Evening NEWS
DIGEST
5 March 2018:16
Jamadiul-2 1439:Vol:9, No:134
INDIA
After triple talaq, petition in SC
for declaring polygamy as unconstitutional, Halala as rape
After the triple talaq,
advocate-activist Ashwini Upadhyay has filed a petition in the Supreme Court
declared urging that provisions of Muslim Personal Law which validates practice
of polygamy and nikah halala be declared unconstitutional. Upadhyay has, in his
petition, prayed that Section 2 of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat)
Application Act be declared unconstitutional and violative of Articles 14, 15
and 21 of the Constitution, insofar as it seeks to recognize and validate the
practice of polygamy and nikah-halala. Upadhyay seeks a declaration that
provisions of the IPC are applicable on all Indian citizens and triple-talaq is
a cruelty under Section 498A of the IPC, nikah-halala is rape under Section 375
of the IPC, and polygamy is an offence under Section 494 of the IPC. He has
also sought directions to the Centre to take appropriate action against the
person, institution and organizations, running Sharia courts to decide the
cases related to marriage, divorce, inheritance and succession or other similar
matters besides a direction to the Law Commission of India to consider the
civil laws of developed countries, particularly the civil laws of France, Japan
and China and publish its Report in spirit of Article 44 of the Constitution
within 3 months. “It is well settled that Common Law has primacy over the
Personal Laws. Hence, the court should declare that – “Triple Talaq is cruelty
under Section 498A of the IPC, 1860, Nikah-Halala is Rape under Section 375 of
the IPC,1860, and Polygamy is an offence under Section 494 of the IPC,1860”,
said Upadhyay. “The Constitution has primacy over the Common Law and Common Law
has primacy over Personal Laws.So, India doesn’t need another personal law on
talaq, polygamy and halala,” he said. livelaw.in
PIL filed in Supreme Court to
declare Nikah Halala as 'rape', polygamy as 'unconstitutional'
Women protest against Triple
Talaq Bill in UP
Moradabad;All India Muslim
Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) women members staged protest against Triple Talaq
Bill in Jama Masjid Park of Moradabad. The speakers of the organisation shunned
the bill. They said that the bill has been forcefully imposed on Muslim women.
AIMPLB members said they will not accept this bill that is against the Muslim
women.ANI /ETV
India will turn into Syria if Ram Mandir issue
is not resolved: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
New Delhi: In a statement that will add
further fuel to the contentious Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi controversy, the
Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today said India will turn into
Syria if the Ram temple issue is not resolved soon.In an interview with India
Today, Ravi Shankar, who has been holding parleys with the various parties
involved in the Ram Mandir issue for a long time, said, "If Ram Mandir
issue is not solved, we will have a Syria in India."Sri Sri invoked the
Syrian civil war to say that Muslims should "give up" their claims on
Ayodhya. "Muslims should give up their claim on Ayodhya as a goodwill
gesture... Ayodhya is not place of faith for Muslims." He said Islam does
not allow worship at a disputed site. "We cannot make Lord Rama to be born
in another place," he said.Ravi Shankar also rubbished suggestions that a
public utility like a hospital should be built at the disputed site, where a
Mughal-era mosque was demolished by a Hindu mob on Dec.6, 1992. In the past one
year, Ravi Shankar has interacted with more than 500 leaders in Ayodhya,
Bangalore, Lucknow, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai personally or through video
conferencing for an out-of-court settlement to the Ayodhya dispute.Sri Sri
said, "Some people are opposing my efforts because they thrive on
conflict. All people will never agree with the court verdict."There were
also allegations Ravi Shankar had given money to Syed Salman Hussain Nadvi, an
