Evening NEWS DIGEST
26 Feb.2017: 28 Jamadiul Awwal 1438: Vol:8, No:126
NEET 2017: SC lists Urdu plea
by SIO on March 3
New Delhi: Supreme Court of
India on Friday allowed the petition filed by Students Islamic Organisation
(SIO) to include Urdu in the upcoming National Eligibility cum Entrance Test
(NEET-UG) for the Academic Year 2017-18. The court will hear the plea on March
3. SIO of India filed a Petition before Supreme Court saying leaving out Urdu
as a medium not only deprives a large number of students studying science in
Urdu Medium of equal opportunity, but is also a violation of right to life,
being denied the opportunity to pursue a career in Health Sciences and shape
their lives as per their choice and interest.Regarding reports emerged in some
section of media suggesting the Supreme Court refused to hear the plea filed by
SIO, National Secretary of the organization, Syed Azharuddin told NDTV that,
the plaintiff requested SC to hear the plea of urgency motion as March 1, 2017
is the deadline to fill the NEET application but the court refused the plea of
urgency and listed the case to March 3."Urdu should be added as a language
or as a medium in the NEET," SIO lawyer Ravindra S. Garia told ANI on
Friday.'SIO feels that exclusion of Urdu as medium is highly detrimental to
students across the country who received their secondary and higher secondary
education in Urdu language. They are suddenly confronted with having to either
appear in language which they did not undertake their secondary education in or
not appear at all', the organization said in an earlier press release.March 1
is the last date for the NEET online application and the exams will be
conducted on May 7. ndtv
Shift NEET registration
dates so that SC can hear plea to include Urdu tests: Students
NIA likely to give clean
chit for Pakistani boys accused of guiding Uri attackers:HT
NIA is likely to give a
clean chit to the two Pakistani boys who were arrested on charges of guiding
the Uri Army camp attackers across the LoC as they had just strayed across the
border.But the agency has not filed a closure report in the court so far. “We
have not filed any closure report in the case. We will file a report soon,” the
NIA spokesman said.The boys, Faisal Husain Awan and his school friend Ahsan
Khursheed, will get a formal reprieve only after the court is told about the
findings of the probe and the court accepts the findings of the agency. Only
then, the process of sending them back to Pakistan will be initiated.The duo
was first picked up by villagers in Uri who found their movements suspicious
and beat them up before handing them to the BSF and the Army on September 21,
three days after the suicide attack on 12 Infantry Brigade’s headquarters in
which 19 soldiers were killed.Contrary to initial suspicion of the boys being
guides for JeM, NIA didn’t find any evidence of their links with the
Pakistan-based terror outfit.In fact, the agency is yet to find evidence
suggesting that JeM carried out the Uri attack. After comparing the food items
and arms and ammunition recovered from the Uri attackers with the recoveries
made during the previous attacks in the Valley, the agency believes that the
attack was carried out by operatives of another Pakistani terrorist outfit,
LeT.NIA investigators found that the villages of the boys, Pitha Jandgran and Khiyana
Khurd in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), are very close to the LoC.Details of
their family members and the school in PoK, given by the boys, have been found
to be correct, sources said.Awan and Khursheed were very initially scared of
being beaten up in custody if they “didn’t confess their crime” and had even
“identified” one of the dead attackers. But once their apprehension of being
beaten up in custody was proved wrong, the boys told the investigators that
they have no links with the JeM and had strayed across the LoC while taking a
“short cut” to their villages.
