Israeli authorities detain Jordanian MP for alleged weapons smuggling.

According to Jordan Amon News Agency, Imad Adwan was arrested by Israeli security forces at the Allenby Bridge crossing on Saturday night.

An unverified video posted on Israeli social media claimed authorities recovered 270 different types of weapons, in addition to 12 machine guns.

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Israel has remained silent, and local media coverage has been limited.

A representative of the Jordan Foreign Ministry said that his country is trying to find a solution as soon as possible.

According to Israeli media, the Shin Bet security agency is trying to determine who the weapons were for and whether the MP was involved in these activities in the past.

Jordan and Israel formalized their relations by signing a peace treaty in 1994, but tensions have recently risen due to clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters at Jerusalem’s historic Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount.

It is estimated that more than half of Jordan’s population is of Palestinian origin, and many of its residents sympathize with the Palestinian struggle in the West Bank.

Thirty-five-year-old Adwan is a member of the Palestine Committee of the Jordan Parliament.

Khalil Atiya, a prominent Jordanian lawmaker who opposes Jordan’s peace deal with Israel, said Israel’s detention of Mr. Adwan damaged the dignity of Jordanians.

78 killed in Yemeni capital’s donation stampede; hundreds gathered.

The stampede for donations occurred during merchants’ distribution of charitable offerings in the closing days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to a statement from the Houthi-run Ministry of Interior.

According to the Sanaa health director, a number of individuals were injured, including 13 who were in serious condition. This information was provided by Al Masirah TV, a Houthi movement-affiliated television news channel.

In order to receive the gifts, which totaled 5,000 Yemeni riyals, or around $9 per person, hundreds of people crammed into a school, according to two witnesses who were part in the rescue attempt.

Detail:

Houthi television shared a video of a throng of people jammed together, some of whom were screaming and shouting and reaching out to be pulled to safety. Security personnel tried to push people back and keep the mob under control.

A crutch, clothing, and a number of shoes were left behind after the stampede, and forensic investigators could be seen going through people’s things while wearing protective white suits.

كما بلغنا معلومات أولية
على أمل أن تنشر اللجنة ان شاء الله نتائج النزول لها إلى موقع الحادثة

التاجر عادة يسجل لديه الاسماء ويسلم مباشرة لكن هذه المرة جمع اسماء عدة ايام الى هذه المدرسة
قام باستخدام الشارع الضيق والبوابة الخلفية الذي يرتفع عن مستوى الحوش بمتر ونصف تقريبا شاهد… pic.twitter.com/UJ8agtZFmr

— محمد علي الحوثي (@Moh_Alhouthi) April 20, 2023

The interior ministry announced that the two business owners in charge of planning the donation event had been detained and that an investigation was ongoing.

Tens of thousands of people have died during Yemen’s eight-year civil conflict, which has also destroyed the country’s economy and caused millions of others to go hungry.

After the Houthis deposed the government from Sanaa, the country’s capital, in 2014. A coalition led by Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in 2015. The conflict has frequently been referred to as a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The stampede, according to Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, the supreme revolutionary committee leader of the Houthis, was brought on by the Yemeni people experiencing “the worst global humanitarian crisis” following eight years of conflict.

He stated on Twitter that “we hold the countries of aggression accountable for what transpired and for the bitter reality that the Yemeni people live in because of the aggression and blockade.”

Hopes for a peace settlement have been boosted by the exchange of prisoners this month between Riyadh and Tehran and their agreement in March to reestablish diplomatic ties that were broken in 2016.

The chief Houthi negotiator in Yemen claimed that recent peace negotiations with Saudi Arabia had advanced and that additional talks would be held to resolve outstanding issues.

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Indian SC hears LGBTQ marriage rights; govt opposes same-sex marriage.

Opposition from the Indian Government:

On Monday, the Hindu nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi submitted a forceful affidavit to the Supreme Court, arguing against same-sex marriage and urging the court to dismiss the case. The government views same-sex marriage as an “urban elitist concept” that undermines religious and social values. The government’s submission claimed that “a valid marriage is only between a biological male and a biological woman” and that any equality given to same-sex couples would violate religious values and “seriously affect the interests of every citizen.” The government also insisted that parliament, not the courts, should make such decisions.

Reasons for Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage:

Several petitions from LGBTQ couples and activists have been brought before the Supreme Court as part of a joint lawsuit that advocates for the right of LGBTQ people to marry and have equal rights under the law. The motivations for the case are both practical, such as the need for a joint bank account and the ability to give each other medical consent, and fundamental, as it is believed that India, as a democracy, is a place where diversity, equality, and justice for all are upheld, and LGBTQ rights are not inferior to those of others under the constitution.

Societal Shift in India:

The hearings on same-sex marriage take place amid a gradual societal shift in India, where LGBTQ people are gaining more visibility, particularly in popular culture and in pride marches held in major cities. Although there is a growing awareness around the right to equality, many acknowledge that full social acceptance and freedom from stigma and harassment is still a long way off, as the country remains deeply traditional and patriarchal.

Optimism and Expectations:

The lawyers and petitioners who brought the lawsuit are hopeful about the case, noting that the Supreme Court has made significant rulings on LGBTQ rights, even in the face of government opposition. For instance, a 2014 case recognized transgender people as a “third gender.” Menaka Guruswamy, one of the lawyers fighting the case, who was also involve in the decriminalization of homosexuality case in 2018, expresse confidence in the court’s decision.

Implications of the Case of Same-Sex Marriage:

The case raises several issues, not only marriage but also the rights of same-sex couples to adopt children and for their families to have the same rights as heterosexual parents. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a government agency, has also opposed this matter, which argued in a submission to the Supreme Court that “allowing the adoption to same-sex couples is akin to endangering children.” The case also advocates for the rights of trans people to have their relationships and families of choice legally recognized.

Conclusion:

If same-sex marriage becomes legal in India, it will only be the second country in Asia after Taiwan to do so. The case is not solely about marriage but about ensuring equality for all under the constitution and the right to marry whomever one chooses, regardless of gender, religion, or caste, which is significant at a time when inter-faith and inter-caste marriages are under attack from the Hindu right-wing. The case has implications for the rights of LGBTQ couples, trans people, and the protection of children.