not position themselves in direct opposition to
Western ideals or institutions; rather they are seen as ‘constituting a part of
the West’s ideological diversity’…Their priority lies in cultivating an image
of success, even if it requires diluting Islamism main credos.’ She cautions
that each movement is reflecting and working within their own local contexts
and they are very much invested in their respective national politics, but that
they also look to each other to learn the dos and don’ts of building
governance. They have deeply influenced one another but act independently of
each other and make decisions about what their politics and policies ought to
be, based on their own position within their country’s politics.
This is
an important point, as in trying to understand the relationship between different
Islamist movements, we have to be careful about over-universalising them or
assuming what is true of one movement must also be true of the other. Basaran
carried out interviews with different activists from the AKP, Ennahda and
Muslim Brotherhood to try and build up a picture of what these transnational
ties mean and look like.
The
notion of success, meaning pursuing economic and political power and how
effectively it is achieved, is a key driver of the influence the three Islamist
movements have over one another. There is this notion of the Turkish success
story influencing the Muslim Brotherhood and Ennahda, who seek to adapt that
perceived success to the Egyptian and Tunisian contexts. Much like the AKP,
both the Muslim Brotherhood and Ennahda have undergone evolutions away from
trying to create an Islamic order based on Shariah law and moral codes, argues
Basaran, not because they do not still personally believe in the ideal, per se,
but because they discovered the road was blocked, thus religious political
emphasis needed to be shifted elsewhere while adoption of neo-liberalism,
nationalism and gaining power needed to be the core objective.
While
this is what happened after the 2011 Arab Spring, it would be wrong to assume
that it was a one-way street in terms of influence. Indeed, Turkish Islamism
was deeply influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood and Ennahda Party. Indeed, as
Rached Ghannouchi remarked and quoted in the book: “Seven of my books have been
translated into Turkish and are very well known. I was walking down the street
in Istanbul’s Fatih district one day when a group of young people approached me
and paid their respects. My friend, Loutfi, was with me at the time, and he
joked that if you run for office in Turkey, you’d have a good chance of
winning.” Ghannouchi was deeply influential for the founders of the AKP. His
book on public liberties in the Islamic state was translated into Turkish,
three years after its initial publication in Arabic in the mid-90s and his
subsequent works on women’s rights, secularism and democracy found keen
audiences in Turkiye, especially among the upper echelons of the AKP. ‘The
Turkish Model’, which would influence Islamist thinkers post-Arab Spring, was
itself born partially as a result of the diffusion of ideas between the Ennahda
and AKP. The model shifted the emphasis from being an Islamist party to being
conservative Muslim democrats which, in turn, fed back into the Arab World. As
Basaran’s interviews with Muslim Brotherhood members revealed, ‘the MB went beyond
mere observation of the AKP’s model and actively engaged in learning from it
for practical reasons.’
The New
Spirit of Islamism usefully contributes to our understanding of Islamist
politics by demonstrating how influence among different movements occurs and
how local dynamics evolve the movements. The need to prove you can govern and
the realisation that society is diverse and made up of different actors, forced
the AKP, the Muslim Brotherhood and Ennahda to undergo a transformation with
differing results and outcome. The New Spirit of Islamism is an intriguing text
to think through, and with, in making sense of the dynamics of Islamist
politics in the MENA region.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240722-the-new-spirit-of-islamism-interactions-between-akp-ennahda-and-the-muslim-brotherhood/
--------
Military
rescues 330 women, children from Boko Haram’s enclave, hands them over to Borno
Govt
July 23,
2024
A cross
section of the rescued women and children
------------
The
Nigerian military has achieved a significant milestone in the fight against
Boko Haram, rescuing 330 women and children from the terrorist group’s enclaves
in Sambisa forest.
The
survivors, comprising 110 women and 220 children, were handed over to the Borno
state government on Monday at the Sports Center of the 7 Division, Nigerian
Army Maimamalari Cantonment Maiduguri.
The
Theater Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Theater Command Headquarters
Maimamalari Cantonment Maiduguri, Maj. Gen. Wahidu Shaibu, disclosed that the
rescue operation was carried out by troops in Operation at Dikwa and Bama axis.
Maj.
Gen. Shaibu said the survivors were profiled, given medical checks and
treatment, and provided with food, clothing, and polio immunization.
He attributed
the success of the rescue mission to the support of the Borno state
government’s non-kinetic approach, which has facilitated the increasing number
of rescues of those still in captivity.
He also
appreciated the efforts of the media and the state ministry of women affairs
and social development in the rehabilitation and reintegration of the rescued
individuals.
Receiving
the survivors, Hajiya Aisha Shettima, Director of Social Welfare, Ministry of
Women Affairs and Social Development, assured that the women and children would
undergo mental and psychosocial checks, rehabilitation, and skills acquisition
training before being reintegrated with their families and returned to society.
She also
commended the military’s efforts and concern, assuring proper deradicalization
processes as part of the Borno Model Concept implementation.
The
event was marked with a group photograph and symbolic handing over of the
rescued women and children.
Source: nationalaccordnewspaper.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.nationalaccordnewspaper.com/military-rescues-330-women-children-from-boko-haram-hands-them-over-to-borno-govt/
--------
India
Nuh
Jalabhishek Yatra ends peacefully with Muslim welcoming devotees with garlands
22.07.24
The Braj
Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra that was marred by violence last year concluded
peacefully on Monday as it passed through Nuh amid tight security arrangements,
with members of both Hindu and Muslim communities welcoming the procession at
different points.
Mahamandleshwar
Swami Dharamdev said the yatra conveyed a powerful message of Hindu-Muslim
brotherhood across the country.
Chanting
"Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Sri Ram", devotees started the
yatra from Nalhar Mahadev Mandir and proceeded to Jhir Mandir in Ferozepur
Jhirka here.
The
yatra, which spanned nearly 80 km, concluded at the temple in Singar village in
the evening.
Ahead of
the yatra, tight security arrangements were made with deployment of over 2,000
security personnel including paramilitary and surveillance through drones to
keep a check on malcontents.
Meetings
between representatives from both communities proved effective in making the
yatra conclude on a peaceful note, officials said.
The
yatra, which entered Nuh district around 11 am, ended around 5.30 pm with the
'Jalabhishek' in the district's three main temples -- Nalhar Mahadev Temple,
Ferozepur Jhirka's Jhir Temple and the temple in Singar village.
In the
morning, many devotees gathered at Radha Krishna temple in the adjoining
Gurugram's Sector 10 before leaving for the Nalhar temple.
Before
the yatra began, a large group of women also reached the Nalhar Mahadev temple
where they were accorded a warm welcome by Muslims at the Tiranga Chowk.
Several
groups of Muslims welcomed the saints part of the yatra with garlands along the
route.
Imam
Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, chairman of All India Imam Organization, had on Sunday
visited Nalhar Mahadev Temple in Nuh to appeal for peace.
Many
welcome gates were erected and food stalls set up for the members of the
procession.
Liquor
shops had been ordered shut on Sunday till the yatra was completed.
Nuh
Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata said the yatra was carried out smoothly
amid stringent security.
He and
Superintendent of Police Vijay Pratap Singh had visited the three temples
before the procession overseeing all arrangements.
"The
district administration had ensured preparations and arrangements on a large
scale in view of today's religious programmes. A large number of devotees
worshipped with full enthusiasm in all the temples of the district,"
Khadgata said.
"District
Nuh has had a tradition of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood for years, which was
clearly visible again in today's event," he added.
For a
peaceful conduct of the yatra, Khadgata was felicitated by the Shiv Temple
Development Committee.
Devender
Singh, a leader of Vishva Hindu Parishad, Manesar, said the procession became
even more devotional and brotherly when Muslims welcomed the Hindus with
garlands.
Nuh SP
Singh said, "What happened last year was unfortunate but this time the
Yatra was peaceful and successful. The efforts of police and administration
proved effective." Six people, including two home guards and a cleric of a
Gurugram mosque, died in the clashes that erupted when a mob attacked a Vishva
Hindu Parishad procession in Nuh on July 31 last year.
According
to officials, over 2,000 personnel from police and paramilitary were deployed
in the district ahead of the Monday procession.
The
Haryana government had suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Nuh
district a day before for 24 hours.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/nuh-jalabhishek-yatra-ends-peacefully-with-muslim-welcoming-devotees-with-garlands/cid/2035535
--------
‘Why
defame Muslims?’ On Kanwar Yatra route, mixed feelings on diktat to display
names
At first
glance, it is business as usual on National Highway 334. Like every monsoon,
the wide road stretching from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to the plains of North
India is dotted with men in saffron.
These
are kanwariyas – thousands of young men carrying matkas, or earthen pots, full
of water from the river Ganga back to their cities and villages. The Kanwar Yatra
is a centuries-old pilgrimage of the devotees of the Hindu god Shiva.
But
something has changed. In the highway skirting Jwalapur, a small town six
kilometres ahead of Haridwar, the food stalls set up to serve the kanwariyas
look different.
The
names of those who run these eateries are pasted upfront, for all visitors to
see.
On July
19, the Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Dobhal put out a
formal order that eateries must display their owners’ names.
Several
of the shop owners told Scroll the order followed a meeting with the Haridwar
legislator from Bharatiya Janata Party, Madan Kaushik, who told them that they
would be allowed to set up stalls only if they carry their Aadhaar cards and
display their “religion and caste” outside their shops.
Kaushik
confirmed that the eatery owners came to meet him on July 18. “I told them that
they should put up their names on the shops as ordered by the government,” he
told Scroll. “But I did not ask them to mention their religion and caste.”
The diktat
ensuring the public display of identity is inspired by the directives of the
BJP government in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh.
On July
15, the police in UP’s Muzaffarnagar district asked eateries on the Kanwar
Yatra route to label their shops and carts with the names of their owners. On
July 19, the move was extended to the entire state to “ensure that there’s no
confusion” – the Haridwar administration passed a similar order the same day.
Opposition
leaders and civil society activists have argued that the policy’s actual motive
is to discriminate against eateries run by Muslims. Even the BJP’s allies,
including the Rashtriya Lok Dal in western UP, the Janata Dal (United) and Lok
Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) in Bihar, and the Ajit Pawar-NCP in Maharashtra,
have expressed displeasure at the directive.
According
to a report in the YouTube news channel The Red Mike, officials have asked
several eateries in Muzaffarnagar to not employ Muslims during the pilgrimage.
On July
22, the Supreme Court, responding to several petitions by civil society
activists, academics and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, stayed the
directives of both UP and Uttarakhand governments. The court, however, said
that the eateries should display the type of food being served.
The
eateries
In
Haridwar, owners of food stalls near Jwalapur told Scroll that the local
authorities had bulldozed their stalls when the pilgrimage began.
The
stalls on the highway near Jwalapur have come up over the last two weeks,
selling fruits, water and food to kanwariyas, exhausted by the weight of the
matkas and the humid afternoon.
Pammi,
33, sat in her shop with two teenage sons. Her family has been setting up
eateries on the highway for kanwariyas for nearly a decade. “My shop was
demolished twice by the police earlier this month,” she said. “This had never
happened before.”
Hundred
metres ahead, Anju and Pooja Kashyap, who run separate eateries, recount
similar stories. “The police officials said that we cannot run these shops on
the highway,” said Pooja. “Both of our families incurred a loss of Rs 5,000
because of the demolition.”
This is
a common story for all eateries here. And yet, they are all functional now,
thanks to a simple compromise.
“On July
18, my husband and about 20 other eatery owners met MLA Madan Kaushik to
discuss our problem,” Pammi told Scroll. “He said that we could set up our
shops again but on two conditions – we have to carry our Aadhaar cards and
print our names on the banner to show our religion and caste. This has not
happened before.”
At least
four other eatery owners confirmed this claim.
Pammi, a
Dalit, has put up a poster that simply says “Tilak Ram” – her husband’s name.
Other eateries do not make an explicit mention of caste too: like the “Sushil
Kumar Bhojanalaya” and the “Manoj Kumar Bhojanalaya”.
Anju’s
banner says “Khatu Shyam Bhojanalaya”. But in the top left corner, in a smaller
font, is her husband’s name, “Anuj Kashyap”. Kashyaps are listed as an Other
Backward Class in Uttarakhand.
Then
there are eateries that have not put up any posters, like the one owned by Ruby
Mishra, a Brahmin. “My banner is still at the printer’s shop,” said Mishra,
smiling.
Despite
the ambiguity of caste, the banners make one thing clear – all the eateries
here are owned by Hindus.
Muslims
make nearly 34% of Haridwar district’s population, according to the 2011
census.
“Even if
Muslims want to set up a shop, we won’t let them,” said an assertive Mishra,
whose husband drives a tempo. “The Muslim caste has no values. They can add
anything to the food served to the kanwariyas. Over that, they eat cows,
whereas we worship them.”
This is
a widespread sentiment among Hindu shop-owners. Satendra Rajput, 28, who sells
Chinese dishes to the kanwariyas, said that he had heard how Muslims spit or
urinate into the food they serve to Hindus.
“Mohammedan
ye koshish karte hai ki humara dharam-bhrashth ho jaye,” he said. Muslims try
to violate our faith. “I have seen it in the news and on YouTube.”
The
claim that Muslims spit into food they cook has been a popular Hindutva
disinformation trope that picked up during the Covid-19 pandemic, often called
“thook jihad”.
Rajput
is a Lodhi, a caste listed as an OBC in Uttarakhand. Outside the Kanwar Yatra
season, he runs a cosmetic store in Haridwar.
But there
are exceptions. For instance, Pammi does not believe that Muslims are trying to
corrupt Hindus. “They hardly put up shops here,” she added. “During Kanwar
Yatra, Muslims don’t even venture out much on the highway. Why defame them like
this?”
What
kanwariyas think
In their
weeks-long trek across North India, kanwariyas are supposed to stick to a few
rules: they do not consume alcohol, non-vegetarian food, and any food item that
includes onion and garlic.
In
Haridwar, many of them share the worldview of the eatery-owners. Like Himanshu
Verma, a 19-year-old Dalit, who was enjoying an afternoon siesta at Ruby
Mishra’s eatery.
“Before
I left, my father told me: 'don't eat anything untoward’,” said Verma, who
studies in a management institute in Noida. “I wouldn’t have to tell her
[Mishra] that she shouldn’t add onion and garlic to my food. That’s because
she’s Hindu. But can you assume that in a Muslim’s shop?”
At a
cigarette cart half a kilometre away, the fears of Faridabad resident Vivek
Gautam, 21, are more acute. “Muslims will serve us chicken to violate our
faith,” he said.
Other
kanwariyas had little to say about the policy but were reluctant to smear
Muslims. Anshu Saini, 20, a kanwariya from Delhi, had also done the pilgrimage
last monsoon. “In Meerut last year, I saw many Muslims do good things for us
during the yatra,” he recalled. “They gave us food and first-aid. Here, most of
the eateries do not even provide water. My friends and I will eat at a Muslim
eatery if we get drinking water and facilities to take a shower.”
A tired
Bablu Sawariya, a 28-year-old Dalit from Rajasthan, also said that he would eat
at a shop run by Muslims, provided that it has “good arrangements”.
Back
home, Sawariya works in the human resource department of a manufacturing firm.
“At my workplace, I work with Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs,” he said. “Can I do my
job by discriminating against Muslims and Sikhs? I can’t. Banners with names
shouldn’t be necessary for these eateries.”
He then
paused, and quipped: “These kanwars that we carry are also made by Muslims.
Does that make our pilgrimage impure?”
The
kanwar-makers of Jwalapur
The word
‘kanwariya’ comes from ‘kanwar’ – the colourful carriers made of bamboo and
cloth that the young pilgrims bear on their shoulders for hundreds of kilometres
during the yatra.
In
Haridwar district, most of the kanwars are made by Muslim artisans in Indra
Basti, a neighbourhood in Jwalapur.
The
kanwars can range from anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 25,000, depending on their
size and the scale of intricate artistry on the cloth.
The
arbitrary diktats of the Haridwar administration do not plague the artisans
here, who live in cramped gullies and small rooms.
Men,
women and children spend most of their day tying together bamboo sticks,
adorning them with cloth printed with Hindu iconography, and pasting
decorations on the cloth.
“This is
the government, it can do anything,” said artisan Sonu Abbasi, 35, when asked
about the banner policy. “Those who are wise know what is happening. But if we
don’t make kanwars, how will most people do the pilgrimage?”
Shaqib,
16, told Scroll that making kanwars is an ancestral practice in his family. “My
father did it and so did my grandfather. We do this because it promotes
brotherhood,” he said, while carefully draping a green cloth around a four-foot
tall carrier.
