MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA REJECTS ‘MUSLIM BAN’
Senator Fraser Anning’s remarks, during his maiden speech in the Australian Parliament on August 14, in which he called for the restoration of “White Australia policy” and “Muslim ban” on immigration has been overwhelmingly rejected by Australians including politicians of all major political parties and various sections of the civil society. His use of the word “final solution” against Muslims, used by Nazis calling for the genocide of Jews in Europe, has shocked people and has attracted worldwide condemnation.
Senator Anning’s claim that the “vast majority” of Australians want Muslim immigration cut is factually incorrect.
According to a regular, large-scale survey of attitudes to migration run by Monash University, about 80% of Australians support a non-discriminatory immigration programme. In 2017, just 15.8%of respondents said it should be possible to reject migrants based on their race or ethnicity. Although the survey found negative sentiment toward Muslims was “relatively high”, the figure did not exceed 25%.
NIGERIA’S BAYERO UNIVERSITY GRADUATES 200 QURAN MEMORIZERS
Two hundred Qur’an memorisers have graduated in a ceremony at the Centre for Qur’anic Studies of Bayero University Kano (BUK) in Nigeria on Saturday, after completing the memorisation of the entire holy Qur’an. “With the certificate given to them, they can teach the Qur’an even in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries or nations,” Dr. Muhammad Babangida, the director of the center said at the ceremony, Vanguard was quoted by Nollywood Times.
Babangida added that the graduates have also received training on how to operate a computer as well as on basic Arithmetic and English language. Commending the graduates, Prof. Muhammad Bello, the VC of the university, urged state governments in the country to employ the graduates in public schools to increase the number of Qur’an memorizers in their respective states. He also called on local councils in Kano state to sponsor students to further their studies to promote Qur’an memorisation in the state.
IGBO MUSLIMS SPREAD ISLAM IN SOUTHEAST NIGERIA
Igbo Muslims in Nigeria’s mainly Christian southeast region want to spread Islam in their areas, thus requesting for Islamic schools and mosques to help them practice their faith. The announcement was made by the chairman of the Ebonyi State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abas Egwu, who said that Igbo Muslims are working hard to spread Islam and da`wahin the southeast, NAIGA.ng reported. This came during his meeting with the National Organizing Secretary of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADS), Alhaji Ibrahim Kilani, who was visiting ADS members in Abakaliki state.
Egwu stressed the importance of the rule of the public to help spread Islam and faith with the help of Arabic and Islamic schools. Constructing new mosques would also make it easier as well for Muslims to practice Islam. Egwu commended what he called the fairness and impartiality of the state government towards Islam and Muslims, describing Ebonyi as the only state in eastern Nigeria which has a Muslim pilgrims’ board that is independent of the Christian board.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT FORUM SLAMS US TARIFFS ON TURKEY
A group of European deputies following issues in Turkey has criticised the U.S. decision to impose additional tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminium. “An economic destabilisation of Turkey is in no one’s interest,” said a statement Tuesday by the European Parliament Turkey Forum, a cross-party MEP group founded to closely monitor Turkey’s European Union accession negotiations.
The forum added that it sees the U.S. sanctions as “illegitimate” and against World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. It also highlighted the importance of solving problems through constructive diplomatic engagement between two NATO allies. Last Friday President Donald Trump ramped up an attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminium and steel imports.
TURKISH FIRMS JOIN DRIVE TO STOP ADS WITH US OUTLETS
Amid a Turkish-U.S. row, top Turkish firms are joining in a campaign to stop placing ads on U.S.-based online platforms. Under the campaign, Turkish firms’ ads are being pulled from U.S. platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram. Leading telecommunications service provider Turk Telekom and the country’s flag carrier Turkish Airlines have both announced they also joining the campaign, which has spread on social media.
Hamdi Ates, Turk Telekom’s corporate communication head, said the company has told ad agencies not to include its ads in U.S. outlets. “The Turk Telekom family is joining the #NoAdsinUS campaign, standing on the side of our state and our people. We have told our agencies,” he said on Twitter, using the Turkish hashtag #ABDyeReklamVerme. Yahya Ustun, Turkish Airlines’ senior vice president for media relations, also stated that the carrier is joining the campaign.
TURKEY TO BOYCOTT US’S ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on August 14 announced Turkey will boycott American electronic products. The announcement came in his address to a symposium organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) on the 17th foundation anniversary of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party. “We will boycott America’s electronic products,” Erdogan said mentioning that Turkey would produce the better of every product bought with foreign currencies and export them.
“If (the United States) have the iPhone, there’s Samsung on the other side,” he said, referring to US giant Apple’s iconic phone and the top South Korean brand. “We (also) have our Venus and Vestel,” he said, referring to homegrown Turkish electronics brands. “They do not refrain from using economy as a weapon against us [Turkey], as they [also] tried in the areas of diplomacy, military, or efforts for social and political instability,” he added.
PALESTINIAN AIDE CALLS FOR BOYCOTT OF ISRAELI PRODUCTS
A top Palestinian official has called for Muslim countries to boycott products from the United States and Israel in the wake of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit held in Istanbul on August 15. Mahmoud Sidqi al-Habbash, a senior adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, spoke to Anadolu Agency after the OIC extraordinary summit, which saw the bloc recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. “I believe it is a duty for Muslims to boycott Israeli products,” Habbash said. “Until Israel accepts and acts accordingly with international law, we call [on Muslims] to boycott Israeli products,” he said.
In regards to the extraordinary summit, Habbash said it displayed Muslim countries’ “seriousness” against the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and to move its embassy to the holy city. “We are serious. We will not tolerate when it comes to issues regarding to our holy sites,” he said, warning: “We can take some painful steps against their [U.S. and Israel] interests in the region and the world.”
IMAM WHO SHELTERED 300 CHRISTIANS HONOURED
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has invited 83-year-old brave Muslim imam for a handshake and a national honour to commend his role in sheltering and protecting Christians during attacks on June 23 in Nghar Yelwa village, central Nigeria. The decision was taken after reports revealed how imam Abdullahi Abubakar saved about 300 persons when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded about 15 communities in Barkin Ladi LGA, killing scores, The Punch newspaper reported. “I hid the women in my personal house and after that, I took the men into the mosque and hid them there,” Imam Abubakar said.
Buhari instructed Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State to find the Imam.
Governor Lalong revealed the President’s plan for Imam Abubakar in Jos on Monday during the opening ceremony of a three-day peace and security conference with the theme, “The resurgence of violence in Plateau State: Towards a multi-stakeholder partnership for peace and security.” “The President has told me to bring to him Imam Abdullahi Abubakar for a handshake, which will be followed by a national honor,” Lalong said.