allegation denied by Sri Sri in his interview with India Today. "I never
gave money to Nadvi," he said. india today
Ayodhya issue: Nirmohi Akhara
denies meeting Sri Sri for peaceful negotiations over Ram temple
Nirmohi Akhara on Monday denied AoL
founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's statement that they had met him for peaceful
negotiations on the Ram Mandir issue, media reports said. On Monday morning,
Sri Sri said: "Nirmohi Akhada were the first people to approach me, they
are with me. I have tremendous support from the people of Ayodhya. I am not
looking for any credit. I have enough from the world," CNN-News 18
reported.On Monday afternoon, Sri Sri was seen appealing that the country
should not be in a state like Syria. The AoL founder even said that he does not
need politics to resolve the Ayodhya issue.firstpost
Babri Masjid case row: Another
Muslim scholar backs shifting of mosque
Mumbai: A day after senior
cleric and sacked member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Salman
Nadvi said he would not push for an out-of-court settlement to the Ayodhya
dispute, another senior Islamic scholar and Delhi Minority Commission chairman
Dr Zafrul Islam Khanhas supported Nadvi’s views on an out-of-court settlement,
and on shifting of the mosque away from the disputed site in Ayodhya. He, too,
is in the eye of the storm since a few Urdu news portals carried his opinion on
Saturday.Delhi-based Khan, who is a former president of All India Muslim
Majlise Mushawarat, an umbrella body of over 40 Muslim organisations, in a
piece he penned on Saturday, backs Nadvi for making efforts to end the dispute
but disagrees that Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar could have
convinced Hindu organisations to accept the formula. “Maulana Salman Nadvi’s
suggestion is logical but who will listen to Sri Sri Ravishankar? Involve the
govt, the SC or the RSS and take parties on board,” he said. Defending Nadvi,
he said he has known him for the last three decades as a learned person. “I
have differed with him but never doubted his integrity,” he said. “Maulana
Nadvi capitulated to pressure but I will not,” he added. When told that AIMPLB has
repeatedly reiterated its stand that Muslims would wait for the SC verdict and
‘once a mosque always a mosque’, Khan, an alumnus of the Cairo-based famous
Islamic seminary Al-Azhar explained: “There is no textual (Quran or Hadith) to
support this claim.” timesofindia
Nadwi’s statement on Ayodhya dispute is
correct and logical, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan backs shifting of mosque
Shopian gunfight: Protests rage in Kashmir
after Army kills 6
Srinagar:More than a dozen protests erupted
across Kashmir on Monday, with government forces firing tear gas and
demonstrators hurling rocks as tens of thousands of protesters poured into the
streets after the army killed four civilians and two suspected militants.In
south Kashmir, hundreds attended the funeral of a slain LeT commander despite
authorities restricting people’s movement across the Valley.While security
forces claim that all those killed were militants or their over-ground workers,
separatist leaders and local residents alleged that four of them were
civilians.The trouble began late Sunday night, when officials say a car refused
to stop at a checkpoint outside a Shopian military base and militants inside
fired at the soldiers.Indian army spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia said a rebel and
three civilians were killed when soldiers fired back. A fourth civilian’s body
was recovered from a nearby car, officials said, and the body of another rebel
was found a few kilometers (miles) away. Authorities said he’d been injured in
the shooting and died later.Four persons were confirmed dead on Sunday night
and two more bodies were recovered on Monday morning, police said.While the
police have not identified the three youths killed on Sunday, locals identified
them as Suhail Ahmad Wagay , Nawaz Ahmad Wagay and Shahid Khan.
