Slanderous Remarks About Muslims: People With Beards And Caps Around Temples Will Be Beaten up, A BJP MLA, Allegedly, says

New Age Islam News Bureau

28 October 2023

 

Representational image.

File picture

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India

·         'Good Fortune', Say Muslim Artisans Involved In Carving Work Of Ayodhya Ram Temple

·         Over 50 Students And Civil Society Members Detained During Pro-Palestine Protest At Jantar Mantar

·         Muslim Body Removes Shashi Tharoor From Palestine Solidarity Event Amid Row

·         For The Third Consecutive Friday, Prayers At Kashmir's Grand Mosque At Jamia Mosque Not Allowed, Mirwaiz Under House Arrest: Anjuman Auqaf

·         The Maulana Azad Vichar Manch Meet Today To Seek Reservation For Muslims In Education

·         To Preach Ideology Among Students, RSS Holds Shakhas In Delhi University-Affiliated College

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North America

·         Israel – Hamas War: With No Fanfare Or Acknowledgment, Biden Hosts White House Meeting With Muslim Leaders

·         CAIR Condemns ‘Reprehensible’ Hate Letter to Md. Palestinian Family Glorifying Genocide in Gaza

·         New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza cease-fire

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Arab World

·         Saudi, Jordanian foreign ministers discuss mobilizing UN support for Gaza

·         Delegation from Joint Coalition Forces Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen Visits Hajjah

·         Defence Ministry and GCC Organize Training Courses, Workshops to Enhance Military Media Cooperation

·         KSrelief provides shelter, aid for those hit by Cyclone Tej in Yemen

·         Saudi Human Rights Commission holds workshop to combat human trafficking

·         KSrelief Launches 2nd Phase of Food Security Support Project in Port Sudan

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Mideast

·         Meeting With UN Chief, FM Reiterates Iran's Support For Palestine In Face Of Israel's 'Bestial Crimes'

·         Hamas Warns Of New Massacre As Israel Threatens To Bomb Gaza’s Largest Hospital

·         Bosnian mosque calls for night prayer as Israel intensifies attacks on Gaza

·         Iran's Sunni Leader Calls For The Release Of Detainees

·         Terrorist Called From The Scene Of The Massacre To His Commander In Gaza: 'I Swear To Allah We Will Destroy Them'

·         Israeli Forces Intensify Gaza Bombardment, Cut All Communication

·         How Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is impacting the mental health of Palestinian children

·         Turkiye’s Erdogan urges Israel to stop ‘madness’ and end Gaza strikes

·         Israeli warplanes hit 150 ‘underground targets’ in Gaza

·         Thousands rally worldwide in solidarity with Palestinians

·         Hamas: Israel preparing to commit more genocide away from eyes of world

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Europe

·         Islamist Group Hizb ut-Tahrir Banned From Instagram And TikTok After Jihad Chants At London Protest

·         SpanishRoman Catholic Clergy Sexually Abused Over 200,000 Children, Says Report

·         UN Body On Racism Voices Concern About Israeli Racist Hate Speech Against Palestinians

·         Over 300 Muslim Councillors Demand UK’s Labour Party To Call For Cease-Fire In Gaza

·         Russia To Debate Church’s Radical New Abortion Proposal

·         London Hate Crimes Rise Again In Wake Of Middle East Conflict

·         MP Who Condemned UK Leaders For ‘Aiding’ Israeli ‘War Crimes’ Arrested On Suspicion Of Rape, Drug Possession

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South Asia

·         A Mosque Resembling Dome Of The RockIn Jerusalem Built On Wazir Akbar Khan Hill In Kabul

·         Deadly Blast Hits Boxing Club In Shia Neighbourhood Of Afghan Capital

·         Awami League Leaders And Activists Throng 'Peace Rally' Venue At Baitul Mukarram South Gate

·         ISIS claims responsibility for attack on Sports Club in western Kabul

·         Sirajuddin Haqqani Calls Israeli Attack on Gaza a 'Crime'

·         Badruddin Haqqani appointed Afghanistan’s ambassador in UAE

·         Call to free all Human rights defenders after MatiullahWesa’s release

·         Islamic Emirate Appoints Embassy Chargé d'affaires in UAE

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Southeast Asia

·         Thailand To Be First Southeast Asian That  Country Plans To Legalize Gay Marriage

·         PKR Reps Join Calls For Education Ministry To Revisit ‘Palestine Solidaruty Week’ In Schools After Replica Arms Controversy

·         Muslim Care Malaysia: Three trailers carrying RM7.2m worth of humanitarian aid partly donated by Malaysians headed to Gaza by Monday

·         Maim appointed as official coordinator to collect funds for Palestine in Melaka to avoid misuse, says exco

·         MB Onn Hafiz calls on Johorians to continue to stand up, express solidarity with Palestinians

·         Large crowd hold pro-Palestinian rally outside US embassy

·         Malaysians donate RM23 million to Palestine aid fund

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Africa

·         LGBTQ+ Individuals Face Mass Arrests In Nigeria, As Activists Decry Ignored Abuses

·         Israel-Gaza War: Nigeria, others vote in favour of immediate ceasefire

·         No law in Nigeria forbids non-Muslim from becoming FCT minister – Rivers elite tell Gumi

·         Supreme Court verdict: MURIC urges Atiku to congratulate Tinubu, says ‘you’re both Muslims before becoming politicians

·         Police arrest medical doctor for child trafficking, rescue four children in Rivers

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Pakistan

·         Imran ‘Fears For His Life’ After Relief Denied In Cipher Case

·         Announcements In Mosques: Illegal Foreigners Asked To Leave Country

·         Senate Passes Resolution Strongly Reaffirming Pakistan's Solidarity With Kashmiris

·         UN urges Pakistan to halt Afghan deportations

·         More crossings opened to speed up deportation drive

·         Baloch student picked up by police from Punjab University

·         Pindi to arrest 24,000 undocumented Afghans

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL:    https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/slanderous-remarks-muslims-beards-temples-bjp/d/130997

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Slanderous Remarks About Muslims: People With Beards And Caps Around Temples Will Be Beaten, Alleges BJP MLA

 

Representational image.

File picture

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27.10.23

A BJP lawmaker from Jharkhand has allegedly said that people who wear a beard or a cap or eat beef would be beaten up if found near Hindu religious places.

A 67-second video that emerged on Wednesday purportedly shows Kushwaha Shashi Bhushan Mehta, MLA from Panki in Palamau district, making slanderous remarks about Muslims in Hindi without naming the community.

In the video, a garlanded man resembling the MLA appears to be saying that “such people” (Muslims) first participate in Hindu religious events and then disrupt them, and that this will not be tolerated any longer.

The speaker adds that he has already raised the matter in the Jharkhand Assembly and will now raise it in the streets too.

He goes on to say that “these people” disrupted the Shaurya Yatra organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal on October 3.

He then purportedly threatens that if “dadhiwale” (bearded people), “topiwale” (those wearing caps) and beef-eaters are seen near Hindu religious places, they will be beaten up.

A local reporter with a news channel in Palamau said the video had been filmed during the foundation-stone event for a wedding hall in Panki on Tuesday, Vijaya Dashami.

In a state ruled by a JMM-Congress-RJD alliance, the police had not registered an FIR for hate speech till 5.30pm on Thursday, when this report was filed, despite the video being in circulation for nearly 24 hours.

Palamau superintendent of police ReeshmaRamesan said: “We are examining the video and are yet to lodge an FIR as nobody has lodged any complaint so far.”

Reminded about the Supreme Court directive in April to police forces across the country to register FIRs suomotu (by themselves) against hate speeches, Ramesan said: “We will take action only after examining the video.”

Congress and JMM spokespersons issued similar statements condemning the MLA’s speech but were tight-lipped on the police’s failure to register an FIR.

State Congress president Rajesh Thakur simply said the police should act. “BJP leaders have fallen back on hate speech as they have nothing else to show the voters,” Thakur said.

“The BJP think-tank is welcoming hate speech makers back into the party, and so other leaders are taking the cue. However, people will give them a fitting reply during the polls.”

JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey too said the BJP was falling back on hate speeches.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/people-with-beards-and-caps-around-temples-will-be-beaten-alleges-bjp-mla/cid/1975570

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India Abstained From Voting On UN Resolution Calling For Sustained Humanitarian Truce' Between Israeli Forces And Hamas In Gaza

 

India Deputy Envoy to UN Yojna Patel (Twitter Photo)

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Oct 28, 2023

NEW DELHI: India urged both Israel and Hamas to 'de-escalate, eschew violence' during the United Nations General Assembly Emergency Special Session as it was 'deeply concerned' over the worsening security situation and the astounding loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict.

Yojna Patel, India's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said during the session, "India is deeply concerned at the deteriorating security situation and the astounding loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict. The escalation of hostilities in the region will only exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. It is necessary for all parties to display the utmost responsibility."

Capture

"India has always supported a negotiated two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders side by side in peace with Israel. For this, we urge the parties to de-escalate, eschew violence and work towards creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations. We hope that the deliberations of this assembly will send a clear message against terror and violence and expand prospects for diplomacy and dialogue while addressing the humanitarian crisis that confronts us," she said.

Patel strongly denounced the Hamas attacks on Israel that occurred on October 7, describing them as deeply distressing. She also stressed upon the need for immediate and unconditional release of the hostages. "The terror attacks in Israel on 7th October were shocking and deserve condemnation. Our thoughts are also with those taken hostage. We call for their immediate and unconditional release. Terrorism is a malignancy and knows no borders, nationality or race. The world should not buy into any justification of terror acts. Let us keep aside differences, unite and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism," she added.

Patel also expressed deep concern over the ongoing casualties in Gaza, describing them as a compelling and persistent issue. She emphasised the imperative of addressing the humanitarian crisis and said that India appreciates the international community's endeavors to de-escalate the situation and provide much-needed humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an 'immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce' between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza. The resolution was passed with a majority of 120 that voted in favour while 14 voted against. 45 nations including India abstained from voting.

With agency inputs

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/deeply-concerned-india-on-israel-hamas-war-at-united-nations/articleshow/104767148.cms

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Israel-Hamas War: The U.S. Faces a Public Relations Crisis in the Arab and Muslim World

 

Demonstrators in Ankara wave Turkish and Palestinian flags during a rally in solidarity with Palestinians on October 14, 2023.. Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images

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October 27, 2023

Farah Pandith

How is the Israel-Hamas war affecting opinions of the United States in Arab and Muslim communities globally?

In the wake of Hamas’s horrific terrorist attack on innocent Israeli citizens on October 7, much of the world is aflame with anti-U.S. rhetoric, particularly Muslim and Arab communities. Many in the Middle East see a seamless connection between the actions of Israel and the United States. The Joe Biden administration’s declarations that “the United States has Israel’s back” and its reaffirmation of the United States’ “ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security have further contributed to that perception, despite the fact that Biden has engaged robustly with a diverse array of faith communities.

Is there a divergence of opinion between regional leaders and publics?

In general, leaders and publics have been quick and united in calls for a cease-fire and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza. Yet, there has been little criticism of Hamas. Significantly, Saudi Arabia’s initial official response to October 7 referred to Hamas simply as a “Palestinian faction” and displayed a shocking lack of leadership about terrorism given 9/11’s impact on that nation. Some leaders, however, are meaningfully engaging with the United States. These include Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is negotiating with Hamas to release its hostages, and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, who is working with the Biden administration to send humanitarian aid into Gaza.

But leaders’ commitments and comments have varied depending on their countries’ official ties with Israel. Some signatories of the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, have taken a relatively firm public stance, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which called Hamas’s attacks “a grave escalation.” But other states that haven’t normalized relations with Israel, such as Kuwait, have yet to condemn Hamas.

Meanwhile, even though several leaders in the region are generally pro-West and have relations with Israel, their people remain strongly opposed to any diplomacy with the country and remain outraged over its military actions in Gaza. For instance, in Jordan—a U.S. ally that signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1998—only 3 percent of respondents in a 2020 Arab Barometer poll said they favoured normalization between Israel and countries such as Bahrain and the UAE.

Now, many regional leaders feel an urgent need to support Palestinians, as well as try to build agency and domestic popularity—perhaps to fortify their un-democratic rule. Since 9/11, many regional leaders have become increasingly aware that, as high-profile Muslims, their words reach audiences beyond their own borders. Some have taken this opportunity to offer a clear distinction between Islam and Hamas’s vile attacks. In a speech last week, Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed, “Our religion came with a message of peace. The Pact of Omar, issued at the gates of Jerusalem almost 15 centuries ago, more than a thousand years before the Geneva Conventions, ordered Muslim soldiers not to kill a child, a woman or an old person, not to destroy a tree, not to harm a priest, not to destroy a church.”

How can the United States mitigate the damage?

Alarmingly, the country is in a similar predicament to the post-9/11 era. The United States does not have control of the narrative nor the capacity from a messaging standpoint to deal with this fast-paced, emotionally charged moment. Amid the initial U.S. counterterrorism response to al-Qaeda’s 2001 attacks, U.S. officials were similarly confused about how to allay intensifying anti-American sentiments in Arab and Muslim communities, and frustrated about having to counter al-Qaeda’s claims that the West was at war with Islam. While Hamas’s charter specifically calls for the destruction of Israel and eradication of Jews, the al-Qaeda narrative that the West hates Islam is foundational to the ecosystem that enables Hamas’s worldview. Thus, the post-9/11 period offers lessons and a potential roadmap for U.S. policymakers to meet this moment.

American leaders learned through that process that hard-to-swallow narratives coming out of Arab and Muslim communities were not only difficult to rebuff, but were entrenched across generations, genders, and geographies. The U.S. response was to create powerful White House–led initiatives and new mechanisms for civil society engagement.

Even though emotions are fierce and loud right now, the administration needs to remain active and clear in its engagement with these communities. In the coming weeks and months, that will require nuanced and deliberate language from administration officials and thought leaders outside of government. To broaden engagement with Muslims and Arabs globally, the administration should identify areas of common ground to connect with Generation Z (Gen Z) and Millennials and build relationships with these critical demographics despite the naysayers.

It is vital that the Biden administration draw comparisons between the terrorist acts committed by Hamas and the past actions of other groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda. In 1999, the Taliban’s public execution of a mother in a Kabul, Afghanistan, sports stadium elicited fierce condemnation from Muslims worldwide. And in 2004, videos of al-Qaeda in Iraq’s beheadings of civilians resulted in similar outrage—even from some al-Qaeda leaders and Islamic scholars. Al Jazeera, the highly influential Qatari news network, routinely broadcast those condemnations.

Yet, in the aftermath of October 7, Al Jazeera has yet to call Hamas a terrorist group. In many Arab and Muslim communities, public perceptions of Hamas differ from opinions on the Taliban and al-Qaeda. With delicate handling, the Biden administration needs to speak out about that hypocrisy and reassert an aversion to violence against civilians as potential, initial common ground. Because Al Jazeera has a powerful ability to drive narratives, the United States will need to develop an effective public diplomacy engine that can proactively disseminate information to make this happen.

The country needs to finally turn its attention to the work of influencing culture in a real way. Increasing the budget for public diplomacy generally, rebooting the Global Engagement Centre, ramping up partnerships with private-sector experts on Gen Z and Millennials, and finding new ways to bring together authentic voices would be a start. The Biden administration will have to expand its thinking about the laws that prohibit domestic audiences from consuming the programming it creates for overseas ones. The 1948 Smith-Mundt Act, which still largely does that, is a Cold War–era relic designed for a different, less interconnected era.

The administration also has to address the teeming social media environment, where regular people are producing content, fuelling emotions, and sustaining narratives on platforms as diverse as TikTok, Twitter/X, and WhatsApp. Social media’s ability to rapidly spread information and disinformation across platforms will drive faster-paced, more sinister ripple effects from this war, with the potential to increase social discord and complicate policymaking. The U.S. government should demand that U.S.-headquartered social platforms take firm measures to enforce their terms of service and reduce the spread of hate ideology, and it should continue the pressure on foreign platforms to do the same.

U.S. leaders also need to think beyond this crisis and develop a multidimensional strategy that commits to building out long-term relationships with Arab and Muslim communities. The country needs a refreshed view of the Middle East that considers the new realities and possibilities for younger decision-makers and populations. Soft power’s role here is important, and the United States’ dedicated time, money, and interest will matter in diplomacy, dialogue, and development.

What might the consequences be for U.S. foreign policy if there is a broad, negative shift in how the United States is viewed in the Arab and Muslim world?

Based on the United States’ ability to weather previous flare-ups in the Middle East, it’s unlikely that there will be serious, long-term economic or diplomatic consequences for the United States and other Western democracies, but the situation in Gaza will complicate foreign policy efforts. It will now be on the agenda in any of the United States’ regional engagements, as the “war on terror” was post 9/11. Entrenched viewpoints and beliefs will harden publics and make it challenging to engage with them.

The United States’ enemies in the region now also have more political cover for anti-U.S. actions, and since October 7, there have been multiple attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. While some look to push the United States out of the region, it’s critical for the United States to redouble its engagements and not leave a dangerous vacuum that could be filled by China, Russia, or a dangerous nonstate actor.

