Evening NEWS
DIGEST
30
Sept. 2017: 09 Muharram 1439:Vol:9, No:08
Cow protection goes beyond religion, ‘pious
gau rakshaks’ need not fear govt or SC: RSS chief Bhagwat
New Delhi:RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has backed “activists”
working for protection of cows from smuggling and slaughter, saying that it was
“amply clear” that they have not been involved in acts of violence.“It is
unfair to link the cow protectors or entire activity of cow protection with
violent incidences or communal feelings without knowing or neglecting the
facts,” RSS chief said in a speech to mark the Hindu festival of Dussehra on
Saturday, making a distinction between “pious” activists and “criminals
involved in violent activities”.The cow is a sacred animal for Hindus and
vigilante groups that claim to be working to stop its smuggling and killing
have been behind a string of attacks in recent years, some of them leading to
deaths. The attacks have coincided with the growing strength of PM Narendra Modi’s BJP, arm of RSS.Most of the
victims, such Rajasthan’s Pehlu Khan and UP’s Akhlaq have been from the
minority Muslim community. Bhagwat said a “nefarious campaign” was underway
against cow-protection and urged people “who are piously involved in the
activity” to not “worry or get distracted with the well intentioned statements
by highly placed persons in the Govt or
remarks made by the Supreme Court”.RSS chief did not take any names but his
comment seems to allude to PM Modi’s
condemnation of so-called gau rakshaks in July and the Supreme Court’s
directions last week to states to ensure such vigilantes did not become a law
unto themselves.The Sangh chief said protection of cows cuts across religions.
“Many followers of Muslim faith are also involved in the activity of cow
protection, cow promotion and management of gaushalas. Some of them told me
that the nefarious campaign going on against the cow-protection unnecessarily
creates tension among the people of different religions.”He urged Govt and
administration to stay away from “misinterpretation” and ensure that “innocents
are not troubled” during crackdowns on vigilantes.“The legal and virtuous work
of cow-protection and cow-promotion will go on in the interest of the people
and will increase in coming days. It will also be the apt answer to the
situation,” he said. hindustantimes
Need to create conditions for Kashmiris to
live securely like other Indians while remaining devoted to their religions:
Bhagwat
New Delhi:Speaking on the problems faced by
the permanent residents of J&K , who migrated from Pakistan in 1947 and the
people who were displaced from the Kashmir valley in 1990, RSS Chief Mohan
Bhagwat said necessary constitutional amendments will have to be made to bring
a change in their life. He said that only with the Constitutional amendments
can the residents of the state can be ‘completely assimilated with rest of
Bharat and their equal cooperation and share will be possible in the national
progress’.He said, “Problems of permanent residents of the state who migrated
from the Pakistan occupied Jammu-Kashmir in 1947 and the people who were
displaced from Kashmir valley in 1990 are remaining as it is. We have to create
conditions so that our these brothers can lead a happy, dignified and secure
life like other Indians by availing equal democratic rights and fulfilling
democratic duties, even while remaining firm and devoted to their religions and
national identity.For this just work, necessary Constitutional amendments will
have to be made and old provisions will have to be changed. Then and then only,
the residents of J&K can be completely assimilated with rest of Bharat and
their equal cooperation and share will be possible in national progress.”PTI
Bhagwat’s remarks matter of shame for PDP: NC
Srinagar: NC said RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s
remarks about the need for constitutional amendments to repeal J&K’s special
status was a matter of shame for the PDP and asked the party to introspect
about the costs that the State could pay because of its "abject surrender
to BJP and RSS to remain in power." NC State Spokesperson Junaid Azim
Mattu while strongly condemning RSS Chief’s remarks said J&K’s special
status was the only constitutional bridge that connected J&K to the rest of
the country and the RSS Chief should stop misleading the people to stoke
passions in the face of growing criticism over the drastic economic slowdown in
the country.greaterkashmir
Seeking abrogation of 370 is itself
disrespecting Indian Constitution: MLA Rasheed to Bhagwat
Srinagar: Reacting to RSS Chief Mohan
Bhagwat’s demand of making constitutional amendments for abrogating Article 370
and other related provisions, AIP Supremo and MLA Langate Er. Rasheed has said
that though there is nothing new in what Bhagwat has stated but the demand of
demolishing Article 370 is itself an evidence that RSS and likeminded
organizations don’t have faith in Indian constitution.Brighter Kashmir
Centre asks states for feedback on cattle ban
order
New Delhi:4 months after its plan of notifying
a ban on sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets met with opposition
from several states, the Centre has decided to try a different approach — it is
now asking states to write back, articulating their opinion.In a letter this
month to chief secretaries of all states, Ministry of Environment and Forests
(MoEF) has sought comments and feedback on its May 23 notification on the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017
that imposed a ban on cattle trade in markets for slaughter.The letter
consulting the states is a reminder — the previous one was sent soon after the
Supreme Court stayed the ban. While some states had replied with their inputs,
