Women, Non-Muslims On Boards, Council Can't Claim Land: Waqf Act Changes; Another Bill to Abolish A 1923 Waqf Act
New Age Islam News Bureau
07 Aug 2024
·
Women, Non-Muslims On Boards, Council Can't
Claim Land: Waqf Act Changes; Another Bill to Abolish A 1923 Waqf Act
·
Indonesian Ulema Council Demands Police Action
against Transgender Beauty Contest at Jakarta
·
Senior UK Muslim Leader, Zara Mohammed, Urges
Community Not to React to Far-Right Violence
·
County In New York Bans Wearing Masks to Hide
Identity of Gaza War Protesters
·
Israel FM Calls to ‘Swiftly Eliminate’ New
Hamas Chief Sinwar
India
·
Supreme Court to Review Muslim Personal Law On
Marriage for Pubescent Girls
·
Government Gains All India Sufi Sajjada Nashin
Council Support for Waqf Bill
·
Muslim Students Organisation of India chief
warns of external influence and radical shift in Bangladesh
·
Plea against Punjab and Haryana HC order
upholding minor weddings under Muslim personal law
·
Maharashtra govt adds caste within Muslim
community to OBC list
·
Hindu Litigants File Caveat InSupreme Court In Mathura
Temple-Mosque Dispute
·
Baba Ramdev calls for unity amidst Bangladesh
crisis, warns against ‘Islamic extremism’
--------
Southeast Asia
·
FM Mohamad to lead Malaysia’s delegation to OIC
extraordinary meeting on Israel’s crimes
·
Malaysia hopes for successful ceasefire talks
to restore Sudan’s potential - PM Anwar
·
PM Anwar accepts Meta’s apology - Fahmi
·
Appellate Court remits Palestinian kidnapping
case to High Court
·
Riot-Hit UK Promises to Be Welcoming to
Indonesian Visitors
--------
Europe
·
‘Our Kids Were Born Here, Where Else Can They
Go?’: Belfast Muslims Consider Future After Attacks
·
Three Rallies Planned To Support Immigrants As
Anti-Fascist Activists Keep Vigil At Islamic Centre
·
'Evil' riot thugs vandalise Muslim graves in
'hate crime' horror as more chaos erupts
·
'We prayed they wouldn't get inside' -
terrifying account from inside Southport mosque as it was under attack
·
UK Student Union stands in solidarity with
migrant, Muslim communities against racist violence
·
Clip of man wearing female Muslim headscarf
filmed in Bangladesh, not India
·
UK riots: British Muslims in Liverpool working
to heal
·
UK expands jail capacity to house anti-Muslim
rioters
--------
North America
·
CAIR-NY Seeks Public’s Help in Hate Crime Probe
of Anti-Muslim Attack
·
Alert: CAIR Joins Coalition Opposing Inclusion
of Anti-Muslim Float at Upcoming New York India Day Parade
·
Turkish Authorities Prevent Aid Flotilla Backed
by Islamist Foundation From Sailing to Gaza
·
US sends ship-based Navy fighter jets to a base
in the Middle East to help protect Israel
·
Anti-U.S. Islamic group in Iraq claims credit
for base attack that injured several Americans
·
Biden’s Muslim Brotherhood-connected Religious
Freedom Commissioner
·
Anti-Muslim bigot punches and harasses man in
Midtown hate crime: cops
--------
Mideast
·
Hezbollah Congratulates Sinwar as New Hamas
Political Chief
·
Pegida Frontman Gets Suspended Sentence For
Comparing Muslims To Nazis
·
Iran Awards Martyr Ismail Haniyeh International
Islamic Human Rights Award
·
A Surprise from Yemen: Former Muslim Believer
in Jesus Is Determined to Replace Cursing Of Israel With Blessing
·
Iran’s president meets Sunni lawmakers, vows
support for border trade
·
US has communicated need to not escalate
conflict to Iran and Israel, says Blinken
·
What kind of future awaits Hamas after the
killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran?
--------
Africa
·
Boko Haram Terrorists Now Use Elon Musk’s
Starlink for Internet Connection
·
50 Terrorists Surrender as Troops Arrest 5
Terrorists In Borno
·
Protest: It Is Shameful to Attack Mosques,
Churches – Defence Chief
·
Army captures Boko Haram commanders, logistics
suppliers in Borno
·
ICC's bi-annual review of Darfur crimes
delivered to UN Council
·
Ukraine Denies Involvement in Mali Attack, Says
Cutting Ties 'Short-Sighted'
·
Essential supplies blockade threatens lives in
North Darfur
--------
South Asia
·
Taliban Suspends Licenses of 17 Local Media
Outlets in Nangarhar Province
·
Iran reports detention and deportation of
thousands of Afghan refugees
·
Iran’s East Azerbaijan enforces strict ban on
Afghan migrants, even with residency permits
·
Afghanistan Taekwondo Team heads to China for
Asian Championship
·
Significant tax reductions announced for gas,
oil pump stations, restaurants
·
Bilal Karimi discusses bilateral relations with
Chinese envoy
·
State-owned Bakhtar cotton, oil factory resumes
operation after 15 years
--------
Pakistan
·
CJP Isa, Family Donate Thousands of Square Feet
Of Land To Balochistan
·
Talks with Jamaat-e-Islami to resume today:
Attaullah
·
Deputy PM in Saudi Arabia to attend OIC meeting
·
Pakistani with ‘ties to Iran’ charged over
assassination plot in US
·
Soldier martyred in South Waziristan
·
Pak-China trade, travel suspended as GB
traders’ protest intensifies
·
Resolution on Kashmir supported by all but one
lawmaker
·
Senate body takes up journalist’s protection
bill
·
Baloch rights group BYC rejects ‘proxy’ label,
calls for independent inquiry over allegations
·
PTI's Raoof Hasan released from Adiala Jail
·
Pakistan starts exporting vehicles, spare parts
--------
Arab World
·
Stadium Carved into Jazan Mountain Professes
Locals’ Love For Football
·
Fog, walking trails attract trekkers to Abha
·
Foreign ministry official meets Indian consul
general in Jeddah
·
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman receives written
message from Senegal president
·
Saudi crown prince receives speaker of Arab
Parliament in Jeddah
·
Northern Borders festival celebrates Saudi
weaving tradition
·
153,000 Saudis secure private sector jobs in
first half of 2024
·
KSrelief provides prosthetic limbs to quake
victims in Turkiye
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Women,
Non-Muslims On Boards, Council Can't Claim Land: Waqf Act Changes; Another Bill
To Abolish A 1923 Waqf Act
August
07, 2024
New
Delhi: A contentious bill to amend 44 sections of the Waqf Act of 1995 -
including changing it ensure representation of non-Muslim individuals and
Muslim women in central and state Waqf bodies - is likely to be tabled in the
Lok Sabha on Thursday, top government sources said this morning.
Another
bill will be introduced to abolish a 1923 Waqf Act.
Copies
were given to Lok Sabha members Tuesday night ahead of its introduction.
The
amendment will also rename the 1995 law as the Unified Waqf Management,
Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act. Sources told NDTV the overall goal
is to better manage Waqf properties, which refer to land set aside, under
Islamic law, for religious or charitable purposes.
Among
major proposed changes are omission of Section 40 from the existing
legislation, which allows the Board to classify properties; this meant it could
declare any of its properties as Waqf.
Instead,
the District Collector, a Civil Service official, will now make that decision.
New Waqf
Proposals
The
Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards must have two women on the board.
The
Council will now consist of a Union Minister, three MPs, three representatives
of Muslim organisations, and three Muslim law experts. It will also include two
ex-judges, either the Supreme Court or a High Court, four 'people of national
repute' and senior union government officials.
At least
two of these should be women.
Incidentally,
these alterations required the creation of a non-Muslim category for the
Council and Boards since MPs and government officials cannot be nominated for
bodies on religious basis.
Under
the new law notice is required before registering any property as Waqf. Further,
this registration must take place on a centralised website.
Authority
for survey of Waqf properties will now be given to the District Collector or
their deputy. There will also be provision to lodge a High Court appeal within
90 days of the Board's decision.
In
addition, only practicing Muslims will be allowed to donate their property,
movable or otherwise to the Waqf Council or Board. Also, only the legal owner
can take this decision.
Under
the current law, no Waqf property can be considered as such if there is dispute
about its antecedents, particularly if there is question about it being a
government property. In such disputes officials will investigate and submit a
report to the state, following which records will be adjusted.
In the
new law, money received by the Waqf Board must be used for the welfare of
widows, divorcees, and orphans, and that too in the manner suggested by the
government.
Another
key proposal is that women's inheritances must be protected and ensured.
The bill
also proposes a separate board for the Bohra and Agakhani communities. It also
provides for representation of Shias, Sunnis, and other backward classes among
Muslims.
Protest
Over Proposed Changes
Sources
said the government wants the passage of the bill to be "inclusive",
but will likely face fierce protests from the opposition and Waqf Boards across
the country; the Tamil Nadu Board chief called the amendments a ploy by the
ruling BJP to "weaken" and "destabilise" such
organisations.
The All
India Muslim Personal Law Board said any changes to the law "will not be
tolerated".
The
government, however, has dismissed such claims. Sources told NDTV the idea of
the amendment is to empower Muslim women and children who "suffered"
under the old law.
The
objective, sources declared, is also to curb illegal occupancy of by Waqf
boards, who, combined, have the largest land holdings in the country - around
eight lakh acres; the Railways and the military have more but they are part of
the government while the Waqf boards are private organisations.
Sources
said the government is also willing to form a joint committee to study the
bill.
Sources
also claimed a "dangerous narrative" is being manufactured by certain
Muslim clerics who are making wild statements that their land will be snatched.
It has also been pointed out that these proposals are the results of extensive
talks with stakeholders over the past two months.
The All
India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, for example, said Tuesday that it welcomed
the government's decision to alter functioning of Waqf boards, saying it was
long due.
The 1995
Wakf Act was passed to regulate 'auqaf' (assets donated and notified as Waqf)
by a 'wakif' (the person who dedicates the property). The legislation was last
amended in 2013.
Source: ndtv.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/waqf-act-amendment-explainer-women-non-muslims-on-boards-council-cant-claim-land-waqf-act-changes-6282656
--------
Indonesian
Ulema CouncilDemands Police Action against Transgender Beauty Contest at
Jakarta
August
7, 2024
This
screen grab of a video shows participants in a beauty pageant for transgender
women in Jakarta, Sunday, August 4, 2024. (Beritasatu)
------------
Jakarta.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on the police to launch a
criminal investigation into a recent beauty pageant for transgender women held
at a Jakarta hotel.
Cholil
Nafis, head of MUI's Islamic preaching division, said the organizers and those
responsible for Sunday's event must be held accountable under the law.
"In
Indonesia, gender alteration is prohibited, and such a contest demonstrates a
blatant defiance," Cholil told BTV on Tuesday, noting that the contest was
held without a permit.
Regarding
the participants, Cholil said they must "undergo medical treatment"
for their "mental or physical defects."
"We
must help them return to their true gender," he added.
Cholil
emphasized that Islam recognizes only two genders: male and female.
"This
principle is reflected in various aspects of our lives, such as the [Islamic]
rules of inheritance and the legitimacy of a marriage," he said.
Jakarta
Police spokesman Ade Ary Syam Indradi said on Wednesday that the police will
summon the organizers of the event to seek clarification. Ade confirmed that
there was no prior notification to the police about the beauty contest.
Internet
users previously posted pictures and photos from the Miss Beauty Star Indonesia
2024 event held at a hotel in the Sawah Besar area, Central Jakarta.
A
participant claiming to represent Aceh province was announced as the contest
winner, triggering harsh comments from Internet users in the predominantly
Muslim province.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/lifestyle/mui-demands-police-action-against-transgender-beauty-contest
--------
Senior
UK Muslim Leader, Zara Mohammed, Urges Community Not to React to Far-Right
Violence
August
7, 2024
Zara
Mohammed blames the previous Conservative government and MPs such as Nigel
Farage for inflaming tensions (Photo: Muslim Council of Britain)
--------------
One of
the UK’s most senior Muslim leaders has pleaded with her community to be calm
rather than retaliate after more than a week of far-right violence following
the knife deaths of three young girls in Southport.
Zara
Mohammed, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), accused
right wing political figures including Nigel Farage of stoking the violence by
demonising her community with “highly charged Islamophobic rhetoric”.
Ms Mohammed
urged Muslims not to be influenced by the far-right violence against them or to
allow themselves to be encouraged to respond in kind.
“We need
to be calm. We absolutely need to be vigilant, but we cannot take the bait and
retaliate,” she said.
“We just
have to rise above this. It’s very, very difficult, and I understand that,
particularly when your community is being attacked. But violence will not do
anybody any good.
However,
Ms Mohammed did concede that she is concerned that a “small minority” of her
community may feel the urge to respond.
“There
will always be people who don’t represent any of us in any community. They
don’t represent our morals, our faiths, our cultures, our backgrounds, but who
may be incited to commit violence, to commit vandalism and thuggery.
“So that
fear and apprehension is always there. This type of disturbing level of
violence has an impact, and people can feel very charged emotionally and want
to respond.
“We hope
that they don’t. A crime is a crime, whoever commits it, and I condemn crime
whoever perpetrates it.”
Ms
Mohammed added that she fears that even the smallest reaction from Muslims
would change much of the narrative around the current violence dogging the UK.
“The
fear is that the story then will change and continue to demonise Muslims and
take away from the real fear and the actual violence and hatred that we are
experiencing right now,” she said. “It will make it a story about the Muslim
community again.”
In 2009,
the then Labour government suspended cooperation with the MCB after accusing
its leaders at the time of supporting violence against Israel. The policy has
been continued by Conservative ministers, despite a change of leadership at the
MCB.
Last
July the Inter Faith Network charity, which is public funded, appointed former
MCB assistant secretary general Hassan Joudi to its board of trustees.
The move
sparked a threat from then communities secretary Michael Gove, who said in
February that he was “minded to withdraw” £155,000 of provisional funding for
the network over concerns about the appointment due to the potential for it
causing a “reputational risk to government”.
However,
it is understood the MCB is now more hopeful of Labour reopening lines of
communication with the organisation under Ms Mohammed’s leadership.
Reflecting
on the scenes in towns and cities across England since last week, Ms Mohammed
added: “It’s just been absolutely horrific, terrifying. Everyone’s been really,
really distressed.
“I’m not
just talking about the Muslim community who we work with and represent, but I
also believe it’s been horrific for the vast majority of all British society.
“We are
trying to reassure communities at this time, but you can appreciate that is
quite a difficult task.”
The MCB
leader went on to blame figures in the recently ejected Conservative government
for helping to stoke resentment against the Muslim community.
“This
didn’t just start in the past week or so. It really goes back to the former
government and people like Suella Braverman, the former home secretary,” said
Ms Mohammed.
“We know
that the immediate scenes that we’re seeing came after a fake news story in the
aftermath of Southport tragedy. Those claims were fact checked and it was shown
that that horrible attack had nothing to do with Muslims. Yet we’re still
seeing this horrible violence.”
She went
on to accuse Mr Farage’s Reform UK and far right activist Tommy Robinson of
helping to incite people to violent protest against her community.
“It’s
the legitimisation by Nigel Farage, now the Member of Parliament, who spreads
fake news and who incites people,” she said. “He has talked about young British
Muslims not holding British values and that they don’t speak English.
“His
kind of demonisation using highly charged Islamophobic rhetoric should take at
least some of the blame.
“Then
there’s Lee Anderson talking about Islamist takeovers and that the Mayor of
London being controlled by Islamists.
“Of
course, there’s also Tommy Robinson, who is constantly sharing abusive posts
online and constantly inciting albeit from a distance as well.”
Ms
Mohammed also spoke of how her and MCB staff have been working from home
following threats and concerns over their safety.
“We are
all working remotely at the moment as a precaution. I personally have avoided
travelling.
“If
there’s some engagements I do need to do, I am having to look into getting
security some protection, to do those.
“It’s
quite distressing, because I’ve never had to have security before.”
Reform
UK and Suella Braverman were contacted for comment.
Source: inews.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://inews.co.uk/news/uk-muslim-leader-zara-mohammed-urges-community-not-react-far-right-violence-3212873?ITO=newsnow
--------
County
in New York bans wearing masks to hide identity of Gaza war protesters
August
07, 2024
Pro-Palestinian
demonstrators march through the city center during a protest against the recent
Israeli strike on Lebanon and continued offensives in Gaza, August 3, 2024 in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (AFP)
-------------
WASHINGTON:
New York’s suburban Nassau County has passed a bill to ban wearing of masks
with aim to hide the identity of pro-Palestinian protesters against US support
for Israel’s war in Gaza.
The ban
on mask would cover any sort of public protest, but lawmakers in the
Republican-controlled county say the bill aims to prevent protesters who engage
in alleged violence and antisemitism from hiding their identity and avoiding
accountability. Civil rights advocates saw the step as an infringement on free
speech rights.
The bill
was approved late on Monday, with all 12 Republicans in the county legislature
voting in its favor while the seven Democrats abstained.
The bill
makes wearing a facial covering to hide identity in public a misdemeanor that
can be punished with up to one year in prison and a $1,000 penalty. It makes
exemptions for health or medical reasons as well as for “religious and cultural
purposes.”
“Unless
someone has a medical condition or a religious imperative, people should not be
allowed to cover their face in a manner that hides their identity when in
public,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, said about the
bill that he is expected to sign.
The New
York Civil Liberties Union said the bill was an attack on free speech.
“Masks
protect people who express political opinions that are unpopular. Making
anonymous protest illegal chills political action and is ripe for selective
enforcement,” Susan Gottehrer, the Nassau County regional director of NYCLU,
said.
Gottehrer
added that the mask ban’s exceptions were inadequate: “Nassau County police
offers are not health professionals or religious experts capable of deciding
who needs a mask and who doesn’t.”
The US,
Israel’s key ally, has seen months of protests, including in New York, against
Israel’s war in Gaza that has killed nearly 40,000 according to the local
health ministry, caused a hunger crisis, displaced nearly the entire population
of 2.3 million. It also has led to genocide allegations that Israel denies.
The
latest bloodshed in the decades old Israeli-Palestinian conflict began when
Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and
taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
The US
has also seen a rise in anti-Muslim incidents, anti-Palestinian bias and
antisemitism amid the war and its resulting protests and counter-protests.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2564046/world
--------
Israel
FM calls to ‘swiftly eliminate’ new Hamas chief Sinwar
August
06, 2024
Israel's
foreign minister called on Tuesday to "swiftly eliminate" Yahya
Sinwar. (AFP/File)
------------
JERUSALEM:
Israel’s foreign minister called on Tuesday to “swiftly eliminate” Yahya
Sinwar, who was appointed by Hamas as the group’s new political leader
replacing Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in Tehran last week.
“The
appointment of arch-terrorist Yahya Sinwar as the new leader of Hamas,
replacing Ismail Haniyeh, is yet another compelling reason to swiftly eliminate
him and wipe this vile organization off the face of the Earth,” Foreign
Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on social media site X.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563991/middle-east
--------
India
Supreme
Court To Review Muslim Personal Law On Marriage For Pubescent Girls
August
6, 2024
The
Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to an early hearing on the issue of whether
Muslim personal law allowing child marriages will prevail over the Prohibition
of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
As the
matter could not be taken up today for the hearing, Solicitor General of India
Tushar Mehta requested that the matter be heard and resolved at the earliest,
as different High Courts are giving contrary judgments.
A bench
of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj
Misra said it will list the matter soon. “We have to settle the matter at
once,” it added.
The
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had approached the
apex court challenging an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which said
a Muslim girl, after attaining puberty, is competent to enter into a contract
of marriage with a person of her choice under Muslim Personal Law.
It had
issued notices to the respondents in the case on the plea of NCPCR. The top
court had directed that the order of the High Court, which held that a Muslim
girl aged 15 years can enter into a legal and valid marriage as per personal
law, should not be relied on as a precedent in any other case.
