Evening NEWS
DIGEST
13
Nov.2017: 23 Safar 1439:Vol:9, No:46
Bid to remove 48 lakh Muslim women from voting
list in Assam: Jamiat warns sabotage in updation of citizen list to create Myanmar-like
situation
Guwahati:Jamiat Ulama I Hind, has warned that
any attempt to sabotage the ongoing updation of National Register of Citizens
in Assam will create a situation like Myanmar. National President of Jamiat Maulana
Arshad Madni was addressing the media during a seminar organised by the Assam
Action Committee fighting for the citizenship rights of the Muslims in the
state.He said that,"There is an attempt to remove 48 lakh married Muslim
women from the voting registry in Assam, they will lose all rights, their
children will have no education and these people will be thrown out of the
country, this is going to create a situation Myanmar is going through."Assam
Action Committee has said that the decision of Guwahati High Court to strike
down validity of the certificate issued by village panchayat secretary as a
supporting document which indicates the residential status of a married woman
has put a question mark on the nationality of some 48 lakh married women of
Assam. Jamiat chief said that it is necessary for Government to respect the
Assam Accord and strictly follow its terms and conditions. He has challenged
Guwahati HC decision in the Supreme Court.Professor Hiren Gohain, one of the
delegate said that, "Assam is the only state where updation of National
Register of Citizens is going on, but certain political forces are trying to
disrupt updation. An intelligence report has said that updation may lead to law
and order situation in some areas.""The rise in Muslim population can
be attributed to poverty, illiteracy and their aversion to birth control
measures but to claim that most have been pushed into Assam from Bangladesh for
political gains is certainly a figment of imagination," he added.Leaders
from Congress and CPM were also present on the occasion to show solidarity with
the cause of Assam Action Committee. indiatoday
Efforts on to deprive lakhs of Assam women of
nationality: Jamiat
Foreigners issue likely to roil Assam again
New Delhi:BJP government in Assam is likely to
face its first major political challenge over its promise of detecting and
deporting illegal Bangladeshi settlers from Assam.As the State government works
to meet the Dec.31 deadline to complete the Supreme Court monitored process of
publishing the draft of an updated national register of citizens (NRC),
minority organisations in Assam say the process of verifying citizens is not a
foolproof one.All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) is planning a mega
rally in Guwahati on Nov.27 to highlight the discrepancy in process of updating
NRC.Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal is believed to have expressed his concerns to Centre
when he met Union Home Secretary in Delhi on Nov.8 and requested additional
central para military forces ahead of the deadline. At the heart of AAMSU’s
protest is the fate of nearly 2.6 million people whose identity papers —
authenticated by panchayat officials and circle officers of the State
government — have been rendered invalid by an order of the Gauhati High
Court.“We have moved the Supreme Court against the High Court order. How can
one say all the 26 lakh people whose papers were authenticated by panchayat
officials are illegal citizens? Many people in villages are illiterate and
don’t have birth certificates or a school leaving certificate. They relied on
panchayat officials for authentication. Suddenly they find their papers are no
longer valid,” said Rezaul Karim Sarkar, general secretary of AAMSU.“We are
appealing to the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure that genuine citizens
are not harrassed and foreigners can be detected and deported,” he said.
Minority organisations cite the recent case of Mohd Ajmal Haque, a retired
Indian Army personnel, who was termed a a ‘doubtful voter’ (usually referrered
to as ‘D Voter’ in Assam) with suspect nationality. Following a national
outrage, Assam police, however, called it a case of mistaken identity.Sonowal
said, “I want to make it clear that bona fide Indian citizens don’t have to
worry. It does not matter whether you are a Hindu or a Muslim, if you are a
bona fide citizen, you will be protected.”The Hindu
Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad hammers out
deal with UP Shia Waqf on Babri mosque issue
Allahabad: Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad
today hammered out an ageement with the UP Shia Waqf board on Ram temple-Babri
Masjid land issue which will "very soon" submit to the Supreme Court,
leaders of both the organisations said.The Supreme Court had on August 11 said
it would commence the final hearing in the dispute from Dec.5.UP Shia Waqf
Board is drafting the terms and conditions of the agreement, its chief Waseem
Rizvi said. "It has been amicably decided that no new mosque will be built
in Ayodhya or Faizabad. The Shia Waqf board will identify a piece of land in a
Muslim-dominated area and inform the government," he said.Parishad had
objected to the construction of a mosque in Ayodhya or Faizabad. This issue was
resolved by UP Shia Waqf Board chief Rizvi during discussions, Parishad head
Narendra Giri told mediapersons after a meeting here.Ram Janambhoomi Trust
president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was also present in the meeting. "We had
a discussion with main party Dharma Das and others also. After signing of the
agreement, it will be very soon submitted in the SC," Giri said.Mediation
is not required in the case now, he said."Those in favour of temple
construction and the Shia Waqf Board have completely agreed on this. We had