the Centre wrote again, reminding others to respond. Consultations were also
conducted with animal rights activists and traders.“Along with the letter is a
copy of the notification on which states have been asked to send suggestions. A
new draft notification will be framed, based on the feedback from states, after
which it will be available for public consultation,” an official in the
Ministry said. Indianexpress
Cow urine should be acceptable as treatment to
Muslims too: Ramdev
Yoga guru and Patanjali founder Swami Ramdev
said cow urine should be acceptable to Muslims too as something used for
treatment."It is written in Quran that cow urine can be used for
treatment. Some people are targeting Patanjali by saying that it is a Hindu
company. Did I ever target Hamdard (set up by Hamid brothers)?"I have full
support for Hamdard, and Himalaya drug company too. Farooq bhai of the Himalaya
group even donated land to me for setting up yoga gram. If some people level
such charges, they will only be creating a wall of hate," Ramdev told
India TV's Rajat Sharma in the TV show Aap Ki Adalat.The show will be telecast
on Saturday night, according to a press release issued by the channel.He said
he has already prepared a plan of succession for his Rs 10,000 crore Patanjali
group, saying that his "successor" would be a team of nearly 500
sadhus trained by him. Yoga guru said:"I never think small. I think big. I
think about our nation 500 years hence. I think about Patanjali group for the
next 100 years. I will be leaving my successor when I go.""My
successor will not be a businessman or a worldly man, it will be a team of
nearly 500 sadhus whom I have trained."IANS
Why trial court order discharging IPS officers
in alleged fake encounter of Sohrabuddin not challenged?HC to CBI
Bombay High Court has asked CBI why it had not
challenged the trial court orders discharging senior IPS officers in the
alleged fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati.
Hearing a revision application filed by Sohrabuddin’s brother Rubabuddin
Sheikh, challenging the trial court orders of discharge, Justice Revati
Mohite-Dere said the CBI should be “equally aggrieved” with the trial court’s
order. She asked the probe agency whether it was planning to challenge the
trial court orders of August 2016 and Aug.2017 discharging IPS officers
Rajkumar Pandiyan, DG Vanzara, and Dinesh MN Justice Mohite-Dere also
instructed the CBI counsel to refrain from framing of charges against any
accused in the case until Oct. 12, the next date of hearing in the HC. Rubabuddin
has filed separate petitions challenging the discharge of the three officers
from the case. His counsel Gautam Tiwari told the court today that “citing the
orders of discharge of the above three officials, several other accused persons
too were securing discharge on the grounds of parity.” Special CBI court in
Mumbai is hearing the case after the Supreme Court ordered the trial be
transferred out of Gujarat. The court discharged the officials on the ground
that CBI had failed to get prior sanction or the special permission to
prosecute them and therefore they could not be prosecuted. Of the 38 accused in
the case, 15 have been discharged by the special court. 14 of the 15 discharged
are IPS officers.CBI has challenged the discharge of only one officer -- N K
Amin, one of the key accused in the case. Justice Mohite-Dere, however,
questioned whether the lack of such sanction alone could be adequate reason to
warrant an accused person’s discharge from the case. She also dismissed the
CBI’s argument that it had challenged the discharge of two Rajasthan police
sub- inspectors-- Himanshu Singh and Shyam Singh Charan. PTI
Elphinstone Road station stampede: Death toll
rises to 23
New Delhi:At least 23 people were killed while
38 others injured in a stampede at a footover bridge linking Elphinstone Road
and Parel suburban railway stations in Mumbai on Friday morning. Police
officials attributed the stampede to the rains and overcrowding. According to
witnesses, people tried to rush into the station during a spell of heavy rain
in the morning. Further, as trains pulled into both the stations, more people
gathered. Indianexpress
In 2 places in MP, Ravan is the healer and
protector, not a demon king
Mandsaur:Dussehra is celebrated as the
occasion when Hindu god Rama slays the ten-headed ‘demon’ king Ravan, who is
widely seen as the chief villain in Hindu epic Ramayana, that glorifies
Rama.But, 2 places in MP deem Ravan their “healer” and “protector”.In Mandsaur,
which is believed to be the hometown of Ravan’s wife, people consider him as
their “son-in-law”.As per a belief of the region, those afflicted with various
ailments tie a red thread on the left leg of the 35-feet high statue of Ravan
in the town’s Khanpur area, believing it would cure them.“Ravan is revered and
worshipped here and people have faith that if they tie a thread around his leg
here in Khanpur, they would be cured of ailments.People, especially those who
are suffering from fevers, come here to get healed,” says Dheerender Singh,
resident.On Saturday morning, people in Mandsaur, especially womenfolk and
members of the Namdeo community, started thronging Khanpur to offer prayers
before the statue of Ravan.“People here have immense respect for Ravan and come
to worship him, especially on Dussehra,” says another resident, Mohini Bai.And
in Vidisha district’s Ravan village, where his effigy is never burnt, he is
worshipped as “the bestower of good luck and protector”, without whose
blessings no festive or special occasion is complete. No marriage is solemnised
without first sending a wedding card to Ravan at his temple here. 2-wheelers and
other vehicles in this village have Jai Lankesh compulsorily written over them.