There will also be new risks for the homeland. Populations across the world are building off of each other’s emotions and ideas. The Department of Homeland Security has warned that targeted violence against Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, Muslims, and those who are sometimes mistaken for members of those religions, such as Sikhs, could increase in the United States as the conflict in Gaza progresses. The country has already seen a preview of this with the hate-fueled murder of a Palestinian boy in Illinois and bomb threats targeting synagogues. There is a real danger that extremists such as neo-Nazis could capitalize on this moment to carry out attacks and recruit people who see Muslims or Jews as a common enemy. Increased violence could also increase domestic support for hard-line political candidates.

All of this could affect the 2024 presidential election. Already, this conflict has exacerbated generational tensions between the Biden administration and young Americans, who are a key voting bloc for Democrats and tend to be more critical of Israel. Some college students are even labeling Hamas militants as freedom fighters. The harrowing images and stories coming out of the Middle East could spark further anti-Biden backlash among religious and diaspora communities in the United States, many of which are concentrated in swing states. As this conflict unfolds, the administration has a moral and strategic imperative to do more to counter anti-Muslim hate, anti-Arab hate, and antisemitism. Doing so will help it achieve both its foreign and domestic policy goals.

Source: cfr.org

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https://www.cfr.org/article/us-faces-public-relations-crisis-arab-and-muslim-world

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Saudi Arabia Warns US Of ‘Catastrophic’ Consequences – NYT

 

Photo: Global Village Space

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28 Oct, 2023

Saudi Arabia has voiced grave concerns to US officials over Israel’s impending ground assault on Gaza, saying the incursion could be “catastrophic” for the Middle East, according to the New York Times.

During a meeting with US lawmakers in Riyadh last week, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warned that an Israeli invasion of Gaza would be “extremely harmful” for the broader region, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told the NYT.

“The Saudi leadership was hopeful that a ground operation could be avoided for reasons of stability as well as the loss of life,” he said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who was part of the US delegation, added that the crown prince sought to prevent “a longer and deeper conflict” in the Middle East.

Bin Salman voiced similar fears directly to US President Joe Biden when the two leaders spoke on Wednesday, stressing the need to avoid “a situation that affects the security and stability of the region.” He went on to call for a “fair and comprehensive peace” that secures the “legitimate rights” of Palestinians, and urged Israel to lift its “siege” on Gaza.

The White House has signaled strong support for Israel since a deadly Hamas attack earlier this month, and responded to the heightened tensions with military deployments across the Middle East. US officials say the moves were meant to deter outside actors from taking part in the Gaza war, frequently pointing to Iran and affiliated militia groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.

During his call with Bin Salman, Biden also spoke of the need to “prevent the conflict from expanding,” suggesting that “state and non-state actors” would seek to get involved.

Other Arab leaders have echoed Bin Salman’s concerns in recent days. At the Cairo Summit for Peace in Egypt last weekend, Jordan’s King Abdullah said the world must “work urgently” for a ceasefire, warning of a “humanitarian disaster pushing our entire region into the abyss.”

Though the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have so far delayed a full-scale ground attack on Gaza, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has outlined a three-stage plan to eliminate Hamas and establish a new “security regime” in the Palestinian territory, beginning with airstrikes and followed by “manoeuvres” on the ground.

The IDF has mobilized 360,000 reservists in preparation for the assault, and has pounded Gaza with daily air raids for nearly three weeks. More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the latest bout of violence, in addition to over 7,000 Palestinians, according to local officials.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/586026-saudi-gaza-catastrophic-consequences/

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Iran: Execution of 15 Prisoners, Including 5 Baluch Compatriots, by the Inhumane Mullahs’ Regime in 4 Days; 80 Executions in 30 Days

 

Representative Image

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27th October 2023

In a ruthless display of terror and intimidation, the inhumane mullahs’ regime, driven by fear of an uprising, continues its relentless execution of prisoners. On Thursday, October 26, Khamenei’s henchmen hanged five prisoners, including four Baluch compatriots, in Birjand Central Prison. Among those executed was Mohammad Nabi Shahouzehi (Lojje’i), the uncle of the martyr of uprising KhodanoorLojje’i, who was shot and wounded by the regime’s forces in Zahedan on September 30 and later succumbed to his injuries.

Abdul Basir Mohammadani (Rand), Mohammad Mirshah, Reza Shahraki, and Omid Jovini were among the other prisoners executed yesterday.

On Wednesday, October 25, four prisoners were hanged by the judiciary’s executioners. A Baluch compatriot named Hayatollah Eiduzehi (Barahui) in Kerman Central Prison, Jalil SeyedRezaei in Qazvin Central Prison, and two other prisoners in Qezelhessar Prison met the same fate.

On October 24, three prisoners in Qezelhessar and Khoy prisons, and on October 23, three prisoners by the names of Asghar Jafari, Majid Mousaii, and Ali Khayrbin were taken to the gallows in Shiraz Prison.

Consequently, in the past four days, the regime’s judiciary has executed at least 15 prisoners. Additionally, in the 30 days leading up to this, beyond the executions announced in the October 22 statement, at least six other prisoners were hanged. This includes three prisoners, Khosrow Nafiani, DavoudHeidari, and DariushBahrami, in Karaj Central Prison on Sunday, October 22, a Baluch compatriot in Zahedan Central Prison on Saturday, October 21, and HamedHeidari in the Central Prison on Thursday, October 19. The total number of these criminal executions by the mullahs’ regime has reached 80 in the one-month period from September 23 to October 22.

Once again, the Iranian Resistance calls on the United Nations, the European Union, and member states to condemn these criminal executions and take urgent action to stop the mullahs’ regime’s killing machine. Silence and inaction in the face of a regime that, in the 21st century, relies solely on executions, terrorism, and warmongering, tramples well-established human rights principles, fuels terrorism, and jeopardizes world peace.

Source: ncr-iran.org

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https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/ncri-statements/statement-human-rights/iran-execution-of-15-prisoners-including-5-baluch-compatriots-by-the-inhumane-mullahs-regime-in-4-days-80-executions-in-30-days/

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India

'Good fortune', say Muslim artisans involved in carving work of Ayodhya Ram Temple

Oct 28, 2023

As the date of the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya approaches, craftsmen in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur Sikri and Kheragarh are working day and night to create unique carvings on the red sandstone which will be used in the temple.

Among these craftsmen are several Muslim men who said they are proud that their art is being used in the construction of the Ram Temple. They are among the artisans who are carving by hand the pillars which will be installed in the temple.

Indiatoday.in has learnt that 65 craftsmen from two Agra-based companies, Jai Constructions and Rajput Enterprises, are engaged in the construction of the Ram Temple. These craftsmen carve the red sandstones using traditional tools.

The Muslim craftsmen who are engaged in the carving work consider it their good fortune.

KishanSwaroop, who is supervising the work, said about 500 cubic feet of stone have been prepared so far.

Shilpi Mahavir Singh, a craftsman, said they have been continuously carving these stones for two years. He said with the inauguration date being fixed, the work will be done at a fast pace.

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on January 22, 2024.

Notably, the red sandstone of Fatehpur Sikri and other areas of Agra was used not only in the construction of Ram Temple but also in the construction of the old Parliament building.

The same stone has also been used in the Fatehpur Sikri Fort, Agra Fort and several other Mughal-era buildings.

Source: indiatoday.in

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https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/muslim-craftsmen-of-agra-are-carving-stones-of-ayodhya-ram-temple-2454797-2023-10-28

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Over 50 Students And Civil Society Members Detained During Pro-Palestine Protest At Jantar Mantar

28.10.23

Police on Friday briefly detained over 50 students and civil society members who gathered at Jantar Mantar for a pro-Palestine protest, police said.

Demonstrators had arrived in different batches at Jantar Mantar and were subsequently detained, a senior police officer said.

"Since the protesters did not have permission, they were detained. They were taken to different police stations of Delhi," said a police officer.

The demonstrators raised "Free Palestine" slogans, demanding immediate ceasefire between the two countries which have been locked in war since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. Since then thousands have been killed by Israel's retaliatory strikes.

There has been mounting global concerns over the plight of civilians in Gaza in view of Israel's punitive air strikes.

The demonstrators tried to march towards Jantar Mantar, raising slogans in favour of Palestine. When the protesters reached Jantar Mantar, policemen along with paramilitary forces pushed them into police buses.

"This protest is just about showing solidarity with Palestinians," a protester shouted from a police van as they were being detained.

Some of the demonstrators alleged that they were detained even before the protest could start. They said the protestors were manhandled. Police officials, however, refuted the charge, saying the there was no permission for the demonstration. "No one was allowed to violate law and order," said the police officer.

On October 7, Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent fighters -- through land, air and sea -- into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip.

More than 1,400 people were killed in the unprecedented attacks on Israel by Hamas on October 7. Hamas has held more than 220 people hostage in Gaza.

According to authorities in Gaza, around 6,500 people have been killed in retaliatory strikes by Israel.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/over-50-students-and-civil-society-members-detained-during-pro-palestine-protest-at-jantar-mantar/cid/1975903

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Muslim Body Removes Shashi Tharoor From Palestine Solidarity Event Amid Row

October 28, 2023

Thiruvananthapuram: The Mahal Empowerment Mission (MEM), an organisation of Muslim Jamaaths functioning in the state capital, on Friday decided to remove senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor from its Palestine solidarity event scheduled here on October 30.

The MEM of the Jamaaths from 100 wards in the city corporation, took the decision in the wake of the controversy over Mr Tharoor's recent statement at a Palestine solidarity rally organised by the Indian Union Muslim League a day ago, in which he said the October 7 attack on Israel was a terrorist strike.

"We have communicated to Tharoor that we have decided to remove him from the programme," MEM president ShajahanSreekaryam told PTI.

Facing an intense social media attack, Mr Tharoor has issued a clarification, saying he has always been with the people of Palestine and he does not agree with the propagation of just one sentence from his speech at the IUML rally.

The IUML, a key ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, organised a massive rally in northern Kozhikode on Thursday, denouncing the reported indiscriminate killings of civilians, including women and children, in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of IUML supporters took part in the Palestine Solidarity Human Rights rally, inaugurated by IUML leader Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali ShihabThangal.

Mr Tharoor, who was the chief guest, said innocent women and children suffered casualties, initially in Israel and subsequently in Gaza, and emphasised the imperative of ending this conflict.

In unequivocal terms, Mr Tharoor also condemned the attack carried out by Hamas in Israel on October 7, describing it as an 'act of terror'

Source: ndtv.com

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https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/muslim-body-removes-shashi-tharoor-from-palestine-solidarity-event-amid-row-4521696

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For The Third Consecutive Friday, Prayers At Kashmir's Grand Mosque At Jamia Mosque Not Allowed, Mirwaiz Under House Arrest: Anjuman Auqaf

Oct 27, 2023

For the third consecutive Friday, prayers at Kashmir's grand mosque were not allowed and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest due to concerns of protests over the Gaza bombings. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is described as a "fragile normalcy."

For the third consecutive Friday, the weekly prayers were not allowed at Kashmir’s grand mosque, Jamia Masjid, and the chief cleric and Hurriyat chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest, Anjuman Auqaf, the managing body of the mosque, said.

The administration had raised concerns regarding the possibility of protests over bombardment of Gaza by Israel.

“The gates of the mosque have been closed by the authorities and Mirwaiz has been placed under house detention,” the Anjuman Auqaf said.

All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), led by Farooq, said that these repeated closures were reminders that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is of a “fragile normalcy”.

Farooq was not allowed to deliver a sermon at AastanAaliyaDastgeer Sahib Shrine at Khanyar on Wednesday.

Since October 13, the Friday prayers have not been allowed at the grand mosque as security forces had apprehensions that there could be protests in support of Palestine.

“While no reason for these bars is publicly given by the authorities , but if the reason is fear of display of support and solidarity by the people of Kashmir with the hapless people of Palestine being bombed by Israel , that solidarity was and will be there for them as fellow humans and Muslims. Kashmiris stand with the people of Palestine, irrespective of bans and restrictions on them,” the Hurriyat said.

Last month, Farooq was released after four years of house detention and he led Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid in the old city on September 22.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/friday-prayers-not-allowed-at-jamia-mosque-mirwaiz-under-house-arrest-anjuman-auqaf-101698427768648.html

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The Maulana Azad Vichar Manch Meet Today To Seek Reservation For Muslims In Education

 October 28, 2023

The Maulana Azad Vichar Manch has convened a day-long conclave at Mumbai’s Islam Gymkhana on Saturday to demand quota for Muslim community in education. Leaders from different political parties will take part in the conclave.

They include Dr Farooq Abdullah, Dr Salman Khurshid, Sharad Pawar, Nana Patole, Aaditya Thackeray, Arvind Sawant and Varsha Gaikwad among others, the organisers said. President of Maulana Vichar Manch, Husain Dalwai, said the condition of the Muslim community is even worse than the Maratha and OBC communities in Maharashtra.

Just as funds are provided in the budget for backward classes and tribals on the basis of their population, funds should be made available to the Muslim community.

For the educational development of the community, 100% scholarships should be given from primary to higher education, government hostels should be provided at district level…, the organisers said in a press conference.

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/meet-today-to-seek-reservation-for-muslims-in-education-9002842/

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To preach ideology among students, RSS holds shakhas in Delhi University-affiliated college

28.10.23

Basant Kumar Mohanty

The RSS held a shakha (assembly) at the Delhi University-affiliated Swami Shraddhanand College on October 20 to preach its ideology among students.

A faculty member at another DU-affiliated institution, Lakshmibai College, said the RSS had organised multiple shakhas on the campus since September.

It’s also become a trend among DU departments and colleges to invite functionaries of the RSS or its affiliates to seminars and conferences, often solely because of their positions in these saffron organisations, a veteran teacher told this newspaper.

NanditaNarain, former president of the DU teachers’ association, termed the trend “misuse of the public university space” and the “politicisation of campuses”.

A student of Shraddhanand College said about 25 students had attended the shakha, which he said featured prayers, discussions and various exercises. He could not give details since he had not attended the event.

The college has regularly been inviting people associated with the RSS-BJP to its official events. On October 18, Delhi BJP “sangathanmantri” Pawan Rana and the Bharatiya Janata YuvaMorcha’s Delhi president, Shashi Yadav, were invited to the college’s Meri Mati Meri Desh programme, part of a government campaign to pay tribute to martyrs of the freedom struggle.

On October 4, the college had organised a conference — Svavalambee Bharat Abhiyan Ke Antargat: UdyamitaProtsahan Sammelan — to encourage entrepreneurs to help India become self-reliant. Deepak Sharma, Sanjay Gaur and Rajendra Saini of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch — the RSS think-tank on economic issues — and BJP district president Satyanarayan Gautam were invited.

Leaders of the DU unit of RSS student arm ABVP were invited as guests to the oath-taking ceremony for those newly elected to the college students’ union on October 16. After protests by students, a university-level leader of Congress student arm NSUI too was invited.

“In our college, there is administrative support for the RSS and its affiliated organisations,” a student said.

Suraj Yadav Mandal, a teacher at the college, said the RSS had intensified its activities in the colleges and the departments of DU in recent years.

“Now they are doing it openly. The posters for seminars and conferences now mention RSS functionaries, with their designations, as guests,” Mandal said.

“RSS people address faculty members, with newly recruited teachers forced to sit through the sessions.”

At Lakshmibai College, those conducting RSS shakhas “mostly engage with the students” though “some faculty members join them too”, a teacher said.

In April, Delhi University had organised a programme on the Panchang — a Hindu calendar and almanac — and Indian traditional knowledge “in the light of the National Education Policy 2020”. The poster introduced the chief guest as Ramlal, stating his designation as all-India communications chief of the RSS.

Narain said Vishwa Hindu Parisad president Kapil Khanna was the guest of honour at a conference on value addition courses, organised by the DU-affiliated Janki Devi Memorial College in May.

“If a person is holding a government post or is a very well-known expert in a subject, he or she may be called in that capacity, irrespective of his or her political affiliations (RSS or otherwise),” Narain told The Telegraph.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/rashtriya-swayamsevak-sangh-holds-shakhas-in-delhi-university-affiliated-colleges/cid/1975840

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North America

 

Israel –Hamas War:With No Fanfare Or Acknowledgment, Biden Hosts White House Meeting With Muslim Leaders

Oct. 28, 2023

Peter Nicholas

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden quietly hosted a meeting Thursday for a handful of Muslim leaders, according to four sources familiar with the White House gathering, as he faces pressure from the Arab American community over what they contend is his comparative disregard for the Palestinian civilian deaths and domestic threats arising from the war between Israel and Hamas.

The White House neither announced the afternoon meeting in advance nor even confirmed that it happened — a vivid contrast to the approach taken when Biden met with Jewish leaders four days after the war began. At that event, Biden gave televised remarks in which he reaffirmed his “unshakeable” bond with Israel and people of the Jewish faith.

One person who attended the session on Thursday said they would have preferred if the White House acknowledged the meeting and publicized the president's remarks.

“The optics don’t look good,” the attendee said, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk freely about the discussion with Biden. “We hope the White House moves forward with providing equal measures of transparency, inclusion and respect.”