Fresh Wave of Protests And Violence Engulfs
Kashmir After Shopian Shoot Out
J&K CM contradicts Army’s claim, calls
those killed in Shopian civilians
J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti has referred to
those who died in an encounter in Shopian on Sunday as “civilians caught in the
crossfire”. Indian Army had claimed that a terrorist and 3 of his accomplices –
“overground workers” of militant groups – were killed in the firing. Two more
bodies were found on Monday morning, and the police said that one of those was
that of a militant. However, unlike the Army, the police had referred to the
four people killed on Sunday as “a militant and three individuals who were
accompanying him”.“Deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in the
crossfire in Shopian,” Mufti tweeted. Local residents too have claimed that the
other three men were civilians who were only travelling in the car with the
militant, Greater Kashmir reported.scroll
Shopian attack: Situation tense as death toll
reaches six, CM upset over killing of civilians
PDP demands judicial probe into
Shopian firing
Jammu; Senior PDP leader and MLA
Mohammad Yousuf Bhat on Monday demanded a “judicial probe” into the firing
incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, saying the culprits should be
booked and brought to justice.Six people, including two militants, were killed
in the March 4 night’s shootout in Shopian’s Pahnoo area.The Shopian MLA on
Monday took to the official PDP Twitter handle and said, “My solidarity and my
sincere condolences go out to the bereaved families. I demand that a judicial
enquiry be ordered to look into the circumstances under which such killings
have taken place and the culprits of this heinous crime are booked and brought
to justice swiftly.”PTI
Supreme Court blocks further probe against
army major by J&K Police
New
Delhi: The Supreme Court has restrained the J&K Police from carrying out
any investigation in pursuance to FIR registered against Major Aditya Kumar in
the wake of the death of three civilians as army tried to disperse a
stone-pelting mob in Shopian district in Kashmir. Restraining the J&K
Police from carrying out further investigations, a bench of CJI Dipak Misra,
Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud directed the further hearing
on the petition by Lt. Col. Karamveer Singh on April 24. Lt. Col. Karamveer
Singh -- a serving army officer and father of Major Aditya Kumar -- is seeking
the quashing of the FIR against his son. At the outset of the hearing, Attorney
General K.K. Venugopal told the court that the mere filing of the complaint
against an army personnel serving in the disturbed area was barred under
Section 7 of AFSPA without the prior sanction of the Centre. Attorney General
cited top court judgements of 2006 and 2014 in support of his contention that
without Centre's sanction even a complaint against a serving army officer
operating in disturbed area was prohibited under the law. However, this was
opposed by senior counsel Shekhar Naphade, who is appearing for J&K, saying
that the registration of FIR and even filing of chargesheet did not amount to
taking cognizance of the offence and thus no prior permission of the Centre was
required.IANS
Kathua rape: BJP ministers attend rally in
support of accused
Srinagar:In what is turning out to be a major
embarrassment for the Jammu and Kashmir government and BJP, two serving state
ministers were seen attending a rally organised in support of the accused in
the rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl from Kathua.Minister for forest
Chaudhary Lal Singh and minister for commerce and industries Chander Prakash
Ganga, both from BJP, attended the event organised by Hindu Ekta Manch, an
outfit that has been protesting against the arrests in the case.The development
has lead to a controversy even among the alliance partners."Deplorable
that divisive politics is being played by some over the most reprehensible act
of rape and murder of an innocent girl. Dangerous attempts of polarizing
situation in otherwise tolerant and inclusive Jammu region over a dastardly act
need to be discouraged," said Naem Akhtar, senior PDP leader.indiatoday
Chorus in Jammu for Rohingya
eviction, ads in newspapers: indianexpress
Jammu :Nearly a year after Jammu
Chamber of Commerce and Industry threatened to “identify and kill’’ Rohingya
Muslims and Bangladeshi nationals settled in the area if they were not deported
within a month, various organisations have started attempts to mobilise public
opinion against their stay.Advertisements calling for eviction of Rohingya have
started appearing in local papers. Some of these advertisements, issued by
leaders of organisations like Chamber of Commerce and Industry and National
Panthers Party, read, “Rohingyas: a ticking time bomb. Evict them to save
Jammu’’, and “Threat of Rohingyas loom large over the heads of peace loving
Jammuites. Let us unite to save Jammu’’. Panthers Party has held
demonstrations, demanding that Rohingya be deported.The issue gained momentum after
attacked family quarters inside Sunjuwan military station on Feb.10. A large
number of Rohingyas live in civilian areas near the military station. During
her visit to Jammu after the attack, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said
“demography of the cantonment and adjoining areas indicates the possibility of
local support to the terrorists’’. Hours after the military station attack, BJP
MLA and Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta had named migrants from two countries,
holding them responsible for such attacks — his remarks on the communities and
countries were expunged later.Panthers Party president Balwant Mankotia said
they were “getting in touch with like-minded outfits so that they can pressure
the government to shift the illegal immigrants outside the state”.indianexpress
After BSP, RLD Extends Support
to SP candidates in for Phulpur and Gorakhpur Bypoll
Lucknow: RLD has announced that
they will support Samajwadi Party candidates against the BJP in the upcoming
Phulpur and Gorakhpur by-elections in UP.
This comes a day after the BSP officially extended support to SP
candidates for the upcoming bypolls.RLD spokesperson Anil Dubey said, “National
president of RLD, Chaudhary Ajit Singh, has taken this decision to curb the BJP
from spreading communalism and due to non-fulfilment of the promises made by
the central government to the farmers of the country.”“RLD is taking this step
also as it wants to strengthen the opposition in the state. Not just by
elections but also in upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections
the RLD will support the candidates of SP and BSP,” he added. SP has tied up
with Nishad party and has fielded Pravin Nishad as its candidate for Gorakhpur
by elections. Apart from this, NCP and Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party has also
announced their support in favour of SP. On Sunday, BSP chief Mayawati stated
that her party will be extending support to SP candidates in by elections and
said that the understanding between the two parties would only extend to
ensuring victory for the strongest non-BJP candidate, and hence, the BSP has
not floated any candidate for bypolls in Phulpur & Gorakhpur. news18
BJP-RSS trying to trigger riot
by throwing meat at religious places in Bengal: Mamata
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee
on Monday accused the ruling BJP and RSS of trying to inflict a communal riot
in the state by secretly throwing meat in religious places. Warning people of
such mischief mongers in the community, TMC supremo said, “They have started a
new conspiracy recently. They are giving money to some people and asking them
to throw meat in temples and mosques. This is a conspiracy, a deliberate
attempt to inflict a communal riot by the BJP and RSS.”“They are doing this to
start a riot between the two communities. I am sure they would try the same
trick during Ram Navami. I do not need to see who is Hindu and who is Muslim. I
am in favour of everyone. An offender is an offender,” CM said during an
administrative meeting in Jhargram.indianexpress
Both Houses of Parliament
adjourned amid uproar over PNB fraud and special status to AP
Both Houses of Parliament, the
Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, were adjourned on Monday, March 5 soon after
they met, on the first day after the recess for the second part of the Budget
session of Parliament, amid Opposition protests over the Punjab National Bank
fraud and special status to AP.The session got off to a stormy start, two days
after the election results in the northeast were announced that saw the BJP
triumphing in Tripura and improving its performance in Nagaland and Meghalaya. apnlive
PM should make statement on bank
scams: Cong
Riyas Moulavi Murder Case:
Kerala HC stays trial as wife asks why UAPA wasn’t invoked against accused
Kerala High Court has stayed the
trial in the case of Madrasa teacher Riyas Moulavi’s murder after his wife
petitioned that the trial in the matter without incorporating provisions of the
UAPA would be denial of justice to her and send a wrong message to the
society.Justice B Kemal Pasha stayed the trial in the matter pending before a
Sessions court in Kasaragod, which was likely to start the trial from Tuesday.
Saida’s husband Mohammed Riyas, 34, was murdered in Old Choori inside Old Juma
Masjid allegedly by RSS workers on March 20 last year. Police had arrested
19-year-old Nitin, 20-year-old Ajesh and 25-year-old Akhilesh in connection
with the murder and charge sheet has already been filed before the trial court.
livelaw
Mobile phones, cameras banned
from AMU convocation
AGRA: Amid controversy over the
proposed visit of the President of India, Ramnath Kovind, to AMU for its annual
convocation on March 7, the UP government banned the use of mobile phones and
cameras at the venue during the event. Even journalists haven’t been spared.
Only DD will be allowed to record the visuals and a transcript of the
President’s speech will be provided by AMU staff.Confirming the move, member in
charge of public relations office, AMU, Shafey Kidwai said that no invitee will
be allowed to carry mobile phones or cameras at the venue. He added that UP
chief secretary Rajiv Kumar had given the directions at a video conference.
