VHP To Project Love Jihad, Religious Conversion, And Foreign Infiltration, As Challenges Before Hindu Society
New Age Islam News Bureau
30 Aug 2024
VHP national secretary general Milind Parande
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· VHP To Project Love Jihad, Religious Conversion, And Foreign Infiltration, As Challenges Before Hindu Society
· Over 1,000 Killed And Over 400 Blinded In Student-Led Protests In Bangladesh: Health Advisor
· Religious Groups Misusing Islamic Laws: Council Of Islamic Ideology Chief
· British Muslims Felt Excluded From Health Policies During COVID-19, Finds Study
· Document Mosques’ Titles Or Forfeit It, Expert In Lagos Warns
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India
· BJP To Relaunch Drive For Muslim Outreach In UP: Targets Of Enrolling At Least 5 Lakh Members From The Muslim Community
· In Jammu’s Doda, BJP Candidate’s ‘Hindu-Muslim’ Video Prompts Complaint By NC
· Senior Jammu and Kashmir BJP leader resigns over ticket distribution, threatens to contest as Independent
· Nine Bengali Muslim Workers Lodge FIR Against BJP Leader In Assam For Physical Assault, 'Quit Threats'
· Muslims should replace their 'fashion of blocking BJP' with 'passion' for following party: Naqvi
· AIUDF urges Assam CM to protect Muslims amid rising threats
· 3 militants shot dead, infiltration bid foiled in Kupwara district of north Kashmir
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South Asia
· High-Level Islamic Emirate Delegation Attends Termez Trade Center Inauguration
· Yunus case: SC adjourns petition hearing
· Salman, Anisul put on remand for third time
· 700 Young Recruits Graduate from 207th Al-Farooq Army Corps Training Center
· Herat Hosts Exhibition to Promote Grapes, Honey, and Agricultural Products
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Pakistan
· Muslim Man Jailed For Life In Blasphemy Case In Karachi
· On Quetta visit, PM Shehbaz says Balochistan attacks ‘wicked scheme’ devised by terrorists
· Two Karachi MQM activists acquitted in 19-year-old double murder case
· Kabul was ready to take terrorists to task during PTI govt: Imran
· PTI not 'disturbed' over Imran Khan's incarceration, insists former KP minister
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Europe
· Hate Group’s Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Reflects Anti-LGBTQ+ Conspiracy Theories
· Terrorists Planned To Kill ‘Tens Of Thousands’ At Taylor Swift Concert – CIA
· British Scholars Visiting Palestine Urge Muslims To Visit Masjid Al Aqsa
· Germany expels head of banned Hamburg Islamic Centre over Ayatollah links
· Germany boots head of banned Islamic center over alleged Hezbollah links
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Africa
· Presidential Fleet: Over 200 Families Displaced As NAF Demolishes Housesin Abuja
· Alleged Terrorism Financing: What NLC President Told Police — Sources
· Nigeria and Niger sign security cooperation agreement amid tensions
· Libya central bank governor, other bankers flee to avoid militias, FT says
· Dr. Bawumia Will Win To Become Ghana's First Muslim President - Samira Bawumia
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North America
· Sunni Cleric Saber Khodamoradi Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison
· Muslim rights advocacy group calls on Iowa DOT to cancel controversial license plate
· Man charged after ‘hateful and anti-Islamic comments’ posted at Bloor West Village businesses
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Arab World
· Arab League, Egypt Condemn Israeli Military Raids On Northern West Bank
· Saudi Arabia’s anime and manga boom is a cultural revolution
· General Court of Audit chief meets Indian counterpart
· Saudi Environment Ministry launches aquaponics investment opportunity in Jubail
· Saudi Al-Balsam organization performs 43 neurosurgery procedures in Yemen
· Moderate to heavy rain forecast for Makkah, Madinah
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Southeast Asia
· Not Doing That Again: PAS Spiritual Leader Says Party Won’t Join Unity Government Over DAP, Anwar
· PM Anwar Pledges Madani Policies Will Not Marginalise The Poor, Citing Quick 45-Day Approval For Housing Project
· The Philippines Expands Muslim-Friendly Tourism With New Halal Initiatives
· Search resumes at Pantai Dalam IWK plant for woman missing in KL sinkhole
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Mideast
· Jordan Orders Islamist Party To Take Down 'Hamas-Style' Triangle Logo Amid Elections
· Five Palestinian Fighters Killed In West Bank Mosque As Israeli Assault Continues
· Muslim World League condemns Israeli occupation aggression on West Bank
· Lebanon's Islamic Resistance targets Zionist forces gathering
· Israeli forces kill islamic Jihad Intelligence Commander
· Houthi video shows the Yemeni militia planted bombs on tanker now threatening Red Sea oil spill
· Turkiye: ‘We want to see a democratic and prosperous Syria’
· Borrell asks EU to consider sanctions on 2 Israeli ministers
· Relatives of Israeli hostages try to cross into Gaza
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/vhp-project-love-jihad-religious-hindu-society/d/133083
VHP To Project Love Jihad, Religious Conversion, And Foreign Infiltration, As Challenges Before Hindu Society
Aug 30, 2024
VHP national secretary general Milind Parande
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Lucknow: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has launched a nationwide drive covering 90,000 locations to stamp its presence while flagging 'love jihad', religious conversion, and foreign infiltration, as some of the “key challenges” before the Hindu society.
The drive is part of VHP’s 60th anniversary. The organisation was founded on Aug 29, 1964, on Janmashtami.
According to the VHP sources, its members have started visiting temples and mutts to mobilise people through the orgainsation’s trademark "Jan Jagran" drive. They are also meeting seers and priests to garner support for spreading awareness about the religious-cultural transformations achieved in the country over the years.
These transformations, according to the VHP functionaries, were achieved through intense and sustained mass movements over the years. The initiative aims to strengthen the community's awareness and participation in the ongoing socio-cultural narrative promoted by the VHP. Confirming the development, VHP national spokesperson, Vinod Bansal, said that the idea is to reach out to the maximum people and apprise them about the key issues concerning the Hindu society in the current times.
The VHP, he said, seeks to highlight the Niyogi commission which was formed in 1957 following allegations of “injustice on Hindus” in the name of “secularism” and “appeasement” of religious minorities. “Despite the revelation of the truth about religious conversions of Hindus through deceit, greed, and fraud by Christian missionaries, the then govt clearly refused to enact a central law against conversions,” Bansal said.
“The Hindu society living abroad too was looking towards India for solutions to its various problems, but the central govt’s indifferent attitude only led to further disappointment,” he said.
VHP also plans to highlight how the first World Hindu Conference, which was held in Prayagraj (then Allahabad) between Jan 22 to 24, 1966, aimed to prevent religious conversion and promote 'Ghar Wapsi'. Bansal said that since then, around 4 million conversions have been stopped.
A senior VHP functionary said that the organisation sought to project some of its key achievements – primarily the construction of Ram Temple. Experts said that the achievement holds a central place in the organisation's efforts to mobilise support and bolster its influence across various regions.
VHP, sources said, will highlight the impact of Ram Janmabhoomi movement that united over 650 million people besides amplifying people’s voices from streets to Supreme Court.
He added laws against forced conversions in various states, including UP, and protection of women from Love Jihad are among VHP’s major contributions.
Sourceindiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/vhps-nationwide-drive-to-address-love-jihad-and-other-key-challenges-facing-hindu-society/articleshow/112909481.cms
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Over 1,000 Killed And Over 400 Blinded In Student-Led Protests In Bangladesh: Health Advisor
Aug 30, 2024
Photo: PID
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Health Adviser to the interim government Nurjahan Begum yesterday said more than a thousand people were killed and over 400 blinded during the recent anti-discrimination student movement.
Many victims lost one or both eyes amid the agitation, she said while briefing reporters after visiting the Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh,
She said numerous injured policemen are currently undergoing treatment.
"Many suffered leg and head injuries, but they are recovering well. An injured student coordinator is among those receiving care at the hospital," she said.
During her visit, Nurjahan spoke with injured police officers in the hospital's surgery department to enquire about their conditions.
The health adviser also highlighted the government's efforts to provide specialised care for those blinded in the unrest.
"We have contacted Sheba, a US-based organisation, and sent them a list of individuals with eye complications. Sheba Foundation will send doctors to Bangladesh as soon as possible," she said.
Victims will be treated at facilities including the Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, National Institute of Ophthalmology & Hospital (NIOH), and Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex, she added.
The adviser further said many people sustained severe leg injuries, with some requiring amputations.
"We are in talks with various donor agencies, including the World Bank, to bring in a team of doctors from abroad for advanced treatment," she said.
Sourcethedailystar.net
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Religious groups misusing Islamic laws: Council of Islamic Ideology chief
August 30, 2024
Kalbe Ali
Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr Raghib Hussain Naimi. — APP/File
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ISLAMABAD: “Religious outfits” manipulate Islamic laws to suit their likes and dislikes, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) chairman said on Thursday.
“No law carries the death penalty for desecration of Holy Quran, but religious elements resort to mob justice to kill suspects,” Dr Raghib Hussain Naimi said. “This is not only un-Islamic but also contrary to the law of the land.”
Talking to media here at the CII office, Dr Naimi said blasphemy laws had four different punishments. The punishment for desecration of the Holy Quran is life imprisonment while the punishment for insulting members of the Holy Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) household and his companions (Sahaba) is seven years imprisonment, the CII chief added.
The punishment for violation of the Prohibition of Qadianiyat Ordinance is three years.
The law envisages death penalty only for a person proven guilty of committing blasphemy against the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), Dr Naimi said. “But religious groups believe that the punishment for all the four crimes is the same — death — and take the law into their own hands.
“No one has the authority to issue a Fatwa for killing an individual suspected of committing blasphemy,” Raghib Naimi said.
He criticised religious elements for “playing with the popular sentiment for political gains”.
When his attention was drawn to a perception that the CII had failed to identify and isolate clerics who issue inflammatory statements or incite the public over blasphemy, the CII chairman recounted his own recent experience.
“I declared that the Fatwa for death of the Chief Justice of Pakistan was Haram. Soon after that I received up to 500 threatening messages, some of which were laced with abusive language,” Dr Naimi said.
He said the “saner elements among religious circles” were afraid of extremists.
The CII has repeatedly stated that giving Fatwa to kill or taking the law into one’s own hands is illegal, unconstitutional and against the principles of Sharia. “Sharia does not authorise any individual to take another person’s life,” the CII chairman said.
He expressed displeasure over growing intolerance in society, regretting that many people get “emotionally charged after receiving media messages”, but they are not ready to listen to religious matters in their true spirit.
“It is clear in all respects that only the state has the authority and the right to punish those found guilty of committing any blasphemy.”
Sourcedawn.com
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British Muslims felt excluded from health policies during COVID-19, finds study
AUGUST 29, 2024
by University of Leeds
Credit: Feyza Tuğba from Pexels
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People from diverse backgrounds must be included in the development of health care policies to ensure all groups' needs are met, new research into palliative care for the Muslim community has found.
"Somebody who understands the culture and their needs that can cater for them in their retirement time: a peer research study exploring the challenges faced by British Muslims with palliative care needs during the COVID-19 pandemic" was published in BMJ Open journal on August 8, 2024.
The study investigated the experience of British Muslim people and their families who were accessing palliative care services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It found that language barriers, problems using or accessing smartphones, and uncertainty about how to access information led to a sense of exclusion from COVID-19-related policies and messaging for this population. An apparent lack of consideration of important festivals in the Muslim calendar in the implementation of policies around lockdowns only exacerbated this problem.
The researchers say that this highlights the need for people from minoritized ethnic groups to be involved in the design and delivery of health and care policies and messaging, to ensure that people from all backgrounds can access health care services, understand how to get the help they need, and advocate for their own and their family members' needs, no matter what their background.
Dr. Gemma Clarke, Senior Research Fellow in the University of Leeds' Academic Unit of Palliative Care, said, "Our study provides a unique view on the experiences of British Muslims during the pandemic. It shows the hidden work, challenges and emotional stress taken on by caregivers during this time.
"The findings highlight how crucial it is that people from minority backgrounds are consulted when health care policies are designed to avoid marginalizing populations, especially during vulnerable times in their lives. We hope that our findings will help shape future delivery of culturally aware and inclusive health care."
The research project was a collaboration between the University of Leeds, University College London (UCL), Marie Curie and the Muslim Council of Britain.
Co-author Dr. Nuriye Kupeli, Principal Research Fellow in the UCL Division of Psychiatry's Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department, said, "Our work highlights that while families and those closest to people living with life limiting illness took on additional caring responsibilities, they faced many challenges in accessing health care. By exploring and understanding the needs of people from minority backgrounds, including British Muslims, we can work in partnership to build trust, inform future service and policy development and reduce exclusion."
To investigate the experiences of British Muslims accessing palliative care during the pandemic, the study team recruited three peer researchers from Pakistani Asian ethnic groups who spoke multiple languages including Urdu, Punjabi, French and English. They were all part of the Muslim Council of Britain Research and Documentation Committee. They conducted 11 telephone interviews between August and September 2021, with five British Muslims with palliative care needs and seven family caregivers.