Most
artisans shy away from expressing their views on the local authorities’ demands
to install names outside highway eateries. But those who do take a poor view of
it.
“It is a
tactic to divide,” said Mubarak Ali, 34, while working on a kanwar that says
‘Jai Shri Ram’ and carries the angry face of the Hindu god Hanuman – ironically
the iconography associated with the extremist outfit Bajrang Dal. “After all,
we don’t discriminate between Hindus and Muslims when we buy raw materials for
these kanwars.”
The
kanwar-makers underscore their disagreement with the authorities by pointing at
the skill and hard work they put into their craft.
“On most
days, we work till 4 am. And the work here starts three months before the
Kanwar Yatra,” says Sohaib Siddique, 23, who has been making kanwars since he
was eight.
A
smiling Ali pointed to his little daughter, who dipped a small paintbrush into
a box full of glue, brushed it on a kanwar, and then stuck shiny floral
decorations on it: “Hindu children sit at home and study. But look at my
daughter. She has been doing only this for three months.”
Source: scroll.in
Please click the following URL to read
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https://scroll.in/article/1071023/why-defame-muslims-on-uttarakhand-highway-mixed-feelings-on-diktat-to-display-names
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Meet the
Muslim artisans behind the sacred Kanwar
The pots
of Ganga jal are carried using a pole called the Kanwar. Many of these Kanwars
are often made by Muslim artisans.
July 22,
2024
During
the Kanwar yatra, lakhs of devotees of Lord Shiv walk hundreds of kilometres
carrying water from the Ganga to the temples in their home towns
The pots
of Ganga jal are carried using a pole called the Kanwar. Many of these Kanwars
are often made by Muslim artisans.
Artisans
say, they do this work more as an expression of display of unity among the
communities rather than to make profit.
Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued an order on July 19 requiring all
restaurants along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners
outside their shops.
The
decision came amid outrage over the Muzaffarnagar police order asking eateries
on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of the proprietors.
Source: thehindu.com
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the text of the original Story
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/meet-the-muslim-artisans-behind-the-sacred-kanwar/article68431801.ece
--------
Demolition
of Centuries Old Qutb Shahi Era Mosque in Telangana; Immediate Action Initiated
for Reconstruction of The Mosque
July 23,
2024
Tension
prevailed in Moinabad’s Chilkur after a century old Qutb Shahi era mosque was
razed to ground late on Monday.
According
to Moinabad Inspector three individuals, including the construction vehicle
driver and a realtor, have been booked. “The mosque spread across four guntas
was part of a 14-acre private land which was sold to a private company. During
the clean-up of the land, the centuries-old mosque was demolished. As per the
revenue records, it has been identified as Waqf land and immediate action was
initiated for reconstruction of the mosque,” the official said. Waqf land is
State land dedicated for religious and charitable purposes or pious endowments.
Telangana
Waqf Board Chairman Azmathullah Hussaini, AIMIM MLC Mirza Rahmat Baig and
officials of Minority Welfare Department visited the spot after locals lodged a
complaint with the Moinabad police. Meanwhile, community members gathered to
offer prayers, the official further informed.
The
driver was arrested on Monday night and the construction vehicle was seized by
the Moinabad police. Efforts are underway to trace and nab the land owner and
others involved in the case.
A case
has been booked under Sections 329 (3) (criminal trespass), 324 (4 and 5)
(mischief causing loss), 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent
to insult religion of any class), 196 (promoting enmity between different
groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 300 (disturbing
religious assembly) r/w Section 3 (Mischief causing damage to public property)
of Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/tension-in-moinabad-after-demolition-of-centuries-old-qutb-shahi-era-mosque/article68435767.ece
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BJP will
be decimated in Jharkhand polls if it continues Hindu-Muslim politics: Hemant
Soren
23.07.24
Amid BJP
leaders playing ‘Muslim infiltrators’ card ahead of assembly polls in
Jharkhand, chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday evening issued a warning on
Monday of BJP decimation in the elections if they continue in playing
communally divisive politics. Addressing a public function at Barhait (his home
constituency) Hemant Soren heading a JMM-Congress-RJD coalition government in
the state said that the Opposition (read BJP) only job is to rant
‘Hindu-Muslim’.
“The
Opposition has been obstructing state government welfare schemes ever since
government formation (in December 2019). As part of their conspiracy, I had to
be in jail. Unka ek hi kaam hai bas Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Muslim karna (their
only work is to politics in the name of hindu-muslim). While doing this they
lost a few teeth in the recent Lok Sabha election. If they continue doing it in
the assembly elections, then they will not even find people to carry their
party flags in near future,” warned Soren who was released on bail last month
after being in judicial custody in Ranchi over alleged money laundering charges
by the Enforcement Directorate pertaining to a land scam.
Incidentally,
during the recent Lok Sabha polls, the BJP failed to win a single ST-reserved
parliamentary constituency in Jharkhand losing in all the five ST seats. It
could win only nine seats out of a total of 14 Lok Sabha seats as against 12
out of 14 in 2019 poll.
Union
home minister Amit Shah during a BJP workers’ meeting at Ranchi on Saturday had
accused the Hemant Soren government of aiding “love jihad” and “land jihad” (a
term used by BJP leaders against Muslims marrying hindu/tribal girls and taking
away tribal lands) and vowed to bring a white paper on demographic changes
brought by Bangladeshi infiltrators to protect interest of tribals in the
state.
Assam
chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh
Chouhan (BJP poll in-charge for Jharkhand Assembly elections) had been in
recent meetings accusing the state government of protecting the interest of
ghuspetiye.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bjp-will-be-decimated-in-jharkhand-polls-if-it-continues-hindu-muslim-politics-hemant-soren/cid/2035584
--------
Soldier
injured as Army foils infiltration bid in J-K’s Poonch
July 23,
2024
A
soldier was injured as the Army thwarted an infiltration bid along the Line of
Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district early Tuesday, officials said.
“Alert
troops foiled an infiltration bid by effectively engaging infiltrating
terrorists with effective fire in the Battal sector at 0300 hours,” White
Knight Corps said on X.
“During
the exchange of heavy fire, one braveheart has been injured. Operations are
continuing,” the Corps said.
According
to sources, a group of armed terrorists tried to enter into Battal forward area
of the Krishnagati belt but alert troops picked up their movement and
immediately took action.
In the
intense firefight, troops forced the terrorists to retreat but a soldier was
injured and has been hospitalised, they said, adding there was a loss caused to
the terrorists.
A search
operation has been launched in the area, they said.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the
text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/soldier-injured-as-army-foils-infiltration-bid-in-j-ks-poonch-9469929/
--------
Egypt a
valued strategic partner of India: Jaishankar
July 22,
2024
The
economic cooperation between India and Egypt has been steadily diversifying,
with both sides seeking new opportunities to expand the engagement, External
Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday.
In an
address at an event, he said more than 50 Indian companies have already
invested in various sectors of the Egyptian economy, with pharmaceuticals,
electronics and green energy being focus sectors.
Jaishankar
described Egypt as an “important and valued strategic partner” of India.
“Our
economic cooperation has been steadily diversifying, with both sides seeking
new opportunities for mutual benefit,” he said.
“Our IT
industry too has been establishing partnerships that we hope to see grow in the
times ahead. Egypt has also opened up as a market for our agro-exports, notably
that of wheat,” he added.
The
external affairs minister was speaking at the event hosted by the Egyptian
embassy to celebrate the country’s ‘National Day’.
“Our
defence collaboration has also grown in this very period. Since 2021, our Air
Forces have held regular exercises bilaterally as well as in a larger format,”
he said.
“Our
Special Forces too are conducting their own exercises, most recently in January
of this year. There are frequent and regular visits to Egyptian ports of Indian
naval ships,” Jaishankar said.
“And our
defence industries are refreshing an old tradition through new activities and
collaboration,” he added.
Jaishankar
said India and Egypt have been working closely in world affairs as well.
“We
appreciated that Egypt participated in the G20 during the Indian presidency.
India also strongly supported Egypt’s membership of the BRICS. We value our
collaboration in the context of the India-Africa Forum Summit process,” he
said.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/egypt-valued-strategic-partner-of-india-jaishankar-9469357/
--------
Militant
killed, soldier among two injured in gunfights in J&K’s Rajouri
The
attack has triggered fear in the area due to the threat of the presence of the
militants in the region.
Written
by Arun Sharma
July 23,
2024
rajouri
terror attack, jammu kashmir terror attackReinforcements have been rushed to
the area (PTI Photo)
A
militant was killed and two persons, a soldier and a civilian, sustained minor
injuries in gunfights between the Army and militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s
Rajouri district on Monday, officials said.
According
to officials, a group of militants fired on the house of a recently decorated
village defence guard (VDG), Parshotam Kumar, in Rajouri’s Ghunda Khawas
village early Monday.
Confirming
the attack on X, the Army’s Nagrota-based White Knight Corps said: “Terrorists
attacked the house of a VDG at Gunda, Rajouri, at 03.10 hours. A nearby Army
column retaliated and a firefight ensued. Operations are continuing.”
The Army
acted on intelligence, anticipating threats to a VDG in a remote area of
Rajouri-Reasi, the Corps said, adding: “Tactical teams swiftly intervened,
ensuring no harm to the VDG member (Kumar) and his family.”
Later, a
cordon and search operation were launched to trace the militants, triggering
gunfight, officials said, adding that the security personnel retaliated after
the militants threw a grenade, following which they attacked a newly established
Army picket in the area around 4 am, resulting in fire exchange.
“A major
militant attack on an Army picket in a remote village of Rajouri was thwarted.
Firing is underway, and operation is in progress,” an Army spokesperson said.
The
attack has triggered fear in the area due to the threat of the presence of the
militants in the region.
“We are
terrorised following the attack. This happened in the area after several years.
It was peaceful… Firing (on Monday) started around 3 am and kept continuing,” a
local woman said, requesting anonymity.
It is
time to rearm VDGs with modern weapon and communication technology to take on
the militants operating in the hills of Jammu, another villager said.
Reinforcements
have been rushed to the area, and searches are underway in the forests. The
militants are yet to be traced, officials said.
Jammu
has been witnessing a surge in militant activities, with the security
establishment often the target. In the past three months, militants have
carried out over a dozen attacks on security forces, police and civilians,
killing at least 10 security personnel including two officers and seven
pilgrims, said officials.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rajouri-jammu-kashmir-terror-attack-9467789/
--------
Jammu
and Kashmir: Militants target Shaurya Chakra awardee VDG Purshottam Kumar's
home
23.07.24
A
soldier and a civilian were injured in a predawn militant attack on an army
camp and the home of a village defence guard (VDG) in Jammu’s Rajouri on
Monday.
A
cordon-and-search operation was launched to track down the militants,
triggering a gunfight that lasted for hours, officials added.
It is
the first attack since Saturday’s high-profile security review meeting led by
army chief General Upendra Dwivedi in Jammu that discussed the deadly flare-up
in violence in the region and devised strategies to tackle the problem of
militancy.
Monday’s
attacks indicate that the militants plan to keep up the offensive despite a
pan-Jammu crackdown to hunt them down.
The
army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps said there was a militant attack on the
house of Shaurya Chakra awardee VDG Purshottam Kumar at Gunda village in
Rajouri at 3.10am.
“A
nearby army column reacted and a firefight ensued,” the spokesman said
in an
early morning post.
In an
update in the afternoon, the spokesman said operations were underway and a
gunfight was in progress.
“#IndianArmy
acted on #intelligence, anticipating the threat to a Village Defence Guard in a
remote area in Rajouri-Reasi. Tactical teams swiftly intervened, ensuring no
harm to the #VDC member and his family,” he posted on X.
Army
officials said the attack was repulsed, which helped avoid casualties. VDGs are
a civilian militia fighting militants in Jammu.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/militants-target-shaurya-chakra-awardee-vdg-purshottam-kumars-home-during-attack-in-jammu/cid/2035564
--------
Pakistan
Policy
shift allows Pakistani asylum seekers to get passports
July 23,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
The government on Monday decided to reverse the policy of suspending the
issuance of passports to Pakistani nationals seeking asylum abroad.
A
high-level meeting, presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Senator Ishaq Dar, discussed matters related to the welfare of overseas
Pakistanis.
“The
meeting discussed in detail the recent policy decision that was taken vide
circular dated 5 June 2024 for not issuing passport to any individual who had
sought asylum or already living on asylum abroad. It was decided to reverse the
policy decision with immediate effect and to withdraw the circular of 5 June
2024,” according to a press release.
The
meeting was attended among others by the foreign secretary, interior secretary,
and the director general of Immigration and Passports (Impass).
Issues
relating to delays in the issuance of passports to Pakistanis living abroad
also came under discussion.
The
interior secretary and the director general briefed the deputy prime minister
about the ongoing efforts to streamline the process.
It was
decided that the interior ministry and Impass will take steps to upgrade the
infrastructure and equipment within the next 45 days and to accelerate the
clearance of backlog relating to the issuance of passports to overseas Pakistanis.
Dar
speaks to Omani FM
Foreign
Minister Dar and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood
Albusaidi on Monday discussed the recent terrorist attack on Imambargah Ali ibn
Abi Talib in Wadi Kabir in Muscat and emphasised the importance of concerted
action to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
During a
telephone conversation with his Omani counterpart, the deputy prime minister
extended Pakistan’s full support to Oman in its efforts to combat terrorism.
He also
appreciated Oman’s support in repatriation of the bodies to Pakistan and taking
care of the wounded Pakistani nationals in Omani hospitals, the Foreign Office
spokesperson said in a press release. It may be recalled that several
Pakistanis were killed and injured in the attack.
The two
leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, ranging from
political, economic and defence cooperation to people-people exchanges.
Deputy
PM Dar welcomed the forthcoming visit of a delegation of Omani investors to
Pakistan later this week, geared towards exploring areas of mutually beneficial
economic cooperation.
The two
leaders also shared views on a range of regional and international issues of
mutual interest. Exchange of visits at the leadership as well as the foreign ministerial
level was agreed, in principle, with mutually convenient dates to be worked out
through diplomatic channels.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1847462/policy-shift-allows-pakistani-asylum-seekers-to-get-passports
--------
PM
‘delays’ cabinet meet to take up PTI ban
July 23,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
An important cabinet meeting, which was expected to consider the issue of
banning the opposition PTI today (Tuesday), was postponed due to the prime
minister’s “hectic schedule”, PM House sources said.
The
meeting was called off on Monday even though it had been reported that the
apex body would deliberate upon the proposal that has become a thorny issue
for the ruling coalition.
Media
reports suggested the cabinet has been asked for approval of proceedings
against former president Arif Alvi, former prime minister Imran Khan, and
former NA deputy speaker Qasim Suri under Article 6 of the Constitution.
An
official told Dawn that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has postponed the
meeting due to his hectic schedule on Tuesday.
He said
the meeting could now be held the next day (Wednesday).
The
government has already announced plans to ban PTI from politics and try its
leader for sedition, over charges of violating the Constitution.
Last
week, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar told
the media that PTI had been involved in anti-state activities since 2014 and
was responsible for several deaths on different occasions, especially during
protests against the government and state institutions.
The
minister had blamed the rival party for the fatality that occurred during a
peace rally, held in Bannu last week.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1847428/pm-delays-cabinet-meet-to-take-up-pti-ban
--------
CM
Gandapur likely to convene KP Apex Committee huddle post-Bannu jirga meeting
July 23,
2024
PESHAWAR:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur is considering calling a
meeting of the provincial Apex Committee within the next two days following the
demands presented by the Bannu jirga.
Sources
told Geo News in the wee hours of Tuesday that the chief minister would furnish
the demands of the jirga before the top body, days after firing on the Bannu
'peace march' killed one and injured several others.
The
jirga's delegation, who placed a 10-point agenda before Gandapur during a
meeting at the CM House, has opposed the federal government's anti-terrorism
campaign 'Azm-e-Istehkam', the sources said.
The
people familiar with the meeting also said the jirga sought to dismantle armed
groups; empower police and ensure their patrolling at night; allow CTD to
conduct search operations or take action against terrorists instead of security
forces; and present missing persons before courts.
Jirga
chief Nasir Khan Bangash told journalists that the Bannu sit-in would continue
despite the recent violent episode and that the KP chief minister had heard all
their demands.
"Ali
Amin Gandapur will visit Bannu on Friday. The chief minister has also stated
that he will call a meeting of the Apex Committee. Five members of the jirga
will partake in the meeting of the Apex Committee."
