10 Sept. 2018: 29 Zilhajj 1439: Vol: 10, No:104
INDIA
SC seeks report from trial judge in Babri demolition
case involving BJP veterans Advani. Joshi, Uma within April 2019 deadline
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought
a report from a sessions judge in a Lucknow court on how he intends to complete
the trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case involving BJP veterans L.K.
Advani, M.M. Joshi and Uma Bharti within April 2019 deadline. A bench of
Justices R.F. Nariman and Indu Malhotra also sought the Uttar Pradesh
government’s response on a plea of trial court judge S.K. Yadav, whose
promotion was stayed by the Allahabad high court on the ground that the apex
court had directed him to complete the trial.The court asked for the report in
a sealed cover.On April 19, 2017, the apex court had said BJP stalwarts Advani,
Joshi and Uma Bharti would be prosecuted for serious offence of criminal
conspiracy in the politically sensitive 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case and
ordered a day-to-day trial to be concluded in two years, ie April 19, 2019.The
apex court dubbed the demolition of the medieval era monument a “crime” which
shook the “secular fabric of the Constitution” and allowed CBI’s plea on the
restoration of a criminal conspiracy charge against the VVIP accused.“There
shall be no de novo (fresh) trial. There shall be no transfer of the Judge
conducting the trial until the entire trial concludes. The case shall not be
adjourned on any ground except when the sessions court finds it impossible to
carry on the trial for that particular date,” the apex court had said.There
were two sets of cases relating to the demolition of the disputed structure on
Dec.6, 1992. The first involved unnamed ‘karsevaks’, the trial of which is
taking place in a Lucknow court, while the second set of cases relate to the
leaders in a Rae Bareli court.PTI
Babri Masjid demolition case: How will you
complete probe by April 2019, SC asks trial judge
Alwar lynching case: SC agrees to hear plea
seeking to transfer trial out of Rajasthan
New Delhi :The Supreme Court Monday agreed to
hear next week a plea seeking to transfer the trial in connection with the
Alwar lynching case out of Rajasthan. The plea, filed by the victim’s family,
also sought a court-monitored probe in the case.Rakbar, a 32-year-old cattle
trader, was allegedly beaten to death by villagers in Lalwandi while he was
transporting cows on foot in July. The mob suspected him to be a cattle
thief.Last week, the Rajasthan police filed chargesheet in the case in an Alwar
court against the three accused who had been arrested. The 25-page chargesheet
names Dharmendra, Paramjeet, and Naresh, who were arrested following Rakbar’s
death.indianexpress
New UN rights chief slams India for inaction
on rights violations report in Kashmir
New Delhi :In her first address to United
Nations Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle
Bachelet on Monday praised the Supreme Court for decriminalising same-sex
relations between consenting adults but slammed India for lack of any
“meaningful improvement” on addressing issues highlighted in the UN report on
human rights violations in Kashmir. Ex-Chilean president succeeded Zeid Raad al
Hussain as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights this month. In her opening
remarks at the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Bachelet said the
people of Kashmir had the same rights to justice and dignity as people all over
the world. “The people of Kashmir have exactly the same rights to justice and
dignity as people all over the world and we urge authorities to respect them,”
she said.Bachelet also reiterated the UNHRC’s request for unconditional access
to Kashmir on either side of LoC. “Office of HRC continues to request
permission to visit both sides of the LoC, and in the meantime, will continue
its monitoring and reporting,” she said.In his report to the UN Human Rights
Council in June, Bachelet’s predecessor Zeid Hussain had sought an
“establishment of a commission of inquiry to conduct a comprehensive independent
international investigation into allegations of human rights violations in
Kashmir” and asked the governments of India and Pakistan to “fully respect the
right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir as protected under
international law”.However, India reacted sharply to the report, calling it
“fallacious, tendentious and motivated”, and lodged a strong protest with the
