Top Muslim Cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb Calls for Intra-Muslim Dialogue during Pope’s Visit to Bahrain
New
Age Islam News Bureau
05
November 2022
Pope
Francis meets with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb during his apostolic
journey, at Sakhir Palace, south of Manama, Bahrain (Image: Reuters)
------------
•
Woman cannot end marriage through Khula unilaterally: AIMPLB
•
Imran Khan Shooting A Manifestation Of Religious Extremism In Pakistan:
Interiour Minister Rana Sanaullah
•
Iran, Malaysia Quranic Cooperation to Benefit Muslim Ummah
•
Russia warns Israel of retaliation if it supplies military aid to Ukraine
•
Iran Releases Annual Report on Violation of Human Rights by UK, US
•
Thousands of Malians take to streets to protest anti-Islam video
•
Pakistan’s new Ambassador to Afghanistan resume office
•
Former ICE chief teams up with anti-Muslim group for US border intiative
Arab World
•
Christian monastery, possibly pre-dating Islam, found in UAE
•
HM the King, Al Azhar Grand Imam perform Friday prayers
•
Al-Azhar grand imam calls for end to Russia-Ukraine war through dialogue and
negotiations
•
Acting leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood dies at 85
•
Pope Francis thrills thousands of Catholics in Bahrain with big Mass
•
Russia’s FM Lavrov meets UAE’s Sheikh Abdullah on two-day visit to Abu Dhabi
•
Diverse coalition of Syrians in US gathers to plot a future for Syria free of
violence
--------
India
•
Uttar Pradesh: Security tightened at Shahjahanpur mosques for Friday prayers
•
The army took a back seat because its Project Imran Khan bombed, says former
ISI chief Asad Durrani
•
RJD takes Muslims for granted: Prashant Kishor
--------
Pakistan
•
I was hit by four bullets, says Imran Khan
•
Pakistan Army rejects 'baseless, irresponsible' allegations by Imran Khan
against senior officer
•
Blind Use Of "religious Fanaticism To Bury Imran's Politics": Maulana
Fazal
•
SC requested to defer hearing of contempt plea against Imran
•
Army, govt ‘on same page’, demand end to falsehoods
--------
Southeast Asia
•
Malaysia GE2022: Parties gear up for campaign flag-off
•
Survey: Voters more concerned about economy than politics, seven in 10 feel
country moving in wrong direction
•
'I’ll be a leader for all Malaysians': Anwar delivers message of unity in Perak
ahead of Nomination Day
•
DAP respects constitution, monarchy says Anwar
•
PKR members who run as independents will be sacked, says Anwar
•
PN welcomes any winnable candidate, says Hadi
•
Thailand, Saudi Arabia to launch coordination council amid relations thaw
--------
Europe
•
Sparkhill mosque vandalised with bricks during prayer
•
Muslim Brotherhood statement confirms death of leader
•
Turkey warns Finland, Sweden must ‘take steps’ before NATO approval
•
EU's Borrell urges Iran to end arms deliveries to Russia
•
Muslim students in UK furious over pro-Palestine student union president
sacking
•
US, Britain strengthening Daesh terrorists’ foothold, destructive potential in
Afghanistan: Russian diplomat
•
Sunak government scraps plan to relocate UK embassy to occupied al-Quds
--------
Mideast
•
‘Daesh-like murderers of Arman Aliverdi were trained by foreign countries’
•
War crimes committed by Yemen’s Houthis since truce expiry, says UN
•
President Rayeesi: Iran Not Intimidated by West's Sanctions, Threats
•
Turkey: Suspected Islamic State leader tells prosecutors he never fought in
battle
•
Erdogan, Putin agree to send Russian grains to poor African countries for free
•
Iran Calls on US President to End Hypocrisy
•
Erdogan rival is first target of media law, opposition party says
•
Iranian Foreign Ministry Strongly Criticizes UNSC's Unofficial Meeting
•
Iranians Commemorate US Embassy Takeover Anniversary
•
Senior Cleric Lauds Iranians' Massive Turnout in Anti-US Rallies
•
Iran detains journalist who interviewed Mahsa Amini’s father: Rights group
•
Iran ready to deliver oil to India, says ambassador
•
Russia, Turkey to deliver grain free of charge to needy countries: Erdogan
•
Iranian President Raisi slams back at Biden’s pledge to ‘free’ Iran
•
Iran censures UNSC’s ‘inexcusable silence’ after Shiraz terror attack
--------
Africa
•
Somalia claims to kill over 100 al-Shabaab terrorists in single operation
•
Outgoing Turkish envoy recounts his tenure in Uganda
•
South Africa’s Ethiopian diaspora welcomes agreement for peace
•
Refugees in Jordan receive winter clothing vouchers from Saudi Arabia’s
KSRelief
•
Scores of al-Shabab terrorists killed by Somali army
--------
South Asia
•
Can a decentralized political system lead to stability in Afghanistan?
--------
North America
•
Blinken warns Israeli PM, Palestinian president of West Bank escalation
•
US committed to supporting ‘sturdy, dependable partners’ in Lebanon’s army:
Diplomat
•
US has no indications of Iranian regime collapsing: White House
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
--------
Top Muslim Cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb Calls for Intra-Muslim Dialogue during Pope’s Visit to Bahrain
NOVEMBER
05, 2022
Pope
Francis meets with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb during his apostolic
journey, at Sakhir Palace, south of Manama, Bahrain (Image: Reuters)
-----------
One
of the world’s leading Islamic clerics on Friday called for dialogue between
the faith’s two main currents to settle sectarian differences, in an address to
religious leaders including Pope Francis.
Sheikh
Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo’s prestigious Al-Azhar mosque, a centre
of Sunni learning, made the rare appeal at the Bahrain Dialogue Forum aimed at
promoting religious harmony.
The
major division in Islam is between Sunni and Shiite, and Tayeb’s call came as
sectarian divisions in the Middle East have exacerbated regional conflicts
including in Yemen and Syria.
“I…
call on my brothers, Muslim scholars, across the world of every doctrine, sect
and school of thought to hold an Islamic dialogue," al-Tayeb said.
“Let
us together chase away any talk of hate, provocation and excommunication and
set aside ancient and modern conflict in all its forms," he added.
Al-Tayeb
told the forum, organised by the United Arab Emirates-based Muslim Council of
Elders, that his words were a “special call to our Shia Muslim brothers".
He
said the senior scholars at Al-Azhar and the Muslim Council of Elders are ready
to host a meeting “so we can sit down together on one roundtable to put aside
our differences and strengthen our Islamic unity".
The
differences have been compounded by a years-long spat between Shiite-dominated
Iran and the Sunni Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which have held talks in an attempt
to improve ties.
Al-Tayeb’s
remarks came one day after Pope Francis, leader of the world’s 1.3 billion
Catholics, arrived in the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain on an inter-faith dialogue
mission.
In
2019, the pontiff signed a Muslim-Christian manifesto for peace in the United
Arab Emirates during the first papal visit to the Gulf region, where Islam was
born.
Source:News18
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Woman
cannot end marriage through Khula unilaterally: AIMPLB
4th
November 2022
All
India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). (Photo: http://www.aimplboard.in)
------------
The
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Thursday stated that a Muslim
woman does not enjoy the right to end her marriage through Khula. Further, they
said that the husband reserves the right to accept or reject her demand for
Khula.
In
a statement, the Board said, “Khula is dependent on both husband and wife agreeing
to end marriage after a woman initiates the proposal”.