During
the protest in Bannu on July 19, people were fired upon, prompting the
provincial government to form a body to investigate the incident. However, the
federal government has said that it won't accept the findings as Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) people had weapons and used them in the rally, which
caused chaos.
In a
press conference on Monday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Lt Gen
Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the Bannu marchers had raised anti-army slogans
and also pelted stones at the security forces' personnel.
During
his presser, in which he also criticised the role of social media following the
march, Lt Gen Chaudhry also played footage from the incident, which showed
armed marchers attacking an under-construction wall of the Bannu cantonment.
"Some
armed protesters resorted to gunfire as a result of which there were injuries.
This is how it happened. The army’s response was as per the SOP and according
to orders."
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1212511-cm-indicates-possible-kp-apex-committee-huddle-post-bannu-jirga-meeting
--------
Imran,
Bushra seek high-quality jail facilities in new IHC petition
July 22,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife
Bushra Bibi on Monday filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC)
seeking high-quality jail amenities in accordance with global standards.
The
former prime minister and the ex-first lady filed a petition in the IHC to seek
high-quality facilities at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail via their lawyer Azhar
Siddique.
Secretaries
of cabinet, interior and law were made parties in the plea. Moreover, the IHC
was also prayed to add the Punjab chief secretary, the Federal Investigation
Agency (FIA), the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), and Islamabad Inspector
General (IG) as parties in the case.
The
petition sought superior jail facilities for Imran, Bushra and other political
prisoners besides looking towards the high court to summon a detail on the
duo’s prison cells and facilities.
Additionally,
the IHC was prayed to order the Adiala Jail administration to ensure the
implementation of international conventions, constitutional sections and jail
rules for the political inmates.
It was
also requested that a complete list of those persons who wanted to meet the
jailed PTI founder at the Rawalpindi jail should be summoned, as well as a
report on the duration of their meetings.
The
lawyer, in his petition, also pleaded with the court to ascertain the reasons
from relevant authorities if the ex-premier was kept in solitary confinement.
The
fresh petition was filed after the deposed prime minister, who was ousted from
his office via a no-confidence in 2022, claimed in an interview with The Sunday
Times through his lawyers that he was imprisoned in a death cell, where
"terrorists" are kept to ensure "they have no contact with
anyone".
However,
the federal cabinet rejected the jailed ex-premier's claims a day ago and termed
his prison cell a "presidential suite" which is "better than a
middle-class person’s house".
As Imran
remains behind bars, he has kept claiming that he's not being provided several
facilities, but to set the record straight, the government submitted
documentary evidence of facilities being provided to the PTI founder in Adiala
jail, rebutting his claims that he was being kept in solitary confinement.
The
pictures shared with the court showed that the PTI founder was provided with
several facilities that a common prisoner cannot imagine — since he's a former
prime minister.
Imran
has an exercise bike and stretching belt for physical fitness, books, a
separate kitchen, a special menu, an exclusive gallery for a walk, LED, a room
cooler, and a study table.
The
71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been in prison for more than a year
in a plethora of cases, including the Toshakhana, cipher, and the un-Islamic
marriage cases. His wife has also been behind bars for months.
However,
a court suspended his sentence in the Toshakhana case, while other courts
overturned his convictions in the cipher and iddat cases, respectively.
While
there were hopes for Imran and Bushra's release in July, they were dashed when
NAB arrested them on fresh charges related to the sale of state gifts.
The
chances of Imran's release from jail further dimmed after the Lahore police
declared his arrest in several cases related to the May 9, 2023, riots, that
erupted after his detainment from the IHC premises last year in which protesters
targeted government and military installations.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1212282-imran-khan-bushra-bibi-seek-high-quality-jail-facilities-in-new-ihc-petition
---------
Three
terrorists trying to infiltrate Dir from Afghanistan 'sent to hell': ISPR
July 22,
2024
RAWALPINDI:
Three terrorists attempting to cross the Afghan border into Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) Dir district have been neutralised by security forces, the
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Monday.
"On
the night between July 21 and 22, 2024, the movement of three terrorists,
trying to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was detected by security
forces in District Dir," said the military's media wing.
It said
that the infiltrators were surrounded, effectively engaged and after an intense
fire exchange, all three terrorists were "sent to hell".
The
military's media wing stated, "Pakistan has consistently been asking
interim Afghan government to ensure effective border management on their side
of the border."
"The
interim Afghan government is expected to fulfil its obligations and deny the
use of Afghan soil by terrorists for perpetuating acts of terrorism against
Pakistan.
"Security
forces of Pakistan were determined and remain committed to securing its borders
and eliminating the menace of terrorism from the country," it added.
The
country has been witnessing a rise in terrorist attacks, especially in KP and
Balochistan, during recent months. The last terrorist attack came last week
when two soldiers and five civilians were martyred in DI Khan.
This was
the second terrorist attack in a period of 24 hours as eight other soldiers
were martyred while trying to foil a terrorist infiltration into Bannu
Cantonment in the wee hours of July 15.
Islamabad
has time and again called on the Afghan Taliban administration in Kabul to
prevent its soil from being used by banned militant outfits for terrorist
attacks against Pakistan.
Last
month, the government approved the launching of operation
"Azm-e-Istehkam", a renewed national anti-terror drive, in light of
the growing menace of militancy.
The
country, during the second quarter of 2024 witnessed 380 violence-linked fatalities
and 220 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, resulting
from as many as 240 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations,
said a Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security report.
This
includes 236 fatalities among civilians and security forces personnel, the
report said.
KP and
Balochistan, both of which share borders with neighbouring Afghanistan, have
faced the brunt of the terrorist attacks and reported nearly 92% of all
fatalities and 87% of attacks — wherein the former suffered 67% and the latter
25% of all fatalities in Q2, 2024.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1212285-security-forces-kill-3-terrorists-trying-to-infiltrate-border-in-dir-ispr
--------
Pakistan
Army wants nation to 'stand up against militants, digital terrorists'
July 22,
2024
RAWALPINDI:
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General
Ahmed Sharif has signalled a decisive action against militants and
"digital terrorists" and appealed to the nation to stand up against
the menace.
He said
that the "political mafia wants to make Operation Azm-e-Istehkam
controversial".
"Why
did a political and illegal mafia stand up [against Azm-e-Istehkam] and start
saying that they will not let this happen?" asked DG ISPR while speaking
during a press conference in Rawalpindi.
The DG
ISPR said that Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive and integrated
counter-terrorism campaign, not a military operation per se as it is being
presented.
Recalling
that an Apex Committee — the country's top security body — meeting was held on
June 22 over Azm-e-Istehkam, he said that the statement following the huddle
noted that "we have made an anti-terrorism policy with national
consensus".
The DG
ISPR, addressing concerns over the campaign, said that no-go areas do not exist
across the country, clarifying that there would be no more displacements due to
Azm-e-Istehkam.
As there
was much hue and cry over the newly announced campaign, the army's spokesperson
informed journalists that the Prime Minister's Office released a statement on
June 24 to clarify the matter.
"Azm-e-Istehkam
is not a military operation. Why is Azm-e-Istehkam being made controversial?
There's a strong lobby which wants the objectives of Azm-e-Istehkam not to be
fulfilled. It is being politicised."
Providing
statistics over the ongoing operations, he said that the army is conducting
four to five operations per hour on a daily basis — clarifying that the war
against terrorism was already in full form.
The
security forces conducted 22,409 intelligence-based operations this year, he
said, explaining further that armed forces, police, intelligence agencies, and
other law enforcement agencies are conducting more than 112 operations daily.
"During
these operations, 31 high-value targets have been killed. This year 137
officers and soldiers laid their lives in the operations," the army's
spokesperson told journalists.
Lt Gen
Chaudhry explained that the army had cleared several areas of terrorists but if
the governments do not ensure reconstruction of those areas, then the army will
have to deploy its forces over there to "hold the area".
"The
army is clearing the areas, holding it, and then it is the provincial
government's task to build and transfer. If you don't build and transfer to the
people, then terrorists will emerge again and you will remain in a vicious
cycle of 'clear and hold'."
The DG
ISPR explained that if such a cycle continues, then it will be easier for
certain elements to incite the locals of the area against the army and a false
narrative would also be made against the forces.
"In
conclusion, Azm-e-Istehkam is a comprehensive campaign against terrorism. If we
follow it, it will not just wipe out terrorism, but also the country. The
stakes are very high."
Bannu
incident
Moving
on in the press conference, he said that on July 15, eight military personnel
embraced martyrdom and sent "all terrorists to hell". He informed
journalists that Sepoy Saqib threw himself onto the grenade to save everyone
else.
"The
very next day, people in Bannu staged a march, saying that they wanted peace.
Some armed personnel were also part of the peace march," the DG ISPR said.
Providing
details about the march, in which a person died while several others were
injured, he said that people participating in the demonstration had broken down
an under-construction wall while they had also looted a supply depot.
"Some
armed people opened fire, which led to the loss of life. In Bannu, the army
personnel followed their response SOP accordingly. Similarly, people had also
raised questions as to why did the army not fire on May 9."
Explaining
the SOP of the army, he said that if an "anarchist group" approaches
a military installation, it is first given a warning, and then it is dealt
with.
"It
is the provincial government's job to control a mob, not the army's. However,
at the same time, people can definitely hold their peace march," the
spokesperson said.
While he
showed footage of the Bannu incident and said that armed personnel could be
seen, he stressed: "Hold demonstrations against terrorists."
He said
that as soon as this incident took place, there was a hue and cry on social
media. "This shows how digital terrorists are supporting terrorists on the
ground."
TTP's
Mehsud's audio leak
When
inquired about what action would Pakistan take after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) Chief Noor Wali Mehsud's audio leak came to the fore, he assured that the
authorities were pursuing the matter.
Sources
had earlier informed Geo News that the government will not only seek the
extradition of terrorists from Afghanistan but will also lodge a strong protest
with the Afghan Taliban-led interim administration over the TTP head's presence
in the country and his direct involvement in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
A
disturbing phone call featuring Noor came to the surface wherein he could be heard
giving instructions to his henchmen for attacks in Pakistan.
The
other voices in the audio call were identified as local commanders Ahmad
Hussain Mehsud alias Ghat Haji, and Saqib Gandapur.
The
conversation revolves around the TTP chief's orders on how to inflame the
security situation in the country. In that conversation, he can be heard
outlining two main methods for disrupting peace and order in Pakistan.
While
talking about the audio call, the Lt Gen said that Mehsud could be heard
directing his men to blow up hospitals and schools, but not name him.
"They
do not even have the courage to take responsibility for their actions," he
said.
Establishment
behind TLP sit-in?
Intimating
the journalists about the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's (TLP) recent sit-in, he
said that the government and institutions were trying to resolve the issue
keeping in mind the "sensitivity and emotions" of the people as it
was related to the Palestinian issue.
He ruled
out the establishment's role in the sit-in and said that tomorrow if
Jamaat-e-Islami were to stage a sit-in in Islamabad, people would still claim
that the army was behind it.
"There's
so much fake news that people keep saying whatever they want to. Since the
protesters cleared the area peacefully, it was being claimed that there's
'someone's hand' behind it," he added.
The
military's spokesperson added that the army and government have a very clear
stance on the Palestinian issue, stressing that a genocide was underway in
Gaza.
"The
genocide in Gaza is completely unacceptable. We have sent 1,118 tonnes of aid
to Gaza," he said, vowing continuous support for the oppressed
Palestinians.
At least
39,006 Palestinians have been killed and 89,818 have been injured in the
Israeli military offensive on Gaza since October 7, the Gaza health ministry
said in a statement on Monday.
Digital
terrorists are elusive
“It’s
hard to pinpoint the exact location of a digital terrorist,” said.
While
stressing effective steps to stop the spread of fabricated and false information
on social media platforms, the DG ISPR said, “The rampant influx of “fake news”
targeting the armed forces and their leadership has been ongoing unchecked for
a long time, with no one facing any serious consequences so far.”
To
eliminate this menace, he said that the law would have to stop the digital
terrorists by penalising them. “Instead of the law going after them, they were
given more space.”
Some
people [who were involved in spreading fake news] have been hailed as heroes in
the name of freedom of expression, he added.
The DG
ISPR said if they did not stand up against these elements they would gain more
ground, benefitting the enemies of Pakistan.
He
pointed out that “a foreign group was stationed in Afghanistan, whereas, India
was also waiting for the country’s institutions and armed forces to weaken so
that it could perpetrate a strike.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1212189-dg-ispr-ahmad-sharif-to-address-press-conference-at-3pm
--------
Police
arrest PTI's Hasan for operating 'anti-Pakistan digital media cell'
July 22,
2024
Islamabad
Police arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's spokesperson Raoof Hasan on Monday
for operating a social media cell allegedly involved in running anti-state
propaganda.
After
the political party claimed that the PTI information secretary and Chairman
Gohar Khan both had been arrested from its Central Secretariat, police stated
that they only arrested Hasan during a raid conducted on the basis of evidence.
"The
PTI digital media centre had become a centre of international disinformation,
from where anti-Pakistan propaganda is run throughout the world," said
police.
Meanwhile,
Gohar said he went along with Hasan to the Police Lines, however, the police
said since the PTI chairman was not wanted in any case, he could leave. He said
Hasan was detained in the Police Lines.
Police
said those directly involved in the anti-national propaganda were arrested and
all the evidence from the PTI’s digital media cell was taken into custody.
The
party, in a statement on X, said: "It’s absolutely shameful how Islamabad
Police continues to completely mock and disregard every law in this country.
Law of the jungle is reigning over Pakistan!”
Police
arrest PTIs Hasan for operating anti-Pakistan digital media cell
PTI said
police took a computer and some other equipment into custody as well from the
party secretariat.
Footage
shared by the party on X shows numerous police vehicles and some police officials
outside its secretariat.
Police
sources denied the report of the arrest of four women as well as the
confiscation of a laptop and documents from the office.
Condemning
the raid at the former ruling party’s central secretariat, PTI leader Khurrum
Sher Zaman claimed the arrest was made on instructions of the "Form-47
government".
"We've
been informed that they've locked staff in a room & waiting for prison van
to arrive & have taken computers & important documents," he wrote
on X.
Adviser
to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said the arrest of
PTI leaders proved that the "government was taking its last breaths".
The
federal government had broken all records of fascism and had even resorted to
underhanded tactics, he said, adding that they were not scared of them.
"The
struggle for true democracy and to ensure the rule of law will continue,"
said Saif.
Meanwhile,
the PTI held a demonstration in Lahore, demanding the authorities release its
leaders and workers.
PTI
lawyers wing and other supporters participated in the protest, led by
Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhacher, in droves.
Dozens
of workers and leaders of the embattled party are behind bars following last
year's May 9 attacks, which ensued after PTI founder Imran Khan was arrested in
a graft case.
Imran,
71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, has been in prison for almost a year
now in three cases — the Toshakhana case, cipher case, and the un-Islamic
marriage case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, is also behind bars.
However,
a court suspended his sentence in the Toshakhana case, while other courts
overturned his convictions in the cipher and iddat cases, respectively.
While
there were hopes for his and Bushra's release in July, they were dashed when
the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested them on fresh charges related
to the sale of state gifts.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1212196-islamabad-police-detain-gohar-khan-raoof-hasan
--------
North America
Georgia
Muslim lawmaker urges Kamala Harris to endorse Middle East ceasefire
Jul. 22,
2024
ATLANTA,
Ga. (Atlanta News First) - While Georgia state Rep. Ruwa Romman praised her
fellow Democrat’s service in the White House, she also called on her party to
rethink President Joe Biden’s policies in the Israel-Hamas war after Biden
ended his 2024 reelection bid on Sunday.
”President
Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 elections is a moment of clarity for
both the president and our party,” Romman, who was represented to the Duluth
district in 2022, said Sunday. “While many of us have disagreed on the best
path forward, we all share the goal of preventing another Trump term.
“This
could not have been an easy decision to make,” Romman said. “It is a testament
to President Biden’s leadership that he demonstrated how duty to the nation in
this incredibly fraught moment must be greater than any one person.”
While
Romman praised Biden’s efforts to make “healthcare more affordable through
capping insulin and inhaler costs to economic policies that met the multitude
of global economic challenges,” she also said, “the past 10 months have caused
a deep rift in our party as voters watched a genocide unfolding before their
eyes.
“For
that reason, in continuing the President’s incredible economic, healthcare, and
education agenda, I urge Vice President Kamala Harris to now chart a better
path forward by supporting a permanent ceasefire and implementing a weapons
embargo,” Romman said. “Our party’s values seek a world centered around peace
and justice for all. We can achieve those goals and meet the promise of this
moment.”