The interviews revealed that the pandemic had exacerbated existing challenges to accessing health care services for British Muslims with palliative care needs.
Family members reported experiencing the cumulative impact of supporting people with palliative needs while also advocating for and supporting them to access the care they required.
The research team made several recommendations to address inequities in palliative care access, including:
Research, services and policy should be developed in partnership with people experiencing inequity
Health care providers and organizations must endeavor to understand their local context and population and consider this in the development, delivery and communication about their services.
Zara Mohammed, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, said, "As the elderly population continues to grow, British Muslims face significant challenges due to the increasing need for comprehensive palliative care—an issue made even more urgent by the devastating effects of the pandemic. The disproportionate impact of this issue must be addressed. I commend this important body of research for shedding light on the issue and offering the relevant recommendations to guide the way forward."
Source:medicalxpress.com
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https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-british-muslims-felt-excluded-health.html
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Document Mosques’ Titles Or Forfeit It, Expert In Lagos Warns
August 30, 2024
A Land Administration expert, Olawale Ojikutu, has urged mosques in Lagos to obtain necessary documents or risk future forfeiture through unresolved family issues or if it falls into government’s right of way.
He made the call during a “One Day Sensitization Programme on Mosque Documentation in Conjunction with Market of Convenience” organised by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Mosque.
Ojikutu while discussing “the benefits of the 90 days amnesty extension to Muslims,” urged mosques and other property owners in Lagos to make use of the opportunity to get survey plan, titles, and permits for their building as that can only guarantee their rightful ownership of the land and make them eligible for compensation if it falls into right of way.
“If the government wants to expand a road and some buildings are affected, only those with building approval would be eligible for compensation. All mosques (and properties) must have title, building approval and survey plan,” he said.
Ojikutu while advocating that mosques should be owned by trustees also urged those donating land for mosques to remove it from their properties to prevent conflict with their children.
“If we want to avoid a situation where the children of the owners of mosques would sell it (in future), we need to get title for our mosques and cede the ownership to committees instead of an individual. Help us spread the advocacy that our mosques must be owned by trustees or committees, not by an individual.”
Ojikutu while stressing the importance of “land title,” said it guarantees true ownership of the land.
“Generally, whether for mosque or residential, It is important that you have title on your land. Without title, it is as if you own nothing. With the Land Use Act, what you own is interest and not the land per se. So, your interest must be registered and perfected so that it’ll show that you own the land. It must be registered so that when you get to the land registry, anybody can check and say Mr A owns the land.”
The Chief Host, Musodiqq Sanni, lamented that money that ought to be used for mosque development is being used for litigation.
Agricultural expert, Ibrahim Olayeni, while discussing “food sustainability amongst Muslims” urged the congregation to embrace urban farming with available spaces in the homes and as well make use of plastics and sacks.
He also added that good soil, seeds and fertilizers are crucial to getting good harvest which would lead to increased food production
Source:thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/document-mosques-titles-or-forfeit-it-expert-warns/
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India
BJP To Relaunch Drive For Muslim Outreach In UP: Targets Of Enrolling At Least 5 Lakh Members From The Muslim Community
Aug 29, 2024,
LUCKNOW: In an ambitious minority outreach, the BJP has set a target of enrolling at least 5 lakh members from the Muslim community in UP during its upcoming party membership drive, scheduled to start from September 2.
The saffron outfit has tasked its minority wing to reach out to Sufi seers (Islamic mystics), maulvis, madrasa teachers, victims of triple talaq, beneficiaries of the govt welfare schemes, and the intelligentsia groups as part of the drive.
The BJP functionaries will aim to highlight the "non-discriminatory" initiatives and policies implemented by the Narendra Modi-led central govt and the Yogi Adityanath-led UP state govt. Minority morcha chief Basit Ali affirmed that the party has set a target of making 1,000 to 1,500 Muslims party members in each of the 403 assembly seats.
"This can be achieved by putting forth convincing details vis-a-vis measures taken by the govt for their welfare. At the same time, we need to neutralise the venomous campaign carried out by the opposition against the BJP," he said while speaking to TOI. The development potentially underlines BJP's aim to foster a sense of inclusion and garner support among Muslim voters as part of a deft strategy to broaden its appeal among minorities-a group that has traditionally been wary of the party's policies and religio-cultural rhetoric.
The measure also attains pertinence against the backdrop of BJP's concerted attempts to blunt the opposition's aggression-primarily driven by the Pichhda (OBC), Dalit (SC), and Alpsankhyak (Muslim) narrative-in the run-up to the high stake by-polls on 10 seats and subsequently the 2027 assembly polls.
The minority morcha plans to carry out an intensified campaign in around 30,000 polling booths straddling more than a dozen districts, including Saharanpur, Rampur, Amroha, Bijnor, Moradabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Sitapur, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Bahraich, Balrampur, and Shravasti.
By focusing on strategic districts, the BJP hopes to make inroads into communities that have traditionally been sceptical of its policies. The intensified campaign will likely involve door-to-door visits besides interactions with the local leaders.
BJP's scheduled campaign evoked a sharp response from the Samajwadi Party camp. Party spokesperson, Abdul Hafiz Gandhi, questioned why Muslims were not being given due representation by BJP in electoral politics and the govt.
"Why is there not a single Muslim MP and MLA from the BJP? That speaks volumes about the intentions of the party," he said. Hafiz further said that the "bulldozer action" of the govt too has been "selective" and primarily targeted the Muslims.
Ali, however, maintained that the BJP had a "non-discriminatory" approach. He noted that there is a need to build trust among Muslims by showcasing how the welfare initiatives benefit all communities, including Muslims, without bias.
Experts said that the BJP aims to convey that its development agenda is inclusive and beneficial for all citizens, regardless of religious affiliation, analysts said.
Source:indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/bjp-to-relaunch-drive-for-muslim-outreach-in-up/articleshow/112897536.cms
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In Jammu’s Doda, BJP candidate’s ‘Hindu-Muslim’ video prompts complaint by NC
Arun Sharma
August 29, 2024
A day after nominations closed for Doda East assembly seat, a speech purportedly made by BJP’s candidate Gajay Singh Rana has sparked a row in the state, with the National Conference seeking his disqualification.
In an undated video that has now surfaced, Rana is purportedly heard saying that massacres in Doda – at Chapnari, Kamlari, Barshalla or Sarthal – had Hindus as targets and Muslims as perpetrators. He is also heard asking people to “unite against such forces”. Rana said the video had been “tampered with”.
Militants had killed 25 people in a wedding procession in Doda’s Chapnari on June 19, 1998. The Sarthal killing refers to the massacre of 17 people on August 14, 1993, when some armed militants hijacked a local bus in Sarthal near Kishtwar.
Militants had also killed 16 people on January 5, 1996, in Barshalla, and eight people in Kamlari in the mid-1990s.
One of 11 candidates in the fray in the newly carved Doda East Assembly constituency, Rana is the president of the Sanatan Dharam Sabha, Doda.
“It’s a two-month-old video pertaining to a speech made at Shaheedi Sthal in Chapnari, where 26 Hindus were massacred by militants on June 19, 1998,” he told The Indian Express.
Doda East goes to polls in the first phase of Assembly polls on September 18.
In a complaint with the Election Commission of India, the National Conference said that not only were Rana’s statements factually wrong but they were also designed to incite communal hatred and unrest, and had the potential to provoke violence between communities, disrupt public order and disturb peace in an already sensitive region.
Source:indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/gajay-singh-rana-jammu-doda-bjp-candidates-hindu-muslim-video-9539792/
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Senior Jammu and Kashmir BJP leader resigns over ticket distribution, threatens to contest as Independent
30.08.24
In yet another rebellion within the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir over ticket distribution for the assembly elections, senior party leader Chander Mohan Sharma Friday announced his resignation from the party and threatened to contest as an Independent.
The BJP is facing resentment over its ticket distribution in the Union territory, with party leaders and workers protesting in several districts of the Jammu region. This has prompted the party to launch a damage control exercise, deploying several top leaders, including Union ministers, to defuse the situation.
"There is immense resentment and anger among leaders and workers of the party over the unfair distribution of mandates. They are holding protests to express their discontent. Saddened by this, I, one of the senior-most leaders of the BJP, along with others, have resigned from the party," Sharma, the convenor of the 'Tawi Andolan', told reporters here.
Advocate Sharma, who joined the BJP in the early 1970s, criticised the party leadership in J&K for improperly presenting the proposal for mandates to the party high command.
"We hope the party leadership accepts my resignation. However, if they reconsider their decision on the mandate change in the Jammu East assembly segment, it is okay. Otherwise, I will accept the calls from workers who want me to contest independently from the Jammu East seat," he added.
"The people of the Jammu East segment fully support us, having worked closely with us during the Tawi Andolan movement," he added. "It is now time for the senior BJP leaders camping here to make a decision on this matter." Sharma, who joined the Jan Sangh decades ago and faced multiple prison terms as a BJP activist, lamented at being ignored despite his senior position in the party unit.
Scores of BJP leaders from the Jammu North, Jammu East, Paddar, Reasi and Akhnoor segments have protested against the party at its headquarters and in the respective constituencies over the ticket distribution.
Senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers G K Reddy and Jitendra Singh and national general secretary Tarun Chugh, currently camping in Jammu are working to defuse the situation faced by the party in these elections.
Assembly polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The polls -- the first in 10 years -- will be held in three phases with the first phase of polling on September 18, followed by September 25 and October 1.
The counting of votes will be done on October 4.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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Nine Bengali Muslim Workers Lodge FIR Against BJP Leader In Assam For Physical Assault, 'Quit Threats'
Sumir Karmakar
: 29 August 2024
Guwahati: At least nine workers belonging to the Bengali Muslim community in Assam lodged an FIR against Mayur Borgohain, a BJP leader in eastern Assam's Charaideo district, alleging physical assault and issuing threats to quit the district, recently...
They said that the BJP leader's "persons" assaulted them amid a diktat by several local Assamese nationalist organisations in eastern Assam asking the "Miyas" or Bengali Muslims to quit the Assamese-dominated Upper Assam region. The complainants hai...
Source:deccanherald.com
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https://www.deccanherald.com/india/assam/nine-muslim-workers-lodge-fir-against-bjp-leader-in-assam-for-physical-assault-quit-threats-3169682
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Muslims should replace their 'fashion of blocking BJP' with 'passion' for following party: Naqvi
29 August 2024
Lucknow: Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday said the minorities, especially the Muslims, should replace their "fashion" of "blocking the BJP" with the "passion" for following the party.
In a scathing attack on the Opposition, he said the "feudal sultans of the so-called secular syndicate" raised the bogey of fear among the Muslims for a long time which led this section of the society to adopt an attitude of "untouchability and intol...
The allegation of being 'anti-Constitution' levelled against the BJP and Prime Minister Modi is nothing but the feudal attempt to "hide the mountain of truth under the bushes of lies", the former minority affairs minister said. "Prime Minister Modi ...
Source:deccanherald.com
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https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/muslims-should-replace-their-fashion-of-blocking-bjp-with-passion-for-following-party-naqvi-3169255
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AIUDF urges Assam CM to protect Muslims amid rising threats
August 29, 2024
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by former MP Badruddin Ajmal, has called on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take immediate steps to safeguard the Muslim community in the state.
This appeal comes in the wake of an alleged increase in threats from unidentified organisations and extremist groups.
In a memorandum to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, the AIUDF expressed deep concern over the alarming warnings reportedly being issued to Muslims in Upper Assam.
According to the party, these threats are intended to instil fear among Muslims to leave the region or face severe repercussions, which has raised serious concerns about communal harmony and the safety of the Muslim population.
The AIUDF emphasised the urgent need for the government to act against these groups to prevent any potential outbreak of violence and to maintain peace in the state.
The party urged the state administration to promptly address these threats and ensure the security and well-being of the Muslim community in Assam.
Source:thestatesman.com/
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/aiudf-urges-assam-cm-to-protect-muslims-amid-rising-threats-1503337246.html
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3 militants shot dead, infiltration bid foiled in Kupwara district of north Kashmir
Muzaffar Raina
30.08.24
The Indian Army on Thursday said they had foiled two infiltration bids in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, killing three militants in the process.
The security forces were also engaged in an anti-militancy operation in Rajouri district of Jammu, where no casualties were reported at the time of filing of the report.
A defence spokesman in Srinagar said two operations were launched in the Tangdhar and Machhal sectors of Kupwara on Wednesday night following reports of a coordinated attempt by militants to infiltrate.
The army said one militant was killed in Tangdhar and two in Machhal sectors.
Militants have carried out a series of attempts to sneak in through both Jammu and Kashmir borders this year but while they largely succeeded in Jammu, several such bids have been foiled in the Valley.
“One terrorist has been confirmed eliminated. The operation is in progress,” the spokesman said about the Tangdhar gunfight.
