'Both Muslims And Hindus Of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Are Our Own’: India’s Home Minister on CAA
New Age Islam
News Bureau
16 March 2024
·
'Both
Muslims And Hindus Of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Are Our Own’: India’s Home
Minister On CAA
·
Mosques
Shouldn't Be Used For Protests: AIMPLB Member Farangi Mahali Appeals To
Maintain Peace On CAA
·
It Is
Wrong To Differentiate Between Men And Women In Education, Says Hekmatyar
Leader Of Hizb-e-Islami
·
UN Passes
Resolution To Combat Islamophobia With Overwhelming Support
·
US Not
Providing Direct Support To Taliban: White House
----
India
·
Nathervali
Dargah: A Testament Of South India’s Centuries-Old Islamic Tradition
·
Hindus
& Muslims Like My Two Eyes: Telangana CM Revanth at 'Dawat-e-Iftar' Hosted
By Him
·
India
hits out at Pakistan for references to Ayodhya, Citizenship Amendment Act in
UNGA
·
Modi government
bans JKLF (Yasin Malik faction), Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League
·
Mirwaiz
Umar Farooq seeks release of Kashmiri political prisoners during Ramzan
·
Houthis
to prevent Israel-linked ships from crossing Indian Ocean
·
CAA:
'What About 1.5 Lakh Unlisted...' AIMIM Chief Raises Concerns Over Excluded
Assam Muslims Post-NRC
----
South
Asia
·
Former
Afghan MP accuses Taliban of unjust imprisonment and abuse
·
UN
Security Council to Meet on UNAMA Mandate Renewal
·
Muttaqi
Meets Pakistan Chargé d'Affaires in Kabul
·
India
gave citizenships to 4,500 from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan in 4 years
----
Europe
·
Christchurch
Mosque Shooter Viewed Muslims As 'Invading Others' To Change European Race: New
Zealand Theologian
·
Nicaragua-Germany
Gaza case before ICJ next month
·
Kensington
Palace shares tribute to mosque terror victims from Prince William
·
EU close
to sanctioning violent Israeli settlers - diplomats
·
Spanish
aid ship nears Gaza coast as famine grips
------
North
America
·
Biden
Denounces 'Ugly Resurgence' Of Islamophobia Amid War In Gaza
·
CAIR
Calls on President Biden to Take Responsibility for Islamophobia Surge, Match
Rhetoric with Actions
·
Biden
praises 'good speech' by Senate leader making case against Netanyahu
·
White
House warned that Muslims will boycott Biden’s Ramadan reception: report
·
USCIRF
Calls Attention to Prevalence of Anti-Muslim Hate Around the World
·
CAIR-NY
Denounces Mayor Adams’ ‘Hypocritical’ Ramadan Iftar, Urges Call for Gaza
Ceasefire
----
Australia
·
Australia
To Resume Funding For UNRWA, Pledges Further Aid For Gaza
------
Mideast
·
Iran
Urges Collective Muslim Push Aimed At Confronting Islamophobia
·
Türkiye
Remembers Victims Of Terrorist Attack On New Zealand Mosque
·
In Gaza,
there are no more ‘normal-sized babies’: UN official
·
Hamas
lashes out at Abbas’s ‘unilateral’ designation of new PM
·
Hezbollah
playing ‘dangerous game’ in Lebanon: US official
·
Palestinians
hold Ramadan prayers by ruins of mosque
·
About
80,000 Muslims manage to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque to offer prayers on 1st Friday of
Ramadan month
·
Iran
using European ports to hide weapons shipments to Hezbollah — report
·
Netanyahu
approves plans for military aggression on Rafah despite global warnings
----
Africa
·
“Israel
And Hamas Exchange Prisoners, Why Can’t We Negotiate With Bandits” – Sheikh
Gumi
·
Haitians
voice scepticism at proposal for interim government
·
Recent
Terrorists Attack Is Tip Of Iceberg Unless Nigerian Government Negotiates With
Bandits – Sheikh Gumi
·
“Within
six months, OPC can address insecurity in southwest” – Gani Adams
·
UN warns
5M Sudanese are at risk of catastrophic hunger as war grinds on
----
Arab
World
·
Million-Person
Protest Went Out In Capital Sana'a In March "Ramadan Yemen A Flood Wins
For Gaza"
·
Israel
sends team to Doha for new Gaza peace talks
·
OIC slams
illegal Israeli measures in Aqsa Mosque
·
Enhanced Comfort
And Security For Worshippers At Prophet's Mosque
·
King,
crown prince top donations as Saudi nation collects one billion riyals in
Ramadan charity campaign
·
Saudi
hospitality shines in Makkah during holy month
·
Umrah program
guests embrace Makkah’s heritage
----
Southeast
Asia
·
PM:
Germany, Malaysia Have Role In Resolving Gaza Conflict
·
Malaysia
strongly denounces Israel's airstrike on Ops Ihsan's humanitarian assistance in
Gaza
·
Malaysia
strongly condemns Israel's deadly attack on UN food distribution centre in Gaza
·
Malaysia
reaffirms unwavering commitment to address Islamophobia
·
PM Anwar
performs Friday prayers at Al-Nour Mosque in Hamburg
·
Muis to
give out $2.6 million of zakat to over 8,600 during Ramadan
----
Pakistan
·
PM Urges
Int’l Community To Renew Mutual Respect To Combat Islamophobia
·
Anti-Islamophobia
Day Being Observed Due To Efforts Of Imran Khan
·
Civil,
Military leadership reiterate commitment to work together for prosperous,
secure Pakistan
·
PM
Shehbaz receives congratulatory call from Mohammad bin Salman
·
NA
resolution condemns Israeli war on Palestinians
·
Pre-arrest
bail of Imran, SIC chief extended in May 9 cases
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslims-hindus-pakistan-o-kashmir-caa/d/131937
-----
'Both Muslims And Hindus Of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
Are Our Own’: India’s Home Minister On CAA
Mar 15, 2024
Srishti Jha
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in his first remarks on
the Citizenship Amendment Act since its implementation, said that both
"Muslims and Hindus of Pakistan occupied Kashmir are our own".
The CAA, which was implemented on March 11 by the
central government, will enable non-Muslim communities persecuted on religious
grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in
India.
Speaking at India Today Conclave 2024, Amit Shah
reiterated the government's position that the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)
is a part of India.
"Wahan ke Muslims bhihamarehain, wahanke Hindus
bhihamarehain (both Muslims and Hindus of POK are ours)," Amit Shah said.
When asked why Muslims were not included in the CAA,
Amit Shah said the three neighbours in question are Islamic countries.
"At the time of Independence, there were 23 per
cent of Hindus in Pakistan. Today, they form just 2.7 per cent of the
population. Where did they go? What happened to them? I will tell you...minor
girls were forced into marriage for religious conversion, they faced
atrocities. They took refuge in India to save the modesty of their mothers. Why
should we not give them nationality?" Amit Shah asked.
"The three countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan,
Bangladesh) which we have included in the CAA are declared Islamic countries,
so where will they (persecuted minorities) go," the Union Home Minister
said.
Under the CAA rules, the persecuted minorities who
entered the borders legally or illegally before December 31, 2014, and have
stayed in the country for at least five years are eligible for Indian
citizenship. The minorities include Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and
Parsi immigrants from the aforesaid three neighbouring countries.
Amit Shah said that policies and "big
decisions" like the CAA do not come into force by taking into account a
couple of instances. He said that such policies are drafted to redress and find
solutions to major problems.
"If any other communities like Baloch approach us
in future, we will think about it. But why should we neglect the existing
ordeal of persecuted people?" Amit Shah said.
The CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 and
implemented on March 11 this year.
Amit Shah also denied any link between the CAA
notification and the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying that the CAA had
always been a part of the ruling BJP's agenda.
Source:
indiatoday.in
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/amit-shah-at-india-today-conclave-pakistan-occupied-kashmir-hindus-muslims-2515477-2024-03-15
----
Mosques Shouldn't Be Used For Protests: AIMPLB Member
Farangi Mahali Appeals To Maintain Peace On CAA
Imam Maulana Khalid Rasheed
Farangi Mahali and devotees offer Friday prayers at the Eidgah in Lucknow (ANI
photo)
-----
Mar 15, 2024
LUCKNOW: All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB)
member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali said here on Friday that mosques
should not be used for any kind of protest. Farangi Mahali, who is also the
chairperson of Islamic Centre of India (ICI) also said that there was no need
to panic about the recently notified Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Speaking to TOI, the Imam of Lucknow Idgah, Farangi
Mahali said, "We are getting information from various quarters that
protests will be organised against CAA after offering prayer in mosques, which
is not appropriate as it's the month of Ramzan. There should be a base for any
protest, we haven't received the legal opinion from our team. Even after that
if anyone wants to protest, they must take permission and hold at a designated
area. But we are of the opinion that no protest should be organised during the
holy month of Ramzan."
"The Muslim community shouldn't panic about the
CAA. Our legal team is studying the notification and the things that'll come
out will be put before the people, soon. The government has continuously
assured that this law will not take away anyone's citizenship," he said.
"I want to appeal to all to maintain peace.
Mosques should be used for offering prayers and not for any kind of protest,"
he appealed to the community.
Meanwhile, police made fool-proof security
arrangements ahead of the Friday Namaz, the first since the Centre announced
the implementation of the CAA.
"The police headquarters strengthened vigilance
by making adequate arrangements for a safe conduct of Friday prayers,"
Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said.
Additional police forces were deployed near mosques
for the convenience of the namazis, he added
"Special vigil is being maintained on anti-social
elements and social media and our officers are taking stock of the situation on
the ground," the DGP said.
Massive anti-CAA protests broke out in Aligarh,
Kanpur, Bareilly, Varanasi and Lucknow in 2019 after Parliament passed the law.
On January 17, 2020, a group of women staged a sit-in at the Lucknow Ghanta
Ghar and it continued for months.
Police and the administration are on high alert to
ensure that incidents similar to the 2019 protests do not recur. But there has
been no untoward incident so far.
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/mosques-shouldnt-be-used-for-protests-says-aimplb-member-farangi-mahali/articleshow/108531685.cms
----
It Is Wrong To Differentiate Between Men And Women In
Education, Says Hekmatyar Leader Of Hizb-e-Islami
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the
leader of Hizb-e-Islami
-----
Khaama Press
March 15, 2024
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Hizb-e-Islami, has
stated that education should be equal for men and women, emphasizing the
importance of gender equality in the educational sphere. He asserts that it is
wrong to differentiate between men and women in the area of education.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hizb-e-Islami, believes
education should be equal for men and women. He recently spoke in a virtual
conference, emphasizing the importance of knowledge in Islam. He stated that
Jihad, once prioritized, should now be complemented with progress in all
aspects of life through education.
Hekmatyar asserts that Islam doesn’t differentiate
between religious and worldly sciences.
“Islam has not made a distinction between religious
and worldly sciences. All sciences are sacred and the acquiring of all sciences
is obligatory for Muslims, both for men and women,” he said. “Anyone who
differentiates between them is wrong. This is his personal opinion, we cannot
find evidence for it in religion, nor can it be rationally justified.”
Hekmartyar advocates for Afghan citizens’
participation in national decision-making processes, including political system
choice, territorial integrity, and foreign policy. He asserts these rights are
bestowed by God and cannot be usurped.
“It is the inalienable right of the Afghan people to choose
their political system. God and religion have given them this right… no one can
take this right away from them. Islam has not given anyone the right to take
away the rights that God has given to people,” He said.
Regarding the economic system, Hekmatyar criticizes
the persistence of bank interest and taxes, advocating for the collection of
zakat instead of taxes.
Hekmatyar, born in 1947 in Afghanistan, rose to
prominence during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s. Initially a member of the
Islamist movement against the Soviet occupation, he later became a prominent
warlord in the internal conflicts that followed the Soviet withdrawal.
From 1992 to 1996, Afghanistan plunged into a brutal
civil war following the collapse of the Soviet-backed government. Hekmatyar’s
Hizb-e-Islami was one of the factions vying for power, engaging in fierce
battles with other Mujahideen groups and the emerging Taliban movement.
After years of conflict, Hekmatyar signed a landmark
peace deal with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in 2016. This agreement marked a
significant step towards reconciliation, with Hekmatyar agreeing to cease
hostilities and join the political process, aiming to contribute to stability
and peace in Afghanistan.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/it-is-wrong-to-differentiate-between-men-and-women-in-education-says-hekmatyar/
------
UN Passes Resolution To Combat Islamophobia With
Overwhelming Support
Photo: aa.com
-----
Merve Gül Aydogan Aglarci
15.03.2024
The UN General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly
endorsed a resolution designed to combat Islamophobia.
With a vote taking place on the International Day to
Combat Islamophobia, the "Measures to combat Islamophobia" resolution
passed with 115 votes in favor, 44 abstentions, and none against.
Pakistan spearheaded the resolution, signaling a
united front among Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states in
tackling Islamophobia on the international stage.
The resolution calls for the appointment of a UN
special envoy to combat Islamophobia. It further urges member states to take
decisive action against religious intolerance, particularly targeting
Islamophobia.
It also requests the UN secretary-general submit a
report on the implementation of the measures and efforts to combat Islamophobia
at the General Assembly this fall.
Last July, the UN adopted a resolution condemning
Quran burning, calling attacks on the Muslim holy book "religious
hatred." The same month the UN General Assembly passed a resolution that
deplores all acts of violence against holy books as a violation of
international law.
The definition of attacks against the Quran as
religious hatred and violation of international law lays the groundwork for
future steps to be taken.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/un-passes-resolution-to-combat-islamophobia-with-overwhelming-support/3165693
------
US Not Providing Direct Support To Taliban: White
House
Fidel Rahmati
March 15, 2024
On Thursday, White House national security
spokesperson John Kirby stated that the United States is not extending any form
of direct support to the Taliban, whether diplomatically, economically, or
otherwise.
This includes diplomatic assistance, economic aid, or
any other means of backing. Kirby’s declaration underscores the
administration’s stance amid ongoing concerns and scrutiny regarding the U.S.’s
engagement with the Taliban in the wake of recent geopolitical shifts.
Kirby’s statement came as a response to reporters’
inquiries regarding a U.S. senator’s proposal to delay U.S. contributions to
the UN for aid to Afghanistan. The senator raised concerns over allegations
that such aid may inadvertently benefit the Taliban.
“I won’t get ahead, again, of a bill that’s still in
its early stages. I would just tell you
that, you know, we haven’t recognized the Taliban as the government in
Afghanistan. If they want such
recognition, if they want legitimacy, they got to meet their commitments,
particularly to women and girls and to human rights in Afghanistan,” Kirby
said.
“And we are not providing direct support to them
diplomatically, economically, or in any other way.”
Kirby urged Congress to increase the allocation of
Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghans by an additional 20,000 visas.
He emphasized that the current pace of allocation
indicates that all 7,000 remaining Afghan SIVs will be utilized by August of
this year.
“Even though
our war in Afghanistan ended, our commitment to Afghans and our commitment to
those who helped us in that war has not ended.
And we absolutely feel fully committed, and morally so, to do everything
we can to get those folks a pathway out of Afghanistan,” Kirby added.
Source:
khaama.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/us-not-providing-direct-support-to-taliban-white-house/
----
India
Nathervali Dargah: A testament of South India’s
centuries-old Islamic tradition
16th March 2024
AbinayaSivagnanam
In the heart of Tamil Nadu lies Tiruchirappalli (or
Trichy), home to the HazrathThable Alam BadushaNathervali Dargah. The shrine is
a testament to the centuries-old Islamic tradition and spiritual solace in
southern India. This site is not just a place of worship but a mosaic of
history, culture, and unwavering faith that tells the remarkable story of
Islam’s roots in southern India.
The story of Islam’s entry into South India is as
intriguing as it is unique, given that it is usually overshadowed by narratives
from the north. Unlike the northern territories of India, where the spread of
Islam was often accompanied by the tumult of conquests and kingdoms rising and
falling, the southern narrative is markedly different.
In southern cities like Trichy, Islam made its
presence felt through peaceful means, primarily via the Arab traders who
arrived on the Coromandel Coast in the 8th to 10th centuries. These traders
were not just merchants of silk and spices but also bearers of new religious and
cultural ideas. Among these bearers, HazrathNathervali stands out, in whose
honour the shrine was constructed.
The Legacy of Sultan Muthaharudeen: Nathervali
According to legend, he was born of Turkish-Syrian
lineage as Sultan Muthaharudeen in 927 A.D. in Suharwardy, near present-day
Samarkand, he renounced his royal life at a very young age and embarked on a
spiritual odyssey that led him and his 900 followers to the shores of Bhatkal,
and eventually to Trichy, around the late 10th century.
His journey from Suharwardy epitomizes the essence of
Sufism – renunciation of worldly pleasures for divine pursuit. The narrative of
his confrontation with a jinn, particularly illustrative of his spiritual
stature, shows him as a figure of peace rather than conflict. As the story
goes, upon his settlement in Trichy, Nathervali was challenged by a malevolent
jinn. But instead of facing the jinn with fear or violence, he engaged the
creature in a spiritual duel that ended with the jinn’s submission to his
divine authority.
