Dr Zakir Naik Questioned the Authenticity of Christianity, Discredited Our Sacred Texts: Christian Leader
New Age Islam News Bureau
24 October 2024
Dr Zakir Naik
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· Dr Zakir Naik Questioned the Authenticity of Christianity, Discredited Our Sacred Texts: Christian Leader
· Lady Justice Statue in SC: Bar Association Objects to ‘Unilateral’ Design Change, Terms The Changes “Radical”
· Muslims in Europe Experiencing ‘Worrying Surge’ In Racism: EU’s Rights Agency
· Citing Claim Prophet Muhammad’s Wife, Siti Khadijah, was from Kedah, Minister Says Academic Freedom Not Licence for ‘Intellectual Laziness’
· Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Files Petition with SC to Reinstate Caretaker Govt
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Pakistan
· Forces Kill 9 Terrorists, Including High-Value Traget, In Bajaur IBO
· PTI has no personal objection to CJP-designate Yahya Afridi: Shaheen
· PTI mulls moving SC against amendment
· GB election tribunal declares victory of PPP candidate on Gilgit seat
· Quetta’s Achakzai Colony hit by rocket attack
· 40 artists from 10 countries to participate in Karachi Biennale
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India
· Urdu Teacher Heckled and Forced to Chant "Jai Shri Ram" in Ghaziabad, For No Reason
· Kerala Waqf Board Ends 237-Year-Old Discriminatory Practice of Puthoorppally Muslim Jamaat, Gives Voting Rights
· HC Rejects Recall Petition of Muslim Side InJanmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah Case
· CCTV grab of Pheran-clad terrorist allegedly involved in Gagangir attack in J&K emerges, probe underway
· Jammu & Kashmir: Employees bat for colleagues terminated for alleged links to militancy
· Waqf Parliamentary Panel Chief's Public Statements Violated Norms, Claims Opposition
· Immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is imperative: Chidambaram
· CCTV footage of Jammu and Kashmir attack: Militants had M4 carbine, AK-47; at camp for 7 mins
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Europe
· UK's Rising Anti-Muslim Sentiment Not Fully Captured In Official Statistics: Expert
· New Scholarship for Those Affected By Mosque Terror Attacks
· Met Officer Sacked Over Offensive Tweets About Jewish People, Non-Muslims and 9/11
· Turkey strikes PKK sites after fatal attack near Ankara
· BRICS reject ‘illegal’ Western sanctions
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Southeast Asia
· Malaysia elevates AI as a catalyst for sustainable growth - TPM Fadillah
· PAS leader: We're no longer 'lebai' party, favourite among Muslims
· Father of Ulu Tiram police station attacker charged with promoting Islamic State ideology, possessing firearms
· Vietnam Aims To Boost Diplomacy With Muslim World By Developing Halal Food Economy
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South Asia
· Delhi seeks stable ties with Dhaka
· ICT’s arrest warrant for Hasina sent to IGP
· HSC underachievers: Over 50 held as students enter Secretariat
· SC lawyer again files petition challenging Article 70
· Top Sirat-ul-Nabi competitors appreciated, awarded gifts in Kabul
· Iranian, Afghan companies to invest in five new substations in Afghanistan
· NSIA Reports Afghan Exports Reach $174 Million, Imports Decrease by $57 Million
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Africa
· Ogun Traditionalist Cautions Islamic Cleric, Mufti of Ilorin, Against Inciting Sermons
· ‘Lagos Is Sinking’ – Dep Gov Hamzat Raises Alarm Over Impending Submersion
· ‘Tackle Hunger In The Land’ – LP Urges Tinubu Amidst Cabinet Reshuffle
· Reps Clarifies Report On Summoning Wike, DSS DG, Others
· Why We Did Not Join Other States’ Case Against EFCC – Lagos Govt
· Nearly half of Africa's population faces worsening governance- Report
· Haiti's crisis: a focus on security fragility and humanitarian needs
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Mideast
· Netanyahu Says Hezbollah Prepared ‘Invasion’ Of Israel
· Blinken heads to Hamas mediator Qatar on Gaza truce push
· Paris conference aims to rally military and humanitarian support for Lebanon
· Massive displacement from Israel-Hezbollah war transforms Beirut’s famed commercial street
· Turkiye strikes Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria after deadly attack on defense firm
· More than 500 settlers break into Al-Aqsa mosque
· Resistance Committees in Palestine mourn great Islamic jihadist leader Sayyid Hashim Safi al-Din
· Six Sunni political forces outline 2 paths to resolve Iraq’s parliamentary leadership stalemate
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Arab World
· KFSHRC Celebrates Scientists Featured In Stanford’s List Of Most-Cited Researchers
· Saudi Embassy in Turkiye condemns Ankara terror attack
· Saudi FM arrives in Russia’s Kazan to attend BRICS summit
· Saudi defense minister holds meeting with Italian industrial companies
· Saudi FM receives Secretary Blinken in Riyadh
· Saudi rail project designer praises Kingdom’s vision
· Saudi attorney general urges global coordination against criminal networks
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North America
· Prominent Muslim-American Democrat Kicked Out of Kamala Harris Event In Michigan
· US expresses concern to Israel about strikes against Lebanese army
· Mosque attack inquest provides long overdue answers
· St. Anthony City Council approves zoning for mosque, community center
· CAIR Deputy Director to Join Discussion on Muslims and the 2024 Election
· Suspected drunk driver 'almost struck' Kamala Harris motorcade
· US warns Musk political group that $1m voter giveaway may be illegal
· Teen in custody after five killed in Washington shooting
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Dr Zakir Naik Questioned the Authenticity of Christianity, Discredited Our Sacred Texts: Christian Leader
Dr Zakir Naik
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Shafiq Butt
October 24, 2024
SAHIWAL: President Bishop of the Synod, Church of Pakistan, Rev Dr Azad Marshall, in a recent letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, expressed his concern regarding the remarks made by Dr Zakir Naik about the Christian community and their faith during his recent visit to the country as a state guest.
Dr Naik’s visit, which concluded last week, included numerous public speeches and individual discussions.
In the letter (a copy of which is available with Dawn), Dr Marshall says, “Dr Zakir Naik’s public addresses have caused significant distress within our [Christian] community, as he openly questioned the authenticity of our faith, discredited our sacred texts, and made statements that undermine the beliefs of Christian pastors and scholars.”
The letter says that Dr Naik’s remarks not only caused “religious offense but also undermined the national pride of all Pakistanis, regardless of their faith”.
The letter also criticises the government for lack of a formal expression of regret regarding Dr Naik’s comments, which has “further intensified the sense of marginalisation” felt by the Christian community, despite the government’s repeated assurances of upholding religious harmony and mutual respect for all.
Dr Marshall, in the letter, urges the government to take immediate and effective steps “to prevent such divisive and harmful” incidents, particularly those occurring under state sponsorship, from happening in the future.
He has referred to Quaid-e-Azam’s historic address to the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in 1947, asserting that Dr Naik “disrespected” the founding father’s vision in his public gatherings as a state guest.
“Dr Zakir Naik’s comments were done in open forums where our Pastors and scholars were denied the opportunity to adequately respond or correct the misinformation spread by his ill-informed views,” Dr Marshall added.
In a telephonic conversation with Dawn, Dr Marshall said that as citizens of Pakistan, minorities’ fundamental rights have been guaranteed under Article 20 of the Constitution, which states, “Every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice, and propagate his religion.”
He also quoted Article 36, which “obligates the state to safeguard the legitimate rights of minorities”.
He urged President Zaradari to take earnest steps to ensure that these constitutional rights are upheld and not violated by any individual.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1867199/christian-leader-concerned-at-dr-zakir-naiks-remarks
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Lady Justice Statue in SC: Bar Association Objects to ‘Unilateral’ Design Change, Terms The Changes “Radical”
A recent photo of the Lady Justice statue with its blindfold removed and a copy of the Constitution of India placed in her hand at the Supreme Court in New Delhi. (PTI Photo
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ByAbraham Thomas
Oct 24, 2024
While the scales represent balance and fairness in dispensing justice, the sword which symbolised punishment was replaced with the Constitution.
The row over the new Lady Justice statue unveiled in the Supreme Court took a new turn after the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) passed a resolution stating that the change was made “unilaterally” without consulting them.
A recent photo of the Lady Justice statue with its blindfold removed and a copy of the Constitution of India placed in her hand at the Supreme Court in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
A recent photo of the Lady Justice statue with its blindfold removed and a copy of the Constitution of India placed in her hand at the Supreme Court in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
In the resolution issued on Tuesday, the SCBA headed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal opposed the changes to the apex court’s emblem and the new statue where the blindfolded Lady Justice has been shown with her eyes open and the sword in one hand replaced with the Constitution of India.
The resolution, signed by members of the executive committee of SCBA, said, “We are equal stakeholders in the administration of justice but these changes when proposed, were never brought to our attention. We are totally clueless on the rationale behind these changes.”
Terming the changes made as “radical”, the resolution stated that the bar ought to have been consulted over the changes and opposed to the same being done “unilaterally”.
The bar body further objected to the Judges Library in the Supreme Court building being converted into a museum. “We unanimously oppose the proposed museum in the high security zone and press our demand for a library and cafe-cum-lounge for our members instead.”
The new Lady Justice statue in white is shown wearing a sari and holds the weighing scale of justice in one hand and the Constitution of India in the other. While unveiling the new statue last year, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud had stated that the law seems everyone equal explaining why the blindfold is shed. The new statue was seen as an attempt to shed the colonial legacy behind the underpinning that ‘Law is blind’.
While the scales represent balance and fairness in dispensing justice, the sword which symbolised punishment was replaced with the Constitution. The statue has since been installed in the judges’ library in the Supreme Court.
The new statue kicked up a political row after Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) faction leader Sanjay Raut termed it as the “BJP-RSS propaganda”.
Raut questioned the need to replace the sword and removing the blindfold by saying, “They are already killing the Constitution and by removing the blindfold from the statue, they want everyone to openly see corruption and murder of the Constitution.”
“The court’s job is to protect the Constitution and serve justice as per the Constitution. What are they trying to prove by replacing the sword in the hand of the justice statue with the Constitution?” Raut added.
Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, meanwhile, welcomed the changes introduced to the ‘Nyay ki Devi’ (Lady of Justice).
Speaking to ANI a week ago, he said, “The new design is a great way to pay respect to the country’s Constitution... In an earlier era, they said that justice is blind, and that justice is served on the basis of the Constitution and the law. But when the judge delivers justice, how can it be done without seeing?”
The six-feet tall statue made with fibre glass has been designed by muralist Vinod Goswami, who teaches at the Delhi College of Art. The image of the Lady Justice, traditionally black wearing a gown, traces back to the Greek and Roman mythology. It was introduced by the British in India in buildings of the Calcutta and Bombay high courts.
Source:hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/row-over-lady-justice-statue-in-sc-bar-association-objects-to-unilateral-design-change-101729753211030.html
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Muslims in Europe Experiencing ‘Worrying Surge’ In Racism: EU’s Rights Agency
Women vote during the first round of presidential election in Marseille, France, on 10 April, 2022. AP - Daniel Cole
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24 October 2024
Muslims across Europe are grappling with a “worrying surge” of racism that is being fuelled in part by “dehumanising anti-Muslim rhetoric”, the EU’s leading rights agency has said, as it published a survey in which nearly half of the Muslim respondents said they had recently experienced discrimination.
Published on Thursday by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the survey of 9,600 Muslims across 13 member states found that racism and discrimination threads through most aspects of their lives.
People reported children being bullied in school, inequalities in accessing job opportunities and prejudice when it comes to renting or buying homes.
Although the survey was completed before the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, which led to ferocious reprisals on Gaza, the Vienna-based agency said information from civil society organisations and national authorities suggested that the number of anti-Muslim incidents had continued to rise since the conflict erupted.
“We are witnessing a worrying surge in racism and discrimination against Muslims in Europe,” said the agency’s director, Sirpa Rautio. “This is fuelled by conflicts in the Middle East and made worse by the dehumanising anti-Muslim rhetoric we see across the continent.”
After the attacks of 7 October, officials scrambled to contain a rise in hate crimes aimed at the Muslim and Jewish communities, ranging from an attempted arson at a synagogue in Berlin to dozens of letters containing threats and insults sent to Muslim councils and mosques in France.
The FRA, speaking to Muslims in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, found that 47% reported experiencing racism in the five years before 2022, up from 39% in 2016.
“What we see is that the situation of Muslims is getting worse,” said Vida Beresnevičiūtė, a co-author of the survey. “It’s getting more complicated to live as a Muslim in the EU.”
The rates of reported discrimination appeared to be closely linked to the rise of the far right. In Austria, where the Nazi-founded anti-immigration Freedom party (FPÖ) recently emerged as the most-voted-for party, 71% of Muslims reported recent experiences of racism. In neighbouring Germany, where the anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland has been steadily gaining, 68% reported discrimination.
Across the 13 member states surveyed, 39% of Muslims reported discrimination in the job market, with 41% working in jobs for which they were overqualified.
A third of respondents (35%) said they were impeded from buying or renting a house due to discrimination, up from 22% in 2016. “The phenomena are pervasive and persistent,” said Beresnevičiūtė. “The scope is overwhelming.”
The consequences of this racism were wide-reaching and long-lasting. Muslims are more likely to live in poverty, be crammed into overcrowded housing and 2.5 times more likely to be on temporary contracts. Muslim respondents were three times more likely to leave school early than the general population across the EU.
Particularly concerning were the experiences of young Muslims, said Beresnevičiūtė. More than half of Muslims born in Europe (55%) said they had felt racially discriminated against when looking for work in the past five years, suggesting that they were not being treated equally despite having the same language capabilities and qualifications.
“It’s appalling,” said Beresnevičiūtė, who noted that many Muslims reported “overlapping” discrimination as they felt targeted over their religion as well as their skin colour and ethnic or immigrant background.
Women who wear religious clothing, such as a headscarf, also reported higher rates of discrimination in the labour market. When it came to women between the ages of 16 and 24 who wear religious clothing, the reported rate of discrimination climbed to 58%.
Few seemingly felt it was beneficial to report their experiences, with just 6% saying they had filed a complaint or report about a recent incident.
The FRA called on member states to implement tougher sanctions for discrimination and hate crimes as well as to collect equality data, including on ethnic or racial origin, to allow policymakers to set better targets and track progress. Unlike the UK, most EU countries do not collect census data on racial or ethnic diversity.
Thursday’s survey follows a report last year that found nearly half of Black people surveyed across the EU reported discrimination and a July survey in which nearly all Jewish respondents reported recent experiences of antisemitism.
Taken together, the reports suggest that “racism and racial discrimination is a persistent phenomenon throughout the EU and that it needs to be addressed,” said Beresnevičiūtė. “And that without any specific efforts, it does not disappear.”
Source:yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/muslims-europe-experiencing-worrying-surge-040045690.html
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Citing Claim Prophet Muhammad’s Wife, Siti Khadijah, was from Kedah, Minister Says Academic Freedom Not Licence for ‘Intellectual Laziness’
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir — Bernama pic
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24 Oct 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Academics and scholars should only make statements in areas of their discipline and backed with facts and data, Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said today.
He warned academics against making populist statements, when answering Pulai MP Suhaizan Kaiat’s supplementary question on differentiating intellectual freedom from the potential for irresponsible parties to monopolise academic discourse.
“The baseless theory that (Islamic Prophet Muhammad’s wife) Siti Khadijah came from Kedah, for example, which caused confusion.
“As Syed Hussein Alatas described it, this is ‘intellectual laziness,’ a form of ‘captive mind, ‘” he said during the ministerial question session at parliament.
He said that it would be unfortunate if intellectuals were seen to have no more credibility in their fields than any ordinary person.