They believe it prevents accidents.This village, called Ravan, is located in
the Nateran tehsil of Vidisha district, nearly 40 km from district HQRS, where
for centuries, Ravan has been worshipped by Kanyakubja Brahmins, a Brahmin
sub-sect, to which Ravan belonged.HT
NDTV India journalist Ravish Kumar writes open
letter to PM Modi, urges him to unfollow communal bullies
In an open letter published on NDTV website
titled "PM Modi, Will I Lose My Job?" Kumar said "that such people should be able to claim or have
any affiliation to you [PM Modi] does not behoove either you or the dignity of
your office.""The sad part is that you happen to follow some of these
people on Twitter who use grotesque language and indiscriminately dole out
threats," he said.The letter is reproduced here as published on NDTV which
however claimed that the opinion expressed in the letter is not of NDTV but of
the author's own.
‘Is My Life in Danger?’ Ravish Kumar Writes Open
Letter to PM Narendra Modi:THE WIRE
India focused on providing humanitarian
assistance to Rohingyas
New Delhi: India has said its focus is on
providing humanitarian assistance to displaced Rohingyas under “Operation
Insaniyat”. On reports of discovering “mass graves of Rohingya Hindus”, MEA
spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: “We have seen press reports about these graves
and have also seen the statement issued by State Councillor’s office.”“We
condemn terrorism in all forms. We emphasise that there is no justification for
any kind of terrorism which targets civilians in this conflict.“We hope authorities
will be able to bring perpetrators of the crime to justice and that families of
victims would be provided all possible assistance and normalcy would be
restored,” he added.IANS
Rohingyas threat to national security,
integrity: RSS chief
Nagpur: RSS cheif Mohan Bhagwat has expressed
concern over the influx of Rohingya Muslims to India from Myanmar, terming them
a threat to national security and integrity. He claimed that Rohingyas were
driven out from Myanmar mainly because of their violent and criminal separatist
activities and linkages with the terrorist groups. hindustantimes
Rohingya Muslims intruders, not refugees:Yogi
Lucknow:UP CM Yogi
Adityanath on Friday backed the Centre’s stand on Rohingya Muslims who have
fled from Myanmar and criticized rights groups for advocating sympathetic
treatment for these displaced people.Adityanath insisted that Rohinyas were not
refugees.“Centre has clarified its stand on Rohingyas. They are not refugees,
they are intruders. Many innocent Hindus were killed in Myanmar, and it was
found that they (Rohingyas) have a link with terrorist organisations,” Yogi
told reporters on the sidelines of ‘kanya pujan’ programme at Gorakhnath
Temple.“It is sad and condemnable that some people are expressing concern and
sympathy for their plight,” he said. hindustantimes
Temple construction in Ayodhya only matter of
time: Yogi
Even as the Ayodhya land dispute is pending
before the Supreme Court, BJP leaders in UP are out to rake up the issue on the public
forum in the run to Lok Sabha polls 2019."It was the wish of the people
that a grand temple in Ayodhya be constructed. But since the matter is
sub-judice in Supreme Court, we have to wait for the court verdict," CM Yogi Adityanath said."Ayodhya has a very
special place in the hearts of people. No one can ignore its significance. It
is a matter of time that the wish of people of the country would be
fulfilled," he said dropping hints that BJP will not mind raking up the
temple issue in 2019 polls. dnaindia
SC would decide in favour of temple at Ayodhya
: UP Minister Sidhharth Nath
Lucknow: Govt spokesman and Health minister
Sidhharth Nath Singh predicted that the Supreme Court would decide in favour of
the temple at Ayodhya in the Ram Jnma Bhoomi-Babri masjid dispute pending
before it. He also predicted that the construction work of Ram temple at
Ayodhya will commence before the Ardhkumbh at Allahabad in 2019. Singh quoted prediction by Swami Brahma
Yoganand to buttress his claim. The minister said this after releasing Swami
Yogannad’s book ‘Sampurna Bharat-Param Vaibhav Bharat’ at a function organised
by VHP in Allahabad on Friday. "Swami Brahm Yoganand predicted that
Narendra Modi will take over as PM of
India in 2014. Now he has predicated about Ram temple at Ayodhya. The temple
exists at Ayodhya, only a grand new structure needs to be built there,’’ he
said.The minister claimed that the construction of the temple at Ayodhya was
always there in BJP's agenda and the party never deviated from its commitment
for temple construction at Ayodhya. dailypioneer
Ram temple will be built before 2019: UP
minister
Centre starts hunt for new BHU VC after
violence
Centre has started hunt for a successor of BHU
VC Girish Chandra Tripathi, who is in the eye of the storm after recent
violence and cane charge on the girls on varsity premises.The HRD ministry
issued an advertisement for the coveted post of the administrative head of the
central varsity, established in 1916.The advertisement for the post of vice
chancellor posted on the official website of the university said the