The
Israel-Hamas war has become one of the Democrat Party’s most divisive issues.
While Biden continues supporting Israel, many of his party’s most left-wing,
liberal activists are condemning what they see as Israeli-supported genocide in
Gaza. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led Palestinian armed groups attacked civilian
residential communities and social events and on Israeli military bases in the
area of southern Israel bordering the Gaza Strip.
Source: atlantanewsfirst.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2024/07/22/georgia-muslim-lawmaker-urges-kamala-harris-endorse-middle-east-ceasefire/
--------
Edison
High School Assistant Principal Accused of Intimidating Muslim Students
July 22,
2024
EDISON,
NJ -The Edison Board of Education is investigating an incident involving an
Assistant Principal of Edison High School and members of the Muslim Students
Association (MSA).
The New
Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) says
Nicole Himmelstein threatened the student members for requesting a joint
Ramadan celebration with neighboring schools. CAIR-NJ says Himmelstein
“intimidated” the students, and released a recording of the February meeting.
Edward
Aldarelli, Edison Schools Superintendent, confirmed the investigation to
TAPinto Edison and released the following statement.
"As
the Superintendent of Edison Township Public Schools, I want to reassure our
community that we are taking this matter seriously. The District is immediately
reviewing the allegations raised by CAIR-NJ, and we are committed to conducting
a thorough investigation. Due to the confidential nature of personnel matters,
we cannot publicly discuss any details or actions."
CAIR-NJ
says Himmelstein and eight members of the Edison MSA were present for the
meeting. CAIR-NJ says they have confirmed the authenticity of the recording and
the speakers. They are adhering to a confidentiality agreement with the person
who shared the audio recording and will not release information about their
identity, according to a press release. To hear the audio released by CAIR-NJ,
click here.
CAIR-NJ
says the MSA met with Himmelstein to discuss their plans for a joint Ramada
celebration by inviting students from schools like Piscataway and North
Brunswick. CAIR-NJ says the Edison MSA held similar joint events in the past.
Himmelstein
reportedly told members they were barred from hosting the event with other
schools, citing ‘security concerns.’ In the released audio, Himmelstein tells
the students they can host a celebration for Edison students only or not at
all.
CAIR-NJ says
that Himmelstein attempted to intimidate the students and questioned their
character.
“I have
no problem contacting your university where you got in and explaining what’s
going on if you want to take it further,” Himmelstein says, according to the
recording released by CAIR-NJ, “You guys are not upholding good leadership
skills, and I don’t think any university would want to have students who don’t
fulfill good character and values. Do we understand?”
Members
of the MSA told CAIR-NJ they felt intimidated and discriminated against. Taha
Shaikh, former president of the MSA at Edison High School, said he felt
Himmelstein was bullying them to not host the event and inviting other schools.
“CAIR-NJ
heard from students who expressed how the joint iftar event between high
schools near Edison is how they build, cultivate, and maintain a sense of
community and belonging,” said CAIR-NJ Interim Communications Manager Aya
Elamroussi in a press release, “It’s disheartening and extremely alarming to
see a school official who is supposed to lead by example allegedly use her
position of power to threaten Muslim students over an event aimed at nurturing
their relationship and growing their community.”
Source: tapinto.net
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/edison/sections/education/articles/edison-high-school-assistant-principal-accused-of-intimidating-muslim-students
--------
Mosque
with ties to Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali receives historic preservation funds
July 22,
2024
(RNS) —
A historic mosque in Washington, D.C., will receive a grant to help preserve
its structure, one of 30 Black heritage sites supported by a program of the
National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Masjid
Muhammad, also known as The Nation’s Mosque, is the first awardee connected to
the Islamic faith to be aided by the African American Cultural Heritage Action
Fund. Its grant of $150,000 is part of a total of $3 million in funding
announced Thursday (July 18).
Albert
Sabir, administrative director of the mosque, told Religion News Service on
Monday that the grant award “is a tremendous recognition, and I think it speaks
to those who have gone forward before us in terms of setting the groundwork for
the good deeds and the good work to be done.”
Since
2018, the fund has supported 304 sites related to Black heritage, totaling an
investment of $27 million.
“We
cannot talk fully about the Black spiritual experience in America without also
talking about Islam and being Muslim, whether it was our enslaved ancestors or
El-Hajj Malik al-Shabazz, better known to the world as Malcolm X,” said Lawana
Holland-Moore, director of fellowships and interpretive strategies with the
fund, in a statement to Religion News Service.
The
mosque, whose current building was completed in 1960 and designed by architect
David R. Byrd, is receiving a grant from the fund’s Conserving Black Modernism
program that highlights African American architects. It is one of the oldest
Black Muslim congregations in the country, dating to 1937.
Malcolm
X “donated and helped raise significant dollars to build the current masjid,”
the mosque’s website says, and “Muhammad Ali visited and regarded the community
as his place of worship in D.C.”
The
money will aid environmental and engineering studies for a planned expansion
that is expected to be LEED-certified, achieving a Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design rating as a green building. The grant also will support
some capital improvements for the mosque.
“This
grant is right on time, because we have started a $6 million renovation, and we
have already raised over 60% of the funds,” Sabir said, adding that the plans
call for doubling the mosque’s worship space, expanding its office and
classroom space, and extending its ability to distribute food to its neighbors,
including a feeding center for senior citizens.
Construction
began in April and is expected to conclude in late 2025, he said, and
worshippers are meeting for Friday prayer services at a Washington hotel during
the renovations.
Another
religion-related recipient of a grant, Pierce Chapel African Cemetery in
Midland, Georgia, dates to around 1829. The Hamilton Hood Foundation has been
awarded $60,000 for project planning to preserve the community’s history and
landscape. The cemetery, named to the National Trust’s “America’s 11 Most
Endangered Historic Places” in 2023, is one of the oldest burial grounds of
enslaved people from plantations in the region and their descendants.
“The
African cemetery literally is hiding in plain site,” said Yamona Pierce,
president of the foundation that is seeking to uncover and preserve the history
of enslaved people, some of whom were required to stand during services of the
predominantly white church across the street.
She said
the funding will help her foundation determine “how we can welcome not only the
descendants, but the broader community to come and learn about the storied
journey of all those that are laid to rest here.”
Other
recipients of the grant awards include three halls of Morehouse College in
Atlanta; Shady Rest Golf and Country Club in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, the
first Black-owned country club in the nation; and Alonzo Chatmon’s Juke Joint,
in Water Valley, Mississippi, a part of the state’s blues history.
Source: religionnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://religionnews.com/2024/07/22/mosque-with-ties-to-malcolm-x-muhammad-ali-receives-historic-preservation-funds/
--------
CAIR
Calls for Probe of Possible Bias Motive for Vandalism Targeting North Carolina
Mosque
July 22,
2024
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest
Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on law enforcement
authorities to investigate a possible bias motive for vandalism targeting a
mosque in North Carolina.
Three
windows were reportedly broken Sunday evening at a mosque in Gastonia. North
Carolina. Nathan Reynolds Webster, 32, was arrested and charged with breaking
the windows at the Islamic Society of Gastonia.
“Because
the vandalism targeted a house of worship, and because of the rise in
bias-motivated incidents in recent months, we urge state and federal law
enforcement authorities to investigate a possible bias motive in this case,”
said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
He urged
houses of worship to utilize CAIR’s Best Practices for Mosque and Community
Safety guide, which contains security advice applicable to institutions of all
faiths.
Earlier
this year, CAIR released new civil rights data showing that it has received
3,578 complaints during the last three months of 2023 amid an ongoing wave of
anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate.
CAIR’s
mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote
justice, and empower American Muslims.
La
misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del
Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados
Unidos.
Become a
Fan of CAIR on Facebook
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Do you
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help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering
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Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-for-probe-of-possible-bias-motive-for-vandalism-targeting-north-carolina-mosque/
--------
Man
accused of breaking mosque windows in Gastonia
Jul. 22,
2024
GASTONIA,
N.C. (WBTV) - A man was charged after allegedly breaking three windows at a
mosque in Gastonia Sunday evening.
According
to a police report filed in Gastonia, 32-year-old Nathan Reynolds Webster was
arrested and charged with breaking three windows at the Islamic Society of
Gastonia on Titman Road.
Reports
stated each of the double-pane windows is worth $300. Webster was also charged
with damage to property/vandalism.
According
to the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office website, Webster was released from jail
shortly after he was booked Sunday night.
It is
unclear why the mosque was targeted. A representative from the society said
they do not want to comment on the situation while the incident is still under
investigation.
Source: wbtv.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.wbtv.com/2024/07/22/man-accused-breaking-mosque-windows-gastonia/
--------
Europe
Harrow
GP who led banned Islamist group has work suspension overturned
July 22,
2024
The NHS
has overturned the suspension of a Harrow GP who headed the UK branch of
recently banned Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, leaving him free to resume his practice
as a GP.
Dr Wahid
Shaida, who also uses the name Abdul Wahid, was GB chair of the group, which
the government outlawed in January.
On 15
January, then-home secretary James Cleverly moved to proscribe the group, which
he called “antisemitic” and warned it “promotes and encourages terrorism”, by
putting an order before parliament which made joining the organisation illegal
in the UK under terror laws.
As
reported by Jewish News, in December 2023, Shaida, who has trained trainee GPs,
described Hamas as a ‘resistance’ group and called the 7 October terror attacks
“a very welcome punch on the nose” on Piers Morgan’s Talk TV show.
Shaida
was subsequently suspended by NHS England on 19 January 2024.
Announcing
the reversal of the NHS decision, his legal representatives Rahman Lowe
Solicitors called the news a “significant triumph”.
In a
statement, the firm added that Shaida “is extremely experienced and highly
regarded within his Practice for the contribution which he has made to it. He
has enjoyed an unblemished work record throughout his professional career.”
They
claim that prior to proscription, “HT (Hizb ut-Tahrir) was a lawful
organisation in the UK, undertaking lawful activities. Dr Shaida has sincerely
held strong beliefs regarding the occupation of Palestine and the displacement
of its population as a historic wrong and he strongly believes that it has led
to an unjust system akin to apartheid, a view that is supported by
organisations such as Amnesty, Human Rights Watch and also now by the UN’s International
Court of Justice (ICJ).”
They add
that “contrary to suggestions in the press, the Panel accepted that Dr Shaida
does not condone violence and his posts were made in the heat of the news feeds
he was receiving.”
A
spokesperson for NHS London told Jewish News: “We take any issues relating to
professional conduct seriously and have procedures in place to make sure that
individuals are fit to work in the NHS.
“Following
a thorough investigation, the evidence regarding Dr Shaida’s conduct and
practice was considered by an NHS England Panel at an oral hearing on 11 July,
in accordance with regulations and published policy. No evidence was found that
he has had involvement with Hizb ut-Tahrir since the organisation was
proscribed.
“The
Panel found there was insufficient evidence to warrant removing Dr Shaida from
the performers’ list, but decided that conditions should be imposed, to manage
a safe return to practice, for both staff and patients. Dr Shaida is therefore
able to return to practice, subject to those conditions.”
Source: jewishnews.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/harrow-gp-who-led-outlawed-islamist-group-has-work-suspension-overturned/
--------
Imam,
rabbi, bishop and a minister perform mitzvah
July 22,
2024
Twenty-five
faith leaders from across Brighton & Hove – including an imam, four rabbis,
a bishop, a monk and three other Christian ministers – united for an interfaith
dinner and Mitzvah Day event to support local people in need.
The
group met at the Brighton & Hove Jewish Community (BNJC) centre, before
creating care packs for the Safehaven weekly drop-ins run by St Peter’s
Brighton.
The
packs – which contain toiletries, facecloths, hygiene projects and treats –
will be given to people supported by Safehaven who are experiencing
homelessness, poverty, loneliness, abuse and/or addiction.
BNJC
chief executive Marc Sugarman said: “We are proud to partner with Mitzvah Day
for this remarkable interfaith dinner and packing. It demonstrates the
incredible impact dedicated individuals can have when they come together in
social action.”
Mitzvah
Day is the UK’s largest faith-based day of social action and will take place on
and around Sunday 24 November 2024.
The
charity’s chief executive, Stuart Diamond said: “This Mitzvah Day event
perfectly embodies the spirit of ‘Stronger Together’. Faith leaders from across
Brighton & Hove, despite our different beliefs, came together to serve
those in need. This interfaith collaboration demonstrates the power of
collective action and sends a powerful message of unity and compassion to our
community.”
Clergy
at the dinner included Right Revd Will Hazlewood (Bishop of Lewes), Father
Aidan Murray (Roman Catholic Monk), Imam Uthman Jeera (Al Medinah Mosque),
Rabbi Hershel Rader (Brighton & Hove Hebrew Congregation), Rabbi Andrea
Zanardo (Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue), Rabbi Matt Marks (Brighton
& Hove Jewish Community), Rabbi Pesach Efune (Chabad Brighton), Father John
Habib (Coptic Orthodox Church), Reverend Ali Marshall (St Leonard’s Hove
Church) and Curate Emily Row (St Peter’s Brighton).
There
were also lay leaders from Brighton & Hove Muslim Forum, Nichiren Buddhist
community, Gujarati Cultural Society, Sikhs of Sussex, Brighton & Hove
Progressive Synagogue, Emmanuel Church, King’s Arms Church Bedford, St Andrew’s
Moulsecoomb and Brighton & Hove Interfaith Contact Group.
The
event was a partnership between Mitzvah Day, BNJC, Brighton & Hove Faith in
Action and Sussex Jewish Representative Council.
Brighton
& Hove Faith in Action Chair Rik Childs said: “Our group now includes
Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Muslims and Buddhists and we will be playing a very
active part in Mitzvah Day, in November this year.
“We plan
to bring people of many faiths together – to show our love for Brighton &
Hove residents and demonstrate that, even though we may all believe different
things, we are stronger together and united in the belief that a better world
is one where we put the needs of our neighbours before ourselves.”
Source: jewishnews.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/an-imam-a-rabbi-a-bishop-and-a-minister-perform-a-mitzvah/
--------
Pendle
mayor's apology for row in Nelson mosque with council officer
22nd
July
Coun
Mohammad Aslam, a Conservative councillor, was involved in the incident in
April 2022 at Nelson’s Ghausia Mosque. It was before he became the mayor.
Lancashire
Police and Pendle Council got involved after council licensing officer Wajed
Iqbal complained to both. He claimed Coun Aslam said he wanted to ‘destroy’ him
during the Nelson mosque confrontation.
Subsequently,
a police officer spoke informally to Coun Aslam and issued him with a community
resolution – words of advice about his actions.
Later,
Coun Aslam had to attend a Pendle Council standards meeting in October 2023.
There,
it was claimed that Coun Aslam had threatened licensing officer Mr Iqbal
regarding an ice cream business – but also referred to vehicle MOT test enforcement
and a local election row. There were
also accusations that Coun Aslam called his son during the mosque row, telling
him and cousins to come to the mosque, there and then.
At the
October 2023 council standards meeting,
Coun Aslam apologised for ‘raised voices’ and any upset that he caused
in the mosque confrontation. But he denied many other accusations including
alleged threats.
He was
found to have breached the council’s code of conduct. He was told to send a
letter to the licensing officer ‘to ensure the future can be resolved and
cleared’. He was also told to give an apology to all Pendle councillors. That
was rescheduled once or twice but formally given at this month’s July full
council meeting,
Coun
Aslam gave a written apology which stated: “Members of Pendle Council, I write
further to the hearing and findings of the Standards Committee held in October,
2023.
“I am
aware of the need to treat members of the public, other councillors and council
employees with courtesy and respect at all times. I understand that my
behaviour on the evening of April 28, 2022 did not uphold these standards and I
sincerely apologise for any offence or distress caused to any individuals.
“Throughout
my time as a councillor, I have always worked hard to be courteous to all staff
and members of the public, and to treat everyone with respect. I will continue
to work hard on behalf of all residents and will always seek to abide by the
code of conduct in my future interactions with any individuals.”
Source: lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24467339.pendle-mayors-apology-row-nelson-mosque-council-officer/
--------
US
state-run media editor jailed in Russia ‘for disinformation’
22 Jul,
2024
A
Russian court has sentenced Alsu Kurmasheva, an editor at Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) to six and a half years in prison for spreading
“false information” about the Russian military.
Kurmasheva,
who worked for the Tatar-language service of the US state-funded media outlet,
denied any wrongdoing during the trial, which was conducted behind closed
doors.
She had been living in Prague, where RFE/RL is
based, and occasionally traveled to Russia to visit relatives.