Denied video conferencing,
Zakir Naik requests questionnaire from ED
New Delhi: Despite the
Enforcement Directorate (ED) having expressed its desire to not conduct
proceedings via video conferencing or e-mail, Zakir Naik has sought a
questionnaire from the agency, fearing his arrest if he lands in India.ED is
unwilling to accept the proposal of Zakir Naik seeking to record statement and
respond to summons via video conferencing or e-mail, sources told ANI
earlier.The letter, which was written by Naik's lawyer Mahesh Mule on his
behalf, sought the submission of detailed questionnaire and list of documents
that the department requires. "Our apprehension regarding the probe stood
fortified with the arrest of Aamir Gazdar which we are afraid shall also be the
fate of our Client in case of personal appearance.The fact that the arrest has
taken place despite NIA having possession of all documents leaves much to be
desired," the letter read. Lawyer further asserted that it has been placed
on the agency's record that till date he has not been served with any summon in
a manner contemplated under law." My client is willing to furnish all
evidence and material that you may desire through email or telephonic
conversation in case of urgency,"he added.ANI
In a first, Gujarat ATS
arrests two brothers with alleged IS links: the hindu
Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s ATS
has arrested two persons, claiming they are associated with the Islamic State
(IS) group and were on a mission to carry out “serial blasts to target some
religious place in the State.”The duo was identified as Waseem and Naeem
Ramodiya. While Waseem was arrested from Rajkot, his brother was arrested from
Bhavnagar.According to ATS DSP K.K. Patel, the two were under the squad’s watch
for more than a year. He claimed that they were allegedly in contact with IS
operatives overseas through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and
Telegram, an encrypted messaging app.
Arrogant for 'minority
govt' to use term 'anti-national': Amartya Sen
New Delhi: Public reasoning
is critical for a democracy, economist and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen said
today, launching into sharp criticism of PM Narendra Modi's government. In an
interview to NDTV at the launch of his book 'Collective Choice and Social
Welfare: Expanded Edition', Dr Sen condemned the violence on the campus of
Delhi University's Ramjas college, calling it "wholly
anti-democratic"."To say we can't discuss a certain point of view
even before the discussion begins is highly dangerous," he said.After
clashes between students on Wednesday over an invitation to JNU student Umar
Khalid, accused of sedition over an event last year where anti-India slogans
were allegedly raised, junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju said colleges cannot
be allowed to become "hub of anti-national activity"."Anti-national
is a peculiar term to come from a minority government. It shows that there is a
level of arrogance there. A 31 per cent vote share certainly does not allow you
to label remaining 69 per cent to be anti-national," Dr Sen said,
referring to BJP's vote share in 2014 general elections. ndtv
Democracy is damaged when
people are afraid to speak out: Amartya Sen
Professor beaten up by ABVP
mob has ribs broken, severe internal injuries
New Delhi:For Professor
Prasanta Chakravarty, February 22 was like any normal Wednesday. He was in the
Arts Faculty, Delhi University, and then at Ramjas College to support the
students protesting the cancellation of talks by JNU scholars Shehla Rashid and
Umar Khalid. A clash between the AISA and ABVP students broke out that
afternoon.Soon, the clash took a violent turn, with students being beaten up
everywhere. ABVP has been accused of orchestrating the attacks on the students
in Ramjas on February 22. This mob beat up Prof Chakravarty, pushed him to the
ground, kicked him repeatedly. A guy also tried to strangle Chakravarty with
his muffler. The Delhi Police, meanwhile, allegedly, watched this entire
incident play out in front of them. Some policemen and women, onlookers
alleged, even joined the ABVP in attacking the other faction of students
present on campus that day. indiatoday
ABVP cannot decide
nationalism and anti-nationalism: Umar Khalid
New Delhi: Days, after
violent clashes broke out in Delhi University's North Campus between members of
the ABVP and the AISA, JNU's Umar Khalid, spoke to CNN-News18 about entire
episode.Maintaining his position on the nationalism debate, he accused ABPV of
indulging in ‘goondagardi’ (hooliganism) on campus. Questioning the authority
of ABVP, Umar Khalid accused RSS-backed student wing of attacking the
fundamental rights of students. “How fair is the attack on us by ABVP, kind of
sensationalisation of anything that we do and them branding us as
anti-nationals,” Umar said.It was an invite for a seminar to Umar, who was
charged with sedition last year, that triggered the violence at Ramjas College.
