NEWS DIGEST, EVENING
18 May 2019: 12 Ramazan 1440:Vol: 11, No:204
INDIA
Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa Won't Attend MCC-Related Meetings Until His Dissent Is Recorded
https://thewire.in/government/ashok-lavasa-election-commission-mcc
New Delhi: Ashok Lavasa – election commissioner who was not in agreement with the decision to give Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah clean chits in the Model Code of Conduct violation complaints against them – has reportedly recused himself from all meetings on MCC issues.According to HT, Lavasa, a former finance secretary, has said that he will attend further meeting only after EC starts including dissent notes and minority decisions in its orders. The “full commission” consists of chief election commissioner Sunil Arora, Lavasa and election commissioner Sushil Chandra. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Modi has been cleared of violating the MCC as many as six times. Reports earlier said that Lavasa had disagreed with these decisions, but his dissent had not been officially recorded.According to NDTV, Lavasa wrote to CEC Arora on May 4 saying that his involvement in EC meetings had become “meaningless”. I am being forced to stay away from the meetings of the full commission since minority decisions are not being recorded. My participation in the deliberations of the Commission becomes meaningless since my minority decisions go unrecorded.”“I might consider taking recourse to other measures aimed at restoring the lawful functioning of the Commission in terms of recording minority decisions,” he continued.“My various notes on need for transparency in the recording and disclosure of all decisions including the minority view have gone unheeded, forcing me to withdraw from participating in the deliberations on the complaints.”According to HT, Lavasa had sent Arora several reminders on including dissent notes in official orders before he finally decided to no longer attend EC meetings. The EC has reportedly not held any meetings on MCC-related matters since May 4 because of Lavasa’s letter.The EC had earlier argued that dissent notes and minority decisions need not be recorded because decisions on MCC violations are not a quasi-judicial decision. A former CEC, though, told said on condition of anonymity that such dissenting opinions have to be included in the final order even in cases of MCC violations.After reports that Lavasa had made his disagreement clear and wanted it officially recorded, CEC Arora issues a press statement on Saturday saying there had been an “unsavory and avoidable” controversy on the EC’s internal functioning. “The three members of the EC are not expected to be template or clones of each other,” Arora said. However, such disagreements had largely been kept private, he argued.Arora also said that at the May 14 EC meeting, it was unanimously decided that “some groups would be formed the issues, which arose in the course of conduct of Lok Sabha polls, 2019 just as it was done after Lok Sabha Elections 2014. Out of the 13 issues/areas that were identified, Model Code of Conduct is one of them.” thewire
CEC Arora says dissent not new as Ashok Lavasa recuses from EC meetings on poll violations
https://indianexpress.com/elections/election-commission-sunil-arora-ashok-lavasa-model-code-lok-sabha-elections-live-updates-5734805/?pfrom=HP
Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa Opts Out Of Meetings Over Clean Chits
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2019-election-commissioner-ashok-lavasa-opts-out-of-meetings-over-dissent-row-2039327
Muslim outfit opposes SIMI ban, raises questions about investigations into Pune terror attacks
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/muslim-outfit-opposes-simi-ban-raises-questions-about-investigations-into-pune-terror-attacks-5734572/