discussed it with almost all the parties in the case," he said.The
decision will be conveyed to the Supreme Court by Dec.5, a day before the 25th
anniversary of the demolition of the medieval-era structure.Rizvi claimed as
the Sunni Waqf Board has lost the case of its registration in several courts,
only the Shia Waqf board has a right to the mosque.Since it is for an amicable
solution of the temple-mosque issue, people from any community, including Sunni
organisations, can participate in the talks but those with "negative
approach" will not be allowed, the Shia Waqf board chief said. "We do
not want to complicate this issue any more," Rizvi said.PTI
Involved as mediator in Ram temple dispute out
of my own will: Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Monday said he was
involved as a mediator in the Ram Temple dispute of his own will and he would
visit Ayodhya on Nov.16 to meet all the stakeholders. Congress had last month
dubbed Shankar a “govt agent” who was representing its interests in the Ram
Temple dispute in Ayodhya.Ravi Shankar told reporters that he would pay a
courtesy visit to UP CM. Shankar confirmed that he would be visiting Ayodhya
and said, “I do not have an agenda in this issue and will listen to everybody
during the visit.”PTI
Owaisi mocks Sri Sri’s offer to mediate in
Ayodhya issue
New Delhi: Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday
dismissed Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's offer of mediation in the long-standing
Ayodhya issue and said that the spiritual leader is no authority in this
matter.Owaisi said that people who do not even know how to spell the word
"Mughal" are today portraying themselves as their (Mughal) close
associates." AIMPLB has clearly stated that they will not accept any such
offer, he (Ravi Shankar) should not indulge in any kite flying," he
said.He also asked Sri Sri to first pay the fine imposed by NGT last year and
then think of talking about peace. "He is not going to receive a Nobel
Prize for his offer (of mediation)," he said.TOI
Alwar Muslim man killing: Minister says can't prevent every incident; 1 held in
cow vigilantism case
Jaipur: Police have detained one person in
connection with killing of 35-year-old Umar Khan by alleged cow vigilantes in
Rajasthan's Alwar district. Reacting to the incident, Rajasthan Home Minister
Gulab Chand Kataria said on Monday that the state did not have enough manpower
everywhere to "control" every situation well in time.Umar Khan's body
was found near railway tracks in Ramgarh , with his family members and
activists alleging that he was shot dead by cow vigilantes when he was ferrying
cattle in a vehicle the day before. The incident, which came months after the
lynching of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan by suspected cow vigilantes in Alwar, has
triggered an outrage."The incident took place at night and police are acting
on the case. One person has been detained," Kataria said and expressed
hope that the case would be cracked soon. He said strict action would be taken
against the culprits irrespective of their religion. "We don't have so
much manpower to enable us to control every situation at all places, even
before an incident is reported (hamare pass itni manpower nahin hai, ki har
jagah, har sthiti ko samay se pehle control kar saken)," he said.DSP,
Alwar (South), Anil Beniwal said the detained person was being interrogated. An
FIR has been registered at Govindgarh police station.Umar Khan's family members
have demanded immediate arrest of the accused and compensation. A post-mortem
on Umar Khan's body was yet to be conducted at SMS Hospital in Jaipur where the
body was referred from Alwar on Sunday. Social worker Maulana Haneef claimed on
Sunday that Khan, along with two others, was ferrying cattle in a vehicle when
unidentified men opened fire at them. Khan died on the spot, while another
suffered bullet injuries.PTI
Alwar: Police hint self-styled cow vigilantes
killed Muslim cattle trader
Jharkhand leader dares BJP to stop cow
sacrifice
Patna: Former Jharkhand minister and tribal
leader Bandhu Tirkey’s announcement that he would sacrifice a black cow in
public “to keep alive tribal traditions” has sparked off a row, threatening a
further widening of the divisions between the state’s tribals and non-tribals.
The move by Tirkey, general secretary of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) led by
the state’s first CM Babulal Marandi, was triggered by the Raghubar Das-led BJP
govt’s recent awareness campaign against tribal practice of patthalgarhi.Patthalgarhi
(installation of monoliths) is an age-old tribal tradition of ceremonially
erecting a single, tall slab of rock in villages to mark certain important
occasions, demarcate boundaries of villages, to declare rights of the tribal
people, and also as gravestones. The state govt recently put out advertisements in newspapers and on TV
channels urging people not to engage in the act as the slabs, considered sacred
by the people, comes in the way of development schemes. Practitioners of
pathalgadhi were also warned of legal consequences.“We, the tribal people of Jharkhand,
will not tolerate such attacks on our ancient customs and traditions. I will
sacrifice a black cow close to a patthalgarhi site at Banhora village on
Feb.17. I dare the government to stop me if it can,” said Tirkey, ex-education
minister.His announcement alarmed the authorities as cow slaughter is banned in
Jharkhand since 2005. Newindianexpress
Govt announces multiple embarkation points for
Haj pilgrims
Mumbai:Haj travellers can now fly to Saudi
Arabia from multiple embarkation points in the country, which will make their
travel “economical”, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
announced in Mumbai on Sunday. The facility will come into effect from Nov.15.