This tale is among the many that attracts pilgrims to
the dargah today in Trichy, seeking the saint’s blessings and protection.
Spread over 2 acres, the Nathervali Dargah is among
the oldest Sufi shrines in India. The shrine’s establishment in the 10th century
in Trichy coincided with the period of the later Cholas, a time renowned for
its architectural splendor and a burgeoning trade network that welcomed diverse
cultural influences.
According to legends told at the Dargah,
HazrathNathervali, upon arriving in Trichy, stayed for some time at Rockfort (a
hillock shrine), and when asked by the Chola king to select a place and make it
his home, he threw his amulet from the Rockfort and it landed on a temple. The
king still offered the land to Hazrath who set the foundation of what would
become the Dargah in its present location.
This period was marked by notable religious tolerance
and the Dargah, thus, became not only a spiritual center but also a symbol of
the Chola era’s cosmopolitan ethos. This era, celebrated for its remarkable
artistic and architectural achievements, also exemplified an openness to
diverse cultural and religious influences, fostering a cosmopolitan atmosphere
that is often overlooked.
The Chola period (spanning over centuries) in Tamil Nadu,
distinguished by its peaceful coexistence and cultural exchanges, presents a
contrasting narrative to the commonly discussed Islamic conquests in northern
India. This aspect of Tamil Nadu’s history, showcasing a different facet of the
Islamic experience in India, seldom receives the attention it deserves and is
overshadowed by tales of empire-building. Acknowledging this narrative is
crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of India’s diverse cultural
heritage and the varied experiences of Islam spread across the subcontinent.
In the complex tapestry of Trichy’s history, Chanda
Sahib emerges as a figure of significant intrigue in the 18th century. A former
minister turned ambitious Nawab of the Carnatic (Southeastern India), from 1749
to 1752. He was a subject of the Mughal Empire but allied himself with the
French during the Carnatic Wars. He regularly clashed with Muhammad Ali, his
British-supported rival.
As Nawab of the Carnatic, Chanda Sahib craved not just
regional dominance, but a powerful ally. When Hyderabad faced a succession
crisis after the First Nizam of Hyderabad died in 1748, Chanda Sahib saw an
opportunity. He threw his weight behind Muzaffar Jung, the late Nizam’s
grandson, believing a friendly Nizam would bolster his own position in the
Carnatic.
Chanda Sahib’s gambit paid off in a couple of years.
French military support helped Muzaffar Jung overcome his rivals and secure the
Hyderabad throne by December 1750. However, this victory came at a cost. The
violent power struggle destabilized Hyderabad. Internal factions jockeyed for
influence, and the city became embroiled in the wider Carnatic Wars
(1749-1754). Muzaffar Jung’s reign was short-lived and riddled with challenges.
The conflict left Hyderabad’s treasury drained and its defenses weakened.
Chanda Sahib’s ambition to secure his own power had inadvertently plunged
Hyderabad into a period of political and economic turmoil.
Yet, despite his political ambitions and the turmoil
he was involved in, Chanda Sahib’s contributions to the Nathervali Dargah were
profound. His patronage, particularly the addition of the shrine’s 70ft grand
dome, underscores the dargah’s importance as a center of Islamic learning and
spirituality during a time of political upheaval.
Some of the other famous patrons of the Dargah include
Rani Mangammal and Rani MeenachiAmmaiyar of the Madurai Nayak dynasty. Their
patronage further illustrates the dargah’s role in bridging communities. These
luminaries from Tamil Nadu’s history, known for their wisdom and governance,
endowed the shrine, reinforcing its sanctity and the shared heritage of the
region.
The Annual Urs at Nathervali Dargah
The Urs, preparations for which start on the first day
of Ramzan reaches its culmination on the 14th day, marking the anniversary of
Sultan MutahirruddinNathervali’s passing. The ceremonies commence with the
arrival of the sandalwood paste utilized for the “Sandanakoodu” celebration,
wherein the fragrant paste is applied to various sacred locations at the
shrine.
This event is a cornerstone of the Nathervali Dargah’s
spiritual calendar, drawing devotees from across Tamilnadu, Karnataka and
Kerala to participate in a series of rituals and communal activities, with the
preparation and sharing of biryani being a highlight.
A highlight of the occasion is the preparation and
sharing of biryani, with an astounding 3,000 to 5,000 kilograms being cooked
for charitable distribution on the day before and the day of the “Sandanakoodu”
celebration.
Throughout the night, the melodious strains of Qawwalis
resonate, their verses singing praises in honor of HazrathNathervali. The Urs
serves as a vibrant testament to Nathervali’s enduring spiritual legacy and the
community’s commitment to preserving the values of love, tolerance, and unity
that he espoused.
In an era where societal divides seem ever more
pronounced, the story of the Nathervali Dargah in Trichy serves as a powerful
reminder of our shared humanity and the enduring capacity of faith to bring us
together. The Dargah’s spirit of inclusivity extends to all visitors,
regardless of their faith.
While the inner sanctum, harbouring the tomb of
Nathervali, remains a sacred space for male visitors, the welcoming atmosphere
of the Dargah as a whole reflects its role as a beacon of peace and unity. My
own experience of being warmly received, even as a non-Muslim woman, speaks
volumes about the dargah’s commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and
mutual respect among all who seek its tranquillity.
Through its rich history, cultural legacy, and the annual
celebration of the Urs, the Dargah continues to stand as a testament to the
values of peace, tolerance, and understanding that are as relevant today as
they were centuries ago.
Source:
siasat.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.siasat.com/nathervali-dargah-a-testament-of-south-indias-centuries-old-islamic-tradition-2993113/
---
Hindus & Muslims Like My Two Eyes: Telangana CM
Revanth at 'Dawat-e-Iftar' Hosted By Him
Mar 16, 2024
HYDERABAD: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday
said Hindus and Muslims were like his two eyes and sought to assure the Muslim
community that the Congress govt would ensure continuation of 4% quota for the
socially and economically backward among them in Telangana.
Addressing the gathering at the 'Dawat-e-Iftar' hosted
by him at the LB Stadium, the CM said: "It is our responsibility to
protect the interests of all communities. The Congress govt will take along
Hindus, Muslims, Christians and all the communities in its march to develop
Telangana and Hyderabad. I want to remind Amit Shahji that there is a now
Congress govt in Telangana. Neither Shah nor PM Narendra Modi can scrap the 4%
Muslim quota started by then Congress CM, the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, in the
undivided state."
The CM's direct remarks on Modi came on a day the PM
was also in the city to participate in a roadshow.
Metro, Musi& more: Congress woos city voters
After scoring a duck in the recent assembly elections
in Greater Hyderabad which favoured the BRS, the Congress is on mission mode
ahead of Lok Sabha polls to win the hearts of city voters.
In the 2023 assembly elections, of the total 24
assembly seats in Greater Hyderabad, the BRS secured 16, AIMIM got seven and
BJP won one. The Congress, which won 64 seats in rural areas, had drawn a blank
in GHMC limits.
Now, the biggest task before the Congress party is to
get at least two Lok Sabha polls in Greater Hyderabad area. Of the four Lok
Sabha seats in the region - Hyderabad, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad and Chevella -
the party is eyeing three seats barring Hyderabad which is represented by AIMIM
chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
The long-term goal though is to prepare the ground to
win GHMC election (due in December 2025) and also the surrounding
municipalities where elections are likely to be held early next year.
Congress is of the view that the BRS won 16 of the 24
seats in GHMC in the assembly elections owing to various development works
taken up such as flyovers, bridges, elevated corridors, Metro expansion plans
etc., which reduced traffic woes to some extent. Consequently, soon after
taking over as chief minister, A Revanth Reddy began focusing on issues which
were not taken up or not resolved by the previous BRS govt in the GHMC limits.
Less than a week into the govt, the chief minister
announced Musi Riverfront Development project, Metro expansion, proposed
creation of Greater City corporation by merging surrounding municipal
corporations and GHMC, a comprehensive master plan and city development till
Regional Ring Road (RRR) etc.
The Musi project has been put on the fast track and
the CM has reviewed it four times in just one month. There has been special
emphasis on Metro expansion to various parts of the city, including Old City,
apart from connectivity to airport.
Politically, Congress has begun to repair ties with
the AIMIM which has been a BRS ally since 2014. Congress ties with AIMIM were
damaged after Akbaruddin Owaisi was arrested in 2013 by the then Congress govt
in a hate speech case. During his visit to London, Revanth was seen with AIMIM
floor leader Akbaruddin. The CM has also been maintaining good relations with
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. Even in the assembly, the CM assured to resolve
pending issues of Old City.
The party was hoping that all these efforts would
yield dividends in the LS polls, sources said.
Source:
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/hindus-muslims-like-my-two-eyes-cm-revanth-at-iftar/articleshow/108541300.cms
----
India hits out at Pakistan for references to Ayodhya,
Citizenship Amendment Act in UNGA
16.03.24
India has slammed Pakistan and described it as a
“broken record” that remains stagnant while the world progresses after
Islamabad’s envoy here made references to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and
Citizenship Amendment Act during remarks to the UN General Assembly.
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador
Ruchira Kamboj said this while responding to comments made by Pakistan’s
Ambassador Munir Akram during the plenary meeting on Friday where the
resolution ‘Measures to combat Islamophobia’, introduced by Pakistan, was
adopted by the 193-member UN General Assembly.
"One final point concerns a delegation (and its
remarks) that, much like a broken record, remains sadly stagnant while the
world progresses,” she said.
Akram made references to the consecration of the Ram
Temple in Ayodhya as well as to the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment
Act.
Kamboj said it is “unfortunate indeed to witness this
delegation’s limited and misguided perspective on matters relating to my
country, the more so, when the General Assembly considers a matter that demands
wisdom, depth, and a global outlook from the entire membership – perhaps not
the forte of this delegation.” Kamboj delivered a statement in explanation of
India's position during the adoption of the resolution on 'Measures to combat
Islamophobia' at the UNGA.
The General Assembly adopted the resolution, with 115
nations voting in favour, none against and 44 abstentions, including India,
Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and the UK.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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---
Modi government bans JKLF (Yasin Malik faction), Jammu
and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League
16.03.24
The Modi government has banned the Jammu and Kashmir
Liberation Front, led by incarcerated terror accused Yasin Malik, the Jammu and
Kashmir Peoples Freedom League and four Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League
factions for their involvement in fomenting terror and secessionism in the
Union territory.
Announcing the decisions, Union Home Minister Amit
Shah said anyone found challenging the security, sovereignty and integrity of
the nation will face harsh legal consequences.
In a separate notification, the Union Ministry of Home
Affairs also banned four factions of the J-K Peoples League – JKPL (Mukhtar
Ahmed Waza), JKPL (Bashir Ahmad Tota), JKPL (Ghulam Mohammad Khan) and the
Yaqoob Sheikh-led JKPL (Aziz Sheikh).
"The Modi government has declared the 'Jammu and
Kashmir Liberation Front (Mohd. Yasin Malik faction)' as an 'Unlawful
Association' for a further period of five years," Shah wrote on 'X'.
The minister said the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples
Freedom League, which was also declared a banned group for five years, has
threatened India's integrity by promoting, aiding and abetting secession of
Jammu and Kashmir through terrorism.
"The Modi government will remain unsparing to
people and organisations involved in terror activities," he said in
another post.
Source:
telegraphindia.com
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---
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq seeks release of Kashmiri
political prisoners during Ramzan
15th March 2024
Marziya Sharif
Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar
Farooq on Friday urged authorities to release Kashmiri political prisoners
lodged in jails in the Union Territory and across the country as a gesture of
goodwill in the holy month of Ramzan.
Mirwaiz delivered the Friday sermon at the historic
Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of the city here.
In his appeal, Mirwaiz said the authorities should
listen to the voice of the people’s collective conscience and “unconditionally
release thousands of Kashmiri political prisoners who are in jails in Jammu and
Kashmir and all over India as a gesture of goodwill in the holy month of
Ramadan”.
He said the “condition of many prisoners is very bad
causing great distress to people”.
The separatist leader also said it is incumbent upon
the authorities to address the issues of people, including the “lack of
electricity that has increased the hardships for people, especially in the holy
month” particularly for the poor who do not have alternative means.
He said authorities should address this issue at the
earliest.
“The condition of roads is pathetic making commuting a
nightmare,” he added.
Mirwaiz appealed to all sects and organisations —
religious, social or political — to rise above personal and sectarian interests
and ensure unity and brotherhood among the people of Jammu and Kashmir to
preserve and protect its collective identity.
He said the best way to ensure collectivism is by
following basic human, moral and religious principles and values.
Source:
siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/mirwaiz-umar-farooq-seeks-release-of-kashmiri-political-prisoners-during-ramzan-2993041/
----
Houthis to prevent Israel-linked ships from crossing
Indian Ocean
15th March 2024
Sakina Fatima
In a new escalation and threat to navigation in the
Red Sea and Indian Ocean, Yemen’s Houthis have pledged to halt Israel-linked
ships from crossing the Indian Ocean and from South Africa towards the Cape of
Good Hope.
Taking to X, Houthi spokespersons, Brigadier General
Yahya Saree and Mohammed Abdulsalam announced that they will target Israeli
ships in the Indian Ocean on their way to Cape of Good Hope.
“International shipping companies connected to Israel
must take this escalation seriously, as any ship linked to Israel is
susceptible to Yemeni missiles.”
Since November 19, Houthis have launched attacks on
commercial ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, promoting solidarity with
Palestinians and opposing Israel’s ongoing Gaza war.
Several international shipping companies were
compelled to halt or reroute their operations in the Red Sea to prevent Houthi
attacks.
About 34 Houthi members were killed since the group
began attacking shipping lanes.
To try to deter them, American and British forces have
been conducting strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen since January 12, with the US
Army occasionally using prepared missiles.
Source:
siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/houthis-to-prevent-israel-linked-ships-from-crossing-indian-ocean-2992753/
---
CAA: 'What about 1.5 lakh unlisted...' AIMIM chief
raises concerns over excluded Assam Muslims post-NRC
16 Mar 2024
Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief, Asaduddin Owaisi,
questioned the fate of 1.5 lakh Muslims, who were allegedly left out of the
National Register of Citizens (NRC) list in Assam after the Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) was implemented in the state.
While addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad, Owaisi
said, "Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the 12 lakh Hindus not listed in
the NRC that was conducted in the state will be given Indian citizenship under
the CAA. But what about the 1.5 lakh Muslims?"
According to Owaisi, Muslims who are left out of the
NRC list will be asked to prove their descent by tracing their ancestry from
1962 or even 1951 at the Foreigners' Trinunal.
"They will be asked if they came in 1962 or 1951.
They will be asked to show documents and birth certificates of their
grandfathers. Those 1.5 lakh Muslims will be asked to fight it out at the
Foreigners' Tribunal," the AIMIM chief said as quoted by ANI.
"They (BJP) are saying nothing is going to happen
immediately. I want to tell them, that it takes time for things to
unfold," he added.
He also pointed out that, "Home Minister Amit
Shah said in Parliament that NPR and NRC will also be implemented. Did he not
talk about NPR and NRC in TV interviews?"
While speaking about the NRC exercise in Assam in
which a sizeable chunk of the population found their names missing in the final
list, the AIMIM chief said, "The Supreme Court directed the government to
conduct NRC in Assam. After spending ?1,600 crore, the NRC was conducted in
Assam under the watch of the Supreme Court. 19 lakh individuals were not listed
in it. Among them, 10-12 lakh were Hindus and 1.5 lakh Muslims."
Owaisi, however, said he was open to the idea of
granting citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries but
the methodology followed for that should not be based on religion. "The
government must give citizenship to people who come from Pakistan, Afghanistan,
and Bangladesh, but on the basis of religion," he said.
Meanwhile on Monday, Union Home Ministry notified the
rules for implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The CAA rules, introduced
by the Centre and passed by the Parliament in 2019, aim to confer Indian
citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains,
Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and
Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. SC will be hearing
multiple pleas seeking a stay on the implementation of CAA rules. After senior
advocate Kapil Sibal raised the issue, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud
scheduled the hearing for next week on March 19.
Source:
livemint.com
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https://www.livemint.com/news/caa-what-about-1-5-lakh-unlisted-aimim-chief-raises-concerns-over-excluded-assam-muslims-postnrc-11710553355032.html
----
South
Asia
Former Afghan MP accuses Taliban of unjust
imprisonment and abuse
Fidel Rahmati
March 15, 2024
ShahpoorHassanzai, a former member of the Afghan
Parliament, claims the Taliban have unjustly imprisoned, harassed, abused, and
humiliated him.
Mr. Hassanzai states he cannot endure such
misbehaviour and may leave Afghanistan again. This former Afghan Parliament
member fled to Pakistan when the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021. He
returned to Afghanistan under Taliban control and now expresses regret over
this return.
He recently posted a video accusing the Taliban of
imprisoning him after he complained about debtors. He’s known for criticizing
the previous government and denying accusations of land grabbing.
After returning to Afghanistan, he participated in
various television programs, expressing his views on the Taliban’s actions.
However, the Taliban has not responded to the recent protest video released by
him.
Over the past
two and half years, the Taliban detained Afghan parliament members, seizing
their properties. Hyder Jan Naemzoy, a former Kochi representative, was also
detained for alleged land grabbing.