The
Board’s response comes shortly after the Kerala High Court declared that a
Muslim woman does have the right to end her marriage through Khula.
Justice
A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice C.S. Dias stated, “In the absence of any
mechanism in the country to recognize the termination of marriage at the
instance of the wife when the husband refuses to give consent, the court can
simply hold that Khula can be invoked without the conjunction of the husband.
This is a typical review portraying that Muslim women are subordinate to the
will of their male counterparts. This review doesn’t look innocuous at the
instance of the appellant but rather appears to have been fashioned and
supported by clergies and the hegemonic masculinity of the Muslim community who
are unable to digest the declaration of the right of Muslim women to resort to
the extrajudicial divorce of Khula, unilaterally.”
Source:Siasat
Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/muslim-women-do-not-have-right-to-end-marriage-through-khula-aimplb-2449777/
--------
Imran
Khan Shooting A Manifestation Of Religious Extremism In Pakistan: Interiour
Minister Rana Sanaullah
04
NOV 2022
Former
Pakistan PM Imran Khan
---------
Pakistan's
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday the shooting of Imran Khan was
a manifestation of religious extremism in Pakistan.
Sanaullah
added that his party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) considers former
Prime Minister Khan as a "political rival and not an enemy".
Khan
was shot on Thursday in Pakistan's Punjab province during a protest march. A
gun-wielding man fired a volley of bullets at him, which hit him in the right
leg.
Sanaullah
cited a video of the attacker and said that he was indoctrinated by extremists.
"The
attacker is seen as arguing with the investigators," said Sanaullah,
adding that the government has tried to remove its contents from social media
sites.
"In
the video, the suspect's statements are very concerning and dangerous. Such
allegations were made in the past as well. And after the video went viral, it
is possible that such narratives will get fuelled," said Sanaullah, adding
that it was "very saddening" that Khan blamed people for his
attempted assassination without any investigation or proof.
Sanaullah
also raised questions on the delay in the registration of a first information
report (FIR) in the case and expressed concern over the leaked statement of the
suspect — taken into custody from the crime scene.
Therefore,
Sanaullah went on, the government was requesting Imran to review his security
as well as behaviours.
"We
do not want to scare or stop his long march but it is necessary to bring these
matters to notice," said Sanaullah.
Imran
Khan using attack for political objectice: Defence Minister
Separately,
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif addressed the National Assembly and said the
attack on Khan was being used for political objectives.
He
said that "by taking the names of government and military officials",
the entire matter was being pushed towards an unchartered territory.
"Don’t
turn this incident into a victim of politics. Go after the suspects. Constitute
a JIT (joint investigation team). But if this incident is being used to defame
an individual or institution, then I will condemn it," said Asif.
Since
his ouster from power in April, Khan has been blaming the all-powerful
Pakistani military and organs of the state for staging his ouster. He has
called the Shehbaz Sharif-led government as "foreign" and
"imported". Khan has claimed that he was ousted by then-Opposition in
a foreign conspiracy hatched by the United States. He said he was removed for
pursuit of an independent foreign policy. Khan cited a letter written to
Foreign Office by a Pakistani diplomatic mission abroad which said that the
host country had warned that relations with Pakistan would suffer if Khan
remained prime minister.
Since
then, Khan and his party PTI have been leading huge protests and marches across
Pakistan.
Khan
has been demanding early elections and he is leading the long march towards
Islamabad to force his demands. The term of the National Assembly will end in
August 2023 and fresh elections should be held within 60 days.
What
we know of Imran Khan attack so far
Khan
was atop a truck in a protest march in Pakistan's Punjab when a gunman opened
fire at him. He suffered bullet injuries in leg.
Overall,
seven persons were injured and one was killed in the shooting, according to
police, adding that the injured included MP Faisal Javed.
Khan
survived the attack and is reported to be safe and in stable medical condition.
Former
information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the gunman had fired from an automatic
weapon, not a mere pistol.
Geo
TV reported that the attacker was identified as Naved. He is in his early 20s.
The
suspect caught by police has said that he wanted to kill Khan because “he was
misleading the public.”
"He
(Khan) was misleading the people and I could not bear watching it so I…
attempted to kill him,” he said in a video confession.
A
video footage showed a PTI worker tackling the attacker from behind and trying
to grab the gun of the attacker.
Ehtisam,
who tackled the attacker, told the media that he forced the gun of the attacker
downward and stopped further mayhem.
"I
saw him open fire and hit him before he could fire another round. He dropped
the gun and started fleeing. I chased and caught him...Khan sahab, jab tak hum
zinda hai, aanch nahi aa sakti. (Khan sir, till the time I am alive, you will
not be harmed.),” the supporter of Khan said, according to a report in India
Today.
Source:
Outlook India
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Iran,
Malaysia Quranic Cooperation to Benefit Muslim Ummah
November
05, 2022
TEHRAN
(IQNA) – In a recent meeting between a visiting Iranian delegation and the
officials of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) in Kuala
Lumpur, the two sides highlighted the extensive grounds available for
developing Quranic cooperation.
-----------
They
also stressed that such cooperation would benefit the Iranian and Malaysian
nations as well as the entire Muslim Ummah.
The
Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) is a governmental
institution in Putrajaya, south of Kuala Lumpur, which manages the Islamic
affairs in the Southeast Asian country.
The
Iranian Quranic delegation, headed by Quran and Etrat Deputy of the Ministry of
Culture and Islamic Guidance Alireza Moaf, which had traveled to Malaysia for
the country’s 62nd international Quran competition, visited JAKIM after the
competition. It was accompanied by Iran’s Ambassador to Malaysia Ali Asghar
Mohammadi and Iranian Cultural Attaché Mohammad Oraei Karimi.
After
the Iranian delegation entered JAKIM, the Iranian ambassador and the Quran and
Etrat deputy of the Culture Ministry signed the visitors’ book, where they
wrote words of remembrance.
Then
they went to the meeting room of the organization where they held cordial talks
with JAKIM officials.
Sirajuddin
Suhaimee, JAKIM’s deputy, welcomed the Iranian delegation and hoped the meeting
will result in the development of bilateral cooperation in the field of Quranic
activities.
The
Iranian ambassador, for his part, said he was happy to attend the important
meeting with Dr. Suhaimee. He congratulated Malaysia for successfully holding
the country’s 62nd international Quran competition like the previous editions.
He
also said they will talk in the meeting about the capacities for collaborations
in Quranic fields.
According
to the envoy, a Malaysian delegation active in the Halal industry will soon
visit Iran.
Mohammadi
further described JAKIM as a major organization involved in various activities
and hoped that the meeting would help to determine areas for development of
cooperation.
Moaf
also addressed the meeting, hailing JAKIM for its achievements and for
organizing successful Quranic programs in Malaysia and elsewhere in Southeast
Asia based on verse 106 of Surah Al-Isra “We have divided the Quran into many
segments so that you would read them to the people in gradual steps as We
reveal them to you from time to time.”
He
said the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance considers serving the
Quran and spreading Quranic teachings as one of its main missions.
Moaf
added that the Holy Quran is the pivot of unity in the Islamic world and if all
Muslim governments and nations gather together around the Quranic verse “And
hold fast to the Bond of Allah, together, and do not scatter” (Verse 103 of
Surah Al Imran), great events will take place in the Islamic world.
He
said defining joint Quranic measures between Iran’s Ministry of Culture and
Islamic Guidance and Malaysia’s JAKIM could be one of the accomplishments of
the meeting.
