The controversial CAA came into effect before the Lok Sabha polls were announced in India



International Desk, Barta24.com
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In India, the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was implemented before the Lok Sabha polls were announced. Opposition leaders have criticized the implementation of the 'anti-Muslim' Citizenship Amendment Act.

Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based media outlet, reported this information on Monday (March 11).

According to reports, the President also approved the CAA Bill in 2019 after it was passed by both houses of Parliament. However, no notification has been issued regarding the implementation of CAA in the last four years. The central government of the country officially announced the launch of the CAA through a notification on Monday (March 11).

Although it became a law, the sections and sub-sections of the CAA have not been added for almost four and a half years. As a result, this law has not been implemented in practice. As per the rules, certain clauses and sub-sections of the Act have to be added within six months of the President signing it. Otherwise special permission has to be sought from specific committees of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. In this case, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had been requesting to extend the deadline for implementing the law from 2020. The BJP government faced criticism from opposition parties for this delay.

After coming to power for the second time, the Modi government passed the CAA on December 11, 2019. According to the law, if religious minorities from Muslim countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan seek asylum in that country due to religious persecution, then India will grant it. The then President of the country, Ram Nath Kovind, also approved the CAA bill after it was passed by both houses of Parliament. But for so long no notification has been issued regarding the implementation of CAA.

However, the Trinamool leadership has always been claiming in relation to CAA that citizens, who vote, have Aadhaar card, voter card, are the citizens of this country. So there is no need to give them a new citizenship. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the CAA as 'What's up'. She termed it as an 'attempt to cover up refugees'.

Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who fled to Hindu-majority India before 2014 from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan will be eligible for citizenship, the government announced.

Several human rights groups have termed the law as 'anti-Muslim' as it excludes the Muslim community from citizenship. It has also raised questions about the secular character of the world's largest democracy.

But Muslim groups say the CAA, combined with the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), could discriminate against India's 20 crore Muslims. Muslims fear that the government may revoke the citizenship of Muslims without documents in some border states.

But the Modi government has denied the allegation, saying it is not anti-Muslim. Also, the law is said to be necessary to help minorities facing persecution in Muslim-majority countries.

   

Russia is using banned chemical weapons in Ukraine: US



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Dhaka: US accuses Russia of using 'Chloropicrin', a banned chemical used in World War I, in Ukraine.

On Thursday (May 2), the British media BBC reported that US State Department officials said that the attack on Ukraine with this weapon is not an "isolated" incident. Russia often uses it.

However, the Kremlin rejected the allegations, saying the US allegations were baseless. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that Russia maintains its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

According to the CWC, the use of ‘chloropicrin’ in any war is strictly prohibited. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the use of this chemical in oil can cause inflammation of the lungs, eyes and skin of people. It can also cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea.

According to the US, Russia has used chloropicrin to force Ukrainian troops to retreat from fortified positions.

US President Joe Biden had earlier warned Russia about the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. He warned in March 2022, weeks after the attack on Ukraine, that if Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized the use of chemical weapons, he would pay a "heavy price".

However, Moscow has been repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons in Ukraine. Mallory Stewart, US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control has accused Russia of using riot control chemicals. Ukrainian soldiers have also reported being subjected to chemical attacks in recent months.

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Turkey stopped trade with Israel over the Gaza issue



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Turkey has stopped all trade with the illegal occupier Israel due to the Gaza war.

The British media BBC reported on Thursday (May 2) about the Turkish Ministry of Commerce.

The trade embargo will remain in effect until Israel allows uninterrupted and adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Turkish trade ministry said.

According to the BBC, the trade between Israel and Turkey is about 7 billion US dollars in 2023.

Israel's foreign minister accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of treating him like a dictator in announcing the trade freeze.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on social media that Erdogan is violating international trade agreements by ignoring the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen.

Israel's foreign minister has instructed government agencies to import goods from other countries and produce goods locally as an alternative to Turkey's trade freeze.

He wrote, I have directed the IMF Director General to immediately start working with the concerned parties to find trade options with Turkey. I also asked him for local production and import of products from other countries. Israel will emerge as a powerful and formidable economy. They lose we win.

In 1949, Turkey was the first Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel. But relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent times.

In 2010, Turkey cut diplomatic ties with Israel after ten pro-Palestinian Turkish activists were killed in clashes with Israeli commandos.

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Americans have right to protest, not violence: Biden



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US President Joe Biden has said that Americans have the right to protest, but not the right to spread violence.

The US president made this comment at a press conference at the White House on Thursday (May 02) amid growing political pressure on anti-Israel protests and clashes at universities in the United States over the Gaza issue.

Biden said that everyone has the right to protest, but no one has the right to cause chaos.

Recently, pro-Palestinians have been protesting in various universities in the United States. A few university protests were dispersed by the police. Hundreds of students have been arrested. Many are criticizing the initiative of the Biden administration to deal with the situation. He was available for comment through a spokesperson until Thursday.

Biden, who is hoping to be re-elected next November, made very cautious comments. While rejecting anti-Semitism in his comments, he supported the right of young people to protest. He has taken such a stand to avoid political damage in the long run.

Both sides have valid points, Biden said. Peaceful dissent is important in a democracy. But violence will not be tolerated.

Biden said that everyone has the right to protest, but no one has the right to cause chaos.

He said, destruction of property is not a peaceful protest. It is against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing class cancellations – none of these are peaceful protests.

The US president said the US is not an authoritarian state that will silence critics. But discipline must be maintained.

Anti-Israel protests began two weeks ago at Columbia University. Later it spread to other universities in America. At least 30 universities currently have anti-Israel protests.

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Netanyahu in fear of ICC arrest



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Israel's attack on Gaza did not stop. The death procession is increasing every day under the orders of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli army is not paying attention to the ongoing movement around the world. On the other hand, Tel Aviv is listening to the calls of pro-Palestinian world leaders.

Killing, torture and destruction are being carried out indiscriminately in violation of international law. The blockaded area is being gradually completed, including women and children. On the other hand, the world is not able to do anything about such activities in Israel.

But now it is known that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue an arrest warrant against the Prime Minister of Israel.

This is what the country's local media reported on Saturday (April 27). According to The New Arab, citing unnamed sources, Maariv newspaper reported that Netanyahu is under stress and panic over the threat of an ICC arrest warrant.

Not only Netanyahu, but also some of his prominent officials may receive this arrest notice, according to reports in the Israeli media.

According to Israeli media reports, the names of the country's Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi will be included in the list. Senior government officials held an emergency meeting in Tel Aviv this week to discuss that possibility.

In the meantime, Netanyahu has spoken on the phone with international friends, especially US President Joe Biden, to prevent the arrest warrant. It is not clear when an arrest warrant may be issued, and it is not standard for courts to disclose such information.

But fears of an arrest warrant against Netanyahu were first aired on Thursday by British-pro-Israel commentator Douglas Murray in an opinion piece in the US tabloid New York Post.

A warrant could be issued within days, Murray wrote. Netanyahu will not immediately face trial. But it would be a major blow to the prime minister on the world stage and put pressure on Israel's allies and ICC members to act.

Earlier in an interview on Friday, Netanyahu wrote, "Israel's natural and self-defense rights are undermined, and this country will not accept any such efforts by the ICC under my leadership." Threats to seize military officers of the Middle East's only democracy and the world's only Jewish state are outrageous. We will never bow down to it.'

Senior Israeli officials are said to be concerned about what such a warrant would mean for military operations against Hamas in Gaza.

Israel's Channel 13 broadcaster quoted officials as saying they believed the tribunal would target policy makers rather than junior soldiers.

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