After the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the
country’s parliament faced abrupt closure. Former members, like
ShahpoorHassanzai, were targeted, with accusations of unjust imprisonment and
harassment. The parliament’s dissolution marked a significant shift in
governance under Taliban rule.
Source:
khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/former-afghan-mp-accuses-taliban-of-unjust-imprisonment-and-abuse/#google_vignette
----
UN Security Council to Meet on UNAMA Mandate Renewal
MitraMajeedy
March 15, 2024
The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on
Friday on a resolution to extend the mandate of UNAMA in Afghanistan.
Based on a report by the Security Council, the draft
resolution for the renewal of the UNAMA mandate has been prepared by Japan, and
the majority of its members agree on this draft.
The report also states that some members have insisted
on adding text to this draft about women's rights; however, Russia and China
have called for a change in UNAMA's reporting, the release of currency
reserves, and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.
Russia and China's requests were not accepted by other
members of the Security Council.
"China and Russia argued that the preambular
section should highlight other issues, including the economic situation in
Afghanistan and the frozen assets belonging to Afghanistan’s central bank. It
seems that China also suggested changing the reporting cycle on Afghanistan and
UNAMA from every three months to twice a year, and proposed adding language
emphasizing Afghanistan’s humanitarian and development challenges to the
operative section of the draft resolution. These suggestions received apparent
support from Russia but were strongly opposed by a majority of other Council
members and were not included in the first revised draft," the report
reads.
The UN Security Council meeting was supposed to be
held on Thursday; however, the council mentioned the delay in holding this
meeting was to receive more time for voting on extending the mandate of the
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
“Russia and China do not agree with them, and the
reason is that this organization has its own specific goals, which are arranged
for the interests of America, that's why Russia and China are opposing,”
Zuhurullah Zahir, a political analyst, told TOLOnews.
“If the UN extends the UNAMA mission, I think it will
also be in Afghanistan's interest and could maintain a channel of contact with
the Taliban through the UN,” said Wahid Faqiri, another political analyst.
Previously, the Islamic Emirate, while considering the
UNAMA mission in Afghanistan important, called for this entity's neutrality in
reporting from Afghanistan.
Source:
tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187839
----
Muttaqi Meets Pakistan Chargé d'Affaires in Kabul
March 15, 2024
Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs,
met with Obaidur Rahman Nizamani, the chargé d'affaires of the Pakistani
embassy in Kabul, and they discussed political and economic issues.
According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for
the Islamic Emirate, in the meeting, the chargé d'affaires of the Pakistani
embassy stated that the new government's outlook is focused on expanding
relations with Afghanistan.
Mujahid also said that it was mentioned in the meeting
that positive engagement of regional countries with Afghanistan is expanding,
and that the region has realized that Afghanistan's stability can have a
positive role towards initiatives and comprehensive regional progress.
Muttaqi also expressed hope during the meeting that
the new Pakistani government, with a positive policy, will take constructive
steps to strengthen relations between the two countries.
On Wednesday, Muttaqi in a meeting with the Iranian
ambassador and special representative to Afghanistan, Hassan KazemiQomi,
emphasized the expansion of Kabul-Tehran relations.
"Now that a new government has come to power in
Pakistan, Afghanistan has also expressed its good intentions and has also
wanted Afghanistan and Pakistan to expand their relations in various fields,
especially in trade, and to cooperate with each other. The issue of migrants
was discussed, and good relations between the two countries can solve all the
problems along the way, and this was emphasized by both sides," the
spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate said.
"Civil governments have come and made commitments
but have not been able to act on them. Therefore, we are waiting for the
military government, which holds the real power in Pakistan, to change their
strategy towards us," said Salami Paigir, a political analyst.
"Any government that comes to power in
Afghanistan or Pakistan, if they are in conflict with each other, both Pakistan
and Afghanistan will suffer. Therefore, as a good neighbor, and with Pakistan
as a good neighbor, there should be positive relations with Afghanistan,"
said Zakiullah Mohammadi, a political analyst.
Previously, the chargé d'affaires of the Pakistani
embassy in Kabul also discussed solving existing problems between the two
countries during his visit to Kandahar with Mullah Shirin Akhund, the governor
of Kandahar.
The Durand Line issue, the Torkham crossing, and
recent border clashes between the border guards of the Islamic Emirate and
Pakistan were among the topics discussed in the meeting.
Source:
tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-187840
----
India gave citizenships to 4,500 from Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Pakistan in 4 years
March 16, 2024
India has granted citizenships to over 4500 members of
Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian communities from Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, and Pakistan in the four years till 2022, as per data from the
Indian Home Ministry.
The highest number of citizenships granted to those
belonging to persecuted minorities was in 2022, The Economic Times reported
quoting officials.
The officials said the recently passed Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 rules would help speed up pending citizenship cases
through registration and naturalization for displaced people from the three
countries.
The number of citizenship granted to minority
communities was less due to the centralized process following which the Indian
Ministry of Home Affairs, first in 2016 and then in 2021-22, granted powers to
district magistrates and collectors to grant citizenship to minorities
belonging to the six communities.
According to the Indian Home Ministry, a total of
collectors from 31 districts and home secretaries of nine states have been
delegated powers by the central government to grant citizenship with respect to
specified communities.
Source:
ariananews.af
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----
Europe
Christchurch mosque shooter viewed Muslims as
'invading others' to change European race: New Zealand theologian
Gulcin Kazan Doger
15.03.2024
A New Zealand theologian said the attacks on two
mosques in Christchurch in 2019 were primarily directed at Muslims, who were
viewed and defined as the "invading other."
Douglas Pratt, a professor of theology and religious
studies, who is a researcher at the University of Bern in Switzerland and the
University of Birmingham in the UK, as well as an honorary academic at the
University of Auckland in New Zealand, spoke about the connection between the
March 15, 2019 terrorist attacks on mosques in Christchurch and Christian
fundamentalism.
Pratt pointed out that the Christchurch massacre, in
which 51 people lost their lives, was fueled by anti-Muslim and white
supremacist ideology, emphasizing that "this was a terrorist attack, an
Islamophobic attack. It was an attack motivated by a mixture of white
supremacy, anti-immigrant sentiment, and even anti-Muslim sentiment, and aimed
at arousing a stronger outrage.”
"The actual target of the Christchurch attacks
was Muslims, who were regarded as the invading other," he told Anadolu.
Noting that the number of people who lost their lives
in the Christchurch mosque attacks was akin to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in
the US in terms of their ratio to the population, he said, "Another
interesting detail is that the 51 Muslims who died account for a sizeable
portion of the Muslim population in New Zealand, which stands around only 1%.”
When the country's general population is compared to
the killing ratio, it is nearly equal to the number of people killed in the
9/11 attack in the US, he said.
So some people are saying, 'This is New.' Zealand's
9/11,' however, "My answer is no because the attack on the Twin Towers was
an attack against the entire nation. This was an Islamophobic attack targeting
merely Muslims."
'Being Christian assumed to be white, European'
Telling how Brenton Tarrant, the perpetrator of the
Christchurch attacks, was inspired by far-right extremist Anders Behring
Breivik, who killed 77 people, the majority of whom were children, in Norway in
2011, Pratt agreed that religion and terrorism were inextricably linked in the
background of both attacks.
Noting that both terrorists held fundamentalist
Christian beliefs, Pratt said: "I think there's more of a historical
perspective here. Whatever the theological basis, that perspective often has
the view that there's a reward. Coming from the Christian world, coming from
Western Christianity, there's an assumption that being Christian means being
white and European.
"It's the same as saying you have to be Arab to
be Muslim. Of course, there are Muslims of all ethnicities. Thus, when you take
that kind of narrow assumption, it gets distorted and becomes the root of an
extremist view."
Though Tarrant acted on his own, Pratt said,
"Tarrant was not an Einstein. He was not smart enough to think. He, like
Anders Breivik, wanted the Christian West to take strong action to regain what
was lost. He had learned the exculpatory motivation lines from Breivik, but
another point was that it lent him the inspiration and strength to act on his
own."
'White supremacist view of Christianity is an extreme
form of Christian fundamentalism'
Pointing out that terrorist Tarrant's manifesto
contains traces of Muslims' fears of invading and altering the European race,
Pratt underlined "In his manifesto, he clearly stressed that the people he
loathed the most were those who converted to Islam from our cultural society.
The underlying meaning of this perception is 'we are right, you are wrong'
Christian elitism, which is a simple way of expressing exclusivism from any
background."
Adding that the Christchurch attacks were unleashed by
Tarrant's white supremacist racist and fundamentalist Christian views, as well
as his intense anti-Muslim thoughts, the theologian underscored that "The
white supremacist view of Christianity is the extreme form of Christian
fundamentalism.
"As you know, Christian ultra-conservatism and
fundamentalism tend to assume that Muslims and Christians are forever enemies
or forever opposed to each other. They reject the possibility of any real
dialogue, detente or engagement, and these anti-Muslim or Muslim-skeptical
backgrounds pushed him to go this far."
Transition from reality to virtual reality
Referring to Tarrant's livestream of the attack on
social media, Pratt said, "He wanted to demonstrate that such an act of
extremism could reach its apogee. He revealed that if such a thing could arise
even in a peaceful and distant country like New Zealand, then it is clear that
no Muslim is safe anywhere. That was surely the purpose."
Pratt compared terrorist Tarrant's attack to computer
games, saying, "There is a transition between reality and virtual reality.
In a way, the combination of live broadcast, video and music almost seemed to
have a game effect on it, like one of those violent games that people play. It's
almost unreal.
"Even though it had a reality, people knew it was
real."
Emphasizing that far-right ideas are becoming more
visible through tools such as social media, Pratt cited the country's first
fundamentalist Christian terrorist attack in the Australian state of Queensland
on Dec. 12, 2023, in which two police officers and one civilian were killed.
The scholar highlighted that "given what's going
on in the United States right now and the dominance of the Republican Party,
which has a robust base of support in what I would call very fundamentalist and
far-right Evangelical Christianity, and the possibility of that party's advent
to power with (former US President Donald) Trump, I would say that many places
across the world tilted the extreme right, notably certain regions. This
suggests that extremism will go up in some regions, if not globally."
'Acceptance and love root of our faith'
Referring to Imam Gamal Fouda of Nur Mosque's words,
one of the mosques attacked in Christchurch, Pratt said: "I am a Christian
theologian and I was extremely pleased with the statement of Gamal Fouda at the
great ceremony held a week or two after the incident.
"He emphasized that we are all one race, the
human race, and only through love will we survive and we must learn to love.
Muslim leader stressed that 'we have suffered, but the root of our faith is
acceptance and love.' Many in the secular community in New Zealand had never
heard this perspective from a Muslim. This was one of the excellent outcomes
that came out of such a horrible incident."
Pratt, who also had a message for the Christchurch
victims’ relatives, concluded by saying, "As-salamualaykum, may God
protect us. Hopefully, we will surmount the terror, pain and misunderstanding
that gave rise to these events. Alhamdulillah for all that we have."
2019 terrorist attacks
On March 15, 2019, Brenton Tarrant, an Australian
white supremacist, killed 51 people and injured 40 more at the Al Noor Mosque
and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch city.
He was sentenced to life in prison in 2020 without the
possibility of parole, in the first such ruling ever handed down in the island
country.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/christchurch-mosque-shooter-viewed-muslims-as-invading-others-to-change-european-race-new-zealand-theologian/3165522
----
Nicaragua-Germany Gaza case before ICJ next month
March 16, 2024
THE HAGUE: Top UN judges will start listening to
submissions next month in the case filed by Nicaragua accusing Berlin of
facilitating “genocide” in Gaza because it supported Israel, officials said on
Friday.
Two weeks ago, Nicaragua filed a case against Germany
before the International Court of Justice, saying Berlin was “facilitating the
commission of genocide and ... failed in its obligation to do everything
possible to prevent the commission of genocide” in Gaza.
This included Berlin’s suspension of funding of the UN
Palestinian refugee agency.
The Hague-based ICJ said it will hold hearings on
April 8 and 9 for both countries to make submissions.
“The hearings will be devoted to the request for the
indication of provisional measures contained in Nicaragua’s application,” the
ICJ said in a statement.
Managua had asked the court to take a swift interim
stance against Germany before judges gave the case an in-depth study.
The lodging of the case follows the ICJ saying on
January 26 that Israel must do everything to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza and
take “immediate” measures for aid provisions.
That interim order was given as the court moves to
weigh in full a case lodged in December by South Africa alleging that Israel
was engaged in genocide in Gaza.
Israel has dismissed South Africa’s case as a “grossly
distorted story.”
ICJ rulings are legally binding, but the court has no
enforcement mechanism.
Accusations from Israel that staff from UNRWA, the UN
agency for Palestinian refugees, took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel
prompted several countries — including Germany, Britain, Japan and the US — to
suspend their funding.
However, Canada and Sweden said they would resume
UNRWA aid, and Spain has pledged an additional €20 million.
Efforts haveintensified to bring more aid into the war-devastated
Gaza.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477506/middle-east
---
Kensington Palace shares tribute to mosque terror
victims from Prince William
Mar 15, 2024
Prince William has paid tribute to the New Zealand
mosque terror attack victims five years after 50 people were gunned down.
‘When I visited Christchurch in the weeks that
followed, I was struck by the unity forged by an attack which aimed to sow
division,’ he said.’It is a constant reminder to me of why we must come
together and unite against extremism.’
The statement was shared in a tweet by the official X
account of William and Kate, signed only ‘W’.
‘Five years on from the terrorist attack in Christchurch,
my thoughts are with the families and friends of those lost, those injured and
the entire Muslim community in New Zealand who responded to this horrific event
with such courage and fortitude,’ the tribute said.
Many replied to thank him for remembering the victims
of the attack on a mosque in March 2019.
Coming amid a furore over the Princess of Wales,
others immediately noticed that his wife had not also signed off with her
initial ‘C’.
She had used the same Twitter account to share two
tweets marked ‘C’ over the past week, the first being a Mother’s Day photo
which sparked an international outcry for its high level of editing.
‘This is a joint account why is W the only one that is
making the statement?’ one reply asked.
Kensington Palace previously said that the Princess of
Wales would not be taking on public duties until after Easter, due to her
recovery from abdominal surgery.
Additionally, it was only the prince who made the
journey to New Zealand to meet survivors a month after the attack in 2019,
while his wife remained in the UK with their children.
However, with speculation and concern about the
princess reaching fever pitch, any public statement from the palace is being
examined.
It comes after the news chief at one of the major news
agencies that withdrew the photo said Kensington Palace was ‘absolutely not’ a
trusted source.
Prince William, then Duke of Cambridge, met prime
minister Jacinda Ardern as well as families and emergency responders during a
two-day tour of New Zealand five years ago.
A total of 50 people were killed and dozens more were
injured when a white supremacist gunman opened fire during Friday prayers at
the mosque in Christchuch on March 15.
The Australian said he had come to New Zealand only to
plan and train for the attack.
Source:
metro.co.uk
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https://metro.co.uk/2024/03/15/kensington-palace-shares-terror-victim-tribute-prince-william-alone-20474597/
---
EU close to sanctioning violent Israeli settlers -
diplomats
MARCH 15, 2024
The European Union is close to agreeing sanctions on
Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians in the West Bank after Hungary signaled
an end to its opposition, European diplomats said on Friday.
While much international attention has focused on
Hamas's cross-border assault from Gaza and Israel's subsequent war there,
European officials have also expressed increasing concern about rising violence
against Palestinians in the West Bank.
But the EU's 27 member countries have struggled to
agree sanctions against those responsible, even after the United States and
Britain imposed such measures.
Some EU members close to Israel, such as Germany and
Austria, had said they were ready to approve sanctions on violent settlers
after more had been imposed on Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group.
Hungary, a staunch ally of the Israeli government, had
been the most vociferous opposing sanctions on settlers.
But diplomats said Budapest had now allowed proposed
sanctions to pass through the EU system. Some said the sanctions could be
approved by EU foreign ministers on Monday but others said more time would be
needed.
"There’s an agreement on working group
level," said one diplomat.
"The context in the region has worsened,"
said another, citing a possible reason for Hungary reversing its opposition.
Hungarian officials at the foreign ministry were not
immediately available for comment.
The struggle over the proposed sanctions reflects
broader divisions on the Middle East, with some EU countries strongly backing
Israel while others lean more towards the Palestinians.
Details of the sanctions
The proposals initially under discussion focused on
imposing sanctions on around a dozen people or organizations, according to
diplomats.
The EU has not spelled out what the sanctions would
entail but officials have said they would include bans on travel to the EU.
"It will probably be fewer than a dozen now after
negotiations, but that's ok as the important thing is to do it now," the
second diplomat said.
The EU has already imposed sanctions on Hamas
following the Oct. 7 attacks and diplomats say more are in the pipeline.
Source:
jpost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-792137
---
Spanish aid ship nears Gaza coast as famine grips
15 March, 2024
A ship carrying 200 tons of aid approached the coast
of Gaza on Friday in a mission to inaugurate a sea route from Cyprus that was
intended to bring more assistance to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the
enclave five months into the war between Israel and Hamas.