Elsewhere
in his remarks, Moaf referred to Quranic activities in Iran, saying the country
has organized 29 editions of the Tehran International Quran Exhibition and 43
editions of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Holy Quran Competition.
There
are more than 270,000 students or graduates in different fields of Quran and
Hadith sciences at the BA, MA and PhD levels in Iran he noted, adding that
thousands of theses and dissertation in these fields have also been written.
According
to Moaf, there are hundreds of Quranic scholars, researchers and artists as
well as activists in the fields of recitation, memorization and interpretations
of the Quran.
“There
are many other great capacities in the field of Quranic activities in our
country and today we have come to hear more about the experiences and
management of Quranic activities in JAKIM and in Malaysia.”
He
also invited the JAKIM officials to visit Iran and see the management and
research capacities of the Islamic Republic and hold more talks in Tehran.
Next,
Suhaimee called for promotion of ties between Iran and Malaysia and voiced
eagerness to attend the Tehran International Holy Quran Exhibition during the
holy month of Ramadan, hoping for enhancement of cooperation between the two
sides to the benefit of the Islamic Ummah.
Referring
to Quranic activities in Malaysia, he said a center named Dar-ol-Quran has been
established in the country for teaching Quran memorization, inviting the
Iranian delegation to visit it.
He
added that a document had been signed earlier that day for strengthening
Quranic values among Muslim families in Malaysia, stressing how important it is
for Muslim families to raise their children based on Quranic values and
teachings.
Moaf
then took the podium again, saying in the field of Quran teaching with new
methods, there have been good measures taken in Iran in recent years.
He
said there have also been activities for strengthening family foundations and
attractive works and different Quranic and religious programs for children and
young adults, with many books in these areas having been published in recent
years.
Referring
to the confrontation with the Western lifestyle and promotion of a religion
style of life as a major issue, he said agreements could be reached between
Iranian and Malaysian academics, thinkers and scholars about formation of a
religious and Quranic society based on the Quranic model.
Suhaimee
said that in Malaysia, JAKIM is responsible for running Islamic affairs and it
has introduced many initiatives for promotion of Islamic values.
He
said there needs to be vigilance in the face of liberal values infiltrating
some Muslim countries, stressing that in all programs and initiatives, the
Quranic principles and values must be followed.
He
added that the meeting is for discussing how to work together and learn from
one another’s experiences and new ideas.
Mohammadi,
the Iranian ambassador, said Iran and Malaysia can have dialogue about
different issues in the Muslim world and share their experiences.
He
said he is in Malaysia for the second time since his first trip to the country
in the 1990s, saying it has undergone many differences since then and moved
toward becoming more Islamic.
This
growing influence of Islam in life style is also seen in Iran, the ambassador
noted.
He
also called for more talks between the two sides for sharing experiences and
finding grounds for expansion of cooperation.
Suhaimee
referred to a recent meeting he and his colleagues had with an Iranian
delegation in Istanbul, Turkey, and their talks about cooperation in the Halal
industry, saying the Halal industry is a good area for developing ties and
interaction.
He
also hailed Iran’s advances in implementing Quranic teachings in family and
said Malaysia can benefit from Iran’s model in this area.
Moaf
voiced willingness for establishment of a joint working group between the
Iranian Culture Ministry and JAKIM in several areas, including research and
theoretical works, arts and media activities and holding festivals and
competitions.
The
two sides can share experiences in these fields and plan and define joint
programs as well, the Iranian official stated.
Oraei
Karimi, the Iranian Cultural Attaché, said at the meeting that the Holy Quran
is a book that brings together the entire Muslim Ummah, praying the God will
help all Muslims to not only read the Quran but act upon its teachings in their
life.
He
also hoped that the meeting would be fruitful and lead to positive results in
terms of enhancing cooperation between the two countries.
He
further conveyed the greetings of Iranian representative in Malaysia’s 62nd
international Quran competition Masoud Nouri and his guide Nosratollah
Hosseini.
Suhaimee
described Nouri’s performance at the competition as very good and said Iranian
qaris who attended Quran recitation circles in Malaysia during the holy month
of Ramadan in previous years had very good recitations.
Mohammad
Mehdi Azizzadeh, another official with the Iranian Culture Ministry’s Quran and
Etrart Deputy, was also present at the meeting.
He
expressed the ministry’s readiness to contribute to organization of Quran
recitation workshops in Malaysia.
He
also called for invitation of Iranian memorizers, as well as reciters, to the
international Quran competition in Malaysia, and also participation of Iranian
Quran experts in the jury panel of the contest.
Suhaimee
hailed the proposals, saying that Iran will be invited to attend the
memorization category of the competition and also introduce Quran experts for
serving at the panel of judges.
He
added that the Dar-ol-Quran center plans to benefit from the expertise of
foreign masters, including Iranian Quranic figures, in the field of recitation.
The
Iranian ambassador concluded his remarks by saying that Iran and Malaysia are
in one front in the field of Quranic and Islamic activities and have many
grounds for cooperation, hoping that the meeting will be a prelude for
expanding collaborations between the two sides.
At
the end of the meeting, a copy of the Holy Quran was presented by the Iranian
Culture Ministry official to the Malaysian side and the Malaysian officials
presented gifts to the Iranian delegation.
Source:IQNA
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Russia
warns Israel of retaliation if it supplies military aid to Ukraine
05
November 2022
A
Ukrainian service member holds an American-made Javelin missile system at a
position on the front line in the north Kiev region, Ukraine, on March 13,
2022. (File photo by Reuters)
----------
Russia
has warned that it will take retaliatory measures against Israel in case the
Tel Aviv regime supplies Ukraine with military equipment and aid amid the
military conflict there.
Bloomberg
television news network, citing two unnamed sources familiar with Russian
policy, reported that Moscow would respond if Israel passed along missile
systems directly or through a third party to Ukraine. The report did not
specify what action Russian officials might take.
The
Tel Aviv regime seems to be warming to the idea of supplying military equipment
to Ukraine.
However,
the coming change of administration in the Israeli-occupied territories leaves
future policy under question. Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to form the
next Israeli cabinet, has been known for his good relations with Russian
President Vladimir Putin.
The
Bloomberg report follows remarks made by former Russian president Dmitry
Medvedev last month, who said Israel would “destroy” all ties with Moscow if
Tel Aviv insists on the “very reckless move” of supplying Ukraine with weapons.
The
Israeli regime’s diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said on October 17 that
the “time has come for Ukraine to receive military aid” from Israel after repeating
the accusation that Iran was sending weapons to Russia, despite the firm
rejection of such an allegation by Tehran.
“Israel
seems to be going to supply weapons to the Kiev regime; a very reckless move.
It will destroy all interstate relations between” Moscow and Tel Aviv,
Medvedev, currently serving as deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council,
later wrote in a Telegram post in response, saying that Ukraine is praising
“Nazi” heroes.
“If
they are supplied with weapons then it is time for Israel to declare [Stepan]
Bandera and [Roman] Shukhevych their heroes,” the senior Russian politician
added, referring to Ukraine’s nationalist leaders of the 1940s and 1950s.
Ukraine’s
President Volodymyr Zelensky told Channel 12’s “Uvda” on Tuesday that Israel
recently agreed to provide his country with radio systems it had requested in
February.
On
Sunday, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk also said there had
been progress “on some technical issues” related to military cooperation
between Kiev and Tel Aviv, particularly regarding Israel’s offer to provide
missile alert technology.
