From Aligarh to The Moon: The Inspiring Journey of AMU Alumni, Priyanshu Varshney, Khushboo Mirza and Ishrat Jamal, In Chandrayaan-3
New Age Islam News Bureau
24 August 2023
AMU alumni
Priyanshu Varshney, Khushboo Mirza and Ishrat Jamal who were part of
Chandrayaan-3 project.
-----
India
·
Hope Among the Ruins: Muslim
Youths Guard Temple and a Gaushala in Nuh Village
·
Nuh violence accused,
identified as Osama, held after gunfight with police, Second in a Week
·
Muslim Man beaten to death in
Jharkhand as state awaits implementation of law against lynching
·
Giant step for humanity, great
achievement: Top United Nations leaders congratulate India on Chandrayaan-3
·
Pragyan rover rolls out from
Vikram lander after historic landing of Chandrayaan-3
·
Goa Governor questions Kerala
Assembly’s resolution against UCC
-----
South Asia
·
Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs: US Hindering Islamic Emirate’s Intl Recognition
·
Muttaqi urges Pakistan to cease
‘verbal conflict’ and address root issues
·
Mujahid Dismisses UNAMA Report
on Human Rights Violations
·
FM Muttaqi Hopes for Regional
Peace and Stability
·
Arrest of Iranian Reporter in
Afghanistan Sparks Reactions
·
Iran Supports Afghanistan in
Agriculture Sector
-----
Arab World
·
Tanzanian conjoined twins
arrive in Saudi Arabia for separation assessment
·
Compensation up to SR6568 for
baggage loss and maximum 200% of ticket value for flight cancellation
·
Islamic Jihad To (Saba):
Strengthening Settlement In Al-Quds Represents A Challenge To Our People, &
We Will Confront It Forcefully
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North America
·
Canada imposes sanctions on
Russian military, nuclear sectors
·
Are You on The Watchlist? Fill
Out CAIR’s 2023 American Muslim Watchlist Survey
·
US and Canada are trying to lure
the world’s best technologists
-----
Europe
·
Russian Transgender Activist
Threatens Ukraine with Revenge
·
German government introduces
bill to fast-track legal gender changes
·
UK Intelligence reveals why
Putin went to headquarters in Rostov
·
European institutions buildings
lit up in blue and yellow to mark Ukraine's Independence Day
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Mideast
·
As Daesh Terror Attacks
Continue, What Explains the Group’s Resilience in Syria?
·
US envoy optimistic about
chances of peace in Yemen but admits challenges remain
·
Arab Israelis bury official as
crime wave toll nears 160
·
Cyprus detains five Syrians
suspected of human trafficking
·
700 Syrians caught trying to
enter Lebanon in a week: army
·
Lebanese army helicopter
crashes near Beirut killing 2 crew members and injuring 1
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Africa
·
Ethiopia Announces Joint Saudi
Probe into Alleged Migrant Killings
·
Crisis in Niger: Algeria begins
mediation in three Ecowas countries
·
DRC: former Tshisekedi adviser
acquitted of "intelligence with Rwanda"
·
Zimbabwe votes as the president
known as 'the crocodile' seeks a second and final term
·
Hawaii wildfire economic damage
assessed
------
Pakistan
·
Joint Investigation Allowed to
Quiz, Arrest PTI Chief Imran Khan in May 9 Attacks Case
·
Religious Affairs Minister
Calls for Unity to Eliminate Religious Extremism
·
Terrorists to be hunted down
until their surrender to state of Pakistan: COAS
·
Toshakhana Case: Sessions Court
Erred In Convicting Imran: CJP
·
Nawaz questions judiciary’s
‘facilitation’ of PTI chairman
·
Drug made at pharma owned by
Punjab health minister’s wife found ‘adulterated’
·
Supreme Court Spots ‘Procedural
Defects’ In Imran’s Conviction
·
Alleged Indian spy, local
facilitator held in Lyari raid
·
PTI chief wants transfer of
cases from IHC to LHC or PHC
------
Southeast Asia
·
Malaysian Education Ministry
Says 'Imam Al-Nawawi's 40 Hadith' Module Only for Muslims
·
Coventry Student Built Drone to
Deliver A Bomb For Islamic State, Court Told
·
Amid Challenge to Kelantan's
Shariah Offences, Hadi Accuses Judiciary Of Being 'Enslaved' To Sideline Islam
·
Islam does not belong to PAS
alone, Kelantan Umno chief tells state MB
·
Penang axes dangdut concert
scheduled close to Maulidur Rasul
·
VP calls for stronger digital
ecosystem for sharia economy
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/amu-alumni-chandrayaan-moon/d/130517
------
From Aligarh to the moon: The inspiring
Journey of AMU alumni, Priyanshu Varshney, Khushboo Mirza and Ishrat Jamal, in
Chandrayaan-3
AMU alumni
Priyanshu Varshney, Khushboo Mirza and Ishrat Jamal who were part of
Chandrayaan-3 project.
-----
August 24, 202
By Shaheer Khan
In the heart of India, in the city of
Aligarh, a story of dedication and innovation was quietly unfolding. Priyanshu
Varshney, a bright mind with a passion for electronics, had always dreamed of
reaching for the stars. Little did he know that his journey would take him not
just to the stars, but all the way to the Moon.
Priyanshu, a product of Aligarh Muslim
University (AMU), had pursued his B. Tech and M.Tech in Electronics with
unwavering determination. He was determined to contribute to something greater
than himself, and that opportunity came when he joined the prestigious Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
At ISRO, Priyanshu found himself in the
midst of a team working tirelessly on the Chandrayaan-3 mission, focusing on
the Lander and Rover components. The mission’s goal was ambitious – a lunar
landing. It was a task that required not just technical prowess but also
boundless commitment.
Another AMU alumnus, Ishrat Jamal, who
had graduated with a B. Tech in Electrical Engineering in 2013, was also part
of this remarkable endeavor. His lab at ISRO was responsible for designing and
developing the Electronic Power Conditioner (EPC) that powered critical RF and
Digital subsystems. It was a vital component of the mission’s success.
The story didn’t end there. Khushboo
Mirza, another distinguished ISRO scientist, had graduated from AMU in
Electronics in 2006. Her contributions in earlier missions had paved the way
for the successes that led to Chandrayaan-3’s triumphant lunar landing.
As the news of this historical
accomplishment spread, the AMU fraternity swelled with pride. Their fellow
alumni had played crucial roles in this and earlier missions that had
culminated in this grand achievement. It was a testament to the quality of
education and the spirit of excellence instilled at AMU.
This story serves as a beacon of hope
and inspiration. It reminds us that with unwavering commitment, dedication, and
a thirst for knowledge, we can reach for the stars and beyond. The journey from
Aligarh to the Moon might seem improbable, but with the right mindset and determination,
even the sky is not the limit.
Source: muslimmirror.com
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https://muslimmirror.com/eng/from-aligarh-to-the-moon-the-inspiring-journey-of-amu-alumni-in-chandrayaan-3/
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Islamic Emirate Officials Stress Need to
Facilitate Female Education
Photo: TOLO News
-----
By Asma Saayin
23 August 2023
Some officials of the Islamic Emirate in
an academic gathering emphasized the need to facilitate girls' and women’s
access to education and work within Sharia-frameworks.
Speaking at an event titled “women’s
role” held by the Academy of Science of Afghanistan, the deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, said that the existence of the
constitution is important for the country.
“Justice should be ensured. The
government should reopen the doors of the schools for everyone. The government
should have a constitution and run its affairs based on it. The people should
give consultations to the government officials,” Stanikzai said.
He also called for women and girls'
access to work and education based on Sharia law.
“Women should take part in various parts
of the society based on Sharia. We want freedom for women based on Sharia, not
based on Western culture. The rights of girls should be provided completely and
the ground for work and education for women be provided,” he said.
Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the National
Examination Authority, also criticized the lack of women’s access to education
and work.
“The problems should be solved. The
government can be preserved through universities not through seminaries. The
universities should become standard. The rights of women to education should be
provided,” he said. “Women can work in various aspects, and if we cannot
provide the grounds for it, it is our failure.”
“One of the reasons the prophet (PBUH)
married many women was to increase the number of women teachers,” said Sheikh
Fazaluddin Mahmood, head of the Academy of Science.
Since the Islamic Emirate swept into
power, there have been various opinions among government officials about the
education and work of women.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184777
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Dramatic Bolts of Lightning Struck Makkah:
Man Dies In Flood As Makkah Is Lashed By Storm
A picture
taken on August 22, 2023 shows lightning over Makkah's clock tower in Saudi
Arabia. (Hammad Al-Huthali / AFP)
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August 24, 2023
TAREQ AL-THAQAFI
MAKKAH: One man drowned and dramatic
bolts of lightning struck Makkah as the city was lashed by thunderstorms
overnight on Tuesday and early on Wednesday.
Mohammed Al-Twaim, a teacher at Mina
Elementary School, lost his life trying to escape from his car after it was
engulfed by floodwater.
As pilgrims tried to circumambulate the
Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, lightning hit the landmark Fairmont Makkah Clock
Royal Tower hotel, illuminating the night sky. The storm brought gale force
winds exceeding 80 kph and 45 millimetres of rain within 24 hours, said
National Centre for Meteorology spokesman Hussein Al-Qahtani.
Pilgrims outside the mosque were toppled
over by the wind, which sent crowd barriers sliding across the rain-slicked
floor. “The scene was very scary,” said Makkah resident Mohammed, who was
grocery shopping at the height of the storm. “Everything happened within a few
minutes, when it started raining in a crazy way.”
Another resident, Abu Mayyada, was out
buying cigarettes and petrol when “everything went black in front of me” as the
worst of the storm hit, he said. “Suddenly I lost control over the vehicle. I
couldn’t see anything so I started listening to the Qur’an on the radio. I
didn’t understand what was happening.”
The Makkah governorate said schools
would remain closed, with classes conducted on an e-learning platform “in the
interest of everyone's safety.”
The meteorology center warned of further
storms in the Makkah region and elsewhere in western Saudi Arabia.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2360506/saudi-arabia
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Trump Says Death of ISIS Leader Was
‘Bigger’ Than Killing of 9/11 Mastermind Osama bin Laden
The former president James Devaney/GC
Images
------
08/24/23
Former President Donald Trump bragged
that his administration's raid that ended in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,
the leader of ISIS, was "bigger" than the killing of Osama bin Laden,
the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America.
"We killed many using the CIA, very
bad actors," Trump said in an interview with Tucker Carlson on X, formerly
known as Twitter. "You look at al-Baghdadi, bigger than Osama bin Laden
... al-Baghdadi did ISIS."
Al-Baghdadi killed himself and two
children by detonating a suicide vest in October 2019 during a U.S. raid in
Syria.
Former President Barack Obama oversaw
the killing of bin Laden in 2011. He was taken out during a U.S. special forces
operation at a compound in Pakistan.
Source: themessenger.com
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Belfast Mosque Leader's Worries After Nazi
Flags Flown Nearby
Jamal Iweida
said he was "disgusted and worried at the same time"
-----
24 Aug, 2023
The leader of a Belfast mosque said that
he is worried for the safety of children attending the mosque after three Nazi
flags were put up nearby.
Police are treating the incident as a
racially-motivated hate crime.
Three flags bearing the swastika and the
symbol of the SS were erected overnight on a street in Dunmurry.
Jamal Iweida, imam and chairperson of
Iqraa Mosque on the street, said the flags were noticed by parents bringing
their children to a summer school.
"We feel that we have been watched
by some people or some group," he said.
"And we, of course, are worried
about if this will lead to further actions."
Mr Iweida said he was
"disgusted" and worried "about the safety of the children".
Ch Insp Brannigan of the Police Service
of Northern Ireland said that while police enquires are at an early stage, they
are treating the incident as a "racially-motivated hate crime".
Members of the mosque have since removed
the flags.
Riaz Dastur was among the parents
bringing their children to the mosque on Wednesday morning, attending with his
13-year-old son, Raaid.
He said that upon first seeing the flags
he didn't give them much thought "because there's always flags
everywhere".
But when he realised the significance of
the symbols, he said his mind "went to the New Zealand incident where the
Muslims were killed inside the mosque a couple of years back in
Christchurch".
'Absolutely disgraceful'
SDLP councillor Paul Doherty said the
hanging of the flags was "absolutely disgraceful".
"Solidarity to all those who
worship at the Iqraa Mosque and School and praise to the many local residents
who have quickly spoken out in anger against this," he said in a post on
social media.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll
described the hanging of the flags as a "despicable and racially motivated
action", adding that it was "clearly designed to intimidate members
of a minority community".
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66590588
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India
Hope Among the Ruins: Muslim Youths
Guard Temple and a Gaushala in Nuh Village
August 23, 202
“Happiness can be found even in the
darkest of times if one remembers to put on the light” — this famous quote from
a Harry Potter movie is having real-life examples in strife-torn Nuh district
of Haryana.
Setting an example of harmony, people
from the minority community in Marora village are guarding a temple and
gaushala in Nuh district, which witnessed communal violence on July 31.
Around 30-40 youths from the Muslim
community can be seen guarding a temple and a gaushala from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
to maintain communal harmony in the area.
The decision was taken after the
sarpanch of Marora village held a meeting on August 1 (a day after the communal
violence broke out in Nuh) and asked the youths and elderly people of the area
to keep the temple safe. The sarpanch has also barred entry of outsiders into
the village.
Mustaq Khan, the sarpanch, told IANS,
“What happened in Nuh city did not affect the cordial relationship between
people from different communities in our village, which has about 10,000
residents with over 3,500 voters.”
He also said that a day after the
communal clashes in Nuh, people from the Hindu community in the village were
scared.
“I immediately called a meeting of
‘chattisbiradari’ (36 communities) and directed people from the Muslim
community to guard the temple and gaushala in the village until everything is
sorted out. We also barred the entry of outsiders into our village so that no
one could disturb law and order or create any kind of nuisance.
“At the meeting, it was unanimously
decided that 20-40 youths from the minority community will guard the village
from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. till further orders. We have also asked people to
organise ‘thikripehra’ so that no outsiders can disturb harmony.
“People are creating a wrong perception
of Nuh. We have been staying peacefully in this village for years,” Khan said,
adding that the police had arrested two youths from the village who were sent
to jail.
Ved Prakash, care-taker and priest of
Maharishi Dayanand Arsh temple and gaushala, confirmed that youths from the
minority are guarding the temple since August 1.
“We were deeply concerned after clashes
broke out in Nuh. We were about to seek help from the police. But the villagers
decided to help us by asking the youths to guard the temple. The villagers did
not allow any outsiders to come near the temple,” Ved Prakash said.
A police spokesperson also confirmed
that youths from the minority community are guarding temples in Nuh district.