The ship, manned by the Spanish aid group Open Arms,
left Cyprus on Tuesday towing a barge laden with food sent by World Central
Kitchen, the charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés. It could be seen
off Gaza's coast Friday morning.
Israel has been under increasing pressure to allow
more aid into Gaza after five months of war between Israel and Hamas . The
United States has joined other countries in airdropping supplies to the
isolated region of northern Gaza and has announced separate plans to construct
a pier to get aid in.
Aid groups said the airdrops and sea shipments are far
less efficient ways of delivering the massive amounts of aid needed in Gaza.
Instead, the groups have called on Israel to guarantee safe corridors for truck
convoys after land deliveries became nearly impossible because of military
restrictions, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of order after the
Hamas-run police force largely vanished from the streets.
Earlier this week, Israel allowed six aid trucks to
enter directly into the north, a step aid groups have long called for.
World Central Kitchen operates 65 kitchens across Gaza
from where it has served 32 million meals since the war started, the group
said. The aid includes rice, flour, lentils, beans, tuna and canned meat,
according to World Central Kitchen spokesperson Linda Roth.
It plans to distribute the food in the north, the
largely devastated target of Israel’s initial offensive in Gaza , which has
been mostly cut off by Israeli forces since October. Up to 300,000 Palestinians
are believed to have remained there despite Israeli evacuation orders, with
many reduced to eating animal feed in recent weeks.
A second vessel being loaded with even more aid will
head to Gaza once the aid on the first ship is offloaded and distributed,
Cyprus’ Foreign Minister ConstantinosKombos said. He declined to specify when
the second vessel would leave, saying it depends in part on whether the Open
Arms delivery goes smoothly.
The Israel-Hamas war was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7
attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and left another 250 taken into Gaza
as hostages. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 31,000 Palestinians and
driven most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people from their homes. A quarter of Gaza’s
population is starving , according to the United Nations.
Source:
newarab.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newarab.com/news/spanish-aid-ship-nears-gaza-coast-famine-grips
----
North
America
Biden denounces 'ugly resurgence' of Islamophobia amid
war in Gaza
Rabia IclalTuran
15.03.2024
US President Joe Biden on Friday denounced an
"ugly resurgence" of Islamophobia amid Israel's ongoing war on Gaza,
saying that Islamophobia has "no place" in the US.
"We recognize the violence and hate that Muslims
worldwide too often face because of their religious beliefs – and the ugly
resurgence of Islamophobia in the wake of the devastating war in Gaza,"
Biden said in a statement marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
"And we rededicate ourselves to building a world
where people of all faiths and all backgrounds are free to live without fear of
persecution. That includes right here at home. I’ve said it many times:
Islamophobia has no place in our nation," he added.
Remembering the New Zealand Christchurch terror attack
in 2019, in which a white supremacist killed 51 people and injured 40 more at a
mosque and Islamic center, Biden said: "We remember these innocent souls
who were stolen from us while peacefully praying."
Biden also commemorated Wadea al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old
Palestinian American boy brutally stabbed to death last October by a
71-year-old man in the US state of Illinois in an attack that targeted him and
his mother, motivated by their Islamic faith and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Biden said the attack is a "devastating reminder
of how all Americans must unequivocally stand up against hate."
As millions continue to observe the Muslim holy month
of Ramadan, the president said, he and first lady Jill Biden “extend our best
wishes to Muslims everywhere and continue to keep them in our prayers. And, we
reaffirm our commitment to do all we can to put an end to the vicious hate of
Islamophobia – here at home and around the world.”
In a separate statement, US Secretary of State Antony
Blinken also cited the New Zealand attacks, adding: "We continue to mourn
and honor the victims of this terrible tragedy and their families."
"At this time of rising Islamophobia around the
world, the United States condemns all acts of anti-Muslim hate and violence. We
reaffirm our commitment to advocate for individuals’ ability to live in
accordance with the dictates of their conscience and speak out on behalf of
those who have been denied the ability to do so," Blinken said.
"The United States will continue to stand for the
freedom of religion or belief for all. We will continue to speak out against
and counter dehumanizing rhetoric and stand against acts of anti-Muslim hatred
whenever and wherever they occur," he added.
Both Biden and Blinken have been accused of aiding,
through military aid to Israel, the months-long offensive on Gaza, and of
indifference to the deaths of more than 31,000 Palestinians in Israeli attacks,
with some critics saying they do not care about the deaths of Muslims.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/biden-denounces-ugly-resurgence-of-islamophobia-amid-war-in-gaza/3165753
---
CAIR Calls on President Biden to Take Responsibility
for Islamophobia Surge, Match Rhetoric with Actions
Ismail Allison
March 15, 2024
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the
nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on
the Biden administration to take responsibility for its role in the ongoing
surge in Islamophobia and to match its rhetoric on the International Day to
Combat Islamophobia with concrete action by ending the biggest driver of
Islamophobia: the genocidal war in Gaza.
In response to President Biden’s statement marking the
International Day to Combat Islamophobia, CAIR National Executive Director
Nihad Awad said:
“The biggest driving forces behind anti-Muslim bigotry
in America today are the genocide in Gaza and the use of anti-Muslim bigotry
and anti-Palestinian racism to smear and silence American Muslims who speak up
for Palestinian human rights. If President Biden is serious about countering
the surge in Islamophobia, the most important thing he can do is end the
genocide.
“The White House must also take responsibility for its
role in contributing to the unprecedented surge in Islamophobia over the past
five months. By smearing American Muslim members of Congress as ‘repugnant’ and
‘disgraceful’ when they first called for a ceasefire, by justifying the killing
of innocent Palestinian as ‘the price of war,’ by refusing to listen to
American Muslim groups who warned of the rising threat of bigotry days after
Oct. 7th, and by funding the genocide in Gaza, the Biden administration bears
some responsibility for the surge in Islamophobia.
“It is time for a real change, not just improved
rhetoric. The White House cannot condemn violence against a Palestinian Muslim
child here in America while simultaneously enabling the mass murder of
Palestinian Muslim children in Gaza, nor can the White House call the
destruction in Gaza ‘devastating’ while at the same time sending weapons to
those causing the devastation.
“Dehumanizing Palestinians in Gaza and justifying
violence against mosques in Gaza has obvious consequences for Muslims and
mosques here in America.
“The U.S. political and military support of the
Israeli government’s genocidal murder of over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza, and
injuring 73,000 more, has directly contributed to inspiring attacks on
Palestinians, Muslims, and Arabs in the United States. Some of our fellow
Americans will not treat Muslims as neighbors as long as our government
continues to justify the mass murder of Muslims overseas.”
“We urge President Biden to match his words with
meaningful actions by listening to the American Muslim community’s clear
demands, using U.S. leverage to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire in
Gaza, and then pursuing a just, lasting peace by ending the occupation that has
sparked decades of violence conflict.
“Only then can other long overdue steps that American
Muslims have sought, like creating a special envoy at the U.S. State Department
to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia and ending the abuses of the Orwellian
watchlist with over a million Muslim names, be effective or taken seriously.
Only then can we truly combat Islamophobia and create a world where all
individuals can live without fear of persecution.”
In commemoration of the UN’s International Day to
Combat Islamophobia, CAIR today joined an international coalition of Muslim
advocacy organizations in “calling the attention of those committed to
advancing justice for all people to injustices being perpetrated by the
governments of Israel, India, China, and France.”
Domestically, CAIR reports that the last three months
of 2023 saw a relentless wave of Islamophobic bias.
Source:
cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-on-president-biden-to-take-responsibility-for-islamophobia-surge-match-rhetoric-with-actions/
----
Biden praises 'good speech' by Senate leader making
case against Netanyahu
Michael Gabriel Hernandez
15.03.2024
US President Joe Biden weighed in Friday on a growing
row sparked by the Senate Majority leader's sharp rebuke of Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the president throwing his weight behind his
Democratic ally.
Biden said Senator Chuck Schumer on Thursday alerted
his staff beforehand that he was going to be making the address on the Senate
floor, but did not elaborate on the remarks.
"He made a good speech, and I think he expressed
the serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans," Biden
said as he hosted Irish leader Leo Varadkar.
Schumer, the first Jewish leader of the US Senate,
said Netanyahu has "lost his way," saying he has "all too frequently
bowed to the demands of extremists."
"Israel cannot survive if it becomes a
pariah," he said. "As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become
clear to me that Netanyahu’s coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after
Oct. 7.”
He was referring to the surprise cross-border attack
on that date led by Hamas in which some 1,200 people were killed. Israel
responded with a sweeping military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than
31,000 people, and has led to widespread destruction and displacement in the
coastal enclave.
Five months into the conflict, Schumer said it is
clear that Israelis need to "take stock of the situation and ask: 'Must we
change course?'"
"At this critical juncture, I believe a new
election is the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making
process about the future of Israel, at a time when so many Israelis have lost
their confidence in the vision and direction of their government.
"I also believe a majority of the Israeli public
will recognize the need for change and I believe that holding a new election,
once the war starts to wind down, would give Israelis an opportunity to express
their vision for the post-war future," he added.
Source:
aa.com.tr
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/biden-praises-good-speech-by-senate-leader-making-case-against-netanyahu/3165730
---
White House warned that Muslims will boycott Biden’s
Ramadan reception: report
March 16, 2024
Victor Nava
The White House has been warned by Muslim leaders that
invites to President Biden’s Ramadan reception may be declined over his support
of Israel’s war against Hamas.
As a result, the 81-year-old president’s aides are
preparing to host a scaled-down version of the event marking the Islamic
holiday Eid al-Fitr, according to Politico, and potentially limiting invites to
Biden administration officials and ambassadors from Muslim-majority nations.
“I’m not sure how they’re going to be able to do this
this year. A lot of people are just not going to go,” a Muslim leader, who has
attended past Biden White House Ramadan receptions, told the outlet.
In past years, Biden has hosted hundreds of Muslim
community leaders in the spacious White House East Room for the annual event
commemorating the end of the holiest month on the Islamic calendar.
The White House was warned that invites to President
Biden's Ramadan reception could be declined because of his support of Israel of
Israel’s war against Hamas.
Source:
nypost.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://nypost.com/2024/03/16/us-news/white-house-warned-that-muslims-will-boycott-bidens-ramadan-reception-report/
---
USCIRF Calls Attention to Prevalence of Anti-Muslim
Hate Around the World
Mar 15, 2024
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is alarmed at the proliferation of
incidents and expressions of anti-Muslim hatred around the world.
“Today marks five years since the terrorist attack on
the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. This
devastating attack initiated the creation of the International Day to Combat
Islamophobia. Given that the perpetrator broadcast these murders live over
social media, USCIRF calls for better mechanisms to prevent widespread
disinformation, hate speech, and incitement of violence toward religious
minorities on all social media platforms,” said USCIRF Chair Abraham Cooper.
“USCIRF also strongly urges the United States to call out foreign governments
who fail to protect their Muslim communities from acts of anti-Muslim hatred
wherever they occur. The scourge of anti-Muslim hatred must come to an end.”
Muslims experience bias, discrimination, and violence
in many parts of the world. In Burma, the junta resists international efforts
toward accountability for its genocidal campaign against the predominantly
Muslim Rohingya community in Rakhine State, while also attempting to actively
draft Rohingya into the military.
In China, Muslim communities are treated as an
existential threat, culminating in the government’s perpetration of genocide
against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang. In India, the government
maintains discriminatory policies that disproportionately target Muslims. These
policies fuel hate speech, the demolition of mosques and houses in
predominantly Muslim neighborhoods, and vigilante violence including rape. The
implementation of India's Citizenship Amendment Act will explicitly exclude
Muslim refugees fleeing persecution in neighboring countries, including Shi'a
and Ahmadiyya Muslims from Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Algeria, Malaysia, and
Pakistan, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community continues to be systematically denied
the right to worship, targeted by vigilante violence with insufficient
government response, and wrongfully detained under blasphemy laws.
Many countries in the European Union, such as Austria
and France, retain legislation that impermissibly prohibits Muslim women and
girls from wearing religious garb in public spaces. Throughout Europe,
anti-Muslim bias also manifests through discrimination in public institutions,
prejudice in the immigration process, online harassment, and violent attacks.
Additionally, some European countries have passed or are considering
legislation that would impact core religious traditions of Islam and Judaism,
such as ritual slaughter and circumcision.
“This week is the start of Ramadan, the most holy
month in the Islamic calendar. Given all that is happening in today’s world,
Ramadan provides an especially important inflection point this year. USCIRF is
particularly disturbed that Muslims and non-Muslims alike continue to have
their right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion violated by
governments, religious extremists, and non-state actors,” said USCIRF
Commissioner Mohamed Magid. “All Muslims have the right to live in accordance
with the dictates of their conscience, free from discrimination and acts of
violence. USCIRF applauds the U.S. government for strongly condemning all forms
of intolerance against Muslims, and supports its efforts to combat hatred and
discrimination against members of Muslim communities.”
In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF identifies incidents
and expressions of anti-Muslim hatred around the world. USCIRF also documents
selected cases of Muslim religious prisoners of conscience in its Frank R. Wolf
Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List.
Source:
uscirf.gov
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-calls-attention-prevalence-anti-muslim-hate-around-world
----
CAIR-NY Denounces Mayor Adams’ ‘Hypocritical’ Ramadan
Iftar, Urges Call for Gaza Ceasefire
Ismail Allison
March 15, 2024
The New York chapter of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights
and advocacy organization, today denounced NYC Mayor Eric Adam’s “hypocritical”
Ramadan Iftar and urged him to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in
Gaza.
Israel has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians,
13,000 of whom are children and thousands more remain unaccounted for under the
rubble. Many children have starved to death in the Israeli-imposed famine.
Mayor Eric Adams is set to host an Iftar celebration
on Tuesday, March 19 at the New York County Surrogate’s Courthouse. During
Ramadan, Iftar is when Muslims break their fast after the Maghrib prayer at
sunset.
“Mayor Eric Adams and all elected officials cannot
continue to hypocritically express solidarity with Muslims while using our tax
dollars to murder our sisters, mothers, brothers, and children in Palestine.
They cannot assuage our pain with token events,” said CAIR-NY Executive
Director AfafNasher. “Refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire amounts to
complicity in the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. Such complicity
from our elected officials puts Muslim New Yorkers at a continued risk of a
documented increase in hate crimes, bias incidents, school and workplace
discrimination, and law enforcement abuse at protests.”
She added, “We stand together with our brothers and
sisters in humanity who are saying enough is enough, we demand a ceasefire NOW,
with a permanent solution that recognizes the dignity of, and right of
liberation for, our Palestinian families.”
Mayor Adams has repeatedly expressed his support for
Israel, in the wake of its genocide in Gaza and publicly compared pro-Palestine
protesters to extremists.
Earlier, CAIR-NY denounced his blanket condemnation of
Pro-Palestinian protests in NYC and demanded the renunciation of dangerous
rhetoric.
In 2023, CAIR-NY recorded 555 requests for legal
assistance in 2023, of which 239 were directly related to Palestinian
solidarity representing 43% of its requests.
These numbers continue to rise with CAIR-NY receiving 122+ requests for
assistance thus far in 2024 reflecting a continued surge in anti-Muslim
incidents in New York.
CAIR-NY notes there are other Iftar dinners hosted by
elected officials throughout the State that have yet to call for a ceasefire
including Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. CAIR-NY urges other
organizations and community members to stand in solidarity with Palestine—to
take a moral stand against the ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza and any
iftars of elected officials that have yet to call for a ceasefire.
Source:
cair.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-denounces-mayor-adams-hypocritical-ramadan-iftar-urges-call-for-gaza-ceasefire/
---
Australia
Australia to resume funding for UNRWA, pledges further
aid for Gaza
March 16, 2024
SYDNEY — Australia will restore funding to the United
Nations relief agency for Palestinians, weeks after the agency lost hundreds of
millions of dollars in support following Israeli allegations that some of its
Gaza-based staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 terror attack.
The Australian government also pledged Friday to
increase aid for the besieged enclave, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong
expressing horror at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Australia’s move follows Sweden, the European
Commission and Canada in reinstating funding for the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which had seen its international funding
frozen while the allegations were investigated.
“The best available current advice from agencies and
the Australian government lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist
organization,” Wong told reporters Friday in Adelaide while she announced the
aid package.
“(We have) been working with a group of donor
countries and with UNRWA on the shared objective of ensuring the integrity of
UNRWA’s operations, rebuilding confidence, and so importantly, ensuring aid flows
to Gazans in desperate need.”
Israel has accused at least a dozen UNRWA staffers of
being active Hamas members involved in the October 7 massacre, and many others
of being members of terror groups in Gaza.
A small number of the agency’s staff were fired
following the accusations.
Australia, alongside 15 international partners, froze
funding to UNRWA in January, leaving the agency — which employs roughly 13,000
people in Gaza and is the main supplier of food, water and shelter there — on
the brink of financial collapse.
Wong also pledged an additional 4 million Australian
dollars ($2.6 million) to UNICEF to provide urgent services in Gaza, and a C17
Globemaster plane will also deliver defense force parachutes to help with the
US-led airdropping of humanitarian supplies into the enclave, which is on the
brink of famine, according to the United Nations.