Back
in April, then-Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid accused Russia of committing
war crimes in Ukraine. Moscow hit back, accusing the regime of using Ukraine to
“distract” global attention from its aggression against the Palestinians.
Ukraine
has been the subject of a Russian military operation since February 24, with
Moscow saying that the operation is aimed at “demilitarizing” the eastern
Ukrainian region of Donbas.
Ordering
the operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin also said the mission was aimed
at “defending people who for eight years were suffering persecution and
genocide by the Kiev regime.”
Back
in 2014, the neighboring regions of Donetsk and Luhansk — which together form
the Donbas — declared themselves independent republics, refusing to recognize
Ukraine’s Western-backed government. The declaration of independence was ensued
by a conflict between the region’s pro-Russian forces and the Ukrainian military.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Iran
Releases Annual Report on Violation of Human Rights by UK, US
2022-November-4
The
annual report, which has been published in accordance with a Parliament law
passed in 2012, emphasizes that both American and British governments have
played key role in the most controversial conflicts and riots throughout the
world, while both states claim that they are flagbearer of human rights.
"The
two governments have tried to intervene in internal affairs and human rights
situation of other countries and adopt interfering stances," it added.
The
report pointed out that the statesmen of both states have determined the
so-called support for human rights in line with their own short-term and long-term
political interests; so, they have utilized the human rights issue as a tool to
pursue their priorities at international level.
The
two countries resorted to human rights in order to impose inhuman policies such
as economic sanctions and political pressures on other nations in particular
independent ones, it further said.
According
to the report, the facts and figures on the ground, however, prove that both
the US and the UK violate human rights in numerous occasions at the same time
when they accuse other states of infringing human rights tenets.
It
stressed that the situation indicates that Washington and London are not
qualified to assess the human rights condition in other countries, and they are
not entitled to claim humanitarian policies.
Since
the Iranian Parliament’s law asks the Foreign Ministry to prepare annual
reports of violation of human rights in the US and the UK, the ministry
presents the latest report based on official documents provided by several
human rights organizations on domestic and international violations against
women, migrants and races in 2022.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Thousands
of Malians take to streets to protest anti-Islam video
05
November 2022
Thousands
of people have gathered in Bamako, the capital of Mali, to protest the
publication of an insulting anti-Islam video on social media.
The
office of Bamako’s prosecutor said six people were charged on Thursday with
complicity in the release of a “blasphemous” video in which a man makes
offensive comments against Muslims, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Police
said the demonstration was organized by the High Islamic Council of Mali (HCM)
and was attended by thousands of people. But the organizers of the
demonstration have estimated the number of people present at more than one
million people.
The
protesters had written slogans such as “No to blasphemous comments” and “No
more attacks on Islam and the Prophet Mohammed” on their banners.
Speaking
to AFP, Imam Abdoulaye Fadiga said that what happened cannot be forgiven and
the authors and publishers of the offensive video should be arrested and tried.
Haby
Diallo, a 40-year-old religious school teacher, said interfaith dialogue should
be promoted, and everyone should respect each other’s religion and beliefs.
A
source in the prosecutor’s office said that the six people are in temporary
custody for refusing to reveal the hiding place of the main accused in the
video.
Nearly
95% of Mali’s population is Muslim, and the affair has caused uproar in the
country.
A
group of leaders and religious associations and the highest financial Islamic
institution (HCM) demanded severe punishment for the publisher of the offensive
video.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/11/05/692177/Thousands-Malians-take-to-streets-anti-Islam-video
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Pakistan’s
new Ambassador to Afghanistan resume office
November
4, 2022
Ubaid
ur Rehman Nizamani, Pakistan’s new Ambassador to Afghanistan resumed office on
Friday, the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul tweeted.
During
his first meeting with the Embassy’s staff, he has emphasized that enhancing
bilateral cooperations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mr.
Nizamani is said to be one of the experienced diplomats with over 20 years of
diplomatic affairs experience and is appointed to work in Afghanistan during a
critical era.
Mansoor
Ahmad Khan, was the previous Ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan who was very
much engaged during the peace negotiations, before the collapse of Afghanistan
in the hands of Taliban on August 15, 2021.
Pakistan
is the closest neighbor to Afghanistan that shares more land border territory
with Afghanistan in the South, East and North Western parts.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/pakistans-new-ambassador-to-afghanistan-resume-office-8976/
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Former
ICE chief teams up with anti-Muslim group for US border intiative
4
November 2022
A
former director for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently
collaborating with an anti-Muslim group for a project centred around
immigration at the country's southern border.
Thomas
Homan, who served as acting ICE director under former President Donald Trump,
has been working on a project titled Defend the Border and Save Lives, both a
promotional and media project that is also tied to Homan's book of the same
name.
A
look at the team section of the project's website prominently lists Tom Trento,
who is the CEO and founder of The United West, an organisation labelled an
anti-Muslim hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC's Hatewatch
was the first to report the partnership.
Trento's
The United West has a history of Islamophobic rhetoric, including saying that
the US is in a "war against Shariah Islam".
"There
is no doubt that, for those with eyes to see, we are at war with devout Muslims
who follow the jihad teachings of doctrinal Islam," Trento wrote in a 2016
email to supporters, as reported by the SPLC.
"Therefore,
it is essential that all Americans adopt a 'war-footing' mentality and are
constantly prepared for any threat, any situation, any problem."
Middle
East Eye reached out to Defend Our Borders and The United West for comment.
After
serving as acting director of ICE, Homan went on to become a conservative media
commentator on issues related to immigration and the border. He is known for
his hard-line stances on immigration, has supported Trump's border wall with
Mexico, and has shown strong support for the deportation wing of the Department
of Homeland Security.
This
is also not the first time Homan has associated himself with anti-Muslim hate
groups. In 2019, he was a keynote speaker at an event for ACT for America, a
group dubbed the largest anti-Muslim organisation in the country by SPLC.
"Homan's
choice to partner with documented anti-Muslim bigots reflects the poor
decision-making he exemplified at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement,"
Corey Saylor, director of research and advocacy at the Council on
American-Islamic Relations, told SPLC.
The
project also is affiliated with other individuals who have made Islamophobic
claims, including Mary Wierbicki, the director of operations. Wierbicki also
serves as social media director for The United West, and is co-founder of
Sharia Crime Stoppers, another project tied to Trento's group that produces
anti-Islam content.
The
United West also organised a private fundraising event on 1 November at Trump's
Mar-a-Lago, according to SPLC. At the fundraiser, a television programme
associated with Defend the Border and Save Lives was premiered.
Middle
East Eye reached out to the Trump Organization for comment on the fundraiser.
Recent
reporting in the past several years has shown the financial strength of the Islamophobia
industry in the United States.
A
report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations found that between 2017 and
2019, 35 of the largest charitable institutions and foundations it reviewed had
poured $105.8m into a network of 26 groups that have been known to peddle
anti-Muslim sentiment.
A
previous report by the rights group found that 1,096 organisations were
responsible for funding 39 Islamophobic groups between 2014 and 2016, with
those groups having revenue of at least $1.5bn.
Source: MiddleEastEye
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Arab World
Christian
monastery, possibly pre-dating Islam, found in UAE
November
4, 2022
By
Jon Gambrell
SINIYAH
ISLAND, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An ancient Christian monastery possibly
dating as far back as the years before Islam spread across the Arabian
Peninsula has been discovered on an island off the coast of the United Arab
Emirates, officials announced Thursday.