The
Solicitor General had contended that Muslim girls who are 14, 15, and 16 years
old are getting married. Earlier, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had
approached the top court to make the minimum age of marriage for Muslim girls
the same as that of persons belonging to other religions.
The
minimum age for marriage in India is currently 18 for women and 21 for men.
However, the minimum marriage age for Muslim women is when they attain puberty,
and 15 years is presumed to be that age.
The NCW
had said that allowing Muslims to marry at the age of puberty (around 15) is
arbitrary, irrational, discriminatory, and violates penal laws. The plea had
said even the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) does not
provide for those under 18 to consent to sex.
It had
said the PIL was filed for enforcement of the fundamental rights of minor
Muslim women to bring Islamic personal law in consonance with the penal laws
applicable to other religions. The High Court in June last year had cited the
provisions of the Muslim Personal Law on marriage to rule that a 15-year-old
Muslim girl was competent to enter into a contract of marriage with a person of
her choice.
The
NCPCR sought to ensure the proper implementation of statutory laws that are
specifically in place to protect children below the age of 18 years. The
Commission highlighted the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
(PCMA) 2006 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) to
put forth its reasons for challenging the High Court ruling.
NCPCR
had said the order was violative of PCMA, which, the petition said, is a
secular law that is applicable to all. It further said that the provisions of
POCSO say no child below the age of 18 years can give valid consent.
(Except
for the headline, this story has not been edited by Newsx staff and is
published from a syndicated feed.)
Source: newsx.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.newsx.com/national/supreme-court-to-review-muslim-personal-law-on-marriage-for-pubescent-girls/
--------
Government
Gains All India Sufi Sajjada Nashin Council Support ForWaqf Bill
Aug 07,
2024
NEW
DELHI: Facing opposition from several political parties over the proposed bill
to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, the government is seeking to garner support from
the Muslim community itself.
Union
minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday evening met with a delegation
of the All India Sufi Sajjada Nashin Council, comprising prominent sajjada
nashins (spiritual heads) from various dargahs across the country. The
delegation was led by Syed Naseruddin Chishty, chairman and successor of the
present spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla was
also present during the meeting. The council members extended their support to
the government over the proposed b ..
He said
the delegation would provide its suggestions once the government comes out with
the bill.
"Whosoever
is opposing the bill is not doing justice to the community. Rather than
opposing the bill, it would have been better if they contributed with
suggestions which can make the bill more coherent," Chishty said.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/government-gains-muslim-organisation-support-for-waqf-bill/articleshow/112327726.cms
--------
Muslim
Students Organisation of India chief warns of external influence and radical
shift in Bangladesh
Aug 07,
2024
Quadri
highlighted that the riots in Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh) are a severe
concern, suggesting that they are being
propagated by an external enemy he referred to as a "White Man."
Referencing
Hasina's interview, Quadri pointed out that these riots were orchestrated by
state enemies.
He said,
"The way that Sheikh Hasina's government was forced and pressured to
dissolve makes it clear that this is an act orchestrated by the enemies of
Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh). This was previously pointed out by her.
"A
'White Man' had reached out to the former PM of Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh),
raising several demands, one of which included building a foreign airbase on
Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh)'s soil. But when the PM did not agree, efforts
to topple the government were triggered, and a fake protest was built to take
down the government," he added.
In his
interview with ANI, Shujaat Ali Quadri (/topic/shujaat-ali-quadri) mentioned
that the current protests were built around the issue of reservation, a matter
closed by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh) in 2018
He
explained, "A mob was very carefully mobilized to create chaos that would
ultimately topple the government."
He
claimed that the unrest began with a series of social media posts featuring
old, edited, and doctored photos and videos, falsely portraying Sheikh Hasina
as a "dictator."
According
to Quadri, several bot accounts on 'X' were created to damage Hasina's image
using copy-and-paste propaganda methods. Most of the images and videos shared
in these posts were fake, altered, and edited to serve malicious purposes.
Expressing
his concerns over the violence and attacks on minorities in Bangladesh
(/topic/bangladesh), Quadri stated, "Violence against any community and
minority is condemnable. Until the previous PM held her chair, she protected
the Hindu minorities in her country as her government was formed on the
principles of non-violence and tolerance towards all communities. However, the
same cannot be said about the upcoming government, which may follow a radical
and hardcore ideology."
He
emphasised that the transfer of power to radical forces is a concern not only
for India, as a neighbour of Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh) but for humanity as
a whole.
"I
seriously condemn it and urge the Indian government to take adequate steps to
protect the minorities in Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh). We also urge the
upcoming government of Bangladesh (/topic/bangladesh) to stop all attacks on
minorities immediately and take steps to protect these minorities, their
properties, and their pilgrimage sites," Quadri added.
is
facing a fluid political situation with Sheikh Hasina, on August 5, tendering
her resignation from her post in the wake of mounting protests. The protests,
led majorly by students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs,
took the shape of anti-government protests
Sheikh
Hasina arrived in India on Monday evening after tendering her resignation. It
is not clear if Sheikh Hasina will continue to stay in Delhi or move to another
location later.
Nobel
laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the head of Bangladesh
(/topic/bangladesh)'s interim government, Dhaka Tribune reported. Bangladesh
(/topic/bangladesh) President's Press Secretary, Joynal Abedin, made the
announcement. (/topic/bangladesh-nationalist-party)Bangladesh
(/topic/bangladesh) Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia
(/topic/khaleda-zia) has also been released from jail. (ANI)
Source: aninews.in
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/muslim-students-organisation-of-india-chief-warns-of-external-influence-and-radical-shift-in-bangladesh20240807140814/
--------
Plea
against Punjab and Haryana HC order upholding minor weddings under Muslim
personal law
07.08.24
The
Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to consider the child rights panel’s plea for
early listing of its special leave petition challenging a Punjab and Haryana
High Court judgment that Muslim minor girls are entitled to marry under their
personal law despite it being an offence under Pocso and the Child Marriages
Restraint Act, 2006.
Chief
Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud gave the assurance to solicitor-general
Tushar Mehta after the matter, which was listed for hearing on Tuesday, could
not be taken up for hearing due to time constraints. Mehta was appearing for
the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
Mehta
told the bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra that
they should clarify the legal issue as different high courts were passing
conflicting judgments on the interpretation relating to the law on the subject.
“Different views are being taken by different high courts. The issue is whether
child marriage is permitted or not in one religion or another religion…,” Mehta
said while seeking listing of the matter “on priority” on “any Wednesday or
Thursday”. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the court normally takes up
non-miscellaneous or old matters for hearing.
The
solicitor-general said: “New judgments from different high courts have been
delivered and multiplying the appeal…” The CJI then remarked: “We have to
settle the matter at once,” but did not specify any particular date for
hearing.
The
NCPCR had filed the appeal in January 2023 in which the SC had issued an
interim directive that the Punjab and Haryana High Court order, which allowed a
Muslim girl to enter into a valid marriage upon attaining puberty, shall not be
treated as precedent by other courts in India, but refrained from staying the
impugned judgment as it would otherwise affect the interest of the minor.
The age
of attaining puberty is 15 years according to applicable personal laws in
Islam. The NCPCR in its appeal had contended that Muslim girls as young as 14
years are being married under the personal law, which cannot be treated as a
defence.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/plea-against-punjab-and-haryana-high-court-judgment-upholding-muslim-minor-girls-marriage/cid/2039164
--------
Maharashtra
govt adds caste within Muslim community to OBC list
The move
comes in the background of allegations against the Congress from the ruling BJP
during the Lok Sabha poll campaign that the former was planning to include
Muslims in the list of OBCs.
Written
by Alok Deshpande
August
6, 2024
Maharashtra
State Backward Class Commission's report, Maharashtra govt, caste within Muslim
community, OBC list, Kunjada caste, Muslim community, Other Backward Classes,
Indian express newsThe state government accepted the recommendations in the
56th report of the commission on six cases, in which the Kunjada caste within
Muslims has been included in the list of OBCs. (File Photo)
The
state government Tuesday accepted the Maharashtra State Backward Class
Commission’s report recommending the inclusion of Kunjada caste within the
Muslim community to the list of Other Backward Classes.
The
state government accepted the recommendations in the 56th report of the
commission on six cases, in which the Kunjada caste within Muslims has been
included in the list of OBCs.
Kunjada
will be mentioned along with Mali, Bagwan and Rain castes within the Muslim
community in the OBC category.
The
other five cases in the commission’s report include addition of Kevat-Tagwali,
Kevat-Tagwale, Tagwale, Tagwali, Tagwala in Nomadic Tribes (B); Chunewala,
Chunewale added along with Chunari caste in OBCs; Hadgar caste will be part of
Special Backward Classes; Lad Vanjari will be the sub caste of Vanjari in
Nomadic Tribes (D); and omission of double mention of Bhoyar in OBCs.
The move
comes in the background of allegations against the Congress from the ruling BJP
during the Lok Sabha poll campaign that the former was planning to include
Muslims in the list of OBCs.
Addressing
an Lok Sabha poll rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district in April, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had said, “Once again, Congress has given reservation on
the basis of religion in Karnataka through backdoor by putting all Muslim
castes along with the OBCs. By doing so, it has snatched a big chunk of
reservation from the OBC community. Congress indulged in this dangerous game
which will destroy your (future) generations.”
State
BJP spokesperson did not Keshav Upadhyay respond to calls.
An
official from the Other Backward Class welfare department said that merely a
government procedure has been followed. “The recommendations made in the
commission’s report have been discussed by the state government and accepted.
We cannot comment on political side if any,” the official added.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-govt-adds-caste-within-muslim-community-to-obc-list-9499164/
--------
Hindu
litigants file caveat in Supreme Court in Mathura temple-mosque dispute
06
August 2024
New
Delhi: The Hindu litigants have filed a caveat in the Supreme Court seeking a
hearing if the Muslim side approaches it challenging a recent order of the
Allahabad High Court which rejected a plea against the maintainability of 18
cases related to...
The
caveat has been filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain to ensure that no
ex-parte order is passed against the Hindu litigants if the other group moves
the top court.
A caveat
application is filed by a litigant to ensure that no adverse order is passed
against him or her without being heard.
On
August 1, the high court had rejected a plea challenging the maintainability of
18 cases related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute in Mathura, and
ruled that the religious character of the mosque needs to be determined.
The
court had dismissed the Muslim side's contention that the suits filed by Hindu
litigants relating to the dispute over the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and the
adjacent mosque violated the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act -- and
were thus ...
The 1991
Act prohibits changing the religious character of any shrine from what existed
on the day of the country's Independence. It exempted only the Ram
Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute from its purview.
The
cases filed by the Hindu side seek the "removal" of the Aurangzeb-era
mosque they claim was built after demolishing a temple that once stood there.
The
Hindu litigants claim the mosque holds signs suggesting that it was a temple
once.
The mosque
management committee and the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board had argued that the
suits were barred under Places of Worship Act and other laws. On May 31, the
Allahabad High Court reserved its judgment on this maintainability plea after
hearing...
However,
the court reopened the hearing at the request of Shahi Idgah counsel Mehmood
Pracha.
The high
court has now fixed August 12 as the date for framing of issues.
The
Mathura dispute mirrors the legal tussle in Varanasi, where the Gyanvapi mosque
and the Kashi Vishwanath temple are located next to each other.
Last
December, the Allahabad High Court had dismissed pleas challenging the
maintainability of a 1991 suit seeking the restoration of a temple where the
Gyanvapi mosque stands.
"Either
the Gyanvapi compound has a Hindu religious character or a Muslim religious
character. It can't have dual character at the same time," Justice Rohit
Ranjan Agarwal had then said, while ruling that the Varanasi case was not
barred under the Pl...
Source: deccanherald.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/hindu-litigants-file-caveat-in-supreme-court-in-mathura-temple-mosque-dispute-3139261
--------
Baba
Ramdev calls for unity amidst Bangladesh crisis, warns against ‘Islamic
extremism’
August
6, 2024
Amid the
ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh, Yog Guru Baba Ramdev, has urged for national
unity and a focused approach in India’s political discourse. In a video
statement, Ramdev emphasized on the need of unity among all Indians to protect
the Hindu communities in Bangladesh.
He also
warned against the dangers of rising “Islamic extremism” across the world and
now in India’s neighbouring country.
Baba
Ramdev expressed deep concern over the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh and said,
“We must ensure that no atrocities or violence occur against our Hindu brothers
in Bangladesh, whether they are Hindus engaged in business, those associated
with Hindu temples there, or Indian citizens residing in Bangladesh. We need to
stand united against any form of injustice,” he stated.
He
further applauded the Opposition for standing behind the Indian government as
it deals with the crisis in Bangladesh.
“I am
pleased to see that, for the first time,a the entire opposition is standing
with the government on this issue. This should always be India’s policy because
the rise of Islamic extremism, which is growing worldwide and has now knocked
on our neighboring country’s door, could be dangerous for our nation. This unity
must be maintained in the future as well.”
Baba
Ramdev also called for a shift in the priorities of Indian politics.
He urged
leaders to concentrate on substantial issues rather than divisive topics that
often dominate the discourse.
“…the
politics of our country should always focus on real issues. Instead of getting
distracted by reservations, the Constitution, caste, or other religious,
linguistic, or regional unrest, we should concentrate on how to develop the
nation on the basis of progress,” he remarked.
He
underscored the importance of building a strong and resilient India by the year
2047.
“Our
focus should be on making India economically, militarily, socially, and
spiritually strong by 2047. Only then will India be able to stand strong with
its neighbors and assert itself powerfully on the global stage,” Ramdev added.
Source: thestatesman.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thestatesman.com/india/baba-ramdev-calls-for-unity-amidst-bangladesh-crisisel-warns-against-islamic-extremism-1503329000.html
--------
Southeast Asia
FM
Mohamad to lead Malaysia’s delegation to OIC extraordinary meeting on Israel’s
crimes
07-08-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will lead Malaysia’s delegation to
the Extraordinary Open-Ended Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) Executive Committee at the level of Foreign Ministers on Wednesday (Aug
7) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The
Foreign Ministry, in a statement today, said the meeting, called by Palestine
and Iran, will address Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people and its
aggression against the sovereignty of Iran.
The
meeting will be chaired by Gambia’s Foreign Minister as chairman of the 15th
Summit of the OIC.
Mohamad’s
participation in the meeting will provide a significant opportunity for
Malaysia to express its strong condemnation of Israel’s genocide and widespread
destruction in the Gaza Strip and the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in
Tehran, read the statement.
It also
signifies Malaysia’s commitment to the Palestinian cause, and Malaysia supports
the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on
the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Additionally,
Malaysia is advocating for the admission of Palestine into the United Nations
as a full-fledged member state, it noted.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/fm-mohamad-to-lead-malaysia-s-delegation-to-oic-extraordinary-meeting-on-israel-s-crimes-OJ12825975
--------
Malaysia
hopes for successful ceasefire talks to restore Sudan’s potential - PM Anwar
06-08-
2024
KUALA
LUMPUR: Malaysia has expressed its hope for a successful outcome to the ongoing
peace negotiations aimed at establishing a ceasefire in Sudan, with the goal of
restoring the country to its full potential.
This was
conveyed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a courtesy visit
from Sudan’s Acting Foreign Minister Hussein Awad Ali Mohamed, who is in
Malaysia to attend the conference ‘Sudan: The Forgotten War.’
“Our
discussion centred on the conflict in Sudan, focusing on the progress of
negotiations for a ceasefire and sustainable stability, as well as the alarming
humanitarian crisis affecting the Sudanese people.
“I have
expressed my hope that the peace negotiations will succeed, allowing Sudan to
reclaim its potential and enabling its people to continue their efforts towards
progress and development,” Anwar said in a post on Facebook.
During
the meeting, Hussein Awad also delivered a letter from the President of the
Transitional Sovereignty Council of the Republic of Sudan to Anwar.
The
prime minister reiterated Malaysia’s commitment to supporting Sudan and
expressed hopes for the country to achieve lasting peace and stability,
allowing its citizens to enjoy enduring political and socio-economic stability.
He also
said that Hussein Awad conveyed the Sudanese government’s gratitude for
Malaysia’s meaningful assistance to Sudan and its people.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/malaysia-hopes-for-successful-ceasefire-talks-to-restore-sudan-s-potential-pm-anwar-OJ12825748
--------
PM Anwar
accepts Meta’s apology - Fahmi
06-08-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accepted an apology from Meta
Platforms Inc (Meta) for removing his recent posts related to the Palestinian
issue, particularly on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, from
Facebook and Instagram.
Communications
Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is also Unity Government’s spokesman, said it was
also hoped that such removal of a prime minister’s social media posts by Meta,
would not recur.
“He
(Anwar) told me that his friends, including those in the Middle East, have read
the news (about the posts removal), meaning that it has gone global. Yes, PM
has accepted the apology, but at the same time, we (government) also hope that
such incident will not recur.
“During our
meeting yesterday, I also told Meta to inform the Prime Minister’s Office
(PMO), from time to time, about the change in their community guidelines, if
any,” Fahmi told reporters after attending the Communications Ministry’s
monthly assembly here today.
Also
present were Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching and Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad
Fauzi Md Isa, as well as Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief
executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar
Raj.
Meanwhile,
Fahmi said he was informed that the community guidelines of social media
platforms are always changing, especially on geopolitical issues, but the
matter was sometimes communicated and sometimes not.
Citing
an example, he said the word “syahid” or martyr was not allowed in Meta
platforms before, but after the meeting yesterday, such words like martyr are
now allowed.
“I have
also asked Meta to make sure that our Prime Minister be accorded equal
treatment as other heads of governments...there should not be a double standard
in this matter,” he said.
Yesterday,
the Media and Strategic Communications Division of the PMO summoned Meta to
explain its removal of content related to the Palestinian issue from the Prime
Minister’s social media platforms.
The PMO
also expressed strong disapproval of Meta’s decision to delete posts from the
Prime Minister offering condolences and tributes to Haniyeh. The posts were
removed from Facebook and Instagram on May 14 and July 30.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/pm-anwar-accepts-meta-s-apology-fahmi-DJ12825116
--------
Appellate
Court remits Palestinian kidnapping case to High Court
07-08-
2024
PUTRAJAYA:
The Court of Appeal ruled today that the case involving the kidnapping of a
Palestinian national by 13 individuals, related to obtaining information on
mobile phone hacking software, will be heard in the High Court instead of the
Sessions Court.
A
three-judge panel, chaired by Justice Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, allowed
the appeal by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Tetralina Ahmed Fauzi against the
Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision to remit the case to the Sessions Court.
“This is
our unanimous decision. According to Article 145 of the Constitution, the DPP
has discretionary power to conduct any proceedings for any offense, except
before the Syariah Court and the military court.
“Under
this provision, the DPP can proceed with this case in the High Court at their
discretion. Additionally, under Section 177A of the Criminal Procedure Code,
the DPP argues that there is no reason to transfer the case to the Sessions
Court.
“Therefore,
the DPP’s appeal is allowed, and this case will be remitted to the High Court.
The court also sets Aug 14 for the next mention of the case in the High Court,“
said the judge, sitting alongside Justice Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Azmi
Ariffin.
In Oct
2022, twelve men and one woman were charged in the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s
Court for jointly detaining Omar Z. M. Albelbaisy Raeda, 31, to obtain secret
information on creating and deactivating computer software used to hack mobile
phones.
The
accused are Edy Ko’im Said, 42; Mohamad Norakmal Hassan, 43; Dody Junaidi, 44;
Tengku Arif Bongsu Tengku Hamid, 41; Mohamad Naziree Mustapha, 41; Faizull
Hardey Mohd Isa, 42; Muhammad Iqmal Abdul Rahis, 27; Mohamad Sufian Saly, 25;
Muhammad Al Hatim Mohd Fauzi, 23; Nidarahayu Zainal, 36; Raibafie Amdan, 41;
Mohd Zaidi Mohd Zain, 56; and Tengku Hazarul Ismail Tengku Hamid, 51.