The US is also scrambling to open a new humanitarian
aid corridor by building a floating dock off the coast of Gaza so aid can flow
by sea.
Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, in which about 1,200
people, mostly civilians, were killed and over 250 taken hostage, sparked
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry,
over 31,000 have been killed in the Israeli offensive, a figure that doesn’t
differentiate between fighters and noncombatants, and is believed to include
civilians killed by terror groups’ errant rocket fire.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.timesofisrael.com/australia-to-resume-funding-for-unrwa-pledges-further-aid-for-gaza/
----
Mideast
Iran urges collective Muslim push aimed at confronting
Islamophobia
15 March 2024
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has urged a
united endeavor on the part of the entire Muslim world towards confronting
Islamophobia.
The top diplomat made the remarks in a post on X,
formerly Twitter, on Friday on the occasion of the International Day to Combat
Islamophobia.
He defined “confronting Islamophobia” as “the Muslim
nation’s collective endeavor aimed at [creating] effective deterrence in the
face of seditious movements that are against sustainable peace and security.”
Islamic teachings, the foreign minister noted, had
invariably been subject to conspiratorial policies adopted by the global
imperialist system.
“The imperialist system has deployed all in its
sinister power to present a tarnished and manipulated image of Islam and
represent Islam and Muslims as a threat in the eyes of the public opinion of
other global communities,” the post read.
This is while, the divine religion has consistently
encouraged and promoted peace, amity, kindness, and peaceful coexistence, it
concluded.
The United Nations declared March 15 as the
International Day to Combat Islamophobia through a resolution back in 2022.
In doing so, the world body urged nations across the
international community to adopt clear stances and measures aimed at
confronting hatred, discrimination, and violence against Muslims around the
globe.
Source:
presstv.ir
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/03/15/721935/Iran-Islamophobia-Foreign-Minister-Hossein-Amir-Abdollahian
---
Türkiye remembers victims of terrorist attack on New
Zealand mosque
MAR 15, 2024
The Turkish Foreign Ministry commemorated the victims
of the terrorist attack on a Christchurch mosque in New Zealand five years ago,
urging a joint global stance against anti-Muslim hatred.
"On the fifth anniversary of the heinous terrorist
attack perpetrated in Christchurch, New Zealand on 15 March 2019, we remember
with respect the 51 victims, including one Turkish citizen, who lost their
lives in the attack, and wish Allah’s mercy upon them," a Foreign Ministry
statement said.
The ministry also called on the global community to
"take a common stance against anti-Islam tendencies" on the occasion
of International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
"We are pleased by the adoption of the resolution
today (15 March) by the U.N. General Assembly on measures to combat
Islamophobia, which we tabled together with the other member states of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation," the statement concluded.
On March 15, 2019, Brenton Tarrant, an Australian
white supremacist, killed 51 people and injured 40 more at the Al Noor Mosque
and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch city.
He was sentenced to life in prison in 2020 without the
possibility of parole, in the first such ruling ever handed down in the island
country.
Later, the government formed a Royal Commission of
Inquiry to find out whether there were any failings by government agencies in
the Christchurch mosque attack.
The 792-page report, which took about 18 months to
compile, had identified deficiencies in the firearms licensing system, as well
as "inappropriate concentration of resources" on the part of security
agencies.
It had made a list of recommendations, including
changes to how firearms are managed, establishing a new national intelligence
and security agency, and a proposal for the police to better identify and
respond to hate crimes.
Tarrant, 30, pleaded guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40
counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism, He was sentenced to life
in prison without the possibility of parole.
In its initial reaction, Türkiye welcomed the ruling
by the New Zealand court sentencing, noting, “Türkiye will continue to maintain
its determined and principled stance against all types of discrimination."
After the attacks, New Zealand quickly passed new laws
banning the deadliest types of semiautomatic weapons.
Source:
dailysabah.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/turkiye-remembers-victims-of-terrorist-attack-on-new-zealand-mosque
----
In Gaza, there are no more ‘normal-sized babies’: UN
official
March 16, 2024
UNITED NATIOS, United States: The humanitarian
situation in Gaza is a “nightmare” for mothers and babies, with doctors
reporting small and sickly newborns, stillbirths and women forced to undergo
C-sections without adequate anesthesia, a UN official said Friday.
“I’m personally leaving Gaza this week terrified for
the one million women and girls of Gaza... and most especially for the 180
women who are giving birth every single day,” Dominic Allen, UN Population Fund
(UNFPA) representative for the state of Palestine, said in a video news
conference from Jerusalem.
“Doctors are reporting that they no longer see
normal-sized babies,” Allen said after visiting hospitals still providing maternity
services in the north of Gaza, where need is especially great.
“What they do see though, tragically, is more
stillborn births... and more neonatal deaths, caused in part by malnutrition,
dehydration and complications.”
The numbers of complicated deliveries are roughly
twice what they were before the war with Israel began — with mothers stressed,
fearful, underfed and exhausted — and caregivers often lacking necessary
supplies.
“We have had reports of insufficient anesthetic being
available” for Caesarean sections, “which again is unthinkable.”
“Those mothers should be wrapping their arms around
their children,” he said. “Those children should not be wrapped in a body bag.”
Israel has defended its policies as it pursues its
stated goal of destroying Hamas, saying the UN should send more aid to the
war-ravaged territory, pushing back on reports by the UN and NGOs that
cumbersome Israeli inspections are blocking food and other essentials.
Allen said Israeli authorities had refused to allow in
some UNFPA supply shipments, such as kits for midwives, or had removed supplies
like flashlights and solar panels.
“It’s a nightmare which is much more than a
humanitarian crisis,” he said. “It is a crisis of humanity... beyond
catastrophic.”
What he saw while driving through Gaza, he said,
“really broke my heart.”
Everyone he passed or spoke to, Allen said, “was
gaunt, emaciated, hungry” and exhausted from the daily struggle to survive.
At one military checkpoint, he said, he saw a boy who
appeared to be about five years old walking with his hands held high, clearly
frightened, as his slightly older sister followed behind, holding a white flag.
The war began October 7 when a surprise attack by
Hamas militants resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians,
according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least
31,490 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health
ministry.
Source:
arabnews.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477546/middle-east
-----
Hamas lashes out at Abbas’s ‘unilateral’ designation
of new PM
March 16, 2024
CAIRO: The Islamist group Hamas on Friday criticized
the “unilateral” designation by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of an ally
and leading business figure as prime minister with a mandate to help reform the
Palestinian Authority (PA) and rebuild Gaza.
Mohammad Mustafa’s appointment comes after mounting
pressure to overhaul the governing body of the occupied Palestinian territories
and improve governance in the occupied West Bank where it is based.
Hamas said the decision was taken without consulting
it despite recently taking part in a meeting in Moscow also attended by Abbas’
Fatah movement to end long-time divisions weakening Palestinian political
aspirations.
“We express our rejection of continuing this approach
that has inflicted and continues to inflict harm on our people and our national
cause,” Hamas said in a statement.
“Making individual decisions and engaging in
superficial and empty steps such as forming a new government without national
consensus only reinforces a policy of unilateralism and deepens division.”
At a time of war with Israel, Palestinians needed a
unified leadership preparing for free democratic elections involving all
components of their society, it added.
In the West Bank, Fatah fired back at Hamas’ criticism
of Abbas, blaming it for what had befallen Gaza since it unilaterally carried
out “the Oct7 adventure.”
“Has Hamas consulted the Palestinian leadership as it
is negotiating with Israel now and offering the concessions, in a bid to secure
guarantees of its leaders’ personal safety in return?” said the Fatah
statement.
FOREIGN DEMANDS
As president, Abbas remains by far the most powerful
figure in the Palestinian Authority, but the appointment of a new government
showed willingness to meet international demands for change in the
administration.
Mustafa, who helped organize the reconstruction of
Gaza following a previous conflict, was assigned to lead the relief and
rebuilding of the area, which has been shattered by more than five months of
war, and reform Palestinian Authority institutions, according to the
designation letter.
He replaces former Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh
who, along with his government, resigned in February.
Arab and international efforts have so far failed to
reconcile Hamas and Fatah, which makes up the backbone of the PA, since the
Hamas 2007 take over of Gaza, a move that reduced Abbas’s authority to the
Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Palestinians want both territories as the core of a
future independent state.
Hamas said any attempt to exclude it from the
political scene after the war was “delusional.”
In a recent warning, a security official told a
Hamas-linked news website that attempts by clans or community leaders to
cooperate with Israel’s plans to administer Gaza would be seen as “treason” and
met with an “iron fist.”
But the group denied media reports it killed some
local clan leaders in recent days for meddling with aid distribution.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477566/middle-east
----
Hezbollah playing ‘dangerous game’ in Lebanon: US official
March 15, 2024
BEIRUT: Hezbollah risks taking Lebanon to a “perilous
place,” a senior US official said on Friday, though hopes remain for a peaceful
solution to the country’s conflict with Israel.
Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of state for Near
Eastern affairs, said in a statement that Lebanon was facing “great
instability.”
“We have seen how Hezbollah has taken a lot of risks
and this is something that could move the scene to a perilous place and put
Lebanon itself in a perilous position,” she said.
However, there remains hope, with US special envoy
Amos Hochstein in talks with Lebanon on reaching a diplomatic resolution to the
border fighting.
“We believe it will happen when the humanitarian truce
begins (in the Gaza Strip). We are actively working on this front,” Leaf said.
“In the meantime, a dangerous game is being played and
Hezbollah may misunderstand the rules of the game or Hezbollah may
misunderstand the risk limits.”
She continued: “The Israeli government and the Israeli
army will not take a risk by launching a large-scale offensive in the north
without knowing what will happen and whether they will be embarrassed.”
Leaf’s statement came as caretaker Foreign Minister
Abdallah Bou Habib on Friday met French Ambassador HerveMagro to present
Lebanon’s response to a French proposal submitted last month aimed at ending
hostilities with Israel.
The plan outlines three phases: military operations
would cease, Lebanese armed groups would withdraw combat forces and Lebanese
regular army troops would be deployed in the south.
In its letter to the French Embassy, the Foreign
Ministry said Beirut “believes that the French initiative could be a
significant step” toward peace and security in Lebanon and the broader region.
It did not address the specific steps outlined in the
proposal but said UN Security Council Resolution 1701 — which ended the last
big war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 — was the “cornerstone to
realizing enduring stability.”
That resolution calls for non-state armed actors to
quit south Lebanon and for Lebanese army troops to deploy there. Lebanon has
said it would need logistical assistance to deploy 15,000 soldiers to the area.
Friday’s letter said that “Lebanon does not seek war”
but wanted a halt to what it called Israeli violations of its territorial
sovereignty by land, air and sea.
Once the violations had stopped, it said, Lebanon
would commit to resuming tripartite meetings with UN peacekeepers and Israel
“to discuss all disputes and reach an agreement on a full and comprehensive
implementation of UNSC 1701.”
Those meetings have been on hold since hostilities in
southern Lebanon resumed in October.
Bou Habib said the French plan had many “excellent
points,” while others needed further discussion.
On the ground, hostilities resumed on the southern
front on Friday, with Israel conducting airstrikes on residential neighborhoods
already mostly devoid of their inhabitants.
Israeli media reported that two rockets were fired
from Lebanon toward the Margaliot Israeli military site in the Galilee
panhandle.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477436/middle-east
----
Palestinians hold Ramadan prayers by ruins of mosque
MARCH 16, 2024
Palestinians in Gaza held the first Friday prayers of
Ramadan outside the ruins of a mosque levelled in Israel’s offensive, one of
hundreds the Hamas-run authorities say have been damaged or destroyed in
Israeli attacks since October.
Scores of worshippers knelt in rows in the street by
the wreckage of the Al-Farouq mosque in Rafah, laying out their prayer mats in
the shadow of a white minaret marking all that remains of the otherwise
flattened building.
The words “Al-Farouq mosque” were painted on the side
of a marquee in the street serving as a temporary place of worship, amid
surrounding urban desolation. Well over 1mn Palestinians are crammed into
Rafah, seeking sanctuary from the Israeli military campaign that has laid waste
to much of the Gaza Strip since it began in October in response to the October
first week Hamas storming of Israel.
Abu Jehad, a lawyer who fled to Rafah at the southern
end of the narrow, densely populated enclave from his home in Gaza City in the
north, said he had attended prayers in a field on Friday.
“The whole land is the land of God, so we can pray
anywhere. The occupation can’t deprive us of that,” said the father of six,
referring to Israel.
People were praying in tents, damaged mosques and the
streets, said Abu Jehad, who was reached by phone.
Friday prayers are particularly well attended during
Ramadan.
Mediators tried but failed to secure a ceasefire in
time for the start of Ramadan which began at the outset of this week.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office says Israeli
attacks have completely destroyed 223 mosques and partially destroyed another
289, while Israeli attacks had also demolished three churches.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a
request for comment on Ramadan’s first Friday prayers in Gaza.
The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas fighters
stormed into Israel in the first week of October.
Israel’s ground and air offensive since then has
killed more than 30,000 people, according to health authorities in Gaza.
Source:
gulf-times.com
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---
About 80,000 Muslims manage to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque to
offer prayers on 1st Friday of Ramadan month
Rania Abu Shamala
15.03.2024
Despite Israel's restrictions, thousands of
Palestinians from the occupied West Bank were able to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque
in East Jerusalem on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to
offer their weekly prayers in congregation while fasting.
“About 80,000 faithful performed Friday prayers at
Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said in a
statement.
Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the prayer leader or Imam of the
Al-Aqsa Mosque, praised Palestinian faithful for entering the mosque despite
Israeli restrictions.
"Your blessed influx sends a message to those
coveting the mosque that it does not accept division and belongs solely to
Muslims, with no room for negotiation or relinquishing any part of it," he
told the congregation.
Sabri urged Muslims to come to Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying,
"If prevented, prayers can be performed at the point reached by the
faithful, with the reward of praying at Al-Aqsa."
He criticized the “silence of some Arab and Islamic
countries on the Israeli war on Gaza, with some contenting themselves with
statements of condemnation and denunciation.”
The Israeli broadcasting authority reported that
“3,000 police officers were deployed in the city.”
Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that the Israeli army
prevented tens of thousands of Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa through
checkpoints in Jerusalem.
Since early in the morning, large forces of Israeli
police were deployed in the city's streets, particularly in the Old City and
its alleys, as well as around Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Palestinians from Jerusalem, Arab cities, and towns in
Israel flocked to Al-Aqsa, while Palestinian law enforcement, scout, guard, and
support teams were deployed to assist them.
After the Friday prayers, Muslims held funeral prayers
in absentia for victims of Israeli aggressive attacks on Gaza and the West
Bank.
On Monday, the Israeli government announced that
"during the Fridays throughout the month of Ramadan, people from Judea and
Samaria (the Torah name for the West Bank) will be allowed to enter Jerusalem
subject to possessing a valid magnetic (security) permit and assessing the
security situation."
The army added that only men over the age of 55, women
over the age of 50, and children under the age of 10 will be allowed entry.
Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023,
police have closed all checkpoints around East Jerusalem to residents of the
West Bank.
Israel launched its war on Gaza after a Oct. 7
cross-border incursion by Hamas. It has since killed more than 31,300
Palestinians and pushed the territory to the brink of famine.
Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the
Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern
Gaza, on the verge of starvation.
The war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into
internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine,
while most of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed,
according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International
Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to
stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance
is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Source:
aa.com.tr
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/about-80-000-muslims-manage-to-enter-al-aqsa-mosque-to-offer-prayers-on-1st-friday-of-ramadan-month/3165487
----
Iran using European ports to hide weapons shipments to
Hezbollah — report
MARCH 16, 2024
Iran has been using European ports to help disguise
weapons shipments to the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon, the UK’s Telegraph
newspaper reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources.
According to the report, the ships unload weapons in
the Syrian port of Latakia, which are then taken south into Hezbollah’s native
Lebanon. From Latakia, the ships continue to ports in Italy, Spain and Belgium
to help conceal the goal of the trips.
“Using Europe helps to hide the nature and the source
of the shipments, switching paperwork and containers… to clean the shipments,”
the paper cited a senior Israeli intelligence source as saying,
“Europe has huge ports so Iran is using that as a
camouflage. It’s very easy to do manipulations in those big ports where things
have to get moved quickly, rather than a small port where there will be more
scrutiny.”
Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked
Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis,
causing loss of life and widespread damage, with the group saying it is doing
so to support Gaza amid the war there. Border communities have been largely
evacuated for long months amid the ongoing attacks.
Intelligence analyst Ronen Solomon told the Telegraph that
the sea shipments were a recent occurrence from “the last month” because of
“Israeli attacks on air and land infrastructure in Syria to Lebanon, so we are
seeing an increase in container shipments.”
Although Israel has struck Iran-linked targets in Syria
for years, including areas where Hezbollah has been active, airstrikes against
Iranian arms transfers have become deadlier and more frequent since October 7,
Reuters cited unnamed Syrian intelligence sources as saying in January.
In December 2021, the Latakia port was hit twice by
airstrikes targeting Iranian munitions en route to Hezbollah. Though Israel did
not officially acknowledge conducting either attack, hours after the second one
then-Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned Iran against sending arms to the
region.