appointment will be made from a panel of names recommended by a committee
constituted under the provisions of the BHU act.HT
BHU protests: As District, University
administration play blame game, students issues remain unsolved
The protest of female students at the Banaras
Hindu University is nowhere close to reaching its aims of ensuring a more safe
campus, but the University administration and the district administration are
far more interested in blaming each other for the incidents of Sept. 23. In his report submitted to the CM ,
Varanasi’s commissioner Nitin Ramesh Gokarna put all the blame over the BHU VC
Prof GC Tripathi, saying he did not handle the situation well which led to
violence on Sept. 23. But looking at the
facts and after talking with the witnesses of the case, it becomes evident that
the administration at Varanasi was equally responsible for what happened in the
University.As police resorted to lathi-charge in the night of Sept. 23, official version put the action as it was
the university’s proctorial board which lathi-charged first.But as one student
Rajkumar Singh said, “It is correct that first it was university’s proctorial
board which charged at the students on the night of 23 Sept. , but one must
know that University’s proctorial board does not have such manpower and
resources to handle such a crowd of students.”TCN
Syrian Assad regime's head cleric describes
Mehbooba Mufti as 'role model for Muslim world'
Srinagar:Grand Mufti of Syria Ahmad Bader
Eddin Mohammad Adib Hassoun on Friday described J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti as a "role model for the
Muslim world". Dr Hassoun called on the CM Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar.During the meeting,
the two leaders discussed several issues confronting the Muslim ummah and the
need to weed out the cult of violence from the Muslim society, said an official
handout. Grand Mufti informed the CM that he was happy to meet her and know about
her views on the subjects discussed. “You are a role model for the Muslim world
and Syrian women would take an inspiration from your personality”, he told the CM
while extending an invitation to her to
visit Syria.They also underscored the need for inculcating values of peace,
tolerance and coexistence among the younger generation.CM invited the Grand Mufti and his delegation to
visit the State again for exhaustive sessions with the ulema, local religious
scholars and academicians.The visit of the Syrian Grand Mufti has been
coordinated by Indian Council of Cultural Relations, New Delhi. greaterkashmir
Top Syrian cleric, Mehbooba Mufti stress on
weeding out ‘cult of violence’ from Muslim society
J&K Jamaat spokesman ‘booked on flimsy charges’
Srinagar: Alleging that police was playing an
undemocratic role, Jama’at-e-Islami J&K has police had detained and booked
its chioef spokesperson on flimsy charges.A jamaat statement said that police
has detained Zahid Ali inside district Jail Islamabad on 26 Sep and implicated
him in an FIR No. 318/2016, where he is accused of committing “unlawful
activities” while addressing a mass gathering in Urr Charsoo Pulwama on 18
August, 2016. Jama’at refuted the allegation and said that Zahid had neither
visited the village nor address any rally in Kashmir on the said date. Kashmirreader
Afghan’s Abdullah says door open for talks
with Taliban
Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah on
Friday said the doors were open for talks with the rebel Taliban against the
backdrop of the US announcing a reworked South Asia policy that promises to
stay the course in the war-torn country and seemingly putting talks with the
insurgent group on the back burner.In New Delhi on a two-day visit, Abdullah
also called on countries in the neighbourhood not to make any distinction
between the Islamic State, which had established a presence in some provinces
of Afghanistan, and the Taliban who have been fighting the US-backed Ashraf
Ghani Govt in Kabul.In an address to the
Indian Council on World Affairs think tank, Abdullah welcomed the revamped US
policy on Afghanistan but also stressed the importance of unity within the
various sections of Afghan society.Abdullah said that the “doors for peace
talks will always be open... hopefully the groups that are fighting will be
convinced to sever links with terrorism and terror networks and to work for
their own country”. livemint
India-China should start new chapter, 1 plus 1
should make 11: Chinese envoy
New Delhi:Chinese envoy to India Luo Zhaohui
has said it was time for India and China to turn the old page and start a new
chapter, stressing that the countries have made a lot of progress at bilateral
level.Chinese President Xi Jinping met PM Narendra Modi at the BRICS Summit in Xiamen
earlier this month, and the two leaders sent a clear message of “reconciliation”
and “cooperation”, he said on Friday in remarks which come in the backdrop of
the Doklam row. “We should turn the old page and start a new chapter with the
same pace and direction. We should dance together. We should make one plus one
eleven. China is the largest trading partner of India. We have made a lot of
progress at the bilateral level, as well as in international and regional