On the Machhal gunfight, the army said two militants were eliminated along with the recovery of two AK Rifles, one pistol, four hand grenades and other war-like stores.
It was raining when the operations were conducted.
Police said there have been six anti-infiltration operations in Kupwara this year in which 10 militants, all foreigners, were killed.
Jammu’s additional director-general of police, Anand Jain, said a search operation was launched at 9.30pm on Wednesday in Budhal of Rajouri.
He said a contact was established at 11.45pm leading to an exchange of fire. The operation was underway when the last reports came in.
The militant killings took place even as the administration was busy making preparations for the three-phase Assembly elections next month.
Among those who have filed nominations are several separatists including three Jamaat-e-Islami members and jailed activist Sarjan Barkati.
Officials said Barkati’s nomination had been rejected after he failed to produce an oath certificate. His supporters, however, claimed Barkati’s papers were deliberately rejected as the state was against his candidacy.
Barkati was a key figure in the 2016 summer agitation that had erupted following the death of Hizb commander Burhan Wani.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/3-militants-shot-dead-infiltration-bid-foiled-in-kupwara-district-of-north-kashmir/cid/2044465
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South Asia
High-Level Islamic Emirate Delegation Attends Termez Trade Center Inauguration
: 2024-08-29
KABUL(BNA): A high-level delegation from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, has traveled to the border city of Termez, Uzbekistan. The visit is aimed at participating in the inauguration ceremony of the Termez International Trade Center.
According to a press release from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Economic Affairs Office, the delegation, invited by the Uzbek government, arrived in Termez today.
The opening ceremony of the Termez International Trade Center is scheduled to take place today, with the participation of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, and senior officials from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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Yunus case: SC adjourns petition hearing
Aug 30, 2024
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday adjourned until Monday the hearing on a leave to appeal petition challenging a High Court order that upheld the indictment against Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and six other officials of Grameen Telecom in a graft case.
The case was filed by the ACC on May 30, 2023 against Yunus and 13 others on charge of misappropriating about Tk 25.22 crore of Grameen Telecom Workers' Profit Participation Fund and laundering money.
The six Grameen Telecom officials are Managing Director Nazmul Islam, and Directors Ashraful Hassan, Naznin Sultana, Md Shahjahan, Nurjahan Begum, and SM Huzzatul Islam Latifee.
On July 24 this year, the HC summarily rejected a petition filed by Prof Yunus and six other officials of Grameen Telecom, challenging a Dhaka court's order that framed charges against them.
The HC also ordered the lower court concerned to finish the trial proceedings of the case in next one year.
Yunus and six others recently filed the leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division challenging the HC order.
Source:thedailystar.net
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Salman, Anisul put on remand for third time
Aug 30, 2024
A Dhaka court yesterday placed former law minister Anisul Huq and Sheikh Hasina's private industry affairs adviser Salman F Rahman on a fresh five-day remand in a murder case.
With this, Anisul and Salman have been placed on 25 days of remand in three phases.
At the hearing around 7:00am, the magistrate asked Anisul and Salman if they had anything to say.
"We were in favour of the quota reform protests. I don't know anything about the incident [the case is about]. I want justice," Anisul was quoted as saying by a police officer present at the court.
He also told the court that he was innocent.
The hearing was on the case filed over the murder of Suman Sikdar, 31, at the capital's Badda during a demonstration on July 19.
Hasina is also among the 182 people accused in the case filed by Suman's mother Masuma.
At another hearing on the same case, former commerce minister Tipu Munshi was placed on a four-day remand.
In another case, a Dhaka court placed Major General (sacked) Ziaul Ahsan on a five-day fresh remand.
He is accused in a case filed with Adabor Police Station over the murder of a garment worker named Rubel.
Ziaul, the former director general of National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre, was placed on 18 days of remand in three other murder cases.
Former lawmaker Sadek Khan was placed on a five-day fresh remand in another case filed with Adabor Police Station over the killing of Jakir Hossain, 29.
On August 25, he was placed on a four-day remand in a case filed with Mohammadpur Police Station for the killing of truck driver Sujan.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/two-shot-dead-ctg-city-3690051
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700 Young Recruits Graduate from 207th Al-Farooq Army Corps Training Center
2024-08-29
KABUL(BNA): Seven hundred young recruits from various units of the Ministry of National Defense have graduated from the 207th Al-Farooq Corps Training Center after completing three months of military, professional, and ideological training.
According to a statement from the Ministry’s press office, the graduation ceremony was attended by Mawlawi Nasrullah “Mati,” the commander of the 207th Al-Farooq Corps, along with senior officials from the headquarters and units, esteemed scholars, veterans, and several citizens.
During the ceremony, speakers emphasized the importance of military, professional, and ideological training in building a national Islamic army under a Sharia-compliant and Islamic system.
They urged the graduates to proudly defend the country’s borders, territorial integrity, and national values, and to diligently follow the orders of their superiors.
The event concluded with various professional and military demonstrations performed by the graduates and the presentation of graduation certificates.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Herat Hosts Exhibition to Promote Grapes, Honey, and Agricultural Products
2024-08-29
HERAT(BNA): The eighth exhibition of grapes, honey, and agricultural products was inaugurated in Herat, attended by the provincial governor, deputy governor, department heads, farmers, officials from agricultural chambers, trade and investment bodies, industries, mining, various agricultural unions, and representatives of agricultural factories.
Mawlawi Pir Mohammad Halimi, Head of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock in Herat, stated that this three-day exhibition is being held at the Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock in the province. Farmers and vendors are showcasing and selling grapes, honey, and other products through forty stalls.
He emphasized that the main objective of these exhibitions is to market the farmers’ products, especially grapes and honey, both domestically and internationally.
Meanwhile, several farmers and vendors at the exhibition called on the Islamic Emirate officials to facilitate the export of their products abroad, aiming to reach global markets.
Mawlawi Hayatullah Muhajir, the Deputy Governor of Herat, highlighted ongoing efforts to mechanize the agricultural system in the country and to promote the use of domestic products nationwide.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Pakistan
Muslim Man Jailed For Life In Blasphemy Case In Karachi
Sumair Abdullah
August 30, 2024
KARACHI: A sessions court on Thursday sentenced a man to life imprisonment after convicting him of desecrating the Holy Quran in 2021 within the remits of the Korangi police station.
Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Shahid Ali Memon found the accused guilty and ruled that the prosecution had proven the charge of defiling copies of the Quran under Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) beyond a shadow of a doubt.
“All the prime witnesses had fully supported the case in respect of the date of offence, time of offence, arrest of accused, seizure of property etc. In other words, it can safely be said that all the witnesses, including the complainant, had corroborated each other and the learned defence counsel made cross-examination upon them but he has not been able to cause any dent to their evidence,” the judge observed.
According to state prosecutor Syed Khursheed Abbas Bukhari, the complainant reported to the police in June 2021 that after offering the Fajr prayer, he observed accused Ali Hyder desecrating the pages of the Holy Quran. The complainant then filed a case against the accused, leading to his apprehension.
During the trial, the prosecution produced eight witnesses to support its case. The prosecutor argued that the evidence against the accused was overwhelming and requested for conviction.
On the other hand, the defence contended that the prosecution had fabricated the case against the accused. The defence counsel claimed that the prosecution witnesses, all residents of the same area, had contradicted each other.
The defence also highlighted an unexplained delay in the FIR and noted that no one from the public had contacted the police through Madadgar 15. However, the court observed that the accused initially chose to record his statement on oath and to present his father as a defence witness. However, at a later stage, both, the accused and his father, filed statements stating that they would no longer provide sworn testimony, the court noted.
The case was registered at the Korangi police station under Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Source:dawn.com
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On Quetta visit, PM Shehbaz says Balochistan attacks ‘wicked scheme’ devised by terrorists
August 29, 2024
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the recent deadly terrorist attacks in Balochistan were a “wicked scheme” devised by militants, as he visited the province to assess the security situation there.
In the latest flare-up of violence, dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) — a separatist outfit — launched numerous attacks on Sunday midnight across Balochistan, targeting security personnel as well as civilians.
At least 50 people, including 14 security men, lost their lives as militants went on a rampage across the province, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles. In response, security forces neutralised 21 militants.
Among those killed were 23 people in Musakhail, mostly labourers from Punjab, who were offloaded from trucks and vans and shot dead after an identity check.
After his arrival in Quetta earlier today, PM Shehbaz chaired a high-level meeting of the National Action Plan’s provincial apex committee.
The meeting was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal as well as other top government and security officials.
“Terrorist organisations and the khawarij, who are Pakistan’s enemies, and infiltrators from within concocted this impure scheme, as a result of which Pakistanis were martyred,” the premier told the committee.
“There has been a wave of great concern among the people across Pakistan due to the recent heartrending incident that occurred in Balochistan,” PM Shehbaz said.
“Everyone is aggrieved on this incident,” the prime minister noted.
“However, I think that at the moment, we have to decide that we must fully eradicate terrorism from Balochistan through our collective vision, power, and unwavering determination,” the premier asserted.
Highlighting that the province was “extremely important and beautiful”, PM Shehbaz stressed the need to remove “all obstacles from its path to progress”.
Recalling that those who lost their lives included law enforcement agencies’ officers and sepoys, jawaans (personnel) of the Levies and Frontier Constabulary, as well as civilians“, Shehbaz asserted that their sacrifices would not go to waste.
The prime minister expressed the resolve to eradicate terrorism under the leadership of Gen Munir and CM Bugti, reaffirming the federal government’s full support to that extent.
He vowed to root out “terrorism that has surged again since 2018” from not just Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but from the entire country.
In his concluding speech, the premier said the federal government had decided to depute all the police and civil officers of the 48th Common Group in Balochistan without discrimination to ensure peace, stability, and development of the province.
“After discussion with the interior minister, the army chief and other relevant high authorities, we have made a policy under which all the talented and efficient officers will be deployed in various districts and divisions of the province,” the prime minister said.
Announcing the policy, he said half of the officers of the 48th Common Group of both police and civil side would be posted to Balochistan immediately for one year.
The remaining half of the 48th Common Group would be posted after six months from their initial deployment who would also serve for one year.
Similarly, he said after one year, the first half of the officers from the 49th common group would be posted to Balochistan for one year. After one and a half years, the remaining half of the officers from the 49th group would be posted to Balochistan for one year.
The prime minister announced that the officers posted under the policy would be given four air tickets for travel of their families for every quarter. Additionally, these officers might also be given three extra points in their performance subject to their commitment and their service in the province.
He said the government would implement the policy immediately with the coordination of the Balochistan government.
As regards the possibility of dialogues with terrorists, the prime minister made it clear that the federal and provincial governments, along with all security forces, had an iron resolve to eliminate all anti-state elements who had nefarious designs to destabilise the country.
“It is our national, political, and religious duty to fight against such elements,” he said, adding that dialogues could only be possible with those who respected the Constitution and saluted the national flag.
“We must differentiate between these two elements to ensure the development and prosperity of the country.”
He highlighted that the Gwadar port was vital for the development and prosperity of the province and the country but some anti-state elements did not want the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the port to be operationalised.
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, as well as other officials, were also accompanying PM Shehbaz.
Upon arrival at Quetta Airport, the premier was received by CM Bugti, Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir, and newly-appointed provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari.
Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Provincial Minister for Communication and Works Abdul Rehman Khetran, and other senior government officials were also present to welcome him.
Naqvi has vowed his full support for the Balochistan government in combating terrorism when he visited the province on Tuesday.
While PM Shehbaz on Tuesday asserted that there was “no room for any weakness”, President Asif Ali Zardari had ordered effective measures to ensure the “complete elimination” of terrorism.
Sanaullah calls for Balochistan truth and reconciliation commission
Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah called for a truth and reconciliation commission for Balochistan with inclusion from the province instead of other places.
Sanaullah said the provincial government did not need the federal government’s permission for such a commission.
He asked Baloch leaders to come forward and resolve the issues through dialogue.
“The leaders of Balochistan should bring the resolution in the provincial assembly so that all public interest matters could be addressed in a proper manner,” he said while talking on Geo News show ‘Capital Talk’.
He warned that those involved in the recent killings of innocent people in Balochistan would be given exemplary punishment according to law.
He invited Baloch leaders to sit together to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the province.
Replying to a question about security issues in the province, he said an apex committee was constituted to deal with security matters. He said that the government was committed to rooting out terrorism at all costs.
Sanaullah said the government should address and remove any misgivings or concerns of Balochistan National Party-Mengal chief Akhtar Mengal and try to win him over.
Source:dawn.com
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Two Karachi MQM activists acquitted in 19-year-old double murder case
August 30, 2024
KARACHI: An antiterrorism court (ATC) on Thursday acquitted two accused, said to be associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), in a 19-year-old targeted killing case for want of evidence against them.
The accused — Khawaja Muhammad Faisal and Syed Abu Irfan —were charged with the murder of ASI Muhammad Iqbal and Haseeb Ahmed in a targeted attack within the remit of the Gulberg police station in May 2005.