“There are 21 major embarkation points in the country, but Haj travellers have
been using other cities as well to fly to Saudi Arabia. We are now offering
them multiple embarkation facility, where people can choose the city to board
the flight to Saudi Arabia,” Naqvi told reporters at the Haj House.He said the
facility will prove more economical for pilgrims as charges at the major
embarkation points like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata are cheaper than the tier-II
cities such as Aurangabad, Indore, and Srinagar among others.“It is going to be
an optional service, but the pilgrims can still opt for tier-II embarkation
point. The idea is to offer an economical option. For instance, a Haj pilgrim
paid Rs 1,10,000 for embarkation point in Srinagar in 2016 whereas charges for
the same were Rs 73,000 from New Delhi. Last year, flexibility in selecting
embarkation point was not available, from this year, we have provided it,” said
the minister.Naqvi said the process for the Haj pilgrimage has begun. “People
can submit their applications through physically filling in the form as well as
through online registration including the payment facility for the same. The
government has begun the process a month in advance unlike last year, so that
pilgrims can get more time for preparations,” he said.He said Haj 2018 will be
performed according to the new Haj Policy. “A high-level committee, constituted
to frame the new policy, has already submitted its report and the Minority
Affairs Ministry has been looking into its recommendations. The new Haj policy
aims to make Haj pilgrimage more comfortable, smooth and transparent. Pilgrims’
safety and their facilities are our priority,” he said.He said the new Haj
policy includes maintaining reservation for people above 70 years of age, who
wish to go for Haj, and allowing women over 45 years of age in a group of four
or more for Haj without a male relative or “Mahram”. “We would allow a group of
women to travel alone to Jeddah,” he said.PTI
Hearing In Case Filed Against The Wire
Adjourned Again, Jay Shah ‘Fails To Turn Up In Court’
An Ahmedabad metropolitan court on Monday
adjourned the hearing of the criminal defamation case against news portal The
Wire filed by Jay Amit Shah to Dec 16.The petitioner, the son of BJP
president Amit Shah, reportedly didn’t turn up in court for first day of
hearing. This was the third adjournment in the high-profile case after Shah’s
lawyer senior advocate SV Raju failed to appear in court for the first hearing
scheduled on Oct.11 as he was busy in high court. The second time, the court
had earlier adjourned the hearing to Oct.26 as the Gujarat High Court had
declared the day a holiday.The news
portal The Wire and its editors and writer are facing defamation suit over a
report that claimed the turnover of Jay Shah’s firm grew exponentially after
BJP came to power in 2014. MK Venu, one of the founding editors of the portal,
told Outlook: “This was the first day of the hearing and Jay Shah, the
complainant in the criminal defamation against The Wire, did not show up.”Venue
said: “When Judge asked the lawyer of Jay Shah about the absence of the
complainant, his lawyer said he couldn’t come because of his social work
commitments!”Outlook
Geelani slams ‘power hungry’ Farooq Abdullah
for dismissing ‘independent’ Kashmir talk
Srinagar:Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali
Shah Geelani slammed National Conference president Farooq Abdullah for
dismissing talk of an independent Kashmir, saying “power-hungry” politicians
have always “played deceit” with people.Blaming mainstream politicians for the
prevailing “political uncertainty and chaos” in J&K, Hurriyat Conference chief
asked Abdullah to revisit annals of history and claimed that the latter was
speaking against the wishes and aspirations of the people.“These power-hungry
politicians always played deceit. These irresponsible and short-sighted people
have always served the interests of their masters. They are barefaced, follow
their treacherous politics and are never ashamed of their absurd statements,” he
said.PTI
Even PoK is integral part of India, says
Nitish on Farooq Abdullah’s comment
Patna:ihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on
Monday asserted that entire Kashmir, including the areas occupied by Pakistan,
was an integral part of India. “We have always held that Kashmir is an integral
part of India. This has been our unequivocal stand on the issue. We hold that
the whole of Kashmir, including the areas occupied by Pakistan, is an integral
part of the country,” he told reporters on the sidelines of his weekly “Lok
Samvad” (public interaction) programme. Kumar was responding to a query on a
statement of Farooq Abdullah that PoK belonged to Pakistan.PTI
Telangana Deputy CM seeks unity, Owaisi says
defeat forces of unrest
Hyderabad: The two-day national conference of
the Jamaat-e-Islami Hindu concluded with a public session at the Exhibition
Grounds in Nampally on Sunday. The conference included sessions for women,
children, doctors, professionals and academics. Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed
Mahmood Ali who spoke at the public session and urged Muslims to remain united
and not allow themselves to be divided along the lines of sect, group or
creed.“Allah hates all those who promote division within the community. All of
us should stay united and respect the feelings of everyone. It is necessary for
the growth and prosperity of a community,” he said. He urged people to fight against