affairs,” Luo said.PTI
China steps up security on borders with India,
N Korea, Myanmar ahead of CPC meet
China has stepped up security on its borders
with India, North Korea and Myanmar as the ruling Communist Party (CPC) gears
up to hold a key national congress next month during which President Xi Jinping
is expected to get an endorsement for a second five-year term.China's border
police forces under the People’s Armed Police became the latest Govt agency to make a show of support for President
Xi, saying officers would focus on the frontiers to ensure stability for the 5-yearly
gathering, the South China Morning Post reported.PTI
I don’t know who abducted me, but they took
care of me: Freed catholic priest
Bengaluru: Tom Uzunnzlil, 59, the catholic
priest who was recently released from an 18-month abduction in Yemen said on
Saturday that he has absolutely no idea about who his abductors were but added
that they took good care of him and did not hurt him even once."I was
shifted 4 times in the course of my abduction but I was never harmed even once.
They ensured that I got my medication (for diabetes) and even procured insulin
once. Even during Ramadan (Ramzan), they took care that I was not left to
fast," Tom said on Saturday.A visibly weak Tom, who is yet to completely
recuperate, said that his days in custody enhanced his belief in god and that it
was his blessings that ensured that he returned unharmed."I have been
informed by my relatives (in Kerala) that even our hindu and muslim brothers
and sisters offered prayers for me. This shows that it was god's blessings that
kept me safe and that there is some good in every person—which is why my
abductors took such care," he said.Answering specific questions, he said
that he had never had a conversation with any of his abductors and that his
only communication with them was to seek things he needed. "I did not
understand Arabic and they didn't seem to know English. The only words
exchanged between us was when I had to use the toilet or when I needed
something, even which was difficult," he said.Reiterating that he had no
knowledge of who his abductors were, he said:"They took a few videos where
they pretended to have hurt me, but in reality they did not harm me. There was
some noise in the background, but I do not know anything else," he
said.Tom was abducted on the morning of March 4, 2016 from outside the chapel
he was praying at in Yemen, and was released on Sept. 12, 2017, after 18-months-and-eight days.While
it is believed that he was abducted by ISIS, Tom is in no position to confirm
that.TOI
Goa Church castigates errant Catholics for
opposing Muslim cemetery
Panaji:Influential Roman Catholic Church in
Goa on Saturday cautioned against "increasing intolerance" in the
coastal state, while also disapproving efforts of a section of civilian
Catholic leaders to obstruct allocation of land for a burial ground for Goa's
Muslim community."It has been observed that when there are attempts to
purchase land or even find a site for a kabrastan, there are often objections
from some sections of the Catholic community, who are opposed to a Muslim
cemetery in their village," says a statement issued by Fr. Olavo Caiado,
Director of the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, Archdiocese of
Goa and Daman.The statement issued on behalf of the Goa Archbishop Filipe Neri
Ferrao, has also said that disposal of dead bodies is a basic right of every
religious community, including Muslims, and appealed to Catholics to peacefully
facilitate the setting up of a Muslim burial ground."Sadly, in the present
times, we see increasing intolerance and even open conflicts drifting us apart.
We must reclaim our traditional social relations and once more be the
peace-loving sisters and brothers that we always were. Hence our earnest appeal
for communal understanding and peace among the different communities in
Goa," statement said.IANS
Tom Alter, Urdu speaking actor of American
descent who brought 'Maulana Azad' to life, dies
Mumbai: Tom Alter, Urdu speaking renowned
Indian actor of American descent died of cancer, family sources said in a
statement released today. He was 67."It is with sadness we announce the
death of Tom Alter, actor, writer, director, Padma Shri, and our dear husband
and father", a statement released on behalf of actor's family said.Alter,
who received the Padma Shri in 2008, was last seen in Sargoshiyan this year
with Alok Nath and Farida Jalal. He is survived by his wife Carol, son Jamie
and daughter Afshaan.Alter was born in 1950 in Mussoorie, the son of American
missionaries.The actor however was also popular for his command over the Urdu
and love for the language.In 2014, his audience were surprised when he quoted
from the Bible to prove that Urdu is not the language of Muslims
alone.Recalling his childhood, Alter said that he learnt Urdu from his father
who was a priest, and there was always a copy of the Urdu translation of the
Bible on his table. He said he was mesmerised by the beauty of the translation
of the Bible in the language.Alter said that he was not the enemy of Hindi,
English or any other language and regarded all languages with equal importance.