After violent objections by the ABVP, the college was forced to rescind its
invite on Tuesday. A protest march organised by AISA and JNU students the next
day led to violent clashes when ABVP activists tried to stop them. Along with
Umar, an invite to ex-JNU students union leader Shehla Rashid was also
withdrawn. Clarifying that there was nothing in the paper prepared by him which
could incite violence at the campus, Umar said that his paper dealt with the
poor and oppressed of Chhattisgarh.“People who are living in Chhattisgarh are
the poorest of the poor and the most oppressed people in this country.And, if
we do not stand up for the oppressed at this moment, when they are facing a
massive assault on their rights, then what kind of nationalism are we propagating,”he
questioned.News18
2002 Godhra riots: ‘There
were 20 Muslim families in the village, one by one they all left’
The grill doors of Haji Pir
Ki Dargah are half open. Two women are sitting inside on rusty chairs that are
held together by gunny sacks, soaking in the Saturday morning sun. Noticing
visitors, one gets up to fetch a cot from a corner of the house.The dargah and
its scanty furniture comprise the entirety of Sakina Fakir and sister
Hasinaben’s world. After the post-Godhra riots, they are the only two Muslims
left in Paliyad village of Gandhinagar district.On Jan.31, following a
prolonged trial, an additional district court in Kalol acquitted all the 26
accused in the case. The order said most of the eyewitnesses had turned hostile
and a “compromise was struck between the accused and the victims”. While no
written documents were submitted, the court accepted the oral information given
“about the amount (not mentioned in the order) of compensation given to the
victims by the accused”.The accused had been booked for “rioting, attacking
Muslims, burning their houses and destroying properties” and for insulting “their
religion by damaging the (Haji Pir Ki) dargah”.One of the eyewitnesses who the
court said had turned hostile was Sakina, who is in her early 60s. She denies
this, and both she and Hasinaben, who is a few years younger, say they are
still fighting the case. “Woh log 10-20 hazaar de kar samjhauta karna chahte
the. Maine mana kar diya (The accused wanted us to compromise by giving usRs
10,000-20,000. I refused),” Sakina says, adding that while she has also heard
there has been a compromise, she doesn’t know of anyone accepting money to
settle the case.The dargah was one of the places attacked by rioters on the
night of February 28, 2002, a day after the fire on the Sabarmati Express at
Godhra railway station. Sakina and Hasinaben’s home was destroyed. While the
two sisters shifted to the dargah, their brother left Paliyad with his family
and their father took shelter at a relief camp, where he later died.“A mob of
500 to 1,000 men barged in. They thrashed my brother. They destroyed all the
houses and robbed this dargah,” Sakina says. “Bees ke kareeb ghar the
Musalmanon ke, dheere-dheere sabne gaon chhod diya (There were around 20
families of Muslims in the village, one by one they all left).”Now the sisters
look after the dargah and live on the alms offered by the stray visitors.
Hasinaben has difficulty speaking since a paralytic attack some years
ago.Sakina says they are determined to stay. “All our relatives and people from
our community left the village soon after the riots. This is our land, our
village. We are just trying to keep this place intact. We won’t go anywhere,”
she says.‘Accused No. 1’ in the riot case, Natvarbhai Kalidas Patel, who is
among the 26 acquitted, is now the village sarpanch. When The Sunday Express
visited, Patel was not at the village.
Hindus speak up for silent
mosque in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad: The call to
prayer from the mosque near Bakri Pol in the communally sensitive Kalupur area
is no ordinary azaan. Heard for the first time in 30 years in March 2016, it
signifies the voice of compassion and respect drowning out hatred. Kalupur, a
patchwork of Hindu and Muslim ghettos, was bloodied by communal riots in 1984.
Since the nearly 100-year-old mosque is located in a Hindu locality — near
Ramji, Nagdalla Hanuman, and Shesh Narayan temples — Muslims began to avoid it
to avert troubles. Polarization intensified during the riots that broke out
after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1993. By then the Kalupur mosque
was overrun with foliage and had begun to crumble.Paradoxically, after the
communal riots of 2002, which had riven Gujarat, residents around the mosque
were moved by a collective, voluntary desire to save it. Hindus reached out to
their Muslim brethren, cleared the wild foliage, and contributed resources for
repairs. The mosque reopened in March 2016. A year later, people in the
neighbourhood affirm that the reconstruction effort has cemented bonds between
communities. So much so, one set of keys to the mosque has been entrusted to
Hindus."One set of keys is with Poonam Parekh and Kaushik Rami who sell
flowers near the mosque," said Aziz Gandhi, social worker in Dariapur.
Rami said he lights incense sticks twice a day near the mosque. "We are
happy that the mosque that was closed for over three decades is now filled with
devotees," he said. The priest of the Nagdalla Hanuman Temple, Chandrakant
Sharma, said: "With Haji Usmangani Mansuri and other trustees of the
mosque, we renovated the structure." He said that previously Muslim youths
had to go to other mosques to offer namaaz. "Now, they they don't have to
venture out of their locality," Sharma said. Hamidullah Shaikh, a Dariapur
resident, said: "Our Hindu brothers helped us bring labourers to renovate
the mosque." It appears a major breach in society has been lovingly
repaired.TOI
Muslim literacy rises to
80.8 % in 10 years, says Gujarat Education Minister Chudasama
Stating that the literacy
percentage among Muslims in Gujarat increased from 74.5 per cent in 2001 to
80.80 per cent in 2011, State Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said
here on Saturday that the sharp increase in literacy among Muslims was the
result of the enrolment drive initiated by the state govt when Narendra Modi,
now PM, was the state chief minister.Speaking at a felicitation function
organised by the Gujarat State Wakf Board for 11 Muslim students having won
gold medals in their respective examinations conducted by the Gujarat
University in 2015-16, Chudasama said that the students worked hard to win the
gold medals. He added that the state government’s policy of ensuring 100 per
cent enrolment in schools raised the literacy percentage among Muslims too and
motivated these students to work hard and win the gold medals.“These gold
medalists have not brought pride to their community only. They are a pride to
the entire state also,” said the minister. Indianexpress
Collision of bikes stirs
Muzaffarnagar communal pot again, 6 injured, 200 booked
Meerut: Hundreds of men and
women from both the communities came face-to-face and pelted stones at each
other in a locality of community-sensitive Muzaffarnagar city on Friday night
over collision of two bikes. A similar collision of motorcycles had led to
large-scale riots in Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring districts in 2013.The
Friday's incident occurred in Mohalla Khadarwala of the city and left at least
six persons injured.It started when youth of two communities got involved in a
verbal dual after their bikes accidentally hit each other in the morning.The
situation was handled by the elders of both the communities and the youth went
their homes, police said. However, in the night, one of the youths, along with
his friends, allegedly attacked the other leaving him injured.Soon, crowd from
both sides swelled and they started pelting stones at each other within no
time.Police had a tough time dealing with the situation. According PP Singh,
station in-charge of Kotwali police station, "It took some time to control
the situation, but we reached on time with heavy police force and had to use
mild force to disperse the mob. We have also taken the custody of both the
bikes, and an FIR has been registered against 200 unknown people." Meanwhile,
an FIR has been filed against two named and 200 others under more than a dozen
sections of IPC including 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for
rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (causing damage). No one has been
arrested so far. Timesofindia
In Ayodhya, 1st Muslim
candidate talks Islam teachings: timesofindia
Faizabad: "Ye Islam ki
aur uske Nabi ki seekh hai ke tum sachche Musalmaan nahi agar khud aaram se
khana kha kar so jao aur tumhara padosi bhookha reh jae (This is the teaching
of Islam and its Prophet that you're not a Muslim if you go to bed satiated
while your neighbour goes hungry)," blares the microphone as Bazmi
Siddiqui, the only Muslim candidate this year and the first one ever to be
fielded by a mainstream national party to contest the religiously significant
and politically controversial Ayodhya seat, makes his speech.It is evening and
BSP's Siddiqui is addressing a mix crowd of Dalits and Muslims at the Mahobra
Bazar crossroad at one of the many back-to-back jan sabhas. Under a faint white
light, Siddiqui seeks votes on brotherhood, peace and unity with references to
Islam's teachings.Amid claps and frequent acknowledgements of 'sahi baat hai',
Siddiqui continues his address, first in Awadhi, forming an instant connection,
and then moves to Urdu and Hindustani, calling himself the 'beta' and 'bhai' of
the mixed gathering.
