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SHAFAQNA – In an interview conducted in the sidelines of Yemen conference this August 20-21, 2016 Andrew Smith slammed  the UK govement for providing the Saudi regime with military equipment, training, and intelligence against Yemen. “The UK has been absolutely central to bombing of Yemen. It has provided training, weaponry and uncritical political support to Saudi regime. It supported this war on Yemen in every possible way – it has even stood by as Saudi Arabia organized a humanitarian blockade. That humanitarian catastrophe has been supported and fuelled with British weapons and political support. Since the bombing began the UK has sold £3.3 billion worth of weapons to the kingdom. This includes £2 billion worth of fighter jets which are being flown over Yemen right now.  About a billion pounds worth of Paveway IV bombs which are made in the UK and have been linked to destruction of civilian targets, specifically two factories, is going to be a good evident. We have n,head of media,head of media job description,head of media salary,head of media jobs,head of media and communications,head of media relations salary,head of media macmillan,head of media relations fa,head of media and public affairs ngv,head of media asthma uk ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA – Organized by Stop The War, Sheba for Democracy and Human Rights and several other prominent NGOs, Yemen Inteational Conference in Support of the People of Yemen kicked off this Saturday (August 20, 2015) at the Pullman Hotel in central London. Over the span of two days – Saturday and Sunday – panellists will expose the extent of Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations against Yemen, as well as denounce world powers’ pandemic silent. In exclusive comments to Shafaqna Dr Riaz Karim, Director of the Mona Relief Organization, noted: “Yemen remains the forgotten conflict of your generation, an open wound onto the world community since we have allowed for grand criminals of war to abuse an entire people in the name of imperialism, and sectarianism.” A speaker at the conference Dr Riaz Karim delivered the audience a powerful video presentation, which Catherine Shakdam, ...ادامه مطلب

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SHAFAQNA- Nearly 7,000 Islamophobic tweets were posted in English every day last month in response to terrorist attacks and the failed coup attempt in Turkey, research has found. The Centre for the Analysis for Social Media at London-based think-tank Demos said there were “significant spikes in the use of anti-Islamic language on Twitter in the immediate aftermath of news events, particularly terrorist attacks”. In a report published on Thursday, Demos said nearly a quarter of a million English-language tweets were sent from around the world in July, an average of 6,943 per day. “This is the highest monthly average since measurements began at the end of February,” the report said. “However, the rate of anti-Islamic activity on Twitter significantly changed over the month. Twitter is, in general, a real-time, reactive and event-specific platform, and most of the anti-Islamic a,uk think tanks,uk think tank jobs,uk think tanks list,uk think tank internships,uk think tank demos,uk think tanks international relations ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA- Nearly 7,000 Islamophobic tweets were posted in English every day last month in response to terrorist attacks and the failed coup attempt in Turkey, research has found. The Centre for the Analysis for Social Media at London-based think-tank Demos said there were “significant spikes in the use of anti-Islamic language on Twitter in the immediate aftermath of news events, particularly terrorist attacks”. In a report published on Thursday, Demos said nearly a quarter of a million English-language tweets were sent from around the world in July, an average of 6,943 per day. “This is the highest monthly average since measurements began at the end of February,” the report said. “However, the rate of anti-Islamic activity on Twitter significantly changed over the month. Twitter is, in general, a real-time, reactive and event-specific platform, and most of the anti-Islamic a,uk think tanks,uk think tank jobs,uk think tanks list,uk think tank internships,uk think tank demos,uk think tanks international relations ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA- Now days in the mode societies as well as the Islamic countries the weste cultural influence is spreading like an illness amongst the Muslim youth. Due to this problem, we see some of the young Muslim girls and boys, knowingly or unknowingly, want to have pre-marital relationships which is strictly Haram (forbidden) in Islam. In this article we are going to have a look at some of the verses of the holy Quran which forbid such a relation between the young generations. Before mentioning the verses of the holy Quran, it must be noticed that Islam does not forbid any sort of good and respectful relationship between the people, rather, Islam commands Muslims to have good relations with all people including males, females, young or old in the universities, schools, workplaces neighborhood etc. According to the Islamic teachings Muslims must be kind and courteous to everyone, bu, ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA – Sickening racist abuse regularly