Aurangabad : Mulnivasi Muslim Manch (MMM), a Pune-based outfit, has opposed the ban on the SIMI and claimed that the investigations that pointed to the involvement of SIMI operatives in terror cases were “suspicious”.Anjum Inamdar, president of MMM, on Friday approached the tribunal constituted by the central government to ascertain whether there was sufficient cause to extend the ban on SIMI.The tribunal, presided by Delhi High Court Judge Mukta Gupta and comprising Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand, senior lawyer Sachin Datta and others, has already held hearings in Pune on May 3 and 4, and began its hearings in Aurangabad on Friday.Inamdar, who reached the tribunal on Friday afternoon a few minutes after Justice Gupta had adjourned the hearing for the day, told The Indian Express, “I came with my say on a letterhead of my organisation. Justice Gupta told me that I have reached a few minutes late, but she was interested in hearing my side. Justice Gupta told me that I should submit my say on Saturday in the form of an affidavit and not on the letterhead of my organisation. I will do that”.“We oppose the ban on SIMI. I have been an activist for many years and have closely seen many of the suspects arrested in different terror cases and branded as SIMI operatives.I found that the investigation done in these cases by different agencies was suspicious. Injustice was done to persons falsely arrested in terror cases. I want to bring before the tribunal the other side of the story, which I believe to be true,” he said.Inamdar said his affidavit will comprise details pertaining to 2010 German Bakery Blast in Pune and 2014 Faraskhana bomb blast in Pune. He alleged that the investigations in the two terror cases were “suspicious”, and the details he wanted to present before the tribunal were based on information in the recently-published book Brahminists Bombed, Muslims Hanged, authored by former inspector general of Maharashtra Police, S M Mushrif.“I have been asked to submit four copies of the book along with my affidavit,” said Inamdar.Till now, about 50 affidavits have been filed before the tribunal and these include only one from the public, submitted by a former secretary of SIMI from Uttar Pradesh.indian express
Jamaat-e-Islami J&K activists and separatists face prolonged jail, frequent police questioning in aftermath of Pulwama attack
https://www.firstpost.com/india/kailash-satyarthi-says-nathuram-godse-killed-gandhis-body-people-like-pragya-thakur-killing-countrys-soul-6657301.html
Pulwama: The family of 35-year old Bilal Ahmad Lone from Nikkas, Pulwama, has not been able to talk to him for over one-and-half month after he was sent to Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu. A Jamaat-e-Islami J&K activist, Lone was arrested by J&K Police in March following the detention of several members of the separatist organisation on 24 Feby. Jamaat activists were arrested 10 days after a convoy of CRPF was attacked.Last month, Bilal's younger brother met him at the jail, but his wife and other family members couldn’t talk to him as cellphones are not allowed inside the prison.Bilal has been imprisoned under PSA, a law under which a person remains incarcerated without trial through an executive order issued by a Deputy Commissioner (DC). Scores of J&K Jamaat activists along with other separatist leaders, who were arrested after Pulwama attack and released on bail, are being re-arrested under fresh cases and also frequently called to police stations, claim their lawyers and human rights activists.Human rights lawyer, advocate Shafaqat Hussain, said that a number of activists of J&K Jamaat and other separatist organisations have been re-arrested after fresh cases were filed against them despite the fact that courts released them on bail."I have been pleading some 40 cases of J&K Jamaat activists and other separatist activists. We have been challenging their detention. They are being arrested on spurious grounds. The cases are registered against them under UAPA, some sections of which deny bail for many months. There are also those who have been imprisoned under PSA," he said.Bilal’s wife, Adfar Jan, said that she was worried about her husband’s health as doctors had removed his gall bladder to treat him for gallstones few months before his arrest. She informs that her husband was also required to take medicines regularly for a thyroid disorder."I have not been able to speak to him and I don’t know whether he takes medicines. My whole life has turned upside down. I have to take care of 2 children, who miss their father. Our financial condition has worsened after my husband’s arrest," said Adfar at her house. Her face was covered with a headscarf during the interview.firstpost
West Delhi’s Jama Masjid: Security cover for namaz at mosque under repair
https://indianexpress.com/article/delhi/west-delhis-jama-masjid-security-cover-for-namaz-at-mosque-under-repair-5734505/
