NEWS
DIGEST, Afternoon
27 March 2019: 19 Rajab 1440:Vol: 11, No:161
INDIA
Balakot Strikes Missed, Targeting Error
Possible Cause: Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Amid India’s claims and Pakistan’s
counter-claims on the efficacy and potency of the air strikes conducted by the
Indian Air Force in PoK’s Balakot, a new report based on high-resolution
satellite imagery claims that the intended targets – JeM camps – were not
‘visibly damaged’.The report, by Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI),
claims that publicly available satellite imagery acquired by European Space
Imaging the day after the strike suggests that buildings at the camp were not
“visibly damaged or destroyed”. Imagery (of a higher resolution than previously
available) shows conspicuously undamaged roofs, says the report, which runs
counter to Indian claims of “successfully destroying the intended targets”.The
report also claims that the damage (or lack thereof) is not “consistent with
either a SPICE 2000 strike or a strike with other munitions”. “We believe that
even a weapon with reduced explosive fill would cause damage to buildings that
would be identifiable in the satellite imagery,” authors of the report claim.Another
striking claim made by the report was that, as per the high-resolution images,
all three weapon strikes missed their intended targets by similar distances.
They all also missed in the same direction.This, the authors’ claim, suggests
that the misses were “caused by a systematic targeting error”.This error was
likely caused in a scenario in which the Indian Air Force opted to rely solely
on the weapon’s ‘set and forget’ GPS capabilities, they said. “One explanation
for the miss is that SPICE 2000 bombs were incorrectly programmed to fly
precisely into GPS points that were, say, 33 metres above their intended
targets (buildings on top of the ridge line).They performed as programmed and
then continued on their trajectories until they struck the valley beneath,” report
said. “The image correlates the
identified impact sites, the buildings that were the likely targets and a
discrepancy between ellipsoidal and orthometric height which we have assumed to
equate to 33 metres above the target buildings. Presented in 3D, this
correlation results in consistent, parallel trajectories indicating a
consistent targeting error,” it added.Another possible explanation for the
weapons ‘missing’ their targets was the inter-operational frailties of using
French jets, Israeli weapons,US GPS and a targeting system that potentially
used maps based on an older local Indian datum, report said. thequint
India’s strike on Balakot: a very precise
miss?
Mission Shakti:controversy around
anti-satellite tests
Pune:Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced
that India had become the fourth country in the world to successfully hit a
satellite in space with an anti-satellite missile. Indian scientists have
successfully carried out the test of an anti-satellite missile by bringing down
one of its satellites in the low earth orbit 300 kilometres from the Earth’s
surface.This brings India in the select league of nations that claim to have
anti-satellite weapons. Only US, China and Russia have demonstrated this
capability till now. Israel is also said to possess this capability, though it
has not carried out a test so far.“Some time back, our scientists have hit a
live satellite 300 km away in the low earth orbit. This was a pre-determined
target which has been brought down by an A-SAT. The operation was completed in
three minutes. Mission Shakti was a very difficult operation in which very high
quality technical capability was required,” Prime Minister said.Satellites are
used by countries for navigation, communications and also for guiding their
missile weaponry. The ability to bring down an enemy’s missile, therefore,
gives a country the capability to cripple critical infrastructure of the other
country, rendering their weapons useless.indianexpress
Avoid Militarisation, Uphold Peace in Space:
Pak, China on A-SAT
Just hours after Narendra Modi today, announced
that India had managed to shoot down a low-orbit satellite using an A-SAT,
Pakistan said space should not be militarised. Without naming India anywhere in
a statement, Pakistan Foreign Ministry
said:“Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the
responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarisation of this
arena.”China offered a more guarded response when questioned on India’s Mission
Shakti. In a reply to PTI, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said:“We have noticed
reports and hope that each country will uphold peace and tranquillity in outer
space”. Through its statement, Pakistan attempted to show it had a peaceful
outlook.“We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned
demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work
towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats
relating to outer space.” To add a literary twist to its statement, ministry
gave a reference of Don Quixote, the delusional hero of the 17th century
Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. It said, “Boasting of such capabilities
is reminiscent of Don Quixote’s tilting against windmills.”thequint
Something may happen before India general
elections, says Imran Khan
New Delhi:In a significant admission, Pakistan
PM Imran Khan has acknowledged that his country can no longer allow terror
groups to organise with impunity on its soil. Khan also said that he fears
further military hostilities with India in the run-up to the Lok Sabha
elections.In an interview to FT, Khan said, “We cannot take the stance any more
where you have these armed groups in our country… We can’t afford being blamed
for any terrorist activity, like Pulwama, like what happened.”Khan insisted
that there was no place for terrorists in his “new Pakistan”, claiming that he
was conducting the most serious crackdown on terrorist groups in the country’s
history. “We’re already cracking down on them, we’re already dismantling the
whole set-up,” he said. “What is happening right now has never happened before
in Pakistan,” he told FT.Khan also claimed that he is “still apprehensive” that
“something could happen” before the general elections in India. Describing
India as gripped with “war hysteria”,Khan said: “I’m still apprehensive before
the elections, I feel that something could happen.”“Indian public should
realise that this is all for winning the elections, it’s nothing to do with the
real issues of the subcontinent,” he claimed, while blaming Pulwama attack on
what he called Modi’s “anti-Muslim” government and its policies in Kashmir.Khan
also rejected claims that Pakistan had links to Pulwama. “Boy who blew himself
up, 19-year-old boy, was a Kashmiri-Indian boy… His parents said how he was
radicalised by some abuse by the security force, so it was an Indian boy,
Indian operation, Indian car, Indian explosive. Why was Pakistan blamed?” Khan
said.indian express
Mehbooba says will scrap ban on Jamaat, JKLF if
voted to power; PDP's Muzaffar Baig offers legal aid
Srinagar: Senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain
Baig Tuesday offered the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir and JKLF legal help to
contest the ban imposed on them by the Centre, saying while these outfits were
ideologically opposed to his party, he would do it to uphold civil liberties."Although
both Jamaat-e-Islami and JKLF are our opponents, we are ready to provide legal
help in contest the ban imposed on them. It is a matter of principles and for
upholding civil liberties," Baig said.The senior leader made the offer of
legal assistance to the two banned outfits while addressing a workers' meeting
in Baramulla.In her address, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said if her party came to
power, it would scrap the ban imposed by the government on JKLF and
Jamaat-e-Islami J&K."Banning organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami and
JKLF will have far reaching consequences and such measures only increase the
level of alienation and frustration among the people," she said.Ex-CM said
PDP has a clear stand that ideas cannot be chained, banned or killed."In a
democracy, ideas are allowed to flourish and not choked. By taking such
undemocratic, unconstitutional and unnatural measures, government, in actual,
is trying to show its electorate how tough it is against the Muslims and
against Jammu and Kashmir," Mufti said."If PDP comes to power, it
will make strenuous efforts to undo the BJP's wrongs and revoke the ban imposed
on Jamaat and JKLF," she added.PTI
Will lift ban on Jamaat-e-Islami if voted to
power: Mehbooba Mufti
Ishrat Jahan's Mother Contests Gujarat's
Refusal To Prosecute Ex-Cops
Ahmedabad: An application was filed in the
Special CBI Court, challenging the Gujarat government's refusal to sanction
prosecution of retired police officials DG Vanzara and NK Amin in Ishrat Jahan
fake encounter case.The petition has been filed by Shamima Kausar, Ishrat
Jahan's mother, who also asked the court to share with her the copy of the
Gujarat government's letter.Earlier, CBI lawyer RC Kodekar informed special CBI
Judge JK Pandya the Gujarat government had denied sanction to prosecute its
retired officers under Section 197.The state government's letter claimed the
encounter, carried out by the cops, was genuine and 'in the line of duty'.Vanjara,
a former DIG of Gujarat Police, and Amin, a retired SP, are 2 of the 7 accused
chargesheeted by the CBI in the case.ndtv
5 more men arrested for violence against
Gurgaon Muslim family
Gurgaon :5 days after a Muslim family was
beaten with rods and sticks by a mob inside their home in Gurgaon’s Bhoop Singh
Nagar, police Tuesday arrested five more people for the crime. Police said Anil
(33), Gaurav (23), Pradeep (28), Lalit (27), and Rohit (26) were arrested from
Nayagaon village, where they live. “They are being questioned. Ten people have
been arrested so far. We are conducting investigations to nab the others,” said
Gurgaon Police PRO.Anil has two cases registered against him at Badshahpur
police station, one in 2008 and the other in 2016, said police. Of 10 arrested,
2 others have prior cases registered against them,with 1 having been jailed
twice.indianexpress
CBI requests Delhi High Court for more time to
investigate bribery case against Rakesh Asthana
CBI on Wednesday told Delhi High Court that it
needs more time to complete the inquiry into a bribery case involving its ex
Special Director Rakesh Asthana. In Jan, High Court had granted CBI an
extension of 10 weeks to carry out the investigation, PTI reported. In Jan,
court had rejected a plea by Asthana, DSP Devender Kumar and an alleged
middleman Manoj Prasad to quash the first information report CBI had filed in
the case. However, on Wednesday, court questioned the CBI about not giving an
advance copy of its plea seeking an extension, to Dayan Krishnan, counsel for
Asthana and Kumar.Justice Mukta Gupta said the agency should hand over a copy
of the plea to the counsel, and fixed matter for hearing on Thursday.scroll.in
Muzaffarnagar riots: Attachment proceedings
against convicts for not appearing in court
A court here has initiated attachment
proceedings against 6 people for not appearing before it in connection with a
murder case during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. CJM Rakesh Kumar Gautam on
Tuesday issued notices to Ravinder, Prahlad, Bishan Singh, Tendu, Devender and
Jitender to surrender in the court on April 16.Earlier, the court had issued
arrest warrants against them but they failed to comply with the order. The
court has now ordered attachment of their assets and properties. According to a
complaint filed by Waseem, his son Shahnawaz was stabbed by eight people in
Kawal village on August 27, 2013. The incident led to widespread tension in
Muzaffarnagar which more than 60 people were killed. devdiscourse
Muzaffarnagar riots eyewitness killing:
Accused surrenders
Muzaffarnagar: A person, accused of killing an
eyewitness in a Muzaffarnagar riots case, surrendered in a court here on
Tuesday.The accused, Shrikant, has been sent to judicial custody by Chief
Judicial Magistrate Rakesh Kumar Gautam.According to the prosecution, Ashfaq,
who was an eyewitness in the murder case of his 2 brothers, was shot dead in
Khatauli town of Muzaffarnagar district early this month. Ashfaq's brothers,
Nawab and Shahid, were shot dead during the 2013 riots, in which more than 60
lives were lost and over 40,000 people were displaced. Shrikant had been
allegedly putting pressure on Ashfaq to withdraw the case, but he refused.PTI
Can’t appeal against blast verdict under NIA
Act:Telangana HC
Telangana high court on Tuesday told 2007
Mecca Masjid blast victims’ kin that there is no provision in the NIA Act that
gives them the right to appeal, even if they are aggrieved by the judgement.
The trial court acquitted all the accused last year who were charged in these
blasts. Stating that the families of the deceased have been looking forward to
NIA for an appeal, Syed Mounis Jafer Abidi, counsel for the victims’ families
told the court that they are disappointed as the Act gives only three months
time for filing an appeal, which is unfair.TOI
Nirankari Bhawan blast: Amritsar court sets
aside extension in detention of 2 accused
Amritsar :Additional Sessions Judge, Amritsar,
has set aside the extension in detention of accused and investigation period
that was granted to the police by an Ajnala court in Nirankari Bhawan bomb
blast case.While the judge accepted revision of the Ajnala court order,
technically setting aside the order in the case, he is yet to issue an order on
next course of action.In an order dated Feb.13, 2019, Ajnala court had extended
the detention period of both accused, Avatar Singh and Bikramjit Singh, from 90
days to 180 days. Further, police was also given double time to file the
challan in the case in which 3 persons were killed during a grenade attack in
Nirankari Bhawan of Adliwal on Nov.18, 2018. Police had demanded extra time for
investigating the Pakistan angle in grenade attack.The accused had challenged
extension in a higher court on March 5, and revision was accepted by setting
aside Ajnala court grant in detention and probe period. indianexpress
Opposition allege fraud during demonetisation,
release video of alleged BJP worker exchanging notes
Opposition leaders have alleged money
laundering during demonetisation in 2016 and aired a video purportedly showing
a BJP worker from Gujarat charging 40% commission to exchange invalid notes
after deadline to do so was over. Video shows a person exchanging money
purportedly after Dec.31, 2016, deadline set by Centre to exchange old notes. Amount
exchanged was Rs 5 crore.However, Opposition have not authenticated the video
and claimed it was filmed by journalists from a news portal called Tricolour
News Network World.The video was released during a press conference in Delhi
jointly addressed by several Opposition leaders,including Sharad Yadav from
Loktantrik Janata Dal, Hemant Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Manoj Jha from
RJD, and Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad Mallikarjun Kharge and
Kapil Sibal.scroll
EC Asks NITI Aayog's Rajiv Kumar to Explain
Criticism of Congress's poll promise
https://thewire.in/government/ec-asks-niti-aayogs-rajiv-kumar-to-explain-criticism-of-congresss-nyay
New Delhi: Election Commission has reportedly
sought a response from NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar on his remarks
attacking the Congress over its minimum income guarantee promise.Sources in the
poll panel said that since Kumar is part of the “bureaucratic executive”, such
remarks may be violative of the model code of conduct.“It is not a case of one
politician attacking the other or one party attacking the other,” said a
functionary.“He is a public servant and ideally should not have made such a
statement which is seen as working to the BJP’s advantage. His comments have
been sought,” a source in the EC told Indian Express.Kumar had accused the
Congress of promising the moon to win elections. He had also tweeted, “The
proposed income guarantee scheme fails the economics test, fiscal discipline
test and execution test.”thewire
Maharashtra’s Dalit unrest is facing its big
political test
NAGPUR: In Maharashtra’s direct face off
between two rival alliances, the shadow of BR Ambedkar looms large. 15 months
after the Bhima Koregaon agitation set off nation-wide echoes, a new Dalit
assertion is struggling to find space in Maharashtra’s divided election
landscape.There’s a craving for a new leadership, which is leading some Dalits
towards old wine in new bottles such as the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi led by
Prakash Ambedkar. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi aims to represent the new post
Bhima Koregaon assertion but lacking political heft on the ground seems
unlikely to play any role beyond that of spoiler. Prakash Ambedkar, who had a
political re-birth of sorts after the Dalit bandh post the Bhima Koregaon
protests, has given tickets to a range of Dalit subcaste like Mangs and Matangs
to rid himself of the Mahar tag. However he is being targeted for allegedly
selling out to BJP by dividing the anti BJP vote. Asks Pune-based activist
former judge Justice BG Kolse Patil, organizer of Elgaar Parishad, who recently
quit Ambedkar’s front: “Why is Ambedkar not allying with the opposition? I
tried hard, I went to meet Rahul, Sonia, but Prakash Ambedkar refused to even
meet Rahul Gandhi. “Kolse Patil, who was keen to contest from Aurangabad, says
he left the Vanchit Aghadi when he realized that Ambedkar did not want to ally
with the Opposition and would end up benefiting the BJP.TOI
As BSP
and Congress divide the Muslim vote in Saharanpur, is it advantage BJP?
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath began
his 2019 Lok Sabha campaign from Saharanpur on March 24 after paying his
respects at the Shakhumbari Temple here. This was the venue from where he also
began his 2017 Assembly election campaign, which saw BJP win 325 of state’s 403
seats.Saharanpur is of significance even to the grand alliance of the Samajwadi
Party, BSP and RLD. Alliance has picked Deoband in Saharanpur to launch its
joint election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, and will hold its first joint rally
here on April 7.Muslims constitute 42% of the total population of Saharanpur.
Lok Sabha constituency shot into national limelight during 2014 Lok Sabha
elections when Congress candidate Imran Masood threatened to chop Narendra Modi
into pieces. What followed was a deeply polarised election. Backed by the
majority Hindu community, BJP’s Raghav Lakhanpal defeated Masood by around
65,000 votes. 5 years later, Masood and Lakhanpal are ready for yet another
face-off.But there is a third candidate who is in the reckoning this time, and
he has possibly made the contest trickier. The seat belongs to BSP as part of
the agreement between the grand alliance partners, and Mayawati has decided to
field popular leader Fazlur Rahman from here. Many believe this could lead to a
split in the Muslim vote, making it easy for Lakhanpal to win again.“Masood
works for the community but Rahman has the numbers,” said Khalid Hasan, who lives
in Saharanpur town.scroll.in
Goa Dy CM Sudin Dhavalikar dropped from
Cabinet after 2 MGP MLAs join BJP
New Delhi:Hours after 2 MGP MLAs joined BJP,
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday dropped deputy CM and MGP chief
Sudin Dhavalikar from the state cabinet.In a communication addressed to Goa
Governor Mridula Sinha, Sawant said, “I have dropped Sudin Dhavalikar from the
cabinet. The decision on filling up the vacant seat will be taken very soon.”CM
Sawant will take over the Transport and Public Works portfolios held by
Dhavalikar.Goa tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar and another MGP MLA, Dipak
Pawaskar, merged its legislative wing with BJP early Wednesday. Dhavalikar
accused BJP of robbing MGP at midnight. “MGP is a party of the people. At
night, the chowkidars who have committed dacoity on MGP, have shocked the
people of Goa. People of Goa are watching this. People will decide on the
course of action,” he said.Briefing the press on the development, CM Sawant
said Dhavlikar was dropped for working against BJP alliance. With 2 MGP MLAs
joining them, BJP now has the strength of 14 MLAs in the house — equal to the
Congress. Meanwhile, bypolls will be held for three Assembly seats on April 23.
The bypolls were neccessiated after 2 Congress MLAs defected to BJP and BJP MLA
Francis D’Souza passed away.indianexpress
UP: Denied ticket, BJP MP from Hardoi joins SP
BJP MP from Hardoi (UP) Anshul Verma on
Wednesday joined the Samajwadi Party in the presence of party chief Akhilesh
Yadav and senior leader Azam Khan.Interestingly, Verma claimed that he handed
his resignation to a “chowkidaar” (watchman) at BJP office in Lucknow on
Wednesday.Speaking to reporters at the SP office, Verma said, “How many of you
can say that you are making your children ‘chowkidaar’? I was told (by BJP) that
you did not write ‘chowkidar’ on your wall. Jenab, I want to say one thing.
Vikas kiya hai, vikas karenge. Chowkidar nahi, Anshul hi ban kar rahenge…(Will
continue working towards development, instead of becoming a watchman, we will
become radiant).”“I gave my resignation to a chowkidar at the state office. I
could not do much but gave him a day’s salary,” Verma added.indian express
IPL Muslim players get permission for jerseys
sans liquor logos
Chennai: It’s a matter of faith for Muslim
cricketers featuring in the IPL and their teams are ready to ensure they can
keep religious beliefs intact.Islam prohibits consumption or promotion of
alcohol. Cricketers in the past decided not to wear jerseys with logos
promoting liquor brands. Madhya Pradesh pacer Avesh Khan and Mumbai left-arm
spinner Iqbal Abdulla are examples, while playing for Royal Challengers
Bangalore. This year also, players in certain IPL teams have obtained
permission to not display logos which hurt their religious sentiments. There
are other teams ready to accept in the eventuality of receiving such
requests.“Moeen Ali will play for us, with Mohammed Siraj. Muslim cricketers
usually decide against promoting liquor and tobacco. This year too it was the
same. We are very mindful of religious sensitivity, and keeping their beliefs
in mind, we have accepted their requests,” a Royal Challengers Bangalore
official told Express.Of the eight teams, Delhi Capitals featuring Avesh and
Rajasthan Royals with no Muslim player in their ranks do not have partners or
sponsors promoting alcohol. Kolkata Knight Riders with Royal Stag as principal
sponsor do not feature any Muslim cricketer. The other five teams have Muslims
and brands as sponsors that they might be uncomfortable with.newindianexpress
WORLD
Israel-Hamas ceasefire holds amid tense calm
in Gaza Strip
Gaza:A Palestinian rocket struck Israel and
the Israeli military conducted an air raid in Gaza despite a ceasefire
announced by Hamas, but the exchange of fire appeared to end overnight on
Wednesday. There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties from the
latest rocket fire, which the Israeli army said was launched at around 8pm
(18:00 GMT).Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other groups said "the rocket that
hit near Ashkelon was the work of an individual and the factions are committed
to calm" - as long as Israel is.A security source in Gaza said an air raid
hit a Hamas military base in Khan Yunis following the projectile launched at
Israel.A fraught quiet has settled over the Gaza Strip after Israeli air raids
on the besieged coastal enclave that began on Monday after a rocket strike on a
home in central Israel. An
Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, announced around 19:00 GMT on Monday, was
confirmed by a Hamas spokesperson, but the exchange of fire between armed
groups in Gaza and the Israeli military continued, residents in the strip
said.The latest flare-up took place after a long-range missile was fired from
Gaza into the Israeli community of Mishmeret - 20km north of Tel Aviv - early
Monday, wounding seven people.No group from Gaza has claimed responsibility,
but Israel blamed Hamas, the movement that rules the strip, and deployed tanks
and reservists at the Israeli fence east of the Gaza Strip.aljazeera
Palestinian volunteer medic killed by Israeli
forces in Bethlehem
Israeli forces shot and killed an 18-year-old
Palestinian medic after the army raided a refugee camp in Bethlehem in the
occupied West Bank.Sajid Muzher was shot in the abdomen and later died on the
operating table at Beit Jala Hospital, Palestinian medical sources said.The
sources added that the young man was killed when Israeli soldiers opened fire
while he was wearing a medic's vest trying to save the injured protesters in
the Dheisheh refugee camp.Witnesses pointed out that the Israeli soldiers were
deployed in large numbers in the alleys and streets of the camp, with snipers
positioned on rooftops amid the shooting.
Syria requests urgent UN Security Council
meeting on Golan
Syria is calling on the United Nations
Security Council to hold an urgent meeting on US decision to recognise the
Golan Heights as Israeli territory.President Donald Trump signed a proclamation
on Monday in which the United States recognised Israel's annexation of the
strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions recognising the Golan as
Israeli-occupied territory.In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the
United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an
urgent meeting to "discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and
the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council's resolution by
a permanent member-state."Aljazeera
IS attack on US-backed fighters kills 7 in Syria
Islamic State group claimed responsibility for
an attack on a checkpoint of US-backed forces in the northern Syrian town on
Manbij that killed seven fighters on Tuesday. The attack indicates that IS can
still launch deadly insurgent strikes and is far from being completely
defeated, despite losing all the territory it once controlled in Iraq and
Syria. Islamic State militants were blamed for several attacks in Manbij area
in recent months.Sharfan Darwish of the Manbij Military Council told AP that the attack came shortly after midnight
at one of entrances to Manbij, targeting the fighters who "were carrying
out their mission of protecting'' the town.AP
Egypt adds 145 people, including journalists,
to terror list
Egypt has added some 145 people to the
country’s terror list, including two journalists, as the country’s crackdown on
press freedom continues, Arabi21 has reported.The Court of Cassation announced
yesterday that journalists Moataz Matar and Mohammed Nasser were to be kept on list
for at least five years, claiming their programmes were supportive of the now
banned Muslim Brotherhood party.The two journalists, now based in Turkey, fled
Egypt after the military coup that ousted the country’s first democratically
elected President Mohamed Morsi, and brought, then military General, Abdel
Fattah Al-Sisi to power.Matar and Nasser are regularly targeted by Egyptian
media, who accuse them of promoting terrorism and attempting to destabilise the
country. The two regularly appear in videos on Matar’s YouTube channel
discussing current affairs in the Middle East.Egypt has witnessed an immense
suppression of freedom of speech under President Al-Sisi. Some 500 websites
have been blocked in the country in recent months, under justification of
“national security”.MEMO
Egypt: Activist Alaa Abdel Fattah 'to be
released from prison'
After five years in prison, Alaa Abdel Fattah,
a high-profile Egyptian blogger and rights activist, is due to be released from
prison on Wednesday, his family said. His sister Mona Seif, a prominent human
rights activist herself who founded the No to Military Rule movement, tweeted
that the family was still waiting for the release process to begin."We
hope it goes smoothly without any unnecessary delays and detours that only
serve to put him through even more stressful times," she posted. Abdel
Fattah was arrested in 2013 and eventually sentenced to five years in prison in
a trial that lasted over a year.aljazeera
Egypt calls for BBC boycott over ‘biased
coverage’
Yemen's war: Air raid kills 7, including 4
children
Seven people, including four children, were
killed in an air raid near a hospital in a rural area of northwest Yemen, aid
group Save the Children said.The organisation, which supports hospital, said that
2 adults were also unaccounted for after the attack on Tuesday. Save The
Children said a missile struck a petrol station near the entrance to Kitaf
rural hospital, about 100km from the city of Saada, at 9:30am local
time."The missile was said to have landed within 50 metres of the
facility's main building," it said.aljazeera
NZ police probe mosque-attack ties after man
dies in standoff
New Zealand police launched a
"high-priority" investigation on Wednesday to find out whether a man
who died after an early morning standoff with officers had links to the mosque
attacks that killed 50 people. Police raided the 54-year-old man's home on
Tuesday night and found a cache of firearms after receiving a tip-off from the
public about "suspicious behaviour", Police Commissioner Mike Bush
said in a statement."A high priority investigation is under way to
determine whether or not the deceased man posed a threat to the
community," said Bush.They stopped the man in his car just outside the
city of Christchurch and began negotiations that lasted for about three
hours.aljazeera
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaqat Baloch for
Nobel, Pak civil award for New Zealand PM Ardern
Lahore: Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan acting ameer
Liaqat Baloch has suggested that New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
should be nominated for Nobel peace prize for her statesmanship and heart
winning behaviour towards the victim Muslim community in the country following
the terrorist attacks in two mosques that left 50 killed.Addressing a meeting
of JI central office-bearers at Mansoora Tuesday, he said the New Zealand Prime
Minister should be extended an invitation to visit Pakistan and she should be
awarded the highest civil award of Pakistan, he added.Baloch said price-hike
was out of control. Thenews
Pig's Head Found at Site for Mosque in France,
Walls Smeared with Blood
Bordeaux: Workers building a mosque in
southwestern France found a pig's head and animal blood at the entrance to the
site on Monday, the latest in a series of attacks on Muslim places of worship
over the past decade.Construction of the mosque in the small town of Bergerac —
known for its fine Bordeaux wines and for its association with literary figure
Cyrano de Bergerac — has been contested since it was first proposed in 2017 and
finally approved in Oct. 2018, despite widespread local opposition."The
perpetrators smeared the walls with animal blood and placed a severed pig's
head" on the front gate of the construction area, the deputy public
prosecutor of Bergerac, Charles Charollois, said.AFP
UK fears rise in terrorism as 3,000 British
children attend Pak madrassas annually: Daily Mail
London: UK fears a rise in terrorism after a
secret government report revealed that around 3,000 British children enrol in
Pakistani madrassas, known to have terrorist links, annually, according to the
Daily Mail. The government report reveals that every year, thousands of British
children are taken to Pakistan to enrol in "extremist summer schools"
which teach a "glorified version of jihad,"Daily Mail reported while
quoting sources.British officials fear that youngsters are radicalised at these
extremist schools and return to UK with a "warped ideology," posing a
terrorism risk to the society.In fact, this fear is strengthened by the fact
that two of the perpetrators of July 7, 2005, London bombings - Mohammad
Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer - attended madrassas in Pakistan a year before
launching the brutal attack which claimed the lives of 52 people."It is highly
likely that this education in Pakistan, even for short periods of time,
increases the risk of exposure to extremism for British-Pakistani children.
Enrolment at madrassas poses the greatest risk of exposure to more serious
forms of religious extremism," a source told the British paper.ANI
Meeting with Taliban cancelled due to
objections by Afghan govt, says PM Imran
Pakistan
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday suggested an interim setup in
Afghanistan as a possible solution to an apparent impasse in the ongoing peace
process, while blaming the Afghan government for the stalemate in talks.The
suggestion came during PM Khan’s interaction with journalists at his office
here on Monday.“Afghan government was a hurdle in peace process that was
insisting that Taliban should talk to it,” said PM Khan.The premier also
confirmed that he had cancelled a scheduled meeting with Taliban leadership due
to objections raised by the Afghan government.The Afghan peace process can only
be successful if there is a neutral interim government, which can hold free and
transparent elections to be participated by all the stakeholders, the premier
said.“How much time it will take to set up an interim government and hold free
elections, I cannot say,” he added.PM noted that the US had acknowledged and
appreciated Pakistan’s role for bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan. He
said US thought it was only Pakistan that could bring Taliban to the
negotiating table.Express PAK
Afghanistan slams Pakistan over Imran Khan's
remarks; recalls ambassador for consultations
Afghanistan has recalled its ambassador from
Pakistan over reported remarks by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan that
suggested Kabul should set up an interim government, calling the comments
"irresponsible. "Afghanistan has dismissed the remarks by Pak PM,
calling them 'irresponsible' and 'interference' in the internal affairs of the
country.DNA
In US pursuit of peace talks, perilous rift
opens with Afghan leader: Reuters
Washington’s relationship with Afghan
President Ashraf Ghani appears increasingly at risk of permanent damage, the
consequence of a US policy shift that has so far excluded his government from
talks with the Taliban and of his own determination to retain power and manage
peace efforts himself.The feud threatens to undermine the already narrow
chances for a peace accord that President Donald Trump hopes would end
America’s longest war. Current and former U.S. officials tell Reuters they
believe Ghani is positioning himself to perhaps be a spoiler in still-fragile
negotiations, angry that the Afghan government has been kept out of talks and
worried about the implications for his presidency.But from Ghani’s perspective,
the negotiations themselves, led by U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, feel
like a personal betrayal and a capitulation by the United States that could
return the Taliban to power, Afghan officials say.“Khalilzad wants to show that
he is the champion of peace and President Ghani does not want to be the
villain. The president believes he is being betrayed,” an Afghan government
official said.The growing rift between Kabul and Washington over peace
negotiations erupted in public view on March 14 when Ghani’s national security
adviser, Hamdullah Mohib, slammed Khalilzad and accused the Afghan-born veteran
US diplomat of perhaps trying to steal Afghan presidency for himself.
Brunei to impose death by stoning for gay sex,
adultery
Adultery and gay sex in Brunei will be subject
to death by stoning from next week, authorities said, under a strict Sharia law
that has been on hold for four years amid criticism.The tiny sultanate will
implement the harsh new penal code -- which also prescribes amputation of a
hand and foot for theft -- next Wednesday. Homosexuality is already illegal in
Brunei but it will now become a capital offence. The law only applies to
Muslims.AFP
Flash: views & NEWS
From Mahometan to Kiwi Muslim: History of New
Zealand's 1% Muslim Population:Eva Nisa and Faried F. Saenong
BJP's Rise Has Meant a Shrinking Number of
Muslim Lawmakers in India:Christophe Jaffrelot
Anti-graft laws in India have exhibited a
marked tendency to grind slowly: Fali S Nariman
Acquitted of terror, Wahid Sheikh campaigns
for wrongfully jailed: Bilal Kuchay
Media misreports: Claims a monk was beaten by
Muslim men for praising Yogi Adityanath
Compiled and edited by
Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:33 PM)
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