He also described Hindi as the sister language of Urdu."However", he
said, "The Urdu language has a special taste and power which other
languages are lacking in."Tom Alter also staged his popular play Maulana
Azad - a solo, on Maulana Abul Kalam Azad – one of the tallest figures of
Indian freedom struggle and the country's first education minister.ummid.com
15 Indians’ death sentence commuted to life
term by Kuwaiti Emir: Sushma Swaraj
New Delhi:Death sentences handed down to 15
Indians lodged in a Kuwaiti jail have been commuted to life imprisonment by the
Emir of Kuwait, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday.She
said the Emir has also directed that the sentences of 119 Indian nationals be
reduced.“Emir of Kuwait has been pleased to commute the sentence of 15 Indian
nationals from death to life imprisonment,”she tweeted.PTI
5 states get new Governors, Banwarilal Purohit
moves from Assam to TN
New Delhi:President Ram Nath Kovind appointed
new Governors on Saturday. Banwarilal Purohit, currently the Governor of Assam,
has been moved to Tamil Nadu. Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, has held
additional responsibility for Tamil Nadu till now.Admiral (Retd) Devendra Kumar
Joshi has been appointed Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in place of
professor Jagdish Mukhi, who has been moved to Assam.Brigadier (Retd) BD Mishra
will be governor of Arunachal and Ganga Prasad that of Meghalaya: Satyapal
Malik will be the governor of Bihar, the President’s office announced. Hindustantimes
WORLD
Iraq imposes flight ban on Kurdish region
after poll
A ban on international flights into Iraq's
Kurdish region has gone into effect after the central Govt in Baghdad retaliated against a vote for
secession that has also drawn opposition from neighbouring countries.Iraq's
Kurds overwhelmingly backed a split from Baghdad in a referendum on Monday,
defying foreign powers which fear the vote could lead to regional
instability.The ban came into force at 6pm on Friday. Foreign airlines
suspended flights to the region's Erbil and Sulaimaniyah, obeying a notice from
the Govt in Baghdad, which controls
Iraqi airspace. Domestic flights are still allowed, so travellers are expected
to travel to the Kurdish region mostly via Baghdad's airport, which will come
under strain from the extra traffic.Erbil airport was busier than usual on
Friday as passengers scrambled to catch the last flights out.
Iran, Turkey to help Iraq take control of
Kurdish region’s border
Iraq plans to take control of the borders of
its Kurdistan region “in coordination” with Iran and Turkey, the Iraqi Defence
Ministry said.Its statement seemed to indicate that Iraqi forces were planning
to move toward the external border posts controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Govt
(KRG) from the Iranian and Turkish side
as a response to a Kurdish referendum that produced a vote in favour of
secession.Around 3.3 million residents of the Iraqi Kurdish region turned to
the ballot boxes to vote for separation from Iraq on Monday. News reports said
that the turnout rate was 72% . middleeastmonitor
Raul Romeva: Catalonia referendum 'impossible
to stop'
Catalonia's foreign affairs chief says a
controversial referendum on the region's split from Spain "is impossible
to stop" despite the central Govt in Madrid insisting that the vote is illegal
and it will not happen.Raul Romeva made the remarks in an interview with Al
Jazeera on Friday, two days before the planned poll on Oct. 1.He called on the
Spanish Govt to allow Catalan voters to
"solve the situation by democracy" and reassured that "there is
not a single reason to believe that there is a risk of violence" on
Sunday. aljazeera
Spanish police seal off polling stations in
Catalonia
Spanish police have sealed off more than half
of schools earmarked as polling stations for a banned referendum on Catalonia's
breakaway from Spain, according to officials. Separatists in the northeastern
region on Friday evening and Saturday morning started occupying voting stations
in a bid to ensure Sunday's poll, which has been declared illegal by Spanish
authorities, goes ahead. aljazeera
10 Bangladesh
Jamaat activists arrested in capital
Police in a drive arrested ten suspected
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami-Chhatra Shibir men from Bikrampur Garden
City in Kadamtali area of the city on Friday night, reports UNB. Kadamtali
police station officer-in-charge Abdul Jalil said on secret information that
the Jamaat activists were preparing to “carry out subversive activities”, a
team of police conducted a drive in the area around 8:30pm and made the arrests
from the second floor of a 7-storey building.The police officer claimed that
they had gathered there to “plan and possibly carry out some subversive
activity – a somewhat archaic term still used here to denote any action aimed
at harming, destabilising or even overthrowing the state. OC claimed that
police also recovered explosives and some Jihadi books from the site, but it
was not possible to independently verify the recovery. Meanwhile,
Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Maqbul Ahmad in a press release denied the police claim
saying Jamaat leaders were arrested “unlawfully” while they were holding a
regular meeting of the party.Condemning the arrest, Jamaat chief demanded
immediate release of his activists. prothom