They allegedly
committed this act on Jalan Mayang, Kuala Lumpur at 10.40 pm on Sept 28, 2022.
They were charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which carries an
imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and caning, upon conviction.
No pleas
were recorded from the accused, and the case was subsequently transferred to
the High Court as kidnapping cases fall under its jurisdiction.
However,
during the High Court proceedings, Judge K. Muniandy instructed the parties to
submit arguments on whether the case should be heard in the High Court or the
Sessions Court, following the enforcement of the Abolition of Mandatory Death
Penalty Act 2023 (Act 846).
In
December, after hearing submissions from both sides, Judge Muniandy decided to
transfer the case to the Sessions Court. On Jan 19, the charges were read to
the accused again in the Sessions Court, and all of them pleaded not guilty.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/local-news/appellate-court-remits-palestinian-kidnapping-case-to-high-court-HJ12828593#google_vignette
--------
Riot-Hit
UK Promises to Be Welcoming to Indonesian Visitors
August
6, 2024
Jakarta.
A British diplomat claimed that the riot-struck UK would remain welcoming to
international visitors, including those from Muslim-majority Indonesia.
Several
British cities have been witnessing protests by far-right agitators. Rioters
had set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers. Protesters have also been
targeting UK mosques. The violent disorder followed the recent fatal stabbing
of three children in Southport. But false claims had spread online that the
culprit was a Muslim asylum seeker.
In a press
statement, British Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia Matthew Downing condemned the
“mindless thuggery and hooliganism”, while adding that they were carried out by
a minority of people.
“I also
want to reassure the people of Indonesia that visitors to the UK remain warmly
welcome,” Downing said Tuesday.
“Britain
is a tolerant, open and multicultural country, and what you are witnessing does
not represent British values. The UK government has been clear that we will
not, as a country, tolerate attacks on mosques, on Muslim communities or
against anyone because of their religion or the color of their skin,” Downing
said.
According
to Downing, the criminals --including those who have incited the disorder
online-- will face legal consequences.
Indonesia
is home to the world’s largest Muslim population. The UK saw 38 million inbound
visits throughout 2023.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/riothit-uk-promises-to-be-welcoming-to-indonesian-visitors
--------
Europe
‘Our
kids were born here, where else can they go?’: Belfast Muslims consider future
after attacks
Aug 07
2024
A
barber’s shop on Sandy Row in Belfast is usually packed out by noon.
On
Tuesday, there is only one customer as its owner, Ahmed Hussen, keeps watch
following the previous night’s violence that left a victim of a racist attack
seriously ill in hospital.
Hussen’s
shop was among those targeted by rioters after an anti-immigration protest in
Belfast on Saturday afternoon; social media footage shows one vandal throwing a
blue flare at the shop’s shutters while others stand on and cheer. Another
waves an Ulster flag.
The
Sudanese-born businessman has not slept since then.
“In
daylight hours, this is happening in Northern Ireland. It’s quite shocking,” he
tells The Irish Times.
“It
makes me feel sad. I have been living here since 2008, we are second citizens
in this country. Our kids were born here, this is their home. Where else can
they go?
“Why are these people doing this? Out of
hatred, jealousy? A few people have come to support us – but not from the local
area. We feel like we’re not welcome here.”
Around
the corner on the Donegall Road, rubble from a supermarket destroyed in an
arson attack on Saturday is strewn across the footpath.
The air
reeks of smoke as the premises were set alight for a second time on Monday
evening when 300 police officers were deployed during disorder involving around
100 rioters, including many teenagers.
Witnesses
described how they saw a man in his 50s having his head “stamped on” by a mob
before members of the public came to his rescue.
On
Tuesday morning¸ a Muslim woman wheels her child’s buggy along Sandy Row with
her head down.
Asylum
seekers are among those who regularly use this row of shops.
Two
police cars arrive shortly after noon and park up by the burnt-out supermarket.
It is
eerily quiet.
At the
counter of the Tayiba Bazaar, shop worker Adam Ahamed says people in his
community are too afraid to leave their homes.
He is
fearful about further attacks.
“We
don’t know what is going to happen, we’re not sure if we’re going to close or
not,” he says.
“Yesterday
the police came and they told us that nothing was going to happen. But at 4pm,
we found out that the violence was going to start again and they were planning
to burn the shops. So we closed.
“I’ve
been working here for two years and I haven’t seen any trouble. We’re usually
busy but since this all this started we’ve had maybe five or six customers
altogether.
“All our
customers are refugees and asylum seekers – now they are too scared to come
out.”
At a
police press conference at lunchtime on Tuesday, a senior officer described the
racist violence as “horrendous”.
“This is
not who we are as a society,” PSNI temporary Assistant Chief Constable Melanie
Jones told reporters.
One
migrant business owner told the BBC he will leave the area after being attacked
multiple times.
For
Hussen, his priority is his four young children.
“My kids
have stayed at home for the past four days, the eldest is nine,” he says.
“Anything
can happen to them, even in the park. We saw on social media a couple of videos
about stuff that has happened in the UK.
“I live
in a loyalist area close to here which is quite a scary place.
“Everybody
is afraid to come out of the house. When they go out, they go out with five and
six people together. People just don’t feel safe.”
Source: irishtimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2024/08/07/our-kids-were-born-here-where-else-can-they-go-belfast-muslims-consider-future-after-attacks/
--------
Three
rallies planned to support immigrants as anti fascist activists keep vigil at
Islamic Center
ANTIFASCIST
activists have been maintaining a vigil at Belfast’s Islamic Centre, which has
been the focus of anti-immigration protesters this week.
The
group claimed there had been “multiple attempts by fascists” to attack the
building.
"Our
friends at the Belfast Islamic centre have reiterated that they do not want any
confrontation,” Belfast Communities Against Fascism posted on Facebook.
"It
is imperative that we show our solidarity and remain steadfast in facing the
fascist threat that these ethnic-minorities face.”
Meanwhile,
three separate demonstrations are being organised to express solidarity with
immigrants.
An
anti-racism rally is set to take place in Belfast this Saturday in response to
days of rioting.
Plans
for a counter protest on Friday afternoon have appeared on social media, apparently
coinciding with an anti immigration protest at City Hall.
Before
that, trade unionists prepare to gather at Stormont in a separate demonstration
to express solidarity with “victims of hate crime”.
The
‘Belfast Welcomes Diversity Demo’ is urging people of all backgrounds to take
part in the “vibrant and peaceful” demonstration which will assemble at
Writers’ Square at 12pm on Saturday.
Participants
will then march to City Hall where rival protests took place last weekend.
Several
businesses were attacked and some were set on fire after an anti-immigrant
demonstration moved from the area to surrounding streets.
United
Against Racism, the group which has organised this weekend’s anti-racism rally,
says Belfast is an “inclusive and diverse city that will not be bowed by racist
hate”.
“On
Saturday, we are urging all who oppose division to join the march and show that
those who peddle racism do not speak for the majority,” a spokesperson said.
"We
want all trade unions, community groups, and all progressive political parties
and activist groups to be there.
“Violent
racists must not be allowed to control our streets or control the narrative
around the problems facing our communities.
"When
progressives campaign for social change, for investment in public services, or
for the rights we all deserve, the far-right are never to be seen.”
Disorder
broke out again on Monday night in the Donegall Road and Sandy Row areas where
police came under sustained attack for several hours.
On
Tuesday a senior officer said is in "no doubt" there is a
"paramilitary element" involved in orchestrating tensions.
PSNI
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones also described how officers
managed to get a man in his 50s to safety after he was "brutally attacked
by a mob".
According
to witnesses, attackers stamped on the victim’s head as members of the public
attempted to shield him – he remains in hospital with serious injuries.
United
Against Racism campaigners insist “unity is the key” to ending the violence.
“In
every corner of this island we need to build an anti-racism movement that
challenges hate, but also provides solutions to the issues we must overcome
together,” a spokesperson said.
"Unity
is the key to overcoming hate, and unity is the key to uplifting all who have
been let down by those in power.
“We must
inspire confidence in all who have been intimidated and are fearful in their
own homes. Belfast welcomes diversity and we are calling everyone out to
showcase it.”
Meanwhile
trade unionists are set to descend on Parliament Buildings ahead of an
emergency sitting of the NI Assembly.
The
Trade Union and Community Rally Against Racism will take place on the front
steps of Stormont at 11am on Thursday.
It is
intended to “show show leadership” amid tensions.
“We
stand with all victims of hate crime, we support our public servants who defend
the vulnerable and we have zero tolerance for divisive misinformation or
attempts to spark violence,” organisers said.
The NI
committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has condemned “far-right
rhetoric and racist threats”.
It has
invited “all those across our community who share our values of equality,
diversity and solidarity” to join the gathering.
"We
are working with our friends at NICVA to ensure a large and representative
turnout,” it said.
“The
event will see workers and leaders of trade unions speak out for these values,
and we request that affiliates bring as many members as possible and be visible
with their trade union banners and trade union flags.”
Meanwhile,
adverts for a Unity Over Division protest at Belfast City Hall on Friday
afternoon have appeared on social media urging people to “take a stand against
racism, fascism and Islamophobia by attending this peaceful counter protest”.
Plans
for another anti immigration protest at the same time have appeared on social
media.
Source: belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/three-rallies-planned-to-support-immigrants-as-anti-fascist-activists-keep-vigil-at-islamic-center/a1661187985.html
--------
'Evil'
riot thugs vandalise Muslim graves in 'hate crime' horror as more chaos erupts
August
6, 2024
Thugs
who splashed Muslim graves with paint during more scenes of chaos have been
slammed as “evil” as the clear up begins.
The
three stones in the Muslim section of Burnley Cemetery on Monday and sparked
outrage. Local councillors say the damage will be cleaned by specialists as a
matter of urgency while police are treating the attack as a hate crime.
Councillor Afrasiab Anwar, leader of Burnley Council, said: “What type of evil
individuals would undertake such outrageous actions, in a sacrosanct place of
reflection, where loved ones are buried, solely intended to provoke racial
tensions?
“We are
working with the police to identify the perpetrator(s) and to ensure they are
reprimanded at the earliest opportunity. There is CCTV footage at the cemetery
which the police are working through, and we are working with the police to
ensure a heightened police presence in the area.
“The
council have made arrangements for the graves to be cleaned by a specialist
memorial mason as a matter of urgency and the affected families are being
contacted. There are heinous individuals who are looking to provoke a reaction
in our communities. With actions like this, it is extremely difficult to remain
calm, but I would urge you not to react to the provocation.”
One
outraged resident said: “Horrendous act to do this. So disrespectful,” while
another added: “This is awful, why would someone do this? Totally
disrespectful.”
A
spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary added: "We have launched an
investigation after a report of criminal damage in Burnley today (Monday,
August 5). We were called around 4.15pm to Burnley Cemetery on Rossendale Road
after a report that paint had been poured across headstones in a Muslim burial
area.
“The
investigation into this matter is very much ongoing. We are taking this matter
incredibly seriously and this is being treated as a hate crime. We do not
tolerate hate of any form, and we will do everything in our power to identify
the offenders and take the appropriate action.” Anyone with information can
contact the police on 101 quoting log 0982 of August 5.
Source: mirror.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/evil-riot-thugs-douse-muslim-33408517
--------
'We
prayed they wouldn't get inside' - terrifying account from inside Southport
mosque as it was under attack
06 Aug
2024
A week
on from the violent riot outside a mosque in Southport, those who were inside
the building have spoken about the build up to the attack and the terrifying
moments as they prayed, hoping the violent right-wing thugs would not make it
inside.
The riot
took place on July 30, a day after the Southport stabbing attack. Hundreds of
far-right thugs flooded into the area and joined locals outside the Southport
Mosque in St Luke's Road. After the mob hurled bricks at the mosque, tried to
break down the front door and destroyed its front wall, they turned their anger
on the police.
More
than 50 officers were injured in the night of violence, which has been followed
by further rioting in Liverpool and around the country in recent days. Some of
those involved in the Southport disorder have already appeared in court.
Representatives
of Southport Mosque described what happened last Tuesday as 'the most severe
attack' they have ever faced, which caused 'significant distress' for the
community - especially those who were inside at the time.
The
mosque has provided a timeline of the period leading up to - and during - the
riot, revealing the terror felt by those who were inside the building at the
time of the violent riot.
They
said that for two days before the attack, threatening notes and letters had
been received by the mosque, which have been reported to Merseyside Police. At
8.45am on the day of the attack, the Imam received information indicating a
possible threat to the mosque. He informed the police and was told they were
aware of the situation.
It was
around 7.45pm that evening that people started to gather outside the building
in St Luke's Road. Some came on foot, others used scooters. Fifteen minutes
later, the mob had grown around the mosque and the situation rapidly escalated.
It was at this point that police in the area advised the congregation inside
the mosque to lock themselves inside.
By now,
Islamaphobic hate chants could be heard from the growing mob outside and there
were attempts to break down the front door. Items resembling makeshift petrol
bombs were thrown at the building, as well as bricks and rocks, resulting in
several broken windows.
The
terrified people inside made multiple calls to the police, requesting an
increased presence due to the extreme violence that they were now being
subjected to. Fearing the police were being overwhelmed, those inside prayed,
hoping the attackers would not breach the front door.
One
member of the mosque said: "It was truly miraculous that no one was harmed
and that the mosque did not catch fire from the petrol bombs while everyone was
locked inside." The congregation remained locked in the mosque until
around 12.30am the next morning, at which point they were escorted to Southport
Police Station before being taken home.
Following
the night of violence in Southport on Tuesday, members from across the
community and beyond came together to help clean up the town and helped to
rebuild the mosque wall that had been damaged.
A
spokesperson for Southport Mosque said: "In this difficult time, we wish
to extend our heartfelt thanks to the community for their support, kind words
and solidarity. It has been heartwarming to receive sympathy and assistance
from individual of diverse faiths and backgrounds, aiding us in rebuilding our
mosque.
"We
also express our deep gratitude to the police, ambulance and fire services for
their bravery and dedication in protecting our community. We urge the police,
local authority and government to take stronger measures to stop the spread of
violence across the country to prevent such incidents from occurring
elsewhere."
Source: liverpoolecho.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/we-prayed-wouldnt-inside-terrifying-29688669
--------
UK
Student Union stands in solidarity with migrant, Muslim communities against
racist violence
August
6, 2024
The
National Union of Students (NUS), on Tuesday, strongly condemned the recent
surge in xenophobic, racist, and Islamophobic violence in UK, expressing
unwavering solidarity with the affected migrant and Muslim communities, Anadolu
Agency reports.
In a
statement, the Union highlighted the distressing nature of the recent attacks,
describing them not as isolated incidents but as manifestations of a dangerous
and growing narrative.
This
narrative, it argued, has normalised racist and anti-migrant sentiments across
the UK.
By
consistently blaming immigration for various societal issues such as NHS
(National Health Service) waiting lists, job losses and the cost of living
crisis, this rhetoric has seeped into the educational sector, contributing to
the vilification of international and refugee students.
“The UK
must be a sanctuary where migrants can live safely, free from fear and thrive
through their hard work and contributions to society,” the statement read.
In these
challenging times, the NUS calls on student leaders and allies to remain
vigilant.
The
Union urged students’ unions to play a central role in elevating the voices of
marginalised students and organising for systemic change.
The
Union encourages everyone to reach out to their friends and colleagues from
Muslim backgrounds and to actively challenge and condemn all forms of racism and
Islamophobia, according to the statement.
A storm
of anti-Muslim disinformation on social media has fuelled Islamophobic and
far-right violence in the aftermath of the fatal stabbing attack in the
northern English seaside town of Southport on 29 July.
False
reports spread by extremist far-right social media accounts claimed the suspect
was a Muslim and a migrant, which were echoed in the mob’s Islamophobic
vitriolic chants.
Police
have, so far, said the suspect is a 17-year-old man who was born in Cardiff,
the capital of Wales, and lived in a village near Southport.
Source: middleeastmonitor.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240806-uk-student-union-stands-in-solidarity-with-migrant-muslim-communities-against-racist-violence/
--------
Clip of
man wearing female Muslim headscarf filmed in Bangladesh, not India
August
7, 2024
A video
from Bangladesh of a man wearing a female Muslim headscarf in an apparent bid
to evade arrest has been falsely portrayed as an incident in Hindu-majority
India. The claim was repeatedly shared in posts supporting the introduction of
a common civil code, a goal shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu
nationalist party but which some Muslims fear would encroach on their religious
laws.
"The
beautiful begum (Muslim woman) has a special need for a burqa," read the
Hindi-language caption to the video, in an apparently sarcastic reference to
the man.
The
video shows police officers taking the headscarf off the man and lifting up the
abaya he was wearing to reveal several packages taped to his body.
"It's
under these burqas the Muslims smuggle weapons," the July 25, 2024
Facebook post added. "That is why Uniform Civil Code has become a
necessity."
India
has a common criminal law but rules on personal matters such as marriage,
divorce and inheritance vary based on the customary traditions of different
communities and faiths.
Prime
Minister Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has long pitched a uniform civil
code as a way to improve gender equality as women's rights in India vary
considerably depending on which code they fall under (archived link).
But many
communities, particularly Muslims, fear the legislation would encroach on their
religious laws and see it as an attack on their identity and against India's
secular constitution.
The video was shared with similar false
captions across Facebook and on social media site X.
However,
the video was filmed in Bangladesh and not in India as the posts claimed.
Bangladesh
arrest
A
reverse image search on Google found the video published on a YouTube channel
called Smile Tv Bangla on March 11, 2021 (archived link).
The
video's Bengali language caption read: "Two drug dealers were arrested in
police raids while the boy pretended to be a pregnant woman, sent to
jail."
The
incident took place in Raozan subdistrict of Bangladesh, according to the video
description.
Below is
a screenshot comparison of the clip shared in false posts (left) and the video
posted by Smile Tv Bangla (right):
The clip
shared in false posts corresponds to the 1:04 mark of the YouTube video
(archived link).
A
keyword search found local news reports on the arrest here and here which said
the police detained a man and woman for smuggling drugs in Raozan in Chattogram
district on March 9, 2021 (archived links here and here).
The man
disguised himself as a pregnant woman to avoid arrest, the reports said.
AFP
confirmed the footage was filmed in Raozan by comparing visual clues in the
video with the Google Street View imagery from the area (archived link).
Below is
a screenshot comparison of a keyframe from the video published by Smile Tv
Bangla (left) and the Google Street View imagery of Raozan, Chattogram district
(right) with similarities highlighted by AFP:
AFP has
previously debunked cross-border misinformation between India and Bangladesh
here and here.
Source: factcheck.afp.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.366C2TK
--------
UK
riots: British Muslims in Liverpool working to heal
07-08-24
Something
worrying has happened in Liverpool since far-right and racist riots began
rocking cities in England and Northern Ireland last week. Muslim women have
begun exchanging safety tips online.
"Stay
in groups, keep your car windows up and doors locked," one post reads.
Children
of color have been too scared to show up to the local summer vacation youth
club. The UK's oldest mosque now keeps its gates chained shut most of the day.
An interior ministry official keeps watch from inside to monitor for potential
threats.
But
something remarkable has happened, too. Local Imam Adam Kelwick is beaming as
he breezes in to lead prayer at the Abdullah Quilliam Mosque. He said this is
because he's been busy "building bridges."
Kelwick
caught global attention when he was photographed crossing a line of
counter-protesters to embrace a man in a crowd chanting anti-Islam slogans
outside his mosque last weekend.
"We
walked over to their side and we shared food. We shared smiles. We talked. We
listened," he told DW in Liverpool.
On
Tuesday, things took an even more unexpected turn: "I've actually just
come from one person who was at those riots, and he reached out to me. We've
just been for a coffee today.
"He
said to me that he actually regretted being there now," Kelwick explained.
"They're
genuine people. They're genuinely worried and genuinely scared. And once
they've realized that we're human, too — we care for our societies, we care for
our family and we want the best for the country — then they realize that a lot
of these problems that we see are also shared by us."