“University lecturers can say anything, but it must be tied to their discipline and good foundations, good data,” Zambry said citing Edward Said’s book “The Representation of the Intellectual” which said people are given the freedom to speak on any subject based on traditions and facts.
The controversial claim has been attributed to International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) Prof Solehah Yaacob, who purported that the Prophet’s wife originated from the “Malay archipelago”, in a video that went viral.
In September, Solehah, who specialises in the philosophy of Arabic Grammar, denied she made such an assertion and said the video was edited.
She clarified that she was posing a question to the audience to think, news site Malaysia Gazette reported.
IIUM subsequently took action via its code of ethics.
Zambry then said if there was any confusion or ambiguity on the directives issued by universities, such concerns should be directed to the relevant parties including the Higher Education Ministry.
Source:malaymail.com
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https://www. malaymail.com /news/malaysia/2024/10/24/citing-claim-prophet-muhammads-wife-was-from-kedah-zambry-says-academic-freedom-not-licence-for-intellectual-laziness/154691
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Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Files Petition with SC to Reinstate Caretaker Govt
Oct 24, 2024
The Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday filed a review petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn its 2011 verdict that scrapped the non-party caretaker government system.
The party's Secretary General Miah Golam Parwar submitted the petition through its lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir for necessary directives to reinstate the system.
The Appellate Division is scheduled to hold the hearings today on two other similar review petitions challenging the verdict that scrapped the election-time caretaker system.
On October 20, Chamber Judge Justice Md Rezaul Haque of the Appellate Division sent the previous two petitions to the full bench for their hearings.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir filed one of the first two review petitions on October 16, seeking restoration of the 13th constitutional amendment that had introduced the caretaker government system.
In the first petition filed on August 27, five prominent citizens said that the caretaker government system was introduced through political consensus of the people and therefore, it has become a basic part of the constitution, which cannot be scrapped.
Terming the Appellate Division verdict self-contradictory, they said that the court in its short verdict suggested the next two national elections (10th and 11th parliamentary polls) could be held under the caretaker government system, but this directive was not mentioned in the full judgement.
The filing of the review petitions came in the wake of the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5 following the student-led mass uprising.
A seven-judge full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by then chief justice ABM Khairul Haque, declared by a majority view the 13th amendment to the constitution null and void on May 10, 2011.
After the verdict was announced, parliament passed the 15th Amendment Act on June 30, 2011, bringing in several changes, including the abolition of the caretaker government system. A gazette notification was published to this effect on July 3, 2011.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/jamaat-files-petition-sc-reinstate-caretaker-govt-3734471
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Pakistan
Forces kill 9 terrorists, including high-value traget, in Bajaur IBO
By Zarmeen Zehra
October 24, 2024
RAWALPINDI: The security forces have eliminated nine terrorists — or "khawarij" — including two suicide bombers and a ring leader in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bajaur district.
During the operation, conducted on the night between October 23 and 24, high-value target (HVT) and terrorist ring leader Said Muhammad alias "Qureshi Ustad" was killed following an intense exchange of fire with the troops, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday.
The militants, the military's media wing added, remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians.
With the sanitisation operation underway to eliminate any further militants in the area, the security forces also recovered large quantities of weapons, ammunition, and explosives from the terrorists.
The ISPR further reaffirmed the security forces' resolve to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.
Last week, at least five militants were arrested in an IBO in Balochsitan's Poshin district. Whereas two terrorists were killed in a separate IBO in the province's Zhob district.
The IBOs are part of the concerted efforts by the government, security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to tackle the menace of terrorism which has witnessed an increase in recent months.
As per the third quarterly report (Q3) issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), the total fatalities from three quarters of this year have surpassed the total fatalities recorded for the entire of 2023 with 1,534 deaths compared to last year's 1,523.
A total of 722 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, while 615 others were wounded in as many as 328 incidents recorded during the third quarter.
Balochistan and KP have been at the forefront of the country's war against terror and have faced the brunt of terror attacks.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1243406-forces-kill-9-terrorists-including-high-value-traget-in-bajaur-ibo
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PTI has no personal objection to CJP-designate Yahya Afridi: Shaheen
By Web Desk
October 24, 2024
ISLAMABAD: While announcing to challenge the newly enacted 26th Constitutional Amendment, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shoaib Shaheen has asserted that his party has no “personal objection” to Justice Yahya Afridi, who is appointed as next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).
The ruling coalition, after weeks of political manoeuvrings and deliberations, finally managed to pass the contentious 26th Constitutional Amendment bill, empowering the country’s parliament to pick the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) from among the three most senior Supreme Court judges.
The amendments brought numerous changes to the country’s judicial system, including taking away suo motu powers, formation of constitutional benches, and performance evaluations of high court judges.
In light of the fresh amendments, a Special Parliamentary Committee nominated Justice Yahya Afridi, third on the seniority list (excluding the incumbent CJP Qazi Faez Isa), as the next chief justice of Pakistan.
Subsequently, President Asif Ali Zardari approved Justice Afridi's appointment under clause 3 of Article 175A read with Articles 177 and 179 of the Constitution, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice today.
“We and the lawyers' community will challenge it [26th Constitutional Amendment] as a whole,” PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen said while clarifying that the party's challenge is not aimed at the appointment of Justice Afridi as CJP.
The senior PTI leader stated this while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’.
He pointed out that the seniority principle was formulated after the late Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, fourth on the seniority list, was appointed as chief justice.
“Later in 1998, all judges of Supreme Court and high courts sit together chalked out the seniority formula and decided that the senior most judge will become the next chief justice,” Shaheen added.
Speaking of the constitutional package, the PTI leader said that everyone knows how the government carried out the 26th Amendment. “The way people were picked up, abducted and bribed [...] Its constitutionality is a different question,” he said.
Most importantly, he claimed, the government has created a division among the top court judges by passing the judicial reforms.
He noted that the “Form 47 parliament” (reference to the alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections) created a hope in judges that whoever gives judgment in favour of the government will become the next chief justice.
“And the individual who gives independent judgments, like the July 12 verdict in the reserved seats case, cannot become the country’s top judge,” Shaheen said.
In response to a question, Shaheen said his party has “no issues” with Justice Afridi in a personal capacity. “He is a very defined and independent judge [...] but the problem is he is third on the seniority list.”
“The right to hold position of chief justice lies with senior number 1,” he said, adding that the decision to appoint Justice Afridi, out of turn, is not correct.
He announced that PTI would challenge the 26th Constitutional Amendment, as a whole. “Our stance is very clear [...] it was senior most’s right which was snatched.”
Furthermore, he said, the process of formation of constitutional benches is “an attack on judicial independence”.
Responding to another question, the PTI leader said the principle question — when they challenge the amendment — will be: “Has the executive possess the authority to interfere in the judiciary; Is this independence of judiciary the basic structure of the Constitution and if yes then does the parliament have authority to change this structure.”
When asked that PTI’s objections would be heard by a constitutional bench, Shaheen said they were going to challenge the “original constitution” and constitutional bench was the product of constitutional amendment.
“We would request that the case should be heard by a full court. It cannot be that a by-product of this constitutional amendment hears the case,” he added.
He also lambasted the “change in the structure” of Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), saying that the government has taken the dominant role of constituting the benches that will hear the cases against it. “They can also dissolve the bench and reconstitute it,” he regretted.
Referring to the PTI’s boycott of Special Parliamentary Committee’s meeting, he said: “Our representation had no impact [...] We were redundant. They have the dominant role in the parliamentary panel.”
He also said they will decide on becoming part of the judicial commission “in one or two days” and are most likely to join it.
Moreover, he said that the judicial commission has no right to constitute constitutional benches as “it is a direct interference into the affairs of the supreme court or high court.”
‘In-camera session’
Speaking on the same show, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Kamran Murtaza — who was part of the parliamentary committee which picked Justice Yahya Afridi as the next Chief Justice of Pakistan with a majority vote of 8-1 — said that PTI should have attended the crucial meeting.
“If you are part of the parliamentary system then you should not boycott the session,” he added.
The JUI-F leader said that the PTI’s lawyers should have given their input over the matter, adding that they made all-out efforts to convince the former ruling party’s lawmakers to attend the parliamentary meeting but to no avail.
When asked why the JUI-F opposed the name of Afridi for the next CJP, Senator Murtaza declined to disclose the details of the meeting saying the proceedings were in-camera.
Responding to a question, Murtaza categorically rejected the Salman Akram Raja’s recent statement regarding the consensus on the judicial package and added that the JUI-F tried removing the objections of PTI till last moments.
Raja, during a recent interview on Geo News, had claimed that they were not agreed on the content of the draft of the 26th Amendment.
He quoted the JUI-F chief as saying that their lawmakers would be kidnaped if they do not vote for the constitutional tweaks. The government would get the bill approved through the parliament at all costs, he quoted the JUI-F chief as saying.
To another query, Murtaza said that they accept the nominating of Justice Afridi as the next CJP, saying that a “constitutional institution selected him via a constitutional process”.
“He [Justice Yahya Afridi] is a gentleman. He has a number of qualities,” he added.
Source:thenews.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1243204-pti-has-no-personal-objection-to-cjp-designate-justice-afridi-shaheen
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PTI mulls moving SC against amendment
October 24, 2024
ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Wednesday deliberated whether to challenge the 26th Constitutional Amendment in the Supreme Court and endorsed the boycott of the parliamentary committee meeting that nominated Justice Yahya Afridi as the new chief justice of Pakistan.
At a meeting of its core committee presided by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the party condemned the ban on Imran Khan’s meeting with his wife Bushra Bibi. The former PM and his spouse are both kept in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, in various cases.
The meeting’s participants were of the view that an incomplete Senate had no basis to pass the constitutional amendment.
The meeting, attended by Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, ex-NA speaker Asad Qaiser, Leader of Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz, Ali Muhammad Khan, Raoof Hasan, Sheikh Waqas Akram and others, condemned the alleged horse-trading during the passage of the controversial amendment.
They discussed the possibility of challenging the constitutional amendment in the apex court and referred the matter to the party’s legal committee for a decision.
The core committee endorsed the show-cause notices issued to the party’s four MNAs who were not in contact with the party leadership at the time of the passage of the constitutional amendment. It called upon the government to lift the ban on meetings between ex-PM Imran Khan and his wife.
A strategy was discussed on how to get Mr Khan released from the prison. The meeting decided to establish sub-committees to plan countrywide protests and start preparations in this regard.
The core committee condemned the arrest of the sisters of Imran Khan, Azam Swati and others and demanded their release at the earliest.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1867278/pti-mulls-moving-sc-against-amendment
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GB election tribunal declares victory of PPP candidate on Gilgit seat
Jamil Nagri '
October 24, 2024
GILGIT: The election tribunal of Gilgit-Baltistan on Wednesday declared the victory of PPP candidate Jamil Ahmed from the Gilgit constituency of the GB Assembly.
Judge Raja Shakeel Ahmad of the election tribunal directed GB Chief Election Commissioner to notify PPP candidate Jamil Ahmed as the winner on the Gilgit-II seat of the assembly since November 2020.
Earlier, the GB election commission had declared PTI candidate Fathullah Khan successful from the constituency. However, the PPP candidate challenged the PTI candidate’s victory in January 2021.
He alleged post-electio ‘rigging’, pointing out that fake postal votes had been counted in favour of the PTI candidate.
Later in August 2023, the election tribunal suspended assembly membership of PTI leader Fathullah Khan and declared PPP candidate victorious to represent the constituency during the next half tenure.
Subsequently, Mr Khan who was then GB Minister for Planning, challenged the decision of election tribunal before the supreme appellate court.
The supreme appellate court then revoked the judgment of the GB election tribunal and temporarily restored the seat to the PTI candidate, while referring back the case to the election tribunal for deciding the matter only after the verification of postal votes from Nadra.
Advocate Islamuddin told Dawn that GB election tribunal heard of the case again on the orders of supreme appellate court.
Postal votes of the constituency were then sent to Nadra for verification and in its report, Nadra declared over 1,700 postal votes “fake”.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Raja Shakeel Ahmad of the GB election tribunal pronounced the ruling.
The election tribunal judge noted that PPP candidate was wrongfully deprived of his victory through illegal means in favour of the PTI candidate.
While declaring Jamil Ahmad as the legitimate winner of the elections, the tribunal ordered the chief commmisioner to notify PPP leader as the winner.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1867259/gb-election-tribunal-declares-victory-of-ppp-candidate-on-gilgit-seat
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Quetta’s Achakzai Colony hit by rocket attack
Saleem Shahid | Abdul Wahid Shahwani
October 24, 2024
QUETTA / KHUZDAR: Rockets hit the wall of Achakzai residential colony on Quetta’s Khojak Road, while two men were injured in a grenade attack in Khuzdar, on Wednesday.
Officials said three rockets were fired at the headquarters of Frontier Corps, North, at Quetta’s Hali Road from an unknown location. However, they landed and exploded on Khojak Road, close to the FC headquarters.
“Three rockets exploded in the area but no casualty was reported in the attack,” a senior police officer told Dawn, adding that none of the rockets hit the FC headquarters. One of the rockets hit the wall of Achakzai colony and smashed window panes of many houses.
Security forces condoned off the entire area and launched a search operation, following the rocket attack.
Meanwhile, two persons were injured in a grenade attack on the irrigation department office in Khuzdar.
Some unidentified motorcyclists hurled a hand grenade at the office, which exploded in its courtyard, damaging the property and leaving an engineer of the irrigation department alogn with another person wounded.
The injured were immediately shifted to district hospital.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1867254/quettas-achakzai-colony-hit-by-rocket-attack
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40 artists from 10 countries to participate in Karachi Biennale
Peerzada Salman
October 24, 2024
KARACHI: The fourth edition of Karachi Biennale (KB24) will begin on Sunday and continue till Nov 10, organisers of the mega event announced on Wednesday evening.
Speaking at a press conference at the Sambara Art Gallery, Managing Trustee of the Karachi Biennale Trust (KBT) Niilofur Farrukh said over 40 artists have arrived from 10 countries to take part in the event who will touch upon the theme.
“This year we have two public parks — Frere Hall and Bagh Ibne Qasim. The other three venues for KB24 are the Sambara Art Gallery, Alliance Francaise and NED University,” she said.
She said the biennale will be on for two weeks from 10am to 6pm and on weekends from 10am to 7pm.
She recalled that the first biennale was held in 2017 when Karachi’s situation was not good as there were security issues.
“But we did a big biennale in the middle of the city. We had eight venues on M. A. Jinnah Road. The public appreciated it a lot which meant how much they’re interested in art,” she said, adding: “That encouraged us. That’s what we wanted when we started the KBT, that is, art should be brought into public spaces. People asked us why we were doing that since art is usually seen at a gallery. We answered that the reason for bringing it into public spaces was we wanted everyone to see it. This is the reason we do it at public parks.”
Talking about the theme of the event — Rizq/Risk — Ms Farrukh said when in 2022 the region was hit by massive floods, the biennale was happening at the time and Covid had just ended.
“We had said that we would definitely do something on floods. We will try and do something that could enable people to understand what caused floods to wreak havoc in our country and the rest of the world. Then we chose a theme Rizq/Risk. The former is an Urdu word. It means food but it means more than that and relates to things such as livelihood, art etc. And risk is to do with food security,” she said.
KBT chairperson Almas Bana said the KBT is a not for profit trust. He also mentioned those who are supporting the biennale; the Sindh government being their biggest supporter.
The curator of KB24, Waheeda Baloch, elaborated on the theme of KB24, saying she’s always been interested in public art. She said when she was first given the subject of food security, she thought it was dry. So she worked on it. Since she had worked with flood victims she came with other themes, too, such as poverty, water and livelihood under the umbrella of the main theme.
Artistic Director KBT Bushra Hussain informed the media on the awards which will be given on the occasion: the emerging artist prize, the jury prize, the performance art prize and a special prize related to the Gaza project.