For all the secrecy the White House attached to the meeting, some of the participants appeared happy to discuss it. A second attendee, Rami Nashashibi of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network, held a news conference in Chicago on Friday to lay out what took place.

Biden spent about an hour talking privately to the Muslim leaders. He invited them to voice concerns and asked their opinions on policy and messaging matters, a person familiar with his comments said.

Gathered in the West Wing, the guests asked Biden to call for a cease-fire in the war, the person who was in the room said. Some also objected that Biden didn’t seem to show enough sympathy for civilians dying in the conflict, nor the plight of Muslim Americans facing discrimination at home, the person added.

“It was a frank, candid, emotional discussion to drive home the point that we need to see better humanization of Palestinians and recognition of their loss,” the person who attended the meeting said. “Half of Gaza is children, and it was conveyed to the president that his statements fell short and didn’t show empathy.”

“We raised concerns about intimidation and hate against our communities. The president really took that to heart and left the participants hopeful that he would address this.”

In addition to Nashashibi, according to sources, the guests included Keith Ellison, who had been the first Muslim elected to Congress and is now attorney general of Minnesota; Wa’elAlzayat, the CEO of Emgage, a group devoted to educating and mobilizing Muslim voters; Suzanne Barakat, board chair of Our Three Winners, which aims to curb prejudice against Muslims; and Imam Mohamed Magid, of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society.

The meeting comes at a moment when the White House is stepping up its outreach to Arab, Palestinian and Muslim Americans across the country and inside the federal government.

After making a series of public statements at the outset of the war reaffirming his solidarity with Israel, Biden over the past two weeks has recalibrated his language to show more concern for the civilians who’ve died in the Israeli counterattack. He has told Israeli leaders not to let understandable anger over Hamas’ massacre of 1,400 Israelis shape the lethality of the country’s response.

Biden, in the meeting, "made it very clear that his administration is working very hard to avoid escalation," the participant said.

Many Arab-American leaders remain dissatisfied with Biden’s rhetoric, even though he is talking more about the importance of Israeli restraint. At a news conference on Wednesday, Biden was asked about mounting numbers of civilians who’ve died from Israel’s aerial bombardment.

“I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging war,” Biden said.

The Muslim leaders flagged that comment in their conversation with Biden as an example of hurtful language.

They told him the statement was “very harmful and dehumanizing and, as someone who is known for being an empathic figure, we really need to do better,” the participant said.

Biden’s response was that he merely meant to question Hamas’ credibility in releasing civilian casualty numbers, the person added.

A year away from the presidential election, Muslim leaders are warning that Biden could face a voter backlash over his handling of the war. If successful, the White House's extensive outreach campaign could help mollify a constituency that is especially important in Michigan, a battleground state that Biden won in 2020.

"I'm not surprised the meeting happened," said Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). "It's the result of growing pressure on him [Biden] and anger that is growing nationwide against him because of his one-sided, unfair policy."

"In my personal capacity as someone who voted for him, he lost my vote," Awad added.

Source: nbcnews.com

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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-hosts-meeting-muslim-leaders-rcna122433

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CAIR Condemns ‘Reprehensible’ Hate Letter to Md. Palestinian Family Glorifying Genocide in Gaza

October 27, 2023

(BALTIMORE, MD, 10/27/2023) – The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a hate letter mailed to a Palestinian-American family glorifying the brutal genocide unfolding in Gaza.

The hate letter read in part:

“I hope Jews accomplish one thing in their mission in Gaza. That is eliminate every wh*re who will give birth to future rats to continue their worldly mission of destruction…We had a saying in Vietnam I hope the Jews use in Gaza. ‘Kill them all and let God sort them out.’”

“It requires a certain level of moral depravity to send a letter so evil and vile, especially to a family whose loved ones have been killed in Israel’s indiscriminate carpet bombing of Gaza,” said CAIR’s Maryland director Zainab Chaudry. “This reprehensible message is partly a consequence of irresponsible journalism and the incessant scapegoating and dehumanization of Palestinians in western media and by President Biden and officials at every level of our government.”

The death toll has exceeded 7,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, including over 3,000 children.

Earlier today, CAIR called on the Biden Administration to stop dehumanizing Palestinian civilians and justifying their deaths after a National Security Council official seemed to justify the massive civilian death toll in Gaza and cast doubt on the number of Palestinians killed.

Yesterday, the Maryland office issued a community advisory encouraging vigilance and basic safety precautions following nearly 90 complaints and hate bias incidents recorded between October 9-24. It is encouraging community members to report complaints and incidents to police and to CAIR. 

Source: cair.com

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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-reprehensible-hate-letter-to-md-palestinian-family-glorifying-genocide-in-gaza/

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New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza cease-fire

October 28, 2023

NEW YORK: Hundreds of people were arrested Friday when police broke up a large demonstration of mostly Jewish New Yorkers who had taken over the main hall of Grand Central station in protest of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, police and organizers said.

The New York Police Department said at least 200 people had been arrested, while protest organizers put the number at more than 300.

Photos from the scene showed long lines of young people standing in handcuffs and wearing black sweatshirts with the words “Not In Our Name” and “Cease Fire Now” printed in white.

The massive sit-in was called by the group Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City, which said thousands of its members had attended the protest, blocking the main concourse of the city’s central rail station.

Pictures showed the terminal packed with protesters who held up banners reading “Palestinians should be free” and “Mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living.”

Organizers called the peaceful sit-in “the largest civil disobedience New York City has seen in 20 years.”

Rabbis launched the event by lighting Shabbat candles and reciting the Jewish prayer for the dead, known as the kaddish.

“While Shabbat is typically a day of rest, we cannot afford to rest while genocide is unfolding in our names,” said Rabbi May Ye, in a statement released by organizers.

“The lives of Palestinians and Israelis are intertwined, and safety can only come from justice, equality, and freedom for all,” the rabbi said.

Israel launched its bombardment of Gaza after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 220 others, according to Israeli officials.

The Hamas-run health ministry said Friday that Israeli strikes on Gaza had now killed 7,326 people, more than 3,000 of them children.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2398981/world

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Arab World

 

Saudi, Jordanian foreign ministers discuss mobilizing UN support for Gaza

October 27, 2023

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Al-Safadi, the foreign ministry announced on Friday.

“Within the framework of the ongoing bilateral consultation and coordination process, the two ministers discussed the importance of mobilizing support for the draft resolution submitted by Jordan to the UN General Assembly on the necessity of protecting civilians and adhering to legal and humanitarian obligations,” the ministry said in a statement.

The two ministers also discussed intensifying communication with the international community to put pressure toward an immediate halt to the military escalation in Gaza, protect civilians, and enable the delivery of relief aid and medical equipment.

They also discussed finding a just, comprehensive and equitable solution that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, Safadi also held calls with his counterparts from Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Egypt’s SamehShoukry, Turkiye’s HakanFidan, Spain’s Jose Manuel Albares, Portugal’s Joao Gomes Cravinho, Greece’s GiorgosGerapetritis, and India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

During the calls, they discussed efforts to stop the war on Gaza, protect civilians and deliver aid to the Palestinian enclave.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2398886/saudi-arabia

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Delegation from Joint Coalition Forces Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen Visits Hajjah

28 Oct, 2023

A delegation from the Joint Coalition Forces Supporting Legitimacy in Yemen has made a visit to Hajjah to provide support to the displaced families in the governorate.

 The delegation was headed by Director of Civil Military Operations Major General Abdullah Al-Hobabi and included Hajjah Governor Abdulkarim Al-Sunaini.

 The delegation visited the directorates of Hajjah, Midi, Hayran, and Al Ja’dah accompanied by representatives from the King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Center (KSrelief).

 The visit aims to provide support to displaced families in Hajjah by studying the establishment of a shelter project in the governorate and evaluating the implemented projects, including wells, water-desalination plants, schools, and healthcare centers.

 The delegation inaugurated some departments at Al Ja’dah Health Center as part of ongoing efforts to enhance the healthcare infrastructure in the area.

 The delegation also checked on the wells and water desalination project in Hayran.

 During the visit, the delegation held a meeting with Yemeni officials, including the Hajjah governor as well as officials at local authorities, to discuss means of enhancing future cooperation.

 The recommendations made during this visit are currently being studied to achieve greater goals that will be announced later after approval, Al-Hobabi said.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/ca35394ce55b44f594cf7b0ba2a4aeb2

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Defense Ministry and GCC Organize Training Courses, Workshops to Enhance Military Media Cooperation

28 Oct, 2023

The Ministry of Defense, in cooperation with the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), represented by the Military Affairs Sector, organized specialized training courses and workshops in Riyadh and Jeddah, aimed at developing military-media capabilities and cooperation in the participating entities within the GCC system.

 A presentation demonstrated the participation of specialists in the General Department for Strategic Communication at the Deputy Ministry for Strategic Affairs, several of the ministry's employees, the media and public relations departments in the ministries of defense from the GCC member countries, the GCC Secretariat General, and the GCC Unified Military Command.

 The first course entitled "Professional Photography Skills" reviewed the methods and concepts of professional photography and their areas of use, to learn about the latest production programs and processing programs, while the second course dealt with "Professional Directing Skills," including the latest directing techniques and specialized devices in this field, basic production stages, and the director's role during them.

 The General Department for Strategic Communication at the Deputy Ministry for Strategic Affairs organized a workshop at the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces Institute in Jeddah entitled "Media Content Industry," which dealt with introducing the content industry, its types, and ways to create and develop them.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/8c28883275974cf38f46b1cdd9581af2

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KSrelief provides shelter, aid for those hit by Cyclone Tej in Yemen

October 28, 2023

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center handed out emergency shelter and food aid to families affected by Cyclone Tej in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency said.

The operation, which started on Thursday, included 50 tents and 200 shelter bags, in addition to 300 food baskets containing basic goods. It was carried out in Al-Raydah and Al-Qusayr District in Hadramaut governorate, benefiting 300 families, or about 1,800 individuals.

Also in Yemen, KSrelief distributed 2,238 cartons of dates to displaced people in Al-Jawf in the districts of Al-Madina and Al-Wadi in Marib governorate, benefiting 13,428 individuals.

Elsewhere, KSrelief handed out 16,000 cartons of dates to refugee families as well as the neediest families in the host community in the Danniyeh district, northern Lebanon, benefiting 80,000 people.

Similarly, KSrelief in Pakistan gave out 903 food parcels in the Washuk district of Balochistan province, benefiting 6,321 people in flood-affected areas.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2399061/saudi-arabia

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Saudi Human Rights Commission holds workshop to combat human trafficking

October 28, 2023

RIYADH: The Nation Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, an arm of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, recently organized a four-day workshop at the commission’s headquarters in Riyadh.

Conducted in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration, the workshop focused on the governance of administrative data associated with human trafficking.

The experts’ primary objective was to put into practice the fundamental principles of the International Classification of Administrative Data on Trafficking in Persons.

Throughout the workshop sessions, the significance of administrative data pertaining to human trafficking was thoroughly explored, alongside the International Classification of Administrative Data related to Trafficking in Persons.

The discussions spanned the rudiments of data collection, its management, safeguarding against data breaches, and the protocols for sharing information regarding human trafficking. Attendees also delved into the processes of data analysis and presentation.

The workshop, which benefited from the expertise of international specialists from the International Organization for Migration, was attended by the head of the protection department at the organization.

The event was part of the collaborative training initiatives spearheaded by the Committee for Combating Human Trafficking Crimes and the International Organization for Migration.

It constitutes a crucial component of the ongoing project aimed at enhancing mechanisms for combating human trafficking in the Kingdom during its second phase.

Source: arabnews.com

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KSrelief Launches 2nd Phase of Food Security Support Project in Port Sudan

27 Oct, 2023

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) inaugurated on Wednesday the second phase of its food-security support project in Port Sudan, Republic of Sudan, for the year 2023.

 The inauguration was attended by the Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Sudan, Raafat bin Ahmed Sharaf, the Sudanese deputy commissioner for humanitarian aid, representatives of local humanitarian organizations, and a team from KSrelief.

 The project aims to distribute 300,000 food baskets benefiting about 1.8 million vulnerable displaced people and their host communities in the targeted Sudanese states, which include the Red Sea, Kassala, Gedarif, Gezira, River Nile, Northern, Sennar, Blue Nile, White Nile, and Khartoum.

 The food-security project comes within the Saudi relief sea and air bridge operated by KSrelief, in implementation of the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to help the brotherly Sudanese people, and to reflect the noble humanitarian role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia towards brotherly and friendly countries.

Source: alriyadhdaily.com

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http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/9a67d969ed6741e796f1463a70e8ce2e

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Mideast

 

Meeting with UN chief, FM reiterates Iran's support for Palestine in face of Israel's 'bestial crimes'

 28 October 2023

Iran's foreign minister has reiterated the Islamic Republic's support for the oppressed Palestinian people in the face of the Israeli regime's "bestial crimes."

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks, meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday in New York, to which the Iranian top diplomat has traveled to attend an extraordinary meeting of the UN General Assembly on the issue of Palestine.

"The Islamic Republic has placed consistent support for the Palestinian people's liberating struggle and resistance with the aim of complete realization of their human rights, among the substantive principles of its foreign policy," he told the UN chief.

Amir-Abdollahian repeated Tehran's vehement condemnation of Tel Aviv's ongoing genocide in the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip, which the occupying regime has brought under a relentless war for the past three weeks.

The death toll in Gaza since the start of Israeli aggression has reached over 7,400 with more than 20,500 wounded.

Hamas says the Israeli regime is preparing to commit more genocide against Gaza away from the eyes of the world.

Silence on the part of some countries as well as support by the United States has emboldened the occupying regime in its deadly attacks against civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Amir-Abdollahian noted.

He called on the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to take prompt and decisive action and act upon their duty to support the Palestinian people's resistance in the face of Israeli aggression.

"Iran backs whatever political solution that would enable immediate cessation of the [Israeli regime's ongoing] crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza, continuous transfer of humanitarian aid [to the Palestinian territory], and prevention of Gazans' forced displacement," the foreign minister said.

He warned that the persistence of the occupying regime's war crimes against Gaza opens the door to every prospect of expansion of the extent of the underway war and the formation of new fronts against the Zionist regime across the region.

Amir-Abdollahian said the establishment of sustainable and just peace in the region would only be possible through the complete cessation of Palestine's occupation, the return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland, the implementation of a referendum featuring all of Palestine's original inhabitants, and eventually the formation of an independent Palestinian state with the holy city of al-Quds as its capital.

For his part, Guterres laid emphasis on Iran's exceptional role in the region, urging the continuation of the Islamic Republic's diplomatic efforts and constructive political endeavors.

The UN chief described the current humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic, urging all sides to enable immediate cessation of the warfare and transfer of humanitarian aid to the coastal territory.

Guterres, meanwhile, stressed the world body's insistence on political resolution of the standing situation.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/28/713532/Iran-Palestine-Gaza-Israel-crimes-foreign-minister-Hossein-Amir-Abdollahian-United-Nations-Guterres

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Hamas warns of new massacre as Israel threatens to bomb Gaza’s largest hospital

27 October 2023

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has warned of a new Israeli massacre of civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip as the regime threatens to bomb the largest medical complex housing tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians.

Hamas raised the alarm on Friday evening while dismissing as “criminal and dangerous” groundless accusations by the Israeli military about the movement’s use of Dar al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza for military purposes.

The medical complex contains thousands of patients and wounded, and houses more than 40,000 thousand displaced people.

"There is no basis for the claims made by the [the Israeli military] over the presence of Hamas commanders under al-Shifa Hospital," senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rashaq said in a statement on his Telegram account. "This was part of a series of lies on which Israel builds its narrative."

Rashaq warned that Israel was using the allegations as a "prelude" to "commit a new massacre bigger than the one on al-Ahli Hospital."

"We call on world leaders to act to stop the crimes of genocide," the senior Hamas official added.

Earlier in the day, the Israel military threatened to target Dar al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, claiming that it was being used as a "shield" for "Hamas operations.”

Israeli strikes on Monday hit areas surrounding the Dar al-Shifa and al-Quds hospitals in Gaza.

Israeli warplanes conduct new strikes against the Gaza Strip, bombarding areas near three hospitals.

Nearly 500 people were killed in a strike on Ahli Arab Hospital on October 17, making it by far the highest death toll of any single incident in Gaza during the Israeli war on the besieged territory.

On October 7, Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups launched the surprise offensive in response to the occupying regime’s intensified crimes against the Palestinian people.

Since then, Israel has pressed ahead with an incessant bombardment of Gaza. The death toll in Gaza since the start of Israeli aggression has reached over 7,400 with more than 20,500 wounded.

Tel Aviv has also blocked water, food, and electricity to Gaza, plunging the besieged territory into a humanitarian crisis.

Speculations are abundant that the Israeli regime is bracing for an imminent ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in defiance of the international community’s unanimous calls to stall its war machine and put an end to its heinous atrocities in Palestinian territories.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/27/713525/Palestinian-resistance-movement-Hamas-Israeli-massacre-Gaza-Strip-Dar-al-Shifa-Hospital-

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Bosnian mosque calls for night prayer as Israel intensifies attacks on Gaza

28.10.2023

Talha Ozturk

A mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital urged Muslims to attend a night prayer for Palestinians after Israel intensified attacks on Gaza.