UN. The new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called the Donald Trump
administration’s now-scrapped policy of separation of migrant families
“unconscionable” and urged Europe to create a dedicated search and rescue
operation for migrants in Mediterranean.Raising concerns about persecution of
Rohingyas in Myanmar’s Rakhine, Bachelet called on the Council to create “an
independent international mechanism to collect, consolidate, preserve and
analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes, in order to expedite
fair and independent trials in national and international courts”.“I urge the
Council to pass a resolution, and refer the matter to the General Assembly for
its endorsement so that such a mechanism can be established,” AFP quoted her as
saying.indianexpress
NIA court sends Syed Salahuddin's 2nd
son to 30-day judicial custody
New Delhi: A NIA court on Monday sent Shakeel
Yousuf, son of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, to 30 day judicial
custody.He was arrested on August 30 by the NIA in connection with a 2011
terror funding case for allegedly receiving money from his father. Shakeel is
the second son of Salahuddin, who has been arrested by the NIA. Earlier in June
this year, his another son, Shahid, who was working in the agricultural
department of J&K Govt, was arrested in the same case.NIA alleged Shakeel
used to receive funds through a US-based international wire transfer company
from Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, another accused in the case who is absconding and based
in Saudi Arabia.NIA has so far filed two charge sheets against six people
including G M Bhat, a close aide of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Siddiq
Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga. All 4 are in judicial
custody.TOI
2007 Hyderabad twin blasts case: 2 sentenced
to death, third awarded life imprisonment
Hyderabad: A special court in the Cherlapally
Central Prison in Hyderabad today sentenced Anik Shafique Syeed and M.Akbar
Ismail Chowdhari to death in the 2007 Hyderabad twin blasts case. Third convict
Tarik Anjum was sentenced to life imprisonment. Earlier in the day, the court
convicted Anjum for harbouring the perpetrators of the blasts in New Delhi and
other places. Anjum, a civil engineer from New Delhi and a native of Bihar, was
arrested in 2011 on the charge of providing shelter to blasts culprits,
including Riyaz Bhatkal and his brother Iqbal Bhatkal.Last week, Second Additional
Metropolitan Sessions Court Judge (in-charge)T. Srinivas Rao pronounced Anik
Shafique Syeed and Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari — close associates of Riyaz
Bhatkal — guilty in the case.2 other accused, Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash and
Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik, were acquitted for want of enough evidence.
All the 4 hail from Maharashtra and have been involved in other cases in Pune
and Mumbai.thehindu
No terror link in ISIS sex slave case, matter
of marital discord, NIA tells home ministry
New Delhi:Several months ago, a Hindu woman
based in Gujarat (name withheld) had accused her Muslim husband from Kerala of
conspiring to sell her off to ISIS jihadi. After months of investigation, NIA
has not been able to find evidence against 27-year-old Mohammed Riyaz. Sources
said that NIA has last week moved the file to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
apprising them of no terror link being found in the case. Though top officer of
NIA said that the agency could eventually file a closure report, a senior
officer associated with the case said, "Once the file returns from Home
Ministry, we will be informing the Kerala court and police of our finding that
this is a case of marital discord and should be investigated by the local
police under relevant sections." NIA had arrested Riyaz on Feb.3 from the
Chennai airport after his return from Jeddah, Saudi. His wife had alleged that
he blackmailed her into converting to Islam using a recording of their sexual
encounter and also pressured her into marrying him. She had also alleged that
she was taken to Saudi , from where Riyaz tried to sell her off to ISIS
terrorists.She has also alleged that she was taken to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia by
the accused person with the intention of further transporting her to Syria. The
case had made headlines then, but 7 months after the husband was arrested, NIA
has officially moved a file to say "no terror link" found.indiatoday
In Kashmir, Police adopts Israeli strategy to
‘nab’ protesters?TCN report
Srinagar: In a strange turn of events,
officials of the J&K Police disguised themselves among protesters at Jamia
Masjid in Srinagar in an attempt to arrest stone pelters after Friday prayers,
drawing comparisons with Israeli forces who indulge in similar activities.The
place where this incident took place on Friday is known as a hub of anti-India
protest. The people usually after Friday congregation prayers take part in the
protest outside the historic mosque.After the Friday prayers this week, a group
of youth started pelting stones at police and CRPF personnel but there was no
retaliation this time and not even a single teargas shell was lobbed or baton
charge initiated by the law enforcing force, according to sources. As the crowd
swelled to over 100 people and two stone pelters started leading the agitation,
the first tear gas shell was lobbed at the mob dispersing them. However, the protesters
were left stunned when the two stone-pelters who were leading the mob were
grabbed by policemen covertly placed in the crowd and whisked away in waiting
vehicles. twocircles
Sohrabuddin ‘fake’ encounter: Ex Gujarat DIG
Vanzara, 5 others’ discharge upheld by Bombay HC
Mumbai :Bombay High Court has upheld the
discharge granted by a CBI court to 6 policemen, including ex Gujarat DIG D G
Vanzara and IPS officers Dinesh M N and Rajkumar Pandiyan, in 2005-2006
encounter case of suspected gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and
their aide, Tulsiram Prajapati. The court has also allowed the discharge
application of Gujarat IPS officer Vipul Aggarwal.The six applications include
three filed by Sohrabuddin’s brother Rubabuddin, challenging the discharge of
Vanzara, Dinesh, Pandiyan; two others filed by CBI challenging the discharge of
Rajasthan Police constable Dalpat Singh Rathod and Gujarat Police officer N K
Amin; and one filed by Gujarat IPS officer Vipul Aggarwal challenging his
discharge orders rejected by the trial court.Justice A M Badar, who began
hearing all 6 applications from July 4, reserved judgment in Aug.During the
first hearing, Rubabuddin’s lawyer Gautam Tiwari began by arguing against the
discharge granted to Pandiyan by the lower court on Aug.25, 2016.As Tiwari
referred to the statement of a key witness who is a police driver, advocate
Raja Thakare, representing Dinesh MN, told the court that the key witness has
turned hostile in the lower court. Tiwari responded by saying that the court
was at a stage of framing charges against Pandiyan, and therefore the conduct
of witnesses in the trial court should have no bearing on the present
case.indianexpress
HRD ministry pitches for national madarsa
board
https://indianexpress.com/article/education/hrd-ministry-pitches-for-national-madarsa-board-5349145/
New Delhi: Members of HRD Ministry’s NMCME
have pitched for capturing details of unregistered madarsas in the country and
setting up a national-level madarsa board with a suitable system for
accreditation to ensure their academic standards. In a recent meeting of the
National Monitoring Committee for Minorities’ Education (NCME), panel member
Afzar Shamsi recommended that the data of unregistered madarsas be captured.
“There are two types of madarsas, one which are ‘registered’ which are roughly
20%and the other one are ‘unregistered’ which are around 80%. All the data
which the government is having is based on registered madarsas,” the minutes of
the meeting quoted Shamsi as saying. “There is a need to capture the details of
the unregistered madarsas and bring them within the ambit of registration so
that a clear picture is available,” he said. Another member Jamshid Khan said,
“Madarsa boards in some states are defunct. While some states have these
boards, some like Maharashtra do not have any madarsa board”.“It is suggested
that there should be an all-India level madarsa board with suitable system for
accreditation to ensure academic standards,” he said. “Madarsa should be linked
with skill development council. In order to facilitate the spread of
information amongst the madarsas besides making it available on the website,
there should also be a move to spread an awareness campaign in their areas in
which we members can contribute,” another panel member Suman Kumar said. NCME