Donations
pour in to repair buildings stormed by rioters
A few
minutes drive away, the Spellow Library is still a muddy mess. Shattered
windows have been hastily boarded up, and books and supplies that survived the
looting by rioters on Saturday have been shipped away to safety. A bouquet of
floppy sunflowers is stuffed upside down between plywood and mud-sprayed glass.
But
there are signs of hope here as well. Local nail technician Alex McCormick said
she was "heartbroken" when she heard the community space was stormed
amid the weekend chaos. She swiftly set up an online donation page with the
modest goal of attracting £500 ($635). In a few days, she's raised more than
£150,000 ($190,000).
"Never
did I think it would go this far," she told DW outside the library.
"We've had donations from all over the world, so many kind messages,
shares, comments and people donating physical books. It's just immense."
Fears
unrest whipped up online could boil over again
But
closer to the city center, local school teacher Gemma Gray remains worried for
her students and her community. She said Liverpool still feels like a
tinderbox.
"It's
not the aftermath. I don't think we're by any means at the end of it," She
said.
"You
fear the worst for your city. There's just kind of a sense of: Where do we go
now? We're lost."
The UK's
worst unrest in a decade began in the aftermath of a deadly mass stabbing at a
children's club in the seaside town of Southport that shocked the nation. Due
to the suspected killer's age of 17 years old, details about his identity were
kept quiet for days. Before long, false claims that the assailant was a Muslim
asylum-seeker flooded into the gap.
Even
when police finally identified the suspect as Axel Rudakubana — born in
Cardiff, Wales, to Rwandan parents with no links to Islam — it did little to
quell the furor.
"Social
media platforms have become breeding grounds for disinformation, where
far-right groups and individuals disseminate false narratives, conspiracy
theories, and inflammatory content to stoke existing fears and
prejudices," Claudia Wallner, a research fellow with the security think
tank RUSI, told DW.
"In
the case of the Southport riots, disinformation about the incident was spread
to incite anger, tap into existing fears and uncertainties, and mobilize
individuals to take action."
Wallner
says the events are also the "culmination of long-standing issues" in
the UK.
"Economic
uncertainty, cultural shifts, and political rhetoric have contributed to
increased hostility toward migrants and minority communities."
Bad
memories resurface for older British Muslims
Many of
the British Muslims DW spoke to mentioned that sense of a longstanding buildup
reaching a boiling point. 60-year-old taxi driver Zaf Iqbal mentioned Brexit
and the rhetoric of "taking back control" as contributing factors.
"It's
ignorance and misled frustration," he said.
Born and
raised in Sunderland to Pakistani parents, Iqbal is among the UK's British
Asian community, which, according to census figures, makes up 9.3% of the
population of England and Wales.
He hoped
his kids would never have to face the racism that dogged his own childhood. But
those memories now feel all too familiar. Iqbal even found himself locked
inside his local mosque over the weekend as police kept crowds at bay outside.
"It
was frightening," he told DW over the phone. Even when the riots
dissipated, he was subject to racist slurs in the street the following day.
Like
others, Iqbal is now determined to heal divisions that swelled to the fore. The
top priority is preventing tensions from getting worse, a very real fear.
Don't
fight fire with fire, leaders warn
Reports
of some groups of British Asian men descending on the streets of Birmingham
emerged on Monday, including instances of reporters being threatened and people
bearing weapons.
"That
part of it I don't support. They shouldn't fight fire with fire," Mohammed
Khalil, a 24-year-old born in Yemen, told DW in Liverpool. "They've given
a bit of ammunition to the other side. That's not what you want. That's not
what Islam represents."
Imam
Adam Kelwick is also trying to spread that message, even as police brace for
more disorder on Wednesday.
"Stay
calm," he said. "If you react to violence with violence and thuggery
with thuggery and crime with crime, then you're a violent, thuggish criminal
just like the people you're complaining about."
Police
prepare for fresh unrest
Khalid
says he is planning to attend a counter-demonstration to protect an asylum
support center mentioned a list of sites suspected of being targeted by more
disorder in the coming days.
"Liverpool
is built on migration," Khalil said, alluding to the port city's rich
history as a hub of comings and goings.
He's
hoping that this time, the gathering will be peaceful and free of the violence
that marred the last week.
"This
is not what Liverpool stands for," he said.
Source: dw.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dw.com/en/british-muslims-push-for-peace-amid-fears-of-more-racist-violence/a-69874360
--------
UK
expands jail capacity to house anti-Muslim rioters
AUGUST
06, 2024
The
British government has increased its prison capacity to help tackle violent,
week-long anti-Muslim riots that have prompted a growing number of countries to
warn their citizens about the dangers of travelling in Britain.
Riots
across a number of towns and cities have erupted following the murder of three
girls at a Taylor Swift-themed event in Southport, a seaside town in northern
England, after false messaging on social media wrongly identified the suspected
killer as a Muslim migrant.
Unrest
has spread, with rioters targeting mosques and smashing windows of hotels
housing asylum-seekers from Africa and the Middle East, chanting “get them
out”, in the first widespread outbreak of violence in Britain for 13 years.
Unverified
videos online have shown some ethnic minorities being beaten up and one man
photographed at a protest in Sunderland on Friday had a swastika tattooed on
his back.
“My
message to anyone who chooses to take part in this violence and thuggery is
simple: the police, courts and prisons stand ready and you will face the
consequences of your appalling acts,” Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said.
The
justice department, which is due to release some prisoners early as it battles
a jail overcrowding crisis, said nearly 600 prison places had been secured to
accommodate those engaged in violence. About 400 people have been arrested so
far.
The
unrest has prompted India, Australia, Nigeria and other countries to warn their
citizens to stay vigilant.
Saminata
Bangura, a 52-year-old support worker in a care home in Liverpool, northern
England, said she had felt so welcome in Britain after she moved from Sierra Leone.
But she was now scared and largely staying at home.
“I’m so
scared, even when I’m walking now, because everywhere, we’re scared,
especially, we Blacks,” she said, describing how a library was vandalised near
where she lives.
Prime
Minister Keir Starmer has vowed a reckoning to those who have engaged in
rioting, hurling bricks at the police and counter protesters, and looting shops
and burning cars.
Police
yesterday charged a 28-year-old man with stirring up racial hatred over
Facebook posts linked to the disorder. A 14-year-old pleaded guilty to violent
disorder.
On
Monday night trouble flared in Plymouth, southern England, and again in Belfast
in Northern Ireland, where hundreds of rioters threw petrol bombs and heavy
masonry at officers and set a police Land Rover on fire.
Messages
online say immigration centres and law firms aiding migrants would be targeted
today, prompting anti-fascist groups to say they will counter any
demonstration.
Police
have blamed online disinformation, amplified by high-profile figures, for
driving the violence.
Source: gulf-times.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.gulf-times.com/article/688130/international/uk-expands-jail-capacity-to-house-anti-muslim-rioters
--------
North America
CAIR-NY
Seeks Public’s Help in Hate Crime Probe of Anti-Muslim Attack
August
6, 2024
The New
York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today
called on the public to assist in identifying an assailant law authorities say
committed an alleged anti-Muslim attack on a Manhattan street.
A man
was reportedly punched in the face by the assailant shouting anti-Muslim slurs
on Monday. The alleged victim was taken to NYU Langone Health in stable
condition. The alleged attacker has not been apprehended. So far no arrests
have been made, but police on Tuesday released surveillance photos of the
suspect at large.
He is
described as having a light complexion and a beard, is 5 feet, 7 or 8 inches
tall, 160 pounds and approximately 25 years old. He was last seen wearing a
gray hat, black T-shirt, tan shorts and black sneakers.
The NYPD
is asking for the public’s help in identifying the alleged attacker. Anyone
with information can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA),
submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (the site formerly
known as Twitter) @NYPDTips.
“Based
on the reported anti-Muslim statements made by the alleged assailant, we urge
law enforcement authorities to investigate this attack as a hate crime and we
urge members of the public to provide any information they may have about the
incident,” said CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher. “We ask political and
community leaders to speak out against rising bigotry and the violence that
inevitably results from hate-filled ideologies.”
Last
month, CAIR-NY welcomed an investigation by the NYPD into a possible bias
motive in the vandalism of a mosque in Brooklyn and welcomed an announcement by
the Suffolk County District Attorney that a man was “arrested for Criminal
Mischief in the Second Degree, as a Hate Crime, and other related charges, for
threatening to kill four Muslim men and then ramming his vehicle into theirs.”
In June,
CAIR-NY welcomed a hate crime charge brought against a suspect who allegedly
attacked a Muslim woman on a subway train platform in April. That suspect
allegedly threw a can at the 22-year-old victim while shouting “f—ing Muslims.”
Earlier
this year, CAIR’s national office released its 2024 civil rights report, which
revealed the highest number of complaints it has ever received in its 30-year
history. Titled “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate,” the report
documented 8,061 complaints. Nearly half of all complaints received in 2023
were reported in the final three months of the year.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-seeks-publics-help-in-hate-crime-probe-of-anti-muslim-attack/
--------
Alert:
CAIR Joins Coalition Opposing Inclusion of Anti-Muslim Float at Upcoming New
York India Day Parade
August
6, 2024
The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its New York chapter today
joined in a letter by a coalition of human rights and interfaith organizations
sent to New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams
urging them to condemn and oppose the inclusion of an anti-Muslim float at the
India Day Parade scheduled for August 18, 2024.
The
float celebrates the destruction of the historic Babri Mosque, which was
demolished on December 6, 1992, by a mob of over 150,000 right-wing Hindu
militants.
Letter
co-signers include: Indian American Muslim Council, Council on American-Islamic
Relations, Council on American-Islamic Relations-New York, Hindus for Human
Rights, The Federation of Indian American Churches of North America (FIACONA),
Muslim Public Affairs Council, New York State Council of Churches, Genocide Watch,
Center for Pluralism, India’s Civil Watch International, American Muslim
Institution, and Association of Indian Muslims in America
The
letter highlights concerns about the Indian consulate’s partnership with
far-right groups to display the float, which features imagery of India’s Ram
Temple. This temple stands on the ruins of the Babri Mosque, whose demolition
led to widespread riots and the deaths of thousands, predominantly Muslims. The
inauguration of the Ram Temple in January 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
has further fueled religious tensions, resulting in violence and attacks on
other places of worship.
The
event’s organizers, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) and
Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), have histories of
spreading hate speech and exploiting laborers. Allowing the float at the parade
would embolden anti-Muslim actors and undermine New York City’s commitment to
diversity and peaceful coexistence.
The
organizations call for immediate and decisive measures to prevent the inclusion
of the divisive float to ensure New York remains a safe and welcoming place for
all its residents.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/alert-cair-joins-coalition-opposing-inclusion-of-anti-muslim-float-at-upcoming-new-york-india-day-parade/
--------
Turkish
Authorities Prevent Aid Flotilla Backed by Islamist Foundation From Sailing to
Gaza
August
6, 2024
threatened
a military invasion of Israel in a bombastic speech to supporters — suggests
that the Turkish authorities are wary of provoking further escalation with
Jerusalem. An announcement from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FCC) — an
alliance of pro-Palestinian advocacy groups and charities — confirmed that the
flotilla had been denied authorization to sail to Gaza. “It has now become
clear that the Turkish government will not grant permission,” the group said.
Backed
by the Islamist Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), a pro-Hamas charity
registered in Turkey and designated as a terrorist entity by Israel, the FCC
flotilla had planned to deliver 5,500 tons of humanitarian aid — less than the
amount of aid Israel routinely delivers to Gaza in a single day. In past
statements, the FCC has made it clear that its main goal is to “break the siege
of Gaza” and deliver “hundreds of international human rights observers to
challenge the ongoing illegal Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip.” The FCC’s
statement placed the blame for Turkey’s decision to block the flotilla on
“intense pressure from the United States, the United Kingdom, and perhaps other
NATO countries that are strongly allied with Israel.” A previous flotilla to
Gaza financed by the IHH in 2010 resulted in the deaths of 10 activists who
attacked Israeli forces attempting to board its main vessel, the Mavi Marmara,
in search of weapons, sparking fears of a similar clash now.
Expert
Analysis
“Launching
a second flotilla to Gaza carried a great risk of precipitating a military confrontation
between Israel and Turkey. This was always Erdogan’s intention. It’s likely
that Turkey would have attempted to deliver illicit material to Hamas. Had
Erdogan been interested in delivering further aid to Palestinians, he would
have used established aid corridors. The decision to cancel the flotilla
demonstrates Ankara’s haphazard, inconsistent, and belligerent approach to
foreign policy.” — Sinan Ciddi, FDD non-resident Senior Fellow
“Flotillas
bound for Gaza are strategically crafted to draw the Israeli military’s
attention and present a potential public relations challenge reminiscent of the
Mavi Marmara incident in 2010. While Jerusalem may breathe a sigh of relief at
the news of the Freedom Flotilla’s suspension, the impact on Hamas and its
allies will be minimal. Furthermore, this development eliminates yet another
opportunity for Hamas to undermine Israel during a time of crisis for the
terrorist organization.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long
War Journal
Israeli
Security Concerns Informed by the 2010 Mavi Marmara Clashes
While
the 2010 incident sparked international outrage, the Palmer Report issued by
the United Nations the following year found that Israel’s naval blockade was a
legitimate form of self-defense. In 2016, Turkey agreed to end legal action
against the Israeli officers involved in the incident after Israel offered an
apology and paid $20 million in compensation. The current attempt to send
another flotilla made clear its intention to bypass established aid channels
that Israel supervises and reject “any Israeli inspection of our cargo.” This
refusal to respect established maritime channels created an added risk that the
flotilla could be carrying weapons, explosives, and other dual-use goods for
Hamas into Gaza.
Source: fdd.org
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/08/06/turkish-authorities-prevent-aid-flotilla-backed-by-islamist-foundation-from-sailing-to-gaza/
--------
US sends
ship-based Navy fighter jets to a base in the Middle East to help protect
Israel
August
07, 2024
WASHINGTON:
About a dozen F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft
carrier have flown to a military base in the Middle East, as part of the
Pentagon’s effort to help defend Israel from possible attacks by Iran and its
proxies and to safeguard US troops, according to a US official.
The
F/A-18s and a E-2D Hawkeye surveillance aircraft took off from the carrier in
the Gulf of Oman and arrived at the undisclosed base on Monday, said the
official.
US
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the increased military presence in the
region as officials worry about escalating violence in the Middle East in the
wake of the killings last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and
Hamas’ top political leader in Iran, in suspected Israeli strikes. Both groups
are backed by Iran.
The Navy
jets’ land-based deployment is expected to be temporary, because a squadron of
Air Force F-22 fighter jets is enroute to the same base from their home station
in Alaska. The roughly dozen F-22s are expected to arrive in the Middle East in
the coming days, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to
discuss troop movements.
It’s not
clear how long all of the aircraft will remain together at the base, and that
may depend on what — if anything — happens in the next few days.
The
troop movements come as US officials released more details about the rocket
attack that hit a military base in Iraq on Tuesday, injuring American
personnel. Officials said five US service members and two contractors were hurt
when two rockets hit the base.
The
officials said five of those injured were being treated at the Al-Asad air base
and two were evacuated, but all seven are in stable condition. They did not
provide details on who was evacuated.
The
rocket attack is the latest in what has been an uptick in strikes on US forces
by Iranian-backed militias. It comes as tensions across the Middle East are
spiking but is not believed to be connected to the Hezbollah and Hamas
killings.
The
officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.
In
recent weeks, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have resumed launching attacks on
bases housing US forces in Iraq and Syria after a lull of several months,
following a strike on a base in Jordan in late January that killed three
American soldiers and prompted a series of retaliatory US strikes.
Between
October and January, an umbrella group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in
Iraq had regularly claimed attacks that it said were in retaliation for
Washington’s support of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza and were aimed
at pushing US troops out of the region.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2564031/middle-east
--------
Anti-U.S.
Islamic group in Iraq claims credit for base attack that injured several
Americans
August
6, 2024
A
previously unknown Islamic resistance group in Iraq calling itself Al-Thawriun
said Tuesday it was responsible for a drone and rocket attack on a base in
western Iraq on Monday that injured seven U.S. troops and personnel, at a time
of soaring regional tensions. The group released a statement following the
strike on the Al-Asad Air Base where U.S. and other coalition forces are
located.
The
attack occurred as the U.S. and its allies labored to prevent the war between
Israel and Hamas from spreading following the recent assassinations of a top
Hamas official in Tehran and a senior commander of the Iran-allied Hezbollah
movement in Lebanon. Israel is thought to be behind both attacks.
Powerful
Iraqi Shiite militias, also with strong ties to Iran, have long demanded the
U.S. withdraw thousands of American combat troops still in the country more
than two decades after the U.S.-led invasion that deposed Saddam Hussein. The
Pentagon says the U.S. forces are helping to prevent a resurgence of the terror
group Islamic State in the region.
“We
confirm that our operations will be with advanced and continuous capabilities
until the last American soldier leaves the land of our beloved Iraq,”
Al-Thawriun officials said in a statement.
In
recent weeks, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have resumed launching attacks on
bases housing U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria after a lull of several months,
following a strike on a base in Jordan in late January that killed three
American soldiers and prompted a series of retaliatory U.S. strikes, The
Associated Press reported.
Iraq’s
Joint Operations Command said Al-Asad was targeted Aug. 5 at about 9 p.m. local
time. According to reports, five U.S. military personnel and two civilian
contractors sustained non-life-threatening injuries, with two of the wounded
evacuated for further medical treatment. Iraqi rapid response units secured the
scene and quickly intercepted a Kia pickup truck carrying eight more rockets
that were primed for launch, Iraqi officials in Baghdad said in a statement.
“The
rockets were expertly disarmed by our engineering teams,” Iraqi officials said
Tuesday. “Through rigorous intelligence and security efforts, our specialized
units have successfully uncovered critical information about the attackers.”
Iraqi
officials also vowed that there would be accountability for any lapses in
security that allowed the militants to fire rockets at the base. Army
commanders and officers, along with those responsible for the security
perimeter will face a “thorough investigation,” officials said.
Pentagon
officials late Monday confirmed that the base had been attacked but haven’t
offered further details on the ongoing investigation. Defense Secretary Lloyd
Austin later spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
“We
agreed that the attack from Iran-aligned militias on U.S. forces stationed at
Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq marked a dangerous escalation,” Mr. Austin
later said in a statement.
The U.S.
defense chief said he also updated Mr. Gallant on Washington’s current plans to
strengthen U.S. military assets in the region in light of the “escalating
situation” there.
Iraq’s
Joint Operations Command said it will continue to do what is necessary to
protect its security and stability.
“We will
not tolerate our homeland becoming a battleground for external conflicts or the
settling of scores,” the command said in a statement. “This is a clear message:
Iraq’s sovereignty is inviolable, and we will exert every effort to maintain
peace and stability within our borders.”
Source: washingtontimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/aug/6/anti-us-islamic-group-in-iraq-claims-credit-for-ba/
--------
Biden’s
Muslim Brotherhood-connected Religious Freedom Commissioner
(August
6, 2024 / JNS)
The
Biden administration recently announced its appointment of Mohamed Elsanousi,
director of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, to the U.S.
Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The
White House may not know that judging by his actions instead of his words, Elsanousi
is an advocate for neither peacemaking nor religious freedom.
The
Sudanese-born Elsanousi spent 12 years as director of community outreach and
interfaith relations for the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), a
long-standing Muslim Brotherhood front group. He has hardly repudiated this
connection, displaying it as a credential on his official Peacemakers network
bio. His bio also boasts of a bachelor’s degree in “Sharia and Law” from the
International Islamic University in Pakistan.
ISNA is
not a minor Brotherhood operation. It is cited as the very first on a list of
29 organizations named in the Brotherhood’s “Explanatory Memorandum” outlining
its plans for the future.
The 1991
manifesto, discovered by an FBI search warrant in 2004, describes such
organizations as part of “a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying
the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by
their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God’s
religion is made victorious over all other religions.”