The imam of Emperor's Mosque in Sarajevo, SadrudinIseric, said they would hold the prayer for the people in Gaza.

"Spread the word and invite others for night prayer," Iseric said on Facebook.

Hundreds shared the post, while many others commented to say they would attend or pray from home for Palestinians.

According to sources in the Palestinian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, there was a sudden halt in services from the Gaza Strip for as yet unknown reasons.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said Friday it had "completely" lost contact with the operations room in the Gaza Strip and with all crew members working there.

It expressed deep concern about "providing ambulances with services in the Gaza Strip, especially since the outage affects the central communications services and impedes the arrival of ambulances to the injured."

The conflict in Gaza began Oct. 7 when the Palestinian group, Hamas, initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood -- a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea and air.

Hamas said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched a relentless bombardment of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been running out of food, water, medicine, and fuel, and aid convoys recently allowed into Gaza have carried only a fraction of what is needed.

Nearly 8,800 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 7,326 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis. Some 70% of the deaths in Gaza are women and children, according to official figures.

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/bosnian-mosque-calls-for-night-prayer-as-israel-intensifies-attacks-on-gaza/3035379

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Iran's Sunni Leader Calls For The Release Of Detainees

28.10.2023

The outspoken leader of Iran's Sunnis, MowlaviAbdolhamid has called for the release of worshipers and citizens of Zahedan who were arrested by security forces last week.

On Friday, the people of Zahedan silently marched in protest amid internet shutdowns in a highly securitised environment in response to a request by Abdolhamid.

Zahedan, which is the capital of Sistan-Baluchistan province, has been the epicenter of ongoing anti-government protests since the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who was killed in police custody for improper hijab in September 2022.

In his weekly remarks during Friday prayers, Abdolhamid also spoke about the ongoing Hamas-Israel war and called it a “difficult situation.”

“The United States and Europe should not allow Israel a free hand,” Abdolhamid said referring to the bombings in Gaza. The cleric also said last week that the war had reached a “dangerous place” and called for the release of hostages brutally taken by Hamas.

Abdolhamid, renowned for his outspoken views, has expressed his criticism of Hamas' declaration of war against Israel on October 7.

"We will not blindly support a Muslim who goes too far and ignores international law and attacks women and kills children," he said, going against the regime's rhetoric that Hamas must continue to crush Israel until it no longer exists.

His remarks stand in contrast to the stance of the Iranian regime, which has consistently advocated for the "destruction" of Israel, effectively rejecting the notion of a two-state solution.

Iranian authorities exploit every opportunity to underscore the imperative of Israel's "destruction," a slogan that has been accompanied by substantial financial support for militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Source: iranintl.com

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https://www.iranintl.com/en/202310273096

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Terrorist called from the scene of the massacre to his commander in Gaza: 'I swear to Allah we will destroy them'

27th October 2023

Another morbid conversation between a Hamas terrorist who is proud of his actions at the scene of the massacre in Israel and a person on the other side of the border has been released. The IDF spokesman provided on Friday to the international media a recorded conversation between a terrorist from Hamas' special forces and his commander in the Gaza Strip, in which he describes the murders he committed inside Israel.

"Tell everyone in the house that we are inside," said the terrorist frantically in a conversation recorded on October 7. "I swear to Allah we will destroy them." At this point the terrorist is heard turning to a person who passed by and saying to him: "Get out, you bastard, come to the road, get out." Then the terrorist turned to his friend: "Search inside, inside the house. Move forward move forward whoever is caught, kill him."

The terrorist also told his commander: "Record this conversation, quickly, we are inside. The bastards live happily and we are displaced. I will curse their honor one by one. Hear the shooting, listen to the shooting with your headphones now." Then the terrorist commanded others: "I want to shoot the door, open it."

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen revealed at the UN Security Council a recording of a Hamas terrorist who was involved in the massacre in the Gaza border communities and at the music festival near Kibbutz Ra'im in a conversation with his parents. "I killed 10," the terrorist told his father.

The General Security Service and the IDF located a phone belonging to one of the killed terrorists as part of the effort to clean up the scene of the massacres. A recording of the conversation between the terrorist and his family in the Gaza Strip was found on his phone. The terrorist repeatedly boasted of the massacre he had committed against "Jews."

The terrorist told his father that he was speaking from Mefalsim, though no murders occurred in the kibbutz itself. "Open my WhatsApp now and see all the dead. Look how many I killed with my own hands, your son killed Jews," said the terrorist to his father. The father replied: "May Allah protect you."

The terrorist also said to his father: "Dad, I killed ten with my own hands, I killed 10. Their blood is on my hands. Give me mother." The terrorist's mother told her son: "Oh my son, may Allah bless you. May Allah bring you back in peace." The terrorist: "Dad, go back to WhatsApp, I want to do a live broadcast for you from Mefalsim."

The terrorist's mother continued to encourage him: "I wish I was with you." The terrorist: "Mom, your son is a hero." At this point, the terrorist's brother joined the conversation and said to him: "Did you kill 10?", and the terrorist replied: "Yes, I killed 10." The brother asked the terrorist if he was in Zikim, the terrorist replied: "I am in the Mefalsim, not in Zikim. I am the first to enter under the protection and help of Allah."

Source: ynetnews.com

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https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bykfemyfp#autoplay

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Israeli Forces Intensify Gaza Bombardment, Cut All Communication

October 28, 2023

Israeli forces have brutally and inhumanely intensified their bombardment of the Gaza Strip, on Friday 27th October 2023, cutting all forms of communication for those in Gaza.

This comes after Israeli forces have said that their ground forces are expanding operations on the besieged enclave.

The Israeli airstrikes and artillery shells have deliberately isolated those in Gaza by cutting off internet, phone signals and any means of communication with the outside world.

The Palestinian Red Crescent as well as many other organisations have announced that they have lost all communications with operatives in Gaza.

Already at least 7,326 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the aggression and almost 20,000 have been left injured from intense Israeli airstrikes for 3 weeks.

These tolls are expected to rise drastically following the intense bombardment that Gazan civilians are being subjected to.

Source: daysofpalestine.ps

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https://daysofpalestine.ps/israeli-forces-intensify-gaza-bombardment-cut-all-communication/

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How Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is impacting the mental health of Palestinian children

October 27, 2023

LONDON: Unending waves of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza over the past fortnight have aggravated an already perilous situation for the enclave’s children, who have suffered for more than a decade with no end to the conflict in sight.

Health officials in the Gaza Strip say that more than 2,300 children have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas that erupted following the Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel by the Palestinian militant group.

Some 40 percent of the embattled territory’s inhabitants are aged under 18, with UNICEF reporting that an average of 400 children have been killed or injured daily in the violence. Save the Children fears a further 870 remain trapped under rubble.

Yet what sometimes goes forgotten is that beyond physical injuries, the children of the conflict zone have also had to contend with deep and lasting emotional wounds.

In a recent article, “Child casualties in Gaza ‘a growing stain on our collective conscience’,” UNICEF said that “almost every child in the Gaza Strip” has witnessed distressing events and trauma, with NPR noting that after the 2021 war, 91 percent of Gaza’s children had suffered post-traumatic stress.

“Children with conflict exposure have been found to have higher rates of anxiety, depression and psychosomatic complaints,” said Ayesha Kadir, a senior humanitarian health adviser at Save the Children. “(But) children do not express psychological distress in a single way. Some may act out, others may withdraw.

“They may act younger than their age, start bedwetting, have trouble sleeping, refuse to eat, or have internalizing effects such as stomach aches or headaches. Not all children who experience trauma are traumatized. However, experience of conflict is a form of toxic stress, which has both physical and psychological harms.”

Furthermore, a report produced last year by Save the Children found that more than half of the children in Gaza had suicidal thoughts, with three out of five engaging in self-harm. And with the latest surge in violence, it is not only the children of Gaza who have become direct victims.

UNICEF notes that a reported 30 children were killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, while dozens more are either themselves being held hostage within Gaza or have family in captivity.

Jeeda Al-Hakim, a specialist counseling psychologist with the City University of London, said that for children who had witnessed bombings, missile attacks or the loss of family, the psychological manifestation of shock could compound or create additional physical issues.

“They may shake uncontrollably, become mute or unable to speak, emotionally shut down, or have panic attacks,” she told Arab News. “Inside the body, trauma triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This leads to physical problems like headaches, stomach aches, rapid heart rate and poor sleep.”

Al-Hakim added that although closely related, shock and trauma are different. She described shock as “a state of dissociation, where the victim’s body and mind feel disconnected and nothing feels real,” and trauma as “any sudden, terrible experience that disrupts your well-being and overwhelms you.”

Though shock is a common response to trauma — a means for the brain to cope with a stressful or overwhelming event — not all traumatic events cause shock, while not all shock reactions are the result of trauma, Al-Hakim added.

In the midst of the conflict, it is not just exposure to violence that is affecting the mental health of Gaza’s children. Events like forced displacement, lack of access to basic needs — like education, healthcare, and sanitation — or having a family member or friend experience violence directly can take a toll on a child’s well-being and development.

Kadir said that “both direct and indirect exposure are harmful to children’s mental health, even for children who live far from the place where combat occurs,” noting that such experiences could “often compound each other.”

Having treated trauma-related challenges from the Middle East, Al-Hakim said that exposure to armed conflict can also lead to attachment disorders. Nightmares, flashbacks and persistent anxiety are also prevalent among children exposed to war — all of which can often lead to impaired development and learning.

Hamzah Barhameyeh of World Vision Syria Response, a charity supporting vulnerable children in northwest Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, said that he had witnessed all of these responses in children, adding that disruptions in attachment to caregivers can hinder a child’s ability to form secure relationships. Without this connection to people who care about them, Al-Hakim warned that a child would struggle with identity development.

“Children who have experienced trauma can then grow up to have relationship difficulties and trouble feeling close to others,” she said. “Ongoing grief and loss are extremely painful. Going through a traumatic event fractures a child’s trust in foundational ideas, including their beliefs about the world’s safety and their self-worth, leaving them feeling deeply alone.”

While the cessation of violence is the first step toward addressing these issues, scars at this tender age may remain unhealed. Al-Hakim said that post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety disorders, physical complaints like headaches, and thoughts of suicide may all emerge even after the violence ends, as she warned that “trauma can also be passed down through families over generations.”

Both Al-Hakim and Kadir, however, said that there were means to mitigate these effects, starting with meeting the basic needs of children, such as shelter, food, safety, schooling, healthcare, clean water and stability.

Despite the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Friday and the delivery of dozens of trucks loaded with aid and medical supplies, the need for assistance remains paramount.

“The people of Gaza need a commitment for much, much more — a continuous delivery of aid to Gaza at the scale that is needed,” Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, said at a peace summit in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday.

At least 1.4 million of Gaza’s population are displaced, with about 580,000 people living in UN-run emergency shelters, according to figures shared by the Norwegian Refugee Council, which said that Gaza needs 100 aid trucks daily to meet rising needs.

According to UNICEF, “children and families in Gaza have practically run out of food, water, electricity, medicine and safe access to hospitals, following days of airstrikes and cuts to all supply routes.”

To support child survivors of wars, experts have said that the basic needs of children and caregivers should be met.

“Caregiver physical and mental health have significant impacts on children’s physical and mental health,” said Kadir. “While some children will need specialized care, the majority of children will adapt positively if their basic needs are met, and appropriate psychosocial support is given.

“Supporting family and social networks, restoring a sense of safety and normality, schools, and safe places to play with their friends are vital for helping children to cope.”

Suggesting the adoption of a public health approach in the aftermath of regional conflicts, Al-Hakim highlighted the importance of educating adults about child trauma to help provide safe, nurturing environments for recovery.

“Counseling, therapy groups, school programs and community support help process the trauma, manage PTSD symptoms and build back up healthy development, coping skills and hope,” she said. “Other therapies include art, music, spiritual practices and community activities to help restore cultural traditions, family bonds, identity and meaning.”

Al-Hakim added: “A very important aspect of recovery is truth and reconciliation efforts, accountability for crimes against children and justice initiatives.

“These efforts support and facilitate societal as well as individual healing.”

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2398891/middle-east

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Turkiye’s Erdogan urges Israel to stop ‘madness’ and end Gaza strikes

October 28, 2023

ANKARA: Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called on Israel to “immediately stop this madness” and end its “attacks” on targets in Gaza after Israeli forces intensified strikes on the Palestinian territory.

“The Israeli bombardments on Gaza intensified last night and once again targeted women, children and innocent civilians and worsened the ongoing humanitarian crisis,” Erdogan said on X. “Israel must immediately stop this madness and end its attacks.”

Source: arabnews.com

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Israeli warplanes hit 150 ‘underground targets’ in Gaza

October 28, 2023

TEL AVIV: Israeli fighter jets struck 150 “underground targets” in northern Gaza during an intense night of raids, the army said Saturday, three weeks after the deadliest attack in the country’s history.

A military statement said the sites hit included “terror tunnels, underground combat spaces and additional underground infrastructure. Furthermore, several Hamas terrorists were killed.”

Correspondents in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel said shelling and air strikes continued Saturday, although they were less intense than during the night.

In a separate statement, the Israeli military said one raid had killed Hamas air attacks chief Asem Abu Rakaba, who it said played a key role in the October 7 attacks that set off the current war.

Israel says 1,400 people, mainly civilians, were killed in the cross-border attack. The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip says more than 7,300 people have been killed in Israel’s raids since, also mostly civilians.

According to the Israeli military, Abu Rakaba oversaw Hamas drones, paragliders, aerial detection and aerial defense.

“He directed the terrorists who infiltrated Israel on paragliders and was responsible for the drone attacks on IDF (Israel Defense Forces) posts,” said a statement.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2399011/middle-east

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Thousands rally worldwide in solidarity with Palestinians

28 October 2023

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets worldwide to condemn the Israeli aggression on Gaza and show support for Palestinians.

Footage reveals protesters holding Palestinian flags while chanting slogans denouncing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and expressing solidarity with Palestinians. Protesters expressed their unwavering support for Gaza, affirming that resistance is the only way to reclaim the right of liberating the land.

In Yemen’s Sana’a, protesters denounced Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians. Syrians also gathered in Jaramana Camp to voice their support for Palestinians. Lebanese Hezbollah supporters took to the streets for the same reason. Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, also rallied in solidarity of the people of Gaza. Similar rallies were held in several other countries on Friday, including Turkey, Jordan and Pakistan as well as many other parts of the world where thousands of people marched to condemn the regime’s brutality.

Israel waged war on Gaza on October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups launched Operation al-Aqsa flood, a surprise attack into the occupied territories in response to the occupying regime’s intensified crimes against the Palestinian people. The Israeli attacks on Gaza have targeted places of gathering, including hospitals, schools, mosques and churches, displacing more than one million in the densely-populated region, which is home to more than 2 million people.

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/28/713534/Thousands-rally-worldwide-in-solidarity-with-Palestinians

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Hamas: Israel preparing to commit more genocide away from eyes of world

 27 October 2023

Hamas has said the Israeli regime has cut off the Gaza Strip's communications with outside while intensifying its attacks against the Palestinian territory, saying the regime is preparing to commit more genocide against the coastal sliver away from the eyes of the world.

The Palestinian resistance movement made the remarks in a press statement on Friday.

"Cutting off communications and the Internet from the Gaza Strip, and escalating the bombardment, by land, sea and air, on residential neighborhoods; It warns of the occupation’s intention to commit more massacres and genocides away from the eyes of the press and the world," the statement read.

The regime has been waging a relentless war against Gaza since October 7, when Hamas and its fellow Gaza-based resistance movement of the Islamic Jihad launched their biggest operation against the occupying entity in years. The surprise Palestinian offensive, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, came in response to the regime’s intensified crimes against the Palestinian people.

The death toll in Gaza since the start of Israeli aggression has reached over 7,400 with more than 20,500 wounded.

"We hold the occupation, Washington, and the Western capitals that supported it fully responsible for the series of heinous massacres and their repercussions," the Hamas statement added.

The United States and Israel's other Western allies have defended the Israeli regime's unbridled bloodletting in Gaza as a means of "self-defense."

Hamas, however, described the hugely deadly aggression as a "war of extermination."

Hamas warns that continuation of the Israeli regime

The movement, affirmed, though, that the Palestinian people "will not be intimidated by these fascist policies..."

"Their valiant resistance will not stop the revolution and struggle until they repel this barbaric aggression, defeat the occupation from our land and our holy sites, and exercise our right to freedom and self-determination, by establishing the Palestinian state with [the holy occupied city of] al-Quds as its capital...".

Source: presstv.ir

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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/27/713527/Palestine-Israel-Hamas-warning-Israel-more-genocide-Gaza-war

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Europe

 

Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir banned from Instagram and TikTok after jihad chants at London protest

October 27, 2023

Social media accounts for an Islamist group that sparked controversy after chants of “jihad” were heard at its pro-Palestinian protest in London have been removed.

Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – and TikTok confirmed they had taken down pages of Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is banned in parts of Europe and the Middle East.

The Government is under pressure to proscribe the group in the UK after anger over chants of “jihad” at a rally on Saturday outside the embassies of Turkey and Egypt.

The Metropolitan Police has said no offence was identified by the chanting, sparking criticism from Government ministers.

It is understood Meta designated Hizb ut-Tahrir a “dangerous organisation”, which means it cannot have a presence or co-ordinate on its platforms, with its Instagram page now removed.

The Islamist movement’s TikTok account was also banned. It is understood this was for violating community guidelines.

An Instagram account for Luqman Muqeem, who spoke at the rally and who features in a video on the Hizb ut-Tahrir website, has also been removed.

Following the Hamas attack in Israel on 7 October, which killed more than 1,400 people, Mr Muqeem hailed Hamas as “heroes”.

He said in a video posted on social media: “This morning the heroes of Raza [Gaza] broke through the enemy lines of the yahood [Jews].

“They stormed through the stronghold of the enemies and blackened the faces of the cowardly people. The people of Philistine [Palestine], as well as the rest of the entire ummah [Muslim community] woke up to news which made us all very, very happy.”

Downing Street indicated that there were no plans to change the law, despite concern over footage from the demonstration by Hizb ut-Tahrir on Saturday, which was separate to the main, bigger, London rally in support of Palestianian civilians.

Footage at the Hizb ut-Tahrir protest showed a speaker addressing the crowd, asking: “What is the solution to liberate people from the concentration camp called Palestine?” to which chants of “jihad, jihad” were heard.

Banners calling for “Muslim armies to rescue the people of Palestine” were also seen. However, the Metropolitan Police said they had concluded no offences were committed as the phrase jihad has “a number of meanings”.

The following day, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said: “I think a lot of people will find the Metropolitan Police analysis surprising, and that is something we intend to raise with them and discuss this incident with them.

“The legality is ultimately a question for the police, but the bigger question to me is that there should be a consensus that chanting ‘jihad’ is unacceptable.’”

He added: “In the context that was said yesterday, that is an incitement to terrorist violence.

“Ultimately it’s a decision for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, but beyond the legality, there is a question of values, and I would hope there would be a consensus that chanting ‘jihad’ is completely reprehensible.”

This week, Rishi Sunak indicated the police were unlikely to be given fresh powers and instead said ministers would work to “clarify the guidance” for officers to tackle people who are “inciting violence and racial hatred”.

The Prime Minister told the Commons: “Calls for jihad on our streets are not only a threat to the Jewish community but to our democratic values and we expect the police to take all necessary action to tackle extremism head on.”

In a statement posted on X/Twitter and on its website after their social media accounts were removed, Hizb ut-Tahrir said that “due to our stance on the Zionist genocide in Palestine we have been banned by Facebook and TikTok”.

In a video posted on a new Instagram account, Mr Muqeem said: “If the only response you’ve got is to try and ban and shut down an idea, then that actually show that the inherent weakness from your side”.

A Government spokesperson said: “Whilst the Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review, we do not comment on whether a specific organisation is or is not being considered for proscription.”

Source: inews.co.uk

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https://inews.co.uk/news/islamist-group-banned-instagram-tiktok-jihad-chants-london-protest-2715799?ITO=newsnow

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SpanishRoman CatholicClergy Sexually Abused Over 200,000 Children, Says Report

 October 28, 2023

MADRID: Over 200,000 minors are estimated to have been sexually abused in Spain by the Roman Catholic clergy since 1940, according to an independent commission report published on Friday.

The report did not give specific figures but said a poll of over 8,000 people found that 0.6 per cent of Spain’s adult population of around 39 million people said they had suffered sexual abuse by members of the clergy when they were still children.

The percentage rises to 1.13 per cent (or over 400,000 people ) if abuse by lay members is included, Spain’s national ombudsman Angel Gabilondo told a presser called to present findings of the 700-page report.

The revelations in Spain are the latest to rock the Roman Catholic Church after a series of sexual abuse scandals around the world, often involving children, over the past 20 years.

The commission also interviewed 487 victims, who stressed “the emotional problems” the abuse has caused them, Gabilondo said.

“There are people who have (died by) suicide... people who have never put their lives back together,” the former Socialist education minister said.

Unlike in other nations, in Spain — a traditionally Catholic country that has become highly secular — clerical abuse allegations only recently started to gain traction, leading to accusations by survivors of stonewalling.

The report is critical of the response of the Cat­holic Church, saying “it has long been characterised by denial and atte­mpts to downplay the issue”.

Unfortunately, for many years there had been a certain desire to deny abuses or a desire to conceal or protect the abusers, said Gabilondo.

Spain’s parliament in March 2022 overwhelmingly approved the creation of an independent commission led by the country’s ombudsman to look into clerical abuse.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1784350/spanish-clergy-sexually-abused-over-200000-children-says-report

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UN Body On Racism Voices Concern About Israeli Racist Hate Speech Against Palestinians

October 28, 2023

GENEVA: A UN committee on racism voiced concern on Friday about a “sharp increase in racist hate speech and dehumanisation” directed at Palestinians by Israelis, including senior officials, since the Oct 7.

Since the start of the unrest there have been a growing number of reports of both anti-semitic and Islamophobic incidents in places such as the United States and Britain.

The Geneva-based committee said it was “highly concerned” by recent comments including those made by senior Israeli officials, politicians and public figures and called for Israel to condemn hate speech and investigate and punish such acts.

It made specific reference to remarks made by Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Oct 9 in which he referred to Palestinians as “human animals” and said such language “could incite genocidal actions”. Gallant’s comments have already drawn condemnation from Palestinians and others.

The committee also repeated a past recommendation for Palestinian authorities to combat hate speech and incitement to violence.

But Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva criticised the statement which it said “failed all the victims of the October 7 massacre and the victims of anti-semitic attacks worldwide”.

Israel’s diplomatic mission to the UN in Geneva said the committee’s statement “ignored surging antisemitism, including attacks on Jews and what it said were calls by protesters to murder them.” “This has all been cynically cast aside by the Committee,” it said.

The comments from the UN committee follows Israel’s criticism of the global body’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres whom it accused of justifying Hamas raid on Israel. However, Guterres rejected Israel’s accusation, calling them a “misrepresentation of his remarks.”

The UN committee is made up of 18 independent experts and tasked with monitoring compliance with a 1965 treaty against racism which Israel and Palestinian authorities have both ratified.

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1784364/un-body-voices-concern-about-israeli-hate-speech-against-palestinians

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Over 300 Muslim councillors demand UK’s Labour Party to call for cease-fire in Gaza

27.10.2023

More than 300 Muslim councilors from the UK's main opposition Labour Party called on their party leadership to call for an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

In a letter on Wednesday, the Labour Muslim Network said: “As Labour councillors elected to serve our constituents, the message we have been hearing repeatedly over the past 2 weeks is simple, people just want an end to the bloodshed and the loss of innocent life.”

Initially, over 150 councillors signed the letter and the number of signatories are increasing by the hour.

“Therefore, as Labour Party councillors, as members, and as members of the Muslim community we urge the Labour Party to urgently adopt a position of calling for an immediate cease-fire.”

The resignations came as a protest over party leader Keir Starmer’s support for what he called Israel’s "right" to cut power and water supplies to Palestinians living in Gaza.

Following strong public backlash, Starmer later claimed he did not mean to imply that Israel was justified to cut off essential supplies like power and water. 

Over 100 MPs call for cease-fire

A parliamentary motion calling on the government to “use its influence to help protect civilians, to ensure adherence to international humanitarian law and to guarantee civilians have access to critical life-saving humanitarian support” has been backed by 95 MPs.

Some other members of the parliament (MPs) also raised their support for a cease-fire without supporting the motion submitted by Labour lawmaker Richard Burton.

In a post he shared on X, Burton said: “95 MPs have backed my parliamentary motion for a ceasefire. Others have demanded it in Parliamentary debates or signed a separate motion. To help save civilian lives, our Government must now call for a ceasefire.”

Thirty-nine parliamentarians from the Labour are signatories to the motion, including shadow minister Imran Hussain, who became the first Labour frontbencher to sign the motion.

Source: aa.com.tr

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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/over-300-muslim-councillors-demand-uk-s-labour-party-to-call-for-cease-fire-in-gaza/3034692

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Russia to debate church’s radical new abortion proposal

28 Oct, 2023

The Russian State Duma Health Committee will consider changes to the abortion laws that would significantly tighten them, RBK news reported on Friday, citing sources in the parliament.

A package of amendments reportedly developed by the Russian Orthodox Church was presented by committee member VeronikaVlasova at a panel on the situation regarding abortion in Russia.

The initiative proposes requiring the consent of a woman’s family members before the procedure, according to the Parliamentary Gazette. If a woman is married, the “informed consent” of her husband would be required as well. For underage girls, approval from at least one of the parents would be needed. The current laws allow the decision to be made without anyone else’s input or approval.

The amendments would also ban abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, from the current 12, and allow rape victims to request the procedure at up to 12 weeks, down from the current 22.

Women would also have to go through mandatory pre-abortion counseling, including a demonstration of the baby’s beating heart during an ultrasound scan, and extend the required “contemplation period” from the current 48 hours to one week.

Private clinics would be banned from performing abortions, while the “encouragement” or “propaganda” of abortion would be subject to administrative penalties, including fines. Punishments for illegally performed abortions would be increased as well.

According to RBK, the committee intends to review the proposed amendments within a month. After that, it could be presented to the State Duma for a general debate and a potential floor vote.

Russia has repeatedly seen calls to tighten its rather liberal abortion laws. The children’s rights commissioner in the Republic of Tatarstan, Irina Volynets, proposed banning private clinics from performing the procedure last month. The Duma turned down her proposal, arguing that it could lead to a surge in underground abortions and a rise in mortality.

In August, the Republic of Mordovia became the first Russian region to officially ban the “promotion” of abortion. Encouraging women to terminate their pregnancy, or pressuring her relatives to encourage her to do so, will now result in fines in Mordovia.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/russia/586009-church-abortion-limits-proposal/

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London hate crimes rise again in wake of Middle East conflict

October 27, 2023

LONDON: Antisemitic and Islamaphobic incidents have almost doubled in just over a week in London, police data showed on Friday, in the wake of the attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel nearly three weeks ago and subsequent bombardment by Israel of Gaza.

There have been growing tensions in Britain and elsewhere since Hamas gunmen rampaged through Israeli towns and Israel besieged Gaza in response, with pro-Palestinian demos and vigils held by Jewish groups in solidarity with hostages, some of whom are British, who were taken by the militants.

Commander Kyle Gordon said there had been 408 antisemitic incidents recorded in the British capital so far this month compared to 28 in the same period last year, while there had been 174 Islamophobic offenses compared to 65.

In both cases the numbers were almost twice as high as those given a week ago.

“My colleagues continue to ruthlessly deal with any acts of hate crime that they encounter,” Kyle told reporters. “Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, we have made 75 arrests linked to the conflict.”

Last week, about 100,000 protesters took part in a march organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and in the aftermath police faced criticism from some lawmakers for not being tougher over slogans shouted there.

The US on Friday expanded its effort to cut off funding for Hamas, announcing a second round of sanctions against people and organizations linked to the group.

The new sanctions highlight Iran’s role in providing financial, logistical and operational support to Hamas, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a statement.

They include a Hamas representative in Iran and members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

The sanctions were announced as Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemotraveled to London to shore up support from Britain, one of America’s closest allies, for the drive to squeeze off funding for Hamas, which both countries consider a terrorist organization.

“Today’s action underscores the United States’ commitment to dismantling Hamas’s funding networks by deploying our counterterrorism sanctions authorities and working with our global partners to deny Hamas the ability to exploit the international financial system,” Adeyemo said.

Among those targeted are Khaled Qaddoumi, described as a liaison between Hamas and the Iranian government; and Ali Morshed Shirazi and Mostafa Mohammad Khani, officials in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Qods Force who are accused of training and assisting Hamas fighters.

The US also sanctioned a number of organizations, including the Iranian Bonyad Shahid, also known as the Martyrs Foundation. US officials say the group, which is affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad, funnels millions of dollars through the Gaza-based Al-Ansar Charity Association for the families of militants.

The practice “ultimately serves as a recruiting tool for terrorist activities,” the US said.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2398851/world

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MP who condemned UK leaders for ‘aiding’ Israeli ‘war crimes’ arrested on suspicion of rape, drug possession

October 27, 2023

LONDON: A Conservative MP in the UK who told Arab News last week that Western leaders face prosecution for complicity in Israeli war crimes has been arrested on suspicion of rape and drug possession.

Crispin Blunt, the MP for Reigate and co-director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, confirmed on X that he had been arrested following reports that a politician had been detained by police on Wednesday.

“It has been reported that an MP was arrested yesterday in connection with an allegation of rape. I am confirming that MP was me,” Blunt wrote on Thursday.

“The fact of the arrest requires a formal notification of the speaker and then my chief whip. I have now been interviewed twice in connection with this incident, the first time three weeks ago, when I initially reported my concern over extortion. The second time was earlier this morning under caution following arrest.”

The 63-year-old added: “The arrest was unnecessary as I remain ready to cooperate fully with the investigation that I am confident will end without charge. I do not intend to say anything further on this matter until the police have completed their inquiries.”

Education Minister Gillian Keegan told Times Radio that Blunt had been suspended by the Conservatives whilst the investigation was ongoing.

“Due to the serious nature of the allegations ... he’s had the whip suspended, but the police are involved now so beyond that it’s not really appropriate for me to comment any further,” she said.

A spokesperson for Surrey Police told The Independent: “We can confirm a man was arrested yesterday morning (Oct. 25) on suspicion of rape and possession of controlled substances. He has been released on conditional police bail pending further enquiries.”

Blunt is a supporter of the Palestinian cause and recently spoke out about Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip, urging “restraint” to prevent further loss of civilian life and saying Israel must act “within the law.”

Speaking to the “Ray Hanania Show” on Oct. 18, he added that the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians planned to take UK officials to court for “aiding and abetting war crimes in Gaza.”

The intention of such action, he said, was “to try and get the Israelis to pause, have her allies saying, asking her, to think again about the consequences of the scale of the action that they might be contemplating against Gaza.”

Blunt added: “The Palestinians have been on the wrong end of history for about 100 years. You can’t go on like this.

“In the end, there has to be a measure of justice if both sides are to have security, and it’s only if we can find a route for justice for the Palestinians that the Israelis can find security along with the Palestinians.”

He said: “What we’re trying to do is actually to avert what would undoubtedly be a disaster, which is the crime from Hamas of the appalling assault on Israel and the killing of so many utterly innocent Israelis being responded to with another crime. That’s a path we should avoid going down.”

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2398661/world

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South Asia

 

A Mosque Resembling Dome Of The RockIn JerusalemBuilt On Wazir Akbar Khan Hill In Kabul

October 27, 2023

A mosque resembling Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock has been built on Wazir Akbar Khan hill in Kabul.

The mosque named after Mullah Muhammad Omar and Sheikh Mahmud Effendi was built at the suggestion of the interior ministry and funded by IDDEF, an Islamic organization in Turkey.

According to officials, the mosque was built on 270 square meters of land at a cost of $120,000 and has the capacity to hold 350 worshipers at a time.

Acting Minister of Interior Sirajuddin Haqqani said at a ceremony to inaugurate the mosque that it is a replica of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and aims to show “boundless love of Muslims, especially Afghans, to Palestine and Al-Aqsa.”

Haqqani condemned the oppressive and aggressive actions by Israel on Al-Aqsa and Palestinians and said that supporting Muslims is an Islamic obligation.

IDDEF’s general director Mehmed Turan said that the Grand Mosque, the Prophet’s Mosque, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are of significant value to Muslims.

Turan stated that the inauguration of the new mosque comes amid a difficult time for Palestinians who are making great sacrifices to regain their land.

Turan expressed his hope that the inauguration of the mosque will lead to the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque. He said that IDDEF is ready to build more mosques and orphanages in Afghanistan.

Source: ariananews.af

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Deadly blast hits boxing club in Shia neighbourhood of Afghan capital

 October 27, 2023

The death toll from an explosion in a mostly Shia Muslim neighbourhood of Afghanistan's capital has increased to four, with seven people critically injured, a police spokesperson said.

The cause of the Thursday evening blast at a boxing club in Kabul is still not known. Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the city's police chief, said the investigation into the blast is ongoing. He initially reported that two people died and nine were injured.

Video taken after the explosion shows part of a building with its windows blown out, flames billowing inside. Shattered glass and other debris are strewn across the street below.

The scale of the damage was clearer on Friday morning. There were craters in the ground and most of the club's interior has been gutted. Workers picked their way through boxing gloves and gym equipment on the blood-splattered floor.

Workers picked their way through boxing gloves and gym equipment on the blood-splattered floor.

Terror attacks in the region

Eyewitness Sultan Ali Amini said that at least six people killed and more than 15 were injured. "As you see, the walls are destroyed and all the glass and metal are broken," he said.

The DashtiBarchi area of Kabul has been targeted in the past by the Daesh terror affiliate in the country, which has carried out major, horrific assaults on schools, hospitals and mosques. The group has also attacked other Shia areas of Afghanistan in recent years.

Daesh has been waging a campaign of violence since the Taliban took power in August 2021.

Source: trtworld.com

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Awami League Leaders And Activists Throng 'Peace Rally' Venue At Baitul Mukarram South Gate

Oct 28, 2023

Awami League leaders and activists started to gather to join the "peace and development rally" at the southern gate of the Baitul Mukarram mosque in the capital.

Leaders and activists from AL's Dhaka North and South unit areas including TSC of Dhaka University, Central Shaheed Minar, High Court intersection, Shahbagh intersection, Kadamfoara, Paltan, Gulistan are thronging the venue around 11:00am.

Asim Kumar Ukil, the cultural secretary of the Awami League, and singer Lipi Sarkar have already started a cultural programme with a musical performance in the morning.

The main rally will begin after 2:00pm, according to Dhaka South Awami League.

The party's General Secretary ObaidulQuader will be present as the chief guest at the gathering.

Prominent members of AL Central Committee and responsible leaders of Dhaka South Awami League, including Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Mirza Azam, SM Kamal Hossain, and Deputy Minister for Water Resources Enamul Haque Shamim were present at the programme.

All the preparations for holding the 'Peace and Development Rally' were completed in the Baitul Mukarram area.

Source: thedailystar.net

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ISIS claims responsibility for attack on Sports Club in western Kabul

 Fidel Rahmati

 October 28, 2023

The ISIS group claimed responsibility for the attack on the People’s Boxing Club in Dasht-e-Barchi, Kabul, on Thursday.

In their Telegram channel, the group claimed to have placed a bomb in a location where “Shi’ites” were gathering.

According to the Taliban, the attack resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to seven others. However, local sources on the day of the attack reported that the casualty count reached six.

The Dasht-e-Barchi area in western Kabul has sadly become a symbol of relentless violence and terror in recent times. Over the past two years, this Hazara-populated area has borne the brunt of some of the bloodiest terrorist attacks.

These incidents have deliberately targeted innocent civilians, striking places of worship, educational institutions, sports facilities, and various public spaces.

Since the Taliban took control of the country, security has indeed become one of their significant challenges in Afghanistan. In the wake of their takeover, the nation has witnessed a series of attacks. Notably, ISIS has consistently claimed responsibility for multiple attacks, mainly targeting Hazara-populated areas in Kabul and several other cities across Afghanistan.

The rise in attacks by ISIS in Hazara-populated regions underscores the complex security situation in Afghanistan, further complicating efforts to establish stability and peace in the country.

Source: khaama.com

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Sirajuddin Haqqani Calls Israeli Attack on Gaza a 'Crime'

NaweedSamadi

 October 27, 2023

Acting Minister of Interior Sirajuddin Haqqani condemned Israel's war on Palestine and called it a crime against the people of Palestine.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a Mosque in Kabul, Haqqani said: “Al-Aqsa Mosque is calling for the support of Muslims, the Jewish have been storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Gaza, not only the Muslims of Afghanistan but also other Islamic countries who have sympathy for the Palestinian people.”

He said that the Islamic Emirate condemned “in the strongest terms the ongoing cruelty in Gaza and consider the ongoing violation of Muslim rights an unforgivable crime.”

On Friday, a mosque which resembles Al-Aqsa—the major historic mosque in Palestine—was inaugurated in the Wazir Akbar Khan area of Kabul.

The mosque is named Mullah Mohmmad Omar Mujahid and constructed by a Turkish company.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185754

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Badruddin Haqqani appointed Afghanistan’s ambassador in UAE

 October 27, 2023

Badruddin Haqqani has taken the charge of the Afghanistan’s Embassy Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirate (UAE), Ministry of foreign affairs said on Friday.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on X platform, formerly twitter wrote: “Mawlavi Haqqani reached Abu Dhabi and during an official ceremony was introduced to the embassy staff and took over the embassy charge.”

He said Haqqani’s acknowledgement as ambassador was a major progress towards diplomatic ties between Afghanistan and UAE which will help strengthen overall bilateral relationship between the two countries.

He said the move will also help the provision of improved services for hundreds of Afghans living in the UAE.

However the Islamic Emirate has not yet been recognized by the world, at the same time, Afghanistan’s diplomatic relations with the countries of the world are expanding.

Source: ariananews.af

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https://www.ariananews.af/badruddin-haqqani-appointed-afghanistans-ambassador-in-uae/

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Call to free all Human rights defenders after MatiullahWesa’s release

Fidel Rahmati-

 October 28, 2023

The Special Rapporteur on Human Rights of the United Nations Human Rights Council has welcomed the release of MatiullahWesa, the founder of the “Rah-e-Qalam” organization and an education activist, and has called for the freedom of all human rights defenders in Afghanistan.

Richard Bennett, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights of the United Nations, has requested the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained “arbitrarily for defending their rights and the rights of others.”

Simultaneously, Rina Amiri, the Special Representative for Women and Human Rights of America in Afghanistan, has also expressed support for MatiullahWesa’s release and has called for the immediate freedom of other detained individuals to defend their rights. She stated that MatiullahWesa “should never have been imprisoned for promoting the right to education for Afghan girls” and expressed her relief at his release.

The Special Representative for Women and Human Rights of America in Afghanistan, once again, emphasized the immediate release of all Afghans who have been unjustly detained for the courageous defence of their rights.

Thomas West, the Special Representative for America in Afghanistan, also expressed his support for MatiullahWesa’s freedom, along with his colleagues in the human rights sector, and continued to call for the freedom of all human rights defenders in Afghanistan.

Ataullah Wesa, Matiullah’s brother, announced on his social media account that he had been released after 215 days.

However, some human rights activists and well-known members of Afghan civil society remain in prison.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/call-to-free-all-human-rights-defenders-after-matiullah-wesas-release/

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Islamic Emirate Appoints Embassy Chargé d'affaires in UAE

 October 27, 2023

Badrudin Haqqani, the new Chargé d'affaires of the Islamic Emirate's embassy in the United Arab Emirates, has officially begun his job.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said on his X account that the UAE’s acceptance of Badrudin Haqqani is a “key development” in relations between the two countries and the move will further “strengthen” bilateral relations.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, also said that Haqqani will be providing consulate services to the Afghan nationals there.

Former diplomats and political analysts called the appointment of a new Chargé d'affaires by the Islamic Emirate important for the improvement of relations and solving the challenges of Afghan nationals.

“The introduction of Afghanistan's envoy to the UAE can bring facilities regarding provision of consulate services for the refugees and traders,” said Najeeb Rahman Shamal, a political analyst.

Aziz Maarij, a former diplomat, said that the UAE made the decision to accept the Islamic Emirate’s new Chargé d'affaires as it cannot distance itself from the developments happening in the region.

Earlier, the embassies of Afghanistan in Spain and the Netherlands announced their engagement with the interim Afghan government, however the move sparked reactions by the Afghan diplomats abroad.

Source: tolonews.com

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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185758

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Southeast Asia

 

Thailand  To Be First Southeast Asian That  Country Plans To Legalize Gay Marriage

27 Oct, 2023

Thai Prime Minister SretthaThavisin will introduce a bill next week to legalize same-sex marriage, a move that would make Thailand the first country in the region to do so. Both Thavisin and his opponents have promised to expand LGBTQ rights.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Thavisin said his cabinet would debate the marriage equality bill next week. If the cabinet gives its approval, the bill will be brought before parliament in December, a spokesman for the prime minister told the Bangkok Post.

“I see this as important in order for society to be more equal,” Thavisin stated, adding that he would follow the marriage bill with two more pieces of legislation; one allowing transgender people to change their gender on official documents, and another legalizing prostitution.

The marriage equality bill will likely face little opposition in parliament. Thavisin’s 11-party coalition supports the legislation, as does opposition leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s eight-party alliance, which promised to introduce a similar bill after winning the most seats in this May’s general election, but failing to form a government.

Thailand is home to a thriving gay subculture, with this year’s Bangkok Pride parade drawing more than 50,000 participants. However, the country’s laws are conservative, and do not recognize civil unions or cohabitation between same-sex couples.

Similarly, prostitution is illegal, despite the fact that sex is sold openly in Thai bars and on tourist drags; and the government does not recognize sex changes, even though there are almost 315,000 transgender people living in Thailand.

None of Thailand’s neighboring countries recognize same-sex marriage or unions, with homosexuality punishable by imprisonment in both Malaysia and Myanmar. Only two countries in all of Asia – Taiwan and Nepal – grant same-sex couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples.

In his post on Thursday, Thavisin said he had also “ordered the establishment of a working committee to advance gender equality issues,” and would push for Thailand to host the 2028 World Pride festival.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/585958-thailand-gay-marriage-bill/

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PKR reps join calls for Education Ministry to revisit ‘Palestine Solidaruty Week’ in schools after replica arms controversy

28 Oct 2023

By R. Loheswar

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Lawmakers from PKR today joined a chorus calling for a review for schools nationwide to hold a “Palestine Solidarity Week” from October 29 to November 9 amid growing unease over the kind of activities that will be carried out.

The group of three MPs and nine assemblymen expressed their concerns and emphasised the need to ensure that schools and public institutions remain free from elements of hatred and violence.

“We understand the MoE's desire to instil important values and principles in our students but we believe it is difficult for the MoE to effectively monitor the Palestine Solidarity programme to ensure that it achieves its objectives without inadvertently promoting sentiments of resentment and violence.

“We also call upon the MoE to take stern action against anyone found in violation of MoE guidelines, particularly those who provoke violence through the use of toy weapons in educational institutions,” they said in a joint statement, using the abbreviation for the Ministry of Education.

Their response comes in the wake of widely shared images online showing young children and teachers carrying replica firearms and donning attire in the red, black, white and green colours associated with Palestine, which is under siege amid escalating conflict with Israel in the Middle East.

Several civil society organisations and prominent political and religious leaders, notably from east Malaysia, have expressed their opposition to the federal ministry’s directive, saying that public educational institutions should be kept separate from world politics.

In a separate statement earlier today, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke had made a similar call urging the ministry to reconsider its directive.

The PKR elected representatives acknowledged the MoE's intention to use Palestine Solidarity Week as a platform for educating students about human values, human rights, and fostering compassion for those suffering.

However, they said the methods used could inadvertently sow seeds of resentment and violence, which could counteract the intended goals of the initiative.

They added that introducing international conflicts in schools is inappropriate and should be subject to a comprehensive reassessment.

The MPs and assemblymen called on Malaysians to maintain their rationale and peaceful stance while supporting the Palestinian cause.

The three PKR MPs in the statement are: Tan Kar Hing (Gopeng), Lee Chean Chung (Petaling Jaya), and ChiewChoon Man (Miri).

The nine assemblymen listed in the statement are: Lee Boon Heng (KebunBunga), Chua Wei Kiat (Rawang), Chan Chun Kuang (Semanbu), Wong Chai Yi (SimpangPulai), Yew Boon Lye (Chuah), Goh ChoonAik (Bukit Tambun), David Cheong Kian Yong (Kajang), Arthur Chiong Sen Sern (Bukit Batu), and Adam Loh Wei Chai (Bakar Arang).

Education Minister FadhlinaSidek took to her Facebook page last night to speak on the issue after public backlash over the portrayal of teachers and students in Palestinian symbols to show Malaysian solidarity.

She said the activities in the viral video took place after school hours and that her ministry still encourages participation in the programme.

She stressed that participation is voluntary and her ministry will not compromise with any show of violence or symbols of provocation.

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/10/28/pkr-reps-join-calls-for-education-ministry-to-revisit-palestine-solidaruty-week-in-schools-after-replica-arms-controversy/98866

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Muslim Care Malaysia: Three trailers carrying RM7.2m worth of humanitarian aid partly donated by Malaysians headed to Gaza by Monday

28 Oct 2023

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Three trailers carrying medical supplies, food and drinks amounting to US$1.5 million (RM7.2 million) partly donated by Malaysians for the Palestinians, will leave for the Egypt-Palestine border towards Gaza by Monday at the latest.

The three 12 metre-long trailers carrying all the humanitarian goods will leave from Cairo for the city of Al-Arish, which is located 45 kilometres from the Rafah crossing that separates Egypt and Gaza.

Muslim Care Malaysia (MCM) deputy president Mohd Johari Ismail said the work of packing the emergency aid items into boxes and carrying them onto trucks started yesterday (October 27) with the help of MCM volunteers who have been in Cairo, Egypt, for the past 10 days ago.

He said MCM had spent more than RM500,000 for the purchase of the aid items out of the RM1.5 million already spent on Palestinian emergency aid, and the majority of donations were channelled directly to the Palestinian MCM in Gaza led by a local resident Ahmad Abu Ayesh.

“For aid from Egypt, MCM and Muslim Care Egypt joined forces with the international non-governmental organisation (NGO) Miles of Smiles, which is headquartered in London and also includes NGOs from the United Kingdom, Jordan, Turkiye and Sweden.

“Among the foods that will be sent to Gaza are canned meat, fish and beans, wheat flour, cheese, tea powder, sweets and bottled drinking water. The goods were packed into small boxes of eight kg each,” he said in the statement issued today.

Mohd Johari said among the medical items are wound dressings, wheelchairs, beds, wheeled stretchers, crutches, scanners and ECG (electrocardiogram) machines for heart treatment.

According to him, Al-Arish is now a centre for the collection of goods aid for Gaza and a stadium is used for that purpose.

“In fact, the Egyptian government plans to open a field hospital in the city before relaxing border gate controls to treat thousands of wounded Palestinians,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said the entry of lorries carrying emergency aid to Gaza is still limited where so far, only 74 trucks carrying food aid and medicines were allowed to pass through the Rafah crossing while hundreds more are still queuing at the border gate waiting for their turn.

Mohd Johari announced that Miles of Smiles also held a meeting with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society (PBSM) to plan cooperation, but it was understood that their officers were not allowed to enter Gaza.

“Only aid items are allowed in. Egypt’s PBSM is also now centralising their operations and emergency aid in Al-Arish,” he said.

He said MCM was disappointed because its team could not get approval from the Egyptian authorities to accompany the convoy of three trailers to Al-Arish, however, he assured Malaysians that the mission of delivering aid will be accomplished.

“After the three of us return on Saturday, there will be another MCM team to continue our work for the next phase. Certainly, our focus after this is to go to Al-Arish and then enter Gaza if we get the green-light,” he said.

Mohd Johari led the MCM team in the aid mission which was also joined by MCM secretary-general Ahmad SafuanUjar and MCM Media exco Tuan Asri Tuan Hussein.

In addition, the parties that collaborate with MCM in the mission of bringing emergency aid to the Palestinian people in this war are the Muslim Consumers’ Association of Malaysia (PPIM), Perdana Global Peace Foundation (PGPF), Pertubuhan Khidmat Umah (PKU) and One Nation.

MCM also participated in Op Ihsan coordinated by Wisma Putra with a combination of 45 Malaysian NGOs involving the delivery of 50 tonnes of emergency aid worth RM7 million using an aircraft scheduled to fly to Al-Arish on November 3. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/10/28/muslim-care-malaysia-three-trailers-carrying-rm72m-worth-of-humanitarian-aid-partly-donated-by-malaysians-headed-to-gaza-by-monday/98845

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Maim appointed as official coordinator to collect funds for Palestine in Melaka to avoid misuse, says exco

28 Oct 2023

MELAKA, Oct 28 — The Melaka government will continue to monitor the collection of donations for Palestine especially at institutions of higher learning (IPT), schools and mosques to ensure there is no misuse by any party, said the state Education, Higher Learning and Religious Affairs Committee chairman Datuk RahmadMariman.

He said that as of now only the state Islamic Religious Council (Maim) has been appointed to collect donations for the Palestinians.

“Maim is the only channel to coordinate the donations (in Melaka). Therefore, if any IPT, school or mosque in this state wants to collect donations, they can channel the fund directly to Maim, which will coordinate the donations and hand them over to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim),” he said.

Rahmad said this to reporters after attending the state-level Madani Afiat and the Wellness On Wheels (WoW) programmes in KampungPayaRedan, Ayer Molek here today.

He said such coordination is crucial to ensure these donations reach the Palestinian people who desperately need the aid right now and that no party takes advantage of the situation or misuses the donations by the public towards humanitarian funds.

“Therefore, donate via the right channel that is Maim and those who have received approval from Maim,” he said, adding that thus far Maim has channelled funds amounting to RM100,000 to Jakim. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/10/28/maim-appointed-as-official-coordinator-to-collect-funds-for-palestine-in-melaka-to-avoid-misuse-says-exco/98865

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MB Onn Hafiz calls on Johorians to continue to stand up, express solidarity with Palestinians

28 Oct 2023

JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 28 — Johor MenteriBesar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has called on Johorians to continue to stand up and express their solidarity with the Palestinian people.

He also wants them to pray to Allah SWT so that all cruelty and oppression will be stopped immediately.

Additionally, he wants an immediate ceasefire and wants food supplies and medical aid to be delivered to alleviate the sufferings of those affected by the violence in Palestine.

“Come on, Johorians! Stand up and continue to express solidarity with the Palestinians,” he said in a post on Facebook here yesterday.

“Continue to raise your voices and urge world leaders to end this suffering.”

He said he was heartbroken to hear what Palestinian students studying at UniversitiTeknologi Malaysia (UTM) here, had to share when he met them recently.

“These students expressed their concern for the fate of their families over there, however, they remain steadfast and confident that Palestine will definitely emerge from the chaos of war, as well as from the oppression and aggression that they (Palestinian people) have been contending with for so long,” he also said.

The recent clashes in Palestine involving Hamas, the ruling authority in Gaza, and the Israeli regime have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives on both sides since October 7. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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Large crowd hold pro-Palestinian rally outside US embassy

ZAKIAH KOYA

28 Oct 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: A large crowd made their way to a pro-Palestine rally at the gates of the US embassy, stopping traffic around KLCC on Saturday (Oct 28) afternoon.

The rally organised by PAS saw its members and supporters walking the streets chanting "Takbir", pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist Israeli chants.

The protesters were led by PAS and PerikatanNasional leaders as well as NGO activists.

Men and women from all walks of life wore pro-Palestinian paraphernalia which were being sold along the route.

Police and FRU personnel kept watch and controlled the crowd, which also included children.

PAS organised the rally in support of the latest Gaza conflict, which the Malaysian Government has spoken out strongly against.

Source: thestar.com.my

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https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/10/28/large-crowd-hold-pro-palestinian-rally-outside-us-embassy

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Malaysians donate RM23 million to Palestine aid fund

 Aliza Shah

 October 28, 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians have generously donated RM23 million to the Humanitarian Trust Fund for the People of Palestine (AAKRP) as of today.

The Foreign Ministry in a statement said the total amount received includes funds from corporate companies that pledged donations during the AAKRP Fund Donation Ceremony on Oct 19, 2023, at Sri Perdana.

The ministry said the first delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza is scheduled to be sent to Al Arish International Airport via a Malaysian-funded special chartered cargo flight on November 3, 2023.

Subsequent deliveries would be made via sea with details to be determined by the Ops Ihsan team.

"The delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza requires prior approval from the Egyptian government before being managed by the Egyptian Red Crescent Society, the sole implementing agency responsible for handling shipments through the Rafah-Gaza border entry point.

"In related developments, 50 metric tons of essential humanitarian aid worth RM7 million are ready to be sent to Gaza through Egypt.

"These goods were collected through the Ops Ihsan campaign by over 40 local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on October 21 and 22," the statement reads.

Those who contributed to the fund however should expect delays in the issuance of official receipts due to the high volume of contributions received.

Donors can apply for income tax deductions under Subsection 44(6) of the Income Tax Act (ACP) 1967.

Those who wish to contribute may do so via https://shorturl.at/begq8 or bank transfer to CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad account 86-0030248-9.

Source: nst.com.my

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https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/10/972262/malaysians-donate-rm23-million-palestine-aid-fund

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Africa

 

LGBTQ+ individuals face mass arrests in Nigeria, as activists decry ignored abuses

October 27, 2023

Law enforcement authorities in Nigeria are using the country's same-sex prohibition law to target the LGBTQ+ community while ignoring abuses against them, rights groups and lawyers say, in the wake of fresh mass arrests of gay people.

Nigeria is one of more than 30 of Africa's 54 countries where homosexuality is criminalized in laws that are broadly supported by the public, even though the constitution guarantees freedom from discrimination and the right to private and family life.

Mass arrests and detention of queer Nigerians that continued this week were done without proper investigations and could further expose them to danger amid the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments in Africa's most populous country, rights groups said.

The country's paramilitary agency on Monday announced the arrest of more than 70 young people – 59 men and 17 women – in the northern Gombe state, accusing them of "holding homosexual birthdays" and having "the intention to hold a same-sex marriage."

Following a similar detention of more than 60 people at what the police called a gay wedding in the southern Delta state in August, the arrests show "an uptick in this trend of witchhunt and gross violation of human rights" of the individuals, Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International Nigeria, told The Associated Press.

The arrests also suggest states are emulating one another "to get accolades" under the law, according to AnietieEwang, Nigerian researcher with the Human Rights Watch's Africa Division. She said concerns highlighted by the organization in a 2016 report — about the abuse and stigma that gay people face in Nigeria — have remained.

Nigeria's Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2013, which has been condemned internationally but is supported by many in the country of more than 210 million people, punishes gay marriage with up to 14 years in prison and has forced many Nigerian gays to flee the country, according to human rights activists.

Arrests under the law have been common since it came into effect but the largest mass detentions yet have been in recent weeks in which some of the suspects were falsely accused and subjected to inhumane conditions, according to lawyers and rights groups.

After dozens were arrested at what the police called a gay wedding in a Delta state hotel, the suspects were paraded in front of cameras in a live social media broadcast despite a ruling by a Nigerian high court last year that pretrial media parades violate the nation's constitution.

One of those paraded said he was at the hotel for another engagement. Another suspect said he does not identify as a gay individual and was arrested while on his way to a fashion show.

In Gombe, where the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said its personnel arrested people who "intended" to organize a gay wedding, the prime suspect identified as Bashir Sani denied the allegation.

"There was no wedding, only birthday," he said in a broadcast aired by local media.

Among those arrested were the photographer and the disc jockey at the event, OchukoOhimor, the suspects' lawyer, told The Associated Press.

It is part of a trend that shows how the anti-gay law is being "exploited" without due process, said OkechukwuNwanguma, who leads the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, which advocates for police reforms in Nigeria.

One evidence of such a flawed process, lawyers said, is the failed trial of the 47 men arrested in 2018 and charged with public displays of affection for members of same-sex at a hotel in Lagos. A local court dismissed the case in 2020 because of what it described as the "lack of diligent prosecution" after the police failed to present some witnesses.

"They (law enforcement authorities) are exploiting the law to target people whether or not they are queer … There is a tendency to target them based on assumptions or allegations, not based on any investigation," said Nwanguma.

Such blanket arrests and media parade are not only discriminatory but also pose a high risk of further endangering people for their real or perceived sexual or gender orientation, said Amnesty International's Sanusi.

"Since the signing of Same-Sex Prohibition Act into law in 2014 attacks, harassment, blackmail and extortion of the LGBTQ+ community is rising, at disturbing speed. The Nigeria Police should be prioritizing keeping everyone safe, not stoking more discrimination," he said.

Police spokespersons at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters and at the Delta state command did not respond to enquiries from the AP to speak on the arrests and on the allegations about the lack of due process in handling such cases.

Lawyers also spoke to the AP about instances where the police failed to act in handling cases of abuse against the LGBTQ+ community in Nigeria.

In 2020, David Bakare, a gay person, petitioned the police about a group of men who beat him up after he shared a video of himself dancing. The suspects were freed on bail after which they threatened Bakare to withdraw the petition, a copy of which his lawyer shared with The AP.

Bakare then petitioned the police a second time to alert them that his life is in danger but no action was taken in response, he said. He had no choice but to flee to another part of Lagos.

"Since you can't trust the police to do the necessary things, those guys will come again," the 26-year-old said of his abusers.

The problem of delayed justice is not new in Nigeria where the criminal justice system has been criticized as corrupt. But it is far worse for groups such as the LGBTQ+ community seen to be vulnerable, said ChizeluEmejulu, an activist and lawyer who has handled many cases involving queer people.

"When we get the perpetrators arrested, the consistent thing we have noticed is that people always claim their victims are queer and once they say that, the police begin to withdraw from these cases," said Emejulu.

"What the LGBTQ community in Nigeria is asking for is to be left alone to live their lives," Emejulu added.

Source: africanews.com

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Israel-Gaza War: Nigeria, others vote in favour of immediate ceasefire

Chiamaka Okafor 

October 28, 2023

Nigeria alongside 119 other countries on Friday voted in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

This follows the failure of four draft resolutions at the UN Security Council.

At the UN General Assembly on Friday, while 120 countries voted in favour, 14 including US and Israel voted against. A total of 45 countries abstained.

The resolution was on the “protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations”, according to UN News. It demanded that all parties “immediately and fully comply” with obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws, “particularly in regard to the protection of civilians and civilian objects.”

Thousands of civilians have been killed in Israel and Gaza, with the latter recording more casualties as a result of relentless bombardments from Israel.

The recent escalation started on 7 October when Hamas attacked Israel. Over 1,400 Israelis were killed in that attack. Since then, Israel has declared war on the group with occupants of the Gaza Strip at the receiving end. Over 7,000 Gaza residents including about 3,000 children have been killed in the air strikes, according to official figures.

Additionally, the resolution called for the protection of humanitarian personnel and humanitarian facilities to enable and facilitate humanitarian access for essential supplies and services to reach all civilians in need in the Gaza Strip.

Since the recent escalation, no less than 53 humanitarian staff have been killed in Gaza, UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said.

Referring to Israel as “the occupying Power,” the UN Assembly asked it to rescind its evacuation order. Israel had ordered Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate and relocate to the south but continued to bombard the area.

“The General Assembly also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians being illegally held captive, demanding their safety, well-being and humane treatment in compliance with international law.

“It also reaffirmed that a “just and lasting solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means, based on the relevant UN resolutions and in accordance with international law, and on the basis of the two-State solution,” UN News reported.

Source: premiumtimesng.com

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No law in Nigeria forbids non-Muslim from becoming FCT minister – Rivers elite tell Gumi

October 27, 2023

Concerned elites in Rivers State have condemned claims by a popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi that it was wrong for President Bola Tinubu to appoint a Christian as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Gumi had called on Tinubu to remove NyesomWike as FCT minister if he wanted to be on the same page with him.

Convener of the elites, Tony Okocha, who faulted the statement on Friday while briefing reporters regretted that the outbursts of Gumi as spread by his supporters were an affront to one Nation-hood and described the development as Treasonable under the law governing the land.

Rejecting claims that the FCT is in the Northern Region and so, the only ones who qualify to occupy the Ministerial Position of the FCT must be a Northerner, Okocha argued that Abuja is not a designated core northern state to be inhabited and governed only by the northerners and that the territory is not dominated by only Muslims.

Okocha who alleged that the cleric incited the north not to be comfortable with the appointment of a non-Muslim to head Security Agencies in Nigeria, as none, order than a Northern/Muslim can be fair to all and sundry, accused the cleric of intending to expand the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or amending it from its prescribed Secular State status, to a mono-religious State.

Noting that the President is at liberty to appoint any Nigerian to any office without consideration for tribe or religion, the convener said the current Minister of FCT, NyesomWike is fit and proper to be appointed as Minister of the territory.

Okocha said he has not been found guilty of any infraction whatsoever, but rather has worked in tandem with the mission assigned to him within the ambit of the constitution of Nigeria and remains unshakable.

According to him, any call for his sack is maliciously orchestrated and so, cannot hold water.

Okocha said: “The Muslim cleric took to the pulpit in the Hausa language to say the FCT is in the Northern Region and so, the only ones who qualify to occupy the Ministerial Position of the FCT must be a Northerner.

“He further incites the north not to be comfortable with the appointment of a non-Muslim to head Security Agencies in Nigeria, as none, other than a Northern/Muslim can be fair to all and sundry.

“These incisive attacks of Gumi as spread by his adherents, affront our One Nation-hood and so, we conclude that it is TREASONABLE.

“How does being a Christian make one an infidel or how could Sheikh Gumi refer to the occupant of the FCT Ministerial office, one tested and proven as an infidel?

“Is Abuja designated a core northern state to be inhabited and governed only by the northerners?

Are all northern Indigenes Muslims?

“Is Gumi intending to expand the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or amending it from its prescribed Secular State status, to a mono-religious State “suo moto”’ and in this case, Nigeria being an Islamic State?

“What constitutes’ the hub in the characteristic features of a Federation, is the belief in “Unity in Diversity”.

“Is Gumi unaware that Musa Yar’Adua of sweet memory, father of former Nigerian President Yar’dua also of sweeter memory, was in the first Republic, 1963 to 1966 before the Military stroke, the Minister for Lagos Affairs?

“Sheikh Gumi, being an ardent northern chauvinist/jingoist and die-heart supporter AlhajiAtikuAbubakar, PDP President Candidate, 2023 Election, holds President Tinubu’s administration in utter derision and can only pander to tissues of lies and unconstructive criticisms “ex nihilo.

“The same could be concluded as the reason for his morbid hatred for The Hon. Minister of FCT, HE Chief E.N Wike.

“Having lost in his hitherto lucrative business of negotiations of ransom between the abductors and abductees, Gumi feels badly bruised and therefore, anything goes.

“Sheikh Gumi having publicly campaigned against the voting of anyone who, according to him, is against bandits, is deficient in moral rectitude and “ipso facto” lacks moral imperative to speak.”

On an alleged plan to demolish the national mosque, Okocha stated: “The Purveyors of this villainous venom have the latent and patent intentions to show off the Hon. Minister as one against the Muslim faith and hater of the North.

“Not even the swift rebuttal of the orchestrated lies and blatant falsehood by the Executive Secretary of the FCTA and even the unequivocal denial of the Hon. Minister made meaning to the mischief-makers and naysayers.

“For the records, it goes without saying that the Minister of the FCT, is not known as Coward. Rather, he is a man that exudes unfettered and deft Courage and Boldness.”

Source: thenationonlineng.net

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Supreme Court verdict: MURIC urges Atiku to congratulate Tinubu, says ‘you’re both Muslims before becoming politicians

Ibrahim Ramalan

October 27, 2023

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has called on the main opposition candidate, former Vice-President AtikuAbubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, to congratulate the winner, President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Executive Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, implored Abubakar, to display Islamic brotherhood and political maturity by congratulating the winner.

Mr Akintola said that politics was over as the legal fireworks had come to an end with the final pronouncement of the Supreme Court.

”But we have a country to build and the time to do it is now.

“Both of you are Muslims and that is important to MURIC. First and foremost, you were both Muslims before becoming politicians. You must now join hands to heal wounds, to build bridges and to allay fears,” he said.

Source: dailynigerian.com

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Police arrest medical doctor for child trafficking, rescue four children in Rivers

28 October 2023

ObinnaNwaoku, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a medical doctor, Dr. Happiness EnyinnayaIheukwumere, also known as Dr. Hagi, for allegedly trafficking four children to different parts of the country.

Parading the suspect yesterday, the state Commissioner of Police, EmekaNwonyi, said a case of abduction was reported to operatives of the command on September 9, this year, by a 35-year-old mother, Ijeoma James, in AwalamaRumuokoro, Obio/Akpor Local Council of the state.

Nwonyi stated that the abduction happened on August 18, saying James reported that on that day, one man known as Promise came into their compound and stole her four-year-old son, Prosper James, and all efforts to locate her child proved abortive.

He explained that following the report, detectives from the Special Area Division swung into action using intelligence-led policing, which led to the arrest of one IfesinachiOpara. He said the arrest of Opara led to the arrest of Dr. Hagi, to whom he sold the child.

He disclosed that further investigation led to the recovery of three more children trafficked by Hagi from different locations in the country. Nwonyi said his men rescued three children abducted in Benue State from different locations in Port Harcourt where they had been sold. They include a one year, seven months old child known as Benedict Kpaaka; four-year-old Godgift Julius and a six-year-old female simply identified as Philomina.

The CP, however, noted that further investigation revealed that one 25-year-old Angel Shimeson, female, still at large, was the supplier of the children to Hagi, adding that efforts were being intensified to arrest the suspect.

Speaking with journalists after being paraded by the police, Hagi confessed to the crime, saying he was into the trade to assist couples, mostly his patients, who are unable to bear children.

He claimed that he did it for the first time, adding that the deals were not done for ritual purposes. He said: “Actually, there have been some families that have been coming to me for medical treatment and their cases have proved that they cannot have children. So, in a situation like this, they asked if there is any child that they can adopt to have as their own.

“When information came from the police, I had to call them to bring back the children and these people have been taking care of the children. But if it was for evil intentions they would not have returned them. I involved myself in it because I know the family. This is my first time. Yes, I am a practising medical doctor and I am a member of the NMA.

“Why I did not follow the legitimate process was because I was looking at the process of registering and getting all the papers; it may take a longer time and the pressure these people were giving me was much. So, that is why. I am not denying it. I did it; I own it and I will also face whatever consequences. But I am pleading with the government to temper justice with mercy.” Commenting, Ijeoma James expressed joy to have been reunited with her son.

Source: guardian.ng

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Pakistan

 

Imran ‘fears for his life’ after relief denied in cipher case

Malik Asad

 October 28, 2023

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday declined bail to detained former prime minister Imran Khan in a case in which he has been indicted on charges of leaking state secrets, observing that he apparently committed the offence, which might carry the death penalty or up to 14 years of imprisonment.

The court also rejected another petition filed by the PTI chief in which he had asked the court to cancel the FIR in the cipher case.

The charge is related to a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States last year, which Mr Khan is accused of making public. Mr Khan denies this, arguing that the contents of the cable appeared in the media from other sources.

The prosecution’s case is based on a complaint by Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, secretary of the Ministry of Interior. He alleged that Mr Khan and another PTI leader, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, communicated the cipher in an unauthorised manner. The content was allegedly manipulated, jeopardising state security for personal benefits.

It was also alleged that in a March 2022 meeting in Banigala, Mr Khan and several others plotted to exploit the cipher’s contents for political gains.

‘Constitutional immunity’

Defending Mr Khan, his lawyer Sardar Latif Khan Khosa argued that the facts of the case didn’t fit within Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

He also stressed that Mr Khan, as a former prime minister, had constitutional immunity from prosecution under Article 248 of the Constitution.

The counsel pointed to the prime minister’s oath, provided in the third schedule of the Constitution, emphasising Mr Khan’s duty to keep the public informed, which he said Mr Khan accordingly did by highlighting a conspiracy by a foreign government to overthrow his government.

Barrister Salman Safdar, another counsel for Mr Khan, argued that the case lacked precise allegations and that details had been omitted fraudulently. Besides, the case was based mainly on a co-accused’s statement, he said, adding that the Official Secrets Act primarily pertained to armed forces personnel.

However, Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi contested these arguments, insisting that the act applied to all citizens.

He argued that as prime minister, Mr Khan received a decoded copy of the cipher at his office. He was supposed to return the cable, but he did not, and instead kept it with him and allegedly tampered with its contents for political advantage.

He also argued that Mr Khan didn’t enjoy immunity in the cipher case under Article 248 of the Constitution.

The court’s final verdict stressed that Mr Khan’s failure to safeguard the classified document and subsequent public dissemination could lead to severe legal repercussions.

It specifically mentioned potential penalties under subsections (a) and (d) of Section 5(1) of the Official Secrets Act, under which Mr Khan could face the death penalty or up to 14 years of jail.

Commenting on Mr Khan’s defence that he was exposing a conspiracy, the court underscored the classified nature of ciphers and the prime minister’s responsibility not to disclose sensitive information. The court said that it was in fact an admission that such disclosure was made.

Relying on a statement of former Pakistani ambassador to the US, Asad Majeed, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq observed that “no conspiracy was hatched in a foreign country and that, making the contents of cipher known to public jeopardises the cipher code security and let down Pakistan in international diplomatic circles and strained relations of Pakistan with a foreign country”.

The court emphasised that Mr Khan’s act of revealing the cipher’s contents during a public gathering in March last year was not a part of his duties as prime minister, as it was a political gathering.

Moreover, Mr Khan as prime minister “had no authority to declassify the cipher or make the contents public, as it was a classified document”, the court said.

Rejecting the arguments regarding Mr Khan’s immunity, Justice Farooq noted that only the country’s president and governors possess such immunity while in office, not the prime minister.

Due to the serious nature of the allegations and the potential penalty of death or up to 14 years imprisonment, the court declined Mr Khan’s bail request. It was also highlighted that the contested cipher copy remains in Mr Khan’s possession.

‘Another attempt’ on life

Meanwhile, the PTI chairma has expressed the apprehension that “they will try to make another attempt on my life while I am in jail”.

“Since I won’t agree to leave my country, there is of course a danger they will try to make another attempt on my life while I am in jail,” said a post on PTI’s offical X account, while quoting Mr Khan. “Such an attempt could also be through slow poisoning.”

Taking a jibe at PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who has returned after four years , Mr Khan said: “The only way a convicted criminal could be allowed to return to politics with a clean chit is by destroying State institutions. And hence, what we are witnessing is a complete collapse of our justice system.”

The PTI chief asserted that all cases against him were “completely bogus”, “politically motivated”, and concocted to keep him in jail “till after the elections or maybe much longer beyond the elections”.

About his health, he said, “At the moment, I am physically fit. I would know if my body was experiencing change from weakness.”

Meanwhile, Mr Khan’s sister Aleema Khan told the media there was no court that could give him justice.

Asked if anyone had contacted her, Mr Khan or the party for a “backdoor channel or deal to facilitate” him to go abroad, she said: “See, no one has directly done so, but a lot of people do approach you that ‘do something that Khan sahib goes abroad’.”

Later, PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan also came down hard on the IHC chief justice for rejecting Mr Khan’s bail plea.

He described the decision as “very partial, prejudiced, biased and totally against the basic principle of fair delivery of justice”.

“If the judiciary really wants to restore its dignity and prestige, it should immediately remove judges like Justice Farooq,” he said.

Police visit Imran, Qureshi in Adiala

Meanwhile, a day after Special Court and Anti-Terrorism Court Judge AbualHasnatZulqarnain allowed the Rawalpindi police to investigate Mr Khan and Mr Qureshi in the May 9 riot case, the police on Friday night visited Adiala Jail to investigate them.

According to sources, Mr Khan refused to record any statement to the police in the absence of his lawyers. However, the police were able to record Mr Qureshi’s statement.

The court, however, rejected the request of Gujranwala police to investigate the PTI chief and Mr Qureshi in Adiala jail.

The police of Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Kasur visited Adiala jail on Friday at about 6pm and left the premises an hour later after questioning Mr Qureshi.

Source: dawn.com

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Announcements in mosques: illegal foreigners asked to leave country

 2023-10-28

KARACHI: Deputy Commissioner South Karachi Captain Altaf Hussain Sario (retd) has asked all illegal foreigners residing in the jurisdiction of District South to leave the country by November 01.

In a statement issued here on Friday, the DC said announcements had been made in various Masajids located in the district in this regard and illegal foreigners including Afghanis were advised to leave Pakistan.

It is pertinent to know that government has decided to deport all illegal immigrants, living in Pakistan without having any travel documents since long time. They were given date line of November 01 to leave the country voluntarily, failing which action would be taken against them.

Source: brecorder.com

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Senate passes resolution strongly reaffirming Pakistan's solidarity with Kashmiris

October 27, 2023

The Senate today unanimously passed a resolution strongly reaffirming Pakistan’s solidarity with the Kashmiri people in their just struggle for right to self-determination.

The resolution moved by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, reiterated Pakistan’s moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people.

The resolution strongly condemned the Indian brutalities and the killing of thousands of innocent Kashmiris in the Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.  It urged the International community for the expeditious formation of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the gross human rights violation in IIOJK.

The House also rejected the conduct of fake elections in IIOJK, saying this violates the UNSC resolutions which stipulates that the final disposition of the disputed territory will be made in accordance with the aspiration of Kashmiri people through the conduct of a free and impartial plebiscite under the UN.

The Senate today passed two more resolutions expressing profound grief and sorrow over the deaths of sitting Senator Rana Maqbool and former Senator S. M.Zafar.

The resolutions moved by Leader of House Ishaq Dar and Kamil Ali Agha paid glowing tributes to the services and contributions of Rana Maqbool and S.M. Zafar saying that these will be remembered for a long time.

The house through its resolutions extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the departed souls.

In his remarks on the occasion, the Leader of House said that Rana Maqbool was a principled, cooperative and capable person.

Ishaq Dar said S.M. Zafar was recognized as the top lawyer and a great politician. 

Earlier, Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti paid tributes to the services of late Senator Rana Maqbool and senior politician late S. M. Zafar. He said Rana Maqbool was one of the finest and seasoned lawmakers.

Speaking in Senate, the Interior Minister also recognized the sacrifices being rendered by security personnel in the fight against terrorism. He said the security personnel are sacrificing their today for a better future of Pakistan.

Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the Israeli atrocities in Gaza.

Other Senators also paid tributes to the services and contributions of Rana Maqbool and S.M. Zafar and extended condolences to the bereaved families.

At the outset, the House offered fateha for the departed souls of Senator Rana Maqbool, renowned jurist S. M. Zafar as well as the Palestinians, martyred in Israeli airstrikes.

The House has now been adjourned to meet on Monday at 2:30 p.m.

Source: radio.gov.pk

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UN urges Pakistan to halt Afghan deportations

October 28, 2023

Amin Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: The Of­­fice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called on the Pakistani government to “suspend forcible returns of Afghan nationals before it is too late to avoid a human rights catastrophe”.

“We call on them to continue providing protection to those in need and ensure that any fut­ure returns are safe, dignified and voluntary, and fully consistent with int­ernational law,” OHCHR spokesperson RavinaSha­­mdasani said in a sta­tement from Geneva on Friday.

“We believe many of those facing deportation will be at grave risk of human rights violations if returned to Afghanistan, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, cruel and other inhuman treatment, spokesperson said.

She said, “We are extremely alarmed by Pakistan’s announcement that it plans to deport ‘undocumented’ foreign nationals remaining in the country after Nov 1, a measure that will disproportionately imp­act more than 1.4 million undocumented Afghans who remain in Pakistan.”

There are more than two million undocumented Afghans living in Pakistan, with at least 600,000 of them leaving Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in August 2021.

The spokesperson said those at particular risk are civil society activists, journalists, human rights defenders, former government officials and security force members, and of course women and girls as a whole, who, as a result of the abhorrent policies currently in place in Afghanistan, are banned from secondary and tertiary education, working in many sectors and other aspects of daily and public life.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organisa­tion for Migration (IOM) have already documented a sharp increase in returns to Afghanistan since the deadline was announced on Oct 3. A recent flash report by UNHCR and IOM placed the number of Afghans who left Pakistan in the month up to Oct 15 at 59,780 individuals.

Seventy-­eight per cent of those returning cited the fear of arrest as the reason for leaving Pakistan.

The spokesperson stated that deportations without individualised determinations of personal circumstances, including any mass deportations, would amount to refoulement in violation of international human rights law, in particular the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, to which Pakistan is a state party, and of international refugee law.

And as winter approaches, any mass deportations are bound to deepen the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, as it grapples with the devastating impact of a series of earthquakes that struck Herat province this month, leaving at least 1,400 people dead and 1,800 injured, as per official figures, spokesperson said.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Human­itarian Affairs, close to 30m people currently need relief assistance in Afghanistan, out of a population of 43m, and 3.3m are internally displaced.

“We remind the de facto authorities of the international human rights obligations that continue to bind Afghan­istan as a state and their obligations to protect, promote and fulfil human rights.”

Source: dawn.com

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More crossings opened to speed up deportation drive

October 28, 2023

Saleem Shahid

QUETTA / LAHORE / PESHAWAR: As the government-ordained deadline for the deportation of illegal immigrants — mostly Afghans — draws near, authorities have intensified their efforts by setting up ‘holding centres’, and opening additional border crossing points to speed up the repatriation process.

To expedite the repatriation of undocumented foreigners to Afgha­nistan and Iran, the Balochistan government is opening three more crossing points.

“These crossing points are being opened in Qila Saifullah, QameruddinKarez and Baracha Noor Wahab in Chagai district to help Afghan and Iranian Baloch immigrants to meet the deadline of Oct 31,” said Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai at a press conference on Friday.

Similarly, foreigners found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa without proper documents would be repatriated from KP crossing points, he added. After the deadline, he asserted, the government would implement its plan with full force, involving all relevant institutions in expelling illegal foreigners from across the province.

Punjab government identifies 33,000 illegal foreign residents; sites picked for temporary ‘holding centres’ in KP, Punjab and Balochistan

He said that the data of all voluntarily repatriated illegal immigrants would be updated and saved. He said illegal immigrants coming from Sindh and Punjab would receive full security and be kept in holding centres.

The Quetta Haji camp has been converted into a holding centre, and additional centres have been established in border towns of Chaman and Pishin. More such centres may be set up in other areas if needed.

The illegal immigrants will be provided with food and necessary facilities, he added Replying to a question, the information minister said that around 40,000 to 50,000 people from Chaman and Spin Buldak were crossing the Pak-Afghan border daily without passports and visas.

The government would no longer permit this practice, as it is not in the country’s interest and is not in line with international border practices.

He noted that non-registered immigrants were returning to their home countries, with over 16,000 Afghans have already returned along with their families via the Chaman border.

Mr Achakzai said that the government was not only repatriating illegal Afghan refugees but also intended to send Iranian Baloch, Nigerians, Bosnians, Bangladeshis, Indians, and other foreigners living illegally in Pakistan back to their home countries.

Action would be taken against those who rent out their houses and shops to illegal immigrants, and illegal properties of foreigners would be confiscated, he added.

33,000 ‘illegal immigrants’ in Punjab

In the ongoing mapping of illegal immigrants, the Punjab government has identified 33,000 illegal foreign residents, mostly Afghan nationals, in the province, caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir said on Friday.

The provincial government says it is keeping the illegal immigrants at 36 ‘holding points’ in the province, and maintains that undocumented immigrants will be deported if they do not leave the country voluntarily by Oct 31.

According to Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, all preparations have been made to launch a “comprehensive crackdown” on undocumented immigrants and those giving them shelter.

Mr Mir said that some 99,000 illegal immigrants had been identified across the country, some of whom were being held in designated holding within Punjab, he added.

He also justified the deportation of illegal Afghan nationals, saying that they were involved in recent terror attacks. “There were 24 suicide bombings in different parts of Pakistan and Afghan nationals were identified as suicide bombers in 14 such incidents,” he claimed.

KP identifies holding sites

Meanwhile, officials in KP said that the home and tribal affairs department had finalised the sites for keeping illegal immigrants, near Hamza Baba’s mausoleum in LandiKotal, district Khyber, and Labour Col­ony near Defence Housing Authority on the outskirts of the provincial capital.

They also stated that apart from the facilities in districts Peshawar and Khyber, illegal immigrants in Azad Kashmir and Hazara division would be shifted to a facility set up in Haripur district.

They stated that although there was no shelter at the moment, it was expected in next few days. PDMA is responsible for camp management.

An official document from the KP home department stated that a control room was established to coordinate, monitor, and report the repatriation plan of illegal foreigners.

It said representatives from the police, corps headquarters, Peshawar, Nadra, FIA, Passports and Immigration, commissionerate of Afghan Refugees and PDMA and federal and provincial intelligence agencies would be present in the control room, which would become operational from today (Saturday).

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1784392/more-crossings-opened-to-speed-up-deportation-drive

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Baloch student picked up by police from Punjab University

October 28, 2023

LAHORE: A Baloch student of the Punjab University (PU) was arrested by police and plainclothesmen from the gate of the New Campus on Friday, triggering protests and condemnation from human rights activists, students, and Baloch nationalists.

According to CCTV footage circulating on social media, Fareed Husain Baloch, a BS Education 8th semester student and a member of the Baloch Council of PU, was leaving the campus from the main gate when he was intercepted by two policemen and two others in civvies.

The footage showed that the student resisted the arrest and tried to run away, but the policemen beat him up and dragged him into a private car. The PU security guards did not intervene when the police and the plainclothesmen entered the campus to nab the student.

The Baloch Council office-bearers approached the Garden Town Police Station where the student was detained.

They told Dawn that the police did not disclose the reason for the arrest nor allowed them to meet the student.

They expressed fear that the police might implicate the student in some false and fabricated case as no one from the law enforcement agencies was willing to tell them about the arrest.

The arrest of the student sparked outrage on social media. Progressive Students’ Collective posted its comments on social media stating “PSC strongly condemns the abduction of Fareed Baloch from Punjab University. Such acts disrupt the pursuit of education and are unacceptable.”

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it was deeply concerned by reports of “Pashtun and Baloch students having been harassed and intimidated by law enforcement personnel at universities in Lahore during the last several days, with at least two students having been forcibly disappeared.

“Students from Balochistan and KP remain especially vulnerable in Punjab. This practice of subjecting students to ethnic profiling must end. All students must be equally allowed to pursue their education without the fear of harassment and enforced disappearance.”

Source: dawn.com

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https://www.dawn.com/news/1784288/baloch-student-picked-up-by-police-from-punjab-university

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Pindi to arrest 24,000 undocumented Afghans

Saleh Mughal

October 28, 2023

RAWALPINDI:Over 24,000 undocumented Afghan nationals were found living in the Rawalpindi division as per data compiled by district authorities, with the commissioner issuing instructions to identify a location to gather them before deportation.

One week is left before the October 31 deadline issued by the Pakistani government ordering undocumented Afghans to return to their country or face legal action.

Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaqat Ali Chatha issued the instructions following a committee meeting to ensure implementation of the October 31 deadline. Regional Police Chief Khurram Ali and deputy commissioners of the districts, senior police officers and representatives of intelligence agencies attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed that the final list of data of foreign nationals residing in the division was in the final stage. According to the data collected so far, the number of undocumented foreigners was said to 24,018.

Of those, around 12,000 were residing in the Rawalpindi district, 10,000 were said to be in Attock district, 1,200 in Chakwal district and 818 people in Jhelum district.

The commissioner instructed his deputies in the districts as well as the district police officers (DPOs) of the four districts to submit their final list after tallying with counterparts in security agencies for their respective regions.

He also instructed them to identify specific locations ‘to gather such foreigners’.

The RPO said that the crackdown would be fair and just with those undocumented illegally not allowed to stay in the country. He added that failure to leave the country by the deadline would result in legal action under the Foreigners Act.

RPO Ali added that Afghan nationals who were currently under trial or had been convicted of serious crimes would not be deported. However, those charged with minor crimes would be deported.

Source: tribune.com.pk

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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2443343/pindi-to-arrest-24000-undocumented-afghans

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