“We have also asked the residents of
different villages to take care of their neighbours if they are from different
communities. Sarpanches of the villages are playing an important role in
bridging the gap between communities,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Nuh Superintendent of Police
Narendra Bijarnia said that the search operation to arrest the accused persons
in connection with the communal clashes that broke out in Nuh during a Braj
Mandal Yatra is underway.
“We had already announced that those who
are innocent need not fear the police. The police will only arrest the guilty.
So far, eight teams have been formed under the leadership of senior police
officers which are raiding places linked to the accused persons. An SIT has
also been formed under the leadership of three DSPs.
“So far, 60 FIRs have been lodged and
264 people have been arrested in different cases. A total of 88 persons, including
police personnel, were injured in the clashes. The local administration has
relaxed the curfew timing from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. In order to maintain law and
order in the district, 1,900 additional policemen have been deployed. Flag
marches are being taken out regularly,” Bijarnia said. –IANS
Source: muslimmirror.com
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Nuh violence accused, identified as
Osama, held after gunfight with police, Second in a Week
Our Correspondent
Gurugram, August 24
A man allegedly involved in the communal
violence in Nuh was arrested after a brief encounter with police near Ujina
canal drain.
The arrested accused was identified as
Osama, alias Pehelwan, resident of FerozpurNamak village, police said on
Thursday.
According to police, so far 61 FIRs have
been registered and 286 accused arrested in connection with the communal
clashes that erupted in Nuh when the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s Braj Mandal Yatra
was attacked by a mob on July 31.
Six people, including two home guards
and a cleric, died in the communal clashes.
Late Wednesday night, the Nuh police
arrested Osama after a brief encounter near Ujina canal drain.
A search operation was launched
following inputs that the bike-borne accused was headed to Ali Meo village from
FerozpurNamak.
When police tried to intercept Osama, he
opened fire at them and in retaliatory firing, he suffered a bullet injury in
his leg. He was nabbed and placed under arrest, police said.
A country-made pistol, one cartridge and
a motorcycle were recovered from his possession, police said.
Nuh Police spokesperson Krishna Kumar
said the arrested accused, Osama, was wanted in Nalhar arson. He is being
treated in Nalhar medical College.
Source: tribuneindia.com
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https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/nuh-violence-accused-held-after-gunfight-with-police-537908
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Muslim Man beaten to death in Jharkhand
as state awaits implementation of law against lynching
24.08.23
Animesh Bisoee
A middle-aged man was beaten to death in
Jharkhand after he had allegedly wangled money from a local by falsely claiming
that the latter’s son was in trouble, in yet another instance of lynching in
the state that passed a law against such crimes two years ago but is still awaiting
its implementation.
Shamshad Ansari, 45, was beaten to death
by locals at Sikni in Dulmi block, Ramgarh district, 67km from Jharkhand
capital Ranchi, on Tuesday evening. The Ramgarh superintendent of police
acknowledged that Ansari had been beaten to death but took exception to the
incident being called a case of mob lynching.
Journalists from vernacular dailies who
visited the spot said Ansari had approached Sikni resident Haradhan Mahato at
his house, posing as his son’s colleague. Ansari allegedly told Haradhan that
his son Ramkumar Mahato was in trouble and needed Rs 20,000. But soon after
Ansari left with the money, Ramkumar, a school teacher, reached home and was
told about the incident.
He, along with a few of his neighbours,
started looking for Ansari and spotted him escaping on a bike near the railway
crossing, the local journalists said. They gave chase, caught Ansari and hit
him with sticks and also punched him. Later in the evening, the police reached
the spot and took Ansari to Ramgarh Sadar Hospital, where he was declared dead
on arrival.
The police said the body was handed over
to relatives on Wednesday afternoon after the post-mortem. A large number of
cops has been deployed in Sikni to avoid law-and-order problems.
“There has been no law-and-order problem
so far. We have taken preventive measures. So far five persons have been
arrested. The others have been identified and will be arrested soon,” Pandey
said.
“I would like to categorically state
that it was not a case of mob lynching. The deceased was involved in petty
offences like chain snatching in the past and had cases registered at different
police stations against him. On Tuesday evening, he had gone to a person’s
house in Sikni and tried to extract money through fraudulent means and was
caught. Some locals gave him chase and beat him up. However, some other locals
informed the police, who reached the spot and took the injured to the nearest
hospital,” the officer added.
In December 2021, Jharkhand had become
the fourth state after Bengal, Manipur and Rajasthan to pass a bill against mob
lynching. But the then governor, Ramesh Bais, on March 2022 returned the
anti-lynching bill to the state government with two specific suggestions,
including reconsidering the definition of a “mob” which was “not in consonance
with the well-defined legal lexicon or glossary”.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Giant step for humanity, great
achievement: Top United Nations leaders congratulate India on Chandrayaan-3
PTI United Nations, 24.08.23,
Top United Nations leadership
congratulated India on the success of its lunar mission Chandrayaan-3,
describing it as a "giant step" for humanity and a "great
achievement".
India's Chandrayaan-3 became the first
space mission to land near the south pole of the Moon. The attempt comes days
after Russia's unmanned Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed into
the Moon.
Associate Spokesperson for UN Secretary
General Antonio Guterres, Florencia Soto Nino termed India's mission to the
moon as “very exciting.” “We of course congratulate India on being the first
country to land a spacecraft on the south pole of the moon. This is a great
achievement, which was watched by many people around the world,” Nino said at
the daily press briefing here Wednesday.
She said the United Nations “has taken a
very keen interest in space, particularly in the peaceful uses of outer space.
And we wish India a greater success in its space exploration.”
President of the 77th session of the
United Nations General Assembly Csaba Korosi said in a tweet, “Congratulations,
India @isro, on the historic landing of #Chandrayaan3 on the moon's South Pole.
A giant step for humanity, science, and innovation. And a giant step for
India.” Korosi’s spokesperson Paulina Kubiak said at a press briefing that the
President congratulates India on the achievement.
In response to a question by PTI, she
said Indian colleagues within the Office of the President of the General
Assembly were celebrating this remarkable achievement.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda
Thomas-Greenfield tweeted "Congratulations to @IndiaUNNewYork and the
people of India for @ISRO Chandrayaan-3’s historic moon landing. Look forward
to further deepening U.S.-India space cooperation – including our work together
at the @UN and beyond – as new frontiers continue to be explored.”
Former UN Women Assistant
Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia said India’s
scientific prowess and what it has achieved truly is a gift to all of humanity.
She also hailed the high number of women scientists who contributed to the
remarkable achievement.
India's third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3
touched down on the lunar south pole at 6.04 pm after a flawless 41-day voyage.
With this touchdown on the Moon in its
second attempt in four years, India has become the fourth country to master the
technology of soft-landing on the lunar surface after the US, China and the
erstwhile Soviet Union.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Pragyan rover rolls out from Vikram
lander after historic landing of Chandrayaan-3
PTI Bangalore: 24.08.23
Chandrayaan-3 mission's Lander Module
which touched down on the lunar surface, has rolled out the rover, Pragyan,
with ISRO saying "India took a walk on the moon".
On its official X handle, ISRO said the
"rover ramped down." "Chandrayaan-3 ROVER: Made in India--Made
for the Moon! The Ch-3 Rover ramped down from the lander and India took a walk
on the moon!," it said. Official sources had earlier confirmed the
development.
"Its rolling out a few hours after
the landing of Vikram marked the success of yet another stage of Chandrayaan 3.
I look forward with excitement, alongside my fellow citizens and scientists, to
the information and analyses that Pragyan will acquire and enrich our
understanding of the moon", she said.
In precision landing, Chandrayaan 3's LM
Vikram touched down the lunar surface at 6.04 pm on Wednesday, sending the
nation into wild celebrations.
The ISRO had earlier said the 26 kg
six-wheeled rover was scheduled to descend from the lander's belly, onto the
Moon's surface, using one of its side panels as a ramp.
The lander (Vikram) and rover (Pragyan)
-- with a total mass of 1,752 kg -- are designed to operate for one lunar
daylight period (about 14 Earth days) to study the surroundings there.
However, ISRO officials do not rule out
the possibility of them coming to life for another lunar day.
The rover will carry out in-situ
chemical analysis of the lunar surface during the course of its mobility.
Both the lander and the rover have
scientific payloads to carry out experiments on the lunar surface.
The rover would study the surface of the
moon through its payloads APXS - Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer - to derive
the chemical composition and infer mineralogical composition to further enhance
understanding of the lunar surface.
Pragyan also has another payload--Laser
Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) to determine the elemental composition of
lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.
ISRO Chairman S Somnath had earlier
said, "After powered descent (of lander) on to the landing site, there
will be deployment of ramp and rover coming out. After this all the experiments
will take place one after the other -- all of which have to be completed in
just one day on the moon, which is 14 days."
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Goa Governor questions Kerala Assembly’s
resolution against UCC
By Pavneet Singh Chadha
Panaji | August 24, 2023
Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai
Wednesday seemed to question the Kerala Legislative Assembly’s recent
resolution against the Centre’s plan to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC),
asking “whether an Assembly could pass a resolution not to implement it”.
Speaking at a special session of the Goa
Legislative Assembly, Pillai mentioned President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday had
praised the people of Goa for adopting UCC.
“Yesterday, the President complimented
Goan people regarding [their] commitment to Article 44… The meaning is that
Article 44 of the Constitution of India is not a dead letter. Goa [is] the only
state in India where the son and daughter are entitled to equal rights in
property…in other states,
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/goa-governor-kerala-ucc-8906726/
-----
South Asia
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs: US
Hindering Islamic Emirate’s Intl Recognition
By Fatima Adib
23 August 2023
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs, said considers the US to be the only obstacle to
formal recognition of the Islamic Emirate.
In an interview with TOLOnews, Stanikzai
said that if the US reopens its embassy in Afghanistan other countries will
also recognize the Islamic Emirate.
"The meetings we have with the
nations, especially the NATO nations and the European community, they all tell
us the same thing--that they are ready to come to Afghanistan if we resolve our
differences with America," he said.
The Islamic Emirate's discussions with
America went on in secret from 2007 until 2018, according to Stankzai, one of
the key participants in the Doha negotiations on the Islamic Emirate side.
"We started negotiations with the
Americans in 2007. And from 2007 to 2021, which was the last withdrawal of
American forces from Afghanistan, I was responsible for all negotiations
between the US and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” Stanikzai said.
This official of the Islamic Emirate acknowledged
that there is ongoing resistance by groups opposed to the current government in
Panjshir and Andarab, and, as a result, more security outposts are necessary to
maintain security.
"There is no resistance in other
provinces. There is some resistance in Panjshir, or in Andarab, or in some
other provinces, and it is the duty of the Islamic Emirate to ensure security
there,” he said.
Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai stated in
the interview that the US and other neighboring countries violates the nation's
airspace and that the Afghanistan air force lacks adequate resources to counter
this.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184775
-----
Muttaqi urges Pakistan to cease ‘verbal
conflict’ and address root issues
By Fidel Rahmati
August 24, 2023
During a meeting with the director of
the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, Acting Minister of Foreign
Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi emphasized that Pakistan must prioritize identifying
the underlying causes of its issues rather than resorting to blame game and
public declarations.
In a recent statement from the ministry,
Muttaqi underscored the profound cultural and historical ties binding
Afghanistan and Pakistan. He passionately advocated for a future marked by
amicable coexistence and empathetic collaboration between neighbouring nations.
Muttaqi’s call for relations founded
upon mutual respect and understanding reflects a desire to foster lasting
harmony and cooperation in the region.
He also highlighted that specific issues
damage bilateral relations, suggesting that rather than resorting to verbal
disputes and media pronouncements, efforts should focus on identifying and
addressing the root causes of these problems.
Muttaqi highlighted the Taliban
administration’s successful realization of peace in Afghanistan and its ongoing
commitment to regional stability. He also pointed out significant strides in
Pakistan-Afghanistan trade ties, underscoring Afghanistan’s strategic location
as a source of untapped opportunities for both nations.
He emphasized that the de facto
government is committed to preventing harm from Afghanistan. He also said that
Afghanistan and Pakistan should not doubt each other’s “good intentions” and
avoid “challenging issues”.
In his part, Sohail Mahmood, head of the
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, praised the de facto authorities’
efforts in Afghanistan for curbing bloodshed, enhancing security, combating
drug production, tackling corruption, and focusing on economic matters.
He hoped that ongoing security problems
and concerns in Pakistan could be resolved through dialogue.
Source:
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https://www.khaama.com/muttaqi-urges-pakistan-to-cease-verbal-conflict-and-address-root-issues/
-----
Mujahid Dismisses UNAMA Report on Human
Rights Violations
2023-08-23
KABUL (BNA): Zabiullah Mujahid, the
spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, denied the recent report by
the United Nations Office in Afghanistan (UNAMA) that accused the Islamic
Emirate of killing or torturing 800 former government workers.
Mujahid said on Twitter that the report
was false and that the Islamic Emirate had implemented a general amnesty for
all former government employees.
He admitted that there were some
isolated cases of personal revenge, but they were very limited and investigated
by the relevant authorities on time.
He criticized some UN agencies for
ignoring the positive developments in Afghanistan and spreading propaganda that
damaged their credibility.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://bakhtarnews.af/en/mujahid-dismisses-unama-report-on-human-rights-violations/
-----
FM Muttaqi Hopes for Regional Peace and
Stability
23-08-23
KABUL (BNA): In a meeting with a
Pakistani delegation, the Islamic Emirate’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that the Islamic Emirate dreams of full peace
and stability in the region.
He said that Afghanistan and Pakistan
are brothers and neighbors who share many commonalities, and that their
relations should be based on good neighborliness and understanding.
He also said that the Islamic Emirate
had established peace and stability in Afghanistan, and that they were
committed to ensuring that no one was harmed from Afghanistan.
Mr. Muttaqi called for UN support in
resolving the problems of banking restrictions, poppy cultivation, and climate
change.
The head of the Pakistani delegation,
Soheil Mahmoud, praised the Islamic Emirate’s achievements and expressed his
hope that the security issues in Pakistan would be solved with understanding.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://bakhtarnews.af/en/fm-muttaqi-hopes-for-regional-peace-and-stability/
-----
Arrest of Iranian Reporter in
Afghanistan Sparks Reactions
By Sabria Abdal,
23 August 2023
In a statement, the Afghanistan
Journalists Center expressed concern over the arrest of Mohammad Hossein
Velayati, an Iranian photojournalist, and asked the authorities of the Islamic
Emirate to release this photojournalist.
The organization also called for an end
to the practice of "arresting and harassing" journalists in
Afghanistan.
Based on information from the
Afghanistan Journalists Center, at least 11 journalists have been arrested in
different regions of the country in the past two weeks, including nine people
who are still in prison.
The information from the Afghan
Journalists' Center indicates that at least four other journalists who were
arrested in recent months are also in prison, and the total number of
journalists and media workers currently imprisoned in the country is 13.