New Delhi :Every Friday in Basai Darapur, namaz would be held in the open since West Delhi’s Jama Masjid mosque was being reconstructed. This Friday, though, prayers were offered inside the crumbling walls, amid heavy police deployment.The neighbourhood has been tense ever since a 51-year-old man was murdered, allegedly by a man and his three sons, after he objected to them passing lewd comments at his daughter. The victim’s son, who was also stabbed, has been hospitalised. On Thursday, a mahapanchayat for members of the Tyagi community saw tempers flare, as participants called for the ouster of Muslims from the area and their “social boycott”.“We prayed for the victim and his family. We divided the namaz into two shifts as everyone could not be accommodated inside the mosque,” said Mujahid Ali, vice-president of the masjid committee.indianexpress
Malerkotla: Where a mandir and a masjid share more than a nine-inch common wall
https://indianexpress.com/elections/sangrur-malerkotla-temple-mosque-communal-harmony-lok-sabha-elections-2019-5734429/
Malerkotla :The leaves from the bel patra (wood apple) tree in the compound of Aqsa Masjid are plucked to decorate the Shivling at Laxmi Narayan Mandir. The azaan is solemnized only after the chimes of temple bells and hymns of aarti end the next door. The mosque head greets temple priest with ‘Ram, Ram’ daily and the panditji ensures that devotees in the mosque do not face any problem during the holy month of Ramzan. Boxes of sweets and fruits are exchanged on Diwali and Eid. There is something more than a nine-inch thick wall that this temple and mosque — located in Somsons Colony of Malerkotla town in Sangrur — share in common. They call it ‘padosiyon ka pyaar’ (love for neighbours), a bond that “no election or politician” can weaken.“Maamla to kuch Ayodhya wala hi hai, par ye hamari shaanti aur prem bhari Ayodhya hai. Yahaan ki shaanti koi bhang nahi kar sakta. Chunaav aur neta ka kya hai, ye to aate jaate rehte hain, par padosi ke saath to roz rehna hai, roz ek dusrey ki zarurat padti hai (The situation is quite similar to Ayodhya but this here is peaceful Ayodhya filled with love for each other. No one can disturb peace here. Elections and politicians will come and go but you have to live with your neighbours. We need each other),” says the temple priest Chetan Sharma (26).Sitting next to him inside the temple, masjid maulvi Mohammad Hashim (26), agrees. “We do not talk mandir-masjid here. No one can instigate us. We help and greet each other everyday. From a ladder to water, we share everything”.In the Muslim-majority Malerkotla town and Hindu-majority Somsons Colony with — it has some Sikh families but not a single Muslim household — Laxmi Narayan Mandir and Aqsa Masjid stand next to each other, as a testimony to the communal harmony fabric of this town and to the fact that this bond survives incidents like that of sacrilege threatening their peace, every time there are elections.indianexpress
Friday prayers not allowed in Jamia Masjid in Srinagar
http://www.uniindia.com/friday-prayers-not-allowed-in-jamia-masjid-in-srinagar/north/news/1600374.html
Srinagar: Friday prayers were not allowed in the first week of holy month of Ramazan in Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar as all roads leading to the historic mosque were closed as a precautionary measure to prevent any demonstration.Separatists have called for a general strike against civilian and militant killings during Ramazan.A large number of security forces and state police personnel remained deployed outside the Masjid and adjoining areas to stop any movement on the roads.UNI
More non-Muslims going for West Bengal High Madrasah (Class X) studies
https://www.thestatesman.com/bengal/more-non-muslims-going-for-west-bengal-high-madrasah-class-x-studies-1502755990.html
Kolkata :A significant number of non-Muslim students are getting admission to madrasahs of the state, if figures from the West Bengal High Madrasah examination results 2019 are any indication. The results were published on Thursday, and 11.9 per cent of the total candidates appearing in the High Madrasah (Class X) this year were found to be non-Muslims.The West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education (WBBME) published the results of the High Madrasah (Class X), Alim (theology-based education in Class x), and Fazil (Class XII) at 11 am. The examinations commenced on 12 February and got over on 15 March. The results were published within 56 days. This year, the total number of candidates was 65,363 in these three categories.The total number of High Madrasah candidates was 52,469, of which 11.9 per cent are non-Muslims. The