Atteqa Malik delivered the vote of thanks and Shanaz Ramzi moderated the event.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1867175/40-artists-from-10-countries-to-participate-in-karachi-biennale
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India
Urdu Teacher Heckled and Forced to Chant "Jai Shri Ram" in Ghaziabad, For No Reason
By HT News Desk
Oct 24, 2024
Mohammad Alamgir told police he was verbally attacked for no reason by two men while waiting for the elevator on the ground floor of Panchsheel Wellington.
An Urdu teacher, who provides private tuition in a society at Ghaziabad's Crossings Republik, was allegedly abused and heckled by a resident in the common area and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram.”
Manoj Kumar, the resident allegedly involved in the incident, was arrested by the police on Wednesday and charged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for wrongful restraint and intentional insult among others.
Police said the accused, a 36-year-old businessman, told them during questioning that he was under the influence of alcohol when he heckled the teacher, The Times of India reported.
Mohammad Alamgir, the teacher, informed police that Kumar verbally attacked him without reason when he saw him waiting for the elevator on the ground floor of Panchsheel Wellington.
He alleged that Kumar looked at him in a strange manner and asked where he was going. Alamgir replied to Kumar that he teaches Urdu at a flat on the 16th floor of the society.
Kumar allegedly insisted that he chant “Jai Shri Ram". Although the teacher initially ignored him, Kumar continued his inquiries, becoming increasingly aggressive, said police.
In his complaint, Alamgir mentioned that he remained silent during the encounter, and when the elevator stopped on the first floor, Kumar pushed him out. Kumar called over another resident and remarked, "Musalman kabse aane lage is society mein" (since when have Muslims started coming to this society?).
Alamgir also alleged that another resident abused him and blocked his access to the 16th floor. Eventually, others intervened and asked him to leave, the teacher told the police.
Alamgir mentioned that after he called his student's parents, Kumar again told him to say “Jai Shri Ram.” When he didn't respond, Kumar and another resident became aggressive and took him to the ground floor.
Later, a security guard and a third resident then arrived, took his number and told him to leave the society. Alamgir left without teaching the class.
An FIR has been filed against Kumar under various sections of the BNS, as said by Wave City ACP Lipi Nagayach. The charges include 126(2) for wrongful restraint, 352 for intentional insult aimed at provoking a breach of peace, 351(2) for criminal intimidation, and 351(3) for criminal intimidation.
Source:hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chant-jai-shri-ram-muslim-urdu-teacher-heckled-abused-at-ghaziabad-crossings-republik-panchsheel-wellington-101729751661964.html
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Kerala Waqf Board Ends 237-Year-Old Discriminatory Practice of Puthoorppally Muslim Jamaat, Gives Voting Rights
October 24, 2024
THE HINDU BUREAU
The 237-year-old social ostracisation of Ossan (a traditional Muslim barber community), Labba (a Muslim family group), and Muaddin (employees of the mosque) at Puthoorppally Muslim Jama-Ath, Changanassery, ended on Wednesday (October 23, 2024).
A conciliatory meeting convened by the Kerala Waqf Board on Wednesday (October 23, 2024) decided to give membership and voting rights to these segments in the Jama-Ath, thus ending the violation of rights that lasted for over two centuries.
The meeting, which was attended by members of the Jama-Ath committee, decided to give membership to all members of the Ossan community, Labba family, and Muaddins residing in Changanassery municipality and Payippad, Thrikkodithanam, Vazhappilly and Madappilly panchayats.
Election
The membership drive would be completed within three months, and an election to the committee would be held, said a communication issued by the chief executive officer of the Kerala Waqf Board.
The Jam-Ath members agreed to allow the new members to participate in the general body meeting, and decided to extend all the benefits offered to other members of the Jama-Ath. Incidentally, the Board had earlier asked the Jama-Ath to give membership and voting rights to the sections that were denied the rights after a few members raised the issue.
Legal action
The Board had also decided to initiate legal action against the Jama-Ath for socially ostracising and discriminating against members of the Ossan community, who were traditionally engaged as barbers. The board had held that the decision of the Mahal committee went against the tenets of Islam and provisions of the Constitution. It criticised the decision of the Mahal committee as violative of the basic human rights of the committee members.
The Board had also issued a circular to the Mahal committees against excommunication, denial of marriage registration, burial and Madrasa education, and cancellation or denial of Mahal membership. It had taken the stand that such acts violated the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Waqf Act and rules.
Board chairman M.K. Sakkeer and members M. Sharafudheen, M.C. Mayeen Haji, P.V. Sainudheen, K.M.A. Raheem, Rasiya Ibrahim, and V.M. Rahana were present.
Source:thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/waqf-board-ends-237-year-old-discriminatory-practice-of-puthoorppally-muslim-jama-ath/article68788601.ece
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HC Rejects Recall Petition OfMuslim Side In Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah Case
October 23, 2024
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday rejected the recall petition of the Muslim side in Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute case.
The verdict was given by the single bench of Justice Mayank Kumar Jain.
The Muslim side had filed a recall application challenging the order of January 11, 2024. Recall petition was filed regarding 15 petitions and on October 16, the High Court had reserved its verdict in the case.
Advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh, a party to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute and national president of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nyas, said, “Arguments were made on behalf of the temple and the mosque side before the bench of Justice Mayank Kumar Jain.”
The Muslim side had filed a recall application against the court’s decision to hear 15 civil suits related to ownership together by rejecting the prayer given under Order 7 of Rule 11.
On behalf of the temple side, it was said that the recall application is to keep the matter complicated. Recall application is given to withdraw an order. After disposing of the recall application, now the court will decide the issue points regarding civil suits.
Source:thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/hc-rejects-recall-petition-of-muslim-side-in-janmabhoomi-shahi-eidgah-case-1503356908.html#google_vignette
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CCTV grab of Pheran-clad terrorist allegedly involved in Gagangir attack in J&K emerges, probe underway
24.10.24
A CCTV grab of a Pheran-clad terrorist allegedly involved in the Gagangir attack in Jammu and Kashmir has emerged here but investigators said they are yet to ascertain if the AK rifle-wielding assailant carried out the October 20 assault that left seven dead. The ultra could be seen entering a prefabricated hut, believed to be at the Gagangir tunnel construction site -- where seven people including six non-local labourers -- were killed in the terror attack, official sources said.
However, security officials are trying to ascertain the authenticity of the image on various counts, the sources said. The screen grab has 'January 27' as the date stamp -- which sources said could be due to a settings or technical issue -- in the top right corner while the rifle carried by the terrorist has a blue marking on the muzzle.
The sources said such rifles have been reportedly used by terrorists in attacks on security forces in the Pir Panjal region, which is about 200 km from the site of attack.
They said the terrorist was not covering his face but the survivors of the attack had claimed the assailants had their faces covered.
A senior police official said it was premature to comment on the evidence collected so far as it can jeopardise further investigation into the case.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/cctv-grab-of-pheran-clad-terrorist-allegedly-involved-in-gagangir-attack-in-jammu-and-kashmir-emerges-probe-underway/cid/2057878
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Jammu & Kashmir: Employees bat for colleagues terminated for alleged links to militancy
Muzaffar Raina
24.10.24
The return of an elected government has emboldened Jammu and Kashmir’s employees to take up the cudgels for their colleagues who were terminated during the past five years for alleged links to militancy.
The administration led by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha had allegedly terminated the employees without inquiry and the employees’ unions had seldom taken up the cause of such staff for fear of being hounded. The terminated employees, too, have been unwilling to speak up.
The Employees Joint Consultative Committee (EJCC) — the biggest employees’ body in Jammu and Kashmir — has now found its voice back, calling the terminations “unilateral” and urging the Omar Abdullah-led government to review their cases.
A sacked employee said all major political parties, including the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, had in their election manifestos vowed to review their cases.
Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid recently said he had taken up the issue with the LG’s administration duringa meeting.
In a media conference on Wednesday, EJCC chairman Aijaz Ahmad Khan said they would submit a memorandum to Omar to raise all “genuine” demands of the employees, among which reviewing the cases of terminated employees would be the priority.
“Our priority is that employees who faced the axe were terminated unilaterally and were given no opportunity to defend themselves. We urge chief minister Omar Abdullah sahab to give them an opportunity to defend themselves,” Khan said.
He said the union did not support anti-nationals. “But we know that a lot of them (employees) are innocent,” he said.
The terminated employees include university professors, teachers and policemen.
The EJCC chairman said his organisation represented 4.5 lakh government employees.
Over the past five years, the government’s clampdown on dissent has dealt a blow to activism by students and employees in Jammu and Kashmir and their organisations have existed mostly in name.
The government had been invoking sub-clause (c) of the proviso to clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution that empowers it to terminate the services of employees in the interest of national security without holding a formal inquiry.
The EJCC also demanded the regularisation of temporary employees working in government departments.
The employees’ body thanked the Centre, the Election Commission of India, the LG and other officers for conducting “free and fair Assembly elections”.
Khan condemned the October 20 militant attack in Ganderbal’s Gagangir which killed seven people and urged the government to grant an ex gratia of ₹10 lakh each to the families of the victims.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/jammu-kashmir-employees-bat-for-colleagues-terminated-for-alleged-links-to-militancy/cid/2057807
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Waqf Parliamentary Panel Chief's Public Statements Violated Norms, Claims Opposition
23.10.24
Opposition leaders on Wednesday hit out at the chairman of the parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagdambika Pal, accusing him of violating rules of procedure by going public on the incident of TMC member Kalyan Banerjee smashing a glass bottle and allegedly throwing it towards him.
Pal rejected the allegations levelled by DMK member A Raja and AAP member Sanjay Singh, asserting that he had not made public proceedings of the committee but spoke about an incident of violence that had taken place during the meeting.
Raja and Singh termed as "unfortunate" Pal's media statements on the incident involving Banerjee during a meeting of the committee on Tuesday.
Raja alleged that Pal, a seasoned BJP member, has been conducting the panel's meetings in haste, raising "doubts that it will not be able to serve justice".
In a post on X, the DMK MP said it is "unfortunate" that the chairman held a press conference to highlight what transpired in the meeting knowing fully well that the proceedings are confidential and are not to be disclosed.
Pal asserted that he had not revealed any deliberations of the parliamentary committee, but made a statement about an incident of violence that took place during the meeting of the panel.
"I have not revealed any proceedings or deliberations of the Committee. I have only made a statement about an incident of violence during the committee meeting by a member and his subsequent suspension," Pal told PTI.
"I have always adhered to rules of parliamentary procedure and upheld the dignity of the House," the BJP MP said.
He said as the chairman of the Joint Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, he made a statement on the incident of violence during the meeting of the panel on Tuesday involving a member and the subsequent action against him.
Echoing Raja's views, Singh said the opposition members had decided not to make any statement regarding the incident involving Banerjee.
"First of all, it's not in accordance with the rules to make a public statement about what transpired during the meeting. It is very unfortunate that the Chairman made a statement to the media," Singh said.
Raja also questioned the manner in which the proceedings were being conducted by Pal.
"In spite of the unpleasant incident that took place in the meeting, the attitude and manner by which the meetings are conducted in haste by the chairman, (it) creates doubts in the mind of the members and public that justice will not be secured.
"Let us fight to uphold our democratic and secular values despite the hurdles," Raja said in a post on X.
The BJP and opposition members have been engaged in bitter spats during the meetings of the Committee considering the contentious bill, described as a necessary reform by the government and slammed as an interference in the religious affairs of Muslims by the INDIA bloc parties.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said Banerjee's conduct was an insult not only to parliamentary traditions but to parliamentary institutions and the Constitution.
He said leaders of the Congress including Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc must clear their stand on the incident.
"This is also an insult to lakhs of voters who have elected him (Banerjee) and sent him to Parliament. ... I want to ask all the leaders of the Congress party and the INDI alliance what their stand is in this matter," he said.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/waqf-par-panel-chiefs-public-statements-violated-norms-claims-opposition/cid/2057745
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Immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is imperative: Chidambaram
October 24, 2024
A day after Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha held a security review meeting, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday said people have elected a chief minister and government to look after their security but the CM has no authority.
Chidambaram also asserted that the immediate restoration of full statehood to J-K is imperative.
In a post on X, the former home minister said the photograph of the LG of Jammu and Kashmir presiding over a meeting to review the law and order situation in J-K is telling.
“The elected chief minister is not present. Whether he was invited or not, I do not know. Under the law applicable to J&K, police and public order are subjects reserved for the LG,” Chidambaram said.
The people have elected a chief minister and government to look after their security, among other things, but the chief minister has no authority, he said.
This is why J-K is described as half a state, Chidambaram added.
The immediate restoration of full statehood to J-K is imperative, he asserted.
Sinha on Wednesday directed for a security audit of infrastructure projects, round-the-clock nakas at strategic points, and night patrolling and area domination in the Valley.
Sinha passed these directions during a security review for the Kashmir division in a meeting at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.
The meeting came against the backdrop of the deadly terror attack on construction workers at a tunnel in the Gagangir area of Ganderbal district on Sunday. Seven persons — a local doctor and six non-local labourers — were killed in the attack claimed by the TRF, a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Principal Secretary Home Department Chandraker Bharti and Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Vijay Kumar and other senior officials of J-K Police attended the meeting.
The LG asked J-K Police officials to take stringent measures to tighten the security grid around key infrastructure projects and construction camps for the safety of workers. He stressed upon establishment of mechanisms for regular coordination meetings with project implementing agencies.
Source:indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/restoration-full-statehood-jammu-kashmir-chidambaram-lg-manoj-sinha-9636100/
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CCTV footage of Jammu and Kashmir attack: Militants had M4 carbine, AK-47; at camp for 7 mins
by Mahender Singh Manral
October 24, 2024
CCTV footage of Valley attack: Militants had M4 carbine, AK-47; at camp for 7 minsk, jammu attack, Ganderbal, Kashmir militants, jammu kashmir militants, Kashmir militants attack, jammu kashmir militants attack, Z-Morh tunnel, Z-Morh tunnel attack, kashmir terror attack, migrant workers killed, kashmir infra employees killed, kashmir militant attack, kashmir migrant workers dead, kashmir news, ganderbal, kashmir construction workers killed, Indian express news, current affairsCCTV footage of the two gunmen on October 20.
CCTV footage of the October 20 terror attack on employees of a construction firm in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district shows two militants, carrying an American-made M4 carbine assault rifle and an AK-47, spending around seven minutes at the workers’ camp before fleeing the spot, it is learnt.
Officials said the footage suggests they were aware of the topography of the area.
Seven men — six from outside Kashmir and a local doctor — were killed in the attack. They were working for infrastructure company APCO Infratech, which is constructing the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway.
The attack took place at the camp around 7.25 pm, when some employees were sitting in the dining area and others were heading for dinner. The camp is just below an approach road to the tunnel, and is surrounded by barren mountains on one side and the Srinagar-Leh national highway on the other.
Kashmir attack, jammu attack, Ganderbal, Kashmir militants, jammu kashmir militants, Kashmir militants attack, jammu kashmir militants attack, Z-Morh tunnel, Z-Morh tunnel attack, kashmir terror attack, migrant workers killed, kashmir infra employees killed, kashmir militant attack, kashmir migrant workers dead, kashmir news, ganderbal, kashmir construction workers killed, CCTV footage of one of the two militants at the site
Senior police officers as well as officers of the National Investigation Agency and other security agencies visited the spot following the attack. “There is no CCTV camera installed at the place where they first opened fire. CCTV captured the area where they headed next — the two can be seen entering and opening fire. They also attacked the mess before coming out and firing on more workers,” a source said.