posted by warped trolls on Facebook — worsened since the Brexit vote — depicts ethnic minorities as “scum”, “rapists” and “terrorists” and orders them to leave the UK, Daily Star Online has found.The UK voted to leave the EU in June.But last year net migration to the UK rose to around 333,000 — the second-highest figure ever.Since the vote migrants and specific religious groups — notably Muslims — have suffered shocking abuse online.And social media has represented these minorities as threats to national security and criminals for years, it has emerged.It comes days after a nationwide #BlackAugust campaign raising awareness of racism blocked roads, including access to Heathrow Airport.Sick trolls and far right groups — including the English Defence League and Britain First — disseminate online hate and hostility, particularly after major global terror attacks like Brussels 2016. The investigation found hundreds of instances of anti-Muslim hate alone on Facebook, calling Muslims “terrorists”, “rapists”, claiming Muslim women are national security threats, ordering Muslims to be deported and posts referring to a “war” between Muslims and “us”. The offenders included far right groups, such as the English Brotherhood, but also twisted fantasists determined to spread hate. Shockingly, even councillors’ posts were found to be slurs. Cllr Tim Paul Hicks, who represents UKIP on Shepshed Town Council in Leicestershire, is under investigation after allegedly making a series of anti-Muslim Facebook posts. He is accused of putting up a spate of racist images between July 10 and July 20 before the account was taken down five days later. One chilling picture allegedly showed a grenade with the caption: “Hotline to Allah. Pull pin, hold to ear, then wait for dial code.” Accompanying the picture was a message saying: “ISIS HQ want to chat to you about Suicide Bomber Training School. Apparently, you missed a lesson.” Another post showed ti, ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA – Trowbridge Mosque a town in England opened its doors to the public over the weekend in hope of increasing understanding of Islam and to address any misconceptions about the religion. The monthly meeting, which started late last year, has seen a steady number of residents make their way through the doors of the mosque in Longfield Road with many asking questions about how the religion is often seen linked to recent terror attacks. Farzana Saker, a volunteer and member of the mosque said she hopes that more people visit so that misunderstandings regarding Islam and Muslims can be put right. “The aim of the open day is to provide an opportunity for people to ask questions about the mosque and our religion especially under the current circumstances because there are so many misconceptions of Muslims,” she added. “The day was the chance for us to improve understanding and remove stereotypes and the image which a lot of people have. “When the mosque opens, it is for all communities to meet and understand one another but also work together. “As well as welcoming people in, it is equally important that we go out into other places of worship and understand other religions and cultures too.” Throughout the day, the mosque was visited by residents, community groups and councillors who heard from Kamel Jeddi who gave a short talk about how national media reports often fail to report Muslim’s condemnation of terror attacks. He also highlighted how within the religion, Muslims are guided and must observe rule of law of the country they are living in. Mrs Saker added: “I think it will take a little more time before we have people who have some challenging questions to ask but the more we get out in the community the better. “One thing we would like to see is more neighbours to the mosque coming in. Those living in the Longfield area are next to us and it would be nice to see them come in and ask us questions. “People see the misconceptions in the media and they are not, ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA – UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is being urged to publicly reject Saudi Arabian “propaganda” claims conceing three young men on death row, amid fears the protestors are set to be executed in the country – despite being convicted as juveniles. Following recent activity and comments on influential Saudi Arabian Twitter profiles, human rights groups are growing increasingly conceed over the future of Ali al-Nimr, who was sentenced to death for his role in anti-govement protests in 2012 — while he was just 17 years old. Recent comments have suggested Ali al-Nimr could be facing imminent execution, while two other men, Dawoud al Marhoon and Abdullah al Zaher — who were 17 and 15 at the time of their arrest — have also been sentenced to death by Saudi officials. Disagreement Over Juvenile Status While Saudi Arabian law states that juveniles cannot be executed, the UK Foreign Office’s (FCO) latest Human Rights Priority Country assessment for the Gulf kingdom states that “all three were convicted of crimes committed when they were juveniles, although under Saudi law they are considered to have been adult at the time”. However, human rights group Reprieve has rejected this claim, stating that although there is limited scope for juveniles to be treated as adults in Saudi Arabia, such a provision does not apply to the cases involving Ali, Dawoud or Abdullah. The group has called on the FCO to correct what it believes is an inaccurate claim, saying Britain “runs the risk of helping to legitimize the Saudis authorities’ use of the death penalty against children.” “The British Govement should not be accepting the Saudis’ excuses for their appalling plans to behead people sentenced to death as children,” Maya Foa, director of Reprieve’s death penalty team said. “The govement must stop hiding behind the fiction that Abdullah, Ali and Dawoud are considered adults under Saudi law. The reality is that the Saudis are breaking both their own laws and inteational law in th, ...ادامه مطلب

In this photo taken Nov. 21, 2014, Sheik Isa Qassim, Bahrain's top Shiite Muslim cleric, speaks during midday prayers Friday, in the village of Diraz, Bahrain. Bahrain’s leading Shiite opposition group says security forces have raided the home of the country’s most prominent Shiite cleric. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali) Shafaqna – UK Sunni and Shia leaders issued a joint statement on targeting of Ayatullah Shaykh Isa al-Qasim and denounced the revocation of the citizenship of opponents and curtailing of religious freedoms as repressive and authoritarian, which will exacerbate sectarian tensions. According to Shafaqna the statement reads: starting today, the high criminal court in the Kingdom of Bahrain will hold its first session over charges brought against Shaykh Isa al-Qasim. The Bahraini Public Prosecution alleges that Shaykh al-Qasim conducted illegal religious rituals, collected funds without seeking the required authorisation and of supporting terrorism Many in and outside Bahrain know Shaykh al-Qasim as a senior religious figure who goes to great lengths to challenge sectarianism, promote social cohesion and representative democracy, and to bring closer civil society movements and the religious clergy. The case of Shaykh al-Qasim is far from being an isolated incident. In the past religious opponents of the Bahraini regime have been targeted systematically, some losing their citizenship The revocation of the citizenship of opponents and curtailing of religious freedoms is repressive and authoritarian, and will exacerbate sectarian tensions. It is precisely at times like this that we, representatives of the Sunni and Shi’a religious communities in the UK, call on the Bahraini govement to foster trust and tolerance among its citizens, and to permit religious and political groups the right of legitimate dissent, rather than engage in exclusivist, sectarian, and divisive actions We pray for the national unity of Bahrain and call upon all Muslims and other faith leaders, ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA – Could it be that France has just blown the whistle on Salafism, and finally anchored its counter-terrorism narrative against not Islam, but the devolution which has worked to hijack its Scriptures and redact its principles? France it seems has woken up from its political stupor – and not a moment too late. Faced with the abomination it allowed in – radicalism – the French govement had no other choice but to reassess its counter-terror position. Bearing in mind that France has rubbed shoulders with those powers which from the shadows continue to wield Terror as an asymmetrical weapon of colonialism, the French Republic is likely set for a grand political re-alignment. At this point in the story we ought to have realized that Terror in itself is not the end-game, rather the expression of a grander political will, which is covertly vying for world domination. However insane – and let’s just say doomed to fail – this pursuit maybe, it nevertheless remains a reality that world nations have failed to adequately grasp. So far we have operated under the premise that Terror is inherently Islamic, and that in some ways all Muslims are bound to fall under radicalism’s spell – the enemies of civilization and all things fair and true. Only, Muslims have been the number one victims of radicalism. Worse still, Muslims have been caught between rising intolerance against their religious denomination and the violence of radicals whose bigotry has called for the annihilation of all they see as apostasy to their dogma. If only ever so slowly France is beginning to come to terms with such a concept – that far from being the problem, Muslims could hold the solution to radicalism, and that the real enemy the world is de facto at war with has been offered a seat at the world table. For once … and I need to add “á mon corps defendant”, I happen to agree with both French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, and Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Front, when they call for the state , ...ادامه مطلب