The
monastery on Siniyah Island, part of the sand-dune sheikhdom of Umm al-Quwain,
sheds new light on the history of early Christianity along the shores of the
Persian Gulf. It marks the second such monastery found in the Emirates, dating
back as many as 1,400 years — long before its desert expanses gave birth to a
thriving oil industry that led to a unified nation home to the high-rise towers
of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The
two monasteries became lost to history in the sands of time as scholars believe
Christians slowly converted to Islam as that faith grew more prevalent in the
region.
Today,
Christians remain a minority across the wider Middle East, though Pope Francis
arrived in nearby Bahrain on Thursday to promote interfaith dialogue with
Muslim leaders.
For
Timothy Power, an associate professor of archaeology at the United Arab
Emirates University who helped investigate the newly discovered monastery, the
UAE today is a “melting pot of nations.”
“The
fact that something similar was happening here a 1,000 years ago is really
remarkable and this is a story that deserves to be told,” he said.
The
monastery sits on Siniyah Island, which shields the Khor al-Beida marshlands in
Umm al-Quwain, an emirate some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Dubai
along the coast of the Persian Gulf. The island, whose name means “flashing
lights” likely due to the effect of the white-hot sun overhead, has a series of
sandbars coming off of it like crooked fingers. On one, to the island’s
northeast, archaeologists discovered the monastery.
Carbon
dating of samples found in the monastery’s foundation date between 534 and 656.
Islam’s Prophet Muhammad was born around 570 and died in 632 after conquering
Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia.
Viewed
from above, the monastery on Siniyah Island’s floor plan suggests early
Christian worshippers prayed within a single-aisle church at the monastery.
Rooms within appear to hold a baptismal font, as well as an oven for baking
bread or wafers for communion rites. A nave also likely held an altar and an installation
for communion wine.
Next
to the monastery sits a second building with four rooms, likely around a
courtyard — possibly the home of an abbot or even a bishop in the early church.
On
Thursday, the site saw a visit from Noura bint Mohammed al-Kaabi, the country’s
culture and youth minister, as well as Sheikh Majid bin Saud Al Mualla, the
chairman of the Umm al-Quwain’s Tourism and Archaeology Department and a son of
the emirate’s ruler.
The
island remains part of the ruling family’s holdings, protecting the land for
years to allow the historical sites to be found as much of the UAE has rapidly
developed.
The
UAE’s Culture Ministry has sponsored the dig in part, which continues at the
site. Just hundreds of meters (yards) away from the church, a collection of
buildings that archaeologists believe belongs to a pre-Islamic village sit.
Elsewhere
on the island, piles of tossed-aside clams from pearl hunting make for massive,
industrial-sized hills. Nearby also sits a village that the British blew up in
1820 before the region became part of what was known as the Trucial States, the
precursor of the UAE. That village’s destructions brought about the creation of
the modern-day settlement of Umm al-Quwain on the mainland.
Historians
say early churches and monasteries spread along the Persian Gulf to the coasts
of present-day Oman and all the way to India. Archaeologist have found other
similar churches and monasteries in Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi
Arabia.
In
the early 1990s, archaeologists discovered the first Christian monastery in the
UAE, on Sir Bani Yas Island, today a nature preserve and site of luxury hotels
off the coast of Abu Dhabi, near the Saudi border. It similarly dates back to
the same period as the new find in Umm al-Quwain.
However,
evidence of early life along the Khor al-Beida marshlands in Umm al-Quwain
dates as far back as the Neolithic period — suggesting continuous human
inhabitance in the area for at least 10,000 years, Power said.
Today,
the area near the marshland is more known for the low-cost liquor store at the
emirate’s Barracuda Beach Resort. In recent months, authorities have demolished
a hulking, Soviet-era cargo plane linked to a Russian gunrunner known as the
“Merchant of Death” as it builds a bridge to Siniyah Island for a $675 million
real estate development.
Source:ReligionNews
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://religionnews.com/2022/11/04/christian-monastery-possibly-pre-dating-islam-found-in-uae/
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HM
the King, Al Azhar Grand Imam perform Friday prayers
04
Nov 2022
Manama,
Nov. 4 (BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Eminence Dr.
Ahmed Al Tayeb, Sheikh of Al Azhar Al Sharif and Chairman of the Muslim Council
of Elders, today performed the Friday prayers at the Sakhir Palace Mosque.
Their
Highnesses the sons, members of the Royal Family and religious scholars also
performed the prayers at the mosque.
In
the sermon, the Imam, Shaikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Hajiri, spoke of the
importance of tolerance and coexistence, and opening opportunities for dialogue
with all.
Shaikh
Al Hajiri highlighted the humanitarian initiatives achieved during the reign of
HM the King, including the establishment of the King Hamad Global Center for
Peaceful Coexistence and the King Hamad Chair for Interfaith Dialogue and
Peaceful Coexistence at the University of La Sapienza in Rome.
Source:BNA
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.bna.bh/en/news?cms=q8FmFJgiscL2fwIzON1%2bDvllqxuWLZ4cWSKcaKYh%2bOo%3d
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Al-Azhar
grand imam calls for end to Russia-Ukraine war through dialogue and
negotiations
4
Nov 2022
El-Tayyeb
made the remarks in a speech on Thursday at the Bahrain Dialogue Forum
organised in the capital Manama under the theme “East and West for human
coexistence” from 3-4 November.
“I
add my voice to that of philanthropists who call for peace and an end to the
Russia-Ukraine war and urge stopping bloodshed of innocent people,” El-Tayyeb
said in his speech.
The
two-day forum, which was hosted by King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and
attended by the Vatican's Pope Francis, brought together 200 scholars and
religious representatives from around the world for an inter-faith dialogue.
The
Al-Azhar grand imam called for “waving the flag of peace instead of the flag of
victory, and sitting on the dialogue and negotiations table.”
He
also called for “rebuilding bridges of dialogue, understanding and confidence,”
to restore peace around the world amid ongoing conflicts.
El-Tayyeb,
who is also chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, urged religious scholars
worldwide, regardless of their sect, to hold a serious dialogue to promote
unity and rapprochement over division, strife and sectarian conflict.
This
dialogue should include the cessation of hate speech, provocation and
excommunication, and emphasise the necessity of overcoming historical and
contemporary conflicts, he stressed.
El-Tayyeb,
76, is a long-time advocate for religious coexistence.
Source:Ahram
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/479125.aspx
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Acting
leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood dies at 85
November
4, 2022
CAIRO:
The acting leader of Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Ibrahim Munir, died
today, the organisation said on its website.
Munir,
who died in London at the age of 85, was twice jailed in Egypt in the 1950s and
1960s and has lived in exile for most of the last 40 years.
The
once formidable Islamist movement won Egypt’s first free presidential election
in 2012, but was overthrown by the military a year later after mass protests
against its rule and has endured a fierce crackdown by authorities since then.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Pope
Francis thrills thousands of Catholics in Bahrain with big Mass
05
November, 2022
Pope
Francis said Mass for thousands of Catholics in Bahrain on Saturday, thrilling
members of the small foreign Catholic community from around the Gulf and urging
them show kindness to their hosts, even if they are sometimes looked down on.
The
crowd of about 30,000 people that filled Bahrain’s National Stadium was the
second-largest gathering for a papal Mass on the Arabian Peninsula, following
one that drew more than 100,000 in the United Arab Emirates in 2019.