Meanwhile, Iran Ambassador to Kabul
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, in a conversation with the Iranian media, also demanded the
release of the photographer and journalist of the country from the prison of
the Islamic Emirate in Kabul.
Qomi said that the Iranian authorities
in Kabul are following up on the matter and he hopes that the dialogue for the
release of this Iranian journalist will reach a conclusion.
However, the Islamic Emirate has not yet
made any comment about the arrest of the Iranian journalist.
Yesterday, Tasnim news agency, an
Iranian "semi-official" news outlet, announced on social media the
arrest of its photographer and editor by the Islamic Emirate.
Tasnim news agency said the Iranian
photojournalist was arrested by the Islamic Emirate this week while returning
to Iran at the Kabul airport "without any clear reason".
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184772
------
Iran Supports Afghanistan in Agriculture
Sector
2023-08-23
KABUL (BNA): Acting Minister of Agriculture,
Irrigation and Livestock, Mawlavi Ataullah Omari met with Mojtaba KhayamNekoei,
Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Director of the Iranian Agricultural
Research, Education and Extension Center.
The Afghan Ministry of Agriculture and
Livestock in a statement said that during the meeting, the Iran’s deputy
minister for agriculture expressed support for Afghanistan in the field of
agriculture education and providing improved seeds.
The Iran’s deputy minister for
agriculture assured that they are willing to cooperate with Afghan farmers in
the fight against pests and plant diseases and to prevent the outbreak of
African locusts.
Meanwhile, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari,
Acting of the Ministry of Agriculture, appreciated support from Iran’s Deputy
Minister for Agriculture and said Afghanistan will send a number of employees
to Iran for capacity building in agricultural research and management of
emerging pests.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read
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https://bakhtarnews.af/en/iran-supports-afghanistan-in-agriculture-sector/
-----
Arab World
Tanzanian conjoined twins arrive in
Saudi Arabia for separation assessment
August 23, 2023
RIYADH: A pair of conjoined Tanzanian
twins on Wednesday arrived in Riyadh where they will be assessed to see whether
they can be separated.
The twin boys, named Hassan and Hussain,
were accompanied by their mother and were transferred to King Abdullah
Specialized Children’s Hospital on arrival.
They traveled on a medical evacuation
plane at the directive of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman.
The head of the medical team Dr.
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabeeah overseeing the assessment thanked the Saudi
leadership for their support of the Saudi program to separate conjoined twins
and general humanitarian work.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2360446/saudi-arabia
------
Compensation up to SR6568 for baggage
loss and maximum 200% of ticket value for flight cancellation
August 23, 2023
JEDDAH — The General Authority of Civil
Aviation (GACA) announced the adoption of a new executive regulation to protect
the rights of passengers, replacing the existing one, which will come into
force on Nov. 20, 2023.
The regulation included 30 articles that
guarantee the passenger’s right to receive proper care, support and
compensation, amounting up to 150- 200 percent of the ticket value. The
compensation will be given in the event of departure of flight ahead of
schedule or delay in departure or cancellation of flights, as well as in the
event of refusal to board the plane due to overbooking, and downgrading. Some
of these compensations amount to 150 percent and 200 percent of the ticket
value, it was stipulated in the new regulation.
The new regulation guarantees
passengers, upon loss of luggage, a financial compensation equivalent to
SR6568. In the event of damage, defect or delay of baggage, the passenger is
entitled to get a financial compensation not exceeding SR6568.
The regulation also guaranteed
compensation to travelers in the event of adding a stopover point that was not
announced when confirming the reservation of ticket. The regulation clarified
the obligations of both the passengers and the air carrier.
The regulations also deal with the
rights of passengers with disabilities and special requirements. The
regulations guaranteed the rights of customers, who are traveling on board
chartered flights, especially the seasonal Hajj and Umrah trips.
The new regulation aims to contribute to
upgrading air transport services, enhancing its efficiency, and improving the
traveler’s experience to and from Saudi Arabia and within the Kingdom, by
providing the necessary care and support. The regulation also aims to protect
the rights of passengers to achieve orderly, safe and comfortable travel.
GACA Vice President for Quality and
Traveler Experience Eng. Abdulaziz Aldahmash emphasized that the new regulation
reflects the authority’s interest in the satisfaction of passengers, and its
keenness to improve the travel experience in the Kingdom’s skies, by protecting
passengers from any sudden changes in air traffic, and providing them with
better options.
The authority’s adoption of the new
regulation reflects its constant commitment to development and the search for
everything that adds to the passenger experience in pursuit of achieving the
goals of the national strategy for the aviation sector, Aldahmash said, adding
that the strategy aims to empower Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and strive to
achieve its goals in the tourism sector and enhance its capabilities to
diversify the economy.
It is noteworthy that GACA is keen to
develop and improve the system in general, through its adoption of several
initiatives and programs, with the aim of contributing to the advancement of
the air transport industry locally, regionally and internationally, in several
areas. This is in accordance with the latest international systems and
standards, based on and derived from the national strategy for the civil
aviation sector, which aims to enable the aviation sector in the Kingdom to
become the topper in the Middle East, reaching a target of 330 million
passengers. It also aims to raise the capacity of air freight to 4.5 million
tons, and raise the level of air connectivity to reach 250 destinations to and
from the Kingdom’s airports by 2030.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
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https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/635186/SAUDI-ARABIA/Compensation-up-to-SR6568-for-baggage-loss-and-maximum-200-of-ticket-value-for-flight-cancellation-nbsp
------
Islamic Jihad to (Saba): Strengthening
settlement in Al-Quds represents a challenge to our people, & we will
confront it forcefully
[23/August/2023
GAZA August 23. 2023 (Saba) - The
spokesman for the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Musab al-Braim, said
that the enemy's announced plan to allocate 120 million shekels in favor of
strengthening settlements in occupied Al-Quds aims to strengthen the settlement
project on the basis that it is the spirit and essence of the Zionist
occupation project.
Al-Braim added, in a special statement
to the Yemeni news agency (Saba): This Zionist plan, which was approved by the
so-called Minister of National Security of the occupation, "Itamar ben
Gvir", represents a challenge to our people and our resistance. Adding to
the conclusion: However, we affirm in the Palestinian resistance led by Islamic
Jihad that we will not allow the occupation to settle on our land.
Al-Braim stressed that the development
of the resistance tide in the West Bank, led by the "Jenin Brigade",
rearranged the scene and confused the occupation's calculations.
And he continued: "These
settlements, which the occupation planned to be a gateway to death, to kill the
dreams and hopes of our people, and to swallow up geography and Palestinian
rights, we were able, with the faith of our people and the will of this revolutionary
generation of young people, to turn the settlements and barriers into targets
within the range of the resistance fighters, and this is what happened in
Hawara, the Jenin camp, and the cities and camps of the rebel West Bank."
The spokesman for the Islamic Jihad
confirmed that the continuation of this aggression is matched by the
continuation, escalation and development of the resistance, and the fate and
destiny of these settlements is like that of the Netzarim settlement in Gaza
and the occupation of southern Lebanon. He indicated that the resistance will
fight this enemy until it leaves or the Palestinian land becomes its graveyard.
Today, the Zionist Minister of National
Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, approved a huge budget for the Judaization of
Al-Quds and the extension of sovereignty over it.
And the Zionist Channel "14"
stated that the amount will be invested in strengthening security control in
eastern Al-Quds, where his ministry will work through a five-year plan to
enhance security for settlers east of the city.
The plan includes building police
stations, deploying more security cameras, and strengthening the Zionist police
forces in Al-Quds, settlements, and settlement roads.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3259722.htm
------
North America
Canada imposes sanctions on Russian
military, nuclear sectors
OLENA MUKHINA
24/08/2023
Canada imposed additional sanctions on
Russian individuals and companies responsible for the war in Ukraine, Canadian
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced during a speech at the third
International Summit of the Crimean Platform.
The restrictions targeted four
individuals and 29 entities from the Russian military, industrial, financial,
and nuclear sectors, Trudeau said
In addition, the prime minister said
that Canada would continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes,
according to UkrInform.
Source: euromaidanpress.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/08/24/canada-imposes-sanctions-on-russian-military-nuclear-sectors/
-----
Are You on The Watchlist? Fill Out
CAIR’s 2023 American Muslim Watchlist Survey
Ismail Allison
August 23, 2023
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 8/23/23) – The
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil
rights and advocacy organization, today launched its “2023 American Muslim
Community Watchlist Survey.” This one-minute survey aims to shed light on a
critical issue that affects the Muslim community and contribute to ending the
federal government’s discriminatory and illegal watchlisting of Muslims in the
U.S. and abroad.
Participate Now: Fill Out CAIR’s 2023
American Muslim Community Watchlist Survey
Community members also have the option
of either printing out a Word document or a PNG file with the survey QR code.
You can find the links to the QR code below.
ACTION REQUESTED: After filling out the
survey, print out our QR code flyer to post in mosques, Islamic schools and
other institutions. Encourage other Muslim community members to take the
survey: QR CODE FLYER
In recognition of this coming September
marking the 20th anniversary of the discriminatory and unlawful federal
terrorism watchlist, CAIR is calling upon all American Muslims to take part in
this survey, running until Friday, September 15. CAIR notes that all survey
responses will be anonymous.
This survey of American Muslims seeks to
shed light on a concerning reality: A recent report by CAIR found 98 percent of
the 1.47 million names on a 2019 leaked copy of the watchlist are of Muslim
origin. A stark illustration of this fact emerges from CAIR’s analysis is that
the top 50 most frequently occurring names on the list are all Muslim
names.
The implications of an individual’s
watchlist status are profound and far-reaching, as government agencies employ
it to harass and humiliate people during their travels, outright forbid them
from flying, deny licenses and permits, refuse employment or terminate existing
jobs, and even delay or deny visas and applications for U.S. citizenship or a
U.S. passport.
“Muslim community insights through this
survey will contribute to a deeper understanding of the issue and potentially
drive meaningful change or complete reform,” said CAIR Director of Government
Affairs Department Robert S. McCaw. “CAIR believes that every voice matters,
and this survey empowers American Muslims to share their experiences,
challenges, and concerns related to the watchlist system.”
“CAIR will continue to fight to end the
unconstitutional and Islamophobic watchlist,” said CAIR Staff Attorney Hannah
Mullen. “Every response to this survey will provide valuable information to
help us stand up for the American Muslim community against the federal
government’s two-decade effort to marginalize, target, and surveil them.”
As an organization committed to civil
liberties and justice, CAIR is seeking insights from a diverse range of
participants to comprehensively understand the challenges posed by the
watchlist system. The survey delves into various aspects, including experiences
with travel restrictions, interactions with law enforcement, and the broader
consequences of watchlist inclusion.
CAIR encourages participants to share
the survey within their communities, mosques, and Islamic institutions,
emphasizing the importance of collective action in promoting positive change.
By raising awareness and increasing engagement, CAIR aims to address the
injustices perpetuated by the watchlist system.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las
libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases
and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of
defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by
making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you
make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable
goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/are-you-on-the-watchlist-fill-out-cairs-2023-american-muslim-watchlist-survey/
------
US and Canada are trying to lure the
world’s best technologists
23 Aug, 2023
Canada has launched an ambitious
programme to recruit highly skilled immigrants from all over the world —
including from the United States, where our sclerotic immigration system makes
it difficult for foreign tech workers to obtain work visas. Last month, Canada offered a three-year work
permit to anyone holding a US H-1B visa, the most common entry permit for
immigrants working in the tech sector. The programme, aimed partly at workers
laid off in Silicon Valley’s recent downturn, drew 10,000 applicants in its
first 48 hours — “a strong indication of just how competitive Canada is on the
global stage,” a spokesman for the country’s immigration ministry said. It was
also a reflection of frustration among migrants who find the US visa system
difficult and slow. According to one estimate, only about one in 10 people who
register for the annual H-1B lottery get a visa. “A Canadian visa is much easier,” Gireesh
Bandlamudi, a 29-year-old software engineer from India, told me. With a US job
offer in hand, he considered his chances of winning an H-1B and applied to
Canada instead. He now works remotely with AtoB, a San Francisco firm that
provides financial services to trucking companies, from his new home in
Vancouver. “My visa happened in four weeks, max!” he marveled. The United
States and Canada are both trying to lure the world’s best technologists, but
they’re using very different strategies when it comes to immigration policy. US policy has been self-limiting, if not
self-defeating.
Since 1990, US law has a fixed cap of
65,000 new H-1B visas every year, plus 20,000 for holders of master’s or
doctoral degrees from American universities. US tech industry groups have long
complained that those limits are too low, but efforts to raise them have been
stymied by the partisan divide over immigration policy. In contrast, Canada is
deliberately seeking a big surge in immigration as part of a broader strategy
to grow its economy. The Liberal Party government of Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau has boosted immigration more than 40% in the last five years, admitting
more than 400,000 new permanent residents in 2021.
On a per capita basis, that’s more than
four times as many immigrants as the United States admits. The US issues
roughly a million permanent resident permits each year, but the US population
is more than eight times the size of Canada’s. Canada is also fast-tracking
applications for work permits for anyone with a sought-after skill, a category
that includes not only high-tech, but healthcare workers, carpenters, plumbers
and pipefitters, who are also in short supply north of the border. That’s how
Bandlamudi got to Vancouver, with the help of a technology consulting firm
called MobSquad. In the United States, an immigration policy like that would
touch off ferocious debate in Congress, where Republican hardliners have argued
that legal immigration should be reduced.
Not in Canada.
Here, increased immigration has long
been supported by most of the country’s major parties. When Trudeau announced
higher immigration goals last year, the initial criticism from the opposition
Conservative Party wasn’t that the numbers were too big, it was that the
government wasn’t approving applications quickly enough. More recently, debate has focused on the
country’s housing shortage; more new immigrants are arriving than new housing
units are being built, and home prices in Toronto and Vancouver have reached or
exceeded Los Angeles levels. But those worries have merely produced suggestions
that the government should slow the immigration surge, not reverse it. “There’s
an argument that the government is moving too fast, but it’s not being made on
anti-immigration grounds per se,” said Doreen Barrie, a political scientist at
the University of Calgary. “If we bring in millions more immigrants and the
economy goes south, that could change. Canadians are not all saints. There are
people who would prefer a more homogeneous society.”
So far, though, Canada’s conservatives have
avoided making immigration a major political issue — unlike US Republicans.
Conservative Party leaders have supported more legal immigration for the same
reason as Trudeau’s Liberals, as a strategy for economic growth. And Canadian
conservatives have been competing for votes in immigrant communities for
decades, with considerable success. But it also reflects a basic difference
between the two countries.
“We don’t have a border with Mexico,”
Barrie noted. “In Canada, we get to choose who comes in.” For the United
States, immigration as a political issue revolves around unauthorized entries
across the southern border, a problem Democrats and Republicans have attempted
to solve without much success. For Canada, illegal immigration is a smaller,
more manageable issue. Last winter, some 20,000 migrants walked into Canada on
a rural road from northern New York state into Quebec — an upsurge big enough
that it touched off political controversy. Under pressure from conservatives,
Trudeau negotiated a deal under which Canadian authorities could return asylum
seekers to the United States, making Canada look not so different from other
countries after all.