Also, polyester tents will not be allowed for the pandal as they could catch
fire. Twenty fire exits have been planned in case of an emergency.According to
a senior administration official, UP dairy development and religious affairs
minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary has been nominated by the state government as
the “minister in waiting” for the President’s visit.Controversy had erupted
over the President’s visit, with a section of the AMUSU demanding that Kovind
retract a statement that he allegedly made in 2010 about Islam and Christianity
being alien to India. The group had “advised” the President to stay away from
the event if he didn’t apologize for the remark. timesofindia
In new NCERT books for Class
VII, Maharana Pratap, more Shivaji
New Delhi: NCERT has introduced
material on Rajput king Maharana Pratap and added more information on Maratha
ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji in its Class VII history textbook ‘Our Past – II’.The
previous version of the textbook was criticised by Shiv Sena and Hindu
Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), which is based in Maharashtra, for “glorifying Mughal
emperors” and “ignoring Hindu kings”.The changes, The Indian Express has
learnt, are part of the textbook review — the first since 2007 — undertaken
last year by the NCERT, an autonomous organisation that advises the HRD
Ministry on school education.When contacted Sunday, NCERT director Hrishikesh
Senapaty said he was out of town and could not comment on the changes without
seeing the textbook. Senapaty said that all the revised textbooks have been
dispatched to the printers and the new versions are expected to reach the
market this month-end. Last year, the Shiv Sena and the HJS had submitted
separate petitions to the Maharashtra govt reiterating their longstanding
demand for a revision in ‘Our Past – II’. They alleged that this segment had
insufficient or no information on Shivaji and Maharana Pratap, respectively,
but several pages on Mughal rulers.indianexpress
SC set for busy week with
Shopian, Loya, Hadiya, Mahatma assassination cases
New Delhi;The Supreme Court is
set for a busy week with a bunch of important cases, including that of a
military officer accused of killing civilians in Shopian, the apparently
mysterious death of special CBI judge BH Loya, a vexed verdict on land
acquisition, the so-called “love jihad”, and the assassination of Mahatma
Gandhi.A bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra will take up on Monday a
petition filed by the father of Major Adithya Kumar of 10 Garhwal Rifles, who
is facing criminal prosecution after soldiers gunned down three men in Shopian
for allegedly throwing stones at a military convoy this January.An FIR was
registered against the soldiers, including Major Kumar, for murder and attempt
to kill under the Ranbir Penal Code, the equivalent of the Indian Penal Code in
Jammu and Kashmir.HT
UIDAI asks telcos to provide
service by March 15 for users to know if SIMs are linked to Aadhaar
New Delhi: UIDAI has directed
all telecom operators to provide a facility that will enable their subscribers
to check if the mobile SIMs are linked with their Aadhaar number, a step to
guard against any unauthorised use.The decision was taken after the UIDAI came
to know about some retailers, operators and agents of telecom companies
allegedly misusing Aadhaar authentication facility to issue new SIMs or for
re-verification of numbers other than that of the Aadhaar holder.Warning
telecom operators to ensure that their retailers and agents do not indulge in
any fraudulent activities, the UIDAI has directed telcos to make the new
facility available to subscribers by March 15.PTI
Caste discrimination a reality
in Himachal schools
Shimla:Caste discrimination
continues to leave a bad taste among students savouring their midday meals in
almost every rural government school of Himachal Pradesh, a state where the
literacy rate is at a high of 82.8 per cent. Lower caste students face social
discrimination in all school activities, including partaking the midday meal.