The
editor was first detained in June 2023 in Kazan and charged with failing to
notify the authorities about her dual Russian and American citizenship. She was
fined 10,000 rubles ($113) for this offense.
Kurmasheva
was detained again in October and charged with failing to register as a
“foreign agent.” In December, she was additionally charged under Article 207 of
the Russian Criminal Code, which bans the “public dissemination of false
information about the Russian Armed Forces.”
According
to the news channel RBK, the prosecution argued that “false information” was
found in Kurmasheva’s recent book, titled ‘No to War. The 40 Stories of
Russians Opposing the Invasion of Ukraine.” The book is a collection of
interviews with Russians with an “anti-war stance,” who are speaking out
against Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine, according to its description.
RFE/RL
President Stephen Capus said that the trial “makes a mockery out of justice,”
and has called for Kurmasheva’s immediate release.US State Department spokesman
Matthew Miller described Kurmasheva on Monday as “a dedicated journalist who is
being targeted by Russian authorities for her uncompromising commitment to
speaking the truth and her principled reporting.”
RFE/RL
was founded during the early stages of the Cold War to spread anti-Communist
messages in the Soviet Bloc. It continues to be funded by the US government.
In March
2022, Russia blocked access to RFE/RL, citing “the publication of materials
that contain false information about the nature of the special military
operation” in Ukraine. Moscow banned the media outlet altogether in February
2024.
Since
2022, the EU has banned several Russian news outlets, including RT and Sputnik,
while accusing Moscow of spreading disinformation.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/about-us/press-releases/radio-liberty-editor-jailed/
--------
‘House
of Terror’ claims lives of two young women
22 Jul,
2024
Two
young women have lost their lives and a man has sustained severe burns after a
fire broke out during an escape room event in Russia’s southern Republic of
Dagestan, local authorities have reported.
The
local branch of the country’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal
probe into the deadly incident, and is checking whether all the required
security precautions had been observed by the organizer.
According
to local officials, the tragedy struck at around 2am on Monday in the
republic’s capital, Makhachkala. During the course of the quest, which was
being held in a basement dubbed the ‘House of Terror,’ one of the staff set
fire to a container full of gasoline.
In a
post on its Telegram channel on Monday, the Committee wrote that an 18-year-old
entertainer who was in charge of the event has been detained. The suspect told
interrogators that he set fire to a glove, which was apparently part of the
game attire. He then threw it toward a vessel containing gasoline that was
standing on the floor. The entertainer told officials that he had “gone
overboard with” the fuel during the course of the game.
According
to Mash media outlet, as the flames engulfed the room, the trapped people tried
to break a window and were screaming for help. A crowd of passersby soon
amassed near the entrance to the fateful basement and tried force the door
open, but to no avail, the report says. The people eventually managed to pry
open the grille covering the window.
Police
officers who were patrolling the area noticed the commotion, and came to the
rescue. They had gas masks on hand, and were able to enter the smoke-filled
room and pull the victims out, Mash claims.
However,
the two women had by then already suffered grievous burns, and perished soon
thereafter.
Russian
media quoted the head of the burn department at the local hospital, Magomed
Akhmedov, as saying that one of the victims “passed away immediately [on
arrival], and the other in the morning.”
Dagestan’s
Health Ministry revealed that the women’s injuries were so severe that there
was virtually no chance of survival despite the doctors’ best efforts.
According
to REN-TV channel, one of the victims was 19 years old and the other 25.
Makhachkala
Mayor Yusup Umavov has extended his condolences to the bereaved families.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/601493-dagestan-quest-fire-two-dead/
--------
War of
the words: How Ukraine broke its promises to Russian speakers
22 Jul,
2024
More than
ten years have passed since the 2014 coup d’état in Ukraine. Following the
so-called “Euromaidan,” the new Western-backed launched a campaign to cancel
everything Russian, including the language.
The last
reliable survey on linguistic diversity in Ukraine was conducted by the Social
Monitoring Center in 2021. It found over 65% of the country’s population
communicated in Russian on a daily basis.
However,
despite this and the fact that Article 10 of the Ukrainian Constitution
guarantees “the free development, use, and protection of Russian and other
languages of national minorities in Ukraine,” Russian has been restricted at
the legislative level in Ukraine since 2014.
The
first steps towards this were taken directly after the Maidan coup in February,
2014. On that day, the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) dismissed
Yanukovich from office and scheduled early elections for that May 25. A contest
in which millions of Ukrainian citizens would be disenfranchised.
The very
next day, the Rada voted to repeal the 2012 law “On the Principles of State
Language Policy,” which granted Russian the status of a regional language in
those areas where it was the native language of at least 10% of the population.
In such regions, the law granted the tongue the same status as the official
Ukrainian.
As a
result, mass protests broke out in the east of Ukraine, where the
Russian-speaking population was in the majority. As a result, acting President
Aleksandr Turchinov did not approve the Rada’s decision.
“Ukrainian
is the national language, but there will be no restrictions based on language,
nationality, on who goes to which church and belongs to which denomination in
Ukraine. The democratic government clearly guarantees this to everyone,”
Turchinov said at the time.
However,
this didn’t last long. Four years later,
in February 2018, the law on the regional status of the Russian language was
repealed. A corresponding decision was made by Ukraine’s Constitutional Court
which stated that it contradicted the Constitution.
Four
years later, in October 2022, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and
Defense Council Aleksey Danilov stated clearly that Ukrainian authorities
needed to completely eliminate the Russian language from the territory of
Ukraine.
“The
Russian language must wholly disappear from our territory as an element of
hostile propaganda and the brainwashing of our population,” he said.
His
statement fully reflected the policy of Kiev’s post-Maidan elites, who have
repeatedly changed legislation and taken steps towards prohibiting the use of
the Russian language.
De-Russification
and Ukrainization
An
important change happened in June 2016, when the Ukrainian Parliament adopted
amendments to the law “On Television and Radio Broadcasting” (which entered
into force on November 8, 2016). According to the new rules at least 60% of TV
and radio programs, such as news and analysis, had to be in Ukrainian.
In May
2017, at the initiative of then President Pyotr Poroshenko, the Rada adopted
amendments to this law, which from then on required at least 75% of national
and regional TV programs and 60% of local programs to be in Ukrainian.
And from
July 2024, the share of Ukrainian-language programs on national channels has to
be at least 90%, and on regional channels – at least 80%.
There
were also major changes in the field of education. In September 2017, the
Ukrainian Parliament adopted a new version of the “Law on Education,” which
stipulated a phased prohibition of Russian and the languages of other national
groups in educational institutions. According to the bill, all teaching in
secondary schools and higher educational institutions had to be conducted
exclusively in Ukrainian. After 2018, classes where subjects were taught in
Russian and other languages were allowed only in primary schools. From
September 1 2020, there was supposed to be no schools left where subjects were
taught in any language except Ukrainian.
In April
2019, the Rada adopted a bill “On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian
language as the state language”, and on May 15, five days before the end of his
presidential term, the document was signed by Poroshenko. Ukrainian was
designated as the only official state language. According to this law, efforts
to introduce multilingualism would be seen as attempts to forcefully change or
overthrow the constitutional order.
According
to the law, all cultural events should be held only in the state language, and
it should be spoken by all government officials, public service employees, and
workers in the fields of trade, service, education, medicine, culture, etc.
when performing their duties.
The law
was introduced in several stages. From January 16, 2020, the advertising sector
had to switch to the state language, from July 16, 2020 – scientific, medical,
and transport personnel, and from January 16, 2021 – all businesses, including
online stores.
On July
16, 2021, a language exam was introduced for future civil servants and people
who applied for Ukrainian citizenship. Requirements to publish and sell at
least 50% of all printed publications in the state language also came into
force.
Fines
and arrests
In
recent years, a growing number of people have been sanctioned for speaking
Russian. In July 2023, a math teacher from Dnepropetrovsk (the Ukrainian
authorities have renamed this city Dnipro) was fined 3,400 hryvnia (about $92),
for failing to comply with the law, State Language Protection Commissioner
Taras Kremin told Ukraine’s Radio Svoboda.
He
expressed hope that this “will serve as another reminder to the citizens of
Ukraine who carry out professional duties in various fields, especially
education, trade, and transport, that it is necessary to comply with the
language law.”
Shortly
before that, even tougher measures were applied against a philosophy teacher
from the State Tax University in Irpen, Kiev Region. According to Ukraine’s
Channel 24, which cited representatives of the university, Lyubov Vorobyova was
suspended from work for speaking Russian.
The
university’s press service explained that a collective complaint against the
teacher’s behavior was filed by students on April 6, 2023. The teacher was
notified that an investigation would be carried out.
Earlier
that year in February, a scandal broke out at a university in Volyn Region,
where one of the teachers taught classes only in Russian and ignored the
students’ complaints. A similar situation occurred at the State University of
Trade and Economics in Kiev.
A taxi
driver from Kiev also lost his job in October 2023 for speaking Russian. When
he refused to switch to Ukrainian, the passengers behaved in a scandalous way
and he asked them to get out of the car. The transportation company suspended
the man’s license and fired him.
As he
told the publication Strana.ua, he was outraged by the behavior of the passengers
who demanded he speak only Ukrainian. As the taxi driver noted, his job is to
safely transport passengers, but does not include “heart-to-heart
conversations.” The man claimed that he knows Ukrainian, but comes from the
southeast region where it’s not commonly spoken.
“It’s
not my fault that in the southeast, people have spoken [Russian] for the past
32 years, since Ukraine became independent. That’s how we studied [in school],”
the man said.
Fines
for violating the law on the state language were first applied in Ukraine in
October 2022. The first prosecution involved a teacher at the National Aviation
University in Kiev. A complaint against him was made by one of his students,
Ukrainian News reported, citing the office of Taras Kremen. That teacher was
also fined 3,400 UAH.
Scandals
over communicating in Russian did not begin only after the start of Russia’s
military operation in Ukraine. In February 2021, Taras Kremin wrote on his
Facebook page that Ukrainians had started to report Russian speakers. According to him, in one month he received
over 600 complaints against people who spoke Russian.
This
issue even gave rise to serious conflicts. In February 2021, a former Rada
deputy from the far-right Svoboda party, Oleg Gelevey, started a fight in the
center of Kiev that resulted in a stabbing, merely because a cafe server spoke
in Russian. As Strana.ua wrote, “Gelevey approached the waitress and reproached
her, but one of the customers stood up for her. Then Gelevey’s companion took
out a knife, and the two of them attacked the man who tried to defend her. A
criminal case over ‘hooliganism’ was initiated following the incident.”
One of
the most well-known incidents occurred in September 2020 when the Security
Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained a resident of Kherson Region, Tatiana
Kuzmich, who worked as a Russian language teacher. She was suspected of treason
and was taken into custody.
“According
to the detainee’s lawyer, SBU officers are forcing Kuzmich to incriminate
herself, and psychological pressure is exerted on the people who are close to
her. We urge you to pay attention to this case since, based on past experience,
we are concerned that this detention is politically motivated and is a
violation of civil rights and freedoms, and is language-based discrimination,”
Russian foreign aid and cultural agency ‘Rosssotrudnichestvo’ said in a
statement.
The head
of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov, noted that the organization was
appealing to international human rights institutions to react to the situation.
“May the
international human rights organizations take an incorruptible and objective
look [at the situation] and assess the actions of the Ukrainian special
services. But will they notice it?” Primakov wrote on his Telegram channel.
For the
detained woman, life changed after the start of Russia’s military operation.
While on February 24, 2022 she was preparing for her next court hearing, by the
end of August 2022 Tatyana Kuzmich was Deputy Minister of Education and Science
of Kherson Region, and on December 8 she was appointed vice-governor
responsible for working with evacuees.
Russian
speakers and rallies in support of the language
Ukraine’s
new legislative measures against the Russian language saw opposition both
domestically and internationally. For Ukrainians, this was a particularly
sensitive issue since just a few years ago, Russian was extremely widespread.
According
to data published by the Social Monitoring Center in August 2021, over 50% of
Ukrainians spoke Russian in their families and at home, 27.1% of Ukrainian
citizens used Russian as often as Ukrainian, 13.6% communicated mostly in
Russian, and 11.3% relied solely on Russian.
According
to the same survey, 15.8% of respondents spoke mostly Ukrainian, and less than
a third of the country’s residents (31.9%) used
only Ukrainian in their families and at home.
The
survey also showed that over half of Ukrainians didn’t mind watching TV
programs in Russian; 35.3% of respondents would like to watch TV both in
Russian and Ukrainian, 11.6% prefer to watch television programs mostly in
Russian, and 8.9% – only in Russian.
In
January 2020, in an attempt to stop forced Ukrainization, Ukrainians attended a
rally in support of the Russian language in Kharkov. The participants wanted to
defend their right to speak Russian and prevent the signing of the law on
secondary education, which prohibited them from studying in their native
language.
This
rally received wide coverage after the demonstrators were attacked by a group
of radical nationalists.
“The
nationalists disrupted our event... They sprayed tear gas, I was in the
hospital to treat my eyes. One police officer and several TV employees were
hospitalized with eye burns,” said Andrey Lesik, one of the organizers of the
rally and a member of the ‘Opposition Platform – For Life’ party’s political
council.
According
to media reports, among the radicals there were young men dressed in uniforms
of the National Squads ultra-nationalist organization, as well as several
people bearing flags of the Right Sector Neo-Nazi organization.
International
reaction
The
reaction of foreign politicians to Ukraine’s new language policy has varied
over the years. In December 2017, the Venice Commission of the Council of
Europe criticized the Ukrainian “Law on Education,” and Kiev was recommended to
amend it in order to avoid discrimination.
The
statement drew attention to the fact that Article 7, as adopted, “is quite
different from the draft on which minorities were consulted.” “[It] contains
important ambiguities and does not appear to provide the guidance needed from a
framework law in the application of the country’s international and
constitutional obligations. It contains some guarantees for education in the
minority languages, mainly limited to primary education, though the exact scope
of such guarantees is not as clear as it could be,” the Venice Commission
stated.
The
Commission pointed out that Article 7 provides a legal basis for teaching
certain subjects in EU languages, for example, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian,
and Polish, but does not provide a solution for non-EU languages, in particular
Russian as “the most widely used language apart from the state language.”
“The
less favorable treatment of these languages is difficult to justify and
therefore raises issues of discrimination. Having regard to the above
considerations, the appropriate solution would certainly be to amend Article 7
and replace this provision with a more balanced and more clearly worded one,”
the statement noted.
Over the
years, the EU’s rhetoric on this issue has changed a lot. Last November, an
anonymous official in Brussels told RIA Novosti that the European Commission
(EC) would not consider the language issue when assessing Ukraine’s readiness
to join the EU.
“Many
people are wondering about the Russian language and the rights of Russians [in
Ukraine]. I want to be very clear: the Russian language isn’t something that
the European Commission will take into account [when assessing Kiev’s
implementation of the reforms],” he said.
However,
he noted that the EC is highly interested in completing a reform that would
consolidate the rights of Hungarians, Romanians, and Bulgarians in Ukraine in
terms of the state language, media, and education.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.rt.com/russia/601479-words-war-ukraine-russian-speakers/
--------
Africa
Director
of MSF talks about the repercussions of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan
22-07-24
The
General Director of Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) described the situation in
Sudan as "the most significant humanitarian crisis in the world that we
face today," during a press conference in Amman on Monday.
"The
warring parties in Sudan have been inflicting horrendous levels of violence on
people since the war started in April of last year," said MSF's Vickie
Hawkins at an event to mark the release of a new report on the war.
Hawkins
said the report details how the war has led to indiscriminate violence,
killing, torture and sexual violence, in addition to continuous attacks on
health workers and medical facilities.
"The
report sheds light on the direct and deadly impact of the war on the people of
Sudan, which has left the country's health service largely in ruins," she
added.
She
added that both warring parties are involved in violence throughout Sudan and
said that hospitals have been frequently looted and attacked.
"Since
May, MSF-supported hospitals or premises have been hit by shelling or
airstrikes at least five times in Omdurman, Khartoum and el-Fasher, leading to
the deaths of health workers and patients, including children. Hospitals in
which we work in el-Fasher and in Khartoum were also stormed and
attacked," she said.
Hawkins
made an urgent plea to the warring parties to ensure the protection of
civilians and humanitarian workers, and urged vested partner states and
regional bodies "to increase pressure on the warring parties in Sudan to
abide by their obligations."
She also
called for more humanitarian aid, saying the current response "is nowhere
equivalent to the need."