The ATC-X judge, who conducted the trial in the Judicial Complex inside the Karachi central prison, ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against the accused persons.
During the trial, defence counsel Abdi Zaman and Osama Ali contended that the prosecution failed to produce any witnesses or evidence before the court against their clients.
They submitted that their clients had been falsely implicated in the case.
According to the prosecution, on May 12, 2005 the accused, along with their accomplices — Shafique ur Rehman, Yameen, Asif Buddha, Irfan Sindhi and Zakir Hussain alias Agha Adeel — had carried out a targeted attack that resulted in the deaths of ASI Iqbal and civilian Hasseeb in Federal B Area Block-5.
It is pertinent to mention that Shafique had already been acquitted in the present case in 2014 over lack of evidence.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had arrested the two accused in a raid in 2021 during which motorcycles and weapons were recovered from their possession.
They were booked in the case on the basis of the confessional statement of an accused, Faisal, who told the police that he, along with the two present accused, they killed ASI Iqbal and his friend in Federal B Area.
Prime suspect remanded in rape-murder case
A judicial magistrate on Thursday remanded the prime suspect in police custody in a case of alleged gang rape and murder of a minor girl.
The suspect along with two accomplices had allegedly committed the crime.
The investigation officer, Shama, brought the suspect before Judicial Magistrate (South) Zahid Ali, seeking his 14-day physical custody for further interrogation.
The IO informed the court that the suspect, along with two accomplices, had sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl at a travel booking office near the Cantt station and then strangled her to death.
Later, the suspects placed the girl’s body in a gunny bag and dumped it at a dumpsite in the Lucky Star area.
The IO further informed the court that two other suspects still needed to be arrested.
After hearing the IO, the court remanded the suspect in police custody for five days and directed the IO to produce a progress report at the next hearing.
According to the police, the detained suspect was a watchman at the ‘Bara Market’ near Cantonment Railway Station.
According to the FIR, the complainant, the victim’s mother, informed the police that she lives near the railway station in the Cantt area. She further stated that on August 24, she had gone to the clinic with her two daughters, while her 12-year-old daughter remained at home.
However, when the complainant returned, her 12-year-old daughter was missing.
During this time, the complainant searched for her at various places, but when she could not find her, she contacted the police. The police informed her that a girl’s body had been found within the jurisdiction of the Saddar police station.
When the complainant went with the police to identify the body, she discovered that unknown persons had kidnapped her daughter, raped and murdered her, and then dumped her body at a dumpsite.
A case was registered under Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), 365-B (kidnapping, abducting, or inducing a woman to compel for marriage, etc), and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Source:dawn.com
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Kabul was ready to take terrorists to task during PTI govt: Imran
Malik Asad
August 30, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan has claimed his government was “actively engaged” with the Afghan Taliban on cross-border terrorism and that Kabul was “ready to cooperate”.
While talking to reporters after the hearing of the 190m pounds corruption reference on Tuesday, Mr Khan rejected the criticism of his party’s government over resettling alleged terrorists.
He said after the fall of Kabul in August 2021, Pakistan asked the interim Afghan government to eliminate the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and they were ready to cooperate.
Pakistan has blamed the outlawed TTP operating out of Afghanistan for the terrorist attacks carried out in the country during the past few years.
The Foreign Office and the Army have repeatedly urged the Afghan government to take action against the presence of terror inside Afghanistan.
However, officials in Pakistan believe that the Afghan Taliban government is unwilling to act against these terror outfits.
During his interaction with the reporters, Mr Khan also admitted that his government was holding talks with the Kabul regime, and the former ISI chief, retired Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed, briefed the opposition on this issue.
However, the ex-ISI chief was removed “on the demand of Nawaz Sharif” which “adversely affected the dialogues”.
According to Mr Khan, the interior minister said terrorists were operating out of Afghanistan, which means that the allegations against PTI were baseless.
He questioned the recent wave of terrorism in Balochistan and asked whether the PTI was responsible for unrest in the province and the law and order situation in the Kacha area.
According to Mr Khan, the Army was being blamed for the unrest in Balochistan, dacoits’ attacks of dacoits in the Kacha area and even street crimes.
He claimed that during his party’s government, intelligence agencies were countering terrorism, but now they are working to “finish a political party”.
Enforced disappearances
Mr Khan also said the government is “doing nothing” to stop the enforced disappearances of the citizens despite Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) directions.
The ex-PM warned that his successor, Shehbaz Sharif, would become a missing person if the establishment “devises a Plan B”.
He recalled that the IHC has advised PM Shehbaz to stop enforced disappearances, however, no step has been taken to resolve this grave issue.
Mr Khan also denied media reports that he instructed PTI party leaders to come out of hiding, saying they would be “picked up” upon resurfacing.
He advised the party leaders to continue staying in their respective hiding places.
Proceedings
Earlier, during the hearing, defence counsels continued the cross-examination of the National Accountability Bureau investigation officer. The proceedings were adjourned till Friday (today).
Source:dawn.com
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PTI not 'disturbed' over Imran Khan's incarceration, insists former KP minister
August 29, 2024
As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continues to face both internal and external challenges, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) minister Shaukat Yousafzai has dismissed claims suggesting that the party was "disturbed" over its founder Imran Khan's incarceration.
Speaking on Geo News' programme "Geo Pakistan" on Thursday, Yousafzai said: "There is no substance in rumours suggesting that the PTI was disturbed due to Imran Khan's incarceration [...] the PTI's vote bank isn't going anywhere."
The rebuttal comes against the backdrop of reports suggesting tug-of-war among its leadership on issues ranging from corruption and bad governance in KP under Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to the party leadership's inability to hold a public rally.
The party's founder and former prime minister, who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote in April 2022, has been behind bars for more than a year as well as several other key leaders such as Shah Mahmood Qureshi are either behind bars or in hiding owing to the nationwide crackdown launched against the party after the last year's May 9 riots.
Earlier this month, Khan had summoned PTI's KP leaders Atif Khan and Junaid Akbar for a meeting at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail after the duo voiced support for former KP minister for communication and works Shakeel Ahmad who had stepped down over alleged corruption and bad governance by the CM Ali Amin Gandapur-led government in the province.
Another issue the party faces is its inability to hold a major powershow as reflected in the Islamabad rally saga which has been dragging on for months with the local administration time again denying or revoking permission for a rally in the federal capital.
Last week, the PTI put off its public gathering in Islamabad and rescheduled it for September 8 with Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan saying that the powershow was postponed following a party leadership's meeting with Imran Khan in Adiala jail.
Gohar along with National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub claimed that the rally was rescheduled on Khan's instructions.
The postponement of the Islamabad rally didn't sit well with Aleema Khan, the PTI founder's sister, who expressed a lack of confidence in the current leadership and said that they had no "real intention" of freeing the former prime minister from jail.
'Will definitely hold Sept 8 rally'
Speaking on the alleged rift between party leadership, Yousafzai said that there were no differences within the party and that action was taken against PTI members in accordance with the party's discipline guidelines.
"Atif Khan has not been expelled from the party [....] KP CM Gandapur is doing alright in light of the fact that we have to run our campaign while the founder is in jail," the former provincial minister said.
"The KP chief minister has been given a task by assigning him the said post," he added.
Reiterating that the party will "definitely" hold the September 8 rally in Islamabad, the PTI leader said that the biggest success of the party has been keeping its workers charged.
It is to be noted that Islamabad Advocate General Ayyaz Shaukat has assured the party of granting permission to hold its rally in the federal capital on the said date, The News reported on Thursday.
Touching upon the party's leaders who were in hiding, he said that he couldn't say anything about them.
"I don't know anything about Murad Saeed," he said while referring to the whereabouts of the former minister who has been in hiding since last year.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1225001-pti-not-disturbed-over-imran-khans-incarceration-insists-former-kp-minister
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Europe
Hate Group’s Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Reflects Anti-LGBTQ+ Conspiracy Theories
August 29, 2024
Between July 30 and Aug. 10, Jaimee Michell, the founder and current president of the anti-LGBTQ+ hate group Gays Against Groomers, posted a series of comments on X, formerly Twitter, equating Islam with pedophilia, characterizing Muslim faith as “a cancer on this world” and sharing content from an account that claims Europe is being invaded by immigrants and Muslims.
The comments, which are similar to the anti-LGBTQ+ “groomer” rhetoric the group is known for, show the adaptability of false conspiracy theories that generally claim white cisgender children are under threat. Both the “groomer” conspiracy theory, which has historical roots in anti-Black, antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns, and “great replacement”-style rhetoric are derived from white nationalist beliefs that white people and culture are being intentionally eradicated, often at the direction of Jewish people.
Michell’s comments came after the July 29 stabbing deaths of three children at a dance workshop in Southport, England. Following the attacks, racist violence targeting immigrants and Muslims erupted in London and other cities in the U.K., spurred by far-right activists spreading disinformation about the attacker online, according to the BBC.
RECIRCULATING HATEFUL CONTENT
The series of tweets included a video featuring Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes sharing racist pseudoscientific claims about Southeast Asian and Arab people on a 2017 episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast. The episode was one of dozens of episodes that were deleted from Spotify’s streaming library in 2022, according to Rolling Stone.
In the clip, Rogan and McInnes discuss a 2010 pseudoscientific article from PJ Media that relies on ableist and racist tropes about Southeast Asian people, Arab people and Islam to ultimately advocate barring Muslims from immigrating to Europe. According to PJ Media, which was purchased by the right-wing Salem Media Group in 2019, information in the article was derived from an interview between the author and the founder of the anti-Muslim hate group Glazov Gang Productions.
Michell’s repost of the clip uses alternating capital letters – which implies a mocking tone in internet memes – to suggest that the “culture” of Southeast Asian people, Arab people and Muslims is not “equal” to other cultures. Other far-right figures, including Matt Walsh, recirculated the clip on their social media accounts.
In a July 30 post, Michell asked, “How much longer must the West suffer before enough people realize Islam is incompatible with civilized society?” The post concluded, “It [Islam] is a cancer on this world.”
Gays Against Groomers’s Connections To Hate Groups
Gays Against Groomers (GAG) has previously received support from McInnes and one of the leading figures of the far right in the U.K., Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Robinson has been convicted in the U.K. of numerous crimes related to his political agitation, including assault, fraud, stalking and contempt of court.
In a Sept. 27, 2023, post, GAG shared a video featuring Robinson and McInnes praising the group for its tactics. GAG perpetuates the anti-LGBTQ+ myth that transgender people and their allies are grooming children. In the video, Robinson thanked GAG for “driv[ing] that big wedge for the world to see between the gay community and this mad sexualization of children.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center has previously reported that GAG’s former director of chapters appeared at events with Proud Boys members, carrying a sign with the group’s logo.
Image at top: Recent anti-Muslim comments by Jaimee Michell, center, the founder and president of the anti-LGBTQ+ hate group Gays Against Groomers, are similar to the anti-LGBTQ+ “groomer” rhetoric the group is known for.
Source:splcenter.org/
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https://www. hatewatch/2024/08/29/hate-groups-anti-muslim-anti-lgbtq-rhetoric-linked
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Terrorists planned to kill ‘tens of thousands’ at Taylor Swift concert – CIA
29 Aug, 2024
Terrorists aimed to kill “as many people as possible” using homemade explosives and knives at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna earlier this month, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen has said, adding that the US spy agency warned the Austrian authorities about the impending attack.
According to Cohen, the attackers, who are said to have been connected with Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), “were plotting to kill a huge number – tens of thousands of people, including, I am sure, many Americans – and were quite advanced in this.”
He noted that Austrian security forces were able to arrest the suspects because the CIA and “our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do.”
“I can tell you within my agency, and I’m sure in others, there were people who thought that was a really good day for Langley, and not just the Swifties in my workforce,” he said, speaking at an intelligence summit outside Washington D.C.
The plotters reportedly planned to attack one of three Swift concerts in Vienna, which were set to begin on August 8 as part of the European leg of her Eras Tour. However, the shows were canceled by the event organizers, Barracuda Music, after the authorities informed them of the foiled plot.
The main suspect in the alleged plot was taken into custody on August 6, along with a 17-year-old accomplice, according to Austrian officials. On August 8, another suspect, 18, was also detained.
The authorities said the unnamed mastermind behind the attack, reported to be 19 years old, had pledged allegiance to IS after being self-radicalized online.
The attack was supposedly set to take place outside the stadium where as many as 65,000 people were expected to attend the show. The terrorists are said to have been planning to carry out the attack using knives as well as a homemade explosive device, police said after reportedly finding chemical substances and special technical devices at the home of the 19-year-old.
The main suspect is also said to have confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert,” according to Austrian officials.
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/603269-cia-austria-taylor-swift-terrorist-plot/
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British scholars visiting Palestine urge Muslims to visit Masjid Al Aqsa
By 5Pillars (RMS) -
29th August 2024
British Muslim ulama who recently visited Masjid Al Aqsa are urging Muslims from around the world to travel to the sacred mosque to protect it from the Israeli occupiers.