Even the chefs employed in 15,000-plus government schools for cooking meals are
largely from the higher castes. The latest instance of segregating Dalit
students in a government school in Kullu district during a live telecast of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme has hogged the headlines. But, claim
social activists, that was not a stray incident. They say centuries-old
caste-based attitudes persist in almost every rural school despite India
banning discrimination in 1955. The midday meal is a nationwide school
programme of the Indian government to improve the nutritional status of
school-age children.IANS
UP: Sabji Mandi Mosque in
Aligarh covered to prevent damage due to Holi colours
Days ahead of Holi, Sabji Mandi
Mosque in Aligarh was covered with different types of clothing in order to
preserve the decades-old building from damaging due to Holi Celebrations which
is playing with colors.Earlier this year, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had directed
the officials to ensure peaceful Holi celebrations since it was on Friday to
avoid any clash between the two communities and directed the authorities to
cover historic structures to prevent damage due to harmful effects of Holi
colors.Holi is one of the popular and widely celebrated festivals throughout
India but the harmful synthetic chemicals used in colors have been proven to be
dangerous which can damage eyes, skin and lungs.Earlier spring flowers, berries
and other plants were used for making coloured Gulal which is now made using
synthetic chemicals reported Abp.siasat
Vijayawada Muslims decry
demolition of 400-year-old Nidumolu mosque
Vijayawada: Muslim organisations
in the city are up in arms against the government’s decision to demolish Panisa
mosque at Nidumolu under Movva mandal in Krishna district. As the
Machilipatnam–Vijayawada highway is being expanded, the authorities have proposed
the removal of the mosque as it runs parallel to the road.Central waqf board
member, Hamid Engineer visited the mosque on Saturday. He observed that the
plan appears to have been altered to intentionally remove the 400-year-old
Tanisha Masjid. He said the officials have made a designing error and this is
nothing but an attempt to provoke the Muslims.Hamid further said Krishna
district collector and national highways authority officials should take stock
of the situation and should make necessary changes to the alignment plan of the
highway keeping in view of the sentiments of the people. It is not fair to
demolish historical structures in the name of construction of national
highways. He faulted the district officials as they did not respond even after the
locals complained against the demolition of the mosque.TOI
Iraq pips Saudi to become
India’s top crude oil supplier
New Delhi: Iraq has overtaken
Saudi Arabia by a wide margin to become India’s top crude oil supplier, meeting
more than a fifth of the country’s oil needs in the current financial
year.Saudi Arabia traditionally has been India’s top oil source but in the
April-January period of 2017-18, Iraq dethroned it, supplying 38.9 million
tonnes (MT) of oil, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.In a written
reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Pradhan said Saudi Arabia supplied 30.9
MT of crude oil in the first 10 months of the current fiscal.India imported
184.4 MT of crude oil during the period as compared to 213.9 MT in the entire
2016-17 fiscal, and 202.8 MT in 2015-16.PTI
China building helipads, other
infrastructure in Doklam area: Defence Minister Sitharaman
:Indian and Chinese troops have
“redeployed” themselves away from the face-off site in Doklam, and China has
undertaken construction of helipads, sentry posts and trenches for its army
personnel there, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.“Post
disengagement from the face-off in 2017, troops of both sides have redeployed
themselves away from their respective positions at the face-off site. The
strength of both sides have been reduced,” she said replying to a question on
the issue in Lok Sabha.“In order to maintain these troops during the winter,
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has undertaken construction of some
infrastructure, including sentry posts, trenches and helipads,” she said.PTI
Alwar killing: Mahapanchayat
warns upper castes over Dalit’s death
Bhiwadi :A JATAV mahapanchayat
held here on Sunday, drawing people from 18 villages near the Alwar-Haryana
border, threatened to cut off association with upper castes over the killing of
a 16-year-old boy on Holi.Addressing the assembly of more than 300 people,
former BSP leader Omprakash Jatav said, “Till how long will we tolerate this? Pagdi
unke bandhte ho, samman unka karte ho, sab chodh do (You tie the turban of
upper caste people, give them respect, stop doing all this).” Jatav is the
state secretary of the Ambedkar Mission Sanstha, which is active in Bhiwadi.
Dharamveer Jatav, whose wife is a Congress councillor from Bhiwadi’s Ward 31,
said, “It was decided at the mahapanchayat that if, even for a moment, we feel
the administration is not supporting us and there are efforts to shield accused,
we will take to the streets.” Mahapanchayat also warned police against any
action against the community members who blocked roads and demonstrated after
the death of the 16-year-old.indian express
Yogi claims no riots took place in UP for last
11 months, forgets Kasganj
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has said no riots took
place in Uttar Pradesh in the last eleven months - that is, in the time that
has elapsed since the BJP came to power last year. Adityanath's remarks came at
a public meeting in Allahabad, just months after a young man, Chandan Gupta,
was killed in communal clashes that broke out on Republic Day in Kasganj, a
town located in western UP.IndiaToday
WORLD
UN rights body orders probe of
Eastern Ghouta siege in Syria
The UN Human Rights Council on
Monday ordered an immediate probe into the situation in Syria's besieged rebel
enclave of Eastern Ghouta, as aid arrived there for the first time in weeks.The
council approved a resolution calling on war crimes investigators to
"urgently conduct a comprehensive and independent inquiry into recent
events in Eastern Ghouta."With 29 votes in favour, 14 abstentions and four
opposed, the UN's top rights body instructed the UN-backed Commission of
Inquiry for Syria to probe alleged atrocities in the area, battered by a
Russia-backed regime assault that began on February 18.The resolution, tabled
by Britain, specifically condemned "the indiscriminate use of heavy
weapons and aerial bombardments against civilians, and the alleged use of
chemical weapons in Eastern Ghouta".But the commission of inquiry, set up
in 2011 shortly after the Syrian conflict began, must first survive a vote later
this month on extending its mandate.If the probe goes ahead, the commission was
asked to report back on its findings during the next council session in June. The
resolution, first tabled by Britain during an emergency council session last
Friday, initially met with so much opposition that the final vote needed to be
postponed until Monday.AFP
Syria: Aid convoy enters
besieged Eastern Ghouta
A 46-truck convoy carrying
humanitarian aid has begun entering Eastern Ghouta through the
government-controlled Wafideen checkpoint for the first time in nearly a
month."At last ... A convoy ... carrying desperately-needed aid for tens
of thousands is on its way to Eastern Ghouta, Syria," Robert Mardini, the
head of the Middle East operations for the International Committee of the Red
Cross, said in a tweet on Monday.The convoy includes surgical and medical
items, as well as 5,500 food and flour bags enough for 27,500 people, a
spokeswoman from the ICRC said.Ali al-Za'tari, a senior UN official with the
convoy, told Reuters news agency that it would take "many hours" to
offload the aid in the rebel-held enclave and that it might be "well after
nightfall" before it could leave Eastern Ghouta. More than 700 civilians
have been killed during an aerial offensive that began on Feb18. Aljazeera
Palestine slams Guatemala
embassy move to J'lem
Ramallah-based Palestinian govt
has slammed a decision by Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales to transfer his
country's Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In a Monday statement, govt
called on Arab and Muslim countries to adopt a “firm stand” in opposition to
the move. “Guatemalan decision violates the rules and principles of
international law and resolutions adopted by the international community,” statement
read. Earlier Monday, Morales announced his intention to relocate Guatemala’s
Israel embassy to Jerusalem sometime in May. Anadolu
Israel issues demolition orders
in Palestinian village
Arab residents of the Bedouin
village of Umm Al-Hiran, located in Wadi Atir area of the Negev desert,
received Israeli demolition orders yesterday, Arab48 reported. The website said
that the demolition orders were issued for the unlicensed houses in the
village, which are not recognised by the Israeli occupation.Speaking to Arab48,
the head of the Popular Committee in Umm Al-Hiran Raed Abul-Qi’an said: “This
decision comes following a number of orders and arrangements made by the
Israeli occupation, which has become a military ruler in the Negev.”“The
demolition orders were issued against a number of houses in the village, but we
will stand up together against the Israeli projects planning to force us out of
our homes.”MEMO
China Accused of Arresting
Dozens of Muslim Women Married to Pakistani Men:Voice of America
China has allegedly detained
dozens of Muslim women in its restive Xinjiang province for marrying men in a
northern border region of neighboring Pakistan.The issue was addressed in a
unanimously passed resolution of the legislative assembly of the
Gilgit-Baltistan region, known as GB, that was revealed by the Pakistani
lawmakers Sunday. The resolution demands Pakistani govt take urgent steps to
secure the release of more than 50 Chinese wives, who it says were taken into
custody last year while they were visiting relatives in their native towns in
Xinjiang. The deputy speaker of the assembly was quoted as saying the women
were rounded up during a Chinese anti-terrorism crackdown on ethnic Uighur
Muslin community in Xinjiang.
FLASH: VIEWS & NEWS
The problem with leftist myths about
Syria:Loubna Mrie
Courts Hang Four in 16 Years, Adityanath’s
Police Kill 34+ In Just One Year:MANISH KUMAR
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 6:47 PM)
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