"We
need the UN and the humanitarian sector at large to scale up, in order to
provide more adequate response in terms of the huge health needs that we see,
the massive needs in relation to nutrition, shelter, water and
sanitation," she said.
Sudan
has been rocked by violence since April of last year, when tensions between the
country’s military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid
Support Forces, commanded by Gen. Mohamed Hamden Dagalo, burst into open
fighting.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/07/22/director-of-msf-talks-about-the-repercussions-of-the-humanitarian-crisis-in-sudan/
--------
Sudan:
UAE president expresses support in call with Burhan
22-07-24
The
President of the United Arab Emirates has expressed his country's support for
Sudan and finding a solution to end the ongoing conflict there.
His
comments came in a phone call on Thursday with the head of of the Sudanese
army, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, according to the Emirati news agency,
WAM.
President
Mohammed ben Zayed is reported to have said the UAE is keen "to support
all solutions and initiatives aimed at halting escalation and ending the crisis
in Sudan."
The call
is the first between the two leaders since relations between them soured last
year due to the UAE's support of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, with
whom the Sudanese army has been at war for over a year.
A recent
UN report confirmed that Abu Dhabi had supplied weapons and munitions to the
RSF disguised as humanitarian aid, something which the UAE has denied.
More
than 10 million have been displaced in Sudan since the conflict began and
nearly 25 million people are in need of aid, according to the UN.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/07/22/sudan-uae-president-expresses-support-in-call-with-burhan/
--------
Bawumia
to rehabilitate Bole Mosque following appeal
Jul - 22
- 2024
During
his courtesy call on the Bolewura last Sunday, as part of his campaign tour of
the area, a number of appeals were made to Dr. Bawumia, including the elevation
of Bole to a municipal assembly, the upgrading of the Bole market, and the
rehabilitation of the Sawla road.
Another
passionate appeal made on behalf of the Bole Muslim community, by a spokesman
for the Bolewura, was the renovation of the mosque.
Following
the request, Dr. Bawumia agreed and announced he will finance the
rehabilitation of the mosque immediately.
Dr.
Bawumia said, "I have asked the parliamentary candidate and the chairman
to go and take a look at it and give me the estimate, and I will finance the
rehabilitation."
Source: graphic.com.gh
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/bawumia-to-rehabilitate-bole-mosque-following-appeal.html
--------
‘Let’s
Learn From India, Sudan’s Experience’ – Tinubu Cautions Nigerians Against
Planned Protests
22 July
2024
President
Bola Tinubu has called on young Nigerians to refrain from participating in
planned protests against the Federal Government’s economic reforms.
Naija
News reports that some Nigerians, particularly the youth, have planned a
nationwide protest from August 1st to 10th to draw the government’s attention
to the prevailing hardship in the country.
Speaking
in Abuja at the National Council of Traditional Rulers meeting, Tinubu,
represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume,
cautioned against allowing economic hardship to be exploited by individuals
with ulterior motives to incite protests.
He
emphasized the need for patience and commitment from Nigerians during this
critical period of economic reform, urging citizens to remember past instances
where crises threatened national peace and diversity.
Tinubu
highlighted the lessons to be learned from India and Sudan’s experiences,
noting that Nigeria, with its population of over 200 million, cannot afford
such instability.
“Capitalising
on the economic hardship in the country, some men and women with sinister
motives have been reported to have been mobilising citizens, particularly
youths, to stage a protest.
“Let’s
learn from India and Sudan’s experiences. We are a country with more than 200
million people.
“Therefore,
we can’t afford to have this kind of situation,’’ he said.
The
President assured that the government has implemented policies to alleviate
economic challenges, including procuring Compressed Natural Gas vehicles,
introducing a student loan scheme, distributing palliatives, and providing
agricultural inputs like tractors and fertilizers.
He also
emphasized ongoing efforts to address security issues in the country.
Tinubu
urged traditional leaders to promote peace within their communities and engage
with young people and parents to foster harmony.
The
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’adu Abubakar III, supported this view, advocating
dialogue as the best means to resolve conflicts and highlighting the necessity
of peace.
The Ooni
of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan, stressed the importance of patriotism and national
cohesion for development, asserting that any threat to unity must be resisted.
He
acknowledged President Tinubu’s efforts to address the nation’s challenges and
reiterated that Nigeria belongs to all its citizens.
Dr.
Mainasara Umar-Kogo, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, noted the
effectiveness of traditional institutions as local administrative bodies since
pre-colonial times.
He
called for their roles to be restored in the constitution to preserve
socio-cultural values, suggesting that past administrative reforms have
diminished their influence.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the
text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/07/22/lets-learn-from-india-sudans-experience-tinubu-cautions-nigerians-against-planned-protests/
--------
Mideast
Amnesty
International: International Court of Justice's Fatwa Historic Victory for
Palestinian Rights
22 Jul
2024
LONDON
July 22. 2024 (Saba) - Amnesty International considered, on Monday, that the
historic fatwa issued by the International Court of Justice is a historic
victory for the rights of the Palestinians who have suffered, and continue to
suffer, decades of brutality and violations resulting from the illegal Zionist
occupation.
According
to Sama News Agency, the organization's Senior Director of Research, Advocacy,
Policy and Campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas, stated in a statement that "the
occupation is a fundamental pillar of the apartheid system that the Zionist
enemy relies on to dominate and persecute the Palestinians."
Rosas
added: "Which has caused them widespread suffering, as the Palestinians
are subjected to the demolition of their homes and the seizure of their lands
to build and expand settlements, and they face stifling restrictions that
violate all aspects of their daily lives."
“The ICJ
advisory opinion comes as the Zionist enemy authorities have been flagrantly and
catastrophically violating international humanitarian law over the past nine
months, launching deadly and illegal attacks in the midst of their assault on
the Gaza Strip, which have claimed the lives of an unprecedented number of
civilians,” Rosas stressed.
“The
international community, especially the Zionist enemy’s allies, must now take
firm measures to ensure an end to the illegal occupation, starting with an
immediate halt to settlement expansion,” Rosas stressed.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3351817.htm
--------
Israeli
government quietly sends millions to unauthorized West Bank settler outposts
July 23,
2024
JERUSALEM:
The Israeli government has budgeted millions of dollars to protect small,
unauthorized Jewish farms in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, underwriting tiny
outposts meant to grow into full-fledged settlements, according to an
anti-settlement monitoring group.
Documents
uncovered by Peace Now illustrate how Israel’s pro-settler government has
quietly poured money into the unauthorized outposts, which are separate from
its more than 100 officially recognized settlements. Some of those outposts
have been linked to settler violence against Palestinians and are sanctioned by
the US.
Palestinians
and the international community say all settlements are illegal or illegitimate
and undermine hopes for a two-state solution.
The
Ministry of Settlements and National Mission, which is headed by a far-right
settler leader, confirmed it budgeted 75 million shekels ($20.5 million) last
year for security equipment for “young settlements” — the term it uses for
unauthorized Jewish farms and outposts in the West Bank. The money was quietly
authorized in December while the country’s attention was focused on the war
against Hamas in Gaza.
Peace
Now said the funds have been used for vehicles, drones, cameras, generators,
electric gates, fences and new roads that reach some of the more remote farms.
The
group estimates approximately 500 people live on the small, unauthorized farms
and 25,000 more live in larger outposts. Those outposts, while not officially
authorized by the government, often receive tacit support before they are
retroactively legalized.
Hagit
Ofran, director of Peace Now’s “settlement watch” program, said the funding was
the first time the Israeli government has channeled money to the outposts so
openly.
Rights
groups say the expanding network of remote farms atop West Bank hilltops are
the primary drivers of violence and displacement of Palestinians.
In the
last month alone, Israel’s government has legalized five formerly unauthorized
settlements and made the largest land grab in the West Bank in three decades,
declaring a wide swath of the territory state land in preparation for new
construction.
Palestinians
say violence by people associated with these farms has soared since Hamas’ Oct.
7 attack, which sparked Israel’s war against the militant group in the Gaza
Strip.
On
Friday, the top United Nations court said Israel’s presence in the Palestinian
territories is unlawful and called for an immediate halt to settlement
construction. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly denounced the
nonbinding opinion, saying the territories are part of the Jewish people’s
historic homeland.
Israel
captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — areas claimed by the
Palestinians for a future state — in the 1967 Mideast war. It has settled over
500,000 Jews in the West Bank, most of whom live on authorized settlements, in
addition to over 200,000 others in contested east Jerusalem, which it claims as
part of its capital.
Netanyahu’s
far-right government is dominated by West Bank settlers and pro-settler
politicians. Netanyahu has placed his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, in a
new position inside the Defense Ministry overseeing settlement construction and
development.
The
United States, Britain, and the European Union have imposed international
sanctions on 13 hard-line Israeli settlers, some of whom are associated with
the outpost farms — as well as two affiliated outposts and four groups — over
accusations of attacks and harassment against Palestinians. The measures are
meant as a deterrent, and they expose people to asset freezes and travel and
visa bans, though the freezes have been less effective.
The
office of Orit Strock, the Minister of Settlements and National Mission, said
the funds were coordinated with the Defense Ministry and “carried out in
accordance with all laws.” It added that Strock, herself a longtime settler
leader, “sees great importance in strengthening settlements” despite
international condemnation.
The
budget was approved in December and predates the sanctions. The government did
not publish a list of the farms and outposts that received funding, so it’s
unclear if the sanctioned farms and outposts are among them. But it’s likely
that at least some of them are since the budget supported 68 of the nearly 70
farms identified by Peace Now, Ofran said. The number of farms has since grown
to more than 90.
Peace
Now said it learned of the funding decision from recordings and presentations
shared at a conference of the pro-settler Religious Zionism Party last month at
the “Shaharit Farm” outpost in the northern West Bank. Strock and Smotrich were
in attendance.
US
officials including President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken
have repeatedly raised concerns about the surge in settler violence against
Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel’s former top general in the West Bank
raised similar concerns in a recent retirement speech.
Israel
has said it is taking action against such attacks and argues that the sanctions
are unnecessary.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554606/middle-east
--------
Palestinian
officials say Israel troops kill 5 in West Bank raid
July 23,
2024
Palestinian
officials said Israeli troops killed five Palestinians, including two women, in
a pre-dawn raid on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday.
The
deaths came when Israeli forces raided the Tulkarem camp, the head of its
popular committee, Faisal Salamah, told AFP. An activist at the camp confirmed
the toll. The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554666/middle-east
--------
Palestinian
factions sign declaration to end divisions after talks in China
July 23,
2024
BEIJING:
Various Palestinian factions have agreed to end their divisions and strengthen
Palestinian unity by signing the Beijing Declaration on Tuesday morning in
China, according to Chinese state media.
The
declaration was signed at the closing ceremony of a reconciliation dialogue
among the factions held in Beijing from July 21-23, state broadcaster CCTV
said.
A total
of 14 Palestinian factions including the leaders of rival groups Fatah and
Hamas also met with the media, with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi present,
CGTN said in a social media post.
Rival
factions Hamas and Fatah met in China in April to discuss reconciliation
efforts to end around 17 years of disputes.
China’s
Foreign Minister Wang Yi hailed the agreement by 14 Palestinian factions to set
up an “interim national reconciliation government” to govern Gaza after the
war.
Palestinian
factions including Hamas and Fatah met in Beijing this week in a renewed bid
for reconciliation.
As the
meeting wrapped up on Tuesday, China’s top diplomat said the groups had
committed to “reconciliation.”
“The
most prominent highlight is the agreement to form an interim national
reconciliation government around the governance of post-war Gaza,” Wang said
following the signing of the “Beijing declaration” by the factions in the
Chinese capital.
“Reconciliation
is an internal matter for the Palestinian factions, but at the same time, it
cannot be achieved without the support of the international community,” Wang
said.
China,
he added, was keen to “play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and
stability in the Middle East.”
Hamas
and Fatah have been bitter rivals since Hamas fighters ejected Fatah from the
Gaza Strip after deadly clashes that followed Hamas’s resounding victory in a
2006 election.
The
Islamist Hamas movement has ruled Gaza since seizing control of it in 2007.
The
secularist Fatah movement controls the Palestinian Authority, which has partial
administrative control in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554621/middle-east
--------
Islamic
Resistance Targets Zionist Spying Equipment
22 Jul
2024
BEIRUT
July 22. 2024 (Saba) - The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, led by Hezbollah,
announced on Monday, that it targeted the spying equipment at the Zionist monk
site with appropriate weapons, and hit it directly.
The
Islamic Resistance in Lebanon said that its fighters also targeted the spying
equipment at the radar site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with
appropriate weapons, and hit it directly, which led to its destruction.
This
afternoon, Monday, the Islamic Resistance targeted the Al-Malikiyah site with
an offensive, attacking drone that hit one of its bunkers, which led to the
destruction of part of it and the outbreak of fire in it.
The war
media in the Islamic Resistance published today, Monday, a new segment directed
at the Zionist enemy army, entitled "You will not have any tanks
left."
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3351823.htm
--------
Inauguration
events & activities commemorating Imam Zaid martyrdom in capital
secretariat
22 Jul
2024
SANA'A
July 22. 2024 (Saba) - The Women’s Awareness Department of the Guidance Office
and the General Administration of Women’s Development, in cooperation with the
Women’s Authority in the Capital Secretariat, launched on Monday activities
commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Zaid bin Ali, peace be upon them, under the
slogan “Insight and Jihad,” congratulating the qualitative military operation
in occupied Jaffa.
At the
inauguration, the Director of the Women’s Awareness Department at the Guidance
Office, Hanan Al-Ezzi, reviewed aspects of the biography of Imam Zaid, his
revolution against tyrants , oppressors, and the problems that faced the
revolution of ally of the Qur’an and were a reason for the power of falsehood,
including: court scholars, stagnation, establishing the culture of the obligation
to obey the oppressors, and domesticating the nation to silence ,neutrality and
formal affiliation to Islam
Al-Ezzi
called to imitate the revolutionary Imam, the ally of the Qur’an, in his
approach, morals, and movement for the sake of God, and to sense responsibility
towards religion , the nation’s issues, to support them, and to confront the
enemies of Islam and Muslims.
She
pointed to the guidelines for commemorating this anniversary by holding
seminars , cultural and awareness-raising events in schools, directorates and
neighborhoods, to strengthen the connection to faith identity , correct the
false cultures , destructive ideas spread by the enemies of the nation, and the
necessity of telling the truth, confronting falsehood, and championing the
nation’s issues, foremost of which is the Palestinian issue.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3351789.htm
--------
Islamic
Resistance Continues Targeting Israeli Occupation Sites near Lebanon Border
July 22, 2024
The
Islamic Resistance continued on Monday targeting the Israeli occupation sites
near Lebanon border in support of Gaza against the Zionist genocidal war.
Hezbollah
military media issued consecutive statements which detail the attacks and their
outcomes.
The
first statement confirmed that the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted
Al-Malkiya site on Monday, 22-07-2024, with an assault drone that struck one of
its bunkers, causing partial destruction and igniting fire.
The
second statement affirmed that the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted on
Monday, 22-07-2024, at 5:45 p.m. the spy devices at Al-Radar occupation site in
the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with appropriate weapons, hitting and
destroying them.
The
third statement mentioned that the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted on
Monday, 22-07-2024, at 5:50 p.m. the spy equipment at Al-Raheb occupation site
with appropriate weapons, hitting the target directly.
Hezbollah
Military Media released a video which echoes with the threat made by Secretary
General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah in Ashura speech that the Israeli occupation
army will run out of tanks if it invades Lebanon.
In
support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of
their brave and honorable resistance, the Islamic Resistance carried out
several operations against the sites and deployments of the “Israeli” enemy
army on the Lebanese-Palestinian border on Sunday, 21-07-2024, as follows:
1. The
Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the settlement of Dafna with Katyusha
rockets in response to the “Israeli” enemy’s attacks that injured several
civilians in the town of Adloun.
2. At
13:24, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted Al-Ramtha site in the occupied
Lebanese hills of Kfar Shuba with rocket weapons, achieving a direct hit.
3. At
14:08, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted Al-Samaqa site in the occupied
Lebanese hills of Kfar Shuba with rocket weapons, achieving a direct hit.
4. The
Islamic Resistance fighters launched an aerial operation with a squadron of
assault drones targeting the newly established enemy forces’ headquarters in
the settlement of Hanita, directly hitting a gathering point of soldiers,
causing confirmed casualties including dead and injured, in response to the
“Israeli” enemy’s attacks on the towns of Adloun and Houla.
5. The
Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the Northern Corps command headquarters at
Ein Zeitim base with Katyusha rockets, in response to the “Israeli” enemy’s
attacks on the towns of Adloun and Houla.
6. The
Islamic Resistance fighters targeted Zar’it barracks with artillery shells in
response to the “Israeli” enemy’s attack on the Lebanese army in Alma Al-Shaab.
Source: english.almanar.com.lb
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://english.almanar.com.lb/2158037
--------
'He
saved my children': Oman mosque shooting victims hailed as heroes
22 July,
2024
Relatives
of men who were killed when gunmen opened fire at a Shiite mosque in Oman said they
saved the lives of dozens of worshippers during the attack in which six people
were killed.
Families
said their relatives shielded children and carried people to safety despite
being exposed to gunfire during the attack on the Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in
the Wadi Al Kabir neighbourhood of Muscat on July 15.
Funerals
were held at the weekend in Pakistan, India and Oman for the six men who were
killed. Four were from Pakistan, one was Indian, and one was an Omani
policeman.
More
than 30 others were injured in the attack, which was claimed by ISIS.
'He
saved my children'
Shahbaz
Nawaz said his brother Sulaiman died saving the lives of several children.
Their
family of 15 were preparing to leave the mosque to drive to another nearby
gathering on Monday night.
Sulaiman
was waiting with a group of children for cars to pull up near the women’s
section, when the gunmen opened fire just before 10.30pm.
“Sulaiman
was shot in the legs, waist and back, there were 10-12 bullets in his body.
“He
saved my children and he saved other children waiting outside for their
parents,” said Shahbaz Nawaz after his younger brother’s funeral in Wazirabad,
north of Lahore.
“When we
heard the shooting, we tried to go there but there was too much firing.
“We went
back inside the mosque and found our children, Sulaiman managed to push them
back into the mosque.”
The
family left the mosque on the morning of July 16 after security forces secured
the area and spent the day looking for Sulaiman.
“We
heard later that he was shaheed [martyred],” Mr Nawaz said.
“The
volunteers tried to save him but he was shot at again and again when they tried
to bring him into the mosque.”
Experts
have said the brutal attack had all the hallmarks of ISIS terrorists.
Oman
police confirmed the gunmen were Omani brothers and investigations “indicated
they were influenced by misguided ideas”.
The
Nawaz family said they were shattered but would not bowed by fear.
“My
brother was courageous, he gave up his life to save our children,” Mr Nawaz
said of Sulaiman.
“My brother
loved his family, always thought of others.
“He
wanted to work, save money so that our children would study and have a good
education.
“Our
family is beyond grief.
“This
cannot stop us from praying, we will stay peaceful and keep going to pray.”
Died a
hero
The
family of Sayyed Qaisar Abbas mourned his death in Faisalabad, west of Lahore.
Sayyed’s
wife was inside the mosque and his brother Saeed Shahbaz was working away from
Muscat when the attack took place.
They
heard from volunteers and worshippers who were present during the attack how
the 40-year-old Pakistani dragged the injured to safety and gave water to the
wounded who lay in the mosque car park.
“He died
a hero. He pulled children, dragged people in, shielded them with his body. We
heard this from people he saved,” said Mr Shahbaz. “He gave injured people
water.”
Mr
Shahbaz said volunteers said his brother was soon spotted by the gunmen
positioned on the roof of nearby buildings.
“There
were so many bullets in his body, he died on the spot,” he said.
“When
there is shooting, it’s normal to take shelter but he died bravely. It was in
his blood to help people.”
Sayyed,
a lorry driver who has lived in Oman for more than 15 years, was among the
volunteers who guided people in the mosque and served them water.
The
attack has shocked residents but not shaken their faith in the government’s
ability to restore peace.
“He was
the best brother, best husband and never did anyone any harm,” said Mr Shahbaz,
also a lorry driver in Oman.
“We
don’t have any strength after this.
“But we
know that Oman has a good government and security will be even stronger
now."
'We must
live in love'
Others
spoke of the bravery of Omani policeman Yousuf Al Nadabi, who died trying to
rescue worshippers.
Taussef
Bukhari, a Pakistani citizen who was shot during the attack, said he saw the
moment the police officer was shot while attempting to rescue the injured.
Mr
Bukhari also saved a child by pushing him out of harm's way before being shot
twice.
“I
pushed the child into the car because I knew he would not be safe outside. I
managed to crawl behind the cars but I was shot,” said Mr Bukhari, 31, who
works for a manufacturing company in Muscat.
He, too,
saw the Omani police officer shot when he drove up to rescue the injured.
“There
were so many injured people, there was so much blood,” Mr Bukhari said.
Despite
the pain, he tried not to cry out so the gunmen would not target more people.
“I knew
if I cry or yell, they will know where we are and they will fire more,” he
said.
“I tried
not to give away my position and let them know they had hit me.
“I tried
to bear the pain but there was so much blood.”
He has
now returned home after two operations to treat bullet wounds in his arm and
leg.
After
about a week in hospital, Mr Bukhari is recovering at home and his message is
one of peace.
“For the
people who did this, I say that every person has the right to live, they cannot
decide who is worthy of living,” he said.
“Interfaith
harmony is important.
“Parents,
teachers and leaders must talk, discuss issues. We must live in love and
brotherhood and also let others live.”
Source: thenationalnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/gulf/2024/07/22/oman-mosque-shooting-victims-funerals/
--------
Arab World
Jeddah’s
Historic District celebrates 10 years on UNESCO World Heritage List
July 22,
2024
JEDDAH:
The Jeddah Historic District Program celebrated the 10th anniversary of the
district’s inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The
district was inscribed on the list in 2014 in recognition of its outstanding
universal value.
According
to a statement, the program oversaw the regeneration and preservation of the
district’s cultural and urban heritage, transforming it into a global
destination aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
Historic
Jeddah spans an area of 2.5 sq. km along the Red Sea coast. Serving as a major
port for pilgrims arriving in Makkah and a hub for global trade routes between
Asia and Africa since the 7th century, the district has been a center of
cultural and economic exchange for centuries.
According
to UNESCO’s criteria for inscribing the Historic Jeddah district on the World
Heritage List, the area fulfills three key requirements — representing an
important interchange of human values over time, being an outstanding example
of a type of building or architectural ensemble, and being directly associated
with events, living traditions, or artistic works of outstanding universal
significance.
Facing
numerous challenges, such as the need to save dilapidated buildings and improve
infrastructure while preserving the area’s historical and cultural character,
the program has implemented various projects within the framework of the
regeneration plan. These efforts have enriched the visitor experience and
enhanced the district as an attractive tourist destination, according to the
statement.
The
Jeddah Historic District Program has established four main pillars for the
district’s restoration efforts: intangible cultural heritage, archaeology and
excavation (the wall and historic gates), urban fabric (markets, squares, and
streets), and historic buildings (houses, mosques, and endowments).
The
program has also set standards for the preservation of the area’s heritage,
including the use of traditional materials and the maintenance of original
building heights.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554196/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
focuses on global economy at G20 development meeting
July 23,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s Economy and Planning Minister Faisal bin Fadel Alibrahim has
been holding talks with officials from several nations on the state of the
global economy at the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting in Brazil.
On the
sidelines of the G20 meeting, which began on Monday and ends on July 24,
Alibrahim held discussions with Brazil’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira
on the latter’s agenda while holding the presidency of the G20.
They
also discussed efforts to enhance cooperation in various sectors, including
infrastructure, agribusiness and renewable energy, the Saudi Press Agency
reported on Tuesday.
The
minister also met with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development’s Secretary-General Mathias Cormann on regional and global economic
developments, and Saudi Arabia’s work with the OECD.
In
addition, Alibrahim had discussions with Singapore’s Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Office and Second Minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the Ministry of Education Mohamad Maliki Osman.
They
focused on ways to enhance relations including in the industrial, education,
investment and financial sectors.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554671/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
farmer turns worm waste into wealth in innovative move
July 22,
2024
RIYADH:
A Saudi farmer has developed a technique that transforms a common garden nuisance
into a useful resource.
Mohammed
Al-Shaer, of Al-Dhafir village in Baha, has established a thriving
vermicomposting operation on his farm, producing high-quality organic
fertilizer from earthworms, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency.
Al-Shaer’s
venture began approximately a year ago with a simple setup: a single
5-meter-long, 60 cm-high tank housing roughly 2,000 worms. The worms were fed a
diet of dry leaves, organic waste, and food scraps and were closely monitored
for four months, yielding over 300 kg of nutrient-rich compost and a tenfold
increase in their population.
“Through
extensive field trials and research into global best practices, I have gained
insights into worm behavior, needs, and breeding techniques,” Al-Shaer
explained in an interview with the SPA. His operation has since expanded to
four tanks, producing enough vermicompost to fertilize roughly 250 trees on his
property.
The
benefits of this organic fertilizer are manifold. It accelerates plant growth,
enhances fruit production, and improves overall soil health.
Al-Shaer
added: “The worms naturally enhance soil quality, optimize nutrient cycling for
crops, and develop sound agricultural practices to enhance the production of
fruits and vegetables.”
Looking
ahead, the farmer aims to scale up his project to develop it into a
comprehensive operation that produces large quantities of worm compost.
He also
intends to raise awareness about this ecofriendly practice among fellow farmers
through agricultural festivals in Saudi Arabia, encouraging his contemporaries
to use organic fertilizer as an alternative to chemical fertilizers, which can
harm soil, plants, and human health.
Local
officials, notably Fahd Al-Zahrani, director general of the branch of the
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Baha, have expressed support
for the proposal.
Dr.
Lubna Saad, an associate professor of applied nutrition at Al-Baha University,
emphasized the scientific benefits of vermicomposting, describing it as a
potent mixture of worm castings and processed organic matter.
“These
worms consume most of the organic inputs, transforming them into vermicompost,”
Saad said in an interview with the SPA.
“The
resulting material is then sifted and filtered, producing a ready-to-use
fertilizer suitable for all types of agricultural fields. It significantly
enhances the soil’s ability to absorb and retain water.”
Farmers
participating in the recent Khayrat Al-Baha Festival praised Al-Shaer’s
initiative, noting improvements in their crop quality after using organic
fertilizer, the SPA reported.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554431/saudi-arabia
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Saudi
minister meets Swiss ambassador to Riyadh
July 22,
2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Dr. Saud Al-Sati met Switzerland’s
ambassador to the Kingdom, Yasmine Chatila, in Riyadh on Monday.
During
the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and issues of common interest,
the Foreign Ministry reported on X.
Meanwhile,
the Arab League’s assistant secretary-general and head of the international
political affairs sector, Dr. Khaled Manzlawiy, met Iraq’s permanent
representative to the league, Qahtan Taha Janabi, in Cairo, the Saudi Press
Agency reported.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554421/saudi-arabia
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Saudi
Real Estate Registry clinches prestigious Esri GIS Award
July 22,
2024
RIYADH:
The Saudi Real Estate Registry has been honored with the 2024 Special
Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award, presented by the Environmental Systems Research
Institute (Esri), the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The
accolade, awarded at the international Esri User Conference in the US,
recognizes the registry’s innovative application of geographic information
system technology.
According
to the SPA, Mohammed Al-Sulaiman, CEO of the Saudi Real Estate Registry,
received the award from Esri CEO Jack Dangermond, highlighting the
organization’s exceptional use of spatial technologies and AI-supported
geospatial data predictive analysis. The registry has developed a detailed
geospatial map of Saudi Arabia’s real estate using ArcGIS and Esri
technologies.
“This
award confirms our world-class implementation of GIS technologies,” Al-Sulaiman
said. “It supports our vision of creating a comprehensive real estate registry
for all property data and information in the Kingdom, with geospatial surveying
as the foundation for property registration.”
Since
its inception, the Real Estate Registry has employed a range of advanced
technologies in executing geospatial operations, including drones, digital
geospatial solutions and systems, remote sensing, AI and satellite-based GPS,
the SPA reported.
The
registry aims to produce a reliable and updated real estate map, the first of
its kind in the Kingdom, covering more than 100,000 sq. km of urban areas,
encompassing 8 million plots and generating 5,000 terabytes of data.
Al-Sulaiman
said that the initiative will enhance transparency and reliability in the real
estate sector, ensuring its sustainability, and boosting its investment appeal
and contribution to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product, in line with the
goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554231/saudi-arabia
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Saudi,
North Macedonia to strengthen Islamic affairs cooperation
July 22,
2024
RIYADH:
The Kingdom and North Macedonia have signed an agreement to strengthen
cooperation on Islamic affairs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The pact
was inked by Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Albania Faisal bin Ghazi Hefzi and
representatives of the Presidency of the Islamic Union of North Macedonia.
Hefzi
also serves as non-resident ambassador to North Macedonia, and was representing
the Kingdom’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.
In a
press statement after the signing ceremony, Hefzi said the Kingdom supports all
efforts to ensure peace and prosperity for Muslims worldwide.
The
signing ceremony took place on Sunday in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, and
was attended by various government representatives.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2554041/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief
delivers essential aid to thousands in Syria and Sudan
July 22,
2024
DUBAI:
Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian agency KSrelief has delivered food and other aid to
thousands of vulnerable people in Syria and Sudan.
In
operations carried out on Friday in the Idlib region of Syria, KSrelief
distributed 1,078 food baskets and hygiene kits for 6,468 individuals, the
Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
This was
a part of the second phase of a project aimed at supporting people affected by
the 2024 earthquake in northern Syria.
Also on
Friday, in the northern state of Sudan, KSrelief provided 600 shelter bags for
3,450 individuals as a part of an ongoing aid project.
Both
efforts reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment, through KSrelief, to support
vulnerable people worldwide, the SPA reported.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2553991/saudi-arabia
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South Asia
Fazlur
Rehman: Taliban to revise curriculum to foster positive Afghan perception of
Pakistan
July 23,
2024
Maulana
Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party in Pakistan, has stated
that the Taliban are working on a new educational curriculum aimed at fostering
a positive perception of Pakistan among the people of Afghanistan.
Mr.
Rehman mentioned that this new mindset would be based on principles of
brotherhood, Islamic beliefs, and neighborly relations. He noted that previous
Afghanistan governments promoted a negative view of Pakistan.
In an
interview with Radio Mashaal, Rehman reported that since the Taliban came to
power in August 2021, people who supported and were sympathetic to Pakistan
faced difficulties from the community. This was evident during large
anti-Taliban protests in Kabul in
September 2021, which coincided with the visit of General Faiz Hameed, Chief of
Military Intelligence of Pakistan, where protesters chanted anti-Pakistan
slogans.
Rehman
cited the Taliban’s own reports, stating that when the group came to power,
they faced significant challenges from the community due to their close ties
with Pakistan. He mentioned that during his visit to Afghanistan, Taliban
officials extensively discussed the changes to the educational curriculum with
him.
Previously,
the Taliban’s Ministry of Education had announced that the curriculum for
Afghanistan schools up to the sixth grade has been “revised.” Details about the
new curriculum developed by the Taliban are still limited.
Manzoor
Ahmad Hamza, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Education, said that
lessons conflicting with Afghanistan culture and Islamic law have been removed
from the curriculum.
The introduction
of a revised curriculum reflects the Taliban’s efforts to reshape educational
content in line with their ideological and political goals. As the new
curriculum is implemented, it will be important to monitor its impact on
educational standards and cross-border relations.
The
broader implications of these changes will likely influence the dynamics
between Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as the international community’s
perception of the Taliban’s governance and policies.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.khaama.com/fazlur-rehman-taliban-to-revise-curriculum-to-foster-positive-afghan-perception-of-pakistan/
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Education
Minister Unveils Six Educational Projects Worth Over 122 Million AFN in Balkh
2024-07-22
KABUL(BNA):
The Acting Minister of Education Mawlawi Habibullah Agha inaugurated six new
educational projects worth over 122 million Afghanis during his visit to Balkh
province.
In a
press release, the ministry detailed that these projects include the
Al-Muhtadoon Madrasa building in Mazar-e-Sharif city, costing 35 million AFN;
the Hanifa al-Bayda Madrasa building in Nahr-e-Shahi district, costing 11
million AFN; the Hasan bin Ali Radhi Madrasa building in Mazar-e-Sharif city,
costing 4 million AFN; the High School of Air Blocks building in Mazar-e-Sharif
city, costing 38.4 million AFN; the Mahjuba Herawi Primary School building in
Mazar-e-Sharif, costing 25.7 million AFN; and the Mullah Afghan Middle School
building in Marmal district, costing 8.3 million AFN.
The
Acting Minister of Education instructed the officials and staff of the
provincial education department to treat the country’s children well, without
any discrimination, and to educate them with an Islamic spirit and a commitment
to sincere service to the nation.