Initial investigation has also revealed that the attackers put a grenade inside a vehicle parked at the camp before shooting the driver. “After recording the statements of the injured persons and a security guard who managed to escape, it came to light that initially, the workers thought that some people were bursting firecrackers. But within two-three minutes, they realised it was a terror attack,” the source said.
CCTV footage of Valley attack: Militants had M4 carbine, AK-47; at camp for 7 mins CCTV footage of one of the two militants at the site
The attackers, a source said, were carrying an M4 carbine assault rifle and an AK-47, and 37-40 used cartridges were recovered from the spot. “Security agencies and the local police are questioning local villagers and trying to find out details of the terrorists’ local handler, who helped them conduct a recce before the attack. We are also trying to get details of both the attackers from our database,” the source said, adding that the attackers fired at every area where there was light since power at the camp was cut during the incident.
Source:indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cctv-footage-of-valley-attack-militants-had-m4-carbine-ak-47-at-camp-for-7-mins-9635572/
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Europe
UK's rising anti-Muslim sentiment not fully captured in official statistics: Expert
23.10.2024
Official statistics on anti-Muslim hate crimes in the UK fail to reflect the true scale of the problem, as many incidents go unreported due to mistrust of authorities, according to a British academic.
Peter Hopkins, a professor of social geography at Newcastle University, told Anadolu that anti-Muslim hate crimes in the UK have risen amid events such as Israel’s yearlong offensive on Gaza and broader developments in the Middle East.
“There are other times where they've increased. So normally there's a trigger event, like 9/11 for example was one of them,” Hopkins explained, referring to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 in the US, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
Despite the noticeable rise in anti-Muslim sentiment, Hopkins remarked that this situation is not equally reflected in the statistics, adding: “There's the actual hate crime count that's recorded to the police and ends up in the official statistics, but there's a lot that isn't recorded and … it kind of goes under the radar sort of thing. And people might tell their friends or their family or their colleagues, but it doesn't get officially reported.”
Lack of trust in police
Hopkins stressed that there are many reasons why the Muslim community does not report the racist and anti-Muslim incidents they face to official authorities, leading to the inability to gather accurate data from annual hate crime statistics.
Many in the Muslim community view the police and authorities with suspicion, he said.
“For some people … they're kind of suspicious of the police and of authority. So they don't really trust the system. For others, they're aware that the police are racist and institutionally racist, and so they don't think they'll be listened to if they report, say, a racist or Islamophobic hate crime, they don't think it will be taken seriously by the police,” he added.
The academic said victims avoid filing complaints, fearing the legal system might work against them.
“There are also some people who would say that they don't think the particular incident was serious enough. So they think that the incident was maybe too low level or that they didn't have enough evidence or they don't have a witness sort of thing.
“And also for some people, it's such a frequent experience. It's so regular and it's so often that they end up saying, ‘I don't really see the point in reporting it because it's happening so often. I would just be on the phone all the time or online reporting it’,” he explained.
Hopkins stressed that hate crimes should be registered as such, pointing out that people can report incidents online or directly to authorities.
“And then there are organizations that are set up to record in particular incidents and also to offer support. But a lot of people wouldn't use either of those routes and they would just basically not report it. So that's how it's unreported," he said.
Media misrepresents Muslims
Hopkins also warned of the growing influence of the far-right in the UK, saying that both social and traditional media play a role in fueling anti-Muslim sentiment.
“The far-right activists on social media, the way in which social media has been used and how people share misinformation about issues online, that's a big issue and big problem with social media coverage.”
Mainstream media, according to Hopkins, also contributes to the problem by reinforcing stereotypes.
“There are also issues to do with media representation in general, how mainstream newspapers or online news outlets represent Muslims and Islam can encourage Islamophobia. Visibility can be a big issue. So if you're visibly Muslim, so like a Muslim woman with a headscarf or a veil, that can lead to heightened Islamophobia as well,” he added.
Source:aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/uks-rising-anti-muslim-sentiment-not-fully-captured-in-official-statistics-expert/3371894#
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New Scholarship For Those Affected By Mosque Terror Attacks
24 October 2024
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury’s new Ōtautahi Aroha wa Salam: March 15 Scholarship has been set up to provide financial assistance and educational opportunities to survivors of the mosque attacks, along with their family members and family members of victims.
Alongside the community, former Prime Minister Rt Hon Dame Jacinda Ardern helped establish the new scholarship by facilitating a USD $250,000 funding grant from the California-based Skoll Foundation that will endow the scholarship in perpetuity.
“I don’t believe we’ll ever fully understand the impact of March 15 on our Muslim community, and that’s why our response to it should have no end point,” Dame Jacinda said.
“Educational support to survivors and the families most affected is a small thing compared to the overwhelming support and love provided to all New Zealanders in the aftermath of one of our darkest days.”
The scholarship is also rooted in the legacy of the Christchurch Call, a global initiative founded by Dame Jacinda and French President Emmanuel Macron in response to the attacks. This commitment aims to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online, fostering a safe and secure internet for all.
The University of Canterbury (UC) has worked closely with the affected community and the Christchurch City Council to bring this scholarship to fruition.
"We are deeply grateful for the funding that has made this scholarship possible," said UC Professor Catherine Moran, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic. "This initiative not only provides vital support for survivors and their families but also opens doors to new educational pathways. We hope this scholarship helps in healing and fostering resilience within our community."
The scholarship is open to applicants intending to enrol full- or part-time in any UC programme—including certificates, diplomas, short courses and Tuihono UC | UC Online. The scholarship is unique in that it allows recipients to choose from a broad range of educational paths, with no requirement for enrolment in a specific degree programme.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be survivors of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks or family members/descendants of the victims and survivors.
Applicants must intend to enrol full- or part-time in any programme at UC or another accredited education provider.
Source:scoop.co.nz
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https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED2410/S00037/new-scholarship-for-those-affected-by-mosque-terror-attacks.htm
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Met officer sacked over offensive tweets about Jewish people, non-Muslims and 9/11
23 October 2024
PC Ruby Begum was found to have committed gross misconduct after she admitted to posting discriminatory language such as "dirty Zionists. Hell is waiting" while serving as a special constable.
The 29-year-old also admitted using the term "kuffar" to refer to non-believers, using a shortened version of Pakistani, and making controversial comments about the September 11 2001 terror attacks.
Around 25,000 posts were made between 2013 and 2019 under the Twitter, now X, username @ruby_beee, the hearing was told.
Ms Begum denied gross misconduct and said her comments - which she agreed could be deemed discriminatory - amounted to simple misconduct and a final warning would be a sufficient outcome.
But the panel said they found her posts "appalling", "derogatory" and "abusive" and told the defendant her actions amounted to gross misconduct and dismissed her without notice.
Chairwoman Evis Samupfonda said: "(The posts) are derogatory and abusive, and also show a lack of tolerance for others who do not share the same characteristics as Ms Begum.
"It falls far below the standard of professional behaviour for police officers... (The tweets) are racist, discriminatory and intolerant."
Ms Samupfonda later described the comments as "so vile that members of the public could not be confident they would be treated fairly" and said the panel rejected the idea they were the result of "immaturity" and instead born out of "deep seated personal beliefs".
Ms Begum gained widespread recognition in 2020 after a photo of her facing down anti-lockdown protesters in London went viral.
But in 2021, a Mail On Sunday article revealed her controversial posts on Twitter.
These included a series of derogatory posts about Jewish people, saying: "Dirty Zionists. Hell is waiting" and "Zionists have no heart".
Ms Begum had previously told the panel she had "transformed" as a person since posting the tweets, adding: "I was silly. It was almost 10 years ago and I've developed a lot through the police."
She later said: "It looks bad on paper and I can see how immature I was... I made a mistake which I'm sorry for."
But the panel told the hearing they rejected her claims of immaturity as "she was an adult and a serving police officer".
They also said Ms Begum underwent two rounds of equality and diversity training, once in 2014 when joining as a special constable and again in 2016 when becoming a full-time police constable.
'Appalled'
Ms Samupfonda said: "(Pc Begum) posted inappropriate comments after undertaking repeated training in equality and diversity. The last post was in 2019.
"There is little doubt she breached the standards of professional behaviour expected for police officers.
"And her conduct continued while a serving member of the Metropolitan Police. The panel is appalled by Pc Begum's behaviour.
"She has shown a lack of empathy for members of the public and her colleagues, and the tweets would undermine public confidence in the (Metropolitan Police)... The only appropriate outcome is dismissal without notice."
Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, in charge of the Met's Taskforce, said after the hearing: "There is absolutely no place within the Met for anyone with racist or otherwise hateful attitudes.
"Our diverse workforce, made up of people from a range of backgrounds, makes us better able to reflect and serve the public. We are working hard to build a culture where anyone can feel welcome and thrive.
"Those who undermine these goals have no place in the organisation. They are not suitable to serve Londoners and will feel the consequences.
"The overwhelming majority of officers in the Met make a fantastic contribution to policing London, but we can only rebuild trust and continue to deliver the change that is needed by taking action, as we have today, to remove those within our ranks who do not share our values."
Source:lbc.co.uk
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https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/ruby-begum-police-met-officer-sacked-offensive-tweets-racist-antisemitism/
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Turkey strikes PKK sites after fatal attack near Ankara
24rd October
Turkey's government says its military struck sites on Wednesday night in Iraq and Syria linked to Kurdish militant group the PKK, after blaming it for an attack near Ankara that killed at least five people.
Various videos from the attack earlier on Wednesday show at least two people firing guns around the entrance of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), which is located some 40km (25 miles) outside the capital.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, in which 22 people were injured.
"A total of 32 targets belonging to the terrorists were successfully destroyed" in the retaliatory attack, the Turkish defence ministry said in a statement.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the attack on TAI "heinous" in a post on X.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that two attackers, a woman and a man, had been "neutralised", adding that the attack had most likely involved the PKK.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is banned as a terrorist organisation in Turkey, the US and UK, and has been fighting against the Turkish state since the 1980s for greater rights for the country’s significant Kurdish minority.
Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz said four of the victims were TAI employees while the fifth was a taxi driver.
Local media had earlier reported that the attackers killed the cab driver before taking his vehicle to carry out the attack.
The blast took place around the time of a shift change, and staff had to be directed to shelters, they said.
Yerlikaya also confirmed that seven special ops forces members were among the 22 who were injured in the attack.
President Erdogan - who is in Russia for the Brics summit - condemned what he called a "vile terror attack" during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in remarks broadcast live on TV.
He later posted a lengthy statement on X, saying that security forces acted quickly to neutralise the threat, and that "no terrorist organisation, no evil focus targeting our security will be able to achieve their goals".
Turkish authorities have imposed a media blackout on details of the attack, and users in large areas of the country have reported not being able to use social media sites like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.
The president of Turkey’s Radio and TV Supreme Council, Ebubekir Sahin, warned that all images relating to the incident should be removed from social media, and urged users not to share images which “will serve the purpose of terrorism”.
TAI is a key player in Turkey’s aerospace industry, designing, developing and manufacturing various aircraft for commercial and military use.
It is the company designated by the Nato member to be the licensed manufacturer for the US-designed F-16 fighter jets. TAI also plays a role in modernising older aircraft for use by the Turkish military.
The firm's two principal owners are the Turkish Armed Forces and a civilian arm of Turkey's government charged with improving its defence capabilities and managing military procurement.
The blast took place as a major trade fair for defence and aerospace industries was going on in Istanbul this week.
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c937p1vzrx0o
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BRICS reject ‘illegal’ Western sanctions
23 Oct, 2024
BRICS countries strongly oppose and condemn the practice of unlawful politically motivated sanctions that undermine the development of other states, according to a joint declaration adopted at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.
Entitled ‘Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security,’ the 33-page ‘Kazan Declaration’ was released on Wednesday following a range of multi-format meetings by the BRICS leaders.
“We are deeply concerned about the disruptive effect of unlawful unilateral coercive measures, including illegal sanctions, on the world economy, international trade, and the achievement of the sustainable development goals,” the declaration reads.
The joint statement pointed out that such measures are “inconsistent with rules” of the WTO, undermine the UN Charter and jeopardize the multilateral trading system.
The sanctions also “negatively impact economic growth, energy, health and food security exacerbating poverty and environmental challenges,” the document said.
The declaration underlined that the “unilateral coercive measures, inter-alia in the form of unilateral economic sanctions and secondary sanctions that are contrary to international law,” have far-reaching implications for the human rights, including the right to development, of the general population of targeted states, disproportionally affecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
“Therefore, we call for their elimination,” the BRICS statement stressed.
The group’s members have been deepening their economic ties and strengthening cooperation despite unprecedented Western sanctions against Russia and the threat of secondary sanctions. The US and its allies have introduced a record number of restrictions against Moscow, freezing an estimated $300 billion in assets belonging to the Russian state, as well as sanctioning individuals and entities, including those in the energy, metals and mining, and financial sectors.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned the curbs as illegal, responding with travel bans on Western officials and warning of other countermeasures.
Meanwhile, some high-ranking Western politicians and diplomats have acknowledged that the sanctions on Russia are ineffective, noting that the scope for further restrictions is narrowing.
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/business/606294-brics-western-sanctions-illegal/
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Southeast Asia
Malaysia elevates AI as a catalyst for sustainable growth - TPM Fadillah
BERNAMA
24-10- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia sees artificial intelligence (AI) not only as a tool for increasing productivity but also as a driver for more inclusive and sustainable growth across various industries and sectors, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, stated that in the financial sector, AI has the power to improve decision-making, reduce risk, and offer personalised services on a global scale.
“AI is the key to unlocking productivity gains, improving risk management, and driving economic growth in ways previously unimaginable.
“In Malaysia, we are fully committed to positioning ourselves as a regional leader in AI and digital innovation,” he said in his speech at the Pan Pacific Economic Forum Malaysia here tonight.
He emphasised that the government, under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has established a clear vision within Malaysia’s Digital Economy Blueprint, aiming to integrate AI into key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and smart cities.
“For foreign investors, Malaysia offers a compelling proposition: a gateway to the fast-growing Southeast Asian market, supported by robust infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and a government that is both business-friendly and future-ready,” he added.
Themed “Investment and AI in A Changing World,” the Pan Pacific Economic Forum Malaysia, hosted by Bukit Jalil Global Acquisition 1 Ltd (BUJAU), explores the opportunities at the intersection of investment and AI.
Fadillah reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering an innovation-friendly environment that ensures ease of doing business while providing access to the broader ASEAN region.
“Malaysia offers a stable, resilient economy that is well-equipped to support long-term partnerships.
“Our National Investment Aspirations (NIA) and various fiscal incentives are designed to attract foreign direct investment, ensuring that you have the support you need to succeed in your ventures,” he said.
He urged global bankers, technology experts, and investors attending the forum to consider Malaysia as a prime investment destination.
“Whether you are looking to enter new markets, expand your portfolio, or innovate with technology, Malaysia stands ready to partner with you.
“Malaysia is not just a destination for investment or an innovation centre; it is also a partner committed to long-term, sustainable growth for all stakeholders,” he added.
The forum also featured two collaborations: Hamilton Reserve Bank partnering with Central Wealth Group and Roths Investment Bank.
Also present was Tengku Laksamana of Selangor, Tengku Sulaiman Shah Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah.
Source:thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/malaysia-elevates-ai-as-a-catalyst-for-sustainable-growth-tpm-fadillah-FL13188728
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PAS leader: We're no longer 'lebai' party, favourite among Muslims
Oct 24, 2024
PAS is now a favourite among technocrats and professionals and no longer a party of the “lebai” (religious types), said party spiritual leader Hashim Jasin.
He said this was proven when PAS managed to field candidates who were professionals in the previous polls instead of relying on religious figures alone.
“We see PAS progressing and we look at Kedah, for example, we have...