Source: gulftoday.ae
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.gulftoday.ae/opinion/2023/08/23/us-and-canada-are-trying-to-lure-the-world-best-technologists
------
Europe
Russian transgender activist threatens
Ukraine with revenge
23 Aug, 2023
If drone attacks continue “I’ll grab a
gun and go to the front,” Hilmi Forks has said
The controversial Russian transgender
blogger Hilmi Forks announced on Wednesday that he will enlist in the military
if Ukraine continues to attack Moscow with drones.
“Ukraine is going crazy. Drones at 3 am,
have you lost your mind?” Hilmi said in a diatribe on social media. “You launch
drones when people are sleeping. I got scared, jumped up from the couch from
this explosion. Are you insane?”
“If one more drone explodes somewhere
here in Moscow – blame yourself. I’ll take an automatic [rifle] and go to the
front, understand?” Forks added.
Ukraine began targeting the Moscow City
business district at the end of July, as its much-heralded offensive on the
battlefield bogged down with heavy casualties. The most recent attack took
place in the early hours of Wednesday, doing minor property damage to a
high-rise under construction, according to Mayor Sergey Sobyanin. No injuries
were reported.
Transgender blogger arrested on porn
suspicions
The Kremlin has described the attacks as
“terrorist strikes” and “acts of desperation” as the Ukrainian offensive in
Zaporozhye and southern Donbass failed to achieve success.
The nuisance strikes do pose an
inconvenience to Moscow residents, however, forcing a ground stop at all three
of the Russian capital’s airports, Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo, and Vnukovo.
Hilmi Forks is the artistic name adopted
by the transgender activist. The controversial social media influencer ran
afoul of Russia’s ban on “LGBT propaganda” earlier this year and evaded
administrative proceedings by fleeing the country. After returning to Moscow in
July, Hilmi was arrested on charges of producing and distributing illegal
pornography, but released on recognizance.
The release terms means Hilmi cannot
leave Moscow, which the blogger mentioned in the social media rant to some
400,000 Instagram followers.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/russia/581737-ukraine-drones-moscow-transgender/
------
German government introduces bill to
fast-track legal gender changes
23 Aug, 2023
Parents will be able to alter the legal
gender of their children at any age if the legislation is passed, media outlets
report
German government introduces bill to
fast-track legal gender changes
FILE PHOTO: A Pride parade takes place
in the German city of Colonge on July 10, 2023. © Global Look Press / IMAGO / Guido Schiefer
Berlin has introduced a new bill
allowing people to legally change their gender more easily. The move permitting
individuals to alter their gender once a year has been blasted by critics as a
“story from a madhouse.”
The bill greenlighted by the federal
cabinet on Wednesday has been welcomed by Family Minister Lisa Paus. The reform
would protect “minorities that have been discriminated against for a long
time,” she said. The initiative was also supported by Justice Minister Marco
Buschmann, who said every person “has a right for a state respecting their
gender identity.”
Under current regulations that were
adopted back in the 1980s, a person wishing to change their legal gender has to
undergo two psychological assessments and then present relevant reports to a
district court, which makes the final decision. Those going through the
procedure have complained that it is “lengthy, costly and humiliating,” German
media reported.
British preschoolers shown ‘bondage’
classroom images – media
The proposed legislation would allow
anyone to change their gender on official documents by simply submitting a
self-declaration report to a registry office. The change would take effect
within three months. There will be no upper limit on how many times a person
can change their gender throughout their lifetime. However, such changes would
be allowed only once every 12 months.
Minors aged 14 will be able to submit
such requests on their own, as long as their parents do not oppose the move.
For children under 14, parents would be allowed to submit the necessary papers
to a registry office. A dispute between a child and their parents on the issue
would be resolved in a family court.
According to the media, a registry
office would also have to provide information about any gender-change request
to the law enforcement authorities to prevent criminals from changing their
identity to escape justice.
Taxpayers should pay for uterus
transplants for trans women – American Medical Association
The legislation has sparked “fierce”
debates among politicians and public figures, the media said. “The idea of
being able to determine your gender every year can only be described as a story
from the madhouse,” said former German transport and infrastructure minister,
Alexander Dobrindt.
Christina Stumpp, the deputy secretary
general of the country’s largest opposition party, the conservative Christian
Democratic Union, warned that the government was neglecting its duty to protect
minors, who are often plagued by doubts about their identity. Young people need
support and guidance “on such serious issues,” she said, adding that the
proposed legislation just ignores this fact.
However, Left Party MP Kathrin Vogler
took issue with the bill demanding that law enforcement be informed about each
gender-change request. “I doubt that these and other regulations are in line
with fundamental rights,” she said.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/news/581738-german-government-bill-gender-change/
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UK Intelligence reveals why Putin went
to headquarters in Rostov
24 AUGUST 2023
UK Defence Intelligence has stated that
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin made a rare visit to the headquarters of the
Southern Military District in Rostov, 160 kilometres from the front, to
demonstrate his power.
Details: Putin reportedly held a meeting
with senior officers, including Chief of the Russian General Staff General
Valery Gerasimov, who "continues to command the operation in Ukraine"
[Russians call a war in Ukraine "a special military operation" –
ed.].
Referring to the seizure of the
headquarters in Rostov, which is in charge of the war in Ukraine, by the Wagner
Group in June, UK Defence Intelligence suggested that the Russian president
most likely "wishes to project his authority and to portray the senior
military command as functioning as usual".
Source: pravda.com.ua
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https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/08/24/7416872/
-----
European institutions buildings lit up
in blue and yellow to mark Ukraine's Independence Day
24 AUGUST 2023
The buildings of the European
Commission, the European Council, and the European Parliament in Brussels have
been lit up in blue and yellow colours on the occasion of Ukraine's
Independence Day.
Details: "Light blue as the sky
above Ukraine, yellow as its fields. On the eve of Ukraine Independence Day,
the Ukrainian flag illuminates our headquarters in Brussels.
We pay tribute to the brave Ukrainians
who fight for the future of their country," the European Commission said
on Twitter.
"Ahead of Ukraine's Independence
Day tomorrow, the EU Council's Europa building shines bright in yellow and blue
tonight, as a symbol of our strong support to Ukraine," Charles Michel,
President of the European Council, said.
Only the latest news, only the facts,
only the truth. Follow Ukrainska Pravda on Twitter!
"The blue and yellow colours
symbolise the courage & resilience of the brave people of Ukraine. They
unite us & represent Ukraine’s European future. And tonight they illuminate
our EU Parliament as we join our Ukrainian friends in celebrating Independence
Day," Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, said.
In addition, the building of the
Diplomatic Service of the European Union was illuminated in blue and yellow
colours.
"We honour the brave Ukrainian people
who are bravely defending their nation and their future. On the eve of the
Ukrainian Independence Day, the Diplomatic Service of the European Union is lit
up in Ukraine’s blue and yellow," Josep Borrell, EU High Representative
for Foreign and Security Policy, wrote.
Source: pravda.com.ua
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/08/24/7416869/
-----
Mideast
As Daesh terror attacks continue, what
explains the group’s resilience in Syria?
ALI ALI
August 23, 2023
QAMISHLI, Syria: During the second week
of August, the terror group Daesh carried out multiple attacks on Syrian regime
soldiers in the governorates of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, leaving dozens dead and
more injured.
With attacks in Syria’s central and
eastern regions only continuing to grow in frequency and severity, some may
wonder whether the group was truly eliminated when its defeat was announced in
2019.
Saturday, March 23, 2019, was a joyous
occasion for the men and women of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the
multi-ethnic, US-backed force which led the ground war against Daesh in Syria,
as well as the people living in the autonomous regions of northern and eastern
Syria.
From Manbij to Kobani, from Raqqa to
Hasakah and Qamishli, the streets of cities in Syria’s northeast were packed
with people from all walks of life celebrating Daesh’s final defeat at the
Battle of Baghouz.
Little did they know that despite the
group’s loss of territory, it would go on to maintain bases both inside and
outside of the country, which it still uses to carry out operations in Syria.
“(Daesh) uses different frameworks for
the continuation of its extremist ideology,” Sardar Mullah Darwish, a Syrian
Kurdish journalist and director of Aso News Network, told Arab News.
The group “relies on cells spread in
different areas in the governorates of Raqqa, Deir Ezzor, and southern Hasakah,
and particularly in the Badia, where they are in areas that are not fully
controlled by the coalition, the SDF, or even the armed forces of the regime
and other military forces,” he said.
Darwish added that Daesh sustains itself
via financial extortion, threatening wealthy residents and those working with
international or local NGOs. He added that the use of motorcycles and the black
veil known as the niqab are both ways in which the group attempts to camouflage
itself among civilians.
Daesh carries out attacks on both
regime-held areas and regions held by the SDF. According to Darwish, these
attacks are attempts “to show continued presence and strength.”
The divided nature of Syria complicates
the response.
“What remains of the terrorist group’s
remnants in our regions is limited to sleeper cells, and they are dealt with
firsthand by our security and military forces in coordination and cooperation
with the Global Coalition,” Abu Omar Al-Idlibi, commander of the SDF-aligned
Northern Democratic Brigade, told Arab News.
“As for the rest of Syria’s geography,
Daesh is still strong because it represents one of the reasons for the survival
of the Syrian regime as well as a justification for the presence of its
supporters, Russia and Iran.”
Al-Idlibi believes the presence of Daesh
is used as a justification for Iran’s increasing military presence in Syria.
Iranian-backed pro-regime militias, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps, Basij Forces, Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba, Kataib Hezbollah (also known
as Iraqi Hezbollah), the Badr Organization, the Abu Al-Fadl Al-Abbas militia,
the National Defense Forces, Liwa Al-Quds, Liwa Fatemiyoun and Liwa
Zeynebiyoun, are all deployed across areas where Daesh remains strongest.
Since its territorial defeat in Syria,
Daesh has carried out more than 1,400 attacks on military and civilian targets
across the country, resulting in the deaths of more than 3,000 people.
These statistics, sourced from publicly
available datasets compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data
Project, also show that more than 320 of these attacks were carried out even
after the 2022 death of Daesh leader Abu Ibrahim Al-Hashimi Al-Qurayshi, the
successor to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
According to the Monitoring and
Documentation Department of the local North Press Agency, direct Daesh attacks
claimed more than 262 lives across the country in the first half of 2023 alone,
the majority of which were civilians.
In addition to this, the terror group
kidnapped more than 160 people. A large number of the victims of Daesh attacks
and kidnappings were truffle pickers, who resort to scouring vast, unsafe areas
of the Syrian Badia in order to gather the lucrative fungi amid difficult
economic conditions.
The Syrian Badia is a massive desert,
covering more than half of the country’s territory and spanning eight of
Syria’s 14 governorates. The region has a history of use by insurgent groups,
having been used by the Iraqi resistance during the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011.
The Badia’s geography, a mostly vast and
empty expanse of rocky desert with inhabited settlements few and far between,
made it ideal for Daesh as a base of operations after its flight from Baghouz.
The region’s proximity to the Iraqi
border further added to its allure.
“This region was well known as an area
controlled by smugglers, even before the Syrian war,” said Darwish. “The border
crossing between the two countries has large gaps … and there is no control of
military forces such as the regime, the SDF, or the Iraqi army, and so Daesh
relies on this region for its activities.”
Darwish said Daesh had in recent years
dug an extensive network of tunnels in the Iraqi-Syrian border region to aid in
its smuggling operations between the two countries.
For the armed forces tasked with
responding to the Daesh threat, these tunnels have proved a strategic headache.
“The geographical features of the region
between Syria and Iraq have a great impact on the ease of movement by Daesh,
especially in the areas under the control of Iran and its militias in
Al-Bukamal and Al-Mayadeen, as these border areas are transit points for
terrorist organizations and militias between Iraq and Syria,” said Al-Idlibi, the
Northern Democratic Brigade commander.
Despite the large network of
Iranian-backed, pro-regime militias deployed across central Syria, Al-Idlibi is
doubtful that Damascus is serious about confronting Daesh remnants in the
Badia.
“Daesh moves freely in the areas of the
Syrian Badia … it has not been truly confronted in these areas due to the fact
that they are under the control of the Syrian regime and its allies.”
At the end of 2019, Syrian regime forces
were withdrawn from the Badia region to focus on Damascus’ new offensive aimed
at retaking Idlib from the coalition of Syrian opposition and Islamist groups
that held it. Although a ceasefire was declared in Idlib in 2020, the Badia had
meanwhile become one of Daesh’s new havens in Syria.
“There are many vast and intertwined
regions between the Syrian regime areas and Autonomous Administration (of North
and East Syria) areas, with many natural crossings and land, and river routes,”
said Al-Idlibi.
“This allows Daesh to move easily in
order to infiltrate our areas in northern and eastern Syria … (Daesh) also
finds support through sleeper cells present in our regions, and thus we see the
terrorist group carrying out operations (here) from time to time.”
Both military personnel on the ground
and civilian observers warn that the loosely held regime areas of the Syrian
Badia are not the only stronghold for Daesh. Areas in the country’s north and
northwest held by a coalition of militias known as the Syrian National Army, or
SNA, have also served as a relatively safe area for Daesh militants for years.
“It has become an obvious fact that
instability on the social, economic and subsistence level, as well as the
spread of armed organizations, extremist ideology, inhumane and criminal
practices, and the suppression of freedoms in the occupied areas controlled by
the factions of the so-called (Syrian) National Army and terror group Al-Nusra
Front, are what provide an incubator and required quagmire for the survival and
existence of the leaders and emirs of terrorist organizations, foremost of
which is the terror group Daesh,” Al-Idlibi added.
Since 2019, coalition forces have
carried out more than 13 air and drone strikes targeting Daesh in
SNA-controlled areas, the latest of which killed a Daesh commander in a village
near Jinderis, in the Afrin region, in April this year.
Furthermore, a 2021 report by Aso News
Network compiled a list of 95 Daesh leaders among the ranks of SNA groups.
Darwish said that further research by
Aso News Network uncovered information suggesting that the 2022 Daesh prison
uprising in Hasakah, which claimed the lives of 121 SDF fighters and civilians,
was supported by Daesh elements hiding out in SNA-held Ras Al-Ain.
The research also showed that several
Daesh families had managed to escape the infamous Al-Hol camp and settle in Ras
Al-Ain and neighboring Tal Abyad.
General Michael Kurilla, commander of US
Central Command, was in northeast Syria on Wednesday, where he visited the
Al-Hol and Al-Roj Displaced Persons Camps and met with SDF officials to review
the campaign to eliminate Daesh.