“This
is a miracle,” said Mary Grace Fortes, 36, a Filipino who works at the
reception of a hotel in Bahrain. “So important for us.”
Like
many Filipino women who work outside their country, Fortes is married and sends
money back home to help support her family, including her husband and
16-year-old son.
Hundreds
of Catholic foreign workers were bussed in over the 25-km (16 mile) King Fahd
Causeway that links Bahrain with Saudia Arabia, where there are no churches and
where Catholics cannot worship openly.
“The
Bahrainis arranged everything perfectly for us,” said Jos Chazoor, 53, who is
from Kerala in India and works as a manager for a medical equipment company in
Saudi Arabia.
Chazoor’s
75-year-old mother was too overcome with emotion to respond to a reporter’s
questions just before the pope arrived in the packed stadium to an enthusiastic
welcome by faithful waving yellow-and-white Vatican flags.
“She
is too thrilled to talk,” said Chazoor, who drives with his mother over the
causeway from Saudi Arabia regularly to attend Mass in one of Bahrain’s two
churches, which provide pastoral care for the some 160,000 Catholics in
Bahrain.
In
his homily, Francis appeared to praise Bahrain’s relatively open policy towards
non-Muslims.
“This
very land is a living image of coexistence in diversity, and indeed an image of
our world, increasingly marked by the constant migration of peoples and by a
pluralism of ideas, customs and traditions,” he said.
Francis
urged his listeners to be kind even to those native people in the Gulf area who
do not treat them well, saying this was key to the Gospel message of loving
your enemies.
He
said they should always be “persevering in good even when evil is done to us,
breaking the spiral of vengeance, disarming violence, demilitarizing the
heart”.
As
Francis was driven on a open popemobile through the crowd on the stadium’s
pitch just before the start of the Mass, a speaker on the altar platform
shouted “God bless the pope, God bless the royal family.”
The
prayers of the faithful during the Mass were read in languages spoken by
foreign workers including Tagalog, Swahili, Malayalam, Tamil and Konkani.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Russia’s
FM Lavrov meets UAE’s Sheikh Abdullah on two-day visit to Abu Dhabi
04
November, 2022
The
UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed met with his Russian
counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Abu Dhabi, signaling stronger ties between the two
countries.
The
meeting was to discuss the existing strategic partnership and bilateral efforts
to “enhance prospects for more collaboration across all fronts,” the Emirates
News Agency (WAM) reported on Thursday.
“During
the talks, the ministers will compare positions on key items on the global and
Middle Eastern agendas,” a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said.
The
ministers “will focus on the need to settle the persisting conflicts in the
Middle East and North Africa via an inclusive dialogue that takes into account
the lawful interests of all involved parties. The developments in Yemen, Libya,
Syria and the Arab-Israeli peace process will be discussed in this context,” it
added.
Lavrov
is on a two-day trip to the oil-producing Gulf nation. His agenda, shared by
the Russian ministry, shows the diplomat attending the Sir Bani Yas Forum on
peace and security and a visit to the Russian School of Abu Dhabi.
The
meeting comes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow maintains is a
“special military operation.”
“This
upcoming visit [to the UAE] will be a major component in the intensive
political dialogue whereby the two countries maintain regular contacts at top
and other levels,” said a Russian ministry statement.
“Sheikh
Abdullah underscored the importance of the comprehensive strategic partnership
between the two countries in all fields and the need to strengthen it,” WAM
reported.
The
latest diplomatic meeting follows a meeting between UAE President Sheikh
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St.
Petersburg last month.
“The
presidential meeting reflected the rapid growth in cooperation between the two
countries,” the UAE top diplomat was quoted as saying by WAM at the time.
During
the presidential visit, President Putin expressed Russia's appreciation for the
UAE’s efforts in playing a key role in the prisoner exchanges between Russia
and Ukraine, saying they are a testament to its readiness to support mediation
efforts.
Sheikh
Mohamed, meanwhile, briefed the Russian president on the Ukrainian side’s
position on several issues.
The
UAE president also emphasized the need to keep the dialogue between Russia and
Ukraine open, while President Putin stressed that Russia is keen on the
continuation of the UAE’s mediation efforts.
Following
a phone call between Sheikh Mohamed and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
in October, the two leaders discussed the latest developments of the
Russia-Ukraine war in a call, with the UAE leader ordering $100 million in
humanitarian aid to Ukraine shortly after.
Sheikh
Abdullah reportedly hosted a dinner banquet for Lavrov and his accompanying
delegation.
The
meeting was attended by Dr. Sultan al-Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced
Technology, Ahmed al-Sayegh, Minister of State, and Dr. Mohamed al-Jaber, UAE
Ambassador to Russia, WAM reported.
The
UAE and Russia maintain strong, strategic ties. In 2021, bilateral trade
increased by 64.5 percent compared to 2020 to $5.36 billion, making the Gulf
nation Russia’s largest trade partner.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Diverse
coalition of Syrians in US gathers to plot a future for Syria free of violence
RAY
HANANIA
November
05, 2022
CHICAGO:
A diverse grouping of Syrian expatriates and Syrian-American community leaders
and activists are joining forces in the hope of creating a representative
coalition that can effectively lobby for an end to the violence in Syria and an
acceptable resolution to the ongoing civil war.
Talking
exclusively to Arab News, the organizers of the coalition said that formerly
rival groups and their leaders are now working together and coordinating their
efforts to focus on how they can help to end the conflict, as a first step
toward establishing a more representative government in the country.
The
Syrian expatriates held their first “consultative” meeting on Oct. 29 in
Washington, during which the 70 participants agreed to work together and plan a
followup meeting to develop and advance an agenda to help end Syria’s civil
war, which began on March 15, 2011.
Organizers
said the diversity of the participants, including more than 70 prominent
Syrians, and their “determination to work together” can become a driver to push
authorities in the US and Europe to take a more active role in helping Syria
get back on track toward a productive future free of violence.
“The
goal, if we set aside the need to communicate with this (US) administration and
the different American establishment bodies, what is more important is that we
need to show and to practice the bringing up of all differences between the Syrians
themselves; this will help,” said Samir Al-Taqi, a former member of the Syrian
parliament who once served as a consultant to Syrian President Bashar Assad,
and before that to his father, former President Hafez Assad.
“All
of us believe that without a reconciliation to rebuild a voluntary
participation of all Syrians without any pressures, regardless of democracy
because democracy doesn’t solve all the issues among people … what we need in
Syria is not the opposition to the regime — we need in Syria an alternative to
the regime. This is very important.
“So
maybe through this we can create not necessarily an opposition but an
alternative to the Syria war, allowing every partner in this to come together.
I don’t believe there will be any kind of justice in this world, so we need to
be conciliatory regardless of justice.”
In
his capacity as a close adviser to Assad, Al-Taqi served as director of the
Orient Center for International Studies, a research extension to the Syrian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs that was based in Damascus. He also represented the
Syrian government during the investigation into the 2005 assassination of
former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.
Al-Taqi’s
relationship with Assad broke down before the civil war began, when he advised
the president that an impending conflict could jeopardize the country. He was
arrested and tortured before being allowed to leave the country on Aug. 9,
2010. He moved to the US and is currently a non-resident researcher at the
Middle East Institute, the American Center for Levant Studies, and a part of
the Distinguished Scholars program at Queens University related to the peace
process.
Also
present at the meeting in Washington were six of 10 former Syrian government
ministers who fled the country and found refuge in US, along with activists,
business leaders and former diplomats.