British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses a news conference following talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany July 20, 2016. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke SHAFAQNA – Since entering Downing Street as Britain’s new prime minister last week, Theresa May has quickly dispelled hopes that the UK might change its mind about leaving the European Union. “Brexit means Brexit,” she said in her inaugural speech. She added later that Britain will take the time it needs to invoke the now notorious Article 50 of Europe’s de facto constitution goveing a member’s divorce from the EU. Both May and her new minister for Brexit have said Article 50 would not be triggered before the end of the year. Yet once May gets the United Kingdom onto the Brexit runway, can she tu back the plane? That is the question many UK and continental European legal minds are now pondering. One London firm of human rights lawyers has formally asked the govement’s legal department to clarify whether a country can invoke Article 50 and begin the process of EU divorce — but then revoke it down the line. May’s govement is also looking into the issue, as ministers study their position regarding the timing and aftermath of invoking Article 50, according to a person close to the govement. Article 50 of the European Union’s 2009 Lisbon Treaty, which was drafted by a former British ambassador to the EU, has never been used, providing no legal precedent for how it works. Yet how May navigates the 256-word provision is ultimately a political decision, govement officials say, that will define her premiership and the future of Britain’s ties with the rest of Europe. If Article 50 can be revoked after it is invoked, then May’s calculations of when and how to start Britain’s EU divorce could be radically different from the widely assumed “irrevocable trigger” of Article 50, according to lawyers and govement sources. Charles Streeten, a British barrister who has examined the legal argu, ...ادامه مطلب

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SHAFAQNA – A British parliamentary committee says Saudi Arabia and other Arab states must prevent their rich ruling families from funding the Daesh terrorist group. In a report on the state of Daesh finances, lawmakers from the Foreign Affairs Select Committee say the terror organization is enjoying financial support from wealthy Arab families. The report also says Daesh funding has dwindled because of the collapse in oil prices as well as airstrikes targeting its financial sources. The group is therefore resorting to “gangsterism and protection rackets” to fund its operations The committee further urges Riyadh to enforce laws the interior ministry passed last year to make it illegal for Saudi residents to provide financial support for Daesh. Citing Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood, the report says it was hard to know how the royal families operated in some of the Persian Gulf states. “It is very opaque. When somebody who is close to the top of a royal family is a very rich individual donor … that is very likely to happen,” Ellwood was quoted as saying. Dan Chugg, a senior Foreign Office official, told the committee inquiry, “It is difficult with some of these countries to know exactly what is govement funding and what is not when you are dealing with royal families, wealthy princes and those kinds of things.” Riyadh is widely viewed as one of the major regional supporters of Daesh. Takfirism, the terrorist group’s trademark, is influenced by Wahhabism, the radical ideology dominating Saudi Arabia and freely preached by Saudi clerics. According to US govement cables leaked by WikiLeaks, “Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide.” “It has been an ongoing challenge to persuade Saudi officials to treat terrorist financing emanating from Saudi Arabia as a strategic priority,” reads a leaked 2009 cable, written by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Persian Gulf Arab families deny they have , ...ادامه مطلب

SHAFAQNA – A Conservative MP with pro-Israel views is inciting hate against a rally in support of Palestinians due to take place this weekend. Matthew Offord, who is a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel, has written to the Metropolitan Police to say that “the display of Hezbollah, Hamas and Daesh flags” at the annual Al-Quds demonstration “causes great distress to many of my constituents and the population as a whole and, in my opinion, is contrary to the Terrorism Act.” His statement, which is deliberately deceitful and libellous, has been widely reported in the Jewish media. IHRC sees it as an attempt to delegitimise the Al-Quds Day rally by drawing a fictitious link between the terrorists of Daesh and the Palestinian freedom struggle. Daesh flags have never been flown at the annual rally. Offord’s statements form part of a wider hate campaign against the rally by a coalition of Zionist groups. The coalition has described slogans and calls for the dismantling of the apartheid state of Israel as “hatred against the Jewish people”. It has also demonised those taking part as extremists and called a counter-demonstration that has the capacity to disrupt the Al-Quds rally and promote violence. Organisers are also drawing a link between the Palestinian rally and the recent massacre of revellers in an Orlando nightclub in the USA. IHRC wrote to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police seeking to confirm their arrangements for policing the event in the shadow of the obvious threat from Zionist hatemongers. Although he replied on 22 June promising a swift response IHRC is still waiting for it. There is genuine conce that Zionist extremists will seek to disrupt the pro-Palestinian march. A promotional YouTube video posted by the Zionists is highly dramatic and antagonistic, and the Facebook page appears to be a ‘call to arms’. Previous Al-Quds Day rallies where there have been counter-demonstrations have been subjected to violence including from the Zionist se, ...ادامه مطلب