Founded
in 1981, ISNA was directly connected to the infamous Holy Land Foundation, shut
down in 2007 and deemed at trial to be the Brotherhood’s foremost
American-based funder of Hamas—an outgrowth of the Brotherhood itself.
A close
ally of ISNA is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), exposed in
the same trial as another prominent Hamas money-laundering enterprise. CAIR’s
leader, Nihad Awad, has openly said: “I am in support of the Hamas movement.”
Not
surprisingly, despite its use of humane buzzwords and avoidance of hateful
language, Islamic institutions tied to ISNA have nurtured jihad against
Americans.
One
example is the Islamic Society of Boston, founded the same year as ISNA by
convicted terrorist conspirator Abdurahman Alamoudi with the late Muslim
Brotherhood “spiritual leader” Yusuf al-Qaradhawi as a board member. When the
ISB began construction on its “sister” mega-mosque, the Islamic Society of
Boston Cultural Center, its 2003 tax exemption filing named ISNA as its parent
organization.
Since
then, both the ISB and ISBCC have produced 14 (known) associates, former
members and students who are at large, dead, in prison or have been deported
for involvement in terrorism.
These
include Aafia Siddiqui, currently serving an 86-year prison sentence for the
attempted murder of FBI agents in Afghanistan; Tarek Mehanna, convicted of
“conspiracy to provide material support to Al-Qaeda”; ISIS terrorist Ahmad
Abousamra, who made it onto the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists List; and the
Tsarnaev brothers, who bombed the Boston Marathon in 2013.
Nevertheless,
ISNA has enjoyed warm relations with the government, particularly the Obama
administration. Senior presidential advisor Valerie Jarrett gave an address to
an ISNA conference in 2009 and former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh
Johnson spoke at another in 2016.
The
group met with former Secretary of State John Kerry in both 2013 and 2015 and
visited the White House multiple times in 2012 and 2013. They have continued
their White House presence under the Biden presidency, including one iftar
dinner in 2022.
Regarding
Elsanousi himself, he has been associated with a number of troubling
individuals and groups.
In 2012,
he attended a conference in Mauritania that supposedly dealt with “challenges
faced by religious minorities in Muslim-majority communities.” The hosting
organization, the Union of Muslim Scholars, however, was headed at the time by
none other than Yusuf al-Qaradhawi, who proclaimed in a 2009 Al Jazeera broadcast
that Allah visited Hitler upon the Jews as just deserts for their
“corruption”—though, he added, they had “exaggerated this issue [the
Holocaust].”
In 2013,
Elsanousi moderated an ISNA panel in Paris featuring a keynote address “on
extremism and anti-Muslim sentiment” by Tariq Ramadan. According to French
intelligence services, a pet “long-term goal” of Ramadan’s is the “legal
extinction of the State of Israel.” In addition to being the grandson of Muslim
Brotherhood founder Hasan al-Banna, Ramadan has been accused of rape and sexual
molestation on many occasions, including allegations involving minors.
At
ISNA’s 50th annual convention, Elsanousi appeared alongside Safaa Zarzour, who
was chair of CAIR’s Chicago branch for more than a decade.
Another event
over which Elsanousi presided included a speech by Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh
al-Naimi of Qatar. Al-Naimi now serves as the Hamas-sponsoring emirate’s
undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
Elsanousi
has met with Turkish dictator Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a supporter of Hamas and
long-time Brotherhood ally who recently threatened to invade Israel.
During
their meeting, Elsanousi discussed ISNA’s “Shoulder-to-Shoulder” program, whose
Christian interfaith partners included the deeply anti-Israel Church World
Service, United Church of Christ, and the Presbyterian Church. Years later, via
the Peacemakers network, Elsanousi would hold a forum with a representative of
the pro-BDS World Council of Churches, of which the Presbyterian Church is a
member.
In light
of this, why would the Biden administration select such a person to help
safeguard worldwide religious freedom? The full explanations for such decisions
are typically hidden behind closed doors, but two facts are relevant.
The
first is the lengths to which Muslim Brotherhood organizations will go to
deceive decent non-Muslims and agents of government that they have no
connection to jihad or violent intolerance. Elsanousi’s Peacemakers network is
a prime example.
The
second is far more unsettling. The Biden administration has a history of
appointing officials openly hostile to Israel, soft on Islamic terrorism or
known to have made inappropriate remarks concerning Jewish interests—31 at last
count.
Elsanousi’s
appointment, however, appears to be unprecedentedly dangerous. While the other
officials largely expressed anti-Israel sentiments verbally, Elsanousi is the
only one whose deeds are more telling. Though he speaks of interfaith harmony
and peaceful resolutions to conflicts in public, he was directly involved at a
senior leadership level with the world’s most powerful terrorism-fomenting
Sunni syndicate, the Muslim Brotherhood; an organization whose clearly
expressed intention is to vanquish the Western world’s “miserable house” through
both violence and deceit.
There
are many millions of people around the world suffering from a lack of religious
freedom. Many of them are Christians and, of these, some have been tormented by
the Muslim Brotherhood itself.
It goes
without saying that those persecuted for their faith need real defenders, not
fake ones.
Source: jns.org
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.jns.org/bidens-muslim-brotherhood-connected-religious-freedom-commissioner/
--------
Anti-Muslim
bigot punches and harasses man in Midtown hate crime: cops
August
6, 2024
Hate
crimes detectives in Midtown are searching for a suspect who allegedly
assaulted a man while making anti-Muslim remarks at him on Monday night.
According
to law enforcement sources, the incident unfolded in front of 666 Fifth Ave. on
Aug. 5 at around 8:48 p.m. The 25-year-old victim was talking on his phone on
the sidewalk when the perp approached him, punched him in the face and went on
a tangent of anti-Muslim remarks, police said.
“Go back to your country,” the suspect said.
He also called the victim a “terrorist,” according to police.
After
the bigoted assault, the perpetrator — unknown to the victim — fled the scene
on foot to parts unknown before officers from the Midtown North Precinct
arrived.
Meanwhile,
EMS responded and brought the victim to NYU Langone Medical Center in stable
condition. He was treated for injuries to the lip and right ear.
A motive
for assault has not yet been confirmed, but the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is
investigating.
So far
no arrests have been made, but police on Tuesday released surveillance photos
of the suspect at large. He is described as having a light complexion and a
beard, is 5 feet, 7 or 8 inches tall, 160 pounds and approximately 25 years
old. He was last seen wearing a gray hat, black T-shirt, tan shorts and black
sneakers.
Anyone
with information regarding the incident or the suspect’s whereabouts can call
Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also
submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (the site formerly
known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Source: amny.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.amny.com/news/anti-muslim-hate-crime-midtown-august-5-2024/
--------
Mideast
Hezbollah
congratulates Sinwar as new Hamas political chief
August
07, 2024
BEIRUT,
Lebanon: Hamas ally Hezbollah on Tuesday congratulated Yahya Sinwar on his selection
as the Palestinian militant group’s new political chief following the killing
last week of his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh.
Sinwar’s
appointment affirms that “the enemy... has failed to achieve its objectives” by
killing Hamas leaders and officials, a Hezbollah statement said.
It is
also “a strong message” to Israel, the United States and allies that “the Hamas
movement is united in its decision, solid in its principles, firm in its
important choices, and determined” to continue on the path of resistance, the
statement added.
Hezbollah
has traded near-daily cross-border fire with Israel since Hamas’s October 7
attack on Israel that triggered war in the Gaza Strip.
The
heavily armed Lebanese movement says it is acting in support of Gazans and
Hamas with its attacks, and that only a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory
will put an end to its cross-border fire.
Hezbollah
is the most prominent member of the “axis of resistance” of Iran-backed
regional armed groups opposed to Israel and the United States. The grouping
also includes Hamas, Iraqi movements and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
“The
axis of resistance is waging a heroic and historic battle on a number of fronts
at a sensitive time on the regional level as part of support and assistance to
the oppressed Palestinian people,” the Hezbollah statement said.
Sinwar’s
selection “at this important time” increases “the determination to unify
efforts and insist on continuing jihad and resistance,” the statement said.
His
appointment comes less than a week after Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, with
Iran and Hamas blaming Israel, which has declined to comment.
His
death has sent tensions skyrocketing, with fears of a regional war and the
Middle East bracing for Iran’s retaliation.
The
Israeli military and officials accuse Sinwar of being one of the masterminds of
the October 7 attack on Israel, making him one of Israel’s most wanted
militants.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2564041/middle-east
--------
Pegida
frontman gets suspended sentence for comparing Muslims to Nazis
6 AUGUST
2024
The
court of appeals in The Hague has sentenced Pegida frontman Edwin Wagensveld to
a conditionally suspended community service of 40 hours for group insult. The
frontman for the radical far-right group had compared Muslims to Nazis. He was
not present at the court on Tuesday.
“With
his comments, the suspect has hurt a large group of people willingly,” said the
chair of the court. “There is no place in our society for this where freedom of
religion and equality are among the most important core values.”
The
court sentenced Wagensveld (56) to 40 hours of community service last year, and
a fine was also issued. This was due to an incident on 22 January 2023 near the
Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament. He tore a Quran before a
camera and jumped on the ripped pages. During the appeal hearing last month,
Wagensveld said that his Nazi comparison was only referring to Salafists, the
fundamentalist movement within Islam that takes the Koran literally.
Purposely
insulting a group of people for their religion or faith is punishable by law.
Ripping up a Quran does not fall under this, as it is seen as a criticism of
faith.
A
community service sentence of 40 hours was recommended against Wagensveld.
Still, the court felt a conditionally suspended community service was more
appropriate because its height should not deter people from exercising their
right to freedom of expression.
Source: nltimes.nl
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://nltimes.nl/2024/08/06/pegida-frontman-gets-suspended-sentence-comparing-muslims-nazis
---------
Iran
awards martyr Ismail Haniyeh International Islamic Human Rights Award
06 Aug
2024
TEHRAN
August 06. 2024 (Saba) - The Islamic Republic of Iran has awarded the
International Islamic Human Rights Award to the martyr of the nation, the
Mujahid leader Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Islamic
Resistance Movement Hamas.
Hamas
said in a statement that the eighth Islamic Human Rights Award ceremony,
entitled "Defending the Oppressed Palestinians, the Resistance Axis and
Confronting the Crimes of the Zionist Entity," was held in the presence of
Hamas' representative in Iran, Dr. Khaled Qaddoumi, the head of the judiciary,
army officials, and ambassadors of Islamic countries residing in Tehran.
It
explained that the movement's representative in Tehran, Khaled Al-Qaddoumi,
received the Martyr Leader Haniyeh Award on behalf of his family and the
movement.
Al-Qaddoumi
said while receiving the award: "Human rights are a broad , deep concept,
it means respecting human dignity , pride, that human rights and people have no
meaning for the criminal, child-killing Zionist entity."
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3356392.htm
--------
A
surprise from Yemen: Former Muslim believer in Jesus is determined to replace
cursing of Israel with blessing
August
6, 2024
Going on
pilgrimage to Mecca is a duty most Muslims aspire to, but John Ghanim was
unprepared for what happened to him during the Hajj. Ghanim, who has since
changed his Muslim name to John after the beloved disciple of Jesus, was
excited about going to Mecca, but found waves of confusion engulfed him as he
circled the kaaba. He said he lost his faith in Allah entirely.
Ghanim
grew up in an extremist Muslim environment in Yemen, and had been roped into
helping the Houthis distribute their message: “God is the greatest! Death to
America, death to Israel! Curse on the Jews, victory to Islam!“ The young men
of his village had been putting up signs and posters with the radical rallying
cry, and the message seeped deep into his soul. He hated America, Israel, and
all Jewish people. But all that would soon change.
Ghanim
was sincere in his quest to find God: “I wanted to know the One who created me,
who designed me. I took these questions to the leaders, the Imams, asking about
how to be sure we’d get to heaven and was told that even they weren’t sure.
They said nobody could be sure if they were going to heaven, so we have to do
good deeds and work hard all our lives to earn salvation.”
He was
eager to see if his pilgrimage to Mecca would provide the answers he was
looking for. However, while making his way around the black cube of the kaaba,
new questions arose: “Are we really worshiping God? Or this black stone?” He
was appalled to find himself concluding they were not worshiping God at all.
This led to a dark period of agnosticism and rejection by his family and
community. He wasn’t sure what to believe anymore but was certain about one
thing: Islam was not for him.
Later,
Ghanim was in Greece when he encountered a Syrian man with a cross tattoo on
his hand. He asked about the tattoo, and his new friend told him about Jesus,
the Savior of the world. Ghanim had come across the version of Jesus in the
Quran, but when offered the opportunity to come to a Bible study to learn more,
Ghanim leapt at the chance.
His
first encounter with Christians was bewildering: “What are they doing?” he
marveled, as he watched the worship. “I felt there was secret power in that
place. The atmosphere was different. I started to feel jealous—why are they so
confident to worship in this way? My curiosity levels were raised higher and
higher.” He started to attend church meetings more regularly and learned about
God’s love, and how Jesus died for the sins of the world.
“I was
listening and I had never heard anything like it before, although I still
didn’t have faith at that time.” Ghanim was given a New Testament in Arabic,
and was amazed to find that God spoke to people in the pages of the Gospels. “I
started to read Matthew and came across the story of how Jesus was baptized and
a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’.
The God of Heaven speaks!”
“It came
like water into my spirit. I can’t explain the joy I had. This is what I’ve
been looking for! This is the God I didn’t know! This is the God I want to
follow! As I continued to read it answered all my questions about prayer and
fasting, I was so excited to go back to the church the following Sunday.”
Ghanim
was ready to accept Jesus, and prayed with the pastor at the end of the
service. “When I opened my eyes, everything seemed so beautiful all of a
sudden, all the people around me, everything! There was great joy and peace
inside.” Soon afterwards, Ghanim was baptized.
Since
that moment, Ghanim has been courageously open about his new faith in Jesus, at
great cost. His life is in constant danger as an apostate, but he is not
afraid.
“God
gave me boldness in my faith. I wanted to share my faith with everyone – on
social media.”
He
shared his story on different platforms, and his videos have been watched
millions of times. “I knew I would experience persecution but I didn’t care.
One of my videos went viral, gaining over 16 million views, and my family saw
it. The Imams saw it. Everyone saw it. It was very painful for my family.”
If it
wasn’t bad enough that he left Islam to follow Jesus, Ghanim was about to take
the situation from bad to worse. He decided to read the whole Bible from
beginning to end and soon came across God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12.
He started to see God’s love for Israel, and it challenged him deeply.
“I
started to feel guilty. We have cursed the descendants of Abraham over and over
as the Yemeni people. I read about the 400 years of slavery in Egypt and about
the Exodus. I saw that God was with them – even when they rebelled, He was
still with them.”
Ghanim's
new love for Israel has led to him taking a bold stand with the Jewish people.
“I do believe that according to the Bible, God is the same yesterday, today and
forever. His promises are all still there for the nation of Israel. It’s an
ancient nation, but God is still with them.”
Today,
Ghanim is determined to replace all the cursing of Israel with blessing. “I
feel deeply sorry for all the years I hated Israel, I am sorry for the Yemeni people
that they have hatred for the people of Israel, and I know that to heal the
land of Yemen we need to turn these curses into blessings”.
Source: allisrael.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://allisrael.com/a-surprise-from-yemen-former-muslim-believer-in-jesus-is-determined-to-replace-cursing-of-israel-with-blessing
--------
Iran’s
president meets Sunni lawmakers, vows support for border trade
Aug 6,
2024
Tehran,
IRNA – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged support for border trade
noting that bordering exchanges are seen as a chance for the country to defuse
sanctions.
Speaking
during a meeting with Iranian Sunni lawmakers in Tehran on Tuesday, the
president stressed the need for exercising unity in the country.
He also
highlighted the need for using scientific methods as well as successful methods
of the past to upgrade the country’s governing system.
The
president said that experts have to be used without any distinction as to
beliefs, ethnicity or religion, underscoring the use of local people in
different regions.
He once
again stressed his support for border trade, which he believed could help the
living of border dwellers.
Source: en.irna.ir
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://en.irna.ir/news/85560629/Iran-s-president-meets-Sunni-lawmakers-vows-support-for-border
--------
US has
communicated need to not escalate conflict to Iran and Israel, says Blinken
August
07, 2024
ANNAPOLIS,
Maryland: The United States has communicated to Iran and Israel that conflict
in the Middle East must not escalate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on
Tuesday, even as the Pentagon warned that it would not tolerate attacks against
its forces in the region.
The
Middle East is bracing for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its
allies following last week's killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas
and Hezbollah. Five U.S. troops and two contractors were injured in an attack
on a base in Iraq on Monday, which U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin blamed
on Iran-backed groups.
Officials
had been in constant contact with allies and partners in the region and there
was a "clear consensus" that no one should escalate the situation,
the top U.S. diplomat said.
"We've
been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that
message directly to Iran. We've communicated that message directly to
Israel," Blinken said.
The
United States will continue to defend Israel against attacks, Blinken said, but
noted that everyone in the region should understand the risks of escalation and
miscalculation.
"Further
attacks only raise the risk of dangerous outcomes that no one can predict and
no one can fully control."
The
Pentagon has said it will deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to
the Middle East as Washington seeks to bolster defenses in the region.
"What
I've been focused on is making sure that we're doing everything we can to put
measures in place to protect our troops and also make sure that we're in a good
position to aid in the in the defense of Israel, if called upon to do
that," Austin said.
Blinken,
following a meeting involving Austin and their Australian counterparts, also
said talks to achieve a ceasefire and hostage deal on the war in Gaza had
reached their final stage and should end very soon.
WILL NOT
TOLERATE ATTACK ON TROOPS
Ismail
Haniyeh, the political leader of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, was
assassinated in the Iranian capital of Tehran last week. The attack drew threats
of revenge by Iran on Israel, which has not claimed responsibility.
Coupled
with the killing of the senior military commander of the Lebanese group
Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, by Israel in a strike on Beirut last week, concern has
intensified that the conflict in Gaza is turning into a wider Middle East war.
Iran has
said the U.S. bears responsibility in the assassination of Haniyeh because of
its support for Israel.
On
Monday, a rocket attack on al Asad airbase in western Iraq injured seven U.S.
personnel.
Austin
said the United States "will not tolerate" attacks on its personnel.
Asked if
he knew who was behind the attack, Austin added the U.S. was sure it was an
Iran-backed militia, but had not determined which one.
"We're
still investigating to determine that," he said.
Iraq's
military condemned on Tuesday what it called "reckless" actions
against bases on its soil and said it had captured a truck with a rocket
launcher.
A small
truck was seized with a rocket launcher fixed on the back. Eight unfired rockets
were dismantled, the statement said.
A rare
ally of both the U.S. and Iran, Iraq hosts 2,500 U.S. troops and has
Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces. It has witnessed escalating
tit-for-tat attacks since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2564036/middle-east
--------
What
kind of future awaits Hamas after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran?
August
06, 2024
LONDON:
It has been 14 years since Israeli agents carried out one of Mossad’s most
audacious, controversial and, perhaps, pointless assassinations.
On Jan.
19, 2010, Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, the man responsible for procuring weapons for
Hamas, was murdered in a hotel bedroom in Dubai.
It was a
big operation, with many moving parts, involving almost 30 Mossad operatives
who entered Dubai on false passports.
It ended
with Al-Mabhouh being overpowered in his room at the Al-Bustan Rotana and given
a fatal dose of suxamethonium chloride, a drug used in anesthetic cocktails.
To avoid
leaving a tell-tale needle mark, the drug was administered with a device that
used ultrasound to deliver it through the skin. The drug causes paralysis and,
still conscious but with his lungs unable to function, Al-Mabhouh asphyxiated
to death.
The
assassins put him to bed and left, using a Mossad-developed device for putting
hotel-door security chains in place from the outside of the room, hoping that
Al-Mabhouh’s death would be attributed to natural causes.