Ayman
Abdel Nour, a member of the organizing committee, said the primary goal was to
create a strong, unified voice to help push for the implementation of UN
Resolution 2254, which was adopted on Dec. 18, 2015, and specifically sets out
the requirement that the “Syrian People will decide the future of Syria.”
“There
have been many efforts to bring the Syrian-American community and Syrian
expatriates together to define a strategy to end the conflict and put Syria
back on a road to recovery and transition but all have failed because of the
inability of all the different sides to come together,” said Abdel Nour,
agreeing with Al-Taqi. “I believe we can now overcome those divisions.”
He
pointed out that the participants in the meeting came from many parts of the
US, including Florida, New Jersey, Boston, Washington State and California.
A
leading reformist, Abdel Nour is a consultant to several multinational
organizations, including the UN and EU, and advises on civil society and
economic development in Syria. A trained engineer and economist, he has
testified before the European Parliament, provides consulting services on
Middle East public policy to international organizations and is also president
of Syrian Christians for Dialogue.
Stressing
the “need for unity” if the coalition is to be successful, he said it includes
representatives from all sections of Syrian society, including Yazidis, the
Syrian-Jewish American community in New York, Druze leaders, Kurds, a
Syrian-American student committee in Los Angeles, and members of several of
Syria’s 10 societal tribes who are now living in the US.
According
to the organizers, the 70 diverse participants at the coalition meeting
included:
Hussein
Amash, a former minister of state for combating unemployment and head of
Al-Furat University. He was jailed in Syria but released because he had
American citizenship. He was previously director-general of Kuwait Fund for
Arab Economic Development.
Former
Minister Taghreed Al-Hajali, a leading Druze sect leader who served as minister
of culture.
Wael
Mirza, a former political adviser to President Assad.
Edward
Hashweh, a leading Syrian attorney from Homs who had close relationships with
all Syrian presidents dating back to 1957.
Huda
Aljord, a Syrian professor at the University of California, Riverside.
International
Attorney Hamid Al-Rifai, who is based in Washington.
Mahmoud
Diaba, leader of the Tribes of Palmyra, one of Syria’s 10 tribes, which has an
office in Michigan.
Ayman
Hakki, a surgeon from Washington.
Lina
Murad, who teaches at John Hopkins University.
Hisham
Nashwati, head of the Syrian organization Syria Freedom, based in New Jersey.
Nimrod
Suleiman, an analyst and commentator on Syria for Al-Arabiya TV.
Zaher
Baadrani, director of the Future Movement and of the Islamic Youth Movement in
Florida.
Both
Al-Taqi and Abdel Nour said that the focus of the coalition is not an effort to
continue the existing conflict but to use their influence in the US to convince
the Biden administration to help create a “new alternative.”
“The
caliber of the leadership attending the meeting puts an end to the criticism
that the Syrian-American community is fractured and cannot come together,” said
Abdel Nour. “They may be the strongest group to give new momentum to revive the
effort to implement UN Resolution 2254.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2193931/middle-east
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India
Uttar
Pradesh: Security tightened at Shahjahanpur mosques for Friday prayers
Nov
4, 2022
SHAHJAHANPUR:
Additional police force was deployed at city mosques for the Friday prayers, two
days after a copy of the Quran was found burnt on the premises, police said.
The prayers went off peacefully.
The
situation in the city is normal and constant contact is being established with
religious leaders. The administration deployed three magistrates in three
police stations of the city for the Friday prayers. Officials are also
constantly touring the city areas, Additional District Magistrate (Finance and
Revenue) Ramsevak Dwivedi told PTI.
Soon
after the desecration was reported, police arrested local resident Taj
Mohammad.
Shahjahanpur
is an example of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (composite culture) where there has never
been any riot, Dwivedi said.
Superintendent
of Police S. Anand said some people tried to disrupt peace on Wednesday after
which a meeting with religious leaders was held and an appeal was made to
maintain peace. The religious leaders have also given assurance in this regard,
the SP said.
Following
this, adequate police force was deployed in mosques falling in all the police
station areas for the Friday prayers which passed off peacefully, Anand said.
Meanwhile,
local Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Rajesh Awasthi and other activists
handed over a memorandum to the SP complaining about a group of people blocking
the road near Beri Chowki under Kotwali after the incident on Wednesday.
Awasthi
alleged that after the incident, anti-national slogans were raised, arson was
done and an attempt was made to instigate riot and demanded that such
miscreants should be identified and action be taken against them under the
Gangsters Act and the National Security Act (NSA).
A
video of the accused has also gone viral in which he can be heard saying,
"I roam about without any work so the mind went crazy. I told the family
members to get me married but the family members did not help."
He
said he was not responsible for the desecration. "I did not set any fire
nor did I go there, a spirit came out of me and it set the fire".
On
Wednesday night, a copy of the Quran was found burnt in a mosque in the Kotwali
area of Shahjahanpur after which people gathered at the mosque in large numbers
and staged a demonstration.
Source:
Times Of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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The
army took a back seat because its Project Imran Khan bombed, says former ISI
chief Asad Durrani
Nov
4, 2022
Lt
Gen Asad Durrani, a former chief of Pakistan’s ISI, speaks to Harinder Baweja
on the clash between Imran Khan and the all-powerful military establishment and
what the assassination bid on the former prime minister portends politically
and militarily. Excerpts:
Just
how do you think Imran Khan, once the military establishment’s protege, went on
to become the challenger?
All
military proteges – Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, the earlier two – did
go on to become its challengers. When the Military refused to come to Imran
Khan’s help earlier in the year to avert defeat in the Parliament, he too has
gone the same way. This time around however, judging the people’s mood – that
they have had enough of these “games of throne” – Imran Khan has cashed upon
their anti-establishment and anti-American sentiments.
The
assassination bid on Imran Khan has deepened the fault lines in Pakistan. Are
early elections the way out of this crisis?
Fault
lines have existed for a long time, and I’m not sure if these have now
deepened. An early election is indeed Imran Khan’s demand, but those at the helm
prefer to wait till they’re due in October next year. Their argument is that to
stabilise the economy they had to take some tough measures, which have worked
in Imran’s favour; though it was his period in power that had done some serious
damage, primarily in the economic field. The present government believes that
in the next few months it would be able to show some positive results.
The
Pakistani army has political power flowing out of the barrel of its guns.
Despite declarations that they are apolitical, the army and ISI have always
controlled the political strings. Imran Khan, apart from blaming Shehbaz Sharif
for the bid on his life, has also named an ISI general. This is a flashpoint
isn’t it?
Pakistan
army may have had a larger-than-life political role, but it hardly ever was in
effective control – except when it directly ruled. I do not know why Imran has
named an ISI general.
It
is clear that Imran Khan has upped the battle and raised the stakes because of
his popularity and crowd drawing ability. Is a rapprochement between him and
the Establishment possible, for that’s the one way the deadlock can be broken
I
believe he’s keeping some back channels open with the Establishment, but have
no idea if these would help break the stalemate.
In
an unprecedented move, the ISI chief addressed a press conference to
de-popularise Imran Khan. What do you think went wrong between him and army
chief, Gen Qamar Bajwa?
I
too was taken by surprise, but then it’s quite possible that after Imran Khan
lost power and took a confrontationist path, the rancour between him and the
establishment went up the spiral.
Gen
Bajwa retires later this month. How difficult will it be for the new man in to
restore the delicately poised civil-military balance?