In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful
“Glory be to the One Who took His servant Muhammad at night from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” (Al-Isra: 1)
A few minutes remain for Fajr Salah, and we are sat here in Masjid al-Aqsa urging Muslims from all over the world to visit the blessed city of Quds (Jerusalem).
Al-Hamdulillah, there are many Muslims here from the UK. However, there is a need for many more Muslims from the UK and other countries to visit Masjid al-Aqsa. Our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Do not undertake any journey except to the three Masjids: Masjid al-Haram, my Masjid and Masjid al-Aqsa” (Bukhari).
Masjid al-Aqsa is currently controlled by the Israeli occupation forces. They decide who enters the Masjid and who does not. Armed Israeli soldiers patrol the grounds of the Masjid.
Many Palestinians residing in the blessed city of Quds are unable to enter the Masjid as we have witnessed first hand. Likewise, the permits of many Palestinians to enter the blessed city of Quds have been revoked in recent months. The number of visitors from abroad has also dropped due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Those who are visiting are also facing increased harassment whilst entering the Masjid especially for Fajr Salah. This is all designed to deter Muslims from visiting Masjid al-Aqsa.
Simultaneously, Israeli settlers regularly invade the Masjid and violate its sanctity. The Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir this week said that he would build a synagogue here. The threats to Masjid al-Aqsa are increasing day by day.
One of the most effective ways of protecting it and supporting the Palestinians is to visit the blessed city of Quds and keep Masjid al-Aqsa populated. The local Palestinian heroes safeguarding the Masjid really value and appreciate this. They are fulfilling a communal obligation (Fard Kifayah) on our behalf and their faith, sincerity, dedication and resilience puts us to shame.
We therefore humbly request brothers and sisters from around the world to travel to Masjid al-Aqsa if they are able to do so. Each Salah performed therein will not only earn the reward of 500 Salah, but also become the means of protecting the sanctity of Masjid al-Aqsa and reviving your faith.
We pray to Allah Almighty to protect Masjid al-Aqsa and liberate it and the whole region from the aggressors and their enablers and sympathisers in the form of Muslims and otherwise. Ameen.
Signed by:
Mufti Yusuf (Blackburn), Mufti Dilwar (Oldham), Shaykh Muhammad (Blackburn), Mufti Abu Usayd (Birmingham), Imam Abu Huzaifah (Dewsbury), Shaykh Zakariyya (Bolton), Shaykh Anwar (Coventry).
Source:5pillarsuk.com
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Germany expels head of banned Hamburg Islamic Centre over Ayatollah links
29 August, 2024
Germany has told the Iranian head of the recently banned Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) that he is being expelled from the country and has two weeks to leave, authorities in Hamburg said on Thursday.
The interior ministry of the German city state of Hamburg said in a statement that it had informed Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh that he has until September 11 to leave or else be deported.
Mofatteh had been head of the IZH since summer 2018, the statement continued.
He did immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment sent via social media.
According to findings by Hamburg's domestic intelligence agency, he was the official deputy of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Germany as head of the IZH until recently.
Bild newspaper and broadcaster NDR first reported on the expulsion orders.
Social media accounts associated with the IZH and its website have been taken down in Germany after the country banned the IZH and subsidiary organisations in July for "pursuing radical Islamist goals", according to the federal interior ministry.
The ministry said the IZH, which includes one of the oldest mosques in Germany known for its turquoise exterior, had acted as a direct representative of Khamenei and sought to bring about an Islamic revolution in Germany.
Following the closure of the IZH, Iran summoned the German ambassador in Tehran.
Source:newarab.com/
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Germany boots head of banned Islamic center over alleged Hezbollah links
By AGENCIES and TOI STAFF
29 August 2024
HAMBURG, Germany — Germany is planning to deport the leader of an Islamic center it banned in July over alleged links to extremist groups, an interior ministry spokeswoman said Thursday.
Investigators swooped in on the Hamburg Islamic Center five weeks ago after concluding it was an “Islamist extremist organization” with links to Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group.
Mohammad Mofatteh, 57, the former director of the center, has been ordered to leave Germany within 14 days and faces deportation if he does not comply, the spokeswoman said.
He will not be allowed to re-enter Germany and could face up to three years in prison if he does.
Andy Grote, interior minister for the state of Hamburg, said Mofatteh’s deportation was “the next logical step” against the Hamburg Islamic Center.
“As a top religious representative of the inhumane regime in Tehran, his time in Germany has come to an end,” he said.
When banning the center in July, Germany’s interior ministry accused it of being a “direct representative of Iran’s supreme leader” and spreading Tehran’s ideology “in an aggressive and militant manner.”
The ministry also accused the center of backing the “military and political dimension” of organizations like Hezbollah.
Germany considers Hezbollah a “Shiite terrorist organization” and in 2020 banned Hezbollah from carrying out activities on its soil.
Iran reacted angrily to the accusations and last week shut down a German language institute in Tehran in what appeared to be a tit-for-tat move.
The move against Mofatteh comes with deportations high on the political agenda in Germany after a deadly knife attack in the western city of Solingen.
Three people were killed and eight injured in the rampage, allegedly carried out by a Syrian asylum seeker and claimed by the Islamic State terror group.
The group said the attacker targeted Christians and was a “soldier of the Islamic State” who carried out the attack “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
The claim couldn’t immediately be verified. It provided no evidence for its assertions.
The attack has reignited a bitter debate about immigration in Germany, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz promising to “do everything we can to ensure that those who cannot and must not stay here in Germany are repatriated and deported.”
Source:timesofisrael.com
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Africa
Presidential Fleet: Over 200 Families Displaced As NAF Demolishes Housesin Abuja
Enioluwa Adeniyi
30 August 2024
The landowners of Nuwalege, a rural community along the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road in Abuja, have made an urgent appeal to the Federal Government for compensation after being forcibly ejected from their homes.
The eviction and subsequent demolition of their properties were carried out to accommodate an extension of the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).
According to Punch, more than 200 families have reportedly been left homeless following the demolition, which was executed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) at the behest of the Nigerian Air Force.
The affected residents, including Abuja natives and other Nigerians who had settled in Nuwalege, are now seeking refuge in nearby communities such as Zamani, Sauka, Giri, Iddo, and Gwagwalada.
Despite the significant disruption to their lives, the displaced families claim they have not received any form of compensation from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the Nigerian Air Force, or the Ministry of Aviation.
The lack of compensation has added to the distress of those affected, many of whom had lived in Nuwalege for years.
The project details, including its funding, have not been made publicly available.
However, there are indications that construction may begin soon, as Air Force personnel have already been mobilized to the site.
This development follows a citizens’ engagement last December, where Muktar Galadima, the Director of the FCT Department of Development Control, informed the community of the planned relocation.
He mentioned that the Nigerian Air Force had officially communicated with the FCT minister regarding the relocation, but the status of any compensation for the affected residents remained uncertain.
Galadima said, “We will discuss with the Air Force because obviously, discussions behind the scenes indicate that some forms of compensation were paid. We are going to conduct further investigation by engaging the FCT Department of Resettlement and Compensation as well as the Nigerian Air Force and find out if compensation has been paid, to whom, and when.”
Addressing journalists after the demolition in January, the director claimed the residents were given a two-month notice before the exercise, adding that his office had informed the Air Force of the administration’s policy on relocating indigenous communities.
“We informed the residents residing on the Nigeria Air Force land about the impending action and granted them a two-month window to pack their belongings.
“When the Air Force approached us, we told them about the FCTA policy on relocation and resettlement of indigenous communities. However, other non-indigenes are to be moved out of the location so that the Air Force can take over their land.
“The structures belonging to indigenes were left out because statutorily they have to be relocated and compensated, that’s why we are not touching their properties,” he stated.
However, residents of the community revealed that they were not notified of the demolition beforehand or paid any form of compensation, adding that no house was spared in the community during the demolition exercise.
An artisan, Wisdom James, disclosed that the residents were earlier informed the demolition would take place in another two years.
However, the authorities came not long after to clear the community, he claimed.
“I live in Zamani now, but I’m from Nuwalege. They demolished our house in January. There was no information (prior to the demolition). The place they marked for demolition is not the place they demolished. They didn’t tell us when they would be coming.
“At a time, they told us they had shifted the demolition until the next two years. But in two days, they were there with bulldozers and started work. They didn’t pay us anything,” she said.
Speaking on the legal action by the residents, James said they each contributed between ₦2,500 and ₦10,000 to seek justice, adding that nothing had come of it.
She added, “We made some contributions to take the issue to court. I paid ₦2,500. We were meeting in Sauka. After meeting about six times, there was nothing like that again. The money we gathered, we don’t know where they took it to, and we weren’t paid back.”
An indigene of the community, Obadiah Tanko, said the natives had lived there long before the Air Force base was built next to it, pointing out that some of their ancestors were buried in the site that now belonged to the NAF.
“I’ve been living in Nuwalege for 15 years, though I am an indigene. When they (FCDA) first came, they used beacons to mark some places. That was years ago. So, we took the issue to court, because before the (Air Force) base was built, we used to farm there. But they shifted us towards the river. Some of our grandfathers were buried where the base is now.
“They did an initial demolition in 2007. When they came, they told us only part of the place would be demolished. Before we knew it, we were told it would be the whole thing, although they didn’t demolish mine because I’m an indigene. Some people who are Bassa and Gbagyi are still there. None of the victims were told they would be paid anything, and none of them has received any payment,” he added.
Source:naijanews.com
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Alleged Terrorism Financing: What NLC President Told Police — Sources
30 August 2024
Enioluwa Adeniyi
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, was interrogated by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigerian Police on allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.
The session, which took place yesterday, August 20, at the Police headquarters, revealed key details of the allegations and the defense provided by Ajaero.
The police had initially invited Ajaero for questioning on August 19, following accusations related to his involvement in these serious criminal activities.
The interrogation, attended by notable human rights activists such as Femi Falana, SAN, Maxwell Opara, Deji Adeyanju, as well as officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), was brief and lasted under 30 minutes.
During the session, the focus of the police’s inquiry was on the operator of the Iva Valley Bookshop located on the second floor of the Labour House, which allegedly had links to the criminal activities.
Ajaero, however, distanced himself and the NLC from any involvement with the suspect, stating that their relationship was strictly that of a landlord and tenant.
He further clarified that the suspect neither consulted for the NLC nor had any documented communication with the organization.
A source who spoke with Vanguard revealed, “At some point, Comrade Ajaro was almost infuriated because they (interrogators) were just calling Joseph Ajaero without reference to his official position as NLC President.
“In a normal situation, the Police ought to have just called the NLC president for the invitation and not write him. They failed to do so because of their sinister motives. In all, it was like a friendly chat that did not last up to 30 minutes.”
Source:naijanews.com
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Nigeria and Niger sign security cooperation agreement amid tensions
By Agencies
29 August 2024
Despite strained relations following last year’s coup in Niger, Nigeria and Niger have signed a new security cooperation agreement. Announced by the Nigerian army on Thursday, the accord aims to bolster regional stability and security.
"Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to resuming and strengthening collaboration for regional stability and security," stated a Nigerian army communiqué following the signing of the memorandum of understanding by defense chiefs from both countries in Niamey, Niger's capital, on Wednesday.
The coup in July 2023, which ousted Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, strained relations between Nigeria and Niger and caused divisions within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The coup raised concerns about efforts to combat Islamist violence in the region.
ECOWAS had threatened military intervention in Niger if diplomatic efforts to restore the democratic government failed, prompting Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to withdraw from the 15-member bloc in January. These countries criticized ECOWAS for not aiding in their fight against Islamist violence and subsequently formed the Alliance of Sahel States with a military agreement.
Niger, though reducing its participation, remained part of the Nigeria-led Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) fighting Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region. The new agreement signals Niger's intention to re-engage actively in security cooperation within the MNJTF framework, according to the Nigerian communiqué.
Source:africanews.com
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Libya central bank governor, other bankers flee to avoid militias, FT says
August 30, 2024
Libya’s central bank governor Sadiq Al-Kabir said he and other senior bank staff had been forced to leave the country to “protect out lives” from potential attacks by armed militia, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
“Militias are threatening and terrifying bank staff and are sometimes abducting their children and relatives to force them to go to work,” Kabir told the newspaper via telephone.
He also said attempts by interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Al-Dbeibah to replace him were illegal, and contravened UN negotiated accords on control of the central bank.
The crisis over the control of the Central Bank of Libya creates yet another level of instability in the country, a major oil producer that is split between eastern and western factions that have drawn backing from Turkiye and Russia.
The UN Support Mission in Libya early this week called for the suspension of unilateral decisions, the lifting of force majeure on oil fields, the halting of escalations and use of force, and the protection of central bank employees.
Source:arabnews.com
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Dr. Bawumia Will Win To Become Ghana's First Muslim President - Samira Bawumia
29 August 2024
She said the feat of her husband and Vice President Alhaji Dr Bawumia, who is the Election 2024 Flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), would serve as a great memorial in the political history of the country.