It might
have been, but for the vigilance of Dubai’s police chief. He suspected foul
play and, by having the comings and goings through Dubai airport before and
after the hit analyzed, and days of hotel security-camera footage examined in
detail, put together a damning portfolio of evidence.
At the
time, the killing was big news. Images of two Mossad agents posing as tennis
players, emerging from an elevator behind Al-Mabhouh, appeared on televisions
and newspapers around the world.
Today,
however, for few outside Hamas or Mossad will the name Al-Mabhouh have any
resonance. Certainly, his killing failed to have any appreciable impact on the
flow of arms to the group.
This
week, the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, chairman of the Hamas political bureau, is
also big news — as was the killing on July 13 of Hamas military leader Mohammed
Deif.
But
soon, says Ahron Bregman, a former officer in the Israeli army and a senior
teaching fellow in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, the
disruption caused by their deaths to the activities and ambitions of Hamas will
disappear, as the ripples caused by a small pebble thrown into a large lake
quickly vanish.
“The
killing of Ismail Haniyeh will not change much as far as Hamas is concerned,”
said Bregman, author of “The Fifty Years War: Israel and the Arabs” and the
memoir “The Spy Who Fell to Earth,” an account of his part in the exposure of
an Egyptian alleged double agent.
“Hamas
is more than rifles, rockets and even leaders. Hamas is an idea.
“If
Israel wants to defeat it, it must offer the Palestinians a better idea — say,
a Palestinian state.
“If such
an idea is not put forward, then Hamas will remain in place and rebuild itself
for future battles with Israel.”
Hamas is
an Islamist militant group that spun off from the Palestinian branch of the
Muslim Brotherhood in the late 1980s. It took over the Gaza Strip after
defeating its rival political party, Fatah, in elections in 2006.
The
sheer number of killings of key Hamas figures carried out by Israel over the
past quarter-century, and the negligible impact of these killings on the
organization’s capabilities or objectives, speaks of a policy being carried out
despite a lack of success — or, perhaps, in accordance with a less obvious, and
probably domestically focused agenda.
Killing
high-profile Hamas targets, and perpetuating the war in the process, makes it
harder for Israelis inclined toward peace to criticize or plot to remove their
wartime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Certainly,
it is not difficult for Netanyahu’s critics to see the killing of Haniyeh as a
deliberate tactic to derail peace talks.
Qatari
Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani put it succinctly on X,
writing: “How can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator
on the other side?”
Israel’s
list of assassinations and attempted assassinations of Hamas leaders is a long
one, and the killings have not always been as subtly carried out as the
necessarily low-key Mossad hit on Al-Mabhouh in Dubai.
One of
the first high-profile targets to be killed was Salah Shehadeh, the leader of
Hamas’ military wing, who was targeted in Gaza on July 23, 2002, by an Israeli
F-16 that dropped a massive bomb on his home.
Such was
the cost in collateral damage — 14 others died, including Shehadeh’s wife and
nine children — that 27 Israeli Air Force pilots had a fit of conscience,
denouncing such attacks as “illegal and immoral” and “a direct result of the
ongoing occupation which is corrupting all of Israeli society.”
The
soul-searching did not last long, however. The toll of senior Hamas leaders has
continued more or less unabated ever since.
Those
who have been killed include Ahmed Yassin, who founded Hamas in 1987. He died
20 years ago, on March 22, 2004, in a hail of missiles fired from Israeli
helicopters as he returned home from morning prayers in Gaza.
He was
succeeded by Abdel Aziz Al-Rantisi, who died in similar fashion just 26 days
later.
Ahmed
Al-Jabari, second-in-command of Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades, was targeted
unsuccessfully five times before succumbing in Gaza City in November 2012 to a
missile fired from a drone.
This
year, unsurprisingly, has been a particularly busy one in terms of Hamas
assassinations carried out by Israel. Hamas deputy and Haniyeh’s right-hand man
Salah Al-Arouri was killed on Jan. 7 in an airstrike in Lebanon that also
claimed the lives of several other senior Hamas commanders.
On March
11, Marwan Issa, deputy commander of Al-Qassam Brigades and Hamas No. 3, died
in an airstrike in Gaza.
But none
of these deaths — individually or taken together — has managed to turn Hamas
from its path or hamper its ability to continue doggedly pursuing its aims
militarily.
Haniyeh’s
death is likely to have no greater immediate impact on Hamas’ capabilities than
the assassinations that have gone before, said John Jenkins, former UK
ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Iraq and a Middle East expert with the Centre
for Geopolitics at Cambridge University.
But it
might signal a change of strategy that bodes ill for any hopes of an immediate
end to conflict.
“In the
past, decapitation hasn’t worked — not with Hamas, nor with Hezbollah, nor
Iran,” he said. “Or, at least, it has disrupted rather than interrupted.”
Israel,
he added, “undoubtedly knows that. But it’s also thought for two decades that
‘mowing the grass’ is the best way to manage the conflict.”
That
policy of simply keeping a lid on the problem “is now over — it collapsed on
Oct. 7, 2023.
“So, the
game now is destruction — of Hamas’ offensive capabilities and its ability to
function as a significant political actor within the occupied Palestinian
territories.
“That
doesn’t mean killing the idea; that’s not possible. It means killing the
capability. That’s why a ceasefire is a long way off.
“Spectacular
assassinations are now part of a wider strategy of dismantling tunnels, command
and control functions, logistics, and so on. That’s the only context in which
they make sense.”
It is,
however, a very dangerous game, with the killings of Haniyeh and Deif in Tehran
and Beirut condemned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last week as “a
dangerous escalation.”
Instead
of Israel rampaging around the region on a killing spree — let alone
assassinating Hamas’ Qatar-based negotiators, such as Haniyeh — “all efforts
should instead be leading to a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli
hostages, a massive increase of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and a
return to calm in Lebanon and across the Blue Line,” said Guterres.
“This
endless cycle,” he added, “needs to stop.”
In an
interview with a British newspaper over the weekend, Amjad Iraqi, an associate
fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa program, warned that
Israel’s increasingly audacious killings were indeed edging the region
dangerously close to a regional war.
“People
are not understanding the gravity of what this is,” he told the Independent.
“There
is a kind of egotistical, unstable dance that all these actors are making with
missiles and with people’s lives, while trying to explain it as calibrated
responses.”
Only a
ceasefire could cool things down, but as things stand, “we are at a very, very
dangerous point.”
The
reality of imminent escalation, said Burcu Ozcelik, senior research fellow for
Middle East security at the Royal United Services Institute, “means that the
‘day after’ and the path to statehood seems even farther away now, with all
sides focusing on the military outcome of the here and now, at the expense of
immense civilian suffering and a viable political solution.”
For its
part, Hamas, “to project resilience and the resolve of its leadership despite
the assassination of Haniyeh, is trying to pivot quickly to appoint a new
political bureau chief.”
A
consultative process is under way “and, until a decision is made, such as the
appointment of Khaled Mashal, for example, ceasefire negotiations cannot
realistically recommence.”
As it
has done many times before, in other words, Hamas will quickly grow a new limb
to replace one that has been amputated.
But “a
more urgent obstacle to restarting talks is that Hamas cannot be authorized to
re-enter a diplomatic phase until Iran declares that the regime and its proxies
have sufficiently retaliated against Israel for the series of high-profile
assassinations, with much speculation around when that might happen.”
The
killing of Haniyeh has, she believes, “cornered Hamas into a dilemma that will
determine how the organization evolves over time.
“On the
one hand, the loss of a recognizable political leader will trigger
radicalization among some Hamas supporters and embolden hardliners among the
military faction such as Yahya Sinwar, his brother and their inner circle.
“On the
other, with Hamas fighters suffering losses inside Gaza and its military
infrastructure downgraded, Hamas will be looking for a lull in the fighting to
recoup and plan ahead.
“But for
Hamas, this is a long game, and it is far from over — key figures inside and
outside Gaza will continue to struggle to consolidate Hamas and its victory
narrative and position it for a role in post-war Gaza.”
Ahron
Bregman agrees that the killing of Haniyeh “might lead to a regional war in
which Iran and Hezbollah could become involved. If the latter happens, it will
play straight into the hands of Hamas’ leader, Yahya Sinwar, whose dream has
always been that his Oct. 7 attack on Israel triggers a regional war.”
The
assassination will also “put on ice any hostage deal, as both leaders,
Netanyahu and Sinwar, are not interested in such a deal at the moment.
“For
Netanyahu, a deal could spell the end of his coalition government. As for
Sinwar, he will wait to see if the assassination at the heart of Tehran, which
humiliated Iran, could lead to a regional war.”
It is
true, Bregman added, that “in recent months, Israel has managed to assassinate
many of the Hamas leaders. Sinwar is quite on his own now, and I’m sure he’s
got very few of the old guard to consult with.
“But
Hamas is bigger and larger than any leader or leaders. When this war is over,
there will still be Hamas — battered, leaner, but still standing and able to
send rockets into Israel.
“The
assassinations are tactical victories for Israel, but there is nothing
strategic in it, not even in the possible killing of Sinwar himself.”
Ultimately,
the cost of Israel’s campaign of assassinations could be borne by Israelis and
Palestinians alike.
The
details of the operation to kill Al-Mabhouh in Dubai in 2010 emerged in the
book “Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted
Assassinations,” published by Israeli historian and investigative journalist
Ronen Bergman in 2018.
Bergman
concluded that, because Israel’s intelligence community had always “provided
Israel’s leaders sooner or later with operational responses to every focused
problem they were asked to solve,” that very success had “fostered the illusion
among most of the nation’s leaders that covert operations could be a strategic
and not just a tactical tool — that they could be used in place of real
diplomacy to end the geographic, ethnic, religious, and national disputes in
which Israel is mired.”
As a
result, Israel’s leaders “have elevated and sanctified the tactical method of
combating terror and existential threats at the expense of the true vision,
statesmanship, and genuine desire to reach a political solution that is
necessary for peace to be attained.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563996/middle-east
--------
Africa
Boko
Haram Terrorists Now Use Elon Musk’s Starlink For Internet Connection
Some
members of the Boko Haram terrorist group have been caught using Starlink, the
super-fast device owned by billionaire Elon Musk in Sambisa Forest.
According
to a counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst, Zagazola Makama, the
Nigerian troops “Operation Hadin Kai” successfully killed a top commander of
the sect, Tahir Baga, and recovered digital connectives like Starlink Wi-Fi
system, mobile phones amongst other weapons.
Starlink
which is owned by the second richest man in the world, announced its presence
in Nigeria in January 2023 with the aim of providing low-cost internet to
remote location in the country and is sold for N450, 000 on pre-order.
The
terrorist group were said to have fled and abandoned the items when they could
no longer withstand the firepower of the Nigerian troops.
Source: leadership.ng
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://leadership.ng/boko-haram-terrorists-now-use-elon-musks-starlink-for-internet-connection/
--------
50
Terrorists Surrender As Troops Arrest 5 Terrorists In Borno
No fewer
than 50 Boko Haram terrorists and their families have surrendered to troops of
Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State.
This is
just as troops acting on actionable intelligence arrested five terrorists and
recovered weapons.
The
Nigerian Army, on its official X handle, said troops on 4 August 2024, while
acting on credible intelligence regarding terrorists’ movements, apprehended
two Boko Haram commanders who infiltrated the Damasak Internally Displaced
Persons (IDP) camp in Mobbar local government area of Borno.
The
statement said, “The suspects, Bana Yamode and Babagana Usman, who claimed to
be visiting their families in the camp, had previously led attacks on troops in
the area”.
The
statement said troops also apprehended two suspected Boko Haram logistics
suppliers, Mallam Mustapha Ismaila (49) and Abdulmudalabi Haruna (30) and
rescued two minors during the operations.
In the
same vein, “50 Boko Haram suspects and their families have surrendered to
troops stationed in Bama, Gwoza, and Dikwa Local Government Areas”.
The
statement said their surrender came at the heels of upscaled operations against
the terrorists.
Meanwhile,
in Yobe State on 4 August 2024, troops acting on credible intelligence arrested
three Boko Haram collaborators at Gubio Market in Gubio local government area.
The
statement added that following a preliminary investigation, “the suspects
admitted to being involved in kidnapping and armed robbery activities in the
general area”.
Items
recovered from the suspects include two motorcycles and several mobile phones.
Also, in
Kogi State, troops arrested a notorious kidnapping kingpin in the Egbe
Community of Yagba local government area.
The
suspect, Mohammed Bello, who belonged to a seven-man syndicate specialized in
kidnapping unsuspecting citizens, has been on the security agencies’ wanted
criminals’ watchlist.
The same
troops, according to the statement, responded to a distress call regarding a
kidnapping incident involving the former Chairman of the Kabba local government
area.
The
troops engaged the terrorists in Egbe Forest, capturing one suspect and
rescuing the victim, adding that the rescued victim has since been reunited
with his family.
Relatedly,
troops in Ebonyi State responded to a distress call about a kidnap incident in
the Ezza-Umuhuali Village of Ishielu local government area.
The
statement said troops aborted the kidnap attempt and arrested a suspect in
possession of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, 48 different
international passports, and other assorted items.
Meanwhile,
troops deployed in Jigawa State also arrested nine hoodlums involved in looting
a shop in Kazaure town.
The
recovered items include 255 bags of fertilizer, three bags of rice, a solar
panel, and five motorcycles from the looters.
In a
similar development in Plateau State, troops arrested five suspected cultists
and recovered a locally made pistol and a cartridge.
The
troops also apprehended a suspect involved in motorcycle theft at Kara Market
in Jos North Local Government area.
Source: leadership.ng
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://leadership.ng/50-terrorists-surrender-as-troops-arrest-5-terrorists-in-borno/
--------
Protest:
It Is Shameful To Attack Mosques, Churches – Defense Chief
6 August
2024
The
Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on Tuesday, condemned
miscreants who hid under the guise of protest to attack Mosques and Churches,
describing the act as shameful.
Musa who
slammed those who vandalised the places of worship, reiterated that the
military would not tolerate further acts of destruction by the hoodlums as it
was done in Kano, Kaduna and other places.
While
speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, on Tuesday, he said that
the Nigerian military loves democracy and shall protect it.
The
Defence Chief said, “Those hoisting flags of other countries in Nigeria were
not doing the right. It’s wrong.”
Musa
further stated, that they have been watching keenly how the police were
battling with the situation and would not fold their arms and allow the
situation to deteriorate.
Meanwhile,
the Military and other security agencies in Nigeria have launched a search for
those calling for a coup in the country and trying to force an undemocratic
change of government.
This was
disclosed Musa, during a joint press briefing by security chiefs on Tuesday,
August 6, at the Defence Headquarters Abuja.
Musa
said it is clear that those calling for a change of government are sponsored,
hence the military is trailing and will arrest those sponsors.
He added
that some sponsors of rioters flying foreign flags have been arrested, while
their bank accounts have been frozen.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2024/08/06/protest-it-is-shameful-to-attack-mosques-churches-defense-chief/
--------
Army
captures Boko Haram commanders, logistics suppliers in Borno
The
Nigerian Army said troops in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the
North-East have captured two Boko Haram commanders, Bana Yamode and Babagana
Usman, and apprehended two suspected Boko Haram logistics suppliers, Mallam
Mustapha Ismaila and Abdulmudalabi Haruna, in Borno State.
Director
of Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu disclosed this in a
statement on Tuesday.
According
to the statement, Yamode and Usman were captured after they infiltrated the
Damasak Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Mobbar Local Government Area
of Borno State on Sunday, August 4.
Troops
acting on credible intelligence regarding terrorists’ movements were said to
have apprehended the suspects.
The Army
said the suspects, who claimed to be visiting their families in the camp, had
previously led attacks on troops in the area.
The
troops also apprehended two suspected Boko Haram logistic suppliers, Mallam
Mustapha Ismaila, 49, and Abdulmudalabi Haruna, 30, and rescued two minors
during the operations, the Army said.
“Meanwhile,
50 Boko Haram suspects and their families have surrendered to troops stationed
in Bama, Gwoza, and Dikwa Local Government Areas. The surrendering came at the
heels of upscaled operations against the terrorists.
“In
another operation in Yobe State on 4 August 2024, three Boko Haram
collaborators were arrested at Gubio Market in Gubio Local Government Area.
During preliminary investigation, the suspects admitted to being involved in
kidnapping and armed robbery activities in the general area. Items recovered
from the suspects include two motorcycles and several mobile phones.
“In Kogi
State, troops arrested a notorious kidnapping kingpin in Egbe Community of
Yagba Local Government Area. The suspect, Mohammed Bello, who belonged to a
seven-man syndicate specialized in kidnapping unsuspecting citizens, has been
on the security agencies’ wanted criminals’ watchlist.
“The
same troops responded to a distress call regarding a kidnapping incident
involving the former Chairman of Kabba Local Government Area. They engaged the
terrorists in Egbe Forest, capturing one suspect and rescuing the victim. He
has since been reunited with his family,” the Army said.
The Army
further disclosed that troops in Ebonyi State responded to a distress call
about a kidnap incident in Ezza-Umuhuali Village of Ishielu Local Government
Area.
“The
troops aborted the kidnap attempt and arrested a suspect in possession of an
Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, 48 different international passports, and
other assorted items,” the statement reads in part.
Source: thesun.ng
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thesun.ng/army-captures-boko-haram-commanders-logistics-suppliers-in-borno/
--------
ICC's
bi-annual review of Darfur crimes delivered to UN Council
07-08-24
On
Monday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan addressed
the United Nations Security Council in New York to deliver his bi-annual report
on Darfur.
While
the Council referred the matter to the ICC in 2005, the main focus has been on
crimes that took place after April 2023.
Karim
Khan remarked, “To those on the ground today in Darfur, I am addressing both
the Sudanese armed forces and the rapid support forces, to those that are
aiding and abetting them, that are encouraging them, that are funding them,
that are supplying them with weapons, that are giving orders, that are gaining
certain advantages, I want to be crystal clear that we are investigating."
The
prosecutor previously mentioned the ongoing crimes in North Darfur and the
regional capital of El Fasher.
Karim
Khan expressed confidence and optimism that his next report will include a
request for arrest warrants for several key individuals involved in the ongoing
situation.
"We're
using our resources as effectively as we can to make sure that the events also
since April of last year, are subjected to the principles of international
humanitarian law,” he concluded.
Karim
Khan also sought the cooperation of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by
General Hemedti.
He
condemned the financial and political support for the militias and the inaction
of the international community.
Beyond
the civil war in Sudan, the prosecutor highlighted the cases of former
president Omar al-Bashir, who has never been handed over, and former minister
Ahmed Harun, who reportedly moves freely.
The
prosecutor called for Sudan's cooperation in their arrest. Since 2005, only one
trial against a Janjaweed leader has taken place in The Hague.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/08/06/iccs-bi-annual-review-of-darfur-crimes-delivered-to-un-council/
--------
Ukraine
denies involvement in Mali attack, says cutting ties 'short-sighted'
07-08-24
Ukraine
on Monday August 5 criticized Mali's decision to sever diplomatic ties, calling
it short-sighted and hasty. Kyiv stated that no evidence had been provided to
implicate Ukraine in the fighting that resulted in the deaths of Malian
soldiers and Russian mercenaries last month.
The West
African nation announced on Sunday it was immediately ending relations with
Ukraine following comments from Ukraine's military spy agency regarding the
late July clashes in northern Mali.
Tuareg
rebels claimed responsibility for the incident, reporting they had killed at
least 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers. This incident
appears to be Wagner's most significant defeat since they began assisting
Mali's military authorities against insurgent groups two years ago.
"It
is regrettable that Mali decided to sever relations without thoroughly
examining the facts and circumstances of the incident and without providing any
evidence of Ukraine's involvement," the Ukrainian foreign ministry stated.
Following
the clashes, Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military spy agency,
mentioned on television that Malian rebels had received the
"necessary" information to carry out the attack.
Ukraine,
which has been fending off Russian troops for over 29 months since Russia's
full-scale invasion, did not confirm its involvement in the incident in its
statement.