The
“balance” was in favour of the Military most of the time. The army’s decision
to take a backseat was because its Project Imran Khan had bombed. Imran, on the
other hand, wanted to keep the Establishment involved and to continue
supporting him. The latest developments indicate that the army will take a
backseat. That should make the task of Bajwa’s successor – not carrying any
personal baggage of the past – to confine the service to its constitutional
role, not too difficult.
Source:
Times Of India
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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RJD
takes Muslims for granted: Prashant Kishor
3rd
November 2022
Patna:
Political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor on Thursday trained his
guns on the RJD, accusing it of treating Muslims of Bihar like ‘bandhua
mazdoor’ (bonded labourers).
Addressing
a public meeting at Puparahiya village in West Champaran district, he also
underscored less than adequate representation of the minority community in key
positions in the government.
“You
all feel affinity towards the RJD. But please ponder over the question: Why did
the RJD not insist on having two deputy chief ministers like the BJP which had
one MLA less? The answer is the RJD stands on two legs — (Muslims) and Y
(Yadavs). So having a second deputy CM would have definitely required them to
appoint a Muslim,” the IPAC founder said.
Notably,
the RJD came to power two months ago after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped
ties with the BJP and joined the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (Grand Alliance).
The
new government saw RJD president Lalu Prasad’s son and heir apparent Tejashwi
Yadav becoming the deputy chief minister for the second time.
“Just
pay attention to how many from your community have got a berth in the new
cabinet,” added the 45-year-old.
Kishor,
who is on a 3,500 km-long ‘padayatra’ of his home state, after which his ‘Jan
Suraaj’, campaign is expected to evolve into a full-fledged political party,
also lashed out at the RJD for often alleging that he was being “funded” by the
BJP.
“For
years, I have been fighting and even defeating the BJP. Therefore, parties
which take you people for granted and think you have no other option, are
jittery and spreading canard against me,” said Kishor who started off as a poll
campaign manager for Narendra Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls after which he went
on to build an impressive clientele, which included leaders as diverse as
Nitish Kumar, Amarinder Singh, Arvind Kejriwal, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.
After
handling the poll campaign last year for Mamata Banerjee, who returned to power
in West Bengal with her best-ever electoral performance, Kishor announced
retirement from professional political consultancy.
Jan
Suraaj was launched earlier this year after months of fruitless negotiations
with the Congress, which Kishor, an enigmatic figure, wanted to join formally
and refurbish according to his own blueprint.
Reacting
to Kishor’s comment, RJD MLA Akhtarul Islam Shaheen insisted, “RJD is the
number one in the country if representation to Muslims, with regard to a
party’s own strength in both houses of Parliament and state legislature is
taken into account.”
“It
may be said that Muslims are not getting a share commensurate with their population
but it is true for all states and parties. Our track record has been better
than all others,” said Shaheen, who is the third-term MLA from Samastipur.
He
also took exception to the “MY” label attached to his party and asked, “Have
Lalu ji or Tejashwi ji ever said we are a party of only Yadavs and Muslims?
Does any party stand a chance in elections with support of only two social
groups? The talk of MY has been a mischief aimed at driving all other sections
away from RJD.”
Source: Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/rjd-takes-muslims-for-granted-prashant-kishor-2448947/
--------
Pakistan
I
was hit by four bullets, says Imran Khan
05.11.22
Former
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said he was hit by four bullets in
his right leg during the assassination attempt a day earlier when he was
leading a political march in Punjab province.
Addressing
the nation from the Shaukat Khanum Hospital here, his first address since the
assassination attempt, Khan said that he was aware of the plot to kill him.
“I’ll
come to the details of the attack later. I got to know the day before [the attack]
that either in Wazirabad or Gujrat, they planned to kill me,” the 70-year-old
chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party claimed.
“I
was hit by four bullets,” Khan said.
Khan
said he had narrated this plan to the public during a September 24 rally.
“This
[the attempted assassination] happened exactly according to the script,” he
said.
Dr
Faisal Sultan, who is treating the cricketer-turned-politician, said X-rays of
Khan’s right leg showed that his tibia was damaged and in fact fractured.
“In
this scan, the line you see on the right leg is the main artery. The bullet
fragments were very near it,” Sultan said.
Khan
suffered a bullet injury on the right leg when a gun-wielding man fired a
volley of bullets at him and others mounting on a container-mounted truck in
the Wazirabad area of Punjab province.
Khan
has been demanding fresh elections and launched a long march to Islamabad on
October 28 to press the government to accept his demands.
Angry
supporters
Imran’s
angry supporters took to the streets across Pakistan after Friday prayers asthe
Punjab police arrested two more suspects.
While
Khan’s PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party insisted that it was a “prelude to a
well-thought-out conspiracy”, the federal government asked the Punjab
provincial government to constitute a high-level joint investigation team (JIT)
to bring the facts to light.
Protests
by PTI workers erupted in various cities across the country after the Friday
prayers.
Irate
protesters blocked the busy Murree Road, the main artery of Rawalpindi which
leads to Islamabad.
Source:TelegraphIndia
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/i-was-hit-by-four-bullets-says-imran-khan/cid/1896257
--------
Pakistan
Army rejects 'baseless, irresponsible' allegations by Imran Khan against senior
officer
Nov
5, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Army has rejected as "baseless and irresponsible" the
allegations made by former premier Imran Khan that one of its senior officers
was among the people involved in the conspiracy to kill him and demanded the
government to conduct a probe and take legal action against those maligning the
state institution.
The
Army's overnight statement came in response to an address by Khan from the
hospital in which he alleged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, interior
minister Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal Naseer were part of a sinister
plot to assassinate him in the same way former Punjab governor Salman Taseer
was killed in 2011 by a religious extremist.
Khan,
70, suffered a bullet injury in the right leg when two gunmen fired a volley of
bullets at him and others mounting on a container-mounted truck in the
Wazirabad area of Punjab province, where he was leading a protest march against
the Shehbaz Sharif government.
"Four
people plotted to kill me. I made a video and named those people and have
stashed it abroad," Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
said, adding that it would be released in case something untoward happens to
him.
In
its response, the Army in a statement said: “The baseless and irresponsible
allegations by chairman PTI against the institution and particularly a senior army
officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for."
“The
baseless allegations hurled at the institution/officials today are highly
regrettable and strongly condemned," the statement read.
“No
one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity.
Keeping this in view, the government of Pakistan has been requested to
investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those responsible for
defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials
without any evidence whatsoever,” it said.
According
to the statement, the Pakistan Army prides itself for being an extremely
professional and well-disciplined organisation with a robust and highly
effective internal accountability system, which is applicable across the board
for unlawful acts against anything committed by uniformed personnel. If the
honour, safety and prestige of its rank and file are being tarnished by vested
interests through frivolous allegations, “the institution will jealously
safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what”, it said.
The
powerful Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its
75-plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the
matters of security and foreign policy.
Earlier,
Khan repeated the names of three persons for their alleged involvement in the
attack. He urged his followers to continue protests across the country until
the three of them resigned.
Khan
also announced that he would relaunch the protest march against the government
soon after getting on his feet.
Meanwhile,
he also claimed that an FIR was not being registered as some people were afraid
of (some names).
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Blind
Use Of "religious Fanaticism To Bury Imran's Politics": Maulana Fazal
Mohammad
Ali
November
04, 2022
ISLAMABAD,
(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Nov, 2022 ) :Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl
(JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman on Friