09 March 2020: 13
Rajjab 1441: Vol: 12, No: 152
*DELHI VIOLENCE*
Delhi riots: Relief workers detained, questioned by police; journalists
told to go back
Delhi government officials and the police have been stopping people on
Saturday and Sunday from providing relief to those affected by the worst
orchestrated communal violence in north-east Delhi in decades. On Sunday, 6
students, who had reached Kabir Nagar to volunteer with the relief work, were
stopped by locals and then detained by CRPF and police at Welcome Police
Station near Gokulpuri. By late Sunday evening, Delhi Police had reached Jamia
Nagar in search of these students. The violent Hindutva mob ran amok in
Maujpur, Jaffrabad, Shiv Vihar, Mustafabad, Chand Bagh, Brijpuri, Babarpur,
Karawal Nagar, Khajoori Khas and Yamuna Vihar. As a result of the violence, at
least 55 people have lost their lives, 250 have been injured and more than
15,000 displaced.6Jamia Millia Islamia post graduate Malayalee students –
Shumais Nazar, Mohd. Mukthar, Abdul Basith, Fazal Haq, Safvan and Basim
Ameeruddin – were headed to the relief coordination office of Jamaat-e-Islami
Hind at Kabir Nagar. These students were to conduct a survey in a locality in
Chand Bagh to understand what the people had lost, how much losses they had
made and to speak to them about the trauma they suffered.“We were headed to
help with the survey for the first time. We got out of Maujpur-Babarpur metro
station at 10.30 am and were walking towards Kabir Nagar. As we were in the
locality for the first time, we asked a few locals to guide us. They asked us
where we were from and what we were doing in the area. Since, we did not think
that they were suspicious, we spoke to them. Once we reached the coordination
office, they informed us about the work we had to do and asked us to head to
Chand Bagh for the survey,” explained Nazar.As soon as they got out of the
bylanes on to the main road, these six students were stopped by the men who had
earlier questioned them and around 10 CRPF and police personnel. The police
rounded them up immediately and took them to Welcome Police Station around
12.45 pm. “We told the police that we had gone there only to help with the
relief work. They still took down our details but did not take away our phones.
They repeatedly asked us why we were there and told us that we shouldn’t be in
the area as it was dangerous. Once we were detained, we called the coordination
office and they arranged for a lawyer. We were released by 4.45 pm,” said
Nazar.On Saturday too, relief workers and journalists were stopped from
reaching the relief camp at Eidgah in Mustafabad. Another group of volunteers
from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, who were sorting food packets at Kabir Nagar, were
stopped by the Delhi Police personnel who wanted to take photographs of the
relief workers.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind initiates relief and rehabilitation work for Delhi
riot victims
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has initiated its relief and rehabilitation
work for riot victims in northeast Delhi after a series of visits to assess
damage of life and property. “Jamaat will establish a temporary hospital at our
control center for those who require medical attention,” said JIH National
Secretary, Mohammed Ahmed. He is heading the relief initiative which is set up
as a control center to coordinate its relief activities in a coordinated and
phased manner in northeast Delhi. Ahmed discussed that JIH is also helping in
the work of registering FIRs and legal prosecution with help from associated
organizations and a team of dedicated volunteers. He said that some major
activities under the programme include surveying to assess the scale of damage,
helping the victims to complete the documentation required for claiming the
govt-announced benefits and psychological counseling of the victims. Ahmed
commended women and girls for actively leading the relief control set up. Ahmed
further gave specific details of the relief work carried out by JIH in riot-hit
areas as of March 6, by stating that it has supplied 2400 food-kits including –
rice, sugar, cooking oil, biscuits, bournvita and chocolates in 8 camps in East
Delhi, medical emergency relief and medicines worth Rs 1 lakh, baby food kits
and sanitary napkins about 550 in number, mattresses and pillows about 1500 in
total and free treatment to riot-affected victims at Al Shifa Hospital. Jamaat
has also sent a team of professional counselors (both male and female) for
extensive counseling of riot-affected patients at GTB and LNJP Hospitals. JIH
is also planning to meet Imams of mosques that were vandalized during the
riots.This comes after JIH President Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said on Saturday
that “Delhi violence clearly indicates that it was preplanned in which lives,
businesses and properties of Muslims were specifically targeted.” On asking
about the Jamaat’s activities regarding CAA-NRC, he said that relief activities
are also underway for protest victims and citizens excluded in the NRC.
Delhi violence: Police say they have filed over 700 cases, held nearly
2,400 people
Delhi Police has said they have filed over 700 cases and detained or
arrested nearly 2,400 people in connection with the communal violence in North East
Delhi last month. At least 53 people were killed and over 200 injured in the
violence.The police said 2,387 people have been either detained or arrested in
relation to the violence. As many as 702 cases have been filed, 49 of them
under the Arms Act. The police force has also held 283 meetings with Aman
Committees in violence-hit areas, in an effort to bring peace to the city.The
Delhi Police have been accused of either inaction or complicity in some
instances of violence, mostly in Muslim neighbourhoods.scroll
7 Including Suspended AAP Leader's Brother Arrested Over Delhi Violence
New Delhi: 7 people including the brother of suspended AAP leader Tahir
Hussain was arrested Monday in separate cases filed over last month's clashes
in Delhi that left 53 people dead and hundreds injured.Shah Alam, Tahir
Hussain's brother, was arrested by Delhi Police Crime Branch today. 3 people
have been arrested for sheltering him, sources say.ndtv
Agencies probe role of ‘external force’ in Delhi riots:TOI
New Delhi: Home ministry’s official version that the Delhi violence was
“spontaneous” and MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy’s statement that riots were
orchestrated to defame India during US President Donald Trump’s visit may not
be as contradictory as they might seem, according to law enforcement agencies
probing the sequence of events.Police sources said this “external force” could
be women’s rights group Pinjra Tod, formed in 2015 largely by Delhi University
women students to protest restrictions enforced on female students in Jamia
University. An officer claimed Pinjra Tod activists were present in
Seelampur-Jafrabad area on Feb.22 evening and urged the anti-CAA protesters at
the dharna site and other nearby areas to make their anti-CAA protest more
impactful by creating a roadblock at the Jafrabad Metro station road.A Pinjra
Tod member, however, denied that the organisation had prevailed upon women
anti-CAA protestors to shift to Jafrabad Metro station site to block the road.
“They did so out of their own volition. We are shocked how this narrative
blaming us is being spread by some people, and how this has got so much
traction,” the member said.TOI
Police arrest PFI member for spreading ‘false propaganda’ during
anti-CAA protests
Delhi Police have arrested a member of PFI in connection with the
protests against CAA in the national capital, according to ANI. “Special Cell
arrested Mohd Danish for spreading false propaganda during anti-CAA protests,”
the Delhi Police said in a statement, as quoted by ANI.Danish is a resident of
Trilokpuri area in east Delhi, officials said. The official, who didn’t wish to
be named, also revealed that PFI president of Delhi, Mohammad Parwez Ahmed has
been in regular touch with AAP leader Sanjay Singh and several Congress leaders
including Udit Raj.HT
Delhi violence: Man arrested for hatching conspiracy to incite communal
riots
Investigators recreate crime scene where Shahrukh Pathan opened fire
during Delhi riots
New Delhi:Investigators on Sunday recreated the crime scene along with
accused Shahrukh Pathan at Maujpur in northeast Delhi where he had allegedly
opened fire during the recent communal violence in the area, police said.The
crime branch of Delhi Police, probing the murder cases registered during the
riots, tried to find empty shells at the spot, officials said.A court here sent
him to police remand for four days that ended on Saturday, following which the
court sent him to 3 more days' police custody.PTI
Punjab: Demand for arrest of BJP's Kapil Mishra raised at all-woman
protest
Ludhiana:Demand for the arrest of BJP leader Kapil Mishra was raised at
the all woman protest against CAA in Malerkotla town. During the protest, which
was the third in the series of rallies against CAA, NRC and NPR, demonstrators
demanded that Mishra be held accountable for his alleged role in the recent
Delhi violence. Ishtiyak Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami group said the protesters,
comprising women from Malerkotla and neighbouring villages, marched from
Sirhindi gate to Inquilabi road. A member of the Sangharsh Committee said PHD
students from Patiala Aman Deol and Charanjeet Kaur stressed the need for
women's empowerment and boycott of NPR. Sanvidhan Bachao Morcha coordinator
Advocate Zarka Jaffery said the protest was jointly staged by their group and
members of Istri Jagrati Manch. TOI
Delhi: Darkness brings panic in Shiv Vihar, uncertainty looms large as
residents fear returning home
As the sun sets over the charred ruins of what was a bustling
neighbourhood till only two weeks ago and the shadows lengthen into the night,
panic escalates in northeast Delhi''s riot-scarred locality of Shiv Vihar.Call
everybody. It’s time to leave, Mohammed Nafis calls out urgently to his
14-year-old nephew Saif, asking him to gather the family so they can leave
their 'homes' to return to the houses of their relatives where they have found temporary
refuges.He is not the only one.And now, the twilight hour brings with it
mounting fear that the violence will be repeated. Residents rush to leave the
area that has been their home for over a decade."We are too scared to
spend the night here. One never knows what can happen, Nafis, who had a car
seat cover workshop," told PTI.41-year-old and 14 other members of their
family occupied a three-storey house in gully no.12 in phase 7 of Shiv Vihar
until two weeks ago, when the locality fell prey to a wave of riots.Like his,
many properties in the area were ransacked and looted before being set on
fire.PTI
Hindu Couple Who Lost Son To Delhi Riots Refuses To Fuel Muslim Mudslinging
New Delhi:It has been 10 days since her son was killed in the communal
violence in northeast Delhi in the last week of February, but Mamta Singh still
cannot bear to sit in her house, which feels like it is full of 23-year-old’s
memories. On Saturday afternoon, the
49-year-old homemaker stepped out of her green-tiled house in Brijpuri and
lingered near the front door, which had a fading campaign sticker of BJP’s
lotus symbol along with the faces of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and local MLA
Jagdish Pradhan; a sign that said Radhe Radhe, a salutation to Hindu god Krishna;
and another one that said Shubh Shubh, a prayer for good to prevail. After some
hesitation, she walked to the marketplace at the end of the street and sat down
in her family store, where they sell items that Hindus use for pujas. That day,
said Mamta, was the first time she felt like she could think clearly since 25
February, when her son Manish Singh was shot dead during the riots. (Most media
reports have identified Manish as Rahul Thakur. Rahul is the name his friends
and family used for him).The first thing she wanted to know, said Mamta, was
who was responsible for her son’s death. Not the person’s religion, but his
identity.“Of course I don’t blame Muslims for his death,” she said, dismissing
the notion as bizarre. “We don’t know who shot him. Why should I blame Muslims
when I did not see what even happened or where the bullet came from? A crowd
does not have a face.” The grieving mother’s response is in stark contrast to
the bloodthirsty social media messages and WhatsApp forwards that have sought
to squarely blame the Muslim community for the deaths of Hindus in the riots
last month.huffingtonpost
CBSE Announces New Dates For Board Exams In Violence-Hit Northeast Delhi
New Delhi: CBSE will conduct special exams for the students who had
missed their papers due to the violence in northeast Delhi last month. The
special exam will be held from March 21 to April 14. The special exams for
class 10 will be held from March 21 to March 30, and for class 12, exams will
be held from March 31 to April 14. CBSE has asked the students to contact their
respective schools on or before March 14.ndtv
*anti-CAA,NRC-NPR stir*
HC orders UP Govt to immediately remove hoardings naming accused in
anti-CAA protests, calls it 'unwarranted interference'
Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the Lucknow administration to
remove forthwith the controversial ‘name and shame’ hoardings of those arrested
during protests against the CAA.“In entirety, we are having no doubt that the
action of the State, which is subject matter of this public interest litigation
is nothing but an unwarranted interference in privacy of people. The same
hence, is in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” a Division
Bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha said.The Bench
also asked the District Magistrate of Lucknow to submit a report on the action
taken by March 16.Rejecting the State's arguments against the Court taking the
case suo motu, the Bench said , "where there is gross negligence on part
of public authorities and government, where the law is disobeyed and the public
is put to suffering and where the precious values of the constitution are
subjected to injuries, a constitutional court can very well take notice of that
at its own."The court further observed that the placement of personal data
of selected persons "reflects colorable exercise of powers" by govt. "Advocate General failed to satisfy us
as to why the personal data of few persons have been placed on banners though
in the State of Uttar Pradesh [when] there are lakhs of accused persons who are
facing serious allegations pertaining to commission of crimes whose personal
details have not been subjected to publicity," HC said in its 14-page
order. Commenting on the legality of the hoardings, the court said ,"no
law is in existence permitting the State to place the banners with personal
data of the accused from whom compensation is to be charged." The accused
persons are the accused from whom some compensation is to be recovered and in
no manner they are fugitive, it said.In a controversial move, the police and
the administration put up several hoardings in Lucknow identifying those accused
of violence during the protests against the CAA in December last, triggering
fears among those named. The names, photographs and residential addresses of
the accused are listed in the hoardings.One of them, with 28 names, put up at
the Hazratganj intersection, next to statue of B.R. Ambedkar, asks them to pay
up over Rs. 64 lakh.
Will continue to highlight identity of 'rioters', UP govt on Allahabad
HC order; opposition welcomes court
Uttar Pradesh government has said that it will continue to highlight the
identities of the 'rioters' despite Allahabad high court order directing
Lucknow administration to remove posters of those accused of vandalism during
anti-CAA protests in Dec.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's media advisor
Mrityunjay Kumar on Twitter said, "Allahabad HC has asked the government
to remove posters and not drop charges [against alleged rioters], thus we will
continue to fight to highlights the rioters' identity.""Mercy for
rioters is not possible during Yogi raj," he added.The opposition parties
in the state have welcomed the HC order."The government neither has the
knowledge of right to privacy of citizens nor any respect for the constitution.
The people of the state are fed up with this government. We welcome the high
court's decision," SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav said.BSP supremo Mayawati too
welcomed the decision. Meanwhile, Congress state president Ajay Kumar Lallu
said the court's decision has "exposed" the undemocratic and
anti-constitution stand of Adityanath government.indiatoday
'No Court Can Shut Its Eyes If A Public Unjust Is Happening Just Before
It' : Allahabad HC On Suo Moto Action Against 'Name & Shame' Banners
UP: Move to display details of CAA protestors a ‘danger to life and
liberty’, says ex IPS officer
Former Indian Police Service officer SR Darapuri said on Sunday that
Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to “name and shame” anti-CAA protestors
accused of inciting violence was a “danger to the life and liberty of citizens”
not yet convicted by the court, NDTV reported.Darapuri welcomed the High
Court’s observations.Darapuri is also among those whose photo and details have
been put up on the hoardings. He told NDTV he does not know from where the
state administration procured the photos. He called the action illegal.scroll
Adityanath Govt Sends Police to 'Raid' Clinic Owned by CAA Dissenter's
Wife
New Delhi: Even as Uttar Pradesh govt’s decision to flash billboards
containing names and pictures of those protesting against the contentious CAA
is being criticised by the many, another controversy that shows its seemingly
vindictive behaviour has now surfaced. Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in
India’s most populous state has been accused of raiding and shutting down an
Allahabad-based ultrasound clinic owned by a doctor whose husband has been
opposing CAA. Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum (PMSF) has called UP govt’s
action against the clinic an unjustified act to “teach a lesson” to the
doctor’s family for expressing dissent against CAA.The clinic is owned by
Madhavi Mittal, a alumna of India’s premier medical school, AIIMS, New Delhi.
The police raided the clinic on Sunday when she was out of town for 3 days, and
sealed it.A news report in The Telegraph quoted PMSF national convenor Harjit
Singh Bhatti as saying, “We believe the sealing is a vindictive step taken by
the Yogi Adityanath government to teach a lesson to her husband, Dr Ashish
Mittal.”thewire
Group of Delhi doctors slam UP govt for sealing clinic owned by CAA
dissenter''s wife
Anti-CAA protester dies in Lucknow, 2nd in a month
An anti-CAA protester at the Clock Tower in Lucknow has died of a
cardiac arrest in a city hospital.This is the second death of a protester in
the past one month.Farida, 55, had got drenched in rain on Friday and was
admitted to a hospital after she fell ill. She died on Sunday.Another
protester, 20-year-old Tayyaba, (a BA final student) had died under similar
circumstances on February 23. She had succumbed to illness after getting soaked
in the rain, said the protesters. A resident of Daliganj, Farida, was among the
group of women who first started the protest in January. "She used to stay
at the Clock Tower even during the night hours," said Rubina Begum, 45,
another protester who knew Farida.The protesters at the Clock Tower had been
staging a sit-in under the open sky after their pleas for setting up tents at
the site were turned down by the administration.A delegation of the Samajwadi
Party visited the homes of Farida and Tayyaba in Daliganj to express
condolence. The delegation led by Juhie Singh, also gave a cheque of Rs two
lakh each to the families of the deceased.Meanwhile, several social
organisations gathered at the Clock Tower on Sunday evening to mark
International Day for Women and hailed the unity and strength of women in the
country.IANS
AMU students committee sets up 'legal helpdesk' for anti-CAA protesters
AMU Students Coordination Committee has set up a 'legal helpdesk' at the
varsity's Bab-e-Syed monument to provide free legal aid to those who have been
booked by the police while protesting against CAA.The students said that since
many of the protesters had been booked under false charges, there was a need to
provide legal aid to them.The students' committee comprises lawyers and
teachers, mainly to assist the booked protesters.Talking to reporters, Imran
Khan of the coordination committee said the "fascist" regime has plans
to demonize their peaceful anti-CAA protests and also target Muslim
activists.IANS
Shaheen Bagh women mark International Women’s Day, lend a helping hand
to Delhi riot victims
“Log tut jate he ek ghar banane mein, tum taras nahin khate bastiyan
jalane mein”, [People break their backs building a home, You don’t pity burning
down villages. This moving couplet of noted poet Bashir Badr was emblazoned on
the posters hung around the street stalls near Shaheen Bagh protest site on
Sunday.The poignant verse found resonance amongst the women of Shaheen Bagh who
banded together on the occasion of International Women’s Day to lend a helping
hand to the victims of Delhi violence, which rendered many homeless and over 50
dead.“People have put their lifelong savings to build homes. All have been
plundered in this violence; shops looted, many have lost their loved ones,”
Aslima laments before she explains the purpose behind this initiative in
detail.“On this Women’s Day, we want to do our bit in whatever way possible. We
have set up shops here selling our handmade craft items and doing mehendi art.
We will donate the money to the riot victims in Mustafabad, Jafrabad, Chand
Bagh among others,” she sums up.Even as Shaheen Bagh was teeming with an
assortment of activities dedicated towards the relief fund, the primary
discussion was centred on the stir against the controversial CAA and NRC.The
protest seemed to further embolden their spirits despite it entering 85th day
today. “We are not going to get tired. We won’t take an inch back until this
black law (CAA) is repealed,” Afreen said.Next to Afreen’s stall was Shahdah’s
set-up where she lined up handmade colourful potteries. The bespectacled woman
remained resolute when asked about the government’s unwavering stance on the
CAA.“Jab tk upar wale ki marzi hogi, tb tk datte rahenge. Inshallah (Till
Almighty is with us, we will remain steadfast),” she says.indianexpress
Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Baisala gets 'grand welcome' in videos after
bail
New Delhi: Videos of Kapil Baisala, who fired shots in the air near the
Shaheen Bagh protest site, are going viral on social media where people claim
that after getting bail in the case he received grand welcome despite his
shooting incident. The court granted bail to Baisala on Friday after hearing
arguments from the lawyers appearing for him as well as police.After getting
bail, his videos started going viral on social media. In a video, Kapil is seen
getting out of a white-coloured car. It appears that the receptionist is a
friend of Kapil. In the second video, Kapil is seen hugging his
friends.millenniumpost
Punjab: At CAA protest, women firm up resolve to end injustice,
inequality
Bathinda: International Women’s Day was observed at the indefinite
anti-CAA protest in Mansa on Sunday.Women from poor families also held a
protest during the day at Singhewala village in Muktsar. Several women
assembled at the protest called ‘Mini Shaheen Bagh of Punjab’ in Mansa and
announced to turn protests across the country as the second battle for
independence from injustice and inequality.The protest has been themed “stop
living like the dead, rebel and hit back, why should anyone else rule your
space”. JNUSU former president Geeta Kumari, addressing women, said, “The
revolution in the erstwhile Soviet Union was started by women. Today, women are
fighting the second battle for independence and this fight will prove to be
symbol of everybody’s dignity and safety of citizens. The women of Shaheen Bagh
are sitting on protest to safeguard their citizenship and not made to sit there
by anyone for monetary gains. It is heartening to see Shaheen Bagh come up at
many places.”TOI
*Coronavirus*
Coronavirus outbreak : Two more fresh cases reported, count in India
rises to 45
The number of coronavirus cases
in India rose to 45 on Monday after six fresh cases were reported from Jammu
and Kashmir, Punjab, Karnataka, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala. Case from
Karnataka is yet to be confirmed by the Health Ministry.Union Health Minister
Harsh Vardhan Monday said the government is prepared to deal with novel
coronavirus and his ministry is sending directives, including guidelines, to
states in all the languages on ways to contain it. Earlier today, health
minister chaired a review and coordination meeting with L-G Anil Baijal, Delhi
CM Arvind Kejriwal, mayors of the Municipal Corporations of Delhi and senior officials
of various departments.In Kerala, a three-year-child, who had recently returned
from Italy via Dubai, tested positive earlier in the day. Officials in Kochi
said the child was admitted to Kalamassery medical college and her parents were
also moved to isolation wards. Jammu and Kashmir reported its first case after
a man, who had recently travelled to Iran and South Korea, tested positive for
the virus.indianexpress
India to evacuate pilgrims from Iran first, in talks with Tehran to set
up more screening centres
India will be evacuating its pilgrims first from Iran, followed by the
Indians students stranded in the country in the backdrop of novel coronavirus
outbreak. New Delhi has also set up a medical screening centre in the central
Iranian city of Qom, which is the worst impacted by the new virus. The Indian
government is negotiating with the Iranian regime to establish more screening
centres in other cities of Iran.A source said Indian pilgrims have been
prioritised first, and others will be facilitated only after pilgrims have been
safely brought back to India. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
met with parents of stranded Indian students in Srinagar and assured that the
Indian government is doing its best to bring them back.dnaindia
Iran releases 70,000 prisoners as toll rises
The coronavirus outbreaks in China and South Korea appear to be slowing,
as countries elsewhere in the world adopt drastic measures to try and stamp out
the infection.Iran has temporarily released approximately 70,000 prisoners due
to the coronavirus outbreak, Iranian judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi said on
Monday, according to Mizan, the news site of the judiciary.There were 49 new
fatalities in Iran from COVID-19.In Italy, where some 16 million people in
Lombardy and other parts of the north are now under quarantine, there were 133
deaths reported on Sunday, bringing the total to 366. More than 7,000 people in
the country have been confirmed to have the virus.But the latest figures from
China and South Korea suggest the virus might be slowing in northeast
Asia.aljazeera
Misinformation, fake news spark India coronavirus fears: aljazeera
report
Mumbai:India's battle against the coronavirus has many obstacles - large
crowds, a stretched health system and inadequate infrastructure - as the number
of infections rose to 43 on Monday.But beyond these, a familiar foe is rearing
its head: fake news.Through its vast social media networks, a wave of
inaccuracy is spreading on coronavirus, which causes an illness known as
COVID-19.From offering unverified home remedies to tackle the virus, to floating
fake advisories asking people to avoid foods such as ice cream and chicken, and
sharing conspiracy theories, Indians' phones are being flooded with
misinformation.On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forced to appeal
to citizens, asking them to not heed to rumours surrounding COVID-19.The
country's stock exchange plunged to its lowest level since 2010 amid fears of
the disease.The scale of the country's social media usage complicates the fight
against misinformation.aljazeera
AMU Exams postponed over Coronavirus Scare, to be conducted from April 1
AMU has postponed all examinations of the distant learning courses for
students in Aligarh, Kerala, Murshidabad (West Bengal), Kishangarh (Bihar) and
Delhi due to fears of the novel coronavirus, that has so far infected 39 people
in the country.The examinations were slated to begin from March 15. Professor
Nafees Ansari, Director of the Distant Learning Centre, AMU, said that 6,000
students, who are enrolled in four degree courses -- B.Com, M.Com, Bachelor of
Library Science, BSc Computer Application -- will now appear for the exams from
April 1.timesnownews
India Among 14 Nations On Qatar's Travel Ban List Over Coronavirus Fears
Cairo: Qatar has temporarily barred travellers from 14 countries from
March 9 as a precaution against the rapidly spreading coronavirus, the
government announced on Sunday.The ban covers China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq,
Lebanon, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka,
Syria and Thailand.Qatar reported three more cases of the virus on Sunday,
bringing the total there to 15.Reuters
Drinking Alcohol Will Not Protect You From Coronavirus: WHO
Everyone seems to be going into a state of panic as a result of
coronavirus outbreak in India. And as a fallout, people are believing just
about anything and everything they are coming across on the internet. Among
several pieces of information, there is one that asks people to 'drink alcohol
to stay safe and kill the deadly virus', which, according to WHO is not true.
Busting myths, misconceptions and misinformation about the deadly coronavirus,
WHO said: "No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not
kill viruses that have already entered your body."ndtv
Saudi closes schools, universities because of coronavirus
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200309-saudi-closes-schools-universities-because-of-coronavirus/
Schools and universities across Saudi Arabia will be closed from today
to control the spread of the coronavirus, the Ministry of Education
announced.All educational institutions, including public and private schools,
technical and vocational training institutions are expected to be closed until
further notice.Saudi Ministry of Education said “preventive and precautionary”
measures were recommended by the health authorities to protect students and
staff.“ Minister of Education directed that virtual schools and distance
education be activated while the schools are closed to ensure that the
educational process continues in an effective and quality manner,” ministry
added.
Egypt: Banning Friday prayers over coronavirus is permissible
If Muslim scholars are asking the health ministry to prevent the Friday
prayers over the fear of the coronavirus spread, the ban is “permissible,” the
Egyptian Minister of Awqaf (Endowment), Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa, announced on
Saturday.Speaking in a conference held at Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, Gomaa
said that the “overall purposes of Islamic law require the protection of the
people.”“In the event of an epidemic that is considered a threat to humanity,
necessary measures must be taken to protect the human beings,” he
stressed.middleeastmonitor
*J&K, SOUTH ASIA & india *
‘Democratic dissent being muzzled’: Opposition leaders demand release of
J&K ex-chief ministers
New Delhi :Pointing out that “democratic dissent is being muzzled by
coercive administrative action”, Opposition leaders, including NCP chief Sharad
Pawar and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Monday issued a joint
statement demanding the release of all political detainees in Kashmir,
especially three former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and
Mehbooba Mufti.Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti have been under
detention since the Centre scrapped special provisions under Article 370 in the
region on August 5 last year and have been slapped with the stringent
PSA.“There are growing assaults on democratic norms, fundamental rights and
civic liberties of citizens. As a result, dissent is not only being stifled,
but the avenues of raising critical voices are also being systematically
muted,” the joint statement by Opposition leaders said.“The very validity of
the Jammu & Kashmir PSA, can be challenged following the abrogation of
Article 370 of the Indian Constitution as the state has now been stripped off
its Special Status,” the statement further said.Besides Pawar and Mamata
Banerjee, the statement was issued by JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowa, CPI(M) chief
Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha, and former BJP
leaders Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie.indianexpress
'Judicial Harassment': British Solicitors' Body Calls for Release of
Senior J&K Lawyer
Srinagar:The Law Society of England and Wales, a professional body
representing over 180,000 solicitors in England and Wales, has written an
official letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing “grave concern” over
the continued detention of J&K High Court Bar Association President Mian
Abdul Qayoom for the past seven months.The 76-year-old lawyer was recently
shifted to New Delhi’s Tihar Jail from the Central Jail in Agra, Uttar Pradesh,
where he was lodged since August last year.“Law Society is gravely concerned
about the arrest and detention of Mian Abdul Qayoom, lawyer and President of
Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association. The night of August 4, 2019,
Qayoom was arrested under J&K PSA, together with others who were also
arrested after Government of India repealed Article 370 of the Constitution of
India,”the Law Society, which holds Special Consultative Status with UN
Economic and Social Council since 2014, wrote in a letter addressed to the
prime minister. Copies were also sent to home minister Amit Shah, CJI Sharad
Arvind Bobde, and NHRC chairperson H.L. Dattu. The letter, dated March 5, is
signed by Simon Davis, president of Law Society of England & Wales.As an
independent professional body for solicitors in England and Wales, the Law
Society aims to protect “everyone’s right to have access to justice” and also
works internationally to “defend human rights at home and abroad”.thewire
84,000 vacant posts in Kashmir, but no recruitment yet
NEW DELHI:Almost 7 months after Article 370 was revoked in Jammu and
Kashmir, the Union Home Ministry has informed a parliamentary standing
committee that J&K administration has identified nearly 84,000 vacant
government posts in the newly created Union Territory but the recruitment is
yet to begin as the details are still being “scrutinised”. Home Minister Amit
Shah moved two Bills in the Rajya Sabha on August 5 that read down Article 370
that had granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and downgraded and
bifurcated the State into 2 Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh. In his
speech, Shah linked Article 370 to poor
economic development in the region.According to the Ministry’s reply to the
parliamentary panel on February 18, as many as 76,453 vacancies are of
non-gazetted and Class IV level posts. Merely, 7,552 vacancies are gazetted
posts. On August 28, the then Governor Satyapal Malik said at a press
conference in Srinagar that the government had identified 50,000 government
jobs and the vacancies would be filled soon.thehindu
'Landlord Asked me to Leave Moment I Said I was Kashmiri'
New Delhi: Nasir Khuehami, a 24-year-old student from Bandipora in
Kashmir, has travelled to and stayed in Delhi many times. However, this time
when he came to rent a flat in Delhi’s Batla House, a bizarre turn of events
greeted him. Nasir is preparing for competitive exams.On March 5, when Nasir
went to look for an apartment, he knew enough about religious discrimination to
know that he should look for a flat in a Muslim-dominated locality. However,
what he had not accounted for was discrimination by fellow Muslims.As Nasir
entered the landlord’s house with a few friends, the usual set of questions
that landlords are likely to ask were asked to them. However, when the landlord
learned that they were Kashmiri, he first was rude to them and then asked them to
leave at once.“I had never expected to be treated this way in a Muslim
locality. I had faced backlash even during the post Pulwama months, when I was
in Uttarakhand, but yesterday when I was simply shown the door the moment the
landlord heard about my Kashmiri identity, it was shocking,” says Nasir.thewire
India to Join Pakistan, Iran & Afghanistan in Fight Against Worst
Locust Invasion in 3 Decades
Pakistan, India, Iran and Afghanistan will on March 11 chalk out a
strategy to deal with the worst locust invasion to hit the region in nearly
three decades, according to a media report on Monday.According to scientists,
the recent locust outbreak along the India-Pakistan border may have been driven
by the longer-than-usual monsoon rains across the region, and frequent cyclones
in the Indian Ocean.The agriculture ministers of Pakistan, India, Iran and
Afghanistan will connect via video-conferencing on March 11 to chalk out a
strategy to deal with invasion.PTI
Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary programme postponed; PM Modi may not
visit Bangladesh
Kolkata:Bangladesh has postponed the main inaugural programme marking
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary to be held on March 17.PM Narendra Modi
was scheduled to attend the event.Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, chief
coordinator of the committee to implement year-long birth centenary programmes,
said that the decision was taken after three cases of COVID-19 surfaced in
Bangladesh.“A large gathering was expected at the National Parade Ground on
March 17. But considering the situation, we have decided to postpone it,”
Chowdhury, a senior bureaucrat, told The Hindu. He, however, indicated that the
event was “postponed and not cancelled”.“We have a meeting in which we will
decide how — and to what scale — we will mark March 17 [100th birth anniversary
of Mujibur Rahman] and about the future event,” Chowdhury said.While both sides
have not officially announced the cancellation of his scheduled trip on March
17, the postponement entails that Modi’s Bangladesh visit “stands cancelled for
now”, said a source.“Foreign Ministry [of Bangladesh] will be able to clarify
about the visit,” Chowdhury said.Last week, large-scale protests were witnessed
in Dhaka against Modi’s visit.Dhaka University students’ union vice-president
Nurul Haq told international press that they would demonstrate against Modi’s
visit, “whenever he is in town.” “We will try to stop the visit, at any cost.
We may march from university to airport or demonstrate around Indian High
Commission,” he said last week.Considering the situation, Foreign Secretary
Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited the country to discuss about the Prime
Minister’s visit last week. Bangladesh government will update the Indian
government about “the new programme plans and schedules connected to Modi’s
future visit,” said a source.thehindu
*ECONOMY*
DHFL Paid Rs 600cr Bribe to Yes Bank Founder Rana Kapoor's Family,
Alleges CBI in FIR, Raids 7 Locations
New Delhi: CBI carried out searches at seven locations on Monday in
connection with the Yes Bank scam pertaining to the Rs 600 crore alleged bribe
to the family of its co-founder Rana Kapoor by DHFL, officials said.Teams of
CBI officers are carrying out operations at the residence and official premises
of the accused in Mumbai, they said.The agency has alleged that Kapoor, 62,
entered into a criminal conspiracy with Kapil Wadhawan, DHFL promoter, for
extending financial assistance to DHFL through Yes Bank in return for
substantial undue benefits to himself and his family members through companies
held by them, they said.According to CBI FIR, the scam started taking shape
between April and June, 2018 when Yes Bank invested Rs 3,700 crore in
short-term debentures of the scam-hit DHFL.In return, Wadhawan allegedly
"paid kickback of Rs 600 crore" to Kapoor and family members in the
form of loan to DoIT Urban Ventures (India) Pvt Ltd, they said.The Reserve Bank
of India on Thursday placed Yes Bank under a moratorium, capping deposit
withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per account for a month and superseding its board.PTI
Yes Bank crisis: Withdrawal limit may be lifted by Saturday, says
administrator
New Delhi :RBI-appointed administrator Prashant Kumar said on Monday
that the moratorium on Yes Bank could be lifted by Saturday, days after the RBI
superseded the board of directors of the private sector lender for a period of
30 days “owing to serious deterioration in the financial position” of the bank.
RBI has also capped the deposit withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per depositor.Prashant
Kumar said the final approval from the Reserve Bank to the SBI-led resolution
plan would result in Yes Bank coming out of the moratorium, PTI reported. He
also made it clear that the lifting of the restrictions does not hinge on
capital raising plan.indianexpress
Mayhem in Markets Over Global Factors as Sensex Nosedives Nearly 2,000
Points
New Delhi: India’s stock markets nosedived on Monday, with the benchmark
BSE Sensex posting its biggest ever single-day fall in absolute terms by
plunging up to 2,400 points before recovering to trade at 1,941 points lower
than Friday’s close.Nervous investor sentiment over the economic fallout of the
coronavirus and global oil politics drove both the Sensex and Nifty below their
respective psychologically crucial levels of 35,000 and 10,500 during intraday
trading, before recovering towards the end of the day.Having declined over 6%
during the day, the Nifty closed 4.9% lower at 10,451.50 while the Sensex
closed at 35,634.95, down 5.2%.A sell-off, which was primarily driven by global
factors and cues, wiped off over Rs 7 lakh crore of Indian investor
wealth.thewire
Oil crashes after Saudi launches price war
Tokyo:The state owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) have reduced the
price of sensitive petroleum products like petrol by 24 to 27 paise a litre and
diesel by 24 to 26 paise a litre across major cities as the price of
international crude oil fell by most in a day since 1991 Gulf war.Brent crude
futures fell by as much as $14.25, or 31.5%, to $31.02 a barrel, the most since
1991 on March 9 after Saudi Arabia started a price war with Russia by slashing
its selling prices and pledging to unleash its pent-up supply onto a market
reeling from falling demand due the spread of coronavirus. Petrol prices in
Delhi decreased by ₹0.24 to at ₹70.59 per litre and diesel dropped by ₹0.25 at ₹63.26
per litre in Delhi, according to Indian Oil Corporation data.In Mumbai, petrol
prices were cut by ₹0.27 and is now retailing for ₹76.29 per litre. Diesel
prices on the other hand stand at ₹66.24 a litre after witnessing a price cut
of ₹0.26 from last day’s prices. thehindu
Oil Drops 31% As OPEC Deal Collapse Sparks Price War, Global Markets Hit
*OTHERS*
‘Republic In
Peril’: 32 journalists attacked from Dec 2019 to Feb 2020 in Delhi alone, finds
report
Freedom of Press is in danger these days across the country. Recently, 2
channels were suspended for their coverage on Delhi Riots. Prior to this,
several journalists were thrashed, shot at and assaulted while they were
covering Delhi riots. Recently released report by Committee Against Assault on
Journalists (CAAJ) documents a total of 32 cases of various types of assaults
on journalists in Delhi after the anti-CAA protests began.The report titled
"Republic In Peril" mentions instances from Dec.2019 to Feb.2020.
CAAJ report outlines three phases of assault in Delhi.The first phase being
Dec.2019 when anti-CAA protests began with Jamia Millia Islamia taking the
centre stage.7 cases have been documented in the report where Journalists who
went to cover Jamia were assaulted physically. These assaulted journalists were
from mainstream news channels, news agencies, international media and digital
platforms. The assaulters included both the mob and the police.This first phase
lasted for five days from Dec.15 to Dec.20, 2019, although assaults continued
nationwide for the whole month till the end of 2019. These 16 cases of
nationwide assault in journalists covering anti-CAA protests were documented
and released by CAAJ. “The second phase of attack lasted much longer, almost
for the whole month of Jan, 2020. On Jan.5, 2020 journalists were targeted
outside JNU campus, which was attacked on the same evening by a veiled mob. The
number of cases reported in various media outlets and first-hand cases reported
on twitter count to half a dozen. Those assaulted were also specifically
targeted, stopped from coverage and directed/intimated by the mob,” read CAAJ
report. This phase reached its peak on the last day of Jan, 2020 when
journalists were hounded, beaten up and detained at ITO and Rajghat. The
numbers included more than ten, many of them senior scribes who were there to
report Satyagraha March and pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his death
anniversary. More than half a dozen journalists were detained until dark in a
local stadium. Delhi Police was solely responsible for this assault. Press Club
of India released a condemnation statement on the same day, said the
report.“The third phase is a dark chapter of horror in the history of Freedom
of Press in Delhi that reminded many of the Emergency days. Around 18 cases
were reported where journalists were not only stopped from coverage, but
identified as Hindu/Muslims, ashamed publicly and beaten up by the rioting mob.
There camera, equipment broken and vehicles burnt up by the mob. Many cases
have gone unreported due to horror,” the report said.nationalheraldindia
Ayodhya: No Trust on Sunni Board to build masjid
Ayodhya: With Sunni Waqf Board scheduled to announce the composition of
the Trust this week along with the blueprint of the mosque and Islamic Centre
in lieu of Babri masjid, the Muslim community is abuzz with anxiety about the
Board trying to hijack the Trust.On Thursday, Sunni Waqf Board chairman Zufar Farooqui
had said, the fine print of the Indo-Islamic Culture Trust on a 5-acre plot in
Dhannipur village in Ayodhya district would be discussed threadbare at a
meeting post-Holi. The move follows swift rollout of Ram Mandir Trust for
building the temple at janmabhoomi site.Key members of the Muslim community are
of the opinion that the Trust must be independent and not under control of the
Sunni Waqf Board as some members are political appointees and could be
remote-controlled. Maulana Salman Nadwi said, “Trust members should not
appointed randomly. Also, the government should pay compensation and bear
expenses for construction of the mosque as protecting the masjid was
government’s responsibility and it was demolished due its inaction. It should
be free of government pressure.”Mushtaq Ahmed Siddiqui, member of Babri Masjid
Action Committee and a senior lawyer in the title suit, said, “The Supreme
Court had given land to Muslims against Claim No.4 and the Waqf Board has been
mentioned in the operative portion. So, Sunni Waqf Board has no right to take a
decision on formation of Trust.”Member of Sunni Central Waqf Board, Advocate
Abdul Razzaq, said, “Waqf board is a den of corruption and if they control
Trust, there will be serious irregularities. Union government must constitute
the Trust for building the mosque as it did for the Ram temple.”Khaliq Ahmad
Khan, member of All India Milli Council, who was also a party in Ayodhya title
suit, said, “Litigants who fought a prolonged legal battle for the mosque should
be made part of Trust. Also, reputed Islamic seminaries and organisations
should find representation.”TOI
Mosque Located in 'Sensitive' Area in Aligarh Covered ahead of Holi to
Maintain Peace
A mosque, located in a sensitive area in Aligarh, has been covered with
a black tarpaulin sheet ahead of the Holi. Abhishek, SP, said that the step has
been taken after discussions with the local representatives."This is a
trend that is followed to maintain peace and harmony," he said.According
to the police, the mosque is located in the sensitive area and all appropriate
measures are being taken to ensure peaceful celebrations.Images of the mosque
covered in tarpaulin and coloured cloth were shared on Twitter by ANI.NEWS18
MP govt in crisis? 16 Congress MLAs, including 6 minister, turn up in
Bengaluru: indiatoday
Confusion and chaos have erupted in the Madhya Pradesh government with
16 Congress MLAs moving to Bengaluru in Karnataka, including 6 ministers in CM
Kamal Nath’s cabinet. Meanwhile, Kamal Nath landed in Bhopal after reportedly
meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi. Senior Congress leader
Jyotiraditya Scindia is also believed to be arriving in Bhopal.In addition to
Congress MLAs, 6 BJP MLAs of Madhya Pradesh Assembly have also reached
Bengaluru from Bhopal. While sources close to CM Kamal Nath claim that his
government is safe and the party is in touch with its MLAs, developments
pouring in from Bhopal, Bengaluru and New Delhi suggest otherwise. Meanwhile,
an emergency meeting has been called at CM Kamal Nath’s official residence in
Bhopal. Among others who will be present at the meeting will be former CM
Digvijay Singh, Congress MLAs and state ministers.indiatoday
Fresh Headache for Kamal Nath in MP Poaching Drama as 18 Scindia Camp
MLAs Whisked Away to Bengaluru
SCs, STs student enrolment in Ph.D. programmes remains low in IITs
Enrolment of students from marginalised communities, mainly the
Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST), was abysmally low in Ph.D.
programmes in IITs from 2015 to 2019, data presented in Rajya Sabha on Friday
showed.Of the 25,007 Ph.D. scholars admitted in the 23 IITs over the five-year
period, only 9.1% were from the SC communities and 2.1% from STs. This is lower
than the 15% seats reserved for the former and 7.5% for the latter.Those from
OBCs made up 23.2%, which is also lower than the reservation-mandated 27%.
Nearly two-thirds of the admissions (65.6%) went to general category
students.The data was submitted by HRD Ministry in response to a question
raised by Elamaram Karim and K. Somaprasad, CPIM MPs from Kerala.Though the
total enrolment in Ph.D. programmes went up by 20% during the period, this
increase did not result in a corresponding rise in the number of students from
the two communities.While Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in
Admission) Act, 2006 seems to have helped those from the OBCs marginally, the
enrolment from the Scheduled communities remained low.thehindu
Ahead of March 20 hanging, Nirbhaya case convict Vinay Sharma files
fresh mercy plea
New Delhi:Nirbhaya case convict Vinay Sharma has filed a fresh mercy
petition before Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, seeking commutation of
his death penalty to life imprisonment.Vinay Kumar Sharma, along with Mukesh
Kumar Singh, Pawan Gupta and Akshay, has been sentenced to death for brutally
raping and killing a medical student in Delhi on December 16, 2012.Another
convict, minor, was sent to a correctional centre and has been released after
he had served his sentence. The sixth accused hanged himself to death during
the trial.India Today
NSUI defeats ABVP, wins 6 out of 8 seats in Gujarat University students
elections
NSUI , the students’ wing of Congress has won 6 seats out of 8 seats in
Gujarat University Senate Elections.Reacting on their victory, NSUI tweeted,
“Students of PM Modi's hometown rejected BJP's dividing policies & chosen
the ideology of united India. NSUI won 6 out of 8 seats in Gujarat University
Senate Elections.”Varsity senate and welfare elections was held on Sunday after
a gap of 4 years. Gujarat College, RH Patel, R J Tibrewal, HK Arts and
Rashtrabhasha College had participated in election. 2218 voters exercised their
votes out of the total 3,279 votersnationalheraldindia
*WORLD*
Saudi crackdown widens amid reports of further arrests of royals
A roundup of royals and aides has widened in Saudi Arabia, according to
several reports, in what is believed to be the latest crackdown by Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the kingdom's de facto ruler, against potential
challengers to his power.On Saturday, a day after it was reported two senior
members of the royal family were detained over an alleged coup plot, US media
outlets said Prince Nayef bin Ahmed, a former army head of intelligence, was
also among those being held.Separately, Wall Street Journal reported the sweep
broadened to include dozens of interior ministry officials, senior army
officers and others suspected of supporting a coup attempt.It came a day after
the Journal cited sources familiar with the matter as saying masked guards with
the royal court on Friday arrested Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, a younger
brother of King Salman, and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the king's nephew and a
former crown prince. The guards also
detained a brother of Mohammed bin Nayef."There are some kinds of rumours
and innuendos that there's turmoil within the family in the form of criticism,
but that doesn't justify being arrested as criminals, with masked security
forces coming to their rooms and yanking them out of their private
residences," Khalil Jahshan, executive director of Arab Center in
Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera.The arrests of the king's younger and beloved
brother Prince Ahmed and the king's nephew and former counterterrorism czar
Prince Mohammed came after what one person in Saudi with knowledge of the
situation described as an accumulation of behaviour that was provocative to
leadership.The source added the arrests sent a message to anyone in the royal
family feeling disenfranchised:Stop grumbling and toe the line, because if
Prince Ahmed can be arrested, any prince can and will be.The detentions also
raised speculation about the health of 84-year-old King Salman and whether
MBS's succession to the throne was imminent, but on Sunday the official Saudi
Press Agency released images of king presiding over the swearing-in ceremony of
newly appointed Saudi ambassadors to Ukraine and Uruguay.Middle East Eye quoted
sources as saying on Sunday the arrests were meant to ease the transition of
power so Prince Mohammed can become king ahead of Nov.G20 meeting, which will
be held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.The sources also said MBS is concerned US
President Donald Trump may not be re-elected with all Democratic candidates
being critics of the crown prince. Both Prince Ahmed and Mohammed bin Nayef
were seen as possible rivals for the throne when King Salman dies, with reports
suggesting they now face long-term imprisonment.aljazeera
King Salman's youngest brother, Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz
Reuters: King Salman approved arrest of senior royals
Saudi’s King Salman approved the arrests of 3 senior royals over the
weekend, local sources told Reuters.On Friday, his son, Mohammed Bin Salman,
detained the king’s younger brother, and Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef, the king’s
nephew and his half-brother Nawaf. 3 of the sources, including a regional
source, said Mohammed and Nawaf Bin Nayef were picked up at a private desert
camp on Friday. 2 sources said Ahmed was taken from his home. Crown Prince
Mohammed “accused them of conducting contacts with foreign powers, including
the Americans and others, to carry out a coup d’etat,” the regional source
said.“With these arrests, MbS consolidated his full grip on power. It’s over
with this purge,” the source added, indicating that no rivals remain to
challenge his succession to the throne.Another source said the princes were
accused of “treason”. A third source said they had been discussing a coup with
the support of powerful tribes but had not reached advanced
stages.middleeastmonitor
Sudan PM Abdalla Hamdok survives assassination attempt
Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has survived an assassination
attempt after a blast near his convoy in the capital, Khartoum.Hamdok wrote on
Twitter he was "safe and in good shape" following Monday's
explosion."What happened will not stop the path of change, it will be
nothing but an additional push in the strong waves of the revolution,"
added the veteran economist, who became prime minister in August, months after
a pro-democracy movement forced the army to remove longtime President Bashar
al-Bashir. Hamdok also shared a photo of himself smiling and seated at his
desk, while a TV behind him showed news coverage reporting he had
survived.aljazeera
Abdullah inaugurates self as Afghanistan president as Ashraf Ghani
swears-in as president for second term
Afghanistan's rival leaders were each sworn in as president in separate
ceremonies on Monday, throwing plans for negotiations with Taliban into chaos
and creating a dilemma for US as it figures out how to move its peace deal with
the Taliban forward.President Ashraf Ghani, who was declared the winner of last
September's election, and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, who charged fraud in the
vote along with the elections complaints commission, have refused to settle
their differences.2 ceremonies were held at the same time, Ghani’s in the
presidential palace and Abdullah’s next door in Sapedar Palace, both packed
with each rival’s supporters. Even as Ghani was winding up his thank you
speech, rocket fire could be heard. The rockets landed near the presidential
palace, rattling some of those attending even as Ghani urged them to stay. The
perpetrators of the fire were not immediately known, but the scene hiked
worries that heightening split in Afghanistan's leadership may lead to
violence, either internally or with Taliban insurgents.In a sign of
international support for Ghani, his ceremony aired on state TV was attended by
Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, Gen. Austin S. Miller, head of US
forces in Afghanistan, as well as a number of foreign dignitaries including US
Embassy’s charge d’affaires and Tadamichi Yamamoto, UN Secretary General's
personal representative to Afghanistan.At Abdullah’s inauguration, aired on
private Tolo TV, among those present were so-called "jihadi' commanders,
who were among those who allied with US-led coalition to topple the Taliban in
2001. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed, in response to questions from AP,
said late Sunday that the Taliban were still committed to the deal, but said
the dueling presidential inaugurations are not good for the Afghan
nation."AP
Turkey:Erdogan's close ally Ali Babacan applies to launch new political
party
A former close ally of Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan has formally begun
the process to launch a political party, saying Turkey needed a "fresh
start" and calling for reforms to strengthen the rule of law and
democracy.In a long-awaited move, Ali Babacan's supporters on Monday submitted
an official request to the interior ministry to establish the new party, whose
name will be confirmed at a launch event on Wednesday.Babacan, 52-year-old ex
deputy prime minister and founding member of Erdogan's AK Party that ruled
Turkey since 2002, announced last July he was resigning from the AK Party over
"deep differences" about its direction.
Erdogan announces death of 59 Turkish soldiers during last month in
Idlib
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that during the last
month, 59 Turkish soldiers had been killed in Idlib, northwestern Syria, but he
stressed that his country’s forces had neutralized, in response, 3400 soldiers
of the Syrian regime’s army.Erdogan added in a speech he delivered in Antakya
that “the Syrian regime’s direction of all its forces towards Idlib at a time
when one-third of its territories is under occupation by YPG (Kurdish People’s
Protection Units, which Ankara considers a terrorist organization) reveals other
goals and objectives.”MEMO
New settler-only road will allow Israel to annex West Bank settlement
Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett today approved a project for a
new road for Palestinians that would allow Israel to annex Ma’aleh Adumim bloc
in E1 zone of the occupied West Bank.The road, which would connect the village
of Azzim, near Ma’aleh Adumim, with the villages of Anata, Hizma and Al-Ram,
has been termed the “sovereignty road” by Bennett.The defence minister
explained that the road would be separate from those used by vehicles with
Israeli licence plates and would allow Palestinian traffic to bypass the
Ma’aleh Adumim bloc, effectively annexing the area.Bennett called the move the
application of “sovereignty in deeds not words”.MEMO
*views, Articles, FEATURES*
- Reading the criticism from Iran:Shubhajit Roy , indian express
- I Visited Nine Broken Mosques and Then I Gave Up:Ajaz Ashraf
- Meet 10 women who are spearheading movement against CAA-NRC in India:Nazish Hussain, Musheera Ashraf, Twocircles.net
- The defensive turn in India’s foreign policy, writes Vivek Katju: HT , former diplomat
- Every person on Yogi Adityanath’s UP posters is now vulnerable — just like Gauri Lankesh was:ZAINAB SIKANDER
- Meet Badlu Khan, a Symbol of the Syncretic India the Hindu Right Wants to Erase: thewire
- Delhi Riots: Now, Only One Community Feels Safe Around Security Forces:Apoorvanand, thewire
- We Need a Campaign to Demand the Planning Commission's Revival:Bharat Dogra, thewire
- Has SC Limited Centre's 'Misuse' of FCRA By Reading Down Rules?The Wire Analysis
- Time to Reach Out to Your Muslim Friends is Now:Puja Bhattacharjee, thewire
- Dear AAP, here’s why you cannot be neutral on a moving train: Avinash Kumar and Anup Agarwal
- India wants PM’s view on Delhi riots, collapse of Yes Bank and not on the much-publicised Coronavirus:Soroor Ahmed
- The greatest movement since Independence but what’s Shaheen Bagh’s future?Saeed Naqvi
Compiled and edited
by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 7:50 PM).
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