The
press release also mentioned that during his visit, the Acting Minister laid
the foundation stone for the Balkh High Darul Uloom in Balkh district, with a
cost of 5 million Afghanis.
It is
worth noting that these educational institutions were constructed with the
financial support of collaborating organizations in the education sector.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/education-minister-unveils-six-educational-projects-worth-over-122-million-afn-in-balkh/
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Foreign
ministry strongly condemns Zionist regime’s air raid on Hudaydah port
July 23,
2024
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly
condemns air raids by the Zionist regime on Hudaydah port in the Republic of
Yemen, resulting in civilian casualties. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Islamic Emirate calls on international organizations and influential countries
to halt crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza and the region so that these
crimes and atrocities not lead to more casualties and destruction in the
region.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/foreign-ministry-strongly-condemns-zionist-regimes-air-raid-on-hudaydah-port/
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Handicrafts
exhibition held in Bamyan
July 23,
2024
KABUL: A
five-day handicrafts exhibition under the theme of ‘Ganjina’, has been held in
the central province of Bamyan, the state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported
Monday. The exhibition was attended by a large number of government officials
and industrialists, the agency said. According to the statement, scores of
stalls of domestic products including some booths for women, have been
showcased their products in the exhibition. Mawlavi Abdullah Sarhadhi, the
governor of Bamyan, called the holding of such programs an important step in
the direction of the development and support of handicrafts in the country.
Emphasizing national unity and integration among people, Mawlavi Sarhadhi asked
the industrialists to work for the prosperity of the country and assured them
that the Islamic Emirate would support them with all its strength. The Kabul
Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/handicrafts-exhibition-held-in-bamyan/
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1,500
sheep killed in mountain fall in Badakhshan, Afghanistan
July 23,
2024
Local
officials in Badakhshan province report that over 1,500 sheep have been killed
after falling from a mountain in the Nasi district of the province.
Zabihullah
Amiri, the head of the Information and Culture Department of the Badakhshan,
announced in a statement that the incident occurred on Sunday night, July 21,
in a mountainous area covering the villages of Ki, Kaj-Dara, and Shorian in the
Nasi district.
The
statement also mentioned that the loss of this flock has caused approximately
20 million Afghanis in damage to the local residents.
According
to Amiri, the sheep panicked due to the threat of wolves and fell from a height
of 400 meters in the darkness of the night.
Local
officials have emphasized that they have visited the site for further
investigation, and no one has been arrested in connection with the incident.
This
incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by livestock farmers in the
region, compounded by recent severe weather conditions. The authorities are
expected to continue their efforts to mitigate such risks and provide support
to affected communities.
As the
region recovers from this loss, there will likely be calls for improved
measures to protect livestock and address the impacts of environmental and
animal welfare issues.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.khaama.com/1500-sheep-killed-in-mountain-fall-in-badakhshan-afghanistan/
--------
Pakistani
troops kill three militants at Afghanistan border
July 23,
2024
The
Pakistani military announced that it had neutralized three militants who were
attempting to cross from Afghanistan into Pakistan.
The
incident occurred on Monday, July 22, in the border area of the Dir district in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
In a
statement, the Pakistani military called on the Taliban administration to
prevent militants from entering Pakistan from Afghanistan.
The
statement read: “We expect our neighboring country [Afghanistan] to fulfill its
commitments and prevent terrorists from using Afghanistan’s territory to
conduct terrorist activities in Pakistan.”
Previously,
the Pakistani military had pointed to an attack by forces loyal to Gul Bahadur,
a commander of the Pakistani Taliban, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which resulted in
the deaths of eight soldiers. The military indicated that this group is based
in Afghanistan.
The
Pakistani military has warned that it will take necessary actions in response
to threats emanating from Afghanistan. In May of this year, the military
reported the killing of 29 militants along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The
ongoing cross-border militancy poses a significant challenge to regional
stability and underscores the complex security dynamics in the region.
Continued cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan is critical to
effectively addressing these security threats.
International
observers and stakeholders are urging both countries to engage in constructive
dialogue to prevent further escalation and to tackle the root causes of
militancy collaboratively.
The
situation remains volatile, and coordinated efforts will be essential to ensure
long-term peace and security in the border areas.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistani-troops-kill-three-militants-at-afghanistan-border/
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Nearly
4,000 Afghan migrants deported from Iran and Pakistan
July 22,
2024
The
Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation has reported the deportation of nearly
four thousand Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan.
On
Monday, July 22, the Ministry announced that 3,775 Afghan migrants had been
expelled from Iran and Pakistan.
The
Ministry’s statement notes that the expelled individuals entered the country on
July 21 through the Torkham, Spin Boldak, Islam Qala Herat, and Silk border
crossings.
According
to border management information from the mentioned provinces, 40 families,
totaling 231 individuals, returned through the Torkham border; 58 families,
totaling 275 individuals, returned through the Spin Boldak border from
Pakistan; 1,329 individuals came through the Islam Qala border in Herat; and
1,940 individuals from Iran returned via the Silk border in Nimroz.
Recently,
both Pakistan and Iran have expedited the expulsion of Afghan migrants who do
not have legal residency documents in these countries. Despite reactions
regarding the expulsion of Afghan migrants, Pakistan has continued the process
of deportation.
The
plight of Afghan migrants has become increasingly dire as they face the dual
challenges of displacement and the harsh conditions of their return. Many are
arriving in Afghanistan with limited resources and support, exacerbating an
already difficult situation.
This
influx of returnees places additional strain on local resources and
infrastructure, compounding the humanitarian crisis in the region. The
international community’s response to this crisis will be crucial in addressing
the immediate needs of these individuals and supporting their reintegration
into Afghan society.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.khaama.com/nearly-4000-afghan-migrants-deported-from-iran-and-pakistan/
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Southeast Asia
Education
Ministry says no exemptions over ban against school donations from tobacco,
alcohol sponsors
23 Jul
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR, July 23 — Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek reportedly said today that
no exemptions will be given for schools to receive funds from tobacco or
alcohol sponsors.
She
reportedly said that her minister would also not review the guidelines, and
urged all schools to adhere to them.
“My
advice is to follow the guidelines. Schools must ensure that the responsibility
is with the administrators to ascertain that everything runs smoothly,” she was
quoted saying by Malaysiakini.
She said
this would also apply to vernacular schools.
“I wish
to stress again that schools belong to the community,” she reportedly said.
“We
welcome all contributions. But we will help [with regard to the guidelines]
including those parties who wish to donate so that it is in line with our
guidelines.”
Yesterday,
the Ministry of Education said it would investigate a SJK(C) in Sepang which
was said to receive donations from beer brand Tiger Beer.
Fadhlina
said today that her ministry would be “providing guidance” to said school.
Malaysiakini
wrote that the circular over donations to school was instituted in March 2018
under the then Barisan Nasional administration.
It also
reported that Chinese school have received funding from companies, including
breweries, for decades — but the issue came under spotlight due to a recent
charity event in the Sepang school.
It was
recently reported that Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk
Aiman Athirah Sabu had attended an event by a SJK(C )in Sungai Pelek, which is
in her constituency.
One of
the sponsors of the event was Tiger Beer — arguably the country’s biggest beer
brand, manufactured by Heineken Malaysia Bhd.
The move
was then criticised by Islamist party PAS for allegedly “normalising” alcohol
consumption.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/07/23/education-ministry-says-no-exemptions-over-ban-against-school-donations-from-tobacco-alcohol-sponsors/144736
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Fahmi
tells WhatsApp, Telegram to be more responsible amid complaints of sexual
grooming, porn and scams
23 Jul
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR, July 23 — Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil today told messaging
providers such as WhatsApp and Telegram to crack down on criminal activities on
their platforms.
He said
this is to ensure a safer space for Malaysians to use, especially parents and
teachers, amid complaints of sexual grooming, pornography distribution and
online scams.
“There
are many applications that are used such as WhatsApp and Telegram, we found
that D11 from the police informed us that the WhatsApp application is widely
misused for the sexual grooming of children.
“At the
same time, Telegram was also misused before to upload pornography videos. We
also get many complaints from ministers and former ministers who get messages
from scammers,” he told reporters after an event here.
Fahmi
said this matter falls under the scrutiny of the Malaysian Communications and
Multimedia Commission (MCMC), to ensure a safer internet.
“These
platforms need to be more responsible,” he said.
“If they
refuse to ensure that their platforms are free from criminal elements, we need
to ensure that they comply with the laws of our country.”
Based on
D11’s statistics provided to Malay Mail in January, out of a total of 18,326
child victims of nine different types of sexual crimes in Malaysia reported to
police in 2018 to November 30, 2023, half of those victims or 9,203 victims
were aged 13 to 15, while nearly a quarter or 4,354 victims were aged 16 to 18.
In
March, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah told Dewan Negara
that a total of 34,497 cases of online scams involving losses of RM1.218
billion were reported nationwide in 2023.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/07/23/fahmi-tells-whatsapp-telegram-to-be-more-responsible-amid-complaints-of-sexual-grooming-porn-and-scams/144713
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Federal
Court dismisses Bangladeshi’s appeal to reduce sentence for girlfriend’s murder
23-07-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
The Federal Court today dismissed the appeal of a Bangladeshi man who sought to
reduce his 35-year prison sentence for the murder of his Filipino girlfriend.
The
three-member panel, including Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar
Abang Hashim and Federal Court judges Datuk Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal and Datuk
Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, upheld the sentence and 12 strokes of the cane imposed
on Md Masud Rana.
“There
is no merit in this appeal. We find the sentence passed by the Court of Appeal
is adequate and not manifestly excessive,“ said Justice Abang Iskandar.
On Sept
27, last year, the Court of Appeal commuted the death sentence imposed on Md
Masud to 35 years imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane for killing Condo
Liezyl Ponce at his rented room on Jalan Beladau 26, Taman Puteri Wangsa, Ulu
Tiram, Johor Bahru, between 4 am and 6.40 am on Dec 23, 2016.
Md
Masud’s court-appointed counsel Bustaman Menon Abdul Hamid Menon, contended
that the murder occurred after a fight between the couple, describing it as a
crime of passion fueled by alcohol and jealousy.
Bustaman
also argued that the sentence was manifestly excessive and that the murder was
not premeditated.
Deputy
public prosecutor Zulkpli Abdullah countered that the 35-year jail term is an
adequate sentence considering the brutal nature of the crime, emphasising the
deceased sustained 40 incisions as well as seven slashes that penetrated her
skull.
“The
appeal against the sentence reminds me of the Malay proverb “Diberi betis
hendak peha” (Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile). He should be grateful
his death sentence was commuted to a custodial sentence,” he said.
Md
Masud, a 40-year-old labourer, was found guilty by the High Court on Oct 10,
2019, of killing his 28-year-old girlfriend.
He
withdrew his appeal in the Court of Appeal against the murder conviction but
continued to challenge his death sentence in light of the Abolition of
Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023.
Enacted
last year, this Act abolished the mandatory death penalty and gives the court
discretion to impose either the death penalty or imprisonment for a term of not
less than 30 years and not exceeding 40 years.
On Sept
27 last year, the Court of Appeal commuted his death sentence to a 35-year jail
term and 12 strokes of the cane.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
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https://thesun.my/local-news/federal-court-dismisses-bangladeshi-s-appeal-to-reduce-sentence-for-girlfriend-s-murder-BC12763112
--------
Six
former UPNM students sentenced to death for Zulfarhan’s murder
23-07-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
The Court of Appeal today imposed the death sentence on six former students of
Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) for the murder of Navy Cadet
Officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain seven years ago.
The
sentence was meted out after a three-judge panel led by Judge Datuk Hadhariah
Syed Ismail, allowed the prosecution’s cross-appeal to reinstate Section 302 of
the Penal Code initially faced by all the accused.
The
accused are Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad
Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri, and
Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali.
Delivering
the unanimous decision, Judge Hadhariah stated that the High Court judge had
erred in amending the original murder charge under Section 302 of the Penal
Code to Section 304 (a) of the Penal Code.
“Therefore,
the court allows the prosecution’s appeal to set aside the amended charge and
reinstate Section 302 of the Penal Code,“ she said, sitting alongside Judges
Mohamed Zaini Mazlan and Datuk Azmi Ariffin.
In her
ruling, Judge Hadhariah stated that the court found the five defendants had
taken turns pressing a steam iron on the entire body of the deceased
(Zulfarhan), including his private parts, while Abdul Hakeem was complicit in
inciting and instructing the five defendants to do so.
“Therefore,
we unanimously decide that a single sentence is appropriate for all six
defendants, and they shall be taken to a place of execution where they will be
sentenced to death by hanging.
“Thus,
the court overturns the 18-year prison sentence imposed by the High Court on
the six defendants and replaces it with the death sentence,“ said the judge.
Initially,
Muhammad Akmal, Muhammad Azamuddin, Muhammad Najib, Muhammad Afif, and Mohamad
Shobirin faced murder charges under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which
provides for a mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
Whereas,
Abdoul Hakeem was charged as an accomplice under Section 109 of the same Code,
which also carries a mandatory death penalty.
The
Kuala Lumpur High Court had then found all six defendants guilty of causing
injury to Zulfarhan with intent but without the intention to kill, under
Section 304 (a) of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 30
years and a fine if the act was committed with the intent to cause death.
All of
them were accused of committing the acts in a room at the Jebat Hostel block,
UPNM, between 4.45 am and 5.45 am on May 22, 2017.
Zulfarhan
passed away at the Serdang Hospital on June 1, 2017.
Meanwhile,
the three-judge panel overturned the three-year prison sentences imposed on 12
other former students of the same university for injuring Zulfarhan to four
years of imprisonment.
The 12
are Mohd Hafiz Fauzan Ismail, Mohamad Lukhmanul Hakim Mohd Zain, Ahmad Shafwan
Berdal, Muhammad Amirul Asraff Mala, Luqman Hakim Shamsuri Agus, Muhammad Sufi
Mohd Mustapha, Noriznan Izzairi Noor Azhar, Muhamad Ashraf Abdullah, Muhammad
Danial Firdaus Azmir, Muhammad Hasif Ismail, Muhammad Adib Iman Fuad Ady Sani,
and Mohamad Syazwan Musa.
They
were found guilty of deliberately causing injury to Zulfarhan to obtain a
confession that he had stolen a laptop and were charged under Section 330 of
the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum penalty of seven years in prison
and a fine, upon conviction.
All of
them, now aged 28, were accused of committing the acts in two rooms at the
Jebat Hostel block, UPNM, between May 21 and 22, 2017.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
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https://thesun.my/local-news/six-former-upnm-students-sentenced-to-death-for-zulfarhan-s-murder-GC12761878
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‘Study,
Study, Study’: Jokowi on Children’s Day
July 23,
2024
Jakarta.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is telling all kids across the archipelago to
study hard as Indonesia celebrates National Children’s Day.
Jokowi
headed to the easternmost province of Papua for the National Children’s Day on
Tuesday. Speaking to reporters after the celebrations, Jokowi said he had a
message for all Indonesian children. According to Jokowi, it is important to
nurture not only intelligence in children but also moral and ethical qualities.
“Moving
forward, we need to really prepare our children so that they are not only smart
and intelligent individuals. They should also become knowledgeable and people
of character,” Jokowi told the press.
Jokowi
ended the brief interview with a message for Indonesian children that is
reminiscent of his “work, work, work” motto in his first speech as president
back in 2014.
“Study,
study, study,” Jokowi, who is set to retire this October, said.
Indonesia
saw declining scores in the latest edition of the Programme for International
Student Assessment (PISA), which assesses a country’s 15-year-olds’ scholastic
performance in reading, mathematics, and science.
In 2022,
Indonesian students scored 359 in reading, down from 371 in the 2018 PISA.
Indonesia’s average mathematics score dropped from 379 in 2018 to 366 in 2022.
Indonesia also reported a decline in science performance as the average
15-year-olds scored 383 in 2022, down from 396 in 2018.
Indonesia’s
PISA average performance is still far behind the economies belonging to the
rich-country club Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Data showed that students in OECD countries scored an average of 472 points in
mathematics. OECD’s average performance in reading and science stood at 476 and
485 points, respectively.
Indonesia
is home to 270.2 million people, according to the 2020 national census. About
10.88 percent of the population is classified as Post-Gen Z, namely people born
in 2013 and beyond. This means that they should now be around 11 years old or
younger.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
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https://jakartaglobe.id/news/study-study-study-jokowi-on-childrens-day
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/veg-hotel-muslim-sc-judge-bhatti/d/132770