Hit by demonetisation,
Muslim weavers appreciate Akhilesh: timesofindia
Azamgarh: Despite the
palpable anger of Muslims against the ruling Samajwadi Party in Azamgarh
district, the constituency represented by Mulayam Singh Yadav in the Lok Sabha,
weavers of the famous Banarasi sarees in Mubarkapur, majority of them belonging
to the minority community, are appreciative of the developmental works
undertaken by Akhilesh Yadav in the area and also his strong
anti-demonetisation stand, which has hurt them badly.The village, which is
famous for manufacturing Banarasi sarees, has about 25,000 weavers, who work on
daily wages. Their livelihood has taken a hit, ever since demonetisation, as
there has been an almost 40 per cent decline in production.TOI
Govt aims for passage of
enemy property bill in RS
New Delhi: The govt is set
to press for passage of the enemy property bill in the Rajya Sabha when
Parliament reconvenes on March 9. The bill seeks to provide ownership of
properties worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore. The law, which has become part of
the heated poll rhetoric in Uttar Pradesh, has seen BJP accuse the opposition
of shying away from passing a bill intended to ensure that enemy property vests
with the govt.TOI
Saffron activists gheraoed Moulvi’s
house after Hindu girls stayed with Muslim friend: siasat
Puttur: Communal clash
erupted at Koila village in Puttur taluk after Saffron activists objected
staying of three girls belonging to another religion in the house of a Muslim
cleric.The incident happened 21 February evening when the Hindutva activists
gheraoed the cleric’s house and questioned the Hindu girls stay.According to
Time Of India reports, Mohammed, who is a cleric at a local mosque was not at
home at the time of the incident.The cleric’s daughter Sameena, and her class-fellow
Riya, Reena and Soniya (names changed) from GSSS Institute of Engineering and
Technology for Women, Mysuru had come to Dakshina Kannada on holiday.3 girls
decided to stay at Sameena’s house.As soon as right-wing activists learned
about this, they created ruckus and also spread rumours on social media that
Hindu girls were confined by Muslims in the house. They accused the family of
kidnapping the girls.
Promote moderate J&K
maulvis, crackdown on anti-India separatists, suggest Experts:TOI
New Delhi: Tough action
against religious leaders known for anti-India "hate sermons" along
with promoting "nationalist" content in moderate madarsas are part of
hard and soft options the Centre is weighing in the context of Jammu &
Kashmir.As the Centre considers measures to reduce alienation, apparent during
the protests following the death of Burhan Wani, the view in official circles
is that a tough line is needed towards political and religious hardliners who
repeatedly play a disruptive role and are unlikely to be impressed by any peace
outreach.The hardening of stance against separatists is seen as a political
signal that the government is firm about dealing with elements it sees as
trouble-makers and obstructionists and feels are usually aligned with
Pakistan's interests. This political line is in sync with Army chief Gen Bipin
Rawat's statement that locals who attempt to disrupt anti-terrorist operations
by stone pelting will be treated as abettors of terrorism and is a signal to
the valley and Pakistan.On the other hand, exposing madrasa students to
"nationalist" content and message of unity as well as opportunity
could be part of the way ahead and the suggestions are part of a set of
actionable points likely to be put up before the political leadership.