evil and to always tread the path of righteousness. MIM president Asaduddin
Owaisi, told the gathering that the community should not allow forces wishing
to create unrest to succeed. “Attempts are being made to break down the secular
fabric of the country. People think that by bringing about changes in the
Islamic law, they will create reform. I ask them — ‘How have your efforts have
helped the community?’,” he said.He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
asked to know if any action had been initiated against the people who had
killed Muslims and levelled false allegations against them. Among the delegates
who attended the meeting were Mohammed Ali Shabbir, the Leader of the
Opposition; T. Arif Ali and Sadatullah Hussaini, vice-presidents of the JIH;
Waliullah Sayeedi Falahi, secretary of the JIH; M. Mumtaz Ali from Malaysia;
Navaid Hamid, the president of the Majlis-e-Mushawarat; Manoj Jha from Delhi
University; M.K.M. Zafar from Maulana Azad National Urdu University; Badar ul
Islam from Maharashtra; Laeeq Ahmed, president of the TS Students Islamic
Organisation; Abdul Jabbar, the president of the PSF; S. Ameenul Hasan from
Karnataka. deccanchronicle
Muslim leaders in Hyderabad urge people to
oppose fascist forces
Rajasthan Waqf Board chairman faces ire of
Karni Sena
Jaipur: Rajasthan Waqf Board chairman Abu
Bakar Naqvi faced the ire of Karni Sena in Mangarol, Baran on Sunday. Naqvi's
cavalcade was stopped by the Sena activists who raised slogans of 'Rani
Padmavati Zindabad' and showed black flags at the Baran bus station.The
incident came a day after Union minister of state for minority affairs, Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi who was in Jaipur on Saturday said that a movie is just a movie and
it should be seen and understood just like that. His statement drew sharp
reactions from the protesters.Abu Bakar who went to Baran to attend a programme
at Islamia Girls School was shocked to have been surrounded by the Karni Sena
activists. He first mistook them as a group supporting them."They came in
front of my car and started raising slogans. I could only hear 'Padmavati
Zindabad' and realised that something is wrong. I chose to remain in the car as
they started showing black flags," said Abu Bakar. TOI
Despite RBI’s decision, Islamic banking will
come to India: Abdur Raqeeb
New Delhi: RBI’s decision to scrap its plan to
introduce shariah compliant Islamic banking in the country has come as a bolt
from the blue for the 200 million strong Muslim population in the country. The
latest decision of the RBI has disheartened the proponents of the Islamic
banking in the country. H Abdur Raqeeb, the general secretary of the Indian
Center of Islamic Finance told ViewsHeadlines that the RBI decision was
unfortunate. He said that it was surprising that the Reserve Bank of India has
to contradict what it has submitted to FinMin in two important reports.Abdur
Raqeeb, went on to add, “It seems the political situation prevailing in the
country is responsible to take this decision and sooner or later it has to
review it’s stand and go for an alternative system of Finance & Banking as
done in several secular modern and industrialised countries. If London, Hong
Kong Tokyo can have it why not Mumba?”When asked as to whether the decision
reflects anti-Muslim bias of the current dispensation at the center, Abdur
Raqeeb added that “both Govt and RBI should not see through religious angle but
from a financial perspective”.He said that his organization is working to
remove misunderstanding that the Islamic finance was a Muslim specific thing.
Islamic banking to be accommodated at some
point despite RBI shelving plan to pursue it: Association
Retail inflation rises to 7-month high of
3.58% in Oct.
New Delhi;Costlier food items, particularly
vegetables, pushed up retail inflation in Oct. to 7-month high of 3.58%. Consumer
Price Index-based inflation was 3.28% in Septr.It was 4.2% in Oct.last year.The
previous high was 3.89% in March this year.As per data released by Central
Statistics Office (CSO), the Oct. inflation for the food basket increased to
1.9%. It was 1.25% in Sept.The rate of price rise in vegetable segment almost
doubled to 7.47% as against 3.92% in Sept. thehindu
US pressing India, Pakistan for dialogue:
Report
Islamabad:US is quietly nudging Pakistan and
India to re-engage as Trump administration seeks to defuse tensions between the
nuclear-armed neighbours, according to a media report on Monday.America's
objective to normalise ties between the two South Asian rivals is part of its
efforts to have a more focused approach on the Afghan endgame.US secretary of
state Rex Tillerson took up the issue with the leadership of both Pakistan and
India during his recent visit to the two countries, the Express Tribune quoting
govt officials and diplomatic sources as saying."Behind the scenes,
efforts appear to have started paying dividends since Tillerson's visit, as
there has been a noticeable reduction in violence along LoC in the disputed
Kashmir region," the paper said.PTI
Army will train Bangladeshi forces to combat
terror
Army will be training Bangladeshi forces in
the first of its kind counter-terror and insurgency exercise to be held at the
Danapur Cantonment near Patna, amid growing radicalisation and emerging
terrorist groups in the neighbouring country that have a direct bearing on
India's security.The training is aimed at carrying out operations against terrorists
and insurgents on the lines of those in Kashmir and India's northeast.Starting
Monday, Army will hold the exercise with a Bangladeshi contingent till Dec.17.