number of female candidates was triple that of the male candidates.Sainul Haque, from Murshidabad, bagged the first position in the High Madrasah, with 96.38 per cent. Three girl candidates of Agardanga Madrasah — Arpita Saha, Sathi Modak and Piupiya Saha — shared the second and third ranks in the district.In Alim, total number of candidates that appeared was 8,915 and in Fazil 3,979 candidates in total appeared Pass percentage of Purba Midnapur, Bakita is 100 per cent in Alim and Fazil. Nadia also achieved the distinction in the Fazil exam.Sheikh Wassimuddin from North 24-Pargana stood first in Alim with 93.89 per cent marks, while Sheikh Habibullah from Hooghly district stood first in Fazil with 90 per cent marks.thestatesman
Dhruv Tyagi murder: Muslims in Delhi's Moti Nagar began leaving even before diktat
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2019/may/17/dhruv-tyagi-murder-muslims-in-delhis-moti-nagar-began-leaving-even-before-diktat-1978076.html
NEW DELHI:The houses of Muslim tenants were locked even before the Mahasangh declared a ban on them at Basai Darapur village. “They have all run away. Nobody is here. They haven’t been here for few days. Some fled last night perhaps,” said Alok Tyagi, a 21-year-old local, pointing at the locked houses.A Muslim passerby, who mistakenly took the road where furious members of a group were protesting against the minority community, had a tough time as the protestors pounced on him.The policemen had to intervene to help the victim. “Sir,please save me, sir. They will kill me,” he nervously said to a constable, while fleeing away from the mob. “Just run away!” the men in khaki responded.The policemen sent the passerby away with the help of a stranger, who came ahead on his bike to drop him somewhere away from the crowd.A little away, another Muslim man crossed the road. He didn’t pay attention and just moved to his house. “I have nothing to say. I have to break my fast so I am going home.” On the path connecting the road with the Basai Darapur village, where the murder of Dhruv Tyagi happened, a youngster was attacked by unidentified men. The police quickly intervened before letting the attackers go away.“Thankfully, the police were deployed in that lane. Will the police stay here forever? They were here because there was a possibility of violence after the community meeting. What will happen to us later?” said a Muslim local, who owns a house in the urban village. The Muslim neighbour, whose son rushed Dhruv Tyagi to the hospital, rues the incident which took away his “very good friend” and gave politicians a chance to “exploit” the case. “My son did his job. That’s what he was supposed to do as a family friend, as a human being,” 61-year-old, who requested anonymity, said in a matter of fact way. “Our families have celebrated every festival together. We would visit them on Diwali. They would come to greet us on Eid. Dhruv mere jigri dost the.” He added that even though there were very few Muslim families in the village, there was “never any animosity”. “There are hardly any Muslims here. They can’t be a threat,” he said, adding the Tyagi community were “nice” to outsiders.
UP: Young Muslim punished by ex BJP Mayor after she spots ‘kalava’ on his wrist
https://www.siasat.com/news/young-muslim-punished-ex-bjp-mayor-after-she-spots-kalava-his-wrist-1497572/
Aligarh: In a shocking incident, a Muslim boy was punished for wearing Kalava (sacred Hindu thread) by none other than a former Hindu BJP mayor of Aligarh.The incident is reported from UP’ Aligarh where Shakuntala Bharti on Friday was caught on camera punishing the Muslim boy by making him do sit ups after she caught him wearing Kalava around his wrist, TN reports.She not only punished the boy but also alleged the boy was trying to entice girls in the area.The undeterred boy replied the red thread is from Ajmer Sharif Dargah and not some Kalava.BJP leader further asks him: “Why have you come here? Does your sister stay here?” and asks him to hold his ears. “Will you make the minor girls run away (from their homes?” she goes on.This BJP leader was in news in 2016 when a communal clash had broken out between two communities over an incident of eve-teasing.The incident had prompted 10 Hindu families in the Aligarh district to seek the DM’s permission for selling their properties and leaving the Babri Mandi area.She had previously alleged the Minority community was making hard for the other communities to continue living in the area.
Ex-Aligarh Mayor Shakuntala Bharti targets Muslim boy, says 'Boy trying to entice Hindu girls'
https://www.timesnownews.com/videos/times-now/india/ex-aligarh-mayor-shakuntala-bharti-targets-muslim-boy-says-boy-trying-to-entice-hindu-girls/31887
23 Years After He Saw Wife, Son Been Shot Dead, Kashmir Man Still Begging For Justice
https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/india-news-justice-warms-up-cold-ikhwan-trail/301638
“My heart has turned into stone. I no longer cry,” says Ghulam Qadir Dar as he enters his two-storey house in Saderkoot Bala, a village in north Kashmir. Here, 23 years ago, he had seen the bullet-riddled bodies of his family members. They were allegedly shot dead by around 20 gunmen of the infamous Ikhwan, a Kashmiri counter-insurgency group established by former militants. On May 7, the police arrested one of the accused.The assassins were mostly from Ikhwan-ul-Muslimoon, a faction which broke away from the separatist group Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen, and surrendered. The former sided with the security forces to fight against Hizbul-Mujahideen militants in 1994. They were notorious for loot, plunder and murders of Jamaat-e-Islami J&K workers, which was seen as the political force behind Hizb in the early 1990s.“Bullets pierced my wife Hajira and my son Abdul Salam’s heart. My daughter, Jawharia, was shot in the chest and nephew, Abdul Rashid Dar, had bullets lodged in his abdomen. I stepped out and saw more relatives wounded and lying on the ground,” Dar says as he walks out of the house and points to the spot where he found his dear ones soaked in blood. The gunmen also shot Dar’s neighbour, Saif-ud-Din. They then rushed to the house of Ghulam Rasool Dar, who lived nearby, and killed him too. Both were stone masons.“People asked me to drop charges. My family was killed. How can I give up the case?” says Ghulam Dar.“Ikhwanis had come to kill me, but when my wife told them I was not at home, they became angry and murdered my family,” says Dar. “This happened because we voted the National Conference. When NC’s Akbar Lone stood against Ikhwan commander Mohammad Yousuf Parray alias Kuka Parray in the 1996 assembly elections, we supported Lone in spite of the threat from Ikhwan. Parray won. The day of the results, those who voted for NC were massacred. That was Ikhwan’s way of celebrating their victory.”
‘Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi, but Pragya killed his soul’, says Kailash Satyarthi
https://indianexpress.com/elections/nobel-laureate-kailash-satyarthi-criticises-pragya-for-godse-comment-says-bjp-should-expel-her-5734796/?pfrom=HP
Speaking about Pragya Thakur’s remarks on Mahatma Gandhi’s assasin Nathuram Godse, Nobel peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi criticised BJP’s Bhopal candidate and other BJP leaders for calling Godse a patriot. He said people like Pragya Thakur are killing the ‘soul of India’ and called on BJP to immediately expel them.On Thursday, Pragya Thakur called Godse a true desh bhakt (patriot) kicking up a massive controversy.In a tweet in Hindi, Satyarthi said: “Godse murdered Gandhi but people like Pragya are killing his soul, killing non-violence, peace, tolerance and the very soul of India. Gandhi is above power and politics. The BJP leadership should let go off its desire for small benefits and immediately remove them from the party.”New Delhi
Muslim votes shifted to Congress in Delhi at last moment: Kejriwal
https://indianexpress.com/elections/muslim-votes-shifted-to-cong-in-delhi-at-last-moment-says-kejriwal-5734465/
Chandigarh :Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has said that the Muslim vote “shifted” to the Congress at the last minute during the Lok Sabha polls in the capital.Asked how many seats he would get in the capital, where seven constituencies voted on May 12, Kejriwal said: “Let us see what happens. Actually, chunaav ke 48 ghante pehle tak saaton seat lag raha tha Aam Aadmi Party ko aayengi. Last moment pe complete Muslim vote got shifted to Congress. Last night, the night before election. We are trying to figure out ki hua kya hai. Poora ka poora Muslim vote jo hai woh Congress ko shift ho gaya. They are 12-13 per cent. (Until 48 hours before polling, it seemed like all seven seats will come to AAP. But at the last moment, the complete Muslim vote got shifted to Congress. We are trying to figure out what happened).”He was campaigning in Punjab’s Rajpura. AAP is contesting all 13 seats in the state, which votes on May 19.With Assembly election in Delhi scheduled for early next year, Kejriwal expressed optimism about his party’s prospects. “Delhi mein kaam bolta hai (Work speaks in Delhi). People will vote for us on the basis of work we have done,” he said. Asked if the party will field the same faces, he said: “Let us see. We will assess everyone’s performance.”indianexpress