“The US, SDF, and the Global Coalition
remain focused and committed on the enduring defeat of Daesh while addressing
the humanitarian and security challenges at camps in northeast Syria,” Kurilla
said in a statement.
While the SDF and coalition continue to
combat terrorism, the solution to the terrorism problem in Syria, says
Al-Idlibi, is a political one.
“The real solution to rid Syria of
terrorism once and for all lies in the need to implement a political solution
in Syria, which was unanimously approved by the (UN) Security Council in 2015
via Resolution 2254,” said Al-Idlibi.
“The application of democracy is the
ideal solution to eradicate the sources of extremism and terrorism … because
tyranny and terrorism are inseparable and interdependent; they are the reasons
for one another’s survival.”
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
US envoy optimistic about chances of
peace in Yemen but admits challenges remain
RAY HANANIA
August 23, 2023
CHICAGO: Despite painting a broadly
optimistic picture of advances in the peace process in Yemen over the past 18
months, including the April 2022 truce agreement between nation’s government
and the Houthis, the US special envoy to the country, Tim Lenderking, said the
path forward remains “difficult and challenging.”
Following the recent restoration of
diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the latter of which backs and
provides arms to the Houthis, the world “needs to see follow through on the
commitments Iran has made” on Yemen, he added.
Lenderking, who returned this week from
an official trip to the Middle East for talks on Yemen, was speaking on
Wednesday during an online briefing hosted by the US State Department.
“We do feel that any measures regional
countries take to deescalate tensions in the region will be of benefit to the
region, and that is certainly the case in the Yemen conflict,” he said.
“What we need to see is Iran follow
through on the commitments that were made to Saudi Arabia: No smuggling of
lethal equipment or war equipment into Yemen to the Houthis, and a commitment
to support a political resolution of the conflict.”
The war in Yemen began in 2014 when the
Houthis, insurgents backed by Iran, seized the capital Sanaa. The conflict
spread and has fueled cross-border violence. Iran and the Coalition to Restore
Legitimacy in Yemen negotiated a two-month truce in April 2022, which was
extended twice and continues to offer hope for a more permanent settlement,
even though it expired in October last year.
“Yemen has witnessed the longest period
of deescalations since the war began,” Lenderking said. “Thousands of lives
have been saved. Cross-border attacks and airstrikes have stopped. Freedom of
movement has been improved, including with the resumption of commercial flights
from Saana Airport for the first time since 2016.
“That said, much more is needed. Only a
Yemeni-Yemeni political agreement can durably resolve this civil conflict. And
only a comprehensive recovery and reconstruction effort with strong support
from regional, as well as international, donors can reverse the humanitarian
and economic crisis facing Yemenis every single day.”
Furthering stressing the positive
developments, he added: “We remain optimistic about the prospects for further
progress for peace … That is why we and others in the international community
are urging the Houthis to seize this unprecedented opportunity to sit down with
the Republic of Yemen government to chart a better future for Yemen.”
Lenderking concluded his briefing by
saying “I will just reiterate the sense of promise and possibility that we are
feeling” but added that at “the same time (what) we are seeing inside Yemen is
a difficult and challenging situation.”
He said there are four main aspects to
the ongoing negotiations, which are commitments not to carry out cross-border
attacks; to expand commercial capacity at Sanaa Airport; to implement a
“strong, significant reduction in bureaucratic process for moving oil and other
commercial humanitarian supplies into Yemen;” and to do more to facilitate the
payment of salaries to Yemeni public-sector workers who have gone without pay
since the conflict began.
Lenderking also took a moment to praise
the UN-led salvage operation to remove more than 1.1 million barrels of oil
from the decaying Safer oil tanker. The vessel has been moored in the Red Sea
off
the coast of Yemen, near Hodeidah, since
the conflict began, with little or no maintenance during that time, sparking
growing fears of an environmental catastrophe.
“While the work on the Safer is not yet
finished — the decaying ship still needs to be towed and scrapped — the
immediate crisis, (the threat of) an oil spill four times that of the Exxon
Valdez (disaster off the coast of Alaska in 1989), has been averted.”
However, he added that the UN needs an
additional $22 million in funding to complete the scrapping of the Safer.
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
Arab Israelis bury official as crime
wave toll nears 160
AFP
August 23, 2023
TIRA, Israel: A high-ranking civil
servant buried Wednesday in Israel is the latest victim of a crime wave that
has killed almost 160 members of Israel’s Arab minority this year.
Abdelrahman Kashua, who held the post of
director-general in Tira city, just north of Tel Aviv, was gunned down at a gas
station on Monday, police said.
Mourners carrying black flags gathered
outside a police station in protest as part of the funeral procession.
Kashua is among 156 Arab-Israelis killed
so far this year, according to the Abraham Initiatives which promotes
coexistence between Arabs and Jews.
Arab Israelis have long complained of
discrimination and police inaction against crime that disproportionately
affects their communities.
Experts say Arab gangs have amassed
large quantities of illegal weapons over the past two decades and are involved
in drug and other crimes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on
Tuesday condemned Kashua’s killing as a “red line” and vowed to use all means
“in order to defeat this crime” wave.
But just hours after his remarks, four
more Arab men were murdered in the northern town of Abu Snan.
One of the victims, Ghazi Saab, had
written on Facebook about his plans to stand in municipal elections later this
year, and said “we can no longer remain silent.”
“Crime and acts of violence in our
villages have crossed all limits,” he wrote in July.
“I appeal to all to not deal in
violence. There is no reason to kill.”
A leading Arab politician, Mansour
Abbas, on Wednesday called for greater support for his community.
“Our demand is only one, that the state
of Israel carries out its duty to protect the lives of Arab citizens,” he said
at Kashua’s funeral.
Abbas made history in 2021 when his Raam
movement became the first Arab party to join a governing coalition, pressing
while in power for funds to tackle crime.
Arab Israelis, descendants of
Palestinians who stayed on their land after Israel’s creation in 1948, make up
about 21 percent of the population and many identify as Palestinian.
Earlier this month Netanyahu blamed
“out-of-control criminal organizations” for the violence, which has led to
other protests by Arab Israelis this year.
In early June, the prime minister said
he was “determined to stop this chain of murders” and would see that happen by
not only reinforcing police but also “with the help of the Shin Bet,” the
internal security agency.
Source: arabnews.com
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Cyprus detains five Syrians suspected of
human trafficking
REUTERS
August 23, 2023
NICOSIA: Police in Cyprus on Wednesday
arrested five Syrian nationals suspected of being part of a crime gang involved
in human trafficking, the government said.
The island, at the crossroads of three
continents, has been struggling with a surge in irregular migration in recent
years and arrivals by sea have risen in the past several days.
An early morning police raid in the
southern district of Limassol found five Syrians and more arrests were
expected, Cyprus's Presidency said in a statement. Authorities had been
collecting intelligence on the suspects over several months.
"In attempting to effectively deal
with the migration issue it is essential to confront trafficking rings which
endanger the lives of irregular migrants attempting to enter the country,"
it said.
According to the U.N refugee agency
UNHCR, Cyprus received 5,563 new asylum applications until the end of June
2023, compared to 21,565 for the whole of 2022.
Source: arabnews.com
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700 Syrians caught trying to enter
Lebanon in a week: army
AFP
August 23, 2023
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army turned away
around 700 Syrians attempting to cross into the neighboring country illegally
over the past week, the armed forces said in a statement on Wednesday.
The attempted influx coincides with days
of rare protest in Syria’s southern city of Sweida, as dire living conditions
stoke discontent in regime-held areas.
Millions of Syrians have already fled
abroad since Syria’s war began in 2011 following the government’s repression of
peaceful pro-democracy protests.
Lebanon’s army “prevented, over several
days this past week, about 700 Syrians from crossing the Lebanese-Syrian
border,” the Lebanese armed forces statement said.
A security official told AFP that
deteriorating economic conditions in Syria had pushed more people to flee their
homeland, with many hoping to reach Europe. The official couldn’t give data to
illustrate the increase, and it was not clear where along the border the
migrants were blocked.
Syrians are fleeing “because of the
economic situation, because the Syrian pound has further collapsed,” he said,
on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to the press.
Syria’s 12-year conflict has ravaged the
country’s infrastructure and industry, the Syrian pound has lost most of its
value against the dollar, and most of the population has been pushed into
poverty.
“Some hope to find work here in Lebanon,
but many are hoping to flee to Europe,” the source added.
The protests by hundreds in Syria
erupted after the government lifted fuel subsidies last week, dealing a blow to
people already struggling with the war’s heavy economic toll.
On August 12, Lebanon’s army said it
arrested 134 migrants, most of them Syrians, near the northern border with
Syria after foiling their attempt to take a boat to Europe.
The same day, the armed forces said they
had arrested 150 Syrians who had crossed into Lebanon illegally in the same
province of Akkar.
Lebanon’s own economic collapse has
turned it into a launchpad for migrants. Lebanese are joining Syrian and
Palestinian refugees clamouring to leave by taking dangerous sea routes.
Authorities say Lebanon currently hosts
around two million Syrians, while more than 800,000 are registered with the
United Nations — the highest number of refugees per capita in the world.
Migrants departing from Lebanon head for
Europe, with one of the main destinations Cyprus, only 175 kilometers (110
miles) away.
Syria’s war has killed more than half a
million people and forced around half the country’s pre-war population from
their homes.
Source:
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Lebanese army helicopter crashes near
Beirut killing 2 crew members and injuring 1
AP
August 23, 2023
BEIRUT: A Lebanese army helicopter
crashed during a training mission in a forest east of Beirut on Wednesday
night, killing two crew members and wounding one, the army said.
The army, in a terse statement, said the
helicopter crashed near the mountain town of Hammana. It gave no further
details.
Lebanon is in the grips of the worst
economic crisis in its modern history and the army has been severely affected.
The nearly four-year meltdown is rooted in decades of corruption and
mismanagement by the country’s ruling class.
The economic meltdown is putting
unprecedented pressure on the US-backed army’s operational abilities, wiping
out soldiers’ salaries and wrecking morale.
Source: arabnews.com
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-----
Africa
Ethiopia announces joint Saudi probe
into alleged migrant killings
24 Aug 2023
What happened to Ethiopian migrants at
the Yemeni-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023?
That is what Ethiopia intends to uncover.
The Foreign ministry tweeted Tuesday (Aug. 22) that the government will jointly
investigate with Saudi authorities a report by a human rights group of killings
of hundreds of its nationals.
The ministry called for restraint and
advised against making "unnecessary speculation until an investigation is
completed," saying the two countries "enjoy excellent longstanding
relations."
A Saudi government official, speaking on
condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, called
the Human Rights Watch report "unfounded and not based on reliable
sources," but did not offer evidence to support the assertion.
US-based group Human Rights Watch
released a report on Monday citing eyewitness accounts of attacks by border
guards in Saudi Arabia using machine guns and mortars on unarmed Ethiopians
trying to cross into the kingdom from Yemen.
United Nations spokesman Stephane
Dujarric called the report "very concerning" but noted the
"serious" allegations were difficult to verify.
The United Nations has already
questioned Saudi Arabia about its troops opening fire on migrants in an
escalating pattern of attacks along its southern border with war-torn Yemen.
Last year, UN experts reported
"concerning allegations" that "cross-border artillery shelling
and small-arms fire by Saudi Arabia security forces killed approximately 430
migrants" in southern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen during the first
four months of 2022.
The HRW report points to a surge in
abuses along the perilous migrant route from the Horn of Africa to oil-rich
Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians live and work.
Calls for probe
Washington, a long-time ally of Riyadh,
urged "a thorough and transparent investigation" into the
accusations.
The European Union noted with
"concern" the HRW claims and plans to raise them with Riyadh and with
the Huthi rebels who control strategic parts of Yemen, a spokesman, Peter
Stano, said Tuesday.
"We welcome the announcement by the
government of Ethiopia, specifically, to investigate the whole issue together
with the authorities in Saudi Arabia," he said.
Source: africanews.com
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Crisis in Niger: Algeria begins
mediation in three Ecowas countries
23 Aug 2023
Algeria, on Wednesday sent its Foreign
Minister, Ahmed Attaf, on a tour of Nigeria, Benin and Ghana, to help find a
way out of the Niger crisis, Algerian diplomacy announced.
Minister Ahmed Attaf, "mandated by
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, begins today (Wednesday) working visits to
Nigeria, Benin and Ghana", the ministry announced on its X (ex-Twitter)
account.
He will hold "consultations on the
crisis in Niger and ways of dealing with it" with his counterparts in
these countries "which belong to the Economic Community of West African
States (Ecowas)", the ministry said.
The aim is to contribute "to a
political solution that will spare this country and the entire region the
repercussions of a possible escalation of the situation".
Algerian diplomacy has a long history of
mediating or attempting to resolve numerous international conflicts.
President Tebboune said on August 6 that
he "categorically rejects any external military intervention" in
Niger, which he described as "a direct threat to Algeria".
There will be "no solution without
us. We are the first concerned", he added, during an interview broadcast
on national television.
Against use of force
Algeria shares almost 1,000 km of border
with Niger.
The Algerian head of state asked:
"What is the current situation of countries that have undergone military
intervention?", before adding: "Look at the situation in Libya and
Syria".
As Africa's largest nation, Algeria
borders two countries in the throes of profound crises: Mali and Libya, and
refuses to open a third front on its borders.
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of
the African Union (AU) has decided "to suspend the participation of Niger
in all activities of the AU and its organs and institutions until the effective
restoration of constitutional order in the country", according to a
communiqué issued on Tuesday.
Following the overthrow by the military
on July 26 of Niger's president Mohamed Bazoum, who is due to be elected in
2021, Ecowas announced on August 10 its intention to deploy a West African
force "to restore constitutional order in Niger".
"Two countries (Mali and Burkina
Faso, editor's note) are ready to enter the battle (alongside Niger, editor's
note)", Mr. Tebboune had stressed, estimating that in the event of a
military operation, "the whole Sahel will go up in flames".
In Mali and Burkina Faso, which like
Niger face jihadist violence, the military putschists have warned that they
will stand by their neighbor.
Niger's new strongman, General
Abdourahamane Tiani, assured us on Saturday that military intervention
"will not be the walk in the park that some people think it will be".
Source: africanews.com
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-----
DRC: former Tshisekedi adviser acquitted
of "intelligence with Rwanda"
23 Aug 2023
A former private adviser to President
Félix Tshisekedi, Fortunat Biselele, prosecuted for "intelligence with
Rwanda", a neighboring country accused of supporting the M23 rebellion in
the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was acquitted on Tuesday, learned
the AFP with his lawyer.
Arrested in January in Kinshasa, Mr.
Biselele was detained in Makala prison before being granted provisional release
on July 22. The former private adviser to the President of the Republic was
prosecuted for "treason" and "intelligence with Rwanda".
"The Kinshasa Gombe tribunal de
grande instance acquitted him (...) He is completely cleared," his lawyer,
Me Richard Bondo, told AFP.
The case erupted after an interview
released in an online video, in which Mr. Biselele spoke about the economic
cooperation relations between President Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart
Paul Kagame.
These relations, which seemed to be
normalizing between the DRC and Rwanda at the start of Mr. Tshisekedi's mandate
in 2019, are now abysmal due to the resurgence of the March 23 Movement (M23),
a majority Tutsi rebellion defeated in 2013 which took up arms again at the end
of 2021.
From the start, Kinshasa has accused
Rwanda of arming this rebellion and fighting alongside it, which UN experts
have corroborated, although Kigali denies it.
The court's decision in favor of Mr.
Biselele is "a deserved victory because the case was only a settling of
scores and the judges are not there to condone these kinds of things,"
said Mr. Bondo. The relatives of Mr. Biselele denounced a political trial.
In the DRC, several political or
security officials find themselves accused of collusion with the enemy and are
detained in a tense pre-election context. The presidential election which will
be coupled with those of the national and provincial deputies as well as the
municipal councilors is scheduled for December 20.
Four months before the deadline, the
American NGO Human Rights Watch on Tuesday denounced the "repression"
and "intimidation" against opponents. President Tshisekedi, in power
since January 2019, is running for a second five-year term.
Source: africanews.com
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------
Zimbabwe votes as the president known as
'the crocodile' seeks a second and final term
23 Aug 2023
Zimbabweans voted in closely-watched
elections in which President Emmerson Mnangagwa is seeking a second term after
a campaign tainted by a crackdown on the opposition, fears of vote rigging and
public anger at the economic crisis.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, who
came to power after a coup that deposed late ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017,
squares off against Nelson Chamisa, 45, who leads the yellow-coloured Citizens Coalition
for Change (CCC) party.
Casting his ballot in his home town of
Kwekwe, central Zimbabwe, a confident Mnangagwa -- nicknamed the 'Crocodile'
for his determination -- told journalists: "If I think I'm not going to
take it, then I will be foolish."
"Everyone who contests should go
into the race to win"
"Peace, peace, peace and fairness,
during before and after, peace peace. "
"This time around there has been
more awareness than in the past, I think we shall have a higher turnout this
time around. And that besides now we have more than 6 million people registered
as voters, last time we have only about 5 million, so there's (inaudible) a
million more. And I think this time around there was quite publicity" he
added, sporting his trademark multicoloured scarf.
The opposition is hoping to ride a wave
of discontent over the southern African country's economic woes that include
graft, high inflation, unemployment and widespread poverty.
But delays in opening some polling
stations, especially in the capital, an opposition stronghold, raised
opposition concerns.
"Funny games or no funny games our
victory is certain," Chamisa said after casting his ballot in a Harare
township.
Source: africanews.com
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-----
Hawaii wildfire economic damage assessed
23 Aug, 2023
The devastating inferno caused up to $6
billion in losses, according to Moody’s RMS
Damage from the deadliest wildfire in
modern US history, which killed over 100 people and destroyed countless homes
and businesses in Hawaii, could range from $4 billion to $6 billion, according
to estimates by Moody’s RMS.
The global catastrophe risk modeling and
solutions company said on Tuesday the estimate reflects direct and indirect
losses from damage to physical assets. It does not take into account the
blaze’s effect on Hawaii’s gross domestic product, government spending on the
response to the catastrophe, or the social cost of the fires.
The estimate includes property damage,
contents, and business interruption, and covers residential, commercial,
industrial, automobile, and infrastructure assets.
According to the report, the losses are
likely to be largely concentrated in the historic town of Lahaina, where the
blaze burned over 2,100 acres and destroyed almost 2,200 structures. Rebuilding
will be costly as inflation drives up prices during the long recovery process,
Moody’s said. Insurance is expected to cover about 75% or more of the damage as
wildfires are covered under typical policies and Hawaii has a high level of
insurance uptake.
“Post-event loss amplification is
expected to be high in this event due to the island effect on supply chains,
high construction labor costs in general, inflationary impacts during the
expected long recovery time, and potential ordinance and law requirements,”
stated the vice-president of modeling at Moody’s RMS, Rajkiran Vojjala.
The Hawaii wildfires were the deadliest
in the US in more than a century. Fatalities have climbed to at least 115
people and 1,100 were still missing as of Tuesday, according to Maui County
officials.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/business/581702-hawaii-wildfires-economic-cost/
------
Pakistan
Joint Investigation Allowed To Quiz,
Arrest PTI Chief Imran KhanIn May 9 Attacks Case
August 24, 2023
Asif Chaudhry | Wajih Ahmad Sheikh
LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on
Wednesday allowed a joint investigation team (JIT) to interrogate and arrest
incarcerated PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the case of the attack on the corps
commander’s house in Lahore during May 9 riots.
The JIT’s convenor, the DIG
(Investigation) Lahore, filed an application with the administrative judge of
the ATC seeking permission to interrogate and arrest the former prime minister
in FIR No 96/2023 registered by Sarwar Road police regarding the attack on
Jinnah House, which also serves as the residence of the corps commander.
The head of the joint investigation team
said the suspect, Mr Khan, had been convicted by an Islamabad sessions court
and is currently confined in Attock jail, serving his sentence in the
Toshakhana case.
He said the interrogation of the
suspect, which would lead to his subsequent arrest, was required in the Jinnah
House attack case. He requested the judge to grant permission to interrogate
and arrest the suspect who is detained in Attock jail.
Judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar allowed the
application and granted permission to the JIT to interrogate and arrest Mr Khan
in the May 9 case.
Earlier, on Aug 11, the judge dismissed
the pre-arrest bail of the PTI chairman in seven cases registered for his
alleged involvement in the May 9 riots, including the attack on the corps
commander’s residence.
A counsel for Mr Khan had requested the
court to excuse the suspect from personal appearance, citing his confinement in
the jail, which was beyond his control.
However, the judge said Mr Khan’s
counsel failed to point out any specific legal provision upon which an
exemption from personal attendance in a pre-arrest bail case can be granted
after imprisonment.
The judge considered that the conviction
was not an explanation for adjournment with the order of exemption from
personal appearance, rather it was a ground for dismissal of bail if the case
was heard on merits.
The judge ruled that Mr Khan’s
application was not maintainable, and bail petitions in all cases were dismissed
with similar observations.
The other cases include attacks on
Askari Tower in Gulberg, Shadman police station, PML-N’s party office in Model
Town, and the torching of a container at Kalma Chowk.
JIT to visit Attock jail
Following court permission, a police
team led by JIT head DIG Investigation Lahore Imran Kishwar will go to Attock
jail for the interrogation and arrest of Mr Khan in the Jinnah House attack
case.
Mr Kishwar confirmed to Dawn that the
JIT would visit Attock Jail on the upcoming Friday.
Mr Kishwar stated that the JIT submitted
a request to Punjab Prisons IG Mian Farooq Nazir to grant access to the police
for interrogating the former prime minister in Attock jail.
Regarding a specific question about Mr
Khan’s arrest, the DIG made it clear that the Lahore police would not shift the
accused person from Attock jail to Lahore; instead, they would simply document
his arrest in the police records at the jail.
Babar Awan’s claim
Separately, former federal minister and
member of the PTI chairman’s legal team, Babar Awan, claimed that despite
assurances from jail authorities, the detained former premier’s cell has not
been changed so far.
He made these remarks while speaking to
newsmen outside Attock jail on Wednesday.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC)
instructed the administration of Attock jail on Wednesday to ensure a meeting
between Mr Awan and the former prime minister.
This directive came during the hearing
of an appeal by the PTI chairman against his conviction in the Toshakhana case.
Mr Awan added that “facilities” was an
unknown word for Mr Khan. Mr Awan said that “the morale of the detained former
prime minister is higher than the Himalayas”.
Source: dawn.com
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------
Religious Affairs Minister calls for
unity to eliminate religious extremism
August 23, 2023
Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs
and Interfaith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed has called upon all segments of the society
to collectively play their part to eliminate religious animosity and extremism.
Talking to media in Jaranwala on
Wednesday, he stressed upon the masses to forge unity among their ranks to
eliminate intolerance and extremism and create religious harmony in Pakistan.
He said that he supports the idea of
legal justice to protect the lives and property of every Pakistani and ensured
the implementation of law and justice at every step.
Aneeq Ahmed lauded the role of caretaker
Chief Minister Punjab, divisional and district administration, police and all
team to cope with this emergency swiftly and appreciated their efforts
regarding rehabilitation of churches and houses on urgent basis.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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https://www.radio.gov.pk/23-08-2023/religious-affairs-minister-calls-for-unity-to-eliminate-religious-extremism
------
Terrorists to be hunted down until their
surrender to state of Pakistan: COAS
August 23, 2023
Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim
Munir has emphasized that terrorists, their affiliates and abettors working on
the behest of hostile agenda to destabilize Pakistan, will be hunted down until
their surrender to the state of Pakistan.
He was interacting with officers and
troops deployed in Sherwangi area near Asman Manza in South Waziristan District
today, where six brave soldiers had embraced Shahadat yesterday while fighting
gallantly against terrorists.
The Army Chief appreciated their
unflinching resolve in fighting the menace of terrorism.
General Syed Asim Munir said that
Shuhada are our pride and their sacrifices will not go in vain till the return
of complete peace and stability in Pakistan.
He was also given a detailed briefing on
the prevailing security situation including ongoing intelligence and
counter-terrorism operations.
Earlier upon arrival, the Army Chief was
received by Commander Peshawar Corps.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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https://www.radio.gov.pk/23-08-2023/terrorists-to-be-hunted-down-until-their-surrender-to-state-of-pakistan-coas
-----
Toshakhana case: Sessions court erred in
convicting Imran: CJP
August 24, 2023
By Ali Raza & Murtaza Ali Shah &
Sohail Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC)
Wednesday observed that the trial court made mistakes in its verdict while
convicting former prime minister in the Toshakhana Reference and sending him to
jail.
A three-member SC bench, headed by Chief
Justice Umer Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Sayyed Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi
and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, heard an appeal filed by PTI Chairman Imran
Khan, challenging the order of Islamabad High Court (IHC) passed on August 4,
rejecting his appeal seeking transfer of Toshakhana Reference against him to
another court. During the course of hearing, the CJP observed that prima facie
there were some mistakes in the verdict of the trial court.
The high court remanded the matter to
the trial court which, after giving two-three calls the next day, convicted the
former PM and sent him to jail, the chief justice remarked. “There are serious
points of law that deserve our concentration, but we are told that an appeal
against the conviction and suspension of sentence of the petitioner (Imran
Khan) in Toshakhana case is pending before the high court, fixed for Thursday
(today),” the CJP noted in its order.
He said the petitioner was in jail since
August 5 while his appeal in the high court against suspension of his sentence
was fixed for Thursday (today).
“Out of respect for the high court, we
wait for its decision, and we will hear the matter on Thursday (today) at 1pm,”
the CJP noted down in the order.
“Notwithstanding, the legal issues
highlighted before us regarding the jurisdiction and maintainability of the
complaint filed against the petitioner, we consider that the learned high court
is the first court to hear and decide the matter before us,” the chief justice
added.
A trial court declared former prime
minister Imran Khan guilty of corrupt practices on August 5 in a case
pertaining to concealing details of state gifts and sentenced him to three
years in prison.
The PTI chief challenged his conviction
before the Islamabad High Court, which adjourned the hearing for Thursday,
August 24, after directing the counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan
to provide complete record of the case.
In his appeal filed before the Supreme
Court, the PTI chairman had submitted that the judgments relied upon by the
single judge, chief justice Islamabad High Court, in refusing to remand the
matter for decision afresh to a judge other than the judge who had passed the
order impugned in the criminal review petition, are wholly inapplicable to law
and facts to the instant case and, as a result, the impugned judgment is not
warranted by the law.
Earlier, during the course of hearing on
Wednesday, Sardar Latif Khosa, representing the PTI chief, apprised the apex
court that six MNAs had submitted a reference to the speaker seeking the PTI
chief’s disqualification for filing incorrect declaration of his assets.
He submitted that the speaker of the
National Assembly had then sent the reference to the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) under Section 137 of the Election Act. Latif Khosa contended
that the electoral watchdog could only conduct an inquiry within 120 days.
Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi asked
the counsel as to whether a member of the National Assembly could send a
reference against another member. Latif Khosa replied in the negative, adding
that the Election Commission could only conduct an inquiry within a stipulated
time period; however, he said that the reference against his client was sent
after 120 days.
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel questioned
Khosa as to who could be remanded now when the trial court is over and further
asked as to how would the case impact the main appeal against conviction.
Khosa replied that the court would have
to rewind the hands of the clock back to the previous position. Latif Khosa
stressed that instead of a sessions judge, the compliant should have first been
sent to a magistrate.
At this, the CJP asked Khosa as to
whether he wants to say that a magistrate was the first competent court to
conduct an initial inquiry and then the sessions court should conduct the
trial. Justice Jamal Mandokhel remarked that under Section 190, cognizant
should be taken by a sessions judge. Latif Khosa contended that under Sub
Section 2 of 190, cognizant should have been taken by a magistrate.
CJP Bandial asked Khosa as to who is
competent to file a complaint under the Election Act. Khosa replied that it
could be filed by the Election Commission, but added that the secretary
Election Commission had asked the district commissioner to file a complaint
against the PTI chief.
“So you mean the secretary should not be
considered as the Election Commission and the sessions court was required to
reject the complaint,” the CJP asked the counsel for the PTI.
“Off course,” Latif Khosa replied. The
chief justice then asked Khosa as to whether he would raise those law points
before the high court in his appeal or he wanted that the Supreme Court should
highlight those points.
Latif Khosa contended that the sessions
court had no jurisdiction to announce the verdict, convicting his client. The
CJP asked the counsel to raise the point also before the high court.
At the outset of hearing, when Latif
Khosa raised objections over the chief justice Islamabad High Court, the CJP
told Khosa that every court was willing to write judgments and judgments go to
the public and belong to the public.
“So criticise the judgments but not the
judges,” the CJP told Khosa adding that no one could be accused of bias.
“Let’s talk about judgments not judges
and the apex court will protect every judge, right from civil to higher
judiciary,” the CJP remarked.
During the hearing, Amjad Pervez,
Advocate, said although he had not yet received the power of attorney from the
Election Commission of Pakistan, he could assist the court.
The CJP asked the counsel that the high
court had remanded the case to trial court and the matter also came to them and
questioned as to whether the trial court had given its decision on the points
raised before the apex court.
Amjad Pervez submitted that the trial
court had taken the point and gave a call but no one from the accused appeared
before it.
Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi asked
the lawyer as to how many days were given to the counsel for the accused.
“You have decided the case without
hearing the counsel for the accused,” Justice Naqvi told Amjad Pervez. “Whether
the direction of the high court was complied with,” Justice Mandokhel asked the
ECP counsel.
The CJP asked Amjad as to what
opportunities were provided to the petitioner. “Is this your approach when the
trial court called the case thrice, and then convicted the petitioner without
listening to his counsel and sent him to jail,” the CJP asked the lawyer.
Justice Mazahir Naqvi remarked that the
orders of the Supreme Court and high court were not complied with.
Meanwhile, the court held that let the
high court first conduct the hearing and the apex court would wait for its
decision and adjourned the matter for Thursday (today) at 1 pm.
Separately, PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif
and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz criticised CJP Umer Ata Bandial for giving
remarks in favour of PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Nawaz thundered at the superior
judiciary for allegedly hounding him, but going out of its way to facilitate
PTI Chairman Imran Khan in his legal cases. He hit out after CJP Bandial asked
the Islamabad High Court to hear Imran Khan’s Toshakhana disqualification and
conviction case and also suggested that the PTI leader was wrongly convicted
and not given enough time to defend himself.
Nawaz accused the “biased” judges and
named former CJP Saqib Nisar and justice (retd) Asif Saeed Khosa and serving
apex court judge Ijazul Ahsan and others for mistreating him and hounding him
in the name of justice. Nawaz Sharif said Imran Khan had been caught in the
theft of billions and he was involved in corruption cases from Toshakhana to
Al-Qadir Trust for theft of billions but the chief justice was trying to
protect him.
Nawaz said: “The then chief justice
(Saqib Nisar) was hell bent on pushing me against the wall, but today’s CJP is
determined to save Imran Khan. He knows Imran Khan has destroyed the country,
the economy, national culture and has destroyed traditions.”
Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz said in a tweet
on Wednesday, “The CJP pleading for IK [Imran Khan] doesn’t make IK look good;
it makes the CJP look bad. Very brazen.”
Separately, the Islamabad High Court
(IHC) Wednesday granted two days to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)
for production of Toshakhana record, and instructed the Registrar Office to fix
the case for hearing again on August 24.
The court issued a written order
regarding Tuesday’s hearing of an appeal, filed by PTI chairman against his
conviction in the Toshakhana case.
A two-judge bench, comprising Chief
Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, said in the order the
counsel for Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Amjad Pervez, had prayed to
the court to grant two-week time to present verified record of the case.
However, the petitioner’s legal team
opposed the request of the ECP counsel. The court said it was granting two days
to the ECP for production of the record, keeping in view the standard of
justice, and instructed the Registrar’s Office to fix the case for hearing
again on August 24. The order said that Dr Babar Awan had also given an
application for meeting the PTI chief in jail.
The Registrar’s Office had raised
objections on the application and Babar Awan had stated that he would not go
against the objections if he was given permission of meeting.
It further said that the court was
maintaining the objections of Registrar’s Office on the application of Dr Babar
Awan.
However, it instructed the
administration of Attock Jail to ensure meeting of Babar Awan with the former
prime minister on August 23, during 1pm to 3pm. The order also said that the court
had also accepted the application of Latif Khosa and allowed him to meet the
PTI chief on the same date at 2pm.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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------
Nawaz questions judiciary’s
‘facilitation’ of PTI chairman
Atika Rehman
August 24, 2023
LONDON: After weeks of silence, PML-N
supremo Nawaz Sharif once again thundered at the superior judiciary, hitting
out at the alleged partial treatment of senior judges towards Pakistan
Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan.
Naming Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar
Ata Bandial, former CJP Asif Saeed Khosa, serving apex court judge Ijazul Ahsan
and others, Mr Nawaz said, “There was a time when justices Ijazul Ahsan, Sheikh
Azmat Saeed, Saqib Nisar were obsessed with putting Nawaz Sharif behind bars,
disqualifying him and ending his government. They left no stone unturned
against us, and there is now evidence of what they did from within their
institution. Shaukat Aziz Sididqui is no outsider, he is from within the
judiciary — what bigger proof is needed?” he told a reporter outside the
PML-N’s de facto London office at Stanhope House.
Mr Nawaz made these remarks in response
to a question from a journalist, who asked for his comments on “the judiciary
giving relief” to Mr Khan in the Toshakhana case. Since his return from his
more than one month-long trip to Europe, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, Mr Nawaz has
largely maintained silence on ongoing political issues, as speculations run
high that he will return.
He hit out at Mr Khan and at the
judiciary. “Today, a man who is embroiled in corruption cases ranging from
Toshakhana to Al Qadir Trust for theft of billions, the chief justice is trying
to protect him.
“Look at the difference… the then chief
justice was determined to push Nawaz Sharif against a wall, and today’s CJP is
determined to save Imran Khan. They know he has destroyed the country, the
economy, our national values, and violated our culture and traditions.
“The way they [PTI] behaved in
opposition… what did they do besides protests and demonstrations? Despite this
we achieved so much. Even in power, he did not stop his campaign against us. He
went to America and said he will get fans removed from Nawaz Sharif’s cell. In
dharnas, he would say he would put a noose in my neck and drag me out of the PM
house. Him and Tahirul Qadri are all on record saying this.”
Mr Nawaz continued, “For this man Imran
Khan, the chief justice of Pakistan is putting his career on the line. It is
disappointing that despite what is known about Khan’s destruction, that he was
brought by Gen Faiz and Gen Bajwa, that this is still happening.
Mr Nawaz earlier also lauded the army
personnel and the local administration officials in Battagram for a “tremendous
rescue effort in Battagram that the whole world was watching”.
Source: dawn.com
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-----
Drug made at pharma owned by Punjab
health minister’s wife found ‘adulterated’
August 24, 2023
Asif Chaudhry
LAHORE: The primary and secondary
healthcare department has declared a batch of a medicine, manufactured by a
company owned by the wife of Punjab Health Minister Prof Javed Akram, as
“substandard and “adulterated”, issuing directions to recall the same from the
market all over the country, warning that it may “pose risk” to people’s health.
The action was initiated in the light of
a report of the Punjab Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL) which has found traces of
another drug (Paracetamol) in a batch of the medicine manufactured by M/S Don
Valley Pharmaceutical (Pvt) Ltd.
The issue got hype when it turned out
that the company which manufactured the “substandard” drug is owned by Punjab
caretaker health minister’s wife Shehla Javed. Prof Akram is currently minister
of the specialised healthcare department.
“It has been reported by the Punjab Drug
Testing Laboratory in Faisalabad that the drug, Resotin [tablets], has been
found adulterated and substandard,” reads the report (a copy of which is
available with Dawn).
It reported that the drug was
distributed under a specific batch, that was found to be adulterated.
A sample of the medicine drawn by the
field staff from the market and sent to the DTL was found adulterated when
analysed, says an official.
After the Faisalabad DTL report,
Directorate Health Services Punjab brought the matter to the notice of primary
and secondary healthcare department secretary Ali Jan, who ordered the officers
concerned to initiate action against the company, he says, adding that the
secretary had also been informed by the directorate that the manufacturing
company is owned by the caretaker minister’s wife.
Following the health secretary’s orders,
the provincial Pharmaco Vigilance Centre generated a public alert about the
“substandard” drug and issued instructions to the field staff to recall the its
specific batch from the market all over the country.
“All the retailers [pharmacies, medical
stores] wholesalers, distributors and health facilities are directed to
immediately stop the dispensation of the specified batch and update the
respective area drug inspectors regarding their current inventory and
consumption record of the above-mentioned batch”, reads the public notice.
The centre also issued another ‘advice
for consumers/general public’, stating, “All consumers (patients, healthcare
professionals) are directed to stop use of above said batch immediately as they
may pose risk to health”.
Shehla Javed, the chief executive
officer of M/S Don Valley Pharmaceutical (Pvt) Ltd rejected the report, saying
the matter of alleged adulteration in her company’s drug meant for treatment of
allergy needs to be investigated.
“Firstly, the traces, as claimed by the
department’s report, were of the Paracetamol medicine which itself was a safe
drug”, she said, adding that her company had already issued instructions to
recall the said batch of the drug voluntarily from the market, keeping in view
the safety of the patients.
“There were allegedly unconfirmed
reports of contamination of traces of Paracetamol by Punjab drug control
department, which the company denies,” Ms Javed says.
However, she says, as a quality
conscious company if any deviation by anybody was reported in the product, the
entire batch has been voluntarily recalled till the ongoing investigation, and
this has been done several times by her company in the past as a safety measures
for the patients and public at large.
The Paracetamol contamination in traces
can never be fatal or injurious to health, the CEO of the private firm
stresses.
She adds that more than 1,000 drugs are
recalled every year all over the world voluntarily, creating a room for better
regulation of the industry.
Unfortunately, this practice has been
uncommon in Pakistan and her company took the initiative to recall the drug
from the market as a goodwill gesture to be followed by the others, Ms Javed
says.
She says that total 50,000 units/packs
(each pack containing 10 tablets) were manufactured and released to the markets
under the said batch a few months back.
Some 18,000 packs of the recalled drug
have reached back to the company’s stock, she says, claiming that the company
got them analysed again at its own lab, but no traces of Paracetamol are found.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1771810/drug-made-at-pharma-owned-by-punjab-health-ministers-wife-found-adulterated
------
Supreme CourtSpots ‘Procedural Defects’
in Imran’s Conviction
August 24, 2023
Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on
Wednesday acknowledged “procedural defects” in the Aug 5 conviction of PTI Chairman
Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference by a trial court, but opted to wait for
the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision on a plea seeking suspension of the
three-year sentence to the former prime minister.
“Prima facie the decision by the additional
sessions judge (ASJ) contains defects, but we will not intervene at this stage;
rather wait for the outcome of the high court decision,” Chief Justice of
Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial observed before adjourning the proceedings to
2pm on Thursday (today).
The IHC is set to take up the matter on
Thursday morning.
The apex court’s observation came during
the hearing of Imran Khan’s challenge to the IHC’s Aug 3 order of remanding the
case back to ASJ Humayun Dilawar, who sentenced Mr Khan to three-year simple
imprisonment.
The SC bench consisting of CJP, Justice
Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel noted that when
the Toshakhana case was taken up, the trial court called the respondents (Imran
Khan side) for a number of times. Since neither the petitioner nor any of his
authorised representatives were available, the trial court chose to commence
hearing ex parte and awarded three-year sentence to Mr Khan.
In its order, the apex court noted that
while recording his statement before the trial court under Section 342 of CrPC,
Imran Khan had expressed his intention of producing defence witness, but the
trial court on Aug 2 turned down the request, saying the witness was not
relevant to the controversy.
When Amjad Pervez, the counsel who
represented Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) before the trial court as
well as the IHC, was asked whether the points raised by petitioner’s counsel
Sardar Latif Khosa were correct, the counsel candidly acknowledged the veracity
of the petitioner’s claims.
The SC regretted that the trial court
through its judgement had defied the IHC’s directions that it must first
determine the question of jurisdiction as well as the maintainability of the
case. The IHC’s directions deserved consideration by the trial court, the SC
order said, adding the court was also told that an appeal was pending before
the high court since Aug 8, which now has been fixed for Aug 24 along with a
request for the suspension of the sentence.
In view of the issues highlighted like
the jurisdiction issues, maintainability of the complaint before the trial
court and compliance to the due process requirement, “we consider that the high
court was the first court which should hear and decide the matter”.
‘Out of respect’
The petitioner was behind bars since Aug
5 and his plea seeking suspension of the sentence was pending before the high
court on Thursday, therefore “out of respect to the high court, we will wait
for the decision in the matter”, the CJP observed while dictating the order.
During the hearing, Justice Mandokhel
wondered why the petitioner was wasting one right of appeal before the high
court by directly approaching the apex court, but Mr Khosa retorted that he was
ready to lose this right.
The points being raised by the counsel before
the court should have been raised at the appeal stage, observed Justice
Mandokhel.
“Let’s talk about the judgement and not
the judges, since the apex court is here to correct any loophole in the
decision,” the CJP observed.
At this, Mr Khosa said as lawyers they
had shed blood for the cause of the independence of judiciary — a struggle also
acknowledged by the CJP with the observation that “you were with us and we were
witness to it”.
When ECP’s counsel said the petitioner
was not remedy less and could have filed appeal, the CJP regretted by asking
whether this was his approach knowing that the petitioner was not available
then also recalling that the trial court had decided the matter then and there
and sent the petitioner to jail the same day without hearing him first or
providing the opportunity to hear the witness produced by Imran Khan.
Justice Mandokhel observed that the
judgement should not only be done but also seen to be done.
Allegation against IHC CJ
In a separate development, Imran Khan
approached the Supreme Court levelling allegations that he had more than
sufficient “incontrovertible” evidence to establish “deep and settled bias” of
the chief justice of IHC.
The IHC chief justice is allegedly
endeavouring to do everything to keep him behind bars with intent that he be
unable to contest the forthcoming elections and thus be ousted from politics,
the petition alleged, moved through Mr Khosa,
The IHC’s chief justice had done his
best to achieve this objective by time and again denying rightful and
well-deserved rights and privileges to the grave detriment and prejudice to the
petitioner, Mr Khan alleged.
In seeking his conviction the IHC’s CJ
allegedly found a ready and willing instrument in ASJ Dilawar who also despises
the petitioner, the petition alleged.
The petition urged the Supreme Court to
transfer all cases, investigation, inquires, trials in which the petitioner was
a party/respondent/accused from the IHC to the Lahore High Court or the
Peshawar High Court.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1771864
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Alleged Indian spy, local facilitator
held in Lyari raid
August 24, 2023
KARACHI: Police claimed to have arrested
an alleged Indian spy and his local facilitator in Lyari on Wednesday.
City SSP Arif Aziz said that the police
and an intelligence agency jointly conducted a raid in the Kalakot area and
arrested Akhal Dev and Zahoor Ahmed.
He said that two Indian passports, one
pistol, foreign currency, six mobile phones, one tablet and other goods were
recovered from them.
“Akhal Dev is an Indian spy … he did
recce of different important and sensitive installations in the country,”
claimed the SSP.
However, he provided no further details.
Two men shot inside BTK
Two men were shot at and wounded inside
Bahria Town Karachi (BTK) on Wednesday, according to police.
The Gadap Town police said that two
persons — Tanveer Ameer, 24, and Gul Shad, 30, suffered bullet wounds and were
shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for treatment.
The police said the motive could not be
ascertained till late in the night.
Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man, identified
as Mohammed Nadeem, was shot at and wounded by robbers near Jogi Mor on
National Highway.
According to the Shah Latif Town police,
the injured man was shifted to the JPMC where his condition is stated to be
stable.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1771764/alleged-indian-spy-local-facilitator-held-in-lyari-raid
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PTI chief wants transfer of cases from
IHC to LHC or PHC
August 24, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday requested the Supreme Court to issue
directions to transfer all his cases, investigations, inquiries, and trials
from the Islamabad High Court to Lahore High Court or Peshawar High Court.