Joint exercise will have mutual benefits as both countries are facing similar
threats including those from certain groups operating on both sides of the
border. dnaindia
Telangana: Ex-BJP leader forces 2 Dalit youths
into dirty pond as ‘punishment’
Hyderabad:A former BJP leader in Telangana’s
Nizamabad district allegedly made two Dalit youths take a dip in a dirty pond
for entering his sand quarry without permission. While the incident occurred on
September 16 in Abhangapatnam village in Navipet Mandal, a video purportedly of
the incident went viral on Sunday. Bharat Reddy, a former district general
secretary of the party, is also shown abusing the two youths and beating them
with a stick in the video.Dalit organisations took to the streets to protest
against the incident and demanded Reddy’s arrest.Police, however, said the youths
have refused to lodge a complaint against Reddy. “Based on a complaint by Dalit
leaders we have registered a case and investigating the matter,” said
Sub-Inspector J Naresh of Navipet Police Station.The two youths have been
identified as K Lakshman and Rajesh. The duo had allegedly gone to the quarry,
located on the outskirts of the village, to enquire if they had the necessary
permission to mine sand. However, the workers at the quarry suspected them to
be thieves and caught hold of them. Indianexpress
Padmavati film row: Glamourising Alauddin
Khilji akin to praising acid attackers, says Haryana minister
Chandigarh: In letters to Union minister
Smriti Irani and ‘Padmavati’ director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Haryana minister
Vipul Goel on Sunday sought changes in the Bollywood film and said that
“glamourising Alauddin Khilji’s character was akin to praising those who carry
out acid attacks on girls”.In a letter to the Union I&B Minister, Goel drew
Irani’s attention to the the controversy surrounding the film, due to release
shortly. He said that apart from the Rajput community, there were concerns
regarding the movie in other sections of the people as well. The magnum opus
starring Deepika Padukone as Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh
and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji, is based on the legend of Rani
Padmavati, a Hindu Rajput queen.PTI
'She's Still My Wife': Aligarh Professor
Denies 'WhatsApp Divorce' Charge
Lucknow:
An AMU professor accused by his wife of divorcing her on Whatsapp denied
it emphatically today and said: "She is still my wife"."I
haven't given her triple Talaq. I divorced her verbally, sent the same via post
and WhatsApp. After a month, I divorced her verbally and sent it via SMS. She
is still my wife. There was never a third divorce," said Professor Khalid
Khan, a Sanskrit professor.NDTV
WORLD
Iran-Iraq earthquake: Over 400 people killed,
7,000 injured; Rescuers in race for survivors
Rescue efforts are under way in Iraq and Iran
after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the border region between the two
countries, killing more than 400 people and injuring an estimated 7,000. As
aftershocks continued on Monday and as rescuers scrambled to find survivors,
Fars news agency confirmed that the death toll in Iran has reached 407, while
6,700 have been injured.In the Iraqi side of the border, Rudaw news website
reported at least seven dead and more than 300 injured in the Kurdish region.US
Geological Survey (USGS) said Sunday's powerful quake hit close to Halabjah,
southeast of Sulaimaniyah, a city in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of
northern Iraq.Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has sent a group of ministers,
headed by Interior Minister Rahmani Fazli, to areas impacted by the earthquake
to "consider the process of relief" and to "address the
injured", according to the Iranian govt.Iran's IRGC Commander Major
General Mohammad Ali Jafari along with his forces is overseeing the rescue
operations in the badly-hit western province of Kermanshah. Most of the victims
are believed to be in the Iranian town of Sarpol-e Zahab. An estimated 70,000
people have been displaced across the country. Al Jazeera's Imran Khan,
reporting from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, said: "The Iranians have moved
on the emergency response teams very quickly, setting up field hospitals and
moving in heavy machinery to try and get to people that could still be trapped
in the rubble."Across the border in Iraq, PM Haider al-Abadi offered
reassurance to his citizens over the recovery efforts.To assist Iraq, Turkey
has sent a search and rescue operation of 20 people, including the head of PM
Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, Mehmet Gulluoglu. The govt of
Iraqi Kurdistan thanked Turkey and President Tayyip Erdogan for the
"prompt assistance and offer of help".As aftershocks continue to
rattle the country, Iran has shut down one of its main gas plants in the west
for safety concerns.As authorities assess the damage in daylight, there are concerns
that the death toll will go up. On the other side of the border, Sulaimaniyah
officials declared an emergency in the early hours of Monday to assess the
aftermath of the quake, according to local Kurdish media. Sunday's tremor,
which was felt as far away as Qatar, struck at 9:18pm local time. Its epicentre
was at a depth of 33.9km. AL Jazeera
Saad Hariri says he is 'free' in Saudi
Saad Hariri has rejected rumours he is being
held in Saudi Arabia against his will and pledged to return to Beirut
"very soon" to affirm his decision to quit as Lebanon's prime
minister.Hariri made the comments from Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, speaking
publicly for the first time since his shock resignation eight days ago.Speaking
on Sunday on Future TV, a station affiliated with his political party, Hariri
said he was free in Saudi Arabia."Here in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I
am free. I have complete freedom, but I want to look after my family as
well," he said, adding that he planned to return to Lebanon in the near
future."I'm not talking about months ... I'm only talking about days and