Hajia Bawumia said the NPP chose her husband as the flag-bearer due to his integrity, humility, hard work, and proven record, stressing “Alhaji Dr Bawumia is ready to serve the nation in integrity and humility with all what he has”.
The Second Lady said this when she addressed the chiefs and people of Wenchi at a mammoth rally as part of her campaign visit to the Bono Region to canvass votes for the Vice President.
Hajia Bawumia said the choice of Alhaji Dr Bawumia as a Presidential Candidate defeated the wrong perception that the NPP was an Akan-based political party, stressing, that she had hope and confident that her husband could turn the fortunes of the nation around if given the nod as a President.
She said the NPP really cared about the general welfare of the Muslims, and the holistic development of Muslim communities and entreated the electorate, particularly, those in the Zongo communities to vote for the NPP to give her husband the chance to bring the development of the nation to the next level.
Samira Bawumia said Alhaji Dr Bawumia was passionate about youth and women empowerment, saying under his government jobs and more opportunities would be created for them.
Relatedly, Samuel Atta Akyea, the MP for Abuakwa South has said Dr. Bawumia will be a who has integrity and does not drink alcohol.
Addressing a spirited crowd in the Eastern Region, the lawmaker encouraged the citizens of Ghana to remain optimistic about the prospect of excellent governance under the leadership of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Akyea stated, "Ghana is fortunate to have an economist who is composed, knowledgeable, and abstains from alcohol. We are truly blessed. Ghana is on the verge of having a president with wisdom, a leader who is astute and refrains from drinking alcohol."
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is currently on a campaign tour in the Ester Region of Ghana.
Source:pulse.com.gh
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North America
Sunni Cleric Saber Khodamoradi Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison
August 29, 2024
Saber Khodamoradi, a Sunni cleric and Imam of Friday prayers in a town in Saqqez County, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison by the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan.
Mr. Khodamoradi announced that he was sentenced to 15 months in prison following a phone call from the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan. He had previously been summoned to this court in July 2023.
This Sunni cleric had earlier been sentenced to seven months in prison and 74 lashes by the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan.
Additionally, on April 26, 2023, Saber Khodamoradi was summoned to the Special Clerical Court in Hamedan for the third consecutive time due to his support of the nationwide protests in 2022.
Source:en-hrana.org
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Muslim rights advocacy group calls on Iowa DOT to cancel controversial license plate
Aug. 29, 2024
By KCRG Staff
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - The nation’s largest Muslim rights advocacy group is calling on the Iowa DOT to cancel a personalized license plate it says references Nazis.
The plate reads “M3INKPF.”
The DOT has gotten several complaints saying this is a reference to “Mein Kampf” - Adolf Hitler’s political manifesto.
The department says it has asked the driver to change it.
All drivers, who want vanity plates, have to submit an application to the DOT and explain the meaning of it.
A DOT spokesperson told the Des Moines Register the explanation was unrelated to Hitler.
It will not name the driver because the driver is protected under federal law.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement condemning the plate, saying “Purveyors of hate often resort to such subterfuge to promote bigotry and societal divisions.”
Source:kcrg.com
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Man charged after ‘hateful and anti-Islamic comments’ posted at Bloor West Village businesses
By John Marchesan
August 29, 2024
A 42-year-old man is under arrest following a series of mischief-related offences over four months in Bloor West Village.
Police say between March 13 and June 9 of this year, someone wrote hateful and anti-Islamic comments using a marker on businesses in the area of Runnymede Road and Bloor Street West.
On August 26, Justin Parons of Toronto was arrested and charged with seven counts of mischief.
Police say the investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence. If Parons is convicted, the Judge will consider hate as an aggravating factor when imposing a sentence.
Source:citynews.ca
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https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/08/29/man-charged-anti-islamic-comments-bloor-west-village/
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Arab World
Arab League, Egypt condemn Israeli military raids on northern West Bank
August 29, 2024
GOBRAN MOHAMED
CAIRO: Israel’s large-scale military operation against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has drawn widespread condemnation.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit denounced what he termed as the aggressive military operation in the West Bank, which has claimed the lives of more than 11 Palestinians. Israel has also imposed a sweeping siege on major cities and several large areas.
Gamal Roshdy, spokesperson for the secretary-general, said the “raids, brutal assaults and killings perpetrated by Israel in the cities of the northern West Bank, coupled with the destruction of infrastructure and the siege of hospitals, represent a dangerous escalation aimed at subjugating the Palestinian people, dismantling the remnants of existing agreements, and re-annexing Palestinian territories in pursuit of the extreme right’s agenda.”
He added the alarming development could not “be dissociated from the dangerous — and wholly unacceptable — statements made by extremist ministers within the Israeli government concerning the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Roshdy quoted Aboul Gheit as stating that Israel was “committing genocide against Palestinians everywhere.”
The Israeli operation in the West Bank is entirely unrelated to the events of Oct. 7, he added.
He said: “(Israel’s) true aim is to render Palestinian lives unbearable, whether in the West Bank or the occupied Gaza Strip, through ongoing intimidation, bloodshed and the implementation of displacement plans, effectively seeking to liquidate the Palestinian cause.”
Aboul Gheit emphasized that the international community could not afford to stand idly by in the face of this escalation, which is pushing the region to the brink of catastrophe and could lead to a widespread explosion of violence.
He said the US had failed to exert the necessary pressure on Israel, succumbing to the procrastination of its leaders who, he added, had no real intention of reaching an agreement to end the conflict.
Aboul Gheit held Washington responsible for “enabling this escalating Israeli arrogance in the region and demanded that it take a clear stance on the recent Israeli military operation in the West Bank.”
Egypt also condemned Israeli raids against a number of cities in the northern West Bank, namely Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates warned of the dangers of ongoing Israeli operations and the deliberate targeting of more Palestinian civilians,
This activity, along with the continued attacks on the Gaza Strip and the violation of holy sites in East Jerusalem, further complicated the situation and indicated Israeli insistence on escalation rather than the desire for de-escalation, the ministry statement said.
Egypt said Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank cities was “an entrenchment of the systematic violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the four Geneva Conventions on the protection of the rights of peoples under occupation, and intransigence regarding the policy of escalation and expanding the scope of confrontations within the Palestinian territories.”
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2569340/middle-east q
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Saudi Arabia’s anime and manga boom is a cultural revolution
August 29, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning interest in manga and anime, a trend that can be traced to the 1970s, is helping to usher in a revolution in cultural production.
These Japanese art forms have captivated audiences of all ages, gaining significant popularity in recent years. Their ability to combine entertainment, culture and education has made them of great interest to Saudi Arabia society.
Manga, a form of Japanese graphic novels, differs from Western comics in several ways, including its reading direction which is from right to left.
To foster this growing culture, the General Entertainment Authority has been actively involved in organizing events and exhibitions. This includes the prominent Saudi Anime Expo, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, which has attracted visitors from around the world.
Furthermore, Riyadh’s “Anime Town” has solidified its position as the world’s largest anime city, featuring four distinct areas, and the Sakura Music Festival, held for the first time outside of Japan.
Jeddah also recently hosted the “Anime Village” event, which attracted many visitors and offered a variety of activities, including cosplay competitions, live shows, themed restaurants, and screenings of the latest films.
Manga Arabia magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Nouf Al-Hussein expressed optimism about the future of the local industry.
She said the growing interest in creative initiatives within the education and culture sectors would contribute to a more robust labor market and increased opportunities for growth in the industry.
Al-Hussein said: “Saudi society has become increasingly aware of the importance of nurturing diverse talents and skills, including those related to the Saudi manga and anime industry.”
She emphasized that achieving success in this field requires a strong foundation in drawing, writing and creative thinking.
Al-Hussein added that this trend would foster the development of local characters that embody authentic Arab values, the Saudi Arabia spirit, and a distinctive national identity.
She emphasized that such content could resonate with audiences on a global scale, contributing to the enhancement of Saudi Arabia culture.
Anime and manga critic and analyst Majed Al-Amer said the anime industry in the Kingdom has experienced remarkable growth.
Despite facing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Saudi Arabia anime industry has surpassed many other countries that have been developing this culture for a longer period.
Al-Amer said the Kingdom has gained recognition as a producer on global entertainment platforms including Netflix, Shahid, StarzPlay and Crunchyroll. These platforms operate in Saudi Arabia and offer Arabic translations, demonstrating the industry’s significant potential.
He said manga rights are being acquired and distributed locally, with Arabic translations available in various outlets, including libraries and cinemas.
Regarding the most prominent challenges facing anime and manga creators in the Kingdom, Al-Amer said the biggest hurdle is social acceptance.
He emphasized the importance of society embracing the job opportunities available in this industry, including for manga writers and animators.
Al-Amer added that the anime industry would become a key component of the Kingdom’s economy within the next seven years.
He said the industry’s growth would drive the production of local content, leading to the creation of a new form of entertainment tourism in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Amer said content produced by domestic talent would authentically reflect local culture without external influences. This would contribute to spreading Saudi Arabia culture globally.
He expressed appreciation for the government’s support and promotion of the anime and manga industry.
Saudi Arabia’s commitment to fostering a vibrant manga and anime culture is evident in its recent initiatives.
The “Manga Education” program, launched by the ministries of culture and education, aims to develop students’ capabilities in this field. This program aligns with the broader strategy of incorporating culture and arts into public education.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2569361/saudi-arabia
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General Court of Audit chief meets Indian counterpart
August 29, 2024
RIYADH: Hussam bin Abdul Mohsen Alangari, president of the General Court of Audit, met on Thursday with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India Girish Chandra Murmu, along with his accompanying delegation in Riyadh.
During their meeting, both parties discussed many topics of common interest and ways of enhancing and activating them in all areas.
The delegation was briefed on the GCA’s experiences in transitioning from cash to accrual basis of accounting in the Kingdom’s public sector. It was also briefed on professional capacity building areas.
Tariq bin Ahmed Al-Jarifani, director general of the Saudi Center for Financial and Performance Auditing and executive vice president for corporate services reviewed the court’s advanced methodologies in building professional capacities in intermediate accounting, international public sector accounting standards, and international standards on auditing.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Environment Ministry launches aquaponics investment opportunity in Jubail
August 29, 2024
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has offered a new opportunity for investors to establish a fish farm using aquaponics technology through the Furas Platform, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Through the project, the ministry aims to produce fish and plants in a total area of 40,000 sq. meters in Jubail Governorate.
It will boost local biodiversity, enhance self-sufficiency and ensure food security.
“Aquaponics integrates plant and fish cultivation, utilizing fish waste to nourish plants and plant nutrients to feed fish,” the SPA said.
“This sustainable method enhances water quality in aquaculture. It combines aquatic life and plant growth without soil, promoting eco-friendly food production using natural fish fertilizers to boost plant growth and productivity.
“This approach improves crop quality, productivity, and environmental conservation by avoiding chemical pesticides and fertilizers.”
The bidding deadline for the venture is Nov. 27. Interested parties can explore the terms, specifications and necessary documents on the Furas Platform. For further information, email investor@mewa.gov.sa.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Al-Balsam organization performs 43 neurosurgery procedures in Yemen
August 29, 2024
RIYADH: The Al-Balsam Association for Training and Health Development has carried out 43 neurosurgery procedures in Yemen, with the support and sponsorship of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief.
“This voluntary medical program, held from Aug. 17 to 23, offered free treatment to patients,” a statement by the association said on Thursday.
The Al-Balsam team, consisting of about 25 health professionals including top spinal surgery and neurosurgery specialists, nurses, and technicians, conducted the procedures at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Hospital in Aden.
The team examined a total of 127 patients and provided them with essential healthcare, in collaboration with local Yemeni doctors.
The voluntary neurosurgery program in Yemen is part of a series of humanitarian medical initiatives led by KSrelief and aimed at providing treatment to individuals and families with limited financial resources across several countries.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Ahmari, executive director of the Al-Balsam Association, said that the medical team provided surgeries related to brain, neurological, and spinal issues to patients with severe conditions which required prompt and effective intervention.
Al-Ahmari said that the Al-Balsam medical convoy had set key goals, including saving lives through essential procedures while enhancing the skills of local medical professionals.
This involved providing training and qualifications to the Yemeni medical staff in neurosurgery.
The visit of the Al-Balsam team to Yemen marked its fourth medical mission following its cooperation agreement with KSrelief.
The association worked in Kyrgyzstan in November 2023, Chad in January 2024, and completed a mission to Yemen in May this year.
Source:arabnews.com
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Moderate to heavy rain forecast for Makkah, Madinah
RASHID HASSAN
August 29, 2024
RIYADH: Moderate to heavy rains, along with strong winds and thunderstorms, have been forecast for the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and part of the western and southern regions.
The National Center of Meteorology forecast on Thursday warned: “Gusty winds will blow and moderate to heavy rain and hail may fall in parts of Jazan, Aseer, Al-Baha, Makkah, and Madinah.”