Mali
expressed "deep shock" over the "subversive remarks,"
interpreting them as an admission of involvement. Mali condemned these actions
as violations of its sovereignty and equated them to supporting international
terrorism.
Over the
weekend, Senegalese authorities summoned Ukraine’s ambassador, Yurii Pyvovarov,
accusing him of supporting the attack in a since-deleted video posted on the
Ukrainian embassy’s Facebook account.
The
accusations against Kyiv come at a time of fraying relations between the West
and coup-affected Sahel nations. Following military takeovers in Mali, Burkina
Faso and Niger in recent years, the juntas have expelled French and U.S forces
and turned to Russia’s mercenary units for security assistance.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/08/06/mali-cuts-diplomatic-ties-with-ukraine/
--------
Essential
supplies blockade threatens lives in North Darfur
07-08-24
The UN
declared on Tuesday that the humanitarian crisis in Sudan is a complete
disaster, as the nation suffers from nearly 16 months of conflict between
opposing factions.
Edem
Wosornu, the Director of Operations and Advocacy at the Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), criticized the blockade of
essential supplies that endangers the lives of malnourished children in North
Darfur, Sudan as "an entirely man-made crisis" and "a shameful
stain on their collective conscience" during a Security Council meeting on
Tuesday.
She
said, “When famine happens, it means we are too late. It means we did not do
enough. It means we, the international community, have failed. This is an
entirely man-made crisis and a shameful stain on our collective conscience.”
Stephen
Omollo, the Assistant Executive Director for Workplace and Management,
announced that the Famine Review Committee has determined that famine exists in
the Zamzam camp, located near El Fasher in North Darfur.
He
mentioned that they cautioned that aid organizations were being prevented from
reaching crucial areas of the country where food and other vital supplies are
needed.
However,
he noted that these warnings have gone unheeded.
Al-Harith
Idriss al-Harith Mohamed, Sudan's Permanent Representative to the United
Nations, stated, “We have previously emphasized the need for the Security
Council to denounce the nations supplying weapons and logistical aid to the
RSF, as their involvement exacerbates the conflict. This situation is worsening
the humanitarian crisis. Some major countries have outright refused to support
the inclusion of a condemnation of the RSF in resolution 2736... ”
An aid
organization reports that malnourished children in a famine-stricken camp for
war-displaced individuals in Sudan's western Darfur region face a high risk of
death.
This
situation arises because the group has had to limit malnutrition treatment due
to a blockade enforced by a well-known paramilitary group.
Al-Harith
Idriss stated, "Regarding the issue of famine, if we are experiencing a
fifth or even a hundredth phase of IPC famine, we are ready to work together
with you and will ensure the smooth delivery of humanitarian assistance."
Over
25.6 million individuals, which is more than half of Sudan's population, are
experiencing severe hunger.
The
Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan this year is set at $2.7 billion, but it
is less than one-third funded, having received only $872 million by early
August, as reported by the United Nations.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2024/08/07/essential-supplies-blockade-threatens-lives-in-north-darfur/
--------
South Asia
Taliban
suspends licenses of 17 local media outlets in Nangarhar province
August
6, 2024
The
Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that the Taliban Ministry of
Communications and Information Technology has suspended the licenses of 17
local media outlets in Nangarhar province.
The
ministry stated that the licenses of these media outlets were suspended due to
non-payment of taxes.
According
to the Afghanistan Journalists Center, the Taliban’s Ministry of Communications
and Information Technology has warned that these media outlets will not be
allowed to operate until they settle their “frequency tax” dues.
The
Afghanistan Journalists Center expressed concern on Monday, August 5, over the
suspension of activities of these media outlets and criticized the Taliban
ministry’s decision as unfair. They urged Taliban authorities to reconsider
their decision.
The
Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that since the Taliban took power in
Afghanistan in August 2021, the operations of private television station Enikas
Radio and Nargis and Islah radios in Nangarhar province have been halted.
The
center added that currently, 14 radios are active in this province.
The
report stated that the Taliban has not yet halted the publications of these
media outlets but has warned their owners that if they do not pay the
obligatory taxes, their publications will be stopped.
This
organization supporting media outlets mentioned that radios and local
television stations in Nangarhar, as a first-class province, are obligated to
pay an annual tax of 108,000 Afghanis. The center acknowledges that these media
outlets owe back taxes ranging from one to ten years.
The
suppression of independent media and restrictions on journalism have
intensified in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, leading to concerns about press freedom
and access to information.
The
international community has raised alarms about the deteriorating situation of
media freedom in Afghanistan and has called on the Taliban to uphold press
freedoms and allow journalists to operate without fear of reprisals or
censorship.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-suspends-licenses-of-17-local-media-outlets-in-nangarhar-province/
--------
Iran
reports detention and deportation of thousands of Afghan refugees
August
7, 2024
Majid
Shoja, the General Commander of Border Forces in Iran’s Khorasan Razavi
Province, announced that since the beginning of this year, 15,000 illegal
immigrants have been arrested in the province and sent back to Afghanistan.
The
Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported on Tuesday, August 6, that Majid
Shoja made these remarks during a press conference.
He once
again emphasized the measures at the country’s borders and added that towers
equipped with radar systems and advanced cameras would be built on the eastern
borders with Afghanistan.
According
to Majid Shoja, the construction of these towers will take two years, and the
goal is to prevent the entry of illegal immigrants and the smuggling of weapons
and drugs.
It is
worth noting that, despite reactions, the process of deporting and arresting
Afghan immigrants from Iran and Pakistan continues.
Additionally,
Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesperson for the Taliban, stated that 4,000 Afghan
immigrants have been released from Iranian prisons and returned to their
country after negotiations with the Iranian government.
Meanwhile,
the process of detaining, deporting, and mistreating Afghan migrants in Iran,
Pakistan, and Turkey has consistently faced criticism from human rights
organizations.
These
developments highlight the complex dynamics of regional migration as countries
like Iran and Pakistan continue to grapple with large influxes of Afghan
immigrants.
The
measures being implemented, such as the construction of advanced surveillance
towers, underscore the seriousness with which these nations are addressing the
issues of illegal immigration and smuggling.
The
ongoing situation calls for a collaborative international effort to address the
root causes of migration and ensure that the rights and dignity of migrants are
respected. The role of human rights organizations is crucial in advocating for
fair treatment and humane policies, urging governments to balance border
security with compassion and understanding for those fleeing difficult
circumstances.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/iran-reports-detention-and-deportation-of-thousands-of-afghan-refugees/
--------
Iran’s
East Azerbaijan enforces strict ban on Afghan migrants, even with residency
permits
August
6, 2024
The
Deputy Prosecutor of East Azerbaijan announced on Monday that Afghan nationals’
activities in the province are prohibited, with severe penalties for violators.
Ahmad
Moghri added that even those Afghans holding residency permits are not allowed
to stay in the province.
According
to Iranian media, Moghri pointed to the influx of Afghan migrants into Iran
following the Taliban takeover, alleging “tangible crimes” by them.
He
stated, “Based on higher decisions and documents, residency of Afghan
nationals, even with permits, is prohibited in some provinces, including East
Azerbaijan.”
Moghri
emphasized that industrial complexes in Iran are employing Afghan migrant labor,
urging judicial and law enforcement bodies to take serious action against
employing companies.
The ban
on residency and activities of Afghan migrants in various cities of Iran,
including East Azerbaijan, is not a new phenomenon.
Despite
recent harsh crackdowns against Afghan migrants, Iranian authorities
continuously highlight Afghan migrants’ role in unemployment and crimes in the
country.
The
International Organization for Migration reported that about 70% of Afghans
migrate to Iran due to a lack of job opportunities in their own country.
Afghan
migrants in Iran not only face the threat of deportation but also encounter
discriminatory and violent behavior from some Iranian citizens.
Human
Rights Watch warned on Monday about the increasing government and societal
discrimination against Afghan migrants in Iran, describing the treatment of
Afghan migrants in the country as “catastrophic.”
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/irans-east-azerbaijan-enforces-strict-ban-on-afghan-migrants-even-with-residency-permits/
--------
Afghanistan
Taekwondo Team heads to China for Asian Championship
August
6, 2024
The
National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan announced that a three-member team from
the National Taekwondo ITF Federation is heading to China for the Asia
Championship Cup.
In a
press release on Tuesday, August 6, the committee stated that the National
Taekwondo ITF Federation’s team, in collaboration with the General Directorate
of Physical Education and Sports of Afghanistan, will participate in the Asia
Championship Cup.
The
competition is scheduled to take place from August 6 to 8 in the city of Wuxi,
China.
The Asia
Championship Cup will feature athletes from eight countries across Central Asia
competing against each other.
The
farewell ceremony for this team was attended by Hafiz Ahmad Zadran, Technical
and Vocational Deputy Head of the General Directorate of Physical Education and
Sports of Afghanistan, and Hamidullah Safi, Acting Technical and Vocational
Head of the Directorate, along with the athletes.
Despite
ongoing humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, sports continue to serve as a
beacon of hope and resilience for its people.
However,
Afghan athletes face numerous challenges, including limited resources, security
concerns, and international isolation, which often hamper their ability to
train and compete effectively on a global stage.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-taekwondo-team-heads-to-china-for-asian-championship/
--------
Significant
tax reductions announced for gas, oil pump stations, restaurants
August
7, 2024
KABUL:
Based on the decree of the Lead er of the Islamic Emirate Shaikh Mullah
Hibatullah Akhundzada, significant tax exemptions and discounts on the fixed
taxes for pump stations and profit taxes for hotels, have been announced by the
Ministry of Finance, the ministry said in a statement Tuesday. A conference was
organized by the Ministry of Finance at the Government Media and Information
Center (GMIC), attended by the Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs
Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi and representatives from the oil pump stations and
hotel unions, the statement said. Addressing the ceremony, Mullah Abdul Qahar
Edris, the Deputy Minister of Finance stated that the Islamic Emirate is
committed to improving services across all areas, striving to enhance
facilities in princi ples, with compassion and kindness toward the people. He
added that the concerns of taxpayers are always solved, and a positive response
has been given to their requests regarding tax discounts. “The previous
exemption for shopkeepers has been increased from 150,000 to 2,000,000 Afghani,
and the tax rate has been decreased from 0.5% to 0.3%. Additionally, based on
the decree of the Leader, significant reductions have been made in the fixed
tax for gas and oil pump stations and the profit tax for restaurants,” the
statement quoted him as saying. Mullah Edris noted that previously, hotels and
mobile restaurants with quarterly sales of less than 750,000 Afghani were faced
with a profit tax of 2% and with higher sales 5% and now based on the decree,
the profit tax has been reduced to 2% for all. Furthermore, he said the fixed
tax on gas and oil pump stations has been reduced from 0.6 Afghani per liter to
0.3 Afghani per liter. Meanwhile, Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi underscored that
the Islamic Emirate is committed to providing facilities and good services for
all Afghan citizens and added that to facilitate tax matters, previous tax
crimes have been exempted. Hanafi emphasized that, based on the decree of the
Leader the tax on gas and oil pump stations has been reduced from 0.6 Afghani
per liter to 0.3 Afghani per liter, and the profit tax on hotels has been set
at 2%. The Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/significant-tax-reductions-announced-for-gas-oil-pump-stations-restaurants/
--------
Bilal
Karimi discusses bilateral relations with Chinese envoy
August
7, 2024
BEIJING:
The Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate to China, Mawlavi Bilal Karimi, in a
meeting with Yuxiao Yong, the Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of China for Afghanistan, discussed enhancing bilateral relations
between the two countries, the embassy said in a statement Tuesday. Both sides
discussed several important issues including further developing political
relations between China and Afghanistan, strengthening good relations, and
enhancing economic connectivity through mutual interaction with neighboring and
regional countries, the statement said. According to the statement, trade,
transit, consular matters, and other bilateral issues have been discussed in
the meeting. Evaluating the current political and economic relations between
China and Afghanistan, both sides emphasized the need for continued efforts in
this regard. The Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/bilal-karimi-discusses-bilateral-relations-with-chinese-envoy/
--------
State-owned
Bakhtar cotton, oil factory resumes operation after 15 years
August
7, 2024
MAZAR-E-SHARIF:
The state-owned Bakhtar cotton and oil factory has resumed operation after 15
years, producing 3,700 kilograms of oil within 24 hours. Mohammad Siddiq
Barati, the operational manager of the state-owned Bactrian Cotton Oil Factory
said the factory has the capacity to produce top-quality oil. The factory
currently produces 3,700 kilograms of oil within a 24-hour period, Barati said,
adding that with the activation of additional machinery, production levels are
projected to increase to as high as 6,000 kilograms of oil daily. The Kabul
Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/state-owned-bakhtar-cotton-oil-factory-resumes-operation-after-15-years/
--------
Pakistan
CJP Isa,
family donate thousands of square feet of land to Balochistan
August
06, 2024
Chief
Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and his family have announced to donate
31,680 square feet of land to the Balochistan government on the occasion of the
country’s 77th Independence Day.
In a
letter, signed by the chief justice and Qazi Azmat Isa and addressed to the
Balochistan government, the family said the land was donated to be used as an
environmental centre "for the people's benefit".
They
said they wanted to donate their land which lies adjacent to the Quaid-e-Azam's
Residency in the Ziarat district.
The
letter said the land was donated for the benefit of the people to use as an
environmental centre, and they licensed it to the Government of Balochistan
free of charge.
"Pakistan
is approaching 77 years of Independence and, if the government agrees, we would
want this gift for the people to take effect on the auspicious day of 14 August
2024," read the letter.
Copies
of the letter, dated August 2, 2024, have been dispatched to the president,
prime minister, Balochistan governor and Balochistan chief minister.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1217209-cjp-isa-family-donate-thousands-of-square-feet-of-land-to-balochistan
--------
Talks
with Jamaat-e-Islami to resume today: Attaullah
August
07, 2024
Minister
for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said talks with
Jamaat-e-Islami over their demands will resume today.
Talking
to the media, the minister said the government team had a productive discussion
with the JI which will bring positive outcomes.
The
government team earlier arrived in the Office of the Commissioner Rawalpindi
for the talks with the JI.
The
government team included Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah
Tarar, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam,
Minister for Energy Awais Leghari, Prime Minister’s Media Coordinator Badar
Shahbaz and Senior Leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Dr. Tariq Fazal
Chaudhry.
The
members of the technical committee were also present in the meeting. Liaquat
Baloch was leading the delegation of the JI.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/07-08-2024/talks-with-jamaat-e-islami-to-resume-today-attaullah
--------
Deputy
PM in Saudi Arabia to attend OIC meeting
August
07, 2024
Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar is in Saudi Arabia to
participate in the Extraordinary Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee to be
held today.
Extraordinary
Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee has been convened to discuss the ongoing
Israeli aggression against Palestine and other regional states at the request
of the State of Palestine and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
At the
Extraordinary Meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister will present Pakistan’s
serious concerns about the dire situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East
region besides emphasizing urgency of peace and provision of relief assistance
to people of Gaza.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/07-08-2024/deputy-pm-in-to-participate-in-oic-meeting#google_vignette
--------
Pakistani
with ‘ties to Iran’ charged over assassination plot in US
August
7, 2024
WASHINGTON:
A Pakistani national — with alleged ties to Iran — was charged in a New York
federal court on Tuesday over a plot to assassinate a US politician, and other
officials on American soil.
Although
CNN quoted an official as saying that ex-president Donald Trump and other
current and former government officials were the intended targets of the plot,
the White House clarified there was no connection between this matter and the
assassination attempt against the Republican presidential nominee in Butler,
Pennsylvania.
The
criminal complaint, unsealed in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York,
announced the arrest and charging of Asif Raza Merchant, 46, in a
“murder-for-hire” plot as “part of a scheme to assassinate a US politician or
government officials on US soil.”
“This
dangerous murder-for-hire plot was allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani
national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,”
said FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Documents
revealed that the defendant was a Karachi resident with alleged ties to Tehran.
Merchant told investigators he has a wife and children in Iran, and a separate
family in Pakistan.
Law
enforcement “foiled the charged plot before any attack could be carried out.
Merchant is in federal custody in New York,” the document added.
The
court documents, however, clarified that “charges in the complaint are
allegations, and Merchant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
Details
of alleged plot
According
to court documents, in April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant
arrived in the US from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed could assist
him with the scheme. That person reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement
and became a confidential source for US law enforcement.
In early
June, Merchant met the source in New York and explained his assassination plot.
Merchant told the person that the opportunity he had for the source was not a
one-time opportunity and that there would be multiple chances to carry it out.
Merchant then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the
opportunity was related to a killing.
Merchant
further stated that the intended victims would be “targeted here,” meaning in
the US, and instructed the source to arrange meetings with individuals whom
Merchant could hire to carry out these actions.
At that
meeting, Merchant began planning potential assassination scenarios and quizzed
the source on how he would kill a target in various scenarios. Specifically,
Merchant asked the source to explain how the target would die in different
scenarios. Merchant told the source that there would be “security all around”
the person.
The
source asked whether Merchant had spoken to the unidentified “party” back home
with whom Merchant was working. He responded that he had and that the party
back home told him to “finalise” the plan and leave the US.
In
mid-June, Merchant met with the purported hitmen, who were, in fact, undercover
US law enforcement officers in New York. He advised them that he was looking
for three services: theft of documents, arranging protests at political
rallies, and killing a “political person.”
Merchant
stated that the hitmen would receive instructions on who to kill either the
last week of August or the first week of September, after Merchant had departed
the US.
He then
began arranging to obtain $5,000 in cash to pay the would-be hitmen as an
advance payment for the assassination, which he eventually received with
assistance from an individual overseas.
Merchant
subsequently made flight arrangements and planned to leave the US on July 12.
However, he was placed under arrest before he could leave the country.
Reaction
from Pakistan
Officials
at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, which currently does not have an
ambassador, said they were reviewing the matter and were not yet in a position
to comment.
Meanwhile,
in a statement issued from Islamabad in the early hours of Wednesday, the
Foreign Office spokesperson acknowledged that they were in touch with US
authorities over the “ongoing investigation” and awaiting further details.
“Before
giving our formal reaction, we also need to be sure of the antecedents of the
individual in question,” the statement said.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1850575
--------
Soldier
martyred in South Waziristan
August
7, 2024
SOUTH
WAZIRISTAN: A spldier was martyred and another injured when unidentified armed
men attacked an FC check post in tehsil Birmal of South Waziristan district on
Tuesday morning.
Officials
said Lance Naik Numan was martyred while Havaldar Nabiullah was injured in
the exchange of fire with the attackers. “The attack was repulsed by the
retaliatory action by the FC personnel,” they said.
Meanwhile,
two persons were killed when unknown armed men riding a car opened fire on them
in the Landi Doag area of Birmal on Monday. The attackers managed to escape
after committing the crime.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1850606/soldier-martyred-in-south-waziristan
--------
Pak-China
trade, travel suspended as GB traders’ protest intensifies
August
7, 2024
GILGIT:
The ongoing protest by Gilgit-Baltistan traders against the Federal Board of
Revenue and Pakistan Customs has intensified, with protesters blocking the Karakoram
Highway (KKH), also a key CPEC route, suspending travel and trade between
Pakistan and China through Khunjerab Pass.
A large
number of foreign passengers, including tourists from the United Kingdom,
Spain, France, as well as China, who were travelling to China from Pakistan,
have been stranded at Sost.
The
protest outside Sost Dry Port by those affiliated with trade between Pakistan
and China through Khunjerab Pass entered the 13th day, as they pressed the
authorities to implement court decision and meet their demands.
The
protest has resulted in foreign and local passengers being unable to travel by
road to the neighbouring country.
While
some foreigners have now been allowed to travel, local passengers and
transporters have not been able to cross the border for five consecutive days.
Foreign
tourists stranded at Sost
A
protest sit-in was staged on the KKH in Sost, blocking exit and entry points
between the two countries. The protest sit-ins continued outside Sost Dry Port
and on KKH, blocking all trade and travel operations between the two countries.