Aseemanand, Acquitted in Samjhauta Blast Case Says Muslims 'Big Problem' for India
https://www.news18.com/news/india/swami-aseemanand-acquitted-in-samjhauta-blast-case-says-muslims-big-problem-for-india-2145359.html
New Delhi: Swami Aseemanand, the monk who was accused and now acquited in the Ajmer dargah, Mecca Masjid and the Samjhauta Express terrorist bombings, has called Muslims a "big problem" not only for the country but for the entire country. "The way the Muslim population is rising and taking control of the world, the way they believe that those who don't believe in the Quran must not live, it has become a big problem for India and the world," Swami told Mumbai Tak in an interview."Although the Muslim problem persisted in society, I had never thought of taking action and wiping them out," he said. News18
Muslims in dilemma over choosing between SP-BSP alliance and Congress
https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/muslims-in-dilemma-over-choosing-between-sp-bsp-alliance-and-congress-119051700837_1.html
Gorakhpur:Many Muslims in eastern UP may not want to vote for the BJP but they face a dilemma over choosing between the SP-BSP alliance and the Congress.Though some members of the community speak in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development carried out in Gorakhpur, CM Yogi Adityanath's bastion, they harbour a sense of insecurity.Mufti Mohammed Waliullah, who leads prayers at Gorakhpur's biggest mosque, said the Muslims are not "unanimous" over their choice of parties."Less literate Muslims will vote for the 'mahagathbandhan' (opposition alliance) and the educated will vote as per their understanding," he said.Waliullah expressed anguish over BJP questioning the nationalism of Muslims, reminding that the community is indigenous to India."Only a few Muslim clerics visited India and people who lived in the country adopted Islam. India is our country," he said.Muslims account for about 10 per cent of population in Gorakhpur, which will go to the polls on May 19, along which other 12 Lok Sabha seats in the state.PTI
West Bengal: Prominent Muslim cleric who slammed TMC's Nusrat Jahan's temple run, attacked
https://www.timesnownews.com/elections/article/west-begnal-prominent-muslim-cleric-who-slammed-tmcs-nusrat-jahans-temple-run-attacked/420840
Kolkata: Maulana Sharif Pirzada Mohammed Khobayeb Amin from West Bengal's Basirhat, a very influential cleric in the region was allegedly attacked by TMC men on May 15. He suspects TMC to be behind the attack as he had revolted against Mamata Banerjee and her candidate from Basirhat constituency –Nushrat Jahan. Jahan, TMC candidate from Basirhat, had offered prayers and paid obeisance at different temples during election campaign. Pirzada questioned the move of Nusrat, a Muslim, offering prayers at a temple. He said that there is a difference between visiting a temple and offering prayers there. “Why does a Muslim candidate need to offer prayer in a temple to prove a secular image? Under threat from BJP did Mamata make Nushrat Jahan act in a temple?” he asked. The cleric dubbed it “Nushrat's hypocrisy for political gains”. He asked if Nushrat was "acting inside those temples to fool Hindus". Times Now
WORLD
US warns airliners flying over Gulf of 'misidentification'
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/warns-carriers-flying-arabian-gulf-misidentification-190518065807097.html
US diplomats warned commercial airliners flying over the wider Gulf of the risk of being "misidentified" amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.The warning relayed by US diplomatic posts from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) underlined the risks the current tensions pose to a region crucial to global air travel.It also came as Lloyd's of London warned of increasing risks to maritime shipping in the region.Concerns about a possible conflict have flared since the White House ordered warships and bombers to the region to counter an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran that has seen the US order nonessential diplomatic staff out of Iraq.US President Donald Trump has since sought to soften his tone.Meanwhile, authorities allege that a sabotage operation targeted four oil tankers off the coast of UAE, and Iran-aligned rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a crucial Saudi oil pipeline.
Syria bombings: UN says 'worst fears are coming true' in Idlib
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/syria-bombings-worst-fears-coming-true-idlib-190517175629815.html
The United Nations has warned of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Syria's northwest province of Idlib, as Western powers challenged Syria and its ally Russia to provide assurances that attacks on hospitals and schools would stop.Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Friday, UN humanitarian affairs coordinator Mark Lowcock said there had been concern about the escalating situation in Idlib for months. "Last September, he (UN secretary-general) stressed that it was absolutely essential to avoid a full-scale battle in Idlib, and he warned that would unleash a humanitarian nightmare unlike any we have seen in Syria," said Lowcock."When I briefed you here on September 18, I said a full-scale military onslaught could result in the worst humanitarian tragedy of the 21st century. Despite our warnings, our worst fears are now coming true."aljazeera
Syria says missiles fired from Israeli-held territory at Damascus
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/syria-missiles-fired-israeli-held-territory-damascus-190518054128961.html
Syrian air defences have targeted projectiles coming from "occupied territory", a reference to Israel and the Palestinian territories, and brought some of them down, Syrian state television reported.Loud blasts echoed across Damascus late on Friday, residents said, shortly before the television news bulletin that reported the incident.SANA, Syria's state news agency, quoted a Syrian military source who said that the air defence system was activated against missiles fired at western Damascus from the direction of Quneitra, in the occupied Golan Heights.The state television channel also showed footage of the night sky with a point of light firing up into it and the sound of shooting, and reported that air defences had brought down some objects. It did not immediately report casualties or material damage.aljazeera
Sri Lanka Muslims pray at vandalised mosques
https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/sri-lanka-muslims-pray-at-vandalised-mosques-119051700688_1.html
Colombo :Sri Lanka's minority Muslims attended Friday prayers as heavily armed troops and police guarded all mosques, including those badly vandalised in riots in the wake of the Easter attacks. Police said security would remain tight over the weekend for a major Buddhist festival as well as the 10th anniversary of the ending of the country's decades-long Tamil separatist war.Clerics said some of the damaged mosques cleared out glass shards and other debris and conducted services with attendance at a high level."We had about 450 to 500 people," MIM Siddeeque, the trustee of the riot-hit Kinyama mosque in the worst affected North-Western Province told AFP."There were 6 soldiers outside the mosques and many more police at the top of the road." Siddeeque said his mosque was cleared of the debris, but windows, furniture and the public address system were yet to be replaced.In the town of Minuwangoda, the faithful packed the first floor of the two-storeyed Hujjaj mosque to pray even though repairs were yet to begin. Local residents said Buddhists and Catholic priests were also present as a sign of solidarity with Muslims community.Police said there were no major incidents although sporadic clashes were reported from a handful of places.AFP
UAE pardons ex-Muslim Brotherhood leader Al-Suwaidi
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190517-uae-pardons-ex-muslim-brotherhood-leader-al-suwaidi/
UAE President Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has pardoned former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood Abdulrahman Bin Subaih Al-Suwaidi who was convicted in the “secret organisation” case.Emarat Al Youm reported that “the decision came after Al-Suwaidi discovered that the group had planned to destabilise the UAE’s security and so he decided to revoke his allegiance to it and return to his homeland.”Al-Suwaidi was arrested by authorities in Indonesia in 2015, despite his request for political asylum after leaving the UAE.According to human rights reports, following his deportation Al-Suwaidi was severely tortured and remained forcibly disappeared for more than 100 days before appearing in the Federal Court in 2016.The Federal Court later sentenced him to 15 years in prison for signing a document calling for political reform.In mid-2017, Al-Suwaidi appeared on an official UAE channel to confess and claiming that Qatar had offered passports and funds to the group’s leaders.However, activists questioned Al-Suwaidi’s confessions, saying they were made under threat.middleeastmonitor
5 children killed in roadside blast in western Afghanistan
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/children-killed-roadside-blast-western-afghanistan-190518084342224.html
Five children were killed when an explosive device attached to a motorbike went off in a market in Afghanistan's western province, an official said.Another 20 people were wounded in the incident on Saturday, which took place in Herat province's Oba district, according to provincial governor spokesman Jelani Farhad.The target of the bombing is yet to be determined, but a remotely-controlled bomb went off when the district chief's vehicle was passing by the area's main market, according to Farhad.aljazeera
Flash: views & NEWS
Muslim man disguised as BJP worker caught stone-pelting in Vidyasagar College? No, video from Jharkhand viral
https://www.altnews.in/muslim-man-disguised-as-bjp-worker-caught-stone-pelting-in-vidyasagar-college-no-video-from-jharkhand-viral/
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 4:24 PM)
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