is chaired by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and consists of nominees from
state governments, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, academics, activists, administrators
concerned with minority issues and HRD Ministry officials.The main function of
NMCME is to monitor minority education and ongoing schemes of the Ministry
targeted at the community. It also makes recommendations to address the issues
related to recognition and affiliation of minority institutions.PTI
Congress and Oppn hold protests, BJP a
presser: All that happened during Bharat Bandh against fuel price hike
New Delhi :Protest march led by Congress
president Rahul Gandhi with support from Opposition parties, suspension of
public transport services in Kerala, disruption of train services in Odisha and
Bihar, detention of Congress and Opposition workers in several states, and
sporadic incidents of violence in some parts of the country. This is largely
what marked the six-hour nationwide shutdown called on Monday by Opposition
parties led by Congres against the rising fuel prices. While schools, offices
and business establishments remained closed in some parts of the country,
normal life remained unaffected. Protests that took place in New Delhi, Tamil
Nadu, Goa, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh were largely peaceful.Twenty-one parties,
besides a number of chambers of commerce and traders’ association, participated
in the stir and demanded the inclusion of petrol and diesel under the Goods and
Services Tax, which would make oil prices drop by about Rs 15 to Rs 18.Rahul
Gandhi, who joined the agitation immediately after his return from Kailash
Mansarovar, questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence over the rising
fuel prices. Addressing a protest rally with various opposition parties at the
Ramlila grounds in the national capital, Gandhi alleged that the country is
being divided and expressed confidence that the united opposition will defeat
BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.In states like Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, Odisha and
Arunachal Pradesh life was hit by the shutdown.In Odisha, train services were
disrupted in many places as Congress workers blocked railway tracks to enforce
the bandh. At least 10 trains were cancelled. Vehicle movement also came to a
grinding halt in many places as Congress workers blocked roads. Buses, taxis
and autorickshaws stayed off the roads.indianexpress
Fuel prices set a new record: Petrol at Rs
80.73/litre in Delhi, Rs 88.12/litre in Mumbai
Bharat
bandh live updates | Prohibitory orders clamped in Udupi as Congress, BJP
workers clash
Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Release all
convicts, Tamil Nadu to tell Governor
TAMIL Nadu govt resolved Sunday to recommend
the release of all seven life convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case
to Governor Banwarilal Purohit under Article 161 of the Constitution. All the
seven convicts have served over 27 years in prison.“The Governor, who is the
executive authority of the state, will execute the decision taken by the
government,” D Jayakumar, State Fisheries Minister, told reporters after a
Cabinet meeting headed by CM E K Palaniswami.indianexpress
PDP to boycott local body polls in J&K,
cites Article 35A row
Srinagar :PDP Monday has formally decided to
boycott the upcoming municipal and panchayat polls in Jammu-Kashmir. It became
the second mainstream political party after NC to distance itself from the poll
process amid the row over Article 35A.“The situation created by linking
panchayat polls with the case pending in Supreme Court about Article 35A has
created apprehensions in the minds of the people, who genuinely see an assault
on the special constitutional position of the state.” PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti
said after a party meet in Srinagar. indianexpress
Omar rules out any alliance with BJP in
J&K
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/omar-abdullah-rules-out-any-alliance-with-bjp-in-jk-5348656/
Srinagar :National Conference (NC) vice
president Omar Abdullah Monday ruled out any alliance with BJP for formation of
government in Jammu and Kashmir, saying such reports were “fake news” and “some
psy-ops plan” designed to “unsettle” his party cadre.He said in a Twitter post
that no alliance with BJP is happening.PTI
Hyderabad: Effort on to use communal hatred in
polls says Umar Khalid