Syria monitor: 28 civilians killed in
escalation zone
At least 28 civilians have been killed in air
attacks in the opposition stronghold of Idlib province in northwestern Syria,
according to a war-monitoriing group.Four children were among the dead in the
overnight air raids on the town of Amanaz, a few miles from the Turkish border,
the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Saturday.An AFP
correspondent who toured Armanaz on Saturday said entire apartment blocks had
been flattened by the bombardment.It was not immediately clear whether the
attack was carried out by Syrian Govt warplanes or those of its ally
Russia.According to the SOHR - which gathers its information from a network of
sources inside Syria - dozens of people are still missing after the
bombardment. aljazeera
58 Syria Govt fighters killed in IS attacks:Monitor
Beirut: Islamic State group killed at least 58
Syrian Govt troops and militia as the
jihadists put up fierce resistance to a Russian-backed offensive against some
of its last bastions, a monitor said Friday.Most of Thursday`s dead came south
of the desert town of Sukna, east of the ancient city of Palmyra, the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said.IS put out a statement claiming to have
killed scores of regime fighters.AFP
Hamas denies claims of military involvement in
Libya
Palestinian Hamas movement denied on Friday
claims made by a Libyan official that a terror cell affiliated to the movement
was detained in the war-torn country, Safa News Agency reported. Several media
outlets reported the head of investigations at Libya’s Attorney General’s
Office, Sadek Assour, as stating a Mauritanian was arrested and that he was
part of a Hamas cell, which had carried out operations against the Algerian
army.He also claimed that the Attorney General’s office had information about
cells trying to activate themselves in Libya, one of which is connected to
Hamas.In response to these remarks, Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhoum, reiterated
that Hamas does not operate outside of occupied Palestine and that all these
claims were “false.” middleeastmonitor
Israel to approve construction of thousands of
new settlement units
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to approve the
construction of 3,300 new settlement units during the next meeting of the Civil
Administration’s High Planning Committee, which is set to be held on 16 Oct.,
Israel’s Channel 7 has reported. Netanyahu made his pledge during a closed
meeting on Wednesday with the leaders of the Yesha Council of the West Bank
Settlements.Although all of Israel’s settlements are built on occupied
Palestinian territory and are illegal under international law, Netanyahu claims
that the Trump administration is prepared to “tolerate” limited settlement
building. He told the settlers’ group that he has succeeded in convincing Trump
to drop its distinction between settlement blocs and so-called isolated
settlements. The US President is, he added, almost ready to present a plan for
the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. middleeastmonitor
Yemen’s Houthis threaten Israel’s basis
Houthi armed group has threatened Israeli
bases in Eritrea if it considers joining the Yemen civil war, Al Masirah
reported. Colonel Aziz Rashid, military spokesman for the Houthi armed group,
warned ballistic missiles could be used to strike Israeli military bases in
Eritrea if Tel Aviv enters the Yemen civil war. Houthi armed group deems Israel
as an enemy, including anti-Israeli rhetoric on its flag “Death to Israel,
Curse upon the Jews…” Abdul Malik Badreddin Al-Houthi in a speech in July said his
fighters are ready to support a confrontation with Israel.It is not clear why
the threats have been made at this time. middleeastmonitor
Bahrain committed to building relations with
Israel, says prominent Rabbi
In a statement to Israel’s Jerusalem Post
yesterday, Rabbi Marc Scheiner, one of New York’s most prominent rabbis,
revealed an agreement reached between himself and the Bahraini King Hamad bin
Isa Al-Khalifa during one of their meetings in Manama. The agreement concerned
the King’s promise to work on adding Hezbollah to the GCC’s list of terrorist
organisations.Scheiner said that based on the understanding between himself and
the King, Bahrain proposed to the rest of the Gulf countries that Hezbollah be
added to the GCC’s list of terrorist organisations. The proposal was accepted
in a GCC meeting in March 2016.Scheiner told the newspaper, “Since I began
working with the king in 2011, he had made it clear his commitment to building
relations with Israel. In fact, in our first meeting we agreed that Bahrain and
Israel share a common threat – Iran.” middleeastmonitor
Qatar: We will not extradite Al-Qaradawi
Qatar will not extradite preacher Yusuf
Al-Qaradawi to Egypt because he is “not a terrorist but a political opponent”,
the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani,
said .Al-Qaradawi, chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, is
wanted in Egypt because he is a member of the now outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Al
Thani continued by saying: “The information that led some Gulf Cooperation
Council member states and Egypt to classify the Muslim Brotherhood as a
terrorist group does not correspond with the information that Qatar has.