Hezbollah has named more than 240 members who have
been killed by Israel since October 8. Another 40 operatives from other terror
groups have also been killed in strikes on southern Lebanon, as well as a
Lebanese soldier and at least 30 civilians, three of whom were journalists.
The near-daily exchanges of fire along the shared
Israel-Lebanon border have caused seven civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as
well as the deaths of 10 Israeli soldiers and reservists.
Mediators have thus far been unsuccessful in reaching
an agreement between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group, fueling fears of
an all-out war on Israel’s northern border, and preventing the return home of
the roughly 60,000 residents who have been displaced from northern Israel since
October.
Israel has said it will no longer tolerate Hezbollah’s
presence along its border and is demanding it be made to honor the 2006 UN
resolution that ended the Second Lebanon War and withdraw to a distance of
several kilometers from the border.
Source:
timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-using-european-ports-to-hide-weapons-shipments-to-hezbollah-report/
----
Netanyahu approves plans for military aggression on
Rafah despite global warnings
16 March 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved
plans for a military attack on the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, the last
major population center to be subjected to a ground invasion in the regime’s
genocidal war on the besieged Palestinian territory.
Netanyahu’s office announced in a statement on Friday
that he “approved plans for a military operation in Rafah, and the army is
operationally preparing for it and for the evacuation of residents.”
The statement provided no details on the exact time
and date of the assault, and rejected the latest ceasefire proposal put forward
by the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas as “unrealistic.”
The provision of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in
the besieged territory and the release of Israeli captives were among the terms
of the truce deal, which has several times been discussed in the Egyptian
capital of Cairo.
The potential aggression on Rafah comes despite the
international community’s warnings against the attack in the southern city,
which houses more than 1.4 million Palestinians.
Dominic Allen, the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) representative for Palestine, said in a news briefing on Friday that
the situation in Gaza is “beyond catastrophic.”
“It’s a nightmare, which is much more than a
humanitarian crisis. It is a crisis of humanity,” said Allen. “And having left
Gaza this week, I can assure you that it’s worse than I can describe, or the
pictures can show, or that you can imagine.”
The German foreign ministry said in a post on its X
social media account that “a large-scale offensive in Rafah cannot be
justified.”
“Over a million people have sought refuge there and
have nowhere to go,” the ministry said. “We need a humanitarian ceasefire now,
so that the dying ends and the hostages are finally released.”
The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
“expressed deep concern over an imminent Israeli military offensive in Rafah,
which could result in a new massacre and further displacement of the
Palestinian people in Gaza.”
“The presidency underscored the urgency for swift
intervention by… the international community to avert this military attack,
which could add to the already immense suffering of the Palestinian people,”
the office said.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million
population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food,
clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been
damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7
after the Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out Operation Al-Aqsa
Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities
against the Palestinian people.
At least 31,490 Palestinians, mostly women and
children, have since been killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, and 73,439 others
injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
Source:
presstv.ir
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---
Africa
“Israel and Hamas exchange prisoners, why can’t we
negotiate with bandits” – Sheikh Gumi
Jerry Wright-Ukwu
March 15, 2024
Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has again, urged the
Federal Government to have a dialogue with the bandits.
Gumi made the siggestion following the recent
kidnapping in Kaduna State and the demand of 40 trillion naira as ransom by the
bandits.
Speaking on Arise TV, Gumi stated that it is better to
negotiate rather than pay any ransom for the victims’ freedom.
According to him, the bandits only pitched the
ludicrous amount for ransom as a bargaining tool. adding that there is a need
for a change of approach by the Nigerian government to issues of banditry and
terrorism in the country.
His words: “I believe no ransom should be paid but
engage these people, give them hope and not only in this children’s case. I’m
so sad that the leaders are just realizing that it is turning into a war.
“It has been a war and not mere criminality. If we can
see Israel and Hamas sitting down to exchange prisoners, I don’t see why we
cannot negotiate.
“I support that the government should not pay any
ransom, but what I say is that the government must dialogue and from my
knowledge about their psychology, that amount they are pitching is because they
want to have a bigger bargaining power, otherwise, I don’t think in their
wildest dreams, they would think the government would give them that money.
“What is happening now is that we are seeing that
these bandits are getting more and more vicious. Before now, they don’t do what
they do now.
“We can only attribute that to the kinetic approach,
which is over-emphasized. When we hear the politicians talk, nothing is done
about it to overcome these people. For example, now we are fighting bandits.
“They are anonymous, how can you fight who you do not
even know? You say let’s go in, map them out and all but all this intelligence
information are not there.
“How can you know somebody from satellite the
high-handed approach is what is making it worse. They are now kidnapping small
children and they are threatening death which they don’t do before. So, I think
what we need to do is go back to the drawing board and truly be non-kinetic.
“When the victims of the train attack were held, a
committee was set by the military in the former government and they were able
to contact them, same way journalists have been able to contact them. If they
are not there, it will be difficult to contact them but what you don’t know is
that they are foot soldiers.
“We need a program just like you have for the Niger
Delta. A program that will bring them out of the forest, on the premise of
educating them, giving them healthcare, and giving them a peaceful life. This
is how you entice people to avoid violence and militancy.
“But when you continue dropping bombs, spraying gas on
the women and children, they find no sympathy and empathy for our children. So,
this is it: an eye for an eye.
“So, we have to change our tactics, we have to change
our style. What we have been doing has not been productive. If we can have a
channel where we can have dialogue with them, understand them and promise them
what we can do, I think that is a better way.”
Source:
politicsnigeria.com
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----
Haitians voice scepticism at proposal for interim
government
16 Mar 2024
PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 16 — Haitians were on edge today
awaiting the naming of a transitional governing body meant to restore stability
to the country, wracked by gang violence and largely isolated from the outside
world.
Attacks in the capital Port-au-Prince continued
overnight, targeting the airport and a top police official’s home, while
residents mounted roadblocks in two spots both to impede the criminal gangs and
signal their own frustration, an AFP reporter saw.
Some are hoping a transitional council can fill the
void left by departing Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is leaving amid pressure
from an offensive by gangs that control 80 per cent of the capital.
Yet many have decried the pending establishment of a
transitional council, a move supported by Caribbean regional body CARICOM, the
United Nations and the United States.
“I’m in the street now and I’m very angry,” resident
Francois Nolin told AFP, claiming that “the Americans are imposing certain
conditions on us to run the country.”
“White people have no right to meddle in our affairs.
Instead of making things better, they’ll make them worse,” said Jesula, a
Haitian woman who declined to give her last name.
The country has a long, brutal history of foreign
interventions, from a 20-year American occupation in the early 1900s to a
deadly cholera outbreak linked to a UN peacekeeping mission in the 2010s.
Gunfire Thursday near the airport left one police
officer wounded. The home of the top police commander was also pillaged and
burned, the police union reported.
An overnight curfew was extended to tomorrow in the
Ouest department, which includes Port-au-Prince, in an effort to “retake
control of the situation,” according to the prime minister’s office. A state of
emergency is set to end April 3.
“There are great numbers of prison escapees in the
streets,” said Port-au-Prince resident Edner Petit. “The situation is getting
steadily worse. The decision to impose a monthlong curfew is to be praised ...
but it shouldn’t have had to come to that.”
Underscoring the impact of the crisis on ordinary
Haitians, the Haitian Medical Association on Thursday expressed “consternation”
over the “forced closure of hospitals” and “acts of physical violence against
care personnel.”
Naming new leadership
Henry, whose term in office was marked by rising gang
violence, announced Monday he would resign once the transitional council is
stood up.
President JovenelMoise, who appointed Henry, was
assassinated in 2021, and was never replaced. The country has not held
elections since 2016 — another source of political frustration among the
Haitian population.
CARICOM was holding an emergency meeting with
representatives of Haiti, the United Nations and concerned countries including
the United States.
The meeting charged Haitian political groups with
establishing the transitional governing body, and most of those groups have
submitted the names of their chosen representatives, US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said today.
Members of the so-called December 21 Accord, the group
supporting Henry, have struggled to agree on a single nominee but are in talks
aimed at doing so.
The transition council is supposed to comprise seven
voting members representing key political and private-sector forces in Haiti.
It has been tasked with selecting an interim prime minister and nominating an
“inclusive” cabinet.
But several groups will be excluded: those who have
been charged with or convicted of crimes; those facing UN sanctions; anyone
planning to take part in coming elections; and anyone who has opposed UN plans
to deploy a multinational peace force in Haiti.
Kenya, which had agreed to provide a thousand police
officers and lead that mission, said Tuesday the deployment would be suspended
until a presidential council is installed.
“Leaders can’t really unite to move the country
forward, and the poor people are suffering. While foreigners ultimately take
control of the country,” said Wilbens Lebrun, a painter.
As the country’s humanitarian situation spirals toward
famine, the UN agreed to establish an “air bridge” between Haiti and
neighboring Dominican Republic to expedite aid.
According to the World Food Programme, some 4.4
million Haitians suffer from acute hunger.
The United States on Friday announced plans to send an
additional US$25 million (RM118 million) in humanitarian aid, on top of the
US$33 million announced early in the week.
The funds will go to NGO efforts to provide food, safe
drinking water and emergency health care, the US Agency for International
Development (USAID) said. — AFP
Source:
malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2024/03/16/haitians-voice-scepticism-at-proposal-for-interim-government/123772
----
Recent Terrorists Attack Is Tip Of Iceberg Unless
Nigerian Government Negotiates With Bandits – Sheikh Gumi
March 15, 2024
The scholar who said this during an interview session
with AriseNews TV which SaharaReporters monitored on Friday morning, insisted
that persistent military attacks on the terrorists were responsible for their
latest lack of sympathy on Nigerians they abducted.
An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has again
claimed that there is no military solution to end the insecurity problems
Nigeria is currently facing.
The scholar who said this during an interview session
with AriseNews TV which SaharaReporters monitored on Friday morning, insisted
that persistent military attacks on the terrorists were responsible for their
latest lack of sympathy on Nigerians they abducted.
He added that the Nigerian government should emulate
how the United States' government negotiated with the Taliban terrorists by
also having a dialogue with the bandits to prevent the insurgence in the
country.
He said, “This thing (banditry) is turning into
something else. We are turning them into monsters, more monsters as what they
are. They are ignorant, they don’t have direction, they don’t leadership, they
don’t have empathy now because of the
way we treat them too, we don’t care when we burn them.
"When we born their children and women, in fact
this very recent incident is just a tip of an iceberg; what has been happening
in the bush, until we change our tactics and allow people who know, these
politicians, I am tired of them.
“I was a military man myself, but I don’t think there
is a military solution, in fact I think it is humiliating military to think
that the military should take care of civilian insurgency, what we need is a
very good detective work, very good policing, very good social programme. We
should leave our military off these issues. Our military knows fire for fire
and these people do not have the fire power, they hide behind the civilians and
do whatever they do. So don’t let us humiliate and disgrace our military. This
is not their job, this is the job of politicians. This is the job of the
police, this is the job of intelligence.
“In fact I believe no ransom should be paid, I believe
that but engage, engage these people. Give them hope. But not only in these
children’s cases, be holistic. I heard when one military man said it is turning
into a war, I am so sad to see that they are now realising that it is turning
into a war. It has been war since, it has been ethnic war, it’s been class war,
it is not just more than criminality. We have to accept that.
“If we can see Israel and Hamas exchanging prisoners,
I don’t see why we can’t negotiate. If Americans can negotiate with the
Taliban, I don’t see why we can't. They (foreign governments) can’t impose on
us their own ideas when behind the door, they also negotiate with this
terrorists.”
Source:
saharareporters.com
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https://saharareporters.com/2024/03/15/recent-terrorists-attack-tip-iceberg-unless-nigerian-government-negotiates-bandits
----
“Within six months, OPC can address insecurity in
southwest” – Gani Adams
Jerry
Wright-Ukwu
March 16, 2024
Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, IbaGani Adams, has
declared that the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) can address the insecurity in
Nigeria within six months if given the opportunity by the authorities.
Adams made the comment in an interview with the Daily
Sun published today.
His words: ”We have more than six million OPC members,
both active and inactive; those who are waiting for a time they would be given
an assignment.
It was so sad and devastating that three traditional
rulers from Yoruba land were killed. Two were killed in Ekiti State and one in
Kwara State. The one in Kwara, his community shares a boundary with Ekiti. He
was a retired Brigadier-General; his wife was killed before him.
”In Ekiti, the three of them were returning from a
security meeting; one escaped while the two were killed. The one killed in
Kwara always synergized with other Obas in Ekiti on security.”
Adams called for government support and mobilization
for the OPC to tackle the issues effectively.
He said: ”As the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, I
have limited powers to get involved in the security of a state or a local
government without having an approval from the governor or the local
government.
”If I get involved, people will just say, Aare
Onakakanfo is a chieftaincy title and is not an integral part of the
government.
”If it was an integral part of the government, it
would have been given a role in the constitution to be part and parcel of the
security architecture of the state or the federal government.
”It is a chieftaincy title to represent Yoruba in
terms of unity, promoting culture and bringing resources for people to move
Yoruba forward, not about going into security issue without the approval of the
governor.
”The governor is the chief security officer of the
state and you cannot jump into his security architecture without having
approval from him. If you did that, you would be turned to a criminal.
”I have said it at different forums: Let me, with my
own structure, complement the government’s efforts. If you allow me to
complement your efforts, the issue of insecurity will come down drastically
within six months.”
Source:
politicsnigeria.com
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https://politicsnigeria.com/within-six-months-opc-can-address-insecurity-in-southwest-gani-adams/
---
UN warns 5M Sudanese are at risk of catastrophic
hunger as war grinds on
March 16, 2024
Nearly five million people in Sudan could suffer
catastrophic hunger in parts of the war-torn country, United Nations aid chief
Martin Griffiths has warned the Security Council.
"Without urgent humanitarian assistance and
access to basic commodities ... almost 5 million people could slip into
catastrophic food insecurity in some parts of the country in the coming
months," Griffiths wrote in a note seen by Reuters news agency.
He said it was likely that some people in West and
Central Darfur would move into famine conditions as security worsens and the
lean season starts. Cross-border aid delivery from Chad to Darfur is a
"critical lifeline," Griffiths said.
Nearly 730,000 children throughout Sudan are projected
to suffer severe acute malnutrition, including over 240,000 children in Darfur,
Griffiths wrote.
"An unprecedented surge in the treatment of
severe wasting, the most lethal manifestation of malnutrition, is already being
observed in accessible areas," Griffiths noted.
Griffiths added that acute levels of hunger were being
driven by the severe impact of the conflict on agricultural production, damage
to major infrastructure and livelihoods, disruptions to trade flows, severe
price increases, impediments to humanitarian access and large-scale
displacement.
Intentional violence
War erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, between the
Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces [RSF] following a sharp
escalation in tensions.
The Sudanese army is led by General Abdel Fattah
Burhan while the RSF is controlled by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo.
The UN has said nearly 25 million people — half
Sudan's population — need aid and some 8 million have fled their homes.
Under a 2018 Security Council resolution, the UN
secretary-general is required to report to the 15-member body when there is a
"risk of conflict-induced famine and widespread food insecurity in armed
conflict."
Since the start of the war in Sudan, Griffiths said,
more than 1,000 aid access incidents had been recorded that had "adversely
impacted humanitarian operations."
He said 71percent were due to conflict or intentional
violence against humanitarian assets or aid workers.
Source:
trtworld.com
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---
Arab
World
Million-person protest went out in capital Sana'a in
March "Ramadan Yemen A flood wins for Gaza"
[15/March/2024]
SANA'A March 15. 2024 (Saba) - The capital Sana'a
witnessed this afternoon, a million-person protest went out in a March
"Ramadan Yemen A flood triumphs for Gaza", in continuation of the
advocacy and support of the oppressed Palestinian people.
The human floods that flowed into the Seventy Square
chanted slogans affirming the readiness of all the Yemeni people to wage jihad
against the enemies of the nation and the Great Satan America, Britain and the
Israeli enemy, and full readiness to fight the battle of the promised conquest
and holy jihad.
The crowds raised the Yemeni and Palestinian flags
Stressing the strength and solidity of the position of the Yemeni leadership
and people towards supporting Gaza and Palestine until the cessation of the
Zionist aggression and siege and the crimes of genocide against the Palestinian
people.
It reiterated the continued departure of the Yemeni
people in support of the Palestinian people and their valiant resistance as an
embodiment of belonging to Islam and great values, and the absolute
authorization of the Leader of the Revolution, Sayyed. Abdul Malik Badr Al-Din
Al-Houthi, to take all decisions and deterrent options against the
American-British enemy and the usurping Zionist entity.
Source:
saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3313279.htm
---
Israel sends team to Doha for new Gaza peace talks
March 15, 2024
JEDDAH: Israel on Friday sent a delegation to Qatar
for new talks on a Gaza ceasefire despite dismissing the latest proposal from
Hamas as “unrealistic.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also approved a
plan for a military offensive on Rafah, the city on the southern edge of the
Gaza Strip where up to 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.
Negotiators failed last week to reach a ceasefire deal
in time for Ramadan, but mediators are still determined to reach an agreement
to head off the Israeli assault on Rafah and allow the delivery of humanitarian
aid to stave off mass starvation.
Even the US, Israel's closest ally, has pleaded with
it not to attack Rafah because it would cause a humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel claims it will move people to safety first.
More than two weeks after receiving an
Israeli-approved proposal for a truce, Hamas replied with a counter proposal of
a six-week truce to allow aid in, and a prisoner-hostage swap at a ratio of up
to 50 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli hostage. It also calls for talks
at a later stage on ending the war completely.
Analysts noted a change in Israel’s language in
rejecting the new Hamas offer. Netanyahu dismissed last month’s proposal from
the militant group as “completely delusional” and “from another planet,” while
the most recent one was merely “unrealistic.”
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said Israel’s rejection
showed that Netanyahu was “determined to pursue the aggression against our
people and undermine all efforts exerted to reach a ceasefire agreement.”
Washington should push its ally to accept a truce, he said.
Meanwhile the first ship bringing aid by sea, the Open
Arms, arrived off the Gaza coast on Friday towing a barge containing 200 tonnes
of food. The charity World Central Kitchen aims to land the cargo using a
temporary jetty, although humanitarian agencies say aid delivered by sea or air
is inadequate and Israel must stop blocking land deliveries by truck.
If the new sea route is successful, it may ease the
hunger crisis affecting Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people face
malnourishment and hospitals in the worst-stricken northern areas have reported
children dying of starvation.
The UN says all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are
suffering from food shortages and a quarter of them are on the brink of famine,
especially in the north.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477146/middle-east
----
OIC slams illegal Israeli measures in Aqsa Mosque
MARCH 15, 2024
The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC)
expressed its rejection and strong condemnation of all illegal Israeli
occupation measures aimed at changing the legal and historical status of the
blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, by installing iron barriers in its surroundings,
imposing restrictions on freedom of access to it, and storming it and attacking
worshippers in its courtyards, in flagrant violation of international law and
relevant UN resolutions.
The organisation reiterated, in a statement, that the
city of Jerusalem is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory,
and the capital of the State of Palestine, and that the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque
in its entirety is a pure place of worship for Muslims only, and that all
Israeli measures and decisions aimed at imposing sovereignty over Jerusalem and
Muslim and Christian sanctities, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque, have no legal
effect and are considered null and void under international law and relevant UN
resolutions.
The organisation held the Israeli occupation fully
responsible for the repercussions of these serious violations, calling on the
international community to assume its responsibilities in putting an end to
these Israeli violations that would lead to fuelling violence, escalating
tension, and destabilising security and stability in the region, stressing the
need to ensure respect for the holy places and freedom of worship in them.
The OIC also strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli
occupation's commission of humanitarian crimes in the Gaza Strip, after
targeting a gathering of Palestinian civilians waiting for humanitarian aid at
Kuwait Square in Gaza City, resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens.
In a statement Friday, the organisation considered
this crime as a deliberate act of genocide that warrants investigation and
accountability.
It reiterated its call on the UN Security Council to
urgently adopt a decisive resolution to halt the Israeli aggression against the
Gaza Strip and ensure the adequate and sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid
to all parts of the region.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Presidency has warned of
the consequences of the Israeli government's decision to carry out a military
operation in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, and commit new
massacres, continuing the crimes of displacement against the Palestinian
people.
In a statement yeterday, the Presidency called for
urgent intervention from the US administration and the international community
to prevent such a dangerous aggression, which exacerbates the suffering of the
Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The statement reiterated the Palestinian Presidency's
firm and categorical rejection of any displacement, considering it a red line.
It also emphasised the need to stop the aggression, withdraw the Israeli
occupation army from the Gaza Strip, and compel the Israeli government to
implement international legitimacy resolutions.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed
concerns about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza escalating to
even harsher levels if the Israeli regime launches a ground military attack on
Rafah.
Source:
gulf-times.com
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----
Enhanced comfort and security for worshippers at
Prophet's Mosque
March 15, 2024
MADINAH — The General Presidency for the Affairs of
the Prophet’s Mosque, along with various government entities, is dedicated to
maximizing the capacity for worshippers to perform prayers within the Prophet’s
Mosque and its expansive courtyards, ensuring both ease and safety for the
faithful.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) documented the serene and
spiritual ambiance that envelops the mosque and its surroundings during the
Taraweeh prayers, showcasing the meticulous efforts of the staff in facilitating
smooth access and managing the mosque's capacity effectively.
To enhance the comfort of worshippers braving the
heat, the western courtyard has been equipped with water mist fans to lower
temperatures, along with fountains providing drinking water and comprehensive
services designed to ensure a tranquil, secure, and comfortable prayer
experience for all.
Source:
saudigazette.com.sa
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----
King, crown prince top donations as Saudi nation
collects one billion riyals in Ramadan charity campaign
March 16, 2024
RIYADH: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman led donations as the Saudi nation collected a billion riyals for a
national Ramadan charity campaign, organizers announced early on Saturday.
King Salman opened the campaign with SR40 million and
was followed by the crown prince with SR30 million.
Among the other contributors were Aramco, SR35
million; Roshan, SR30 million; King Abdullah Foundation, SR 20 million;
Al-Rajhi Endowment, SR15 million; SNB Alahli, SR15 million; SABIC, SR10
million; and Ma’aden, SR5 million.
The annual National Campaign for Charitable Work,
through the Ehsan platform, is now in its fourth year, with contributions to
the platform growing each year.
Majid Al-Qasabi, the chairman of Ehsan’s supervisory
committee, thanked the king and crown prince for their generous contributions
and said all of the donations Ehsan receives are an essential source of funding
and play an important part in the success of the Kingdom’s charitable
initiatives.
The campaign will remain open for donations throughout
the holy month of Ramadan, which is a time when Muslims are encouraged to carry
out charitable acts.
Source:
arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2477531/saudi-arabia
----
Saudi hospitality shines in Makkah during holy month
March 15, 2024
TAREQ AL-THAQAFI
MAKKAH: For pilgrims in Makkah, the holy month of
Ramadan is a chance to explore the flavorful culinary culture of the Kingdom
and experience Saudi hospitality.
A variety of dishes have become sought-after by
pilgrims for their iftar and sahoor meals, from saleeg, mahrouse, mabroush,
lokma and ruzbukhari, to manti, miro kebab, farmoza and kebda dishes.
Manal Mohammed, the catering manager at a hotel in
central Makkah, told Arab News: “God has endowed Makkah with an important and
distinctive cultural diversity, allowing it to be at the forefront of Saudi
cities in offering meals that beautifully express the Saudi identity.”
She added: “Makkah has become a gathering place for
visitors from all over the world to participate in religious rituals and also
learn about local heritage. It is important stage in their journey where they
discover aspects of food that hold exceptional, special memories.”
Mohammed said that Hijazi cuisine is influenced by the
influx of various Islamic and Arab regions over time, which has given a special
flavor to traditional Hijazi dishes, and created a distinctive and diverse
cuisine.
She added that what distinguishes the original Hijazi
dishes is their preservation of their traditional and popular elegance in
presentation.
Kebda (liver) dishes and soups are exceptionally
served, especially after Taraweeh prayers, on the sidewalks and streets in a
joyful Ramadan atmosphere.
Mohammed said that this has created a sense of joy
among visitors and pilgrims, encouraging them to engage in conversations, and
get to know the Saudi people’s kindness, generosity, morals and principles
through sharing dishes.
They often seek the fava beans that the people of
Hijaz make creative dishes with, the msabbak with spices, onions and ghee,
served along with tamees, which is a type of bread that was introduced to Hijaz
from Central Asia. Murtabak, which consists of thin sheets of light pastry
stuffed with minced meat or eggs or sweet cheese and heated on a hot pan, is
also a popular dish. Masoub, which consists of flour discs mixed with honey or
sugar or ghee with bananas and cream, is another local dish that is popular
during the holy month.
Makkah has become a gathering place for visitors from
all over the world to participate in religious rituals and also learn about
local heritage.
Manal Mohammed, Hotel catering manager in Makkah
She said that pilgrims seek dishes traditionally found
on the Saudi iftar spread, such as kabsa consisting of rice cooked with chicken
or meat broth and a special spice blend, as well as samosa, turumba, yaghmosh,
balila and manti.
Nasser Bukhari, a chef at a Makkah restaurant, said
that chefs in hotels offer various types of Saudi dishes side-by-side with famous
international ones, ensuring to present them in a modern and distinctive way
that preserves and renews the heritage. He added: “Visitors and pilgrims
request Saudi dishes by name and many often note down the ingredients used so
they can try making it when they return to their countries, thus beautifully
spreading Saudi culture.”
Bukhari said that Makkah’s neighborhoods annually
compete to invite pilgrims to join their Ramadan table, especially for the
iftar meal: “Locals are very keen that pilgrims do not spend their visits only
eating at central hotels. They share dishes with them by inviting them into
their homes or to Ramadan gatherings celebrated in neighborhoods and designated
places.”
Ramadan is a time for people to get to know Saudi
culture intimately, he said. “The simplicity that characterizes Saudi people
has a charm and direct impact on the souls of visitors who see Saudis in their
finest form through these iftar spreads. It serves as a strong bond between
visitors and Saudi society, showcasing the generosity, warmth and hospitality
of locals, and brings them close to the heart.”
Communal iftars in old neighborhoods is a way to
socialize in Makkah during Ramadan, Bukhari said. “Locals enjoy the atmosphere
and celebrate their inherited traditions. They enjoy spiritual and social
moments reflecting their connection to the blessed month. Additionally, the
values of cooperation, solidarity, and unity among family members and friends
increase.”
The holy month brings joy in the communities and a
festive atmosphere, he said. “Old neighborhoods and home entrances are
decorated, and respect is paid to the elderly, ensuring their participation and
preparing tables with popular dishes and sweets such as sobia, chrik, ka’ak,
smoked beans, and fruit dishes. All these things distinguish the Saudi society,
eager to honor visitors and pilgrims every year, even competing to do so.”
Source:
arabnews.com
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----
Umrah program guests embrace Makkah’s heritage
March 15, 2024
MAKKAH: The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah
and Guidance on Thursday hosted a cultural event for the beneficiaries of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj and Umrah.
The event was held at the guests’ accommodation near
the Grand Mosque in Makkah and comprised an evening of culture and
entertainment.
One of the highlights was a presentation on the King
Abdulaziz Complex for Holy Kaaba Kiswa covering its history and the process of
manufacturing the kiswa.
The evening ended with the distribution of gifts and
the taking of commemorative photographs.
The attendees thanked the Saudi leadership for the
warm hospitality they had received since arriving in the Kingdom.
The participants represented the fourth and final
batch of beneficiaries of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program
for Hajj and Umrah for 2024.
Source:
arabnews.com
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---
Southeast
Asia
PM: Germany, Malaysia have role in resolving Gaza
conflict
16-03- 2024
HAMBURG: Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim said on Friday that Germany and Malaysia must both use their influence
to reach an amicable solution to the conflict in Gaza, despite their opposing
views on the conflict.
“What is important is for us (Malaysia), (and) for
Germany to use our influence to reach an amicable resolution to the problem.
What is needed now is a permanent ceasefire,” Anwar said in an interview with
the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).
In the interview, Anwar credited German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz for being “very accommodating” in seeking to understand the
position of Malaysia, being a predominantly Muslim country, towards Gaza and
the Hamas organisation.
“I don’t buy this propaganda. We see freedom
fighters,” Anwar was quoted as saying (about Hamas).
Anwar arrived in Berlin on March 10 for a six-day
official visit to Germany.
While it was impossible to erase history, Anwar
stressed the necessity now of working on a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
He said Palestinian “lives, their property, their
dignity” must be respected.
More than 31,000 people have been killed since the
beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza nearly five months ago.
On Monday, Anwar had held talks with Scholz and
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
On the meeting, Bernama reported that Malaysia and
Germany had called for a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as well as the
release of hostages and immediate humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.
In making the call, Anwar and Scholz said the
international community must also strive for a two-state solution to solve the
decades of conflict in the Middle East.
In the interview, dpa also quoted Anwar as saying that
more than 700 German companies are already active in Malaysia, including chip
manufacturer Infineon. –Bernama
Source:
thesun.my
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---
Malaysia strongly denounces Israel's airstrike on Ops
Ihsan's humanitarian assistance in Gaza
16-03- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: The Government of Malaysia has
“vehemently” condemned the irresponsible airstrike carried out by the Israeli
regime on the Al-Nuseirat camp in the Gaza Strip on March 14, said Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Friday.
The ministry said this “senseless attack” claimed the
lives of eight Palestinians and injured more than 20 others who were camp
personnel preparing to distribute the much-needed food supplies contributed by
Malaysians through the Humanitarian Trust Fund for the People of Palestine
(AAKRP) and managed by Ops Ihsan (a coalition of Malaysian NGOs).
“This reprehensible act of aggression against innocent
civilians underscores the flagrant disregard for human rights and international
humanitarian law by the Israeli authorities.
“Such indiscriminate and disproportionate violence
against the Palestinian populace constitutes a grave violation of their
fundamental rights to life, security, and dignity,” it said in a statement.
The ministry, also known as Wisma Putra, said those
present at the camp were innocent Palestinians who were not a threat to the
occupiers, but merely carrying out their humanitarian responsibilities towards
fellow Palestinians.
“We urgently implore the international community to
intervene promptly and decisively, holding the regime accountable for their
blatant disregard for human lives and ensuring the safety of the Palestinian
people.
“It is imperative that justice is served, and measures
are taken to prevent the recurrence of such atrocities. Solidarity and support
must be extended to the Palestinian community in their quest for justice,
peace, and the realisation of their inherent rights,” it said.
Malaysia, Wisma Putra stressed “remains steadfast in
its principled position that the Palestinians unequivocally deserve the
realisation of their own independent and sovereign state, based on the pre-1967
borders, with East Jerusalem as its Capital.” –Bernama
Source:
thesun.my
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---
Malaysia strongly condemns Israel's deadly attack on
UN food distribution centre in Gaza
15-03- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia strongly condemns the deadly
attack by Israel on a United Nations (UN) food distribution centre in the
eastern part of Rafah, in southern Gaza, on March 13.
In a statement Friday, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, also known as Wisma Putra, said at least one staff member of the
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East was killed, and another 22 were injured in the attack.
Wisma Putra described UNRWA as the lifeline for
millions of Palestinians and the deliberate targeting of the very few remaining
distribution centres in Gaza is illegal, utterly unconscionable and shameful.
“Malaysia reiterates its call for an immediate
permanent ceasefire to stop the killing of innocent lives and ensure unimpeded,
safe, sufficient and continuous access to humanitarian aid including fuel,
food, and medicine throughout Gaza.
“The blatant and unspeakable violence perpetrated by
Israel against the Palestinians and the indiscriminate attacks against UN
personnel and journalists must stop now,” said the ministry.
Wisma Putra said the inaction of the international
community results in further senseless loss of lives and prolongs the suffering
of the Palestinians.
It emphasised the need for all nations to fulfil their
humanitarian, ethical, and legal responsibilities to the Palestinian people
during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
“Since the beginning of the conflict, at least 165
UNRWA team members have been killed, including those in the line of duty, more
than 150 UNRWA facilities destroyed, including schools, and more than 400
people killed while seeking shelter under the United Nations' protection.
“Deliberate attacks against United Nations facilities,
convoys and personnel are a blatant disregard for international humanitarian
law,” said the ministry.
Wisma Putra also noted that Malaysia remains steadfast
in its principled position that Palestinians unequivocally deserve the
realisation of their own independent and sovereign state, based on the pre-1967
borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. –Bernama
Source:
thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local_news/malaysia-strongly-condemns-israel-s-deadly-attack-on-un-food-distribution-centre-in-gaza-MD12220682
----
Malaysia reaffirms unwavering commitment to address
Islamophobia
15-03- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: As the world observed the third
anniversary of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia today, March 15,
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pix) reaffirmed the
country's unwavering commitment to address Islamophobia and all acts of
violence and hatred against individuals based on their religions or beliefs.
In a statement issued on Friday drawing attention to
the unfortunate phenomenon of anti-Muslim hatred, Mohamad said Malaysia
continued to uphold the spirit of Article 1 of the United Nations (UN)
Declaration of Human Rights, which states “All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights”.
“Malaysia remains steadfast in its commitment to
collaborate with all stakeholders in combating Islamophobia,“ he said.
Malaysia, he said remained appalled by the
legitimisation of offensive, disrespectful and provocative actions, including
the repeated desecration of the Holy Quran, that continues to fuel hatred and
violence against Muslims and religious minorities.
“These actions are the deadly manifestation of
Islamophobic acts, which have dangerously risen to “epidemic proportions” as of
late.
“If left unchecked, these acts will undoubtedly lead
to an increase in violence, and a normalisation of hateful acts towards Muslims
worldwide which would undermine efforts towards establishing and maintaining
international peace and harmony,“ he said.
Mohamad said Malaysia welcomed various initiatives conducted
by the United Nations General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which called for strengthened
international efforts to promote a culture of tolerance and peace based on
respect for human rights and diversity of religions and beliefs.
“Malaysia believes that more tangible actions are
needed to tackle the cause of Islamophobia,“ he said while urging the
international community to identify concrete measures to counteract the
prevailing conditions and attitudes that are fostering these abhorrent acts.
Mohamad said Malaysia also fully supports the call for
an appointment of the “UN Special Envoy on Combating Islamophobia”.
Mohamad said Malaysia, as a multi-racial and
multi-religious country, believes that the value of moderation can bridge
differences and resolve disputes as it calls for mutual respect and
understanding, tolerance, dialogue, compromise, harmony, inclusiveness and
justice.
“Inter-cultural and interfaith dialogue plays an
important role in fostering peace, moderation and religious tolerance,“ he
said. –Bernama
Source:
thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/local_news/malaysia-reaffirms-unwavering-commitment-to-address-islamophobia-GA12219960
----
PM Anwar performs Friday prayers at Al-Nour Mosque in
Hamburg
15 Mar 2024
HAMBURG, March 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim today performed Friday prayers at the Al-Nour Mosque here.
Upon arrival at the mosque, Anwar and his delegation were
received by Daniel Abdin, the mosque chairman and vice-chairman of the Muslim
Council of Germany, and Imam Samir Al Rajab.
The mosque was originally the Capernaum Church before
it was converted into the present place of worship in 2018.
In his brief remark, Anwar said he was happy to see
Muslims in Germany living peacefully with the rest of the population.
At the same time, the Muslim population throughout the
world cannot stay quiet about the suffering of Palestinian people in the
besieged Gaza, he said.
“I am in Germany as a guest of the Chancellor. We had
good bilateral meetings with German leaders, as well as talks with the business
community as we want to invite more investors to Malaysia,” he said.
Anwar said he took the opportunity to convey the sentiments
and concerns of the world Muslim community to German leaders, who he said
appreciated some of the concerns.
“What we want is an immediate ceasefire, immediate aid
to Palestine people and a long-term solution in the pursuit of justice, dignity
of all people regardless of religion,” he added.
Daniel said it was a great honour for the mosque to
receive the Malaysian prime minister, especially since Anwar’s visit falls on
the first Friday of the blessed Ramadan month.
He told the premier and the congregation that the
mosque used to be located at an underground parking before moving to the
current location.
According to him, the mosque hosts about 2,500 people
from 30 countries for Friday prayers, adding that they are looking for a bigger
space to accommodate the congregation.
Anwar also presented some donations to the mosque and
11 copies of the Al-Quran — one special edition and 10 copies of English
translation.
There are around 5.5 million Muslims in Germany,
including 140,000 living here. — Bernama
Source:
malaymail.com
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---
Muis to give out $2.6 million of zakat to over 8,600
during Ramadan
MAR 15, 2024
Zhaki Abdullah
SINGAPORE – The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
(Muis) will give out more than $2.6 million of zakat to over 8,600
beneficiaries as part of its annual Ramadan disbursement in 2024.
This is in addition to the monthly zakat assistance
provided to those in need, said Muis chief executive KadirMaideen on March 15.
Zakat is the collection of tithes from the Muslim community for the needy.
“The aim of this special Ramadan Disbursement is to
spread the joy of giving during the blessed month of Ramadan and ease the
burden of families as they usher in the Hari Raya festivities,” said Mr Kadir.
He was speaking at a breaking of the fast event at the
Singapore Islamic Hub, attended by about 140 people, including 57 zakat
beneficiaries.
Attending the event was President Tharman
Shanmugaratnam, together with Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs
MasagosZulkifli and Mufti NazirudinMohd Nasir.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Office Maliki Osman, and Minister of State for Home Affairs and National
Development Faishal Ibrahim.
Mr Kadir added that Muis had increased its annual
grant to the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund Board (LBKM)
from $300,000 to $1 million, allowing for bursaries to be established for more
than 350 additional madrasah students from low-income families.
He added that the Muis-Madrasah Bursary scheme, which
is disbursed through zakat funds, now combines the existing LBKM bursaries and
the Progress Fund Madrasah Assistance Scheme.
This scheme now benefits more needy students,
subsidising their school fees as well as expenses such as transportation and
books.
Under the new scheme, applicants will need to submit
only one application to LBKM, instead of two separate applications, Mr Kadir
said.
The Muslim community’s generosity has transcended
geographical boundaries, the Muis chief executive said, pointing to the more
than $8 million raised by local charity Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF)
for victims of the conflict in Gaza.
These funds are already being used to provide
essential humanitarian assistance, such as healthcare and shelter provisions,
said Mr Kadir.
“Notably, these funds were contributed not only by the
Muslim community, but also Singaporeans from all backgrounds. This act of
generosity truly embodies the values of empathy and care that define us as
Singaporeans,” he added.
The RLAF will conduct another round of humanitarian
fund raising for Gaza between March 20 and March 26.
Source:
straitstimes.com
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/muis-to-give-out-26-million-of-zakat-to-over-8600-during-ramadan
---
Pakistan
PM urges Int’l community to renew mutual respect to
combat Islamophobia
March 15, 2024
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged the
international community to renew its resolve to foster peaceful coexistence,
inter-faith harmony, and mutual respect to combat Islamophobia.
In his message on the International Day to Combat
Islamophobia, he called upon the international community to unreservedly speak
out and act against the rising tide of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.
The Prime Minister said on its part, Pakistan
reaffirms its resolve to work closely with the international community in
promoting dialogue, harmony and mutual understanding across religions, faiths,
cultures and civilizations.
This important day serves to raise global awareness
about the unfounded phobia against Islam and its adherents as well as the need
to present a united front to stamp out this contemporary menace.
The Prime Minister said the International Day comes at
a time of alarming surge worldwide in Islamophobia, fuelled by discriminatory
laws, populist politics, and xenophobic narratives.
He said from ban on public wearing of hijabs to
willful desecration of the Holy Quran, and from vilification of revered
religious personalities to destruction of holy sites, this dangerous form of
religious hatred is infringing upon the basic human rights, dignity and
identity of over 1.5 billion Muslims.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/15-03-2024/pm-urges-intl-community-to-renew-mutual-respect-to-combat-islamophobia
----
Anti-Islamophobia Day Being Observed Due To Efforts Of
Imran Khan
2024-03-16
ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a seminar “Anti-Islamophobia
Day paid glowing tributes to the unlawfully incarcerated Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman-for-life Imran Khan for fighting the case of
Islamophobia effectively and courageously at the UN platform that the Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) lives in our heart, convincing the world to mark March 15 as
International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Speaking on the occasion, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar
said that anti-Islamophobia Day was being observed across the globe due to the
efforts of Imran Khan who raised the issue emphatically.
He stated that neither poverty nor liberalism could be
blamed for terrorism or else there would have been widespread terrorism in the
African and western countries.
Gohar noted that the Muslims world had to realize that
they were miserably failed in the field of science and modern technology; hence
they would have to focus on them to compete the western world the Muslim world
was far behind the race in this regard.
Omar Ayub lauded Imran Khan for convincing the world
to mark March 15 as anti-Islamophobia Day.
He said that Muslims ruled the world because of rule
of law and justice and Imran Khan was also striving for the supremacy of the
constitution and upholding the rule of law in the country.
Omar made it clear that they rejected the government
of form-47 because it lacked public mandate, moral standings and legal
validity.
Speaking on the occasion, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen
(MWM) Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas predicted that the power was shifting
from West to East and Pakistan was the gateway in this game of power shift that
was the reason they were making plans as how to counter or slow the process. He
said that the West entangled the East in conflicts; hence efforts were afoot to
weaken Pakistan but it had significance value in the South Asia.
Nasir Abbas of MWM stated that the power-wielders were
so petrified of Khan that he was attacked, false and fabricated cases were
framed against him and his leaders and the party’s electoral symbol and even
mandate were snatched but nothing could dampen his courage.
He termed February 8 was silent revolution but
February 9 was biggest tragedy after fall of Dhaka when public mandate was
bulldozed.
However, he urged people that they must have to be
ready to break the doors of the jails to get Khan out of the prison.
Asad Qaiser said that PTI’s manifesto was to make
Pakistan as an Islamic Model Welfare State, which meant to form Madina like
state and only the PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan had the qualities to take
practical steps in this regard.
He said that whenever the muslim world faced any issue,
Imran Khan was the only leaders in Ummah who led from the front, as after 9/11
Muslims confronted with great hardship but he fought the case of Ummah
vociferously at all fronts.
Qaiser revealed that when Imran Khan talked about
Muslim bloc in Madina conference and raised the issue of Islamophobia and
rejected slavery, problems started for him.
Ali Muhammad Khan said that Imran Khan gave the
message to Ummah of unity and talked about Islamic bloc due to which the world
feared that another Tipu Sultan was born.
He vowed that Imran Khan would become a prime minister
and would fight the case of Kashmir and Palestine.
Shehryar Afridi congratulated that party leadership
and the organizers of the event and said that more such programs would be
organized at educational institutions because it was their moral responsibility
to educate the people of these issues if they talked about state of Madina or
Naya Pakistan and humanity.
He saluted his leader Imran Khan, who pitched the idea
of Anti-Islamophobia day at the UN to develop the concept of interfaith harmony
in order to engage the west ever first time logically and proactive way Khan.
Shandana Gulzar said that Imran Khan only feared of
Allah; hence he did the courage to take up the issue of Islamophobia at global stage
with full force and expose the world duplicity.
She lamented that Israel forces killed over 32,000
Palestinians of which half of them were children but no Muslim rulers spoke on
the issue, as the people of Palestine only pinned hopes to Imran Khan.
Source:
brecorder.com
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40293911/anti-islamophobia-day-being-observed-due-to-efforts-of-ik
---
Civil, Military leadership reiterate commitment to
work together for prosperous, secure Pakistan
March 15, 2024
Civil and Military leadership of the country have
reiterated the commitment to upholding national interests and working together
for a prosperous and secure Pakistan.
This was expressed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir during Prime Minister's visit
to General Headquarters in Rawalpindi today. He was accompanied by key members
of the Cabinet.
The Prime Minister was received by Chief of Army Staff
General Syed Asim Munir, and was presented guard of honour.
Floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada was laid by the
Prime Minister, to pay tribute to the martyrs.
During the visit, Prime Minister and Cabinet members
engaged in discussions with military leadership on matters of national
security, regional stability and military preparedness.
They were briefed on the current security environment,
threat spectrum, response to the security threats and ongoing counter terrorism
operations.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz
Sharif assured that the Government shall provide all the resources required for
ensuring operational readiness of the Armed Forces.
The Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet
appreciated the professionalism, operational readiness, and sacrifices of
Pakistan Army in war against terrorism.
They also commended the dedication of the Pakistan
Army in safeguarding the nation's territorial integrity and ensuring peace and
stability.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan is destined to rise
and the role of the Armed Forces in ensuring peaceful rise of Pakistan cannot
be over-emphasized.
The COAS thanked the Prime Minister for the visit and
reposing confidence in the Army.
The COAS affirmed that Pakistan Army will continue to
measure up to the nation's expectations and will resolutely support the
Government in addressing the security challenges facing Pakistan.
Source:
radio.gov.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.radio.gov.pk/15-03-2024/civil-military-leadership-reiterate-commitment-to-work-together-for-prosperous-secure-pakistan
---
PM Shehbaz receives congratulatory call from Mohammad
bin Salman
March 16, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday
received a congratulatory phone call from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad
Bin Salman, who reaffirmed his government's support for Pakistan.
PM Shehbaz, who got re-elected as the country's prime
minister for the second time, received felicitation from the Saudi crown prince
— popularly referred to as MBS — and thanked him the warm message of greetings
sent by him immediately after he took the oath of the prime minister office.
During the telephonic conversation, MBS also
emphasised that both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy close brotherly relations.
The prime minister also conveyed his sincerest wishes
and prayers for the health and wellbeing of the Custodian of the two Holy
Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, emphasising that the people of Pakistan
have great love and respect for the Saudi King and the crown prince.
The premier said Pakistan is proud of its historic,
deep rooted and fraternal ties with Saudi Arabia and the two countries have
always stood together through thick and thin. He lauded the Saudi government
for its unwavering commitment and support to Pakistan.
He also wished a blessed month of Ramadan to the Saudi
leadership as well as the Saudi people, and prayed that this holy month brings
peace and prosperity to Muslims all over the world.
PM Shehbaz also invited the crown prince to undertake
an official visit to Pakistan at the earliest convenience.
He told MBS that the people of Pakistan are awaiting
to accord a very warm welcome to him, receiving acknowledgement from him for
the "kind sentiments".
Source:
thenews.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1168754-pm-shehbaz-receives-congratulatory-call-from-mohammad-bin-salman
---
NA resolution condemns Israeli war on Palestinians
JAVAID UR RAHMAN
March 16, 2024
ISLAMABAD -
The National Assembly on Friday passed a resolution categorically condemning
Israeli war on Palestinians. The resolution moved by Shazia Marri denounced
the continued Israeli aggression which has led to the loss of over thirty thousand
lives of Palestinians since October last year.
The resolution called upon the federal government to
play a more proactive role in pushing the international community to enforce a
ceasefire in Gaza. The House also offered fateha for the Palestinians martyred
in Gaza. Meanwhile, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar laid before
the House two bills. These included: The Civil Courts Amendment Bill, 2024 and
the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Amendment Bill, 2024. The chair referred
the bills to the standing committees concerned.
Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar also
laid before the House seven ordinances.
These included: Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation
Amendment Ordinance 2023, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation Amendment Ordinance,
2023, Pakistan Postal Services Management Board Amendment Ordinance, 2023, the
National Highway Authority Amendment Ordinance 2023, the Criminal Law Amendment
Ordinance, 2023, the Privatization Commission Amendment Ordinance, 2023 and
the Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Ordinance, 2023.
The House also passed a resolution moved by the Law
Minister extending the period of the ordinances for a further period of one
hundred and twenty days. At the outset, five newly elected members on women
reserved seats took oath of office. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq administered
the oath. The session has now been prorogued. Also, the National Assembly on
Friday witnessed uproar created by the opposition benches when the government
passed a resolution seeking extension in seven ordinances. The opposition
members from Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chanted anti-government slogans and
registered strong protest. The opposition asked the chair as why the
government presenting ordinances during the session of the national assembly.
Ignoring opposition protest, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tabled
seven ordinances and two bills in the House.
Nominated leader of opposition Omar Ayub, on the
point of order, strongly rejected the ordinances presented during the sitting
of session of this 16th National Assembly. He proposed the chair to take
pictures of those favouring the ordinances as those were “passed to sell
Pakistan” “Can anyone tell, under oath, how many lawmakers in the House have
read it,” he said, indicating members of government benches. Ayub was of the
view that even Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members have no idea about
this legislation. The chair also conducted counting of votes on the extension
of ordinances. As a result, 130 votes came in favour of the resolution and 63
opposed it. Minister for law, on the point of order, responded that pictures
should be taken of those who were committing treason against Pakistan and
writing letters to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He also suggested
the opposition to stand for the country, not behind a “prisoner”. These
remarks further created hullabaloo in the house by the SIC members.
Source:
nation.com.pk
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.nation.com.pk/16-Mar-2024/na-resolution-condemns-israeli-war-on-palestinians
---
Pre-arrest bail of Imran, SIC chief extended in May 9
cases
March 16, 2024
LAHORE/TOBA TEK SINGH: An anti-terrorism court on
Friday extended the pre-arrest bail of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan in three
cases of May 9 riots.
ATC-III judge Arshad Javed heard the bail petitions as
a duty judge as the presiding judge of ATC-I, the relevant court, had been
transferred.
The judge simply adjourned the hearing till March 22
and also extended the bail of the former premier in cases of attacks on Jinnah
House, Askari Tower and Shadman police station.
The judge on March 1 confirmed the pre-arrest bail of
Khan in four cases, including murder of Zille Shah, attack on police outside
Zaman Park, and torching offices of PML-N in Model Town and a container at
Kalma Chowk on May 9 last.
An ATC on Aug 11, 2023, dismissed the pre-arrest bails
of the PTI founding chairman over his non-appearance as he was jailed following
his conviction in the Toshakhana case.
Later, the Lahore High Court, on a petition by Khan,
set aside the decision of the ATC and restored his bail petitions. The high
court also directed the trial court to decide the bail petitions afresh on
merit.
Meanwhile, Faisalabad anti-terrorism court judge
Muhammad Hussain extended the bail before arrest of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)
Chairman and MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, his brother Sahibzada Hassan Raza, his
sister and 17 PTI activists till the next hearing in the May 9 case.
The accused were charged with attacking and ransacking
the ISI office in Faisalabad after the arrest of Imran Khan.
The prosecution informed the court the joint
investigation team had not completed the investigation into the case yet. The
court directed the prosecutor to ask the JIT to complete the investigation at
the earliest.
Besides Raza, his brother and sister, those who
appeared before the court included two MNAs Malik Umer Farooq and Rai Haider
Kharal and three MPAs Hasan Zaka Niazi, Khayal Ahmad Kastro and Asad Mahmood.
Source:
dawn.com
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click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1821733/pre-arrest-bail-of-imran-sic-chief-extended-in-may-9-cases
----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslims-hindus-pakistan-o-kashmir-caa/d/131937