Source:malaysiakini.com
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Father of Ulu Tiram police station attacker charged with promoting Islamic State ideology, possessing firearms
23 Oct 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — The father of the suspect in the Ulu Tiram Police Station attack last May, was charged at the High Court here today with three counts of promoting the violent ideology of Daesh, providing support, and possessing firearms linked to the terrorist group.
Radin Imran Radin Mohd Yassin, 62, made the plea after the charges were read to him before Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, who then set Nov 15 for the case management.
For the first charge, Radin Imran is accused of knowingly encouraging acts of terrorism by instilling the Daesh ideology in his four children, Radin Luqman, Radin Romyullah, Farhah Sobrina, Mariah, and his wife Rosna Jantan at a house on Jalan Rabani, Kampung Sungai Tiram, Johor Bahru, Johor, from late 2014 until May 17, 2024.
The charge, under Section 130JG(a) of the Penal Code provides for a maximum jail term of 30 years and a fine, if convicted.
For the second and third charges, the man is accused of supporting terrorist activities by possessing four homemade air rifles to carry out activities for the Daesh group and also for pledging allegiance to the terrorist group’s leader, Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi.
He was alleged to have committed the two offences at the same location at 10.45 am on May 17, 2024, and at the end of 2014, and charged under Section 130J(1)(b) and Section 130J(1)(a) of the Penal Code, which provide for life imprisonment or a maximum of 40 years in prison, or a fine, if convicted.
Before the same judge, Farhah Sobrina, 23, also pleaded not guilty to a charge of deliberately withholding information regarding offences related to Section 130J(1)(a) and Section 130G(a) of the Penal Code.
The young woman was charged under Section 130M of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, or a fine, or both, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam prosecuted, while lawyer Fatima Zulaikha Ahmad Bashri represented the two accused.
In the attack on the police station on May 17, two constables, Ahmad Azza Fahmi Azhar, 22, and Muhamad Syafiq Ahmad Said, 24, were killed, while Corporal Mohd Hasif Roslan, 38, was injured after being shot by an assailant who was eventually shot dead in the incident. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
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Vietnam Aims To Boost Diplomacy With Muslim World By Developing Halal Food Economy
23/10/2024
PHNOM PENH, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- Vietnam is pursuing a dual strategy to develop its halal economy by becoming a significant producer and exporter of halal products while strengthening its diplomatic ties with the global Muslim community. Its capital, Hanoi, hosted the maiden high-profile national halal conference themed "Fostering International Cooperation and Mobilising Internal Resources to Develop Vietnam’s Halal Industry” on Tuesday to express Vietnam’s commitment to the Muslim world of its intentions, reported Vietnam NewVietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh told international participants at the conference that the government attached great importance to the development of the halal sector and identified this as a new direction in production activities. "We consider the development of the halal market as an important economic cooperation, a new pillar, a new driving force in developing relations with countries, especially Muslim countries and communities around the world. "We consider this a golden o pportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to improve production capacity and strengthen cooperation with partners to effectively participate in the halal market and the global halal value chain,” Vietnam News quoted the premier. Strategically located in Southeast Asia, neighbouring Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, where there is sizeable demand for halal food and services, Vietnam could exploit these advantages, say industry experts. Being a strong agrarian-based economy that is heavily dependent on export markets driven by its farm produce and livestock, gives Vietnamese exporters another added advantage to venture into the halal segment. Vietnam’s export of agricultural, forestry and fishery products is forecast to reach US$54 billion this year. There are about 90,000 Muslims in the country. “Vietnam is telling the world that it is ready to participate in the halal economy. It will (adhere) to compliances and standards, and develop human capital for the halal sector. “It is targeting Muslim and non-Muslim markets. They already have about 1,000 halal products that are exported to ASEAN countries,” Hanoi-based Ramlan Osman, director of Halcert Authority under the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology, told Bernama in a phone interview. Halcert signed memorandums of understanding with four foreign certifications agencies – GAE Resources Malaysia Sdn Bhd, as strategic partner of Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), Korea Halal Agency, MUIS Singapore (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura) and European Certification Centre – to collaborate on training, partnership and mutual recognition. -- BERNAMA
Source:bernama.com
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South Asia
Delhi seeks stable ties with Dhaka
Oct 24, 2024
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma has said his country will continue to seek a "stable, positive and constructive" relationship with Bangladesh.
Verma said India also wanted this relationship built upon the two countries' interdependencies, in which people of both nations remain the main stakeholders.
The Indian envoy made the remarks while addressing the 2024 NDC course participants at National Defence College, Bangladesh in the capital's Mirpur on Tuesday.
He spoke about India's foreign policy and development strategy, highlighting the country's growing engagement with the world to promote rules-based international order.
Verma also discussed reforms of global governance and interests of the Global South, as well as India's quest for inclusive, sustainable, and rapid national development.
The envoy elucidated the long-term vision of Bangladesh-India relations under India's "Neighbourhood First" foreign policy, "Act East Policy", the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, and India's Indo-Pacific Vision.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/delhi-seeks-stable-ties-dhaka-3734596
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ICT’s arrest warrant for Hasina sent to IGP
Oct 24, 2024
The arrest warrants issued for former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 45 others over crimes against humanity during the July-August uprising have been sent to the inspector general of police.
Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, shared this information with journalists yesterday during his visit to the tribunal. He was accompanied by Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan and Law Adviser Asif Nazrul.
"The legal process against those involved in the genocide is advancing rapidly," the chief prosecutor said.
The law adviser said the renovation of the tribunal building is going well. Trials of cases are likely to begin in the main building by November 3, he added.
On October 17, the ICT issued an arrest warrant for Hasina over crimes against humanity and genocide during the mass uprising.
This marked the first arrest warrant issued for the Awami League president since her government fell on August 5.
The tribunal also issued arrest warrants for 45 others, including Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and several of her former cabinet members in another case involving similar charges.
Arrest warrants were issued for former ministers Asaduzzaman Khan, Anisul Huq, Dipu Moni, and AKM Mozammel Haque and ex-state ministers Mohammad Ali Arafat and Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
The court ordered the authorities concerned to arrest the suspects and produce them before it by November 18.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/icts-arrest-warrant-hasina-sent-igp-3734361
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HSC underachievers: Over 50 held as students enter Secretariat
Oct 24, 2024
Police detained over 50 people after a group of HSC students, who failed or did poorly in the exams, entered the Secretariat and staged a protest yesterday demanding a reevaluation based on their SSC results.
Around 3:00pm, students were seen protesting in front of the main gate beneath Building-6 of the Secretariat, where the Ministry of Education is located. A large number of police officers, along with army personnel, were also present.
During the protest, a student said they want fair results for the HSC examination and justice for the attacks on them at various boards. The students vowed to continue their protest until their demands were met.
At one point, the police chased and dispersed the students.
By 3:15pm, law enforcement officers had removed a significant number of the protesters from the Secretariat, and some were detained .
Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star that police detained over 50 students for questioning. After the questioning, further steps would be taken.
They were taken away in two prison vans from inside the Secretariat.
On October 20, some students with the same demands entered the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board office in the Bakshibazar area, where they staged protests and resorted to vandalism.
Source:thedailystar.net
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SC lawyer again files petition challenging Article 70
Oct 24, 2024
A Supreme Court lawyer filed a petition with the High Court yesterday challenging legality of Article 70 of the constitution which deals with cancellation of membership of a lawmaker for voting against his or her political party.
Lawyer Md Eunus Ali Akond, in the petition, said an Appellate Division bench led by the then chief justice Surendra Kumar Saha observed in the constitution's 16th amendment case in 2017 that Article 70 of the Constitution is contradictory to the constitution, which has been upheld by the apex court recently.
"So, this article should be scrapped, and I have again filed the petition challenging its legality. The petition's hearing may be held next week," he said.
On August 18, 2018, the High Court rejected Eunus Ali's petition that challenged legality of Article 70.
On that day, the HC bench of Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order saying that the court cannot interfere in Article 70 as this provision has been incorporated in the original constitution of 1972.
Source:thedailystar.net
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Top Sirat-ul-Nabi competitors appreciated, awarded gifts in Kabul
October 24, 2024
KABUL: A total of 21 students including 11 girls from both Emirati and private schools have been appreciated by the Sixth Educational District of Kabul city. Tens of people including government officials, teachers, students’ parents, and their close relatives attended the ceremony held at the meeting hall of the Dunya High School on Wednesday. A number of officials from the Ministry of Education and the private schools delivered their speeches referring to the ways, sayings and methods of the Holy Prophet’s life and how he treated his colleagues, followers, and supporters during his lifetime. The participants thanked the leadership of the 6th Educational District for organizing the competition, which they said would encourage the youths of the country to gain further familiarity with the Holy Prophet’s lifestyle and behaviors. During his speech, one of the participants called on the Ministry of Education to do more for the private education institutions and support the private sector. He said the distance between the Emirati and private education institutions should be removed. At the end of the ceremony, the head of the Kabul City Education Department, Qari Abdul Baset Haqqani advised the students to avoid following the misleading foreign cultures and grasp their Islamic and accepted traditions. According to the head of the 6th Education District, Mawlavi Abdul Baset Sahebzada, 750 students including boys and girls from 140 Emirati and private schools have attended the competition, with 21 students from 14 Emirati and private schools such as Central Asia Private High School, Sayed Ismail Balkhi snd Mahmoud Tarzi Emirati schools were appreciated as the top scorers during the auspicious ceremony. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
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Iranian, Afghan companies to invest in five new substations in Afghanistan
October 23, 2024
KABUL: The head of Atlas Mahdi Yar Asman Eighth Iranian Company, Mohammad Khawazi, and Nazir Ahmad, the head of Nazir Ahmad Logistics and Procurement Company, in a meeting with the acting Water and Energy Minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansour, said that they are ready to invest in the establishment of 5 substations in the Kandahar province. According to a statement from the ministry, Mullah Mansour warmly welcomed the investment proposals from the companies and emphasized the importance of finalizing agreements and contracts to initiate practical operations. It is to be noted that after the resumption of power by the Islamic Emirate and providing countrywide security, hundreds of foreign companies have invested in various sectors in the country. The Kabul Times
Source:thekabultimes.com
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NSIA Reports Afghan Exports Reach $174 Million, Imports Decrease by $57 Million
2024-10-23
KABUL(BNA): The National Statistics and Information Authority has reported that Afghanistan’s exports in the past month amounted to nearly $174 million.
In a press release, the authority stated that the total value of exports across the country in the month of Sunbula of the current solar year was $173.9 million, while imports stood at $954.1 million. Comparatively, in the previous month of Asad, Afghanistan’s exports totaled $103.3 million.
According to the released data, this analysis highlights a significant increase in exports, with a $70.6 million rise in Sunbula compared to Asad.
On the other hand, Afghanistan’s imports in Asad reached $1.011 billion, showing a reduction of $57 million in imports during Sunbula.
The National Statistics and Information Authority further mentioned that the majority of Afghanistan’s exports during the month of Sunbula were to Pakistan, India, and the United Arab Emirates, while the largest share of imports came from Iran, Pakistan, and China.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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Africa
Ogun Traditionalist Cautions Islamic Cleric, Mufti of Ilorin,Against Inciting Sermons
Correspondents
Oct 24, 2024
The Oba Ìsèse Of Ogun State and Chairman of Ìsèse Kingdom Of Truth Association Of Nigeria’ Oba (Dr.) Ifarotimi Adifagbola Balogun, has cautioned Islamic cleric, Sheikh (Dr.) Sulaiman Faruq Onikijipa, Al-miskinubilahi, Mufti of Ilorin to desist from making inciting statements, which are capable of breaching the peace, while preaching.
Adifagbola Balogun made the call at a press conference held at his temple in Idi-Ori, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, at a backdrop of Onikijipa’s viral video demanding from Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, to denounce/renounce traditional worshippers.
He reminded the clerics of their roles in the society, saying they should always strive to be shining examples both in words and in deeds, noting that Yorùbá Obas in the country were under the traditional worshippers, as they are the custodians of cultures and traditions.
He also appealed to Sheikh Onikijipa to fashion out ways that would propagate genuine teachings of the Islamic religion, not to inciting the traditionalists against any religion in the country, saying traditional worshippers were the lovers of peace and tranquility.
He said; “Prophet Muhammad preached peace, love and unity and as true followers of Islam, you should try to emulate the same so that we can enjoy both here and in eternity because there is no gain in rancor and misunderstanding,” Adifagbola Balogun explained.
The traditionalist urged Nigerians to tolerate one another, live in peace with one another, irrespective of religious, cultural and ethnic differences, noting that the Sheikh Onikijipa is not in position of persuading any Muslim or Christian Obas to denounce or renounce method that put him on the stools.
Source:independent.ng
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https://independent.ng/ogun-traditionalist-cautions-islamic-cleric-against-inciting-sermons/
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‘Lagos Is Sinking’ – Dep Gov Hamzat Raises Alarm Over Impending Submersion
24 October 2024
By Richard Ogunsile
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, has expressed concern over an impending submersion due to climate change.
The Lagos number two citizen who spoke during a Strategic Management Meeting with various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and stakeholders organized by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice said just like New York City in the United States, Lagos is posed to the danger of sinking if proper actions are not taken.
Stressing the urgent threat of submersion facing the state, Hamzat called on all individuals to take proactive steps to avert potential natural disasters, referencing instances in the United Kingdom and New York City, where residents are already moving to safer locations due to climate-related issues.
The Deputy Governor highlighted that Lagos, with a coastline extending 180 kilometres, is encircled by water.
“Today, Lagos and New York City are sinking,” he stated.
The Deputy Governor highlighted three critical threats to the state: extreme heat, climate change, and rising sea levels. He stressed the state’s need to realign its priorities over the next 20 to 25 years to determine which regions require preservation.
In his introductory comments, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN, clarified that the aim of the stakeholders’ meeting was to minimize government litigation in the courts, thereby alleviating the burden on the justice delivery system caused by unnecessary cases.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State government has urged residents in flood-affected areas to move to higher ground following the recent water release from the Oyan Dam, adhering to its previous advisory.
The areas impacted include Isheri, Riverview Estate, Oshorun Estate, OPIC Estate, Arepo, Mawere, Akute, Alagbole, Orimerunmu, and Magboro.
Naija News reports that the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, made this statement in light of the flooding caused by the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority’s release of excess water from the Oyan Dam.
He noted that the release of this water was necessary to prevent potential damage that could result in severe consequences.
Oresanya reassured residents that the floodwaters would begin to recede significantly starting Friday, October 25, through the designated waterways, watercourses, and canals that have been dredged for this purpose.
Source:naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2024/10/24/lagos-is-sinking-dep-gov-hamzat-raises-alarm-over-impending-submersion/
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‘Tackle Hunger In The Land’ – LP Urges Tinubu Amidst Cabinet Reshuffle
24 October 2024
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, has voiced concerns regarding President Bola Tinubu‘s recent cabinet reshuffle, criticizing it for failing to address key issues that directly impact the welfare of the Nigerian populace.
This statement follows the latest changes announced after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, where the President sacked five ministers, appointed seven new ones, and merged several ministries.
Ifoh argued that the administrative changes made by the President, including the scrapping of the Niger Delta and Sports Development ministries, do not align with the urgent needs of Nigerians.
He emphasized that the current government actions do not effectively address the critical challenges facing the country, particularly the pervasive issue of hunger among the masses.
The Labour Party spokesperson stressed the necessity for more focused and strategic decisions aimed at restructuring the economy to lift the country out of economic difficulties.
Ifoh said, “That he scrapped the Niger Delta and sports development ministries is not what Nigerians are looking for. Those two ministries have no direct impact on the economic situation in the country. There is hunger in the land.
“One will expect this goverment to begin to tinker on economic realities and how to move this nation from the doldrums. It is not about the number of ministers or ministries.”
Source:naijanews.com
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Reps Clarifies Report On Summoning Wike, DSS DG, Others
24 October 2024
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmed Satomi, has clarified that the House of Representatives did not summon Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, or the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, over the rising crime rate in the FCT.
Naija News reports that this clarification follows a motion of urgent public importance moved on Tuesday by Ismail Dabo Haruna, addressing the disturbing increase in criminal activities, particularly by the group known as “One Chance” operators in Abuja.
The motion had called for an investigation by the House’s joint committees on FCT, Police, and National Intelligence into the issue.
Speaking with journalists at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Satomi emphasized that contrary to media reports, no summons had been issued to Wike or Ajayi.
“There is a misconception regarding the motion raised yesterday (Tuesday) by Dabo Haruna, which was about the murder of his legislative aide, Miss Nimah Sulaiman, and the pressing need to tackle the menace of ‘One Chance’ criminals in the FCT,” Satomi stated.
He explained that while the motion was adopted and referred to the relevant committees for further action, there was no direct summons to any officials.
Instead, Satomi said the committees were tasked with conducting a thorough investigation and coordinating with key stakeholders, including the FCT Minister, the FCT Commissioner of Police, and the DSS Director General, to bring those responsible for the crimes to justice.
Satomi also assured that the joint committee is preparing to begin its legislative duties, which will include working with security agencies to address the criminal activities and bring the killers of Nimah Sulaiman to justice.
He praised the new DSS Director General, describing him as a seasoned intelligence professional expected to play a crucial role in combating crime in Abuja.
Nimah Sulaiman, a legislative aide, was abducted by armed men on October 17, 2024, near Bannex Junction, Abuja, while on her way to Jahi District. Despite her family paying the ransom, she was tragically murdered by her kidnappers.
Source:naijanews.com
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Why We Did Not Join Other States’ Case Against EFCC – Lagos Govt
23 October 2024
By Ikenna Ngere
The Lagos State government has clarified its decision not to participate in the legal challenge brought by several states against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Supreme Court.
The state explained that it already has a pending case with the anti-corruption agency on a similar issue before the court.
Speaking during a two-day Strategic Management meeting with Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and other stakeholders, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, addressed the media on Wednesday.
He explained that the ongoing legal proceedings between Lagos and the EFCC arose after the Lagos House of Assembly passed a law establishing a state anti-corruption agency.
The EFCC, with the involvement of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), subsequently challenged the state’s law at the Supreme Court.
Pedro highlighted that joining the current suit involving other states would be inappropriate, as it could be viewed as duplicating legal efforts.
He said: “My response to the question as to why Lagos state government is not one of the claimant states that is challenging the EFCC, is that the Lagos state government enacted a law on public complaints and anti-corruption agency to set up the state anti-corruption agency commission to tackle corruption in states.
“However, the EFCC, through the office of the AGF, decided to challenge that law at the Supreme Court. So if we had joined the matter, it would amount to an abuse of the court process.
“It is that suit filed by the AGF that has delayed the operation of the state agency. We hope that the Supreme Court will give us a date very soon and the matter will be resolved.”
Regarding the role of the EFCC and other federal agencies, Pedro explained that while they are authorized to investigate corruption cases, prosecution of state-level offenses remains the responsibility of the Attorney General of the respective state.
He said, “The EFCC, police and other agencies can investigate corruption cases, but when it comes to prosecution, it is the Attorney General of the states that have the power over state offences.
“So any other agency, that is prosecuting state offences, is only doing it on behalf of the Attorney General, because they are deemed to have the fiat of the Attorney General of the state to prosecute state offences.”
Pedro also dismissed suggestions that Lagos’ refusal to join the suit was politically motivated due to President Bola Tinubu’s ties to the state.
“I have been asked if it is because Mr. President is from Lagos, that Lagos is not joining the suit. I say no, it doesn’t have to be so. We already have a pending action for the Supreme Court to decide.
“In the meantime, we have a very cooperative and collaborative effort with EFCC in Lagos, that even state offences that are being prosecuted are being done on behalf of the state government, on behalf of the state Attorney General.
“And the attorney general has the power under the constitution to take over, to discontinue any of such cases in the interest of justice and the public interest,” Pedro clarified.
Source:naijanews.com
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Nearly half of Africa's population faces worsening governance- Report
23 October 2024
Governance has worsened in nearly half of Africa's countries over the past decade, according to a new report. The annual Ibrahim Index of African Governance reveals that security issues are undermining progress in many areas.
While 33 countries have seen improvements, the overall situation in 21 others has declined, affecting almost half of Africa’s population. Countries like Nigeria and Uganda have experienced a more significant drop in governance in the second half of the decade.
Mo Ibrahim, founder of the Ibrahim Foundation, highlighted a growing "arc of instability," pointing to the security and safety challenges as the main factors behind the decline. In an interview with Reuters, Ibrahim explained that poor governance, including corruption and marginalization, often fuels violence and conflict, as seen in recent coups in West Africa and the ongoing war in Sudan.
However, there are positive signs in some areas. The report shows improvements in infrastructure, such as mobile phone access and energy, as well as advances in women's equality. Health, education, and the business environment have also seen progress across the continent.
Despite these gains, public perceptions remain negative. Many people feel that economic opportunities and safety have worsened, even when governance indicators show improvements. Ibrahim warned that rising public dissatisfaction could lead to unrest, increased migration, and more conflicts.
The report suggests that these negative views might stem from higher expectations in countries that are making progress, as well as a focus on what is still not working. Nonetheless, Ibrahim stressed the importance of addressing public dissatisfaction to avoid further instability.
Source:africanews.com
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Haiti's crisis: a focus on security fragility and humanitarian needs
23 October 2024
The UN envoy to Haiti informed Security Council members on Tuesday that the situation in the country has worsened in recent months, despite the commencement of the deployment of the multinational security support mission led by Kenya.
In a briefing to the UN Security Council, María Isabel Salvador, the special representative and head of the UN integrated office in Haiti, stated that the gang situation in Haiti is deteriorating while attempts to establish a political framework persist.
"The situation in Haiti has regrettably worsened. There are more than 700,000 internally displaced persons, which means 22% increase in the last three months. The political process, despite initial advances, which I reported already in July, is now facing significant challenges, turning hope into deep concern, she said.
Since the initial deployment in June of a Kenyan contingent for the multinational security support mission, additional police from the Bahamas, Belize, and Jamaica have been sent, bringing the total to around 430 personnel.
However, Ms. Salvador expressed that this is "far from sufficient" and welcomed President Ruto of Kenya's announcement regarding the upcoming deployment of an additional contingent to bolster the existing forces.
Furthermore, she noted that the multinational mission remains underfunded, which could affect its deployment and hinder its ability to effectively support the Haitian National Police.
Salvador added that, "The announcement made by President Ruto of Kenya on the deployment in the coming weeks of further contingent to complement the already deployed forces is, of course, very well received."
Only 20% of healthcare facilities are operational in Port-au-Prince, and 40% nationwide.
Additionally, 45% of the population lacks access to clean drinking water.
Access to education is severely impacted, with 1,000 schools closed due to insecurity.
While the Prime Minister Garry Conille convened an urgent meeting to discuss gang violence the UN envoy noted that the new governance arrangements for the transition, the anticipated deployment of the multinational mission, and the possibility of holding elections before the end of 2025 provide a glimmer of hope.
Source:africanews.com
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Mideast
Netanyahu says Hezbollah prepared ‘invasion’ of Israel
October 23, 2024
PARIS: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday Israel had uncovered a plot by Hezbollah to attack his country via underground tunnels involving jeeps and missiles.
He told French broadcasters CNews and Europe 1 that had the plan succeeded such an assault would have been more damaging than the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
“A hundred meters, two hundred meters from the border we found tunnels, tunnels that were preparing an invasion of Israel, an attack even greater than on October 7,” Netanyahu said, according to a simultaneous translation provided by the networks.
“With jeeps, with motorbikes, with rockets, with missiles. They were planning an invasion.”
Netanyahu had told French daily Le Figaro earlier this month that the Israeli army found Russian cutting-edge military hardware in Hezbollah arms caches.
Since Israel last month escalated its bombing in Lebanon before sending ground troops across the frontier, the war has killed at least 1,552 people, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, though the real toll is likely higher.
Source:arabnews.com
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Blinken heads to Hamas mediator Qatar on Gaza truce push
October 24, 2024
RIYADH: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads Thursday to key Hamas mediator Qatar as he seeks momentum to end the Gaza war following Israel’s killing of the group’s leader.
Two days after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Blinken was flying Thursday from Saudi Arabia to the Qatari capital Doha to hear assessments on where Hamas stands on a truce.
Blinken is paying his 11th trip to the region since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, after repeated disappointment as he seeks to end the devastating Israeli retaliatory campaign in the Gaza Strip.
But days ahead of US elections, President Joe Biden has found new hope after Israel killed Hamas supremo Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.
US officials had described Sinwar as intransigent in negotiations brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt on a ceasefire that would also see the release of hostages from Gaza.
Blinken said he spoke to Israel’s leaders “about the importance of determining whether Hamas is prepared to engage in moving forward, and the Egyptians, the Qataris are doing just that.”
“But I believe that with Sinwar gone, because he was the primary obstacle for realizing the hostage agreement, there is a real opportunity to bring them home and to accomplish the objective,” Blinken told reporters Wednesday as he left Israel.
Critics at home and abroad say the issue was not just Hamas but the Biden administration failing to press Israel, which has received a near continuous flow of billions of dollars in US weapons.
Hamas has yet to choose a successor to Sinwar. Two Hamas sources said this week that the group was moving toward appointing a Doha-based ruling committee rather than a single successor.
Blinken said a ceasefire plan laid out by Biden on May 31 remained on the table but also hinted at a willingness to explore “new frameworks” to seek freedom for the more than 100 hostages.
Blinken is also looking for greater clarity on a plan for reconstruction and post-war governance of Gaza, seeing it as a vital component to efforts to end the war.
Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 and for more than a decade has maintained an office in Qatar, initially with the blessing of Israel and the United States.
The office has allowed communication with the group, whose main patron is US arch-nemesis Iran, with Qatar — a nimble regional player which is also home to a major US base — channelling money to support Hamas governance of impoverished Gaza.
After the October 7 attack, Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas and also killed its Qatar-based political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, while he was visiting Iran in July.
Source:arabnews.com
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Paris conference aims to rally military and humanitarian support for Lebanon
October 24, 2024
PARIS: France on Thursday hosts an international conference for Lebanon to rally military and humanitarian aid for the country where war between Hezbollah militants and Israel has displaced a million people, killed over 2,500 and deepened an economic crisis.
Paris also seeks to help restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and strengthen its institutions. The country, where Hezbollah effectively operates as a state within a state, has been without a president for two years while political factions fail to agree on a new one.
But the international conference comes as critics say French President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic approach in the Middle East has been blurred by his apparent evolving approach and sometimes chaotic communication.
Still, France’s historic links with Lebanon, a former colony, and its influential diplomacy give Paris momentum to coordinate “a proper response to the massive challenge that the war in Lebanon now poses,” said Middle East expert Rym Montaz, editor in chief of Carnegie Europe’s blog Strategic Europe.
The French “are trying to make sure that international donors get to hear firsthand from the actors on the ground in Lebanon who can best describe the most immediate needs caused by the Israeli aggression that has forcibly displaced 20 percent of the Lebanese population over the course of two weeks,” she said.
Israel in the past month has launched a major aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Lebanon as it targets Hezbollah, with strikes hitting the capital, Beirut, and elsewhere.
The International Organization for Migration has said about 800,000 people are displaced, with many now in overcrowded shelters, while others have fled across the border into Syria.
The cash-strapped Lebanese government is ill-prepared to deal with the crisis or the increased demands on its health system. A number of hospitals have been evacuated because of nearby airstrikes and fears that they might be targeted.
In recent weeks, Macron appeared to toughen his stance against Israel while repeatedly calling for a ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza, condemning the “unbearable human toll.” He reiterated his call on Monday while speaking by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his office said.
There have been recent tensions between the French and Israeli leaders, especially after Macron called for a halt to arms exports for use in Gaza.
Macron has also strongly condemned the “deliberate” targeting by Israel of UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, which Israel has denied.
Thursday’s conference will include ministers and officials from over 70 countries and international organizations, including the European Union and regional partners, Macron’s office said. Acting Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who met with Macron on Wednesday, will attend.
French organizers said they hope the expected financial pledges of humanitarian aid will meet the United Nations’ call for the $426 million it says is urgently needed in Lebanon.
France also aims at coordinating international support to strengthen Lebanon’s armed forces so they can “deploy more broadly and efficiently” in the country’s south as part of a potential deal to end the war. Such a deal could see Hezbollah withdraw its forces from the border.
International support may include equipment, training and financial aid to hire troops and ensure the army’s daily needs, Macron’s office said.
Lebanon’s army has been hit hard by five years of economic crisis. It has an aging arsenal and no air defenses, leaving it in no position to defend against Israeli incursions or confront Hezbollah.
The Lebanese army has about 80,000 troops, around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. Hezbollah has more than 100,000 fighters, according to the militant group’s late leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The militant group’s arsenal — built with support from Iran — is more advanced.
Conference participants also will discuss how to support the UN peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, possibly giving it a stronger role. France and other European nations provide a third of its troops.
“What we do know is that without a strengthened Lebanese armed forces and UNIFIL, there can be no sustainable peace and stability at the border between Lebanon and Israel,” Montaz said. “As such, the French efforts are important and crucial for the way forward.”
Source:arabnews.com
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Massive displacement from Israel-Hezbollah war transforms Beirut’s famed commercial street
October 24, 2024
BEIRUT: Inside what was once one of Beirut’s oldest and best-known cinemas, dozens of Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah war spend their time following the news on their phones, cooking, chatting and walking around to pass the time.
Outside on Hamra Street, once a thriving economic hub, sidewalks are filled with displaced people, and hotels and apartments are crammed with those seeking shelter. Cafes and restaurants are overflowing.
In some ways, the massive displacement of hundreds of thousands of people from south Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs has provided a boost for this commercial district after years of decline as a result of Lebanon’s economic crisis.
But it is not the revival many had hoped for.
“The displacement revived Hamra Street in a wrong way,” said the manager of a four-star hotel on the boulevard, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the problems the influx has caused for the neighborhood.
For three weeks after the war intensified in mid-September, his hotel enjoyed full occupancy. Today, it stands at about 65 percent capacity — still good for this time of year — after some left for cheaper rented apartments.
But, he said, the flow of displaced people has also brought chaos. Traffic congestion, double parking and motorcycles and scooters scattered on sidewalks has become the norm, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk. Tensions regularly erupt between displaced people and the district’s residents, he said.
Hamra Street has long been a bellwether for Lebanon’s turbulent politics. During the country’s heyday in the 1960s and early 1970s, it represented everything that was glamorous, filled with Lebanon’s top movie houses and theaters, cafes frequented by intellectuals and artists, and ritzy shops.
Over the past decades, the street has witnessed rises and falls depending on the situation in the small Mediterranean nation that has been marred by repeated bouts of instability, including a 15-year civil war that ended in 1990. In 1982, Israeli tanks rolled down Hamra Street after Israel invaded the country, reaching all the way to west Beirut.
In recent years, the district was transformed by an influx of Syrian refugees fleeing the war in the neighboring nation, and businesses were hammered by the country’s financial collapse, which began in 2019.
Israel dramatically escalated its attacks on parts of Lebanon on Sept. 23, killing nearly 500 people and wounding 1,600 in one day after nearly a year of skirmishes along the Lebanon-Israel border between Israeli troops and the militant Hezbollah group. The intensified attacks sparked an exodus of people fleeing the bombardment, including many who slept in public squares, on beaches or pavements around Beirut.
More than 2,574 people have been killed in Lebanon and over 12,000 wounded in the past year of war, according to the country’s Health Ministry, and around 1.2 million people are displaced.
Many have flooded Hamra, a cosmopolitan and diverse area, with some moving in with relatives or friends and others headed to hotels and schools turned into shelters. In recent days several empty buildings were stormed by displaced people, who were forced to leave by security forces after confrontations that sometimes turned violent.
Mohamad Rayes, a member of the Hamra Traders Association, said before the influx of displaced people, some businesses were planning to close because of financial difficulties.
“It is something that cannot be imagined,” Rayes said about the flow of displaced people boosting commerce in Hamra in ways unseen in years. He said some traders even doubled prices because of high demand.
At a cellular shop, Farouk Fahmy said during the first two weeks his sales increased 70 percent, with people who fled their homes mostly buying chargers and Internet data to follow the news.
“The market is stagnant again now,” Fahmy said.
Since many fled their homes with few belongings, men’s and women’s underwear and pajama sales grew by 300 percent at the small boutique business owned by Hani, who declined to give his full name for safety reasons.
The 60-year-old movie theater, Le Colizee, a landmark on Hamra Street, had been closed for more than two decades until earlier this year when Lebanese actor Kassem Istanbouli, founder of the Lebanese National Theater, took over and began renovating it. With the massive tide of displacement, he transformed it into a shelter for families who fled their homes in south Lebanon.
Istanbouli, who has theaters in the southern port city of Tyre and the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest, has turned all three into shelters where people, no matter their nationality, can take refuge.
This week, displaced people in the Beirut movie theater sat on thin mattresses on its red carpeting, checking their phones and reading. Some were helping with the theater’s renovation work.
Among them was Abdul-Rahman Mansour, a Syrian citizen, along with his three brothers and their Palestinian-Lebanese mother, Joumana Hanafi. Mansour said they fled Tyre after a rocket attack near their home, taking shelter at a school in the coastal city of Sidon, where they were allowed to stay since their mother is a Lebanese citizen.
When the shelter’s management found out that Mansour and his brothers were Syrian they had to leave because only Lebanese citizens were allowed. With no place to stay, they returned to Tyre.
“We slept for a night in Tyre, but I hope you never witness such a night,” Hanafi said of the intensity of the bombardment.
She said one of her sons knew Istanbouli and contacted him. “We told him, ‘Before anything, we are Syrians.’ He said, ‘It is a shame that you have to say that.’”
Istanbouli spends hours a day at his theaters in Beirut and Tripoli to be close to the displaced people sheltering there.
“Normally people used to come here to watch a movie. Today we are all at the theater and the movie is being played outside,” Istanbouli said of the ongoing war.
Source:arabnews.com
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Turkiye strikes Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria after deadly attack on defense firm
October 24, 2024
ANKARA: Turkiye said it launched strikes on Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria Wednesday after blaming them for an attack that killed five people at a defense firm near Ankara.
A further 22 people were wounded in the attack, which the government said was “very likely” carried out by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Hours later, “an air operation was carried out against terrorist targets in the north of Iraq and Syria,” the defense ministry said in a statement.
“A total of 32 targets belonging to the terrorists were successfully destroyed,” it said, adding that operations were continuing.
Listed as a terror group by Turkiye and its Western allies, the PKK has waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. It has a number of rear bases in Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria.
In the attack that sparked the strikes, a huge explosion rocked the headquarters of state-run Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Ankara shortly after 3:30 pm.
It sent clouds of smoke into the air as the sound of gunfire rang out, Turkish media reported, with the incident quickly denounced by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya as a “terror attack.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was in Russia for talks with Vladimir Putin, called it a “heinous” attack on Turkiye’s defense industry “targeting the survival of our country,” in a message on X.
Yerlikaya said three of the injured were in critical condition and that the two attackers, “a woman and a man,” had been “neutralized.”
There was no immediate claim for the attack but Yerlikaya said: “The way in which this action was carried out is very probably linked to the PKK.”
He said efforts to identify the perpetrators of the attack were ongoing.
Defense Minister Yasar Guler also pointed the finger at “PKK villains.”
“As they always do, they tried to disturb our nation’s peace through a despicable and dishonorable attack... we will make them suffer for what they have done,” he said.
Turkiye’s vice president Cevdet Yilmaz said four of the victims were TAI employees while the fifth was a taxi driver. Media reports earlier said the assailants had killed him and taken his taxi to carry out the attack.
An unconfirmed report by private channel NTV said a “group of terrorists” had burst into the building, one of whom “blew himself up” while other outlets reported exchanges of fire for more than an hour.
Haberturk TV said there was a “hostage situation,” with another media pundit saying “a number of hostages” had been rescued.
Turkish authorities imposed a blackout of live images from the scene.
Sabah newspaper published what it said was a CCTV image from the entrance showing a black-clad young man with a moustache carrying a rucksack and what appeared to be an assault rifle.
As night fell, dozens of ambulances could be seen waiting in convoy near the site, their blue lights flashing.
One of Turkiye’s top defense firms and a major arms producer, TAI employs 15,500 people and has a vast production site covering an area of five million square meters, its website says.
The attack drew condemnation from across Turkiye and beyond, with Putin offering Erdogan his “condolences in connection with the terror attack” at the start of their meeting.
Statements of condemnation and condolences to the families of the victims also poured in from Brussels, Berlin, Paris, Tehran and Washington and NATO leadership.
The attack came as Turkiye’s political establishment appeared to be leaning toward a political, negotiated solution to the decades-long conflict with the Kurdish militants.
The timing was not lost on the main pro-Kurdish party, Dem, the third largest force in parliament, which said it was “noteworthy that the attack took place just as Turkish society was talking about a solution and the possibility of dialogue.”
It took place a day after the head of the far-right MHP, which belongs to Erdogan’s ruling coalition, invited jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to address parliament to announce his movement’s dissolution.
The PKK has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, claiming tens of thousands of lives, with Ocalan held in solitary confinement on a prison island since 1999.
Source:arabnews.com
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More than 500 settlers break into Al-Aqsa mosque
23 October، 2024
Occupied Jerusalem, SANA- More than 500 Israeli settlers stormed on Wednesday Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupation forces.
Wafa Agency reported that 543 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa in successive groups and carried out provocative tours in its courtyards, at the gates of Al-Aqsa, and on the Bab al-Silsila road under heavy guard from the occupation forces.
On Thursday, more than 400 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Source:sana.sy
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Resistance Committees in Palestine mourn great Islamic jihadist leader Sayyid Hashim Safi al-Din
23 Oct 2024
The Resistance Committees in Palestine and their military wing, the Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, mourned the great Islamic jihadist leader Sayyid Hashim Safi al-Din, head of Hezbollah's Executive Council.
The resistance committees said in a statement: "With more pride and pride, and with more determination to continue the path of jihad and resistance, and with all steadfastness and patience, the leadership of the resistance committees in Palestine and its military arm, Major General Nasser Salah al-Din: the great Islamic jihadist leader, the martyr His Eminence Sayyid: Hashem Safi al-Din, head of the Executive Council of Hezbollah, who rose after the cowardly, sinful and spiteful Zionist assassination that targeted him in the southern suburbs of Beirut."
It added: The martyr rose after a life full of sacrifices, jihad and giving martyr on the road to Jerusalem and Palestine carrying the omens of victory after spending the years of his life believing between the fields of struggle and jihad carrying in his heart that victory is a right and resistance is a duty and the land will be inherited by the servants of God righteous Mujahideen.
Source:saba.ye
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Six Sunni political forces outline 2 paths to resolve Iraq’s parliamentary leadership stalemate
2024-10-23
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, six Sunni political forces, led by Mohammad al-Halbousi, leader of the Taqaddum Party, announced two potential paths to resolve the 11-month deadlock over the election of a new Speaker of Parliament.
In a joint statement issued by Taqaddum, al-Jamaheer al-Wataniya, al-Hasm, the Iraqi National Project, al-Sadara, and al-Mubadara parties, the groups presented two options.
The first option calls for all competing parties to withdraw their candidates and for all national forces present to support Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who has already gained the backing of the Sunni parliamentary and political majority.
The second option involves proceeding with legal measures in Parliament to nominate a new candidate from the Sunni political majority, supported by a large parliamentary bloc, ensuring the Sunni majority's right to appoint their representative to this crucial position.
These forces reaffirmed their commitment to resolving the parliamentary leadership issue through the outcomes of inclusive national sessions, attended by leaders and representatives from the Shia Coordination Framework, the two main Kurdish parties, and Sunni party heads.
The joint statement urged all political forces to “avoid succumbing to individuals or groups attempting to bypass the Sunni majority’s rightful claim and undermining the democratic principles and national rights that ensure all Iraqis participate without exclusion or marginalization in shaping their future.”
The Shia Coordination Framework, representing the main Shia political forces, announced its support for al-Mashhadani last week and set a date for the election session on either October 22 or 23, aiming to resolve the parliamentary leadership crisis that has persisted for over 11 months following the Federal Court's decision to terminate Mohammad al-Halbousi’s membership in November 2023.
Despite several parliamentary sessions held to elect a new Speaker, political factions have failed to reach a consensus. The Taqaddum bloc, led by al-Halbousi, insists on retaining the position as its entitlement, while Al-Siyada bloc, led by Khamis al-Khanjar, and other Sunni groups argue that the seat should represent the entire Sunni community, not just a single party or bloc.
Source:shafaq.com
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Arab World
KFSHRC celebrates scientists featured in Stanford’s list of most-cited researchers
October 23, 2024
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center is celebrating the recognition of 28 of its scientists in Stanford University’s list of the top 2 percent of the most-cited researchers globally across various disciplines over the past year.
The listing was celebrated at KFSHRC’s pavilion at the Global Health Exhibition, which concluded on Wednesday.
The exhibition was attended by health leaders and experts from around the world.
Dr. Majid Al Fayyadh, CEO of KFSHRC, said: “We are proud of this achievement, which reflects the continuous efforts and ambitious vision we uphold at KFSHRC. It also reflects the broader national commitment to fostering research, innovation and advancement in the health care sector. We reaffirm our commitment to furthering our efforts in serving humanity and elevating health care standards to unprecedented levels.”
Stanford University annually publishes a list of 180,000 researchers, representing the top 2 percent globally across 28 fields, whose research has garnered the highest citations in international scientific journals.
The list is considered a reliable reference for evaluating the quality of scientific output and is widely respected within the global academic community.
At its pavilion in the Global Health Exhibition, KFSHRC is showcasing its latest health care innovations and solutions, including the Mobile Stroke Unit, which accelerates treatment for stroke patients, reduces disabilities and lowers mortality rates.
KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year and recognized as the most valuable health care brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings.
Additionally, it has been ranked among the world’s best 250 hospitals and included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi Embassy in Turkiye condemns Ankara terror attack
October 23, 2024
ANKARA: The Saudi Embassy in Turkiye expressed the Kingdom’s condemnation of the terror attack that targeted a defense company in Ankara, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The embassy reiterated the Kingdom’s firm rejection of terrorism and extremism in all its forms.
It also offered its deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the victims’ families, the Turkish government and the people of Turkiye, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Earlier on Wednesday, attackers set off explosives and opened fire at Turkiye’s state-run aerospace and defense company TUSAS, killing five people and wounding more than a dozen, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
Two of the attackers — a man and a woman — were killed, he added.
Yerlikaya said that the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, was suspected of being behind the attack but cautioned that the process of identifying the assailants continued.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi FM arrives in Russia’s Kazan to attend BRICS summit
October 23, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Russia’s Kazan to head the Kingdom’s delegation at the BRICS summit as “a country which is invited to join the group,” Al-Ekhbariya said on Wednesday.
Prince Faisal is representing King Salman at the meeting of around 20 world leaders.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the BRICS group said it was “deeply concerned about ongoing conflicts and instability in the Middle East and North African region.”
It also criticised Israeli attacks on UN staff in southern Lebanon and urged that Lebanon’s “territorial integrity” be “preserved.”
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi defense minister holds meeting with Italian industrial companies
October 23, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met with the leaders of major Italian industrial companies in Rome on Wednesday.
Opportunities for collaboration in defense industries, research and development, and technology transfer were discussed during the meeting, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Khalid is on an official visit to Italy and arrived in the country on Tuesday.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi FM receives Secretary Blinken in Riyadh
October 23, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Riyadh on Wednesday.
During the meeting, developments in Gaza and Lebanon and efforts made with regard to them were discussed, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Relations between the Kingdom and the US were also reviewed. Blinken later met with the Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi rail project designer praises Kingdom’s vision
PETER HARRISON
October 23, 2024
SAN DIEGO: Saudi Arabia is embarking on a number of vast projects, including NEOM, the Line and the Red Sea Islands development.
And all are being hailed for their qualities aimed at making them sustainable, not just financially, but also environmentally.
In order for any of these projects to work, however, people must be able to reach them, which in itself presents challenges — railways need to cross vast areas of desert, sand moves, and dry wadi beds do not remain dry for long when a storm hits.
On the sidelines of the recent Autodesk University 2024: The Design and Make Conference in San Diego, US, Egis Group civil engineer Joao Guilherme Alves Correa spoke to Arab News about the many challenges involved in working on the ambitious transport network project that will link these various destinations.
“The environment in the Middle East keeps changing every day, every week. It is difficult to define the alignment of the corridor of the railway because there are new investments everywhere — new buildings, new infrastructures. It is complicated to incorporate all those things into the design,” he said.
He did not specify which of Saudi Arabia’s railway projects he was working on, citing confidentiality.
But currently underway or at least in the planning stages are passenger and freight services crossing hundreds of kilometers through the desert, costing billions of dollars.
The Saudi Landbridge Project will link Riyadh, Jeddah and the Red Sea project, as well as NEOM, covering nearly 1,000 km at a cost of $7 billion according to the business news website meed.com.
Work is currently scheduled to start in 2025.
Creating the Saudi rail network is uncharted territory; such a far-reaching transport network is unprecedented in the Kingdom.
“We needed to get a lot of statistical information at the beginning of the project, including the impact of weather on the area and the project,” Alves explained.
“There are wadis that you need to consider when creating a railway in the middle of the desert. It is not so simple, there is a lot of environmental stuff.”
The Gulf region is reputed for splashing out on its megaprojects, but Alves said clients are not simply settling for the biggest, most expensive projects.
“They are less conservative socially and more conservative when it comes to business and spending money,” he said.
“The client always asks us to create benchmarks of different solutions to find the most economical solutions and we need to do this with every aspect of the design whether that’s a bridge, tunnel or the railway track — it’s everywhere. I think that they (Gulf countries) are far more conservative when it comes to spending money.”
Asked whether he would consider working again with the Gulf, he said without hesitation: “I would definitely work with Gulf countries again — the investments are there, the bigger projects are there.”
Since 2021, Alves has been working on various rail projects in the region and praised the working practices.
“In that time, there has been a mix of men and women in the leading positions. In fact, I can say it is more or less the same as what we have in Europe and America,” he said.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi attorney general urges global coordination against criminal networks
October 23, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Attorney General Sheikh Saud bin Abdullah Al-Mujib says countries should boost the sharing of expertise and joint actions to counter global criminal networks.
Speaking recently at the First Summit of the Heads of Prosecution Services of G20 countries in Brazil, Al-Mujib said this was particularly important to tackle human trafficking and cybercrime, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
He said it was also important to use the latest technology and artificial intelligence for crime-prevention activities.
Al-Mujib underscored Saudi Arabia’s commitment to human rights, and highlighted the country’s legislative developments in this regard.
He also praised the Saudi Green Initiative, Middle East Green Initiative and other projects for combating climate change and preserving biodiversity.
Al-Mujib concluded his speech by highlighting the summit’s role in fostering cooperation among G20 prosecution offices.
On the sidelines of the gathering that took place from Oct. 20 to 22, he held meetings on judicial matters with his counterparts from Brazil, Russia and India.
Source:arabnews.com
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North America
Prominent Muslim-American Democrat Kicked Out of Kamala Harris Event InMichigan
October 23, 2024
Ahmed Ghanim, a former congressional candidate in Michigan, says he was kicked out of one of Vice President Kamala Harris’ events without an explanation, deepening strains between the Democratic nominee and the Arab community in the swing state.
Mr. Ghanim said he signed up to attend the event at the Royal Oak Music Theatre in the Detroit suburbs and went through security before being escorted away from his seat.
“They didn’t provide any reason why they kicked me out of the rally,” he said in a video on social media. “I don’t know why, because maybe I’m Muslim? Maybe, I dunno.”
He said the incident would not help Ms. Harris in her attempts to attract Arab American votes in Michigan. Parts of the voting bloc are upset about the Biden-Harris administration’s support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
“They know me, they know me very well. It’s not like I’m no one,” Mr. Ghanim said.
Mr. Ghanim, a health care professional with a medical degree, received more than 12,000 votes in his Democratic primary loss to incumbent Rep. Haley Stevens in the Detroit district earlier this year. Ms. Stevens received more than 83,000 votes in the primary.
The Harris campaign said it was informed of the incident by Emgage Action, an organization that advocates for Muslim Americans’ legislative priorities.
“Our campaign regrets this action and its impact on Dr. Ghanim and the community, and he is welcome at future events,” the campaign said. “We value our relationship with the Muslim American community and are committed to ensuring all community and political spaces are welcoming and respectful to every American.”
Michigan has 15 electoral votes. Former President Donald Trump narrowly won the state in 2016, but President Biden won it in 2020.
Ms. Harris is locked in a fierce battle with Mr. Trump for the state, but her campaign is contending with pro-Palestinian voters who are against Israel’s actions. Their protests have interrupted Ms. Harris’ campaign events.
Mr. Ghanim immigrated from Egypt to Michigan and has been openly critical of Israel’s military campaigns and support from Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris for the Jewish State.
“With the killing of a Hezbollah leader, Israel is eager to provoke Iran into a full-scale war, potentially escalating the regional war into World War III,” Mr. Ghanim said on X in late September. “If Iran becomes involved, China and Russia could follow, setting the entire world on fire.”
Mr. Ghanim posted a screenshot of his invitation to the event with Ms. Harris and former Rep. Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican who says Mr. Trump is a threat to the country.
The Royal Oak Police Department told WXYZ in Detroit that someone at the venue wanted Mr. Ghanim to leave the event. It also confirmed that a person in a video from the venue is a detective on the police force.
Source:washingtontimes.com
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https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/oct/23/ahmed-ghanim-prominent-muslim-american-democrat-ki/
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US expresses concern to Israel about strikes against Lebanese army
October 24, 2024
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday that Washington had concerns about strikes against the Lebanese armed forces while urging Israel to take steps to ensure the safety of the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, the Pentagon said.
Austin also told Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that Washington welcomed the movement of humanitarian assistance through the Erez crossing into northern Gaza and urged Israel take steps to address the dire situation there, the Pentagon’s summary of the call said.
Three Lebanese soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike on an army vehicle in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese military said on Sunday. Israel, which says it is targeting Lebanese Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, apologized and said its military was not operating against the Lebanese army.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon also says its troops have come under Israeli attack several times. Israel has disputed accounts of those incidents.
Austin “expressed his deep concern about the reports of strikes against the Lebanese Armed Forces,” the Pentagon said, adding he urged Israel “to ensure the safety and security of the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL forces.”
Washington wrote a letter to Israeli officials last week demanding concrete measures to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, or face potential restrictions on US military aid.
Israel’s war in Gaza has displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza and caused a hunger crisis.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2576553/middle-east
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Mosque attack inquest provides long overdue answers
October 24, 2024
The second-phase inquest into the deaths of the 51 worshippers murdered at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre has adjourned with the evidence partially heard.
The inquest has been examining how the terrorist got his gun licence and the laws surrounding firearms licensing prior to the attack.
During the past three weeks the inquest heard details of a police firearms licensing regime that was understaffed, underfunded and overworked before the Christchurch terror attack.
The court heard arms officers were dealing with firearms community members who saw firearms as a right rather than a privilege.
It was also operating with a gaping loophole that allowed people including the terrorist to obtain a standard firearms licence and with it, buy centrefire semi-automatic rifles that could be equipped with high-capacity magazines.
No licence was needed for the magazines because they were entirely unregulated.
The inquest also heard how police had made multiple attempts to stress the danger of the loophole to politicians of successive governments, but political will was lacking until 51 lives were lost.
More answers wanted
The hearing ended with moving statements from the lawyers representing the families of the victims and survivors of the attack, police and deputy chief coroner Brigitte Windley.
Many of the aspects examined during the inquest were already covered by a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the mosque shootings, but Windley said victims, survivors and their families wanted more answers than it gave them.
"In my opening, I recalled that in setting the scope of this inquiry back in April 2022, counsel for many of the families of those who died and for the bullet-injured survivors strongly urged me to look at these issues afresh in this court," she said in closing.
"They needed to see, hear and, if necessary, test the evidence that underpinned the Royal Commission's conclusions and findings.
"They needed greater clarity as to the link between the firearms licence and the attack. They wanted to know whether the deficiencies that the Royal Commission had identified in the licensing system had now been fixed. They wanted to know that lessons had in fact been learned.
"The evidence that we've heard has revealed that there are some significant complexities and challenges involved in ensuring legitimate firearms use is properly balanced with public safety risk."
Kathryn Dalziel, a lawyer for some of the victims and their families, read a statement written by her clients.
"As we close this important chapter, we acknowledge the mixed emotions our community feels. We live with enduring trauma. The daily weight of grief from the tragedy of March 15, 2019, and that loss touches every aspect of our lives. For the bullet-injured, we live with the memory of what we saw on March 15, 2019, and we will never fully recover from our injuries, both internal and external," she said.
Another lawyer for some of the victims and their families, Fatima Ali, paid tribute to the victims, their families and their loved ones around the world.
"We recognise that this inquiry serves as a reminder for those who experienced violence prior to the March 15th attacks, and we acknowledge the ongoing challenges faced by those survivors impacted by firearms-based violence," he said.
"We acknowledge the individuals and families who are dealing with the death of loved ones in Palestine and other parts of the world while engaging in this process. We recognise their grief as their loved ones are currently being forcefully and brutally displaced.
"We acknowledge the frustration of families who experience a world in which some are more free from scrutiny than others. That some have immunity from detection depending on the alignment of their culture or skin colour and simply by not standing out as different or foreign."
Dr Amir Bastani said his clients wanted to ensure a tragedy like the Christchurch shooting was never repeated.
"I emphasise that the Muslim community consider themselves as part of the New Zealand community and they are thankful to the support that they have been given by the New Zealand wider community. The Muslim community considers that the tragedy that happened to them can happen to any community because terrorists never differentiate between religions, races and ethnicities," he said.
Kerryn Beaton KC said her clients had been frustrated by some of the evidence highlighting gaps in firearms regulation prior to the attack, but welcomed police acknowledging those issues.
"Our clients have large gaps, large holes in their lives from the loss of their family members, so hearing evidence about lack of training, lack of resourcing, lack of capacity and lack of funding both back in 2017 and now has been difficult and frustrating for them to hear. And their response is this - as a country we cannot allow resourcing and cost concerns to overshadow the priceless value of human lives, the lives of their family members who paid the ultimate price," she said.
The coroner told those present in the public gallery and viewing the hearing online she now had further matters to consider in relation to the inquest, the details of which cannot be reported at present.
Windley said she would also turn her attention to writing her findings for the first-phase inquest that concluded in August and dealt with the events of 15 March 2019 and the emergency services response on that day.
Source:rnz.co.nz
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St. Anthony City Council approves zoning for mosque, community center
OCTOBER 24, 2024
After months of debate, the St. Anthony City Council on Tuesday agreed to allow a mosque and Islamic youth center to operate inside a former bank building, despite some hesitation about the site’s condition and project plans.
Dozens of residents packed Tuesday evening’s meeting and pleaded with the council to greenlight the project, saying it will provide a needed community resource for an underserved population in the north metro. After about three hours of debate and public comments, the council unanimously approved rezoning for the community center, at the old Bremer Bank property in the 2400 block of Lowry Avenue NE, with several conditions.
The building, sitting at the northeast corner of Kenzie Terrace and Stinson Parkway, will house the Tibyan Center, which offers Islamic studies and programming for school-aged children, plus a mosque for worship and space for community events. The center bought the building that previously was zoned to allow for a 76-unit affordable housing development, a project that has stalled.
“The center has been growing and is in need of a facility that can provide this education,” Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told the council during the meeting, adding that he aims for the educational programming to help address closing the achievement gap among Minnesota’s students of color and their white counterparts.
Center leaders initially struggled to gain approval for the project, with members of the planning commission unsure about abandoning the idea of putting affordable housing on the site, and the potential loss in tax revenue with the building rezoned for religious use. While many residents have shown up to support the project, some others have spoken out about traffic, parking and other concerns.
The project gained more attention earlier this year after vandals damaged the building, and stole computers and other pricey items. Hussein said vandals had broken into the building eight times, causing more than $20,000 in damage.
After discussion with city officials, the planning commission recommended approval of the zoning change in August. But in September, the City Council delayed a vote on the project after two hours of discussion and members continuing to question the best use for the property.
Council members maintained some concerns about the project on Tuesday, saying that addressing the affordable housing shortage remains a top priority.
“We want to continue to be a welcoming, inclusive community,” Mayor Wendy Webster said. “And at the same time, we know we have a tremendous need for affordable housing.”
Webster and some on the council also said they were worried about project leaders not having immediate plans to build an outdoor playground, arguing that was a necessary amenity for children. And council members said the agreement must include plans to address the environmental condition on the site, which city leaders say has contamination issues.
“The thing I am most careful and concerned about is you are also buying a polluted piece of land. I want to make sure you are safe in your facilities,” Council Member Lona Doolan said, adding that “if it was any other property in our community, I wouldn’t have any hesitation or reservation.”
The council approved the rezoning request with several requirements, including that a playground be constructed within two years, and that the city receives plans for parking, staffing, and added landscaping, as well as environmental reports with proposals on addressing the pollution concerns.
Source:startribune.com
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https://www.startribune.com/saint-anthony-council-mosque-vote/601166989
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CAIR Deputy Director to Join Discussion on Muslims and the 2024 Election
October 23, 2024
Today at 9:00 p.m. EST, the deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Edward Ahmed Mitcehll plans to participate in a discussion with Islamic scholar Ubaydullah Evans on the American Muslim community and the 2024 election.
The discussion, hosted by the American Learning Institute for Muslims (ALIM), will focus on how American Muslims should understand and navigate this election season. It will be hosted by ALIM’s resident scholar Ubaydullah Evans.
Source:cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-tonight-muslims-and-the-2024-elections/
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Suspected drunk driver 'almost struck' Kamala Harris motorcade
OCTOBER 24, 2024
Bernd Debusmann Jr
A suspected drunk driver "almost struck" Vice-President Kamala Harris's motorcade after driving the wrong way down a highway in Milwaukee on Monday.
When police stopped the suspect's vehicle, officers found an open can of beer in his vehicle, according to the arrest report obtained by a local radio station.
After a field sobriety test, the unnamed 55-year-old driver was taken into custody for driving under the influence.
Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, was in Wisconsin for a campaign event alongside former Republican lawmaker Liz Cheney in the town of Brookfield.
According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's office, the incident took place shortly before 20:30 local time (01:30 GMT) when officers saw a man in an SUV travelling westbound in the eastbound lane of Interstate 94.
The driver was stopped as he approached the vice-president's motorcade.
Election polls - is Harris or Trump ahead?
According to an arrest report obtained by local news station WISN, when the man was told by a deputy he had "almost struck a vehicle in the VPOTUS' motorcade, he was extremely surprised and had no recollection of entering the freeway".
"He also stated he did not have any intention of harming Vice President Kamala Harris or anybody related to her campaign."
According to the report, the man failed several field sobriety tests.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
In a statement, a US Secret Service spokesperson said that the agency is "aware of the incident involving a motorist traveling in the opposite direction on the highway while the Vice-President was in her motorcade".
"We are grateful to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office for its response which allowed them to stop the motorist and take the driver into custody for DUI," the statement added.
The BBC has reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.
In September, vans travelling with Harris's running mate, Tim Walz, were involved in an accident in the Milwaukee area.
The cars involved were at the rear of the motorcade and were carrying members of the press travelling with Mr Walz.
Reporters said they were "violently thrown forward" after being hit from behind, sending their vehicle into the car in front of them. At least one person was injured.
The incident comes as the Secret Service contends with what acting director Ronald Rowe has described as a "heightened threat environment" ahead of the 5 November election.
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgejd11xp30o
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US warns Musk political group that $1m voter giveaway may be illegal
OCTOBER 24, 2024
A letter sent to Elon Musk's political action committee from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) warned that his lottery-style giveaway of $1m per day to a registered voter may be illegal, according to US media.
Mr Musk, who is the world's richest man, actively campaigns for Republican Donald Trump in his presidential bid against Kamala Harris.
Over the weekend, the owner of Tesla and X/Twitter began giving away prizes to American voters who signed a petition.
It's unclear when the DOJ letter was sent to Mr Musk's organisation, America PAC. DOJ investigators have declined to comment on the case.
US outlets, including CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported on Wednesday that the letter informed Musk's team that the giveaway may violate federal election laws.
It was sent by the DOJ's Public Integrity Section following outrage from Democrats over the cash stunt.
Election polls - is Harris or Trump ahead?
Under US law, it is illegal to pay people to register to vote. But it remains unclear whether the sweepstakes breaks any laws.
Mr Musk's contest offers money to signatories of a petition, which the PAC circulated.
“We want to try to get over a million, maybe 2 million voters in the battleground states to sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendment,” Mr Musk said in Pennsylvania on Saturday when he announced the event.
The contest rules state that winners must be registered to vote, but no party affiliation is required.
“We are going to be awarding $1 million (£770,000) randomly to people who have signed the petition, every day, from now until the election,” he said.
The America PAC website states the goal is getting “1 million registered voters in swing states to sign in support of the Constitution, especially freedom of speech and the right to bear arms”.
It is open to voters in seven swing states - Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina. US election day is 5 November.
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c748l0zv4x8o
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Teen in custody after five killed in Washington shooting
OCTOBER 24, 2024
Madeline Halpert
A 15-year-old boy has been taken into custody after five people were killed in a shooting at a home near Seattle, Washington, on Monday morning, according to officials.
Two adults and three young teenagers were killed after a "disturbance with gunfire" at a home in Fall City, east of Seattle, Mike Mellis, a deputy at the King County Sheriff's Office, said at a news conference this week.
A judge ruled on Tuesday that the 15-year-old suspect - whom media are not allowed to name - cannot have contact with a surviving victim in the incident, a teenager.
The sheriff's office has yet to name the victims in the shooting.
But several US media outlets have reported that parents Mark and Sarah Humiston and their three children were killed.
The injured victim, an 11-year-old girl, was in “satisfactory condition” at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Tuesday, a hospital spokesperson told the Associated Press.
Mr Mellis said police officers from all over the area responded to 911 calls about the gunfire and arrived to find a "chaotic scene" at the home, where a neighbour was providing medical aid to one of the teenage victims.
Police took a "young man" into custody shortly afterwards, Mr Mellis added.
“There was no significant confrontation with the young man who was taken into custody,” Mr Mellis said. “What had happened, had happened. It was done.”
The 15-year-old has no criminal history, his lawyers said in court on Tuesday. Officials have
Source:bbc.com
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until Thursday to file charges against the teenager.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqlr3yq4rwno
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/zakir-naik-christianity-sacred-/d/133534