Therefore, we have not listed the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group.” middleeastmonitor
Switzerland withdraws asylum of Libyan
preacher after 20 yrs: middleeastmonitor
Switzerland’s Federal Administrative Court in
St Gallen has revoked the asylum status of a Libyan preacher following
allegations of spreading hate speech.Salah al-din Faitouri, known as
Abu-Ramadan, obtained Swiss asylum in 1998 and has drawn regular social
security benefits for the past 13 years. Abu-Ramadan is accused of spreading “hate
speech” at the Ar Rahman mosque in Biel canton, Bern.He denied these claims and
insisted that he had never delivered any hate speech, citing an inaccurate
translation of his words from Arabic.
Reports of Quran crackdown in Xinjiang
groundless;China
China on Friday dismissed as “groundless
allegations” reports that authorities were seizing copies of the Quran from
Muslim families in Xinjiang province, PTI reported. Chinese Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson Lu Kang said the situation in Xinjiang was sound, and local
residents were working and living in peace. “We hope relevant parties refrain
from making groundless allegations and rumours,” he was quoted as saying.Radio
Free Asia reported on Wednesday that officials across Xinjiang were warning families
and mosques that ethnic minority Uyghur, Kazakh and Kyrgyz Muslims would face
harsh punishment if they did not hand in prayer mats and copies of the
Quran.World Uyghur Congress group told the news website that the police were
making such announcements through social media platform WeChat.“We received a
notification saying that every single ethnic Uyghur must hand in any
Islam-related items from their own home, including Qurans, prayers and anything
else bearing the symbols of religion,” a spokesperson was quoted as saying. scroll
Suu Kyi portrait removed from Oxford college
A portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi has been
removed by Oxford University, where she was previously awarded an honorary
degree, amid criticism of her handling of the Rohingya crisis. Myanmar's de
facto leader has been criticised for failing to address UN allegations of
ethnic cleansing.St Hugh's College said her portrait had been replaced with a
Japanese painting.It swapped the painting earlier for one by Japanese artist Yoshihiro
Takada. The reasons for the portrait's removal are not clear. Communications
manager Benjamin Jones said the portrait had been moved to a "secure
location" while Takada's piece was to be displayed "for a
period".The new painting was presented to the college earlier this month
and is currently displayed in the entrance of the college's main building.
UN: 63 presumed dead in shipwreck involving
Rohingya Muslims
Geneva:UN migration agency said Friday that
more than 60 people are either confirmed dead or missing and presumed dead
following the shipwreck of a boat carrying Rohingya Muslims who were fleeing
from violence in Myanmar to Bangladesh. Spokesman Joel Millman of the
International Organization for Migration told reporters in Geneva that 23
deaths have been confirmed after eight more bodies were found overnight
following an initial count of 15.Based on interviews that IOM has conducted
with survivors, Millman said, "We believe 40 are missing and presumed
drowned" on the vessel, which was thought to have been carrying about 80
people.The agency says more than 500,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since
Aug. 25, the start of a military crackdown triggered by a coordinated militant
assault on 30 police posts and an army base in northern Rakhine state, where
many Rohingya live.AP
Myanmar refugee exodus tops 500,000 as more
Rohingya flee
Fear of epidemic disaster as disease stalks
Rohingya camps
FLASH:
VIEWS & NEWS
A Man Is Being Killed:AMITAVA KUMAR
‘Frictions in the Rakhine State Are Less About
Islamophobia Than Rohingya-Phobia’:Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty
No, the Uniform Civil Code was not deferred
just for Muslims: Rohit De teacher at Yale University, USA
Will highlighting ‘jihadi terror’ in Kerala
during its roadshow help BJP storm the Left bastion?
Let’s Talk About Child Abuse | First-person
account: Kashmir peer has traumatised a generation of children: HT’s fourth
part series
BHU: the Academic Laboratory of RSS:Dr. Javed
Jamil, Milli Gazette
Despite court ban hundreds of animals were
sacrificed in Odisha's Chhatar Jatra festival: Biranchi Narayan Acharya
Economy could be in a temporary supply
shock:Sajjid Z. Chinoy
Pakistan’s three-time PM Nawaz Sharif is set
for a long exile:Khaled Ahmed
Hindu Daughter After Converting To Islam Does
Not Lose The Right To Inherit Property Under Hindu Succession Act: Gujarat HC
[Read Judgment]
Yashwant Sinha’s Criticism of Modi’s Economic
Policies Reflects Discontent Within RSS’s Foot Soldiers: AJOY ASHIRWAD
For the Record: For an Islamic modernity:M J
Akbar
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