A red alert has been issued for the Madinah region, while light to moderate rain could fall in part of Hail and Tabuk. There will be dust-stirring winds in parts of Riyadh, the Eastern Region and Najran.
Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Civil Defense has also issued safety instructions alongside warnings of inclement weather as the regions brace themselves heavy rainfall.
People in Makkah, Madinah, Najran, Jizan and all areas where the NCM has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall are urged to take appropriate precautions, remain indoors during stormy weather, and adhere to safety instructions.
“The Civil Defense calls for caution and following instructions due to the weather conditions witnessed in these regions,” wrote the General Directorate on X.
According to the forecast, there will be north westerly to westerly winds of 18-40 kph over the northern part of the Red Sea, and south westerly to north westerly winds reaching 15-60 kph across the central and southern parts.
In the Arabian Gulf, winds will blow northerly to north westerly at speeds of 20-40 kph in the northern and central parts, and westerly to south westerly at speeds of 10-20 kph in the southern part.
Source:arabnews.com
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Southeast Asia
Not doing that again: PAS spiritual leader says party won’t join unity government over DAP, Anwar
30 Aug 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — PAS will not work with former ally DAP again, the party’s spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin said to reject a purported invitation for the Islamist party to join the national unity government.
According to PAS mouthpiece HarakahDaily, he called DAP untrustworthy and likely to harbour hidden agendas in any political partnership.
PAS and DAP had partnered with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR to form Pakatan Rakyat after the 2008 general election, but the informal pact collapsed in 2015 when the Islamist party was effectively expelled for reviving its plan to introduce hudud, the Islamic penal code, in Malaysia.
“PAS will not accept invitations from certain parties, including Umno, to join and be part of a political agreement that includes DAP,” he was quoted as saying.
Rumours have persisted of plans from the Anwar administration to bring PAS into its fold, amid a climate of worsening communal friction in the country since the 2022 general election.
PAS has been a major source of the rumours, with party leaders such as Hashin sporadically coming out to reject the supposed “invitation”.
Hashim said any invitation to join a new political coalition must be weighed holistically, but repeated his position that PAS would not be willing to once again partner with DAP.
PAS is part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition that is currently the federal opposition. It was previously in the government as part of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration.
Source:malaymail.com
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PM Anwar pledges Madani policies will not marginalise the poor, citing quick 45-day approval for housing project
30 Aug 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised today that the policies adopted by the Madani government will not overlook the interests of the poor in the country.
Citing the groundbreaking ceremony of Residensi Suria Madani in Taman Desa here yesterday, the Prime Minister said it is a project that provides benefits and comfort to the underprivileged group living in the city.
“Kuala Lumpur City Hall approved it within 45 days... a record since before independence until now, as approval usually takes between eight months to a year and two months. But if the company, for example, provides a solid geotechnical study, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and everything else, there is no reason why approval can’t be given so quickly.
“I am grateful because, in a short time, we have shown more effective implementation. We launched the Madani people’s housing project costing RM200,000 and below (per unit) in Taman Desa, close to high-end residential areas,” he said.
Anwar said this in his speech when performing the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (KIGIP) in Bagan Serai, Kerian, Perak. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
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The Philippines expands Muslim-Friendly tourism with new Halal initiatives
30.08.2024
The Philippines’ DOT, under Secretary Frasco’s leadership, advances Muslim-friendly tourism with significant halal initiatives and infrastructure improvements.
The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) is committed to developing Muslim-friendly tourism in the Philippines.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco made the announcement during the 19th Congress’ Committee on Appropriations hearing on the Proposed FY 2025 Budget of the DOT on Tuesday (August 20), where she received commendations from members of the House of Representatives, particularly for her leadership in promoting halal tourism in the country.
Representative Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte expressed his admiration for the DOT’s proactive measures under Secretary Frasco’s leadership, emphasizing the significant strides made in attracting Muslim travelers from around the globe, noting the potential Muslim tourists from the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) sub-regional cooperation initiative.
Under Secretary Frasco’s leadership, the DOT has introduced several key initiatives to enhance the country’s appeal as a halal and Muslim-friendly destination. Among these is the recent release of the Memorandum Circular No. 2020 – 010 or the Guidelines Governing the Operations and Recognition of Muslim-friendly accommodation Establishments, which aims to set standards for accommodations, restaurants, and services that cater to the specific needs of Muslim travelers.
Secretary Frasco emphasized, “It all begins with improving infrastructure and services that will cater to the specific needs of the halal and Muslim-friendly traveler.” She added, “The good news is that the private sector has responded very positively to this endeavor, whereby we recently signed a memorandum of agreement with Megaworld where they have committed to converting all of their 13 properties across the country to become Muslim-friendly.”
Cong. Dimaporo expressed his admiration for these efforts, stating, “I’ve never heard this type of initiative from previous secretaries before, and I’m truly impressed by the DOT’s commitment to making the Philippines more Muslim-friendly. This is a significant step forward for our tourism industry.”
Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur Representative Zio Alonto Adiong expressed optimism over the DOT’s halal initiatives, “I congratulate you Madam Secretary for investing in the halal industry. I do not know about the previous administration, but in this case, we felt that with Sec. Frasco, she’s interested in investing so much in the halal industry, and rightly so, because this is a new, emerging, market.”
A remarkable increase in Muslim tourists
“We are pleased to announce that visitor arrivals from Islamic and Muslim-populated countries have seen a remarkable 120% increase from 2022, with numbers reaching 496,724 from January to December 2023,” Secretary Frasco reported. “This growth signifies our success in creating a welcoming environment for Muslim travelers, which is a key component of our overall tourism strategy.”
The Philippines was recognized as the “Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year” for Non-OIC countries at the Halal in Travel Global Summit 2024, held in Singapore, marking the country’s second consecutive win and highlighting the DOT’s efforts to enhance halal tourism.
“The halal tourism market is growing rapidly and therefore the Philippines, recognizing the same, has capitalized on our assets. The Philippines has been recognized for the second year in a row as the Emerging Muslim Friendly Destination of the Year at the Halal Travel Global Summit even as we continue to expand our halal tourism portfolio by increasing our halal-certified dining options, our accreditations, and the like,” the tourism chief added.
Halal Tourism initiatives of the DOT
As of December 2023, the DOT has already recorded 289 halal-friendly establishments and is extending this effort from Mindanao nationwide, which is why the DOT is giving these local businesses opportunities to market themselves through expositions.
Frasco also shared that the DOT has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Megaworld, in which the developer has committed to converting all its 13 properties around the country to become Muslim-friendly.
“We are also now in coordination with other hotel operators for a similar initiative. In addition to that, we continue with our accreditation of Muslim-friendly accommodations, restaurants, and the like, with the view to come up with specific guidelines for Muslim-friendly and halal-accredited food establishments,” Frasco told the lawmakers present.
Another key DOT initiative was the Halal Tourism and Trade Expo, SALAAM, held from June 14-16 in Quezon City. This inaugural expo promoted halal-certified and Muslim-friendly tourism products, attracting over 10,000 visitors, including international tourists and business owners, while underscoring the Philippines’ commitment to developing a robust halal environment.
Complementing this, the DOT mounted Bismillah: An Evening of Faith, Love, and the Flavors of Mindanao last November 2023 highlighting Mindanao’s rich halal cuisine, promoting the region as an emerging culinary destination and reinforcing its vital role in the Philippines’ halal tourism strategy.
Moreover, the DOT is also putting up a Tourist Rest Area in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and is closely working with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Tourism to provide them with industry benchmarks and best practices for accommodation practices.
Several big events will be happening this year that are geared toward making the Philippines more Muslim-friendly. “We are pleased to [share] that we are hosting the very first Philippine’s International Health and Wellness Congress which will bring in buyers from the Middle East and various other countries to position the Philippines as a health and wellness destination, in addition to becoming Halal and Muslim friendly,” said Sec. Frasco.
In November, the DOT, together with the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, will be supporting the Halal Expo Philippines, which aims to explore the huge potential for the halal industry to thrive in the Philippines.
The tourism chief also mentioned other recent efforts that the DOT has made to explore opportunities in halal tourism like improving bilateral relations with countries like Brunei and Qatar. “We recently brought the biggest Philippine delegation to the Arabian travel market in Dubai as well as signed a memorandum of agreement with both Brunei and Qatar to strategically position the Philippines as Muslim friendly.”
Source:traveldailynews.asia
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Search resumes at Pantai Dalam IWK plant for woman missing in KL sinkhole
30 Aug 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — The search and rescue (SAR) operation for the woman who fell into an eight-meter-deep sinkhole in Jalan Masjid India, here, a week ago continues today at the Pantai Dalam IWK sewage plant.
Immediately after arriving at the site at 8.40am, the SAR team, consisting of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and IWK workers, was seen discussing their operational planning.
A Bernama survey in the area saw a Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) and a JBPM van as well as nearly 10 firefighters preparing to carry out their duties.
Last August 23, a tourist from Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, identified as G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, went missing after falling into an eight-meter-deep hole following a landslide incident at Jalan Masjid India at 8.22am.
The woman, who was in the country with her family for a holiday, was walking in the area to go to a nearby temple to have breakfast when the ground suddenly caved in. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
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Mideast
Jordan orders Islamist party to take down 'Hamas-style' triangle logo amid elections
29 August, 2024
Jordan's independent electoral commission has ordered an Islamist party to remove a logo slightly reminiscent of a symbol used by the Palestinian group Hamas from its election posters, according to a candidate from the party.
Jordan is due to hold nationwide parliamentary elections on 10 September.
The Islamic Action Front has adopted a green inverted triangle as one of its logos for the elections. It bears a passing resemblance to the inverted red triangle that Hamas uses in videos it publishes showing its fighters attacking Israeli forces.
The electoral commission reportedly said that if the Islamic Action Front doesn't comply, it will be faced with fines and the removal of its posters.
Yanal Freihat, a candidate for the Islamic Action Front published a video on Facebook saying that the electoral commission was justifying this on the grounds that there was another logo on the posters and the law only allowed for one logo.
He said he was "surprised" at the order to remove the logo and questioned whether it was related to events in Gaza and Palestine.
"This logo disturbed the commission apparently, and I don't know if it's to do with the [Palestinian] resistance or a legal reason – as [the commission] says – which prohibits two logos on advertisements for parties and candidates," he said.
He added that the IAF had tried to appeal the decision but the commission remained insistent on its decision.
He said that as a result, he was considering spraying the inverted logo on all his posters with white paint.
The Islamic Action Front is considered to be the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan and is one of the most prominent opposition parties in the country.
The Palestinian movement Hamas also has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood and in his video, Freihat expressed support for Palestinians fighting against Israel in Gaza.
Earlier this year, Jordan was rocked by protests in support of Gaza, with many of them targeting the Israeli embassy in Amman.
Over half of the country's population is of Palestinian origin – descended from refugees who fled their homes after being ethnically cleansed by Zionist militias during the creation of Israel.
Despite this, Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty, known as the Wadi Araba Accords, in 1994.
Source:newarab.com
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Five Palestinian fighters killed in West Bank mosque as Israeli assault continues
29 August 2024
Five Palestinian fighters killed in West Bank mosque amid ongoing Israeli assault
The Israeli military said it had killed five Palestinian fighters inside a mosque in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, in the midst of one of the largest assaults on the occupied territory for months.
Related: Israeli forces kill at least 10 Palestinians in West Bank raids and strikes
The overall toll of 16 Palestinians killed in less than two days would make it the deadliest Israeli operation in the West Bank since the 7 October Hamas attack in Israel which killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and ignited the Gaza war.
The latest fighting came as the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said on Thursday he had formally asked the bloc’s members to consider imposing sanctions on some Israeli ministers for “hate messages” against Palestinians that he said broke international law.
Borrell did not name any of the Israeli ministers to whom he was referring, nor specify which messages he had in mind. But in recent weeks he has publicly criticised Israel’s security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, for statements he described as “sinister” and “an incitement to war crimes”.
Interactive
The second day of the Israeli operation, in which as many as three brigades of troops have been deployed in several major West Bank cities backed by helicopters, drones and armoured personnel carriers, also included raids in the northern city of Jenin and in the Jordan valley.
Inside Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm, residents told the Guardian Israeli troops had gone house to house, detaining Palestinian men as they went.
Mohammed Aisha, a 42-year-old Nur Shams resident, speaking at a mosque just outside the camp, said: “The soldiers asked us to leave our house at 10am this morning and the Israelis made a big hole through the walls from one house to another. They handcuffed us with plastic strips and we were taken to a military base outside the city.”
Aisha described a scene of desolation left by the raid, adding: “All of our male neighbours were taken to the military base. The roads inside the camp were totally destroyed, sewerage pipes, water pipes were destroyed. The streets became hills of rubble, many houses are totally burned, this is not the camp we knew any more.”
On the outskirts of Nablus, 14 miles (23km) to the east, residents were told that some roads in and out of the city would be closed on Thursday, and the sound of drones – locally nicknamed “samiras” – could be heard overhead amid fears the operation would also target the city.