I'll go back to Lebanon."In an unexpected move, Hariri, a Sunni Muslim
politician and longtime ally of Saudi Arabia, quit as Lebanon's prime minister
on Nov.4 during a visit to Saudi Arabia. aljazeera
Qatar investigates UAE plan to devalue its
currency
Qatar has opened an investigation into claims
of an alleged plot by the UAE to weaken its currency in the early stages of the
Gulf diplomatic crisis, according to a government spokesman. Qatar was alerted
to the issue in July and re-examined it following recent media reports, said
Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, director of the govt communications office, on
Sunday. US-based investigative news website The Intercept revealed on Thursday
that a plan for UAE to manipulate Qatar's economy and strip the country of 2022
football World Cup was found in the email account of Yousef-al-Otaiba, UAE
ambassador to the US."Qatari govt, through its various entities, including
the central bank, is working on confirming and identifying these reports,"
Al Thani told AFP. Aljazeera
3 Bahraini opposition members sent to trial on
charges that include ‘spying for Qatar’
On Sunday, the Bahraini Public Prosecution
announced that three peoplhave been sent to the criminal court on several
charges that include “spying for Qatar” and indicated that the hearing was
scheduled for 27 November 27.Counsellor Ahmad Al-Hamadi, Attorney-General of
the General Prosecution, stated that the Public Prosecution ordered that the
case in which “Ali Salman Ali Ahmed, Hassan Ali Jumaa Sultan and Ali Mahdi Ali
Al-Aswad (leaders of the dissolved Al-Wefaq Society) are accused of spying for
Qatar, to be referred to the Grand Criminal Court,” according to Bahrain News
Agency. Ali Salman, secretary-general of dissolved Al-Wefaq opposition party,
who has been in detention since 28 Dec. 2014, is serving a four-year sentence
after being convicted on several charges, including “promoting the change of
the country’s political system by force.”Al-Hamadi added that the three were
charged with “spying for a foreign country to commit hostile acts against the
Kingdom of Bahrain and to affect its political and economic status and its
national interests in order to overthrow the current regime in the country” middleeastmonitor
Will US pass a bill limiting involvement in
Yemen war?
US politicians are set to debate a resolution
that would limit "unauthorised" American involvement in the Saudi-led
war in Yemen, but the bill is unlikely to move past the House of
Representatives, analysts say. H.CON.RES.81 is expected to be debated on the
House floor on Monday. It calls for the invocation of the War Powers Act to end
US participation in the war in Yemen. Act, introduced in 1973, requires
Congressional approval for the country's involvement in any war.According to
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, the resolution's main sponsor, the bill
"acknowledges that our government is assisting the Saudi refuelling, and
acknowledges that such activity is unauthorised". Currently, the US
provides midair refuelling for Saudi and UAE warplanes that are conducting air
attacks in Yemen, as well as assistance with bomb targeting, Khanna said.In
another sign of his beliefs, the representative tweeted late on Monday in
California: "By aiding the Saudis in airstrikes that kill civilians, we
are creating a security vacuum that allows groups like [ISIL] to gain a
foothold." aljazeera
Prince Charles blames ‘foreign Jews’ for
Middle East turmoil
Prince Charles has come under fire after it
came to light that he blamed the “influx of foreign Jews” for causing unrest in
the Middle East and called on the US to “take on the Jewish lobby” in a letter
penned in 1986.Writing to his friend Laurens van der Post, the Prince argued
that the exodus of European Jews in the middle of the last century “helped to
cause the great problems” in the Middle East.“I now appreciate that Arabs and
Jews were all a Semitic people originally it is the influx of foreign, European
Jews (especially from Poland, they say) which has helped to cause the great
problems,” the Prince wrote in a letter published by the Daily Mail. He
added:" know there are so many complex issues, but how can there ever be
an end to terrorism unless the causes are eliminated?Surely some US president
has to have the courage to stand up and take on the Jewish lobby in the US? I
must be naive, I suppose!" The letter was found in a public archive and
was written on November 24, 1986, following an official visit the
then-38-year-old Prince made to Saudia Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar with the late
Princess Diana.The Prince of Wales wrote that the tour was “fascinating” and
that he had learned “a lot about the Middle East and Arab outlook”. middleeastmonitor
35,000 shielded Israeli settlers storm
Ibrahimi Mosque
Al-Khalil:Israeli occupation army on Saturday
evening escorted 35,000 Israeli settlers as they stormed the Ibrahimi Mosque,
in the southern West Bank province of al-Khalil. According to a statement by
the Israeli army, the number of Israeli settlers who defiled the Ibrahimi
Mosque and the Jewish Neighborhood has seen a swift upsurge from recent years. Director
of the Ibrahimi Mosque, Hefdhi Abu Sneineh, said the break-in represents a
flagrant violation of the sanctity of the site and makes part of Israeli
attempts to impose a new fait accompli in the area.He added that flocks of
Israeli military jeeps and settler hordes have been spotted near the site on
Saturday. At the same time, the occupation forces closed off Beer Sheba street,
in al-Khalil, to allow Israeli settlers to march to so-called Atna'el bin
Kannaz shrine. PIC
Palestinians mark anniversary of Arafat's
death in Gaza
Residents of Gaza have joined commemorations
marking 13th anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. This
is the first time in 10 years that the anniversary of the death of the founder
of Fatah movement has been celebrated in Hamas-governed Gaza. Organisers
promoted the event as a national day of unity.Many hope a recent agreement
signed by opposing parties Fatah and Hamas will end their rivalry.
Airstrikes kill 10 people in Syria’s Aleppo
Idlib: At least 10 people have been killed
Monday in airstrikes that targeted a marketplace in Syria’s northwestern Aleppo
province, local sources said.3 airstrikes targeted a marketplace where
approximately 100 people were present in opposition-held Atarib town located in
the western countryside of Aleppo province, according to local sources. Around
50 people were injured in the airstrikes, the sources said, fearing that death
toll may rise. Anadolu agnecy
Amnesty report warns of crime against humanity
in Syria
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/amnesty-report-warns-crime-humanity-syria-171113055652036.html
Amnesty International says the Syrian
government's ‘surrender or starve’ campaign targeting civilians constitutes a
crime against humanity.It's calling for an end to what it calls ‘the dark stain
on the world's conscience’.A new report says govt forces surrounded and bombed
densely-populated, opposition-controlled areas. Thousands of people were given
an ultimatum to abandon their homes or die.The report condemns not only Syrian
government but also some armed opposition groups. It says both restricted and
blocked humanitarian help. Amnesty is asking for an independent body to
investigate and prosecute those responsible. aljazeera
'Syrian army is targeting us with air strikes'
Syrian province of Aleppo is again under heavy
bombardment by government warplanes targeting rebel fighters.The air raids have
forced thousands of civilians to flee the area and set up makeshift camps in
the countryside.Millions of Syrians have lost their homes during the country's
6-year war, which has seen the Syrian government, backed by Russia and Iran,
trying to quell uprisings by opposition groups.
Iranian-backed militias routed in last Syrian stronghold
Daesh militants on Monday regained control of
Albu Kamal city, their last stronghold in Syria, after Iranian-backed militias
who captured the city a few days earlier were ambushed and forced to retreat,
tribal leaders, residents and a war monitor said.Fighters from Lebanese Shi’ite
Hezbollah in Syria who joined forces with Iraqi Shi’ite fighters crossing the
border into Syria were taken by surprise by militants hiding inside tunnels in
the heart of the city they claimed to have taken on Wednesday, they said.The
Shi’ite fighters had launched a ground offensive on the city, located in
Syria’s eastern Deir al Zor province, where the Euphrates river meets, after
months of mainly heavy Russian bombardment against the city that killed dozens
of civilians and caused widespread destruction.“Islamic State (Daesh) militants
began surprise attacks with suicide bombers and rocket attacks after the
Iranian militias were duped that Daesh had left the city,” said Qahtan Ghanam
al Ali, a tribal leader in touch with relatives.The offensive was spearheaded
by elite forces from Lebanon’s Hezbollah group fighting inside Syria alongside
an array of Iraqi and Afghan Shi’ite militias that had entered from Iraq, a
commander in that alliance told Reuters.“These militant attacks lead to big
human losses in the ranks of fighters supporting the regime,” the U.K. based
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.Albu Kamal, a major supply and
communications hub for the ultra-hardline militants between Syria and Iraq, is
a big prize for the Iranian-backed militias.On Sunday, jets believed to be
Russian intensified their third day of bombing of Albu Kamal and its outskirts,
with at least 50 civilians, mostly women and children, killed since Friday, the
monitor and residents said.In one air strike on the town of Sukariya, east of the
city, at least 30 people were killed, mostly women and children from three
families, 2 former residents of the city in contact with relatives said. Other
aerial strikes hit villages of Marshada and Sousa near the river crossing where
hundreds of civilians were targeted as they fled in small boats and dinghies,
they added.
Taliban kill 8 policemen in western
Afghanistan attack
Kabul: Taliban killed 8 policemen in western
Farah province bordering Iran late Sunday night, according to a provincial
official and the militant group Monday.Farah governor’s spokesman Nasir Mehri
told Anadolu Agency police checkpoints in Pul Regi area on the outskirts of
provincial capital Farah City came under attack at around 2 am Monday. Mehri
also said the assailants took away arms and ammunition from the scene.Taliban
spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed took responsibility, claiming that 13 security
personnel had been killed in the coordinated attacks on the checkpoints. Anadolu
Rohingya: more refugees flee fearing violence,
torture
More Rohingya refugees have fled into
Bangladesh amid fears of violence, torture, and rape. This is just a small
group of some 600,000 Rohingya to have sought refuge in Bangladesh, many of
them repeating stories of rape and murder carried out against them.Their escape
from Myanmar was fraught with danger and frustration as they had to build
makeshift boats using plastic jerry cans left over from other villages.A senior
UN official says Myanmar's troops have systematically gang-raped and tortured
Rohingya women. aljazeera
Rohingya crisis: Bob Geldof hands back Freedom
of Dublin award in Suu Kyi protest
TweetDublin: Irish musician and anti-poverty
activist Bob Geldof will return his ‘Freedom of the City of Dublin’ award to
his home town on Monday, saying he could not continue to hold the honour with
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi.“I am a very proud Dubliner but cannot in all
conscience continue to be one of the honoured few to have received this great
tribute whilst Aung San Suu Kyi remains amongst that number,” Geldof said in a
statement.“In short, I do not wish to be associated in any way with an
individual currently engaged in the mass ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya
people of North West Burma,” he added.Reuters
Turmoil awaits Bangladesh as opposition
threatens boycott of 2018 polls: the citizen
The leader of the opposition Bangladesh
Nationalist Party (BNP),Begum Khaleda Zia, has thrown a political bombshell by
declaring that BNP, which is the principal opposition group in the country,
will not contest the 2018 parliamentary polls if there is no Neutral Caretaker
Govt (NCG) composed of non-partisan people to conduct free and fair
elections."A fair election is not possible with Hasina in power. I tell
the chief election commissioner that it's his responsibility to hold a credible
election in the country," Khaleda told a massive party rally in Dhaka on
Sunday.She reiterated her demand for a 'neutral government' for the polls. She
also demanded deployment of the army with “magisterial power” during the polls
and rejected the use of Electronic Voting Machines which she alleged could be
tampered by the ruling party.Ruling Awami League leaders, however, said that
the elections will be held with Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister as per the
constitution of the country.The constitution had been amended in by the current
regime in 2011 to abolish the NCG system following a Supreme Court judgment
that rule by an un-elected body of persons, however short its term may be, is a
violation of the sovereignty of the people. BNP had boycotted the last
elections in 2014 on the grounds that the elections would not be free and fair
in the absence of an NCG to conduct it.
‘Pray for an Islamic Holocaust’: Tens of
thousands from Europe’s far right march in Poland
The official celebration of Poland’s 99th
independence day proceeded innocuously, with ceremonies in the capital. There
was even a visit from the European Council’s internationalist president, who
insisted to Politico that Saturday’s festivities would proceed “with a smile on
our face and with joy in our hearts.”But for blocks and blocks and blocks
beyond the central towers of Warsaw, a much larger crowd swelled beneath a
cloud of red smoke. The tens of thousands of people came from across Poland and
beyond, and reporters documented their signs:“Clean Blood,” as seen by
Politico.“Pray for an Islamic Holocaust,” per CNN.“White Europe” streaked
across another banner, the Associated Press reported — as about 60,000 people
chanted and marched through Warsaw in an annual gathering of Europe’s far-right
movements, which have by now grown to dwarf the official version of Poland's
independence day. washingtonpost
Czech Republic's tiny Muslim community subject
to hate
Prague, Czech Republic - Walking along the
idyllic streets of Prague just blocks away from the famed Wenceslas Square,
38-year-old Palestinian-born Raed Shaikh stopped to point out a halal grocery
store he and the handful of other Muslim residents in town frequent. He then
motioned towards a Middle Eastern restaurant to the right, hidden behind a
small mosque."Here is the highest concentration of Muslims in
Prague," the IT project manager said laughingly.Though no exact figures
exist, the Muslim community in the Czech Republic is small, between 5,000 and
20,000, or less than 0.02 percent of the total population. aljazeera
UN peacekeeping arms losses could equip an
army: report
UN-backed peacekeepers have lost enough guns
and ammunition in sub-Saharan Africa over the past two decades to arm an army,
according to a study by Small Arms Survey. Research group's director, Eric
Berman, said peacekeepers have lost "at least thousands of weapons and
millions of rounds of ammunition" this century, often handing them over to
local fighters without putting up a fight.Losses range from pistols and bullets
to heavy machine guns, mortars, recoilless guns and grenade launchers, which
can be military game-changers on the battlefields of Somalia, Democratic
republic of Congo, and Sudan, Berman said.Al Jazeera
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
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education, aim high: IANS Spl Series
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