The former premier filed the petition in
the apex court under articles 186-A and 187 of the Constitution for the
transfer of all cases from the Islamabad High Court to either Lahore High Court
or the Peshawar High Court in the interest of justice.
He prayed to the apex court that, in the
meantime, the Islamabad High Court be restrained from continuing with the
aforesaid proceedings. The PTI chief contended that more than sufficient
incontrovertible evidence is available to establish the deep and settled bias
of the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court towards him. “It is evident
that the IHC chief justice is endeavouring to do everything to keep me behind
bars with the intent that I be unable to contest the forthcoming general
elections and thus be ousted from the politics of Pakistan,” he submitted.
The PTI chief submitted that the IHC
chief justice has shown in the hearing below that he has done his best to
achieve the above objective, time and again, denying him rightful and
well-deserved rights and privileges due to grave determent and prejudice.
“Being the apex judge in the Islamabad High Court, he has been able to
determine the fixture of the cases that have come before the IHC to ensure
thereby denial of the slightest relief to me,” he added. Imran Khan contended
that despite the fact that there was an option to remand the case to any of the
17 other additional sessions judges, the learned IHC CJ chose to invest the
authority in the one judge who was biting at the bit to hold him as guilty as
charged.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1103246-pti-chief-wants-transfer-of-cases-from-ihc-to-lhc-or-phc
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Southeast Asia
Malaysian Education Ministry Says 'Imam
Al-Nawawi's 40 Hadith' Module Only for Muslims
By Shathana Kasinathan
24 Aug 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The Education
Ministry (MoE) has reportedly said that the newly introduced “Imam Al-Nawawi's
40 Hadith” module in school is intended for Muslim students within public
schools only.
According to news portal Malaysiakini,
Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying confirmed that Education Minister
Fadhlina Sidek underscored this distinction during a recent post-Cabinet
meeting.
“This course only involves Muslim
teachers and students. For Chinese and Tamil schools, only Muslim students need
to attend, and not non-Muslim students. This is very clear.
“The minister has openly and clearly
stated this to the deputy minister, secretary-general, heads of various
departments, and others present at the post-Cabinet meeting,” Lim was quoted as
saying by the news portal.
On August 23, the Malaysian Consultative
Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism (MCCBCHST)
criticised the implementation of the “Imam Al Nawawi's 40 Hadith” appreciation
module in national schools by the MoE, deeming it unconstitutional.
The MCCBCHST argued that the module
promotes the complete Islamic way of life, which they believe goes against the
principles of religious freedom enshrined in Article 3(1) of the Federal
Constitution, adding that Article 12(2) and Article 12(3) also safeguard
Malaysians from being instructed in any religion other than their own.
The group urged the MoE to consult with
them as stakeholders in the matter, emphasising that national schools should
promote unity rather than introduce divisive policies.
On August 19, Bernama reported that Fadhlina
launched the appreciation module aimed at fostering the values of the Prophet
Muhammad’s sayings or “hadith” at the school level.
The appreciation module will be
introduced in National Religious Secondary Schools and Government-funded
Religious Schools and will gradually extend its implementation to other public
schools.
Education Ministry Islamic Education
Division senior deputy director Omar Salleh emphasised that this initiative is
geared towards fostering a sense of love and enhancing religious understanding,
particularly among Muslim students.
He said that the development of this
module was undertaken based on a recommendation from Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim, aimed at ensuring the teaching of “hadith” in schools.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/24/accused-of-being-unconstitutional-education-ministry-says-imam-al-nawawis-40-hadith-module-only-for-muslims/86953
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Coventry student built drone to deliver
a bomb for Islamic State, court told
24 Aug 2023
A PhD student was designing and building
a drone capable of delivering a bomb for terror group Islamic State (IS), a
court has heard.
Mohamad Al-Bared was a supporter of the
group and the device was found in a bedroom at his Coventry home when he was
arrested in January.
The University of Birmingham student had
filled in an IS application form, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
He denies engaging in conduct in
preparation for terrorism.
The 26-year-old mechanical engineering
graduate was arrested at the same time as a raid was carried out at the home he
shared with his parents on Kare Road.
Several devices were seized and analysed
and a 3D printer was also found at the property, which could be used to make
parts for the drone, prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC said.
'Deliver a bomb'
"He says he is not responsible for
filling in the application form, but we say how else has it got there?" Ms
Heeley asked.
The drone was shown to jurors and Ms
Heeley said it had landing gear and a small digital camera.
"It had all the components required
for it to fly," Ms Heeley said.
"We suggest it was being
manufactured to deliver a bomb... to fly into IS enemy territory and deliver a
chemical weapon or some other kind of device."
Ms Heeley alleged that written material
found on an electronic device saying the idea for the drone was "somewhat
inspired by the design of the Tomahawk missile", was Mr Al-Bared
"reporting back to someone about what it is that he is doing".
It included references to fuses,
mechanical detonators and an "explosive" head.
"What drone for legitimate use
needs an explosive head?," she said.
"What does need an explosive head
is a drone that has been designed on a missile."
Ms Heeley told the jury: "The only
reasonable conclusion you can reach is you can be sure that he was preparing
for acts of terrorism."
Mr Al-Bared, who had also set up a
UK-registered company to help plan for future foreign travel, denies a single
charge covering the period between 1 January 2022 and 31 January 2023.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-66599194
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Amid challenge to Kelantan's Shariah
offences, Hadi accuses judiciary of being 'enslaved' to sideline Islam
By Zurairi A.R.
24 Aug 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Tan Sri Abdul
Hadi Awang has today accused the judiciary today of being “enslaved” by certain
parties in order to sideline and belittle Islamic teachings, amid a judicial
review of several Kelantan Shariah provisions.
The president of the Islamist party PAS
claimed that supporting such a move is considered “haram” or forbidden in
Islam, and it is an obligation for adherents to oppose it.
“Now, there are some who are making
slaves of the judiciary and the courts to sideline the codes of Allah, and to
belittle it. Therefore, it is haram for Muslims to support this and it is
fardhu 'ain for Muslims to oppose it,” he wrote in a lengthy Facebook post.
“Fardhu ‘ain” refers to obligatory acts
that must be performed by each individual Muslim, rather than observing it as a
community. These usually include pillars of faith such as prayers and fasting,
but can also include charity and for some ensuring compliance with the Islamic
code.
“PAS will not let this extreme action
continue, together with other Islamic NGOs and Malay rulers who are responsible
in front of Allah when they were appointed to be guardians of the religion,” he
added.
This comes as two Muslim women are
challenging the constitutionality of 20 Shariah offences under the Kelantan
state law, arguing that the state legislative assembly did not have the powers
to create these provisions in a state law, as it is the federal government
instead which holds the powers under the Federal Constitution to make laws on
such crimes.
Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat
has since emphasised in the Federal Court that there was no dispute arising
over Islam as the official religion of the Federation in the hearing
Several civil groups have also explained
that all laws, including state Shariah laws, are subjected to the same
law-making process — following claims that Islam is under threat by a recent
review of Kelantan’s provisions.
In the lengthy post, Hadi had attacked
Umno by claiming that the Malay nationalist party has become the latest stooge
of DAP after Parti Amanah Negara — itself a splinter of PAS.
He claimed that Umno has now gone astray
from its original struggle to defend Islam, the Malays and the nation,
allegedly causing many members to leave the party and some joining either
Perikatan Nasional or Muafakat Nasional.
“The remarks of several Umno top leaders
that try to defend DAP showed that there is an exercise to transform Umno into
the latest member in DAP's Gurkha squad,” he said.
He had earlier also accused Amanah of
being DAP's Gurkha, in reference to soldiers mostly from Nepal who were
recruited to fight for the colonial British and Indian army.
“This has caused these leaders to hold
campaigns exhorting the need for Umno to ally itself with DAP, with the excuse
that the latter has accepted Islam to be part of the Federal Constitution,
along with the special rights of the Malays and Bumiputera,” he added.
Earlier this month, Deputy Prime
Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said DAP has given
its commitment that the party will always respect Islam as the religion of the
federation as enshrined in the Constitution.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/24/amid-challenge-to-kelantans-shariah-offences-hadi-accuses-judiciary-of-being-enslaved-to-sideline-islam/86941
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Islam does not belong to PAS alone, Kelantan
Umno chief tells state MB
By Julia Chan
24 Aug 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Islam does not
belong to any one party as claimed by PAS, Kelantan Umno chief Datuk Ahmad
Jazlan Yaakob said in Kota Baru.
Ahmad Jazlan said that such assertions
are dangerous and untrue, adding that Umno also fights for the religion and the
rights of the Malays, Utusan Malaysia reported today.
“Honestly, Kelantan Umno is hurt and
annoyed by the arrogant statement that contains elements of slander from the
Kelantan Menteri Besar which means that the two state assemblymen from BN and
Pakatan Harapan are against the struggle of Islam,” he was quoted as saying,
referring to Kelantan MB Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud.
“Statements like this are so dangerous
because it can cause misinterpretations to the people as though Islam belongs
to PAS alone, where in fact Muslims in BN and PH are also carrying out the same
Muslim commandments,” Ahmad Jazlan was quoted as saying.
Ahmad Jazlan said that such statements
could potentially harm the harmony between Muslims in Kelantan.
He reminded Mohd Nasuriddin to
administer the state according to Quranic principles, fairly and with manners,
and to take care of all Muslim relations.
“Look for the common threads, not the
differences that could split the Muslims,” the Umno politician was quoted as
saying.
Mohd Nassaruddin, who is also the
Meranti state assemblyman from PAS, was sworn in as the new Kelantan
menteribesar last Friday.
His speech at Dataran Ilmu in Kota Baru,
in which he described the Barisan Nasional victory by Mohd Syahbuddin Hasyim in
Galas and Pakatan Harapan’s win by Dr Hafidzah Mustakim in Kota Lama as going
against the struggle of Islam, made waves on social media.
BN and PH had fought on the same side
for the August 12 six state elections following the alliance forged at the
federal level after last November’s GE15.
Mohd Syahbuddin and Dr Hafidzah had
demanded an open apology from Mohd Nassuruddin and said they would sue him in
civil court if the PAS politician did not comply
BN and PH’s Rantau Panjang division also
made police reports against Mohd Nasuruddin for his statement.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/08/24/islam-does-not-belong-to-pas-alone-kelantan-umno-chief-tells-state-mb/86916
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Penang axes dangdut concert scheduled
close to Maulidur Rasul
24 Aug 2023
Ian McIntyre
KEPALA BATAS – The Penang authorities
have decided to cancel a TikTok-initiated dangdut-themed concert at Dewan
Millenium here next month following criticism by both PAS and Umno, as it is
scheduled close to the Maulidur Rasul (Prophet Muhammad’s birthday) occasion.
In a statement posted on social media,
newly minted Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohamad Abdul Hamid said that the
state has taken note of the criticism and has asked Seberang Prai City Council
to withdraw approval for the concert.
However, he also noted that the
organiser has now sought to relocate the venue from Dewan Millenium in Kepala
Batas to the bigger venue of the Batu Kawan Stadium.
The organiser apparently is also willing
to accommodate more terms and conditions before the event is held on September
30, he said.
He did not disclose if the state will
approve the relocation proposal by the organiser.
Mohamad merely mentioned that the
holding of the event in the originally planned venue received protests from
residents. It is deemed inappropriate because it did not take into account the
sensitivities of Muslims, especially since they are due to celebrate the
Maulidur Rasul event two days earlier.
“Residents in the area have submitted an
official protest to the Lord Mayor of Prai (Datuk Azhar Arshad) so the council
will need to study the matter,” said Mohamad.
Among those who registered a protest
over the concert was Umno’s Bertam assemblyman Datuk Seri ReezalMerican Naina
Merican after having received complaints from local residents.
In the state election earlier this month,
Reezal had won Bertam for Barisan Nasional (BN). The other two state
constituencies in Kepala Batas – Penaga and Pinang Tunggal – were won by PAS
candidates on behalf of Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Umno, which leads BN, is part of the
federal unity government with Pakatan Harapan, which is led by PKR president
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Mohamed is a representative of PKR in
the newly sworn in Penang government.
The concert is set to feature a
combination of Malaysian and Indonesian dangdut artistes, and it was mooted by
TikTok, which counts the Malay community as among its large subscriber base.
Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad
has also taken to TikTok to voice her displeasure over the concert.
PAS Youth in Kepala Batas protested with
its chief Mohd Farid Hamdi Mohd Redzuan, urging the local authority to withdraw
the licence to host the concert .
The wing has invited residents and
non-governmental organisations to protest if the event proceeds.
Meanwhile, PKR’s former Kebun Bunga
assemblyman Jason Ong expressed surprise how a concert can be banned in a
progressive state like Penang.
“If the concert organiser had agreed to
ensure that the sensitivities of the local residents are safeguarded then I do
not see why it needs to be scrapped. The question we need to ask is whether we
are going forward or backwards as a state and nation,” said Ong in an
interview.
For the past 60 years, such events were
not seen as an affront but now they have, so the local authorities need to
ponder over this closely, said Ong.
He also asked if hosting a concert
erodes the moral fabric and culture of a community.
Previously, even PAS had allowed
concerts to be hosted in Kelantan, the bedrock of its political base, said Ong.
– The Vibes, August 24, 2023
Source: thevibes.com
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VP calls for stronger digital ecosystem
for sharia economy
23 Aug 2023
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf
Amin has called for the strengthening of an inclusive and sustainable digital
ecosystem for sharia economic and financial products and services.
"It is necessary to strengthen the
development of an inclusive and sustainable digital ecosystem that is based on
the values of sharia (Islamic law)," he said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He made these remarks at a seminar on
"Strengthening the Digital Ecosystem of the Indonesian Sharia
Economy" organized by the state-owned courier and logistics company PT Pos
Indonesia.
He praised the synergy among
stakeholders in supporting the advancement of sharia-based financial inclusion
in Indonesia, including the launch of "Pospay Gold."
Pospay Gold is a digital application
that allows users to trade physical gold based on sharia principles.
"The Pospay Gold innovation in PT
Pos Indonesia's SuperApp adds to the list of the nation's world-class
achievements and provides more options for individuals who prioritize sharia
principles in their investments," he said.
Amin urged PT Pos Indonesia and the
relevant stakeholders to ensure the security and privacy of digital innovations
to maintain public trust.
He also called on relevant parties to
promote education and enhance people's digital literacy, and to supervise
policy implementation, evaluation and improvement.
Furthermore, he emphasized the
importance of collaboration in developing productive and competitive digital
talent.
Amin highlighted the need for more
digital talents to bridge the gap between the demands of the digital industry
and the availability of qualified professionals.
Meanwhile, Faizal RochmadDjoemadi,
President Director of PT Pos Indonesia, stated that the company has thrived for
276 years by continually transforming itself, including through digital
transformation.
Source: antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/291858/vp-calls-for-stronger-digital-ecosystem-for-sharia-economy
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/amu-alumni-chandrayaan-moon/d/130517