Over 50
foreign tourists, who arrived at Sost to travel to China via Khunjerab Pass,
remained stranded at Sost Dry Port due to the protest.
The
foreign tourists faced problems as some of their visas have expired. The
travellers joined the sit-in of the traders and showed their solidarity,
appealing to the protesters to allow them to travel to China. However, the
organisers asked the foreigners to wait for one day for a decision.
The
protest sit-ins at both points were attended by traders, labourers,
transporters, custom clearing agents, and workers from political, religious,
and social organisations.
Addressing
the protest, Javed Hussain, Mohammad Abbas, Mehboob Rabbani, and others said
trade activities between Pakistan and China had remained suspended for many
months due to the policies adopted by Pakistan Customs officials.
Judiciary,
legislature
The GB
chief court has already declared the collection of income tax, sales tax, and
additional sales tax on imported items from China through Khunjerab Pass as
unlawful. Later, the GB chief court divisional bench also issued contempt of
court notices to the respondents.
Additionally,
the GB assembly had unanimously passed a resolution favouring the traders’
demands.
‘Conspiracy
against Pak-China ties’
The
protesters blamed the Customs member, chief collector North, and GB customs
collector for the worsening situation, alleging that they were responsible for
a “conspiracy” against Pakistan and China’s friendship and historical linkages
between both regions.
They
demanded that the officials be suspended immediately and a high-level inquiry
be ordered against them. They announced that they would call off the protest
after the fulfilment of their demands.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1850613/pak-china-trade-travel-suspended-as-gb-traders-protest-intensifies
--------
Resolution
on Kashmir supported by all but one lawmaker
August 7,
2024
ISLAMABAD:
The National Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution rejecting India’s
unilateral revocation of held-Kashmir’s special status, which was approved with
consensus, amid opposition from one lawmaker.
The
Youm-i-Istehsaal-i-Kashmir Day Resolution, tabled by Safron and Kashmir Affairs
Minister Amir Muqam, demanded that India release Kashmiri political prisoners,
provide humanitarian aid, stop the ongoing violations of human rights and
sincerely implement the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security
Council, so that the Kashmiri people can determine their future through the
democratic process of a fair and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the
United Nations.
The
House reiterates its moral, political and diplomatic support to the struggle of
the Kashmiri people for the right to self-determination and pays tribute to
their courage and bravery, it read.
Taking
the floor on a point of order following the passage of the resolution, PkMAP
chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai said he had opposed the resolution as he had not
been allowed to move an amendment to the draft.
In a
hard-hitting speech, parts of which were censored in the NA livestream, Mr
Achakzai said they had always supported freedom movements, but the people of
Kashmir should be asked which country they wanted to join.
He said
if they wanted to join Pakistan of their own free will, they would be welcomed.
Mr
Achakzai also hit out at the speaker for not allowing him to speak on the
resolution and called him a ‘havaldar’.
In response,
the speaker said he was proud of being called a “havaldar”, as they were the
frontline defenders of the country.
He also
told Mr Achakzai that his opposition to the resolution had been recorded.
Speaking
on a point of order, PPP MNA Shazia Marri regretted that Mr Achakzai had
opposed the resolution.
Later,
PTI members Ali Muhammad Khan and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan clarified that their
party had supported the resolution on the Kashmir issue.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1850577/resolution-on-kashmir-supported-by-all-but-one-lawmaker
--------
Senate
body takes up journalists protection bill
August
7, 2024
ISLAMABAD:
A Senate panel on Tuesday reviewed the private member bill titled ‘The
Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (Amendment) Bill, 2022’,
proposing the establishment of a commission to provide immediate relief to
journalists against torture and other woes.
The bill
was discussed during the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on
Information and Broadcasting chaired by Senator Syed Ali Zafar.
The
bill’s mover, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, argued that the purpose of the bill
was to protect journalists, their families and properties.
“The
bill proposes the establishment of a commission to provide immediate relief to
journalists against torture and other calamities,” he said.
Members
of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) said that the lawful
definition of “journalists” varied in different areas and should be
standardised everywhere.
The bill
also proposed clauses to protect the sources of journalists. The committee,
after a detailed discussion, deferred further deliberations until the next
meeting.
The
committee also discussed the ‘Punjab Defamation Act’ where Senator Irfan
Siddiqui said that the committee had no right to review legislation passed by
provincial governments, as the matter fell under the ambit of the provinces
following the 18th Amendment.
Senator
Zafar emphasised that the purpose of the law should be to balance fundamental
rights and freedoms, rather than to diminish one at the expense of the other.
The
Senate committee decided to hold an exclusive session to discuss the impact of
flawed defamation acts on society and freedom of expression.
The
meeting was also attended by senators Pervaiz Rashid, Sarmad Ali, Aon Abbas,
Mohammad Tallal Badar, Abdul Shakoor Khan, Jan Mohammad, Ashraf Ali Jatoi,
Zarqa Suharwardhy Taimur and Manzoor Ahmed Kakar as well as Information
Minister Attaullah Tarar.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1850540/senate-body-takes-up-journalists-protection-bill
--------
Baloch
rights group BYC rejects ‘proxy’ label, calls for independent inquiry over
allegations
August
6, 2024
The
Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on Tuesday rejected the label of “proxy of
terrorist organisations and criminal mafias” used for it recently by the
military and called for an independent inquiry of all allegations against the
group.
The BYC
kicked off a protest in Gwadar on July 28, following arrests and deadly clashes
with security forces, against alleged human rights violations and exploitation
of the province’s resources.
Prominent
leaders were arrested in the ensuing days, prompting widespread protests. The
BYC signed an agreement with the provincial government on August 2 and agreed
to end the protest following the fulfilment of its demands, including the
release of all those arrested.
However,
distrust between the government and BYC leadership deepened after fresh
recriminations over the killing of a protester in Noshki and demonstrations by
the group are still ongoing.
A day
ago, the military spokesperson denounced the rights movement and alleged that the
“proxy” was tasked to defame and spread propaganda against law enforcement
agencies, as well as make development projects in the province controversial.
“The
method of action is through gathering a mob through foreign funding and a
foreign stance, persuade innocent citizens around that mob, challenge the
state’s writ … and feign innocence when the state responds,” the spokesperson
had said.
In a
rejoinder to the allegations issued today, the BYC rejected the label and said
the military spokesperson’s press conference against the group only served to
vindicate and endorse the BYC’s stance.
The BYC
called for the military to set up an inquiry committee through a neutral third
party or human rights organisation to investigate the allegations against the
group, saying it would present itself before any court if the claims were
proved correct.
It
alleged that it was the practice of the army to silence dissent and suppress
regional political movements through various monikers and labels.
The BYC
maintained that it was a peaceful political movement of the people with strong
popular support, strength and power throughout Balochistan.
The
group made it clear that it would not retreat from its public struggle or
buckle down due to any pressure but would further organise and intensify its
campaign against the myriad human rights issues in the province such as
extrajudicial killings and abductions.
“Being
an external proxy or being externally funded is not part of our political
traditions. Our struggle is and will continue to be based on principle and
ideology, and our strength is only the Baloch people.”
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1850495/baloch-rights-group-byc-rejects-proxy-label-calls-for-independent-inquiry-over-allegations
--------
PTI's
Raoof Hasan released from Adiala Jail
August
06, 2024
RAWALPINDI:
After securing a bail from an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad earlier
today, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Raoof Hasan was
released from Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail on Tuesday.
The ATC
issued mandamus (robkar) for Hasan's release after approving his bail plea in a
terror financing case earlier in the day.
His
counsels Shaista Khosa and Raja Yasir Rauf received him outside the Rawalpindi
prison.
Earlier,
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra approved the PTI politician's bail petition against
surety bonds worth Rs200,000.
Hasan,
who was sent by the ATC on a 14-day judicial remand at the Adiala Jail on
Saturday in the aforementioned case, was nominated in the case after his
co-accused — PTI International Media Coordinator Ahmed Waqas Janjua — named him
for his alleged role in providing financial support to terrorists.
The
court, on August 3, had dismissed the bail plea of Janjua.
Meanwhile,
the PTI secretary general was sent on a 14-day judicial remand at the Adiala
Jail after court orders on Saturday in the aforementioned case.
On July
22, the politician and others were taken into custody by the Islamabad Police
and subsequently handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Hasan
was not initially named in the terrorism FIR but was arrested based on Janjua's
statement — alleging he gave him Rs300,000 to spread terror — on July 31.
Bukhari
contended that physical remand was unnecessary for recovering the money.
At the
hearing today, Hasan was being represented by his lawyer Ali Bukhari and party
lawyer-turned-lawmaker Ali Zafar, while Prosecutor Raja Naveed was also present
at the court.
At the
outset of the case's hearing, Hasan's lawyer said that his client was not named
in the case and that his name was later added to it.
Addressing
the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) investigating officer of the case, Judge
Sipra asked: "Was the third suspect arrested?"
The
officer responded saying that the third accused had not yet been arrested.
Meanwhile,
PTI leader Ali Zafar lamented the filing of cases by opponents for political
vengeance.
Prosecutor
Naveed told the court that Hasan was named in the case immediately after
Janjua's statement was recorded.
"The
police learned that Raoof Hasan had given money to buy explosives," he
said, addressing the judge, adding that the provisions against the PTI leader
are non-bailable.
The
prosecutor requested that the court reject Hasan's bail petition.
The
judge later asked the prosecutor if money was recovered from Janjua or Hasan.
Responding to this, he said: " Money recovered from Ahmed Waqas Janjua was
given by Raoof Hasan."
Hasan's
lawyer argued that it is important to see his client's status in the terrorism
case.
"On
July 30, Raoof Hassan was arrested in the terrorism case. He was not named in
the case. The FIR is blind," said the lawyer.
He added
that his client was accused of financing explosives, but he was neither arrested
along with explosives nor from the scene. "Raoof Hasan was nominated in
the terrorism case without any evidence."
Bukhari
further argued that the provisions would be enforced if his client had done
something.
"There
is no evidence against Raoof Hasan that directly links him to the crime. Ahmad
Waqas Janjua's statement is not presented, but Raoof Hasan has been
nominated," he said.
The
lawyer argued that Raoof Hasan is arrested in another case as soon as he is
granted bail. He, before completing his arguments, insisted that his client's
plea could not be effected even if Janjua's bail had been rejected.
On the
other hand, Zafar argued that his party colleague was nominated in the Federal
Investigation Agency (FIA) case in which he has been granted bail.
"Raoof
Hasan was sued for misuse of social media. Now, a case on explosives has been
filed."
PTI
leader Shoaib Shaheen, who was also presented in the court, argued that Hasan
was arrested in the terrorism case after a seven-day physical remand.
"The
purpose is not to let Rauf Hasan out [of jail]," he said, adding that the
politician has been nominated to take political revenge.
The
judge then questioned if the Terrorism Act required viewing a schedule of
events.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1217200-terror-financing-case
--------
Pakistan
starts exporting vehicles, spare parts
August
07, 2024
Pakistan
has started export of vehicles and spare parts to the global automotive market
due to the support of Special Investment Facilitation Council.
Indus
Motor Company announced its major export initiatives at an event held Karachi
which was attended amongst others by Minister for Industries and Production
Rana Tanveer Hussain.
The
company will export different models of vehicles and spare parts.
In his
remarks, the Minister for Industries said government and SIFC policies aim to
boost automotive sector by encouraging export of local vehicles and spare
parts.
Source: radio.gov.pk
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/07-08-2024/pakistan-starts-exporting-vehicles-spare-parts-with-sifcs-support
---------
Arab World
Stadium
carved into Jazan mountain professes locals’ love for football
August
06, 2024
JEDDAH:
In the heart of Al-Dayer governorate, a stadium carved into the Hashr Mountains
honors human creativity and celebrates the local landscape.
The
origin of this architectural marvel began in 1994, when a group of neighbors
led by Mohammed Harian decided to build a sports field in the mountainous
terrain.
With
limited space available, they started with a rough field, but it was soon clear
that a more ambitious undertaking was required.
“We live
in a difficult mountainous area that lacks wide spaces, and we could hardly
find any space to practice any sport,” Harian explained in an interview with
Arab News. “We created a basic field, but it was just a corner to play in. At
that time, we couldn’t enjoy playing football, so we resorted to playing other
games instead.”
Harian
and his team persevered, and over the years, they expanded their vision,
eventually carving out Al-Hashr Stadium from the mountain itself.
However,
the imaginative project was not without difficulties, and early attempts were
met with opposition from some locals.
“Initially,
the idea annoyed some residents, so we implemented it in a lower area,” Harian
said. “But we did not give up. We worked on it at our own expense, and with the
help of donors and players, we were able to bring the project to life.”
The
construction took years and was a labor of love performed by the locals, with
Harian leading the charge due to his expertise in construction. He noted that
the cost exceeded SR 250,000 ($66,500), but to the sports lovers, the end
result was well worth it.
“We
opted to level the mountainous terrain, and that was a huge battle for us,”
Harian recalled, noting that a design flaw led them to expand the field to
correct the error, requiring more time and effort.
“The
goal was to create a standard stadium to meet the desires of Jazan’s youths and
to entertain themselves, especially during summer holidays,” he explained.
“They took on the task of creating various programs, including cultural events,
video shooting and training courses, refereeing, and matches between local
teams, including awards and honors through community efforts and with the
efforts of the Mount Hashr Center.”
The
finished stadium is a marvel of engineering, spanning 60 by 94 meters and
capable of accommodating thousands of spectators. Its design, reminiscent of
both Roman amphitheaters and traditional agricultural terraces, has captured
the attention of officials and visitors alike.
It has
hosted numerous events, including the Prince Mohammed bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz
Championship and 16 other events showcasing the region's athletic talent, Saudi
Press Agency reported recently.
To the
locals, the stadium is more than just a sports venue — it is an artistic
triumph, embodying the aspirations and dedication of the region’s youth.
There
are plans in place for enhancements, including landscaping and lighting, to
solidify its status as a premier sports and tourist destination.
As
Harian looks to the future, he hopes that the man-made marvel will continue to
inspire and entertain generations to come. “The eastern side needs a lot of
work to achieve the oval shape of the stadium. I hope that during any
developmental works, the stone of the stadium is preserved to represent our
rich heritage.”
A symbol
of creativity and determination, Jazan’s carved stadium is attracting visitors
from across the Kingdom, making Al-Dayer governorate a sought-after tourist and
sports hub, SPA noted.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563946/saudi-arabia
--------
Fog,
walking trails attract trekkers to Abha
August
06, 2024
RIYADH:
The sight of fog enveloping Abha in the morning and evening, creating beautiful
panoramic views, has captivated walking enthusiasts of all ages, the Saudi
Press Agency reported.
The fog
has driven young and old to the walking trails scattered throughout Abha city.
These trails are extremely popular during the summer season, as they enable
tourists to enjoy the mild, cool weather and the sight of clouds over mountain
peaks.
Fog
envelops neighborhoods, gardens, and roads, turning Abha’s day into dusk and
instilling serenity, the SPA said.
It also
reported that tourists enjoy the foggy weather to go for walks, especially on
famous trails like Al-Dabab, Al-Mashhad, Art Street, Al-Badee, Al-Murooj, and
Al-Rawdah, near the city’s airport, as well as the Million’s Park walkway in
Al-Mahalah.
The Asir
Municipality has equipped these areas with seating, children’s play areas,
sports areas, restrooms, public squares, green spaces, and beautiful
sculptures, creating a safe and attractive recreational environment that also
helps improve public health and the quality of life.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563941/saudi-arabia
--------
Foreign
ministry official meets Indian consul general in Jeddah
August
06, 2024
JEDDAH:
Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ branch in Makkah Mazin
Hammad Al-Himali met with Indian Consul General Mohammed Shahid Alam in Jeddah
on Monday.
The
meeting was held on the occasion of the end of Alam’s tenure, the Saudi Press
Agency reported.
Alam
took over as India’s consul general in Jeddah in February 2021. He previously
served in Jeddah as the Hajj consul from 2015 to 2018.
An
upright officer of the Indian Foreign Service, he has now been posted to the
Indian High Commission in London.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563971/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
Arabia’s King Salman receives written message from Senegal president
August
06, 2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman received a written message from the President of
Senegal Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The
message related to relations between the two countries and was received by the
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji, SPA said.
During a
meeting between Al-Khuraiji and the president’s special envoy Marie Tao Nian,
relations between the Kingdom and Senegal and ways to enhance and develop them
in all fields were reviewed.
Topics
of common interest were also discussed.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563866/saudi-arabia
--------
Saudi
crown prince receives speaker of Arab Parliament in Jeddah
August
06, 2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received the Speaker of the
Arab Parliament, Adel bin Abdulrahman Al-Asoumi, in Jeddah on Tuesday.
During
the meeting, the speaker presented the crown prince with the Leader’s Medal in
appreciation of Prince Mohammed’s “pioneering positions in defending Arab issues
and strengthening joint Arab action.”
The
meeting was attended by the deputy speaker of the Shoura Council Mishaal bin
Fahm Al-Salami, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563851/saudi-arabia
--------
Northern
Borders festival celebrates Saudi weaving tradition
August
06, 2024
RIYADH:
The traditional art of spinning has been brought to life at the Sadu Nights
Festival in Arar, Saudi Press Agency has reported.
The
event, organized by the Northern Borders Municipality, highlights weaving
skills that were integral to the lives of northern women for centuries.
The
vital tools of spinning wheel and spindle were once constant companions for the
women, who spent countless hours transforming wool and hair into beautiful
textiles.
This
time-consuming craft, which relied solely on natural resources, produced
essential items such as blankets, tablecloths and other household goods.
The
festival aims to preserve and promote a cherished heritage, engaging both
children and adults in a bid to ensure the tradition lives on for future
generations. It also seeks to highlight the significant role women play in
society.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563746/saudi-arabia
--------
153,000
Saudis secure private sector jobs in first half of 2024
August
06, 2024
RIYADH:
Director General of the Human Resources Development Fund Turki bin Abdullah
Al-Jawini said that the fund has assisted more than 153,000 Saudi men and women
in securing employment in the private sector during the first half of 2024.
Al-Jawini
said that the fund disbursed SR3.79 billion ($1 billion) to private sector
establishments for training, employment and empowerment support programs during
this period, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
He added
that 1.4 million Saudi men and women and some 100,000 establishments operating
in vital sectors in the Kingdom benefited from the program.
Al-Jawini
emphasized the fund’s commitment to keeping pace with the Kingdom’s development
across all fields, addressing the needs of the business sector, and meeting the
demand for a skilled national workforce.
The
fund, he said, aimed to develop Saudis’ skills, increase their participation in
the labor market and encourage the private sector to contribute to
localization. It also worked to boost partnerships with entities concerned with
training, employing and empowering the national workforce, and increasing their
competitiveness and continuity in the labor market.
Al-Jawini
said that the fund’s programs and services had helped to increase the benefit
of individuals and establishments, and stressed the fund’s continuous efforts
to keep pace with labor market changes and requirements.
He said
that the fund was also working on developing training, empowerment and guidance
support programs targeting national personnel, contributing to achieving the
objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 for human capacity development and labor
market strategy.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563726/saudi-arabia
--------
KSrelief
provides prosthetic limbs to quake victims in Turkiye
August
06, 2024
RIYADH:
Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief provided prosthetic limbs and physical
therapy for earthquake victims in the Turkish city of Reyhanli from July 27 to
Aug. 4.
Twelve
volunteers from the agency provided 681 therapy sessions, fitted 75 prosthetic
limbs, and installed 48 custom-made orthotic splints, the Saudi Press Agency
reported recently.
This
initiative is a part of the Kingdom’s “Hayat” Volunteer Program to assist
earthquake victims in Syria and Turkiye.
KSrelief
continues to provide medical aid, food and other support for vulnerable
communities worldwide, the SPA reported.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2563456/saudi-arabia
--------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/women-non-muslims-waqf-council/d/132888