Demonstrative legal action against leaders who spew anti-India rhetoric and
radicalise the youth is high on the list as the government is keen to check
radical maulvis from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or from within India.As part of
an attempt at social inclusion, it has been suggested that NGOs promote Sufi
culture that was a strong element of the state's cultural ethos before the rise
of religious extremism and jihadi terrorism. Rallies in areas like Rajouri and Doda
may be held to promote a sense of being Indian and highlight the traditions of
Gujjars, Bakarwals and Pahadis.Suggesting a crackdown on hardline separatists,
experts have backed legal action by keeping a track of cases pending against
them to ensure proper prosecution. The measures on the table also include
engaging more moderate separatist through talks. Also, in what could really
hurt the separatists, the experts have suggested that state security extended
to them by the Centre or the J&K govt be withdrawn.
WORLD
Hijab-wearing White House
staffer quits Trump administration in 8 days
Washington: A bold
Hijab-wearing Muslim ex-White House staffer of Bangladeshi-origin has said she
quit her job after US President Donald Trump announced his controversial travel
ban, lasting just eight days in the new administration.Rumana Ahmed was hired
in 2011 to work at the White House and eventually the National Security Council
(NSC)."My job there was to promote and protect the best of what my country
stands for. I am a hijab-wearing Muslim woman I was the only hijabi in the West
Wing and the Obama administration always made me feel welcome and
included," she wrote in an article published in The Atlantic.Ahmed said
that like most of her fellow American-Muslims, she spent much of 2016 watching
with "consternation" as Trump "vilified our
community"."Despite this or because of it I thought I should try to
stay on the NSC staff during the Trump Administration, in order to give the new
president and his aides a more nuanced view of Islam, and of America's Muslim
citizens."I lasted eight days. When Trump issued a ban on travellers from 7
Muslim-majority countries and all Syrian refugees, I knew I could no longer
stay and work for an administration that saw me and people like me not as
fellow citizens, but as a threat," she said.PTI
Trump national security
adviser wants to avoid term 'radical Islamic terrorism', sources say
Donald Trump’s new national
security adviser has told staff at the White House he does not wish to use the
term “radical Islamic terrorism” to describe the terrorist threat the US faces,
according to multiple sources.HR McMaster, a respected army lieutenant general,
struck notes more consistent with traditional counterterrorism analysts and
espoused consensus foreign-policy views during a meeting he held with his new
NSA staff on Thursday. Some in the meeting left with questions about whether
McMaster’s evident disagreements with Trump and his key aides portend further
turbulence for the key national security and foreign policy decision-making
forum.Participants tell the Guardian that they were struck by the contrast
between McMaster’s worldview and that of the president, who has repeatedly used
a phrase that Muslims in the US and globally feel portrays them as threats to
be confronted. A participant, paraphrasing McMaster, said: “He said he doesn’t
want to call it radical Islamic terrorism because the terrorists are, quote,
‘un-Islamic’.”McMaster, participant said, indicated that the phrase castigates
“an entire religion” and “he’s not on board”. The Guardian
Pakistan Rangers arrest 600
terror suspects in 200 operations in Punjab
Pakistan Rangers have
killed four terrorists and detained 600 terror suspects during over 200 search
operations in Punjab province under the recently launched nation-wide military
operation 'Radd-ul-Fasaad'.The Pakistan army last week launched 'Operation
Radd-ul-Fasaad' an Arabic word which translates roughly to 'elimination of
discord' - across the country, to eliminate terrorists and consolidate gains of
its counter-terrorism operations, days after a wave of suicide attacks that
killed more than 125 people, including 91 at a Sufi shrine in Sindh.PTI
Afghan Taliban chief Mullah
Haibatullah encourages people to plant trees
Kabul: Springtime in
Afghanistan usually brings a spike in violence as the Taliban takes advantage
of the thaw to launch a wave of fresh attacks. But the Taliban's leader has
just issued a statement calling on Afghans to plant more trees.In a public
letter issued Sunday in four languages, including English, Mullah Haibatullah
Akhundzada said that, "the Mujahideen and beloved countrymen must join
hands in tree planting."The statement does point out that the Taliban
remain, "actively engaged in a struggle against foreign invaders and their
hirelings" - a reference to the Kabul government that the militant group
seeks to overthrow.Most of Afghanistan's big cities, including the capital
Kabul, are over populated and there are few public green spaces or parks.
According to officials from the Afghan Public Health Ministry, up to 4000
citizens die each year in Kabul due to illnesses brought on or exacerbated by
air pollution.Wahid Muzhda, a political analyst in Kabul, said that
announcements like this - and other statements where they claim to be building
roads and bridges - could be part of a Taliban campaign to show that they would
provide enlightened leadership in areas of country that they
control.Akhunzada's statement cites Islamic tradition and the words and deeds
of the Prophet Muhammed to reinforce its environmental message."Tree
planting plays an important role in environmental protection, economic
development and the beautification of the earth.Allah Almighty has
interconnected the lives of human beings with plants," it says."Plants
live off soil while humans and animals live off plants. If the plants and trees
are eradicated, life itself would be put in peril, Allah Almighty says."AP
Syrian army advances
against Daesh near Aleppo; blocks Turkish-backed FSA’s advance
The Syrian army and its
allies made a sudden advance on Saturday and Sunday into areas held by Daesh in
northwest Syria, a war monitor said, as the militant group retreated after
losing the city of al-Bab to Turkey-backed rebels on Thursday.On Sunday, the
army also took the town of Tadef, just south of al-Bab after Daesh withdrew
from it, state television reported. Earlier this month, a senior Russian
official said Tadef marked an agreed dividing line between the Syrian army and
the Turkey-backed forces.The eastwards advance in an area south of al-Bab has
extended Syrian army control across 14 villages and brought it within 25km of
Lake Assad, the stretch of the Euphrates above the Tabqa dam.Daesh’s holdings
in northwest Syria have been eviscerated over recent months by successive
advances by 3 different, rival forces: Syrian Kurdish groups backed by US, the
Turkey-backed rebels, and the army.By taking Daesh territory south of al-Bab,
the army is preventing any possible move by Turkey and rebel groups it supports
to expand southwards, and is moving closer to regaining control of water
supplies for Aleppo.middleeastmonitor
Palestinian diaspora holds
first global conference
Istanbul:Thousands of
Palestinians representing diaspora communities from 50 countries have gathered
in the Turkish city of Istanbul to discuss establishing a political structure
that will represent them better. Palestine Abroad Conference, whose opening
events were attended by more than 5,000 people on Saturday, is the first of its
kind in terms of inclusivity. Many of the speakers and attendees said they no
longer have faith in the Palestinian leadership in the occupied territories
because of their failure to deliver tangible outcomes as a result of decades of
peace negotiations with Israel.aljazeera
Egypt MP seeks end to
constitutional restrictions on presidential terms: middleeastmonitor
An Egyptian lawmaker
started collecting signatures on Sunday for a motion to extend presidential
terms and lift restrictions on re-election – a year before
general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s first term is due to expire.As
defence minister, Sisi overthrew elected President Mohammed Morsi, a Muslim
Brotherhood official, in mid-2013 following mass protests against his rule and
launched a crackdown on the organisation and it’s supporters.Sisi, now 62, went
on to win a presidential vote in 2014. He has not said whether he will seek
re-election when his current term ends in 2018, but has made much of his
popular mandate and promised to respect the will of Egyptians.
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