“People are saying that tonight it will be Nablus’s turn,” one resident called Ghassan said.
Fears are rising about the trajectory of the already serious violence in the West Bank, which has been fuelled by the actions of far-right settlers and their supporters in the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
In recent weeks, Israeli defence officials have voiced their concerns that the situation in the West Bank could boil over, turning the territory into a major new front in Israel’s ongoing conflicts, even as the war in Gaza continues and tensions remain high with Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon.
Hamas repeated its calls for Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up, calling the raids part of a larger plan to expand the war in Gaza. The militant group urged security forces loyal to the western-backed Palestinian Authority to “join the sacred battle of our people”.
The Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, has condemned the Israeli raids, but his forces were not expected to get involved.
Referring to the latest West Bank assault, Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, said in a post on X overnight: “This is a war in every sense, and we must win it.” He accused Iran of working to destabilise Jordan and establish an eastern front against Israel via arms smuggling networks, as it has done in Gaza and in Lebanon.
To address the threat of an eastern front, Katz said Israel would have to use “all necessary means, including, in cases of intense combat, allowing the population to temporarily evacuate from one neighbourhood to another to prevent civilian harm”.
Among those killed on Thursday was a local Islamic Jihad commander named as Mohammed Jaber. According to Palestinian reports, troops dressed in civilian clothes entered the mosque where an exchange of fire occurred.
Thursday’s fatalities came a day after Palestinian health authorities said at least 12 Palestinians were killed in Wednesday’s operations.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, called on Israel to halt its military operation in the northern West Bank immediately. “Latest developments in the occupied West Bank, including Israel’s launch of large-scale military operations, are deeply concerning,” Guterres wrote on X.
Families of Israeli hostages being held in the Gaza Strip protested near the border on Thursday, demanding a deal to secure their release. At one point they made a dash to try to cross into the coastal territory.
Carrying photographs and wearing shirts marked with red paint, relatives of some of the 107 hostages still held by militants in Gaza gathered at Nirim kibbutz in southern Israel, about a mile from the border. They began by shouting messages of love and support through a stack of speakers pointed towards the frontier.
Source:yahoo.com
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Muslim World League condemns Israeli occupation aggression on West Bank
29 Aug 2024
Makkah: The Muslim World League (MWL) on Thursday condemned the Israeli occupation army's attack on the cities of Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, and its siege of hospitals in the West Bank, which resulted in the death of a number of people, the injury of others, and damage to property.
In a statement, Secretary-General of MWL, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al Issa, denounced these serious and ongoing violations committed by the occupation against the Palestinian people, renewing the urgent call for the international community to take a sincere and serious stand to end this horrific human tragedy in the Palestinian territories.
He called for taking effective and tangible measures to ensure the cessation of this ongoing aggression, and to activate accountability procedures against all those involved in it.
The Israeli occupation had launched, a few days ago, an aggression on the camps and cities of the West Bank, which resulted in the death and injury of dozens of civilians, and the destruction of large areas of infrastructure.
Source:thepeninsulaqatar.com
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Lebanon's Islamic Resistance targets Zionist forces gathering
29 Aug 2024
BEIRUT August 29. 2024 (Saba) - The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, on Thursday said that its mujahedeen targeted a gathering of soldiers of the Zionist enemy army near the Lebanese border.
According to 'Palestine Today' agency, the Lebanese Hezbollah said in a statement that its mujahedeen targeted a gathering of enemy soldiers in the vicinity of Al-Tayhat Hill with rocket weapons, confirming that the target was hit directly.
Since the eighth of last October, the northern border of occupied Palestine has witnessed severe tension and exchange of rocket fire between the enemy army and the Islamic resistance, which led to deaths and injuries on both sides.
Source:saba.ye
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Israeli forces kill islamic Jihad Intelligence Commander
Aug 29, 2024
Tel Aviv [Israel], August 29 (ANI/TPS): Israeli soldiers eliminated dozens of terrorists in the Gaza Strip over the last day, including one of Palestinian Islamic Jihad's military intelligence commanders, the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday.
Osama Gadallah, who took part in the October 7 attacks and was a senior figure in Islamic Jihad's intelligence, was killed by Israeli aircraft in the area of Rafah in southern Gaza, the army said.
Troops killed dozens of terrorists in fighting in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza and in the outskirts of Deir al-Balah in the Strip's central area.
Airstrikes hit 40 Hamas targets over the past day, including manned firing positions and other terror infrastructure.
The fighting comes against the backdrop of Israel's rescue of 52-year-old hostage Farhan Al Qadi on Tuesday and the recovery of a soldier's body on Wednesday.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 103 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014. (ANI/TPS)
Source:aninews.in
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Houthi video shows the Yemeni militia planted bombs on tanker now threatening Red Sea oil spill
August 30, 2024
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Yemen’s Houthi rebels released footage on Thursday showing their fighters boarded and placed explosives on a Greek-flagged tanker, setting off blasts that put the Red Sea at risk of a major oil spill. The vessel was abandoned earlier, after the Houthis repeatedly attacked it.
In the video, the Iran-backed Houthis chant their motto as the bombs detonated aboard the oil tanker Sounion: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.”
The blasts capped the most-serious attack in weeks by the Houthis in their campaign disrupting the $1 trillion in goods that pass through the Red Sea each year over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, as well as halting some aid shipments to conflict-ravaged Sudan and Yemen.
The Sounion carried some 1 million barrels of oil when the Houthis initially attacked it on Aug. 21 with small arms fire, projectiles and a drone boat. A French destroyer operating as part of the European Union’s Operation Aspides rescued the Sounion’s crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, after they abandoned the vessel and took them to nearby Djibouti.
The footage released Thursday shows masked Houthi fighters carrying Kalashnikov-style rifles boarding the Sounion after it was abandoned. The bridge appeared ransacked. Fighters then rigged explosives over hatches on its deck leading to the oil tankers below. At least six simultaneous blasts could be seen in the footage.
The footage, as well as comments by the Houthi’s mysterious leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, confirmed an earlier analysis by The Associated Press that the Houthis boarded and planted explosives on the Sounion. The Houthi-controlled SABA news agency described Al-Houthi as saying the Sounion attack shows America “is lying in its claims regarding any deterrence of Yemeni operations supporting Palestine.”
“The effectiveness of our operations and their control of the situation is acknowledged by the enemies,” Al-Houthi said.
Western countries and the United Nations have warned any oil spill from the Sounion could devastate the coral reefs and wildlife around the Red Sea. However, the EU’s naval force in the region says it has yet to see any oil spill from the Sounion.
Operation Aspides “is preparing to facilitate any courses of action, in coordination with European authorities and neighboring countries, to avert a catastrophic environmental crisis,” the EU mission said. “Together, we can protect the environment and maintain stability in the region.”
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric commended the efforts by the international community and the UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, “to secure the immediate access to the vessel and avert an environmental catastrophe.” The Houthis have agreed to allow the operation to proceed safely, he said.
Dujarric did not offer any indication when it might start but added that the reports that “the salvage operations for the tanker can proceed with tugboats and rescue ships to access the incident area” are encouraging.
On Wednesday, the Houthis suggested they may allow the Sounion to be salvaged, though the rebels already once blocked crews trying to reach the abandoned vessel, the US military said.
The US State Department declined to directly comment on the video Thursday. It referred to earlier remarks in which spokesperson Matthew Miller warned “the Houthis’ continued attacks threaten to spill a million barrels of oil into the Red Sea, an amount four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster” in 1989 off Alaska.
This isn’t the first time the Houthis have used the threat of an oil spill to their advantage. It took years of negotiations before the rebels allowed the UN in 2023 to remove 1 million barrels from the oil tanker Safer off the coast of Yemen, which had been used as a floating storage and offloading facility.
“Experience has shown that the group is willing to interfere with salvage efforts if they can turn the situation into a political bargaining chip,” warned Noam Raydan, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy who has studied the ongoing Houthi attacks.
The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets.
The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
Meanwhile Thursday, the US military’s Central Command said its forces destroyed a Houthi missile system and drone.
Source:arabnews.com
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Turkiye: ‘We want to see a democratic and prosperous Syria’
August 29, 2024
ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s presence in neighboring Syria is to stop the war-torn country from falling under the sway of terror groups, a Turkish Defense Ministry source said on Thursday after Damascus said a withdrawal of its troops was not a prerequisite for better relations with Ankara.
Turkish forces and Turkiye-backed rebel factions control swaths of northern Syria, and Ankara has launched successive cross-border offensives since 2016, mainly to clear the area of Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces or SDF, which are backed by the US but which it mistrusts.
Turkiye sees the Kurdish People’s Protection Units or YPG, which dominate the SDF, as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK, which it considers a “terrorist” group.
“Turkiye’s presence in Syria prevents the division of Syrian territory and the creation of a terror corridor there,” the ministry source said
“We want to see a democratic and prosperous Syria, not a Syria plagued by instability and terrorist organizations,” the same source added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — who had supported rebel efforts to topple Syria’s Bashar Assad — has in recent months sought rapprochement with Damascus, inviting Assad to Turkiye.\
Source:arabnews.com
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Borrell asks EU to consider sanctions on 2 Israeli ministers
August 29, 2024
BRUSSELS: European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday he has asked the bloc’s members to consider imposing sanctions on two Israeli ministers for “hate messages” against Palestinians, messages that he said broke international law.
He did not name either of the ministers. But in recent weeks he has publicly criticized Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for statements he has described as “sinister” and “an incitement to war crimes.”
Borrell said EU foreign ministers held an initial discussion about his proposal at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday. He said there was no unanimity — which would be required to impose sanctions — but the debate would continue.
“The ministers will decide. It’s up to them, as always. But the process has been launched,” he told reporters.
He said he had proposed that the Israeli ministers be sanctioned for violations of human rights. EU sanctions generally mean a ban on travel to the bloc and a freeze on assets held in the EU.
Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz accused Borrell of targeting him with false claims that he had called for Palestinians to be displaced from the West Bank. “I oppose the displacement of any population from their homes,” he said.
Diplomats say it is unlikely the EU would find the necessary unanimous agreement among its 27 members to impose sanctions on Israeli government ministers.
But Borrell’s decision to float such a proposal indicates the level of anger among some European officials over the words and actions of some far-right Israeli ministers.
Even ministers from some countries that are strong allies of Israel, such as Germany and the Czech Republic, did not immediately shut down the sanctions discussion in comments to reporters on the sidelines of Thursday’s meeting.
Ireland, one of the EU’s most pro-Palestinian members, said it backed Borrell’s suggestion.
“We will be supporting Josep Borrell’s recommendation for sanctions in respect of settler organizations in the West Bank who are facilitating (the) expansion of settlements, and also to Israeli ministers,” Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said.
But Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani dismissed the idea.
“We have to resolve the problems, convince the Israelis to make the choices that will lead to a ceasefire in Gaza,” he said. “This is the real priority.”
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2569356/middle-east
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Relatives of Israeli hostages try to cross into Gaza
August 29, 2024
KIBBUTZ NIRIM: Families of Israeli hostages being held in the Gaza Strip protested near the border on Thursday, demanding a deal to secure their release and at one point made a dash to try to cross into the coastal enclave.
Relatives of some of the 107 hostages still held by Palestinian militants in Gaza, carrying photographs and wearing shirts marked with red paint, gathered at kibbutz Nirim in southern Israel, roughly 2 km (1.2 miles) from the border.
They began by shouting messages of love and support through a stack of speakers pointed toward the Gaza frontier.
“Hersh, it’s dada,” yelled Jon Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was taken hostage from a music festival.
“What you need to know, and all 107 of you need to know, is not only are the families here today and 9 million people of this country, but people all over the world are fighting for you,” he said.
His mother, Rachel Goldberg, raised her hand to the sky as she spoke into the microphone: “We love you. Stay strong. Survive.”
Nirim was one of a string of Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip targeted in a cross-border rampage by Hamas on Oct. 7 that sparked the war in Gaza.
Hamas-led gunmen killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and abducted around 250 hostages on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel’s military has levelled Gaza, driving nearly all of its inhabitants from their homes and killing at least 40,000, according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel says it has killed some 17,000 militants.
International efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal have failed to end the fighting.
At one point a few dozen protesters broke off and rushed toward the Gaza border in the distance.
“We are coming to get them back to Israel where they belong, where they are supposed to be,” said Eyal Kalderon, short of breath during the dash, whose cousin Ofer is a hostage.
They were stopped before reaching the border by Israeli police, who warned that standing in the open field made them easy targets for Palestinian militants.
“We were trying to get into Gaza to get the hostages back. Our family members. Our military stopped us, they are trying to defend and protect us. But the hostages aren’t protected there,” said Gil Dickmann. His cousin Carmel Gat is also in captivity.
“We have to sign a deal now and get all the hostages back. And we’re calling our prime minister — if you can’t do this, we’ll get inside and we’ll bring them back ourselves. Bring them home now.”
Source:arabnews.com
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