Hyderabad: A major effort is underway to
project the 2019 elections as a fight between Hindus and Muslims but the people
must ignore it as the major problems were about ‘mazdoor, kisan, yuva, Dalit,
Muslim and the poor,” said student activist Dr Umar Khalid.PhD scholar from JNU
was speaking at the Telangana state conference of the Students Islamic
Organisation of India. The conference dealt with the issues of campus
democracy, failure to conduct elections on campuses, how the government had
failed to create jobs for youth and how lynch mobs were not only on the streets
but also as anchors on TV channels.Dr Khalid said, “The government is deliberately
talking about Hindus and Muslims and not willing to address the actual problems
which are faced by the nation. The diversionary tactics of the Modi government
will not work. The people are aware that they are being divided to make them
fight. We as people have to stress on the real problems that we continue to
face, of food, jobs and poverty.”Hitting out at media trials that he said were
being carried out every day,Dr Khalid said most of the hatred was being spread
through television channels. He said, “There are letters which were first given
to the press and not to the court. Why are they doing this? Earlier the
government tried to gain sympathy by saying that the Hindu was in danger and
now they are doing the same by saying Modi is in danger.”He asked why the
government was not looking at the problem of drought in different states. “Whom
are they protecting? Are they scared that the insurance companies will have a
huge bill to settle the claims? Are they protecting the insurance sector,” Dr
Khalid asked. SIO leaders who spoke at the conference lamented over the
attitude of the government which was terming dissent as anti-national. Sohaib
Ahmed, SIO secretary for Telangana state, said, “In the last four years,
students are doing the job of the Opposition. Questions which are to be raised
in Parliament are being addressed in universities.”University of Hyderabad
Students Union leader Sreerag Poickadan said, “Campus democracy is under seige
and campus democracy can’t work without addressing problems of caste, community
and religion. The elections of 2019 requires the people of India to give a
fitting reply to the Narendra Modi government as the lives of the common people
are being made worse than ever it has been.”Deccan Chronicle
Massive protest held by Muslim Muk Morcha
demanding 5% reservation in jobs & education
The Muslim community took out a massive
protest in Maharashtra’s Pune on Sunday, amid reservation demands by Maratha
Kranti Morcha and other communities. The protest was held under the flagship of
Muslim Muk Morcha. The protestors were demanding 5 per cent reservation for the
community in jobs and education sector, among other demands. However, OBCs and
upper castes have revolted this month against the amended Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, alleging that the Act is being
misused. Jat and Maratha communities have also raised their voice for
reservation. TOI
Tension in Haryana village after residents try
to stop burial of Muslim man
Rohtak:There was tension in Titoli village of
the district on Sunday when a few women from the area tried to prevent the
burial of a Muslim man at a local graveyard, forcing the minority community to
seek protective cover for the last rites.On August 22, a calf was allegedly
killed by a Muslim man, Yaseen, which led to tension in the Jat-dominated
village. The accused was arrested and his family had to leave the village.
Villagers buried the calf near the graveyard and objected to Muslims living in
the place for centuries, using village land as a graveyard.Jaivir Khokkar, 45,
a resident of the village was killed in a road accident in Gurugram on
Saturday. He was taken to the village for burial but faced stiff opposition
from a section of villagers.The protesters argued that a calf was buried near
the graveyard and the deceased could not be buried there. The body of the
deceased was taken to the graveyard under police protection and last rites were
conducted with the intervention of the administration and village
elders.Sources said a panchayat had been called in the wake of the dispute over
the graveyard but it was cancelled after the death of Jaivir Khokkhar. DSP
Narayan Chand said a few village residents objected to the burial of a Muslim
man but the matter was resolved and last rites were performed at the graveyard.
TOI
Nepal gets access to all Chinese ports, ending
dependence on India for trade
Kathmandu :Kathmandu and Beijing have
finalised a transit protocol that will give Nepal access to Chinese ports for
trade with China and beyond. This will bring to an end Nepal’s heavy dependence
on Indian ports for trade with other countries.Officials of the two governments
signed the protocol after a marathon meeting on Thursday night, giving final
shape to the framework treaty signed between the two countries when Nepal Prime
Minister K P Oli visited China in March 2016 in the wake of economic blockade
by India.An official release said the formalisation of the agreement allows the
transit of goods from other countries to Nepal via all of China’s ports,
including Tianjin, Shenzhen, Lianygang, Zhanziang and dryports that include
Lhanzin, Lhasa and Shigatse.Overland trade to and from Nepal is now routed
mainly through Kolkata which takes up to three months, officials said. New
Delhi has also opened the southern port at Vishakhapatnam for Nepali trade.indianexpress
WORLD
Trump administration to close PLO office in
Washington, DC
US will shut the Palestine Liberation
Organisation's diplomatic office in Washington, DC, over the Palestinian
government's refusal to enter into US-led negotiations with Israel."We
have been notified by a US official of their decision to close the Palestinian
mission to the US," PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat said in a statement
on Monday."This is yet another affirmation of the Trump administration's
policy to collectively punish the Palestinian people, including by cutting
financial support for humanitarian services including health and
education."According to a draft text of a speech seen by the Wall Street
Journal and Reuters, Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, will also
reportedly threaten the International Criminal Court (ICC) with sanctions if it
carries out investigations into the US and Israel. "The United States will
always stand with our friend and ally, Israel," Bolton is expected to say
in his speech to the Federalist Society, a conservative group, in Washington,
DC."The Trump administration will not keep the office open when the
Palestinians refuse to start direct and meaningful negotiations with
Israel."The speech is also expected to say that the Trump administration
"will fight back" if the ICC formally proceeds with opening an
investigation into alleged war crimes committed by US service members and
intelligence professionals during the war in Afghanistan. The action against
PLO, which serves as the main entity representing the Palestinian people, is
the latest in a series of measures by the Trump administration against Palestinian
leadership.aljazeera
US aid cut to East Jerusalem hospitals
‘catastrophic'
Jerusalem:Palestinian hospital officials on
Monday decried a U.S. decision to cut funding for hospitals in the occupied
East Jerusalem, warning the move will have “catastrophic” consequences on the
health sector. The decision will have “a
major negative impact on the clash flows to these hospitals and will lead to
delays in the provision of vital medical services,” Basem Abu-Lebda, head of
Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem, told a press conference held at Augusta
Victoria hospital in the city. “In a
nutshell, this decision will negatively impact the lives of five million
Palestinians,” he said. Anadolu
Children killed as Syria regime bombs school
in Idlib
Syrian regime has resumed bombardment on the
south of Idlib province this morning, targeting a school in Jarjanaz town,
killing at least nine civilians, mostly children, news sources from the ground
have confirmed.Heavy artillery and shelling has also taken place in the towns
of Al-Heesh and Al-Teh as well as Qalaat Al Madeeq and Al-Janabra in the north
of Hama province since yesterday afternoon, with a continuous barrage of
missiles sending civilians fleeing further north towards the Turkish border.
The intense bombing has prevented the White Helmets civil defence unit from
confirming the total death toll, but the death of a baby girl, Ummaya Al-Riz,
was confirmed after her body was rescued from the rubble.middleeastmonitor
Syria: Rebel-held areas bombed as Turkey
reinforces outposts
UN voices concern over military operations in
Idlib
UN's Human Right Council on Monday expressed
concerns over "the ongoing military operations" and their impact on
millions of civilians in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province.In the keynote
speech at the 39th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said: "We remind all
parties to the conflict that they must adhere strictly to all relevant
principles of international humanitarian law in the conduct of
operations."Anadolu
Muslim minority in China’s Xinjiang face
‘political indoctrination’ – Human Rights Watch
Beijing:Turkic mostly Muslim Uighur minority
in China’s Xinjiang region face arbitrary detentions, daily restrictions on
religious practice and “forced political indoctrination” in a mass security
crackdown, Human Rights Watch said on Monday.United Nations human rights panel
said in August that China is believed to be holding up to 1 million ethnic
Uighurs in a secretive system of “internment camps” in Xinjiang,in China’s far
west, where they undergo political education.Beijing has denied that such camps
are for “political education” and says they are instead vocational training
centres, part of government initiatives to bolster economic growth and social
mobility in the region.China has said that Xinjiang faces a serious threat from
Islamist militants and separatists who plot attacks and stirup tensions between
Uighurs who call the region home and the ethnic Han Chinese majority.Uighurs
and other Muslims held in camps are forbidden from using Islamic greetings,
must learn Mandarin Chinese and sing propaganda songs, according to a report by
Human Rights Watch based on interviews with 5 ex camp detainees. Reuters
China detaining Muslims in vast numbers. The
goal: ‘Transformation.’ New York Times
Ex-wife of Qatar-based prominent cleric
Qaradawi condemns Saudi paper over slanderous article
The
Algerian ex-wife of Qatar-based cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi has categorically
denied comments attributed to her in a Saudi paper about the former couple's
love life.Asma bint Qaddah said on Saturday that an article published this week
in al-Riyadh was "blatant slander" and "completely devoid of
truth". "I am being subjected to a defamation campaign by a Moroccan
journalist who is a mercenary and hypocrite," Qaddah said, according to
The New Arab's Arabic-language service."He is trying to exploit my name
and put me in a conflict that has nothing to do with me," she said,
referring to an ongoing regional feud with Qatar. Qaddah said she would take
legal action against Abdel Haqq al-Sinaibi and stressed that she has never met
with or spoken to the journalist. Saudi
daily published Sinaibi's article this week that claimed Qaddah had revealed
lurid details of her sex life with prominent cleric Qaradawi.The story claimed
Qaradawi forced his ex-wife to watch pornographic films and encouraged her to
have lesbian relations with the couple's housemaid.Qaddah said the journalist
had a "sick imagination" and urged him to seek professional help.The
attack on Qaradawi and his ex-wife comes amid a Saudi-led blockade of Qatar,
where the Egyptian-born cleric has been based for decades.Since the start of
the crisis media outlets in the Saudi-led bloc have led a smear campaign
against Qatar and prominent figures in gas-rich emirate.Saudi-led bloc has
placed Qaradawi on a "terror list" and the Saudi-backed Muslim World
League booted cleric from the organisation.alaraby.co.uk
UN Human Rights Chief Urges Egypt to Overturn
Mass Death Sentences
Geneva: United Nations human rights chief
Michelle Bachelet on Sunday urged Egypt’s appeals court to overturn mass death
sentences handed down by a lower court after what she said was an “unfair
trial”.The former Chilean president, who took office as UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights last week, criticised a law giving immunity from future
prosecution to senior military officers.An Egyptian court on Saturday delivered
death sentences to 75 people, including prominent Islamist leaders Essam
al-Erian and Mohamed Beltagi, over a 2013 sit-in that ended with security
forces killing hundreds of protesters.If carried out, the sentences “would
represent a gross and irreversible miscarriage of justice”, Bachelet said in a
statement.Egypt rejected Bachelet’s comments and said they were influenced by
“terrorist Muslim Brotherhood lies”, the foreign ministry said in a statement
late on Sunday.Defendants were denied the right to individual lawyers and to
present evidence, while “the prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence to
prove individual guilt”, she said.“I hope that the Egyptian Court of Appeal
will review this verdict and ensure that international standards of justice are
respected by setting it aside,” Bachelet said.The sentencing, which included
jail terms for more than 600 others, concluded a mass trial of people accused
of murder and inciting violence during the pro-Muslim Brotherhood protest at
Rabaa Adawiya square in Cairo. Decision can be appealed within 60 days.Reuters
US authorises $1.2bn in military aid to Egypt
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has
authorised the release of $1.2 billion in military aid to Egypt, overriding
previous human rights concerns that had held up funding.The figure includes $1
billion for the current 2018 budget year and $195 million earmarked for 2017
which would have been returned to the treasury had it not been spent by the end
of month.State Department informed Congress of the move on Friday; congressmen
have 15 days to contest the national security waivers allowing the money, known
as foreign military financing (FMF), to be delivered.middleeastmonitor
Turkey, Russia, Iran to replace US dollar with
local currency in trade
Turkey, Russia and Iran have agreed to use
their local currencies in trade, instead of the US dollar, the Anadolu reported
.The agency quoted the Governor of the Iran’s Central Bank, Abdul-Nasser
Hemmati as saying that commercial transactions would be conducted using
specific exchange rates.The governor expected to meet with directors of the
central banks of Turkey and Russia in the near future, expressing hope that the
agreement will enter into force quickly.Iran is working to counter the effects
of US sanctions which will come in to affect in Nov.following America’s
unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear treaty which saw sanctions removed
from Tehran in return for controls on its nuclear power
activities.middleeastmonitor
Afghanistan: Taliban kill over 50 security
personnel
Kabul:In a string of coordinated armed
assaults in Afghanistan, the Taliban killed more than 50 security personnel
while the government forces killed at least 150 militants, officials and local
media confirmed on Monday. Amruddin Danishjo, member of the Jawzjan provincial
council, said Taliban overran a number of security check points in Khamaab
district of the province, killing 10 security personnel. Taliban have also
surrounded 50 security personnel in the district center, cutting their supply
lines.A number of ex pro-govt militants have joined the Taliban in Jawzjan, he
added. According to local Tolo News, Taliban have created check points on the
main highway linking Jawzjan with neighboring Sar-e-Pul province, posing a grim
threat to the provincial center.Meanwhile, officials in Madian Wardak province
confirmed on Monday scores of security personnel were killed in multiple raids
on check points by Taliban in Daimurad district since Sunday.Anadolu
Taliban kills dozens of Afghan forces in attacks
US 'threatens ICC judges with sanctions'
US has said it will adopt an aggressive
posture against the International Criminal Court (ICC), and threatened
sanctions against ICC judges if they proceed with an investigation into alleged
war crimes committed by Americans in Afghanistan.President Donald Trump's
national security adviser, John Bolton, is set to make the announcement in a
speech to the Federalist Society, a conservative group, in Washington on
Monday."US will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those
of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court," Bolton
will say, according to a draft of his speech seen by Reuters.aljazeera
Pakistan and China to Extend CPEC to
Afghanistan
Beijing: China and Pakistan have decided to
speed up and extend the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor towards
Afghanistan during Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent visit to Islamabad, the
Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.Wang, designated as China’s top
diplomat as he is also the State Councillor – a higher rank in the Chinese
political hierarchy – visited Pakistan from Sept.7 to 9 and held talks with the
new government headed by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan.His visit was
mainly aimed at exchanging views with the new government and compare notes with
Pakistan on cooperation in all areas, thus making “our bilateral cooperation to
get off under the new circumstances”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng
Shuang told media briefing here.Asked whether any new economic package by China
has been discussed as Pakistan is currently facing serious economic crisis, he
said the two sides have agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) towards west to enable more people to benefit from it.“The two sides
will advance the CPEC in the light of Pakistan’s economic and social
development and people’s needs.“We will identify the pathways and cooperation
for the CPEC. we will accelerate the industrial cooperation and the projects of
the people’s livelihoods and extend the CPEC to the western area and make the people
gets benefits from it,” Geng said.India has protested over CPEC, a flagship
project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as it traversed through the
PoK.PTI
'Dozens killed' in Hodeidah attacks after
Yemen peace talks collapse
Dozens of people have reportedly been killed
in clashes and air raids around the Yemeni city of Hodeidah following the
collapse of UN-sponsored peace talks between the internationally recognised
government and Houthi rebels.A Saudi-UAE coalition backing government forces
launched an offensive in June to retake the strategic port city - the main
gateway for imports of relief supplies and commercial goods - from rebel fighters
who have held it since 2014. Aljazeera
FLASH VIEWS & NEWS
Judiciary has become another institution where
Muslims are more and more under-represented:Christophe Jaffrelot
1 Yr, 160 Arrests: In Run up to 2019, NSA Is
Latest Weapon Against Muslims in UP:Neha Dixit
A Citizens Tribunal Should Look into the
Failed Gamble of Demonetisation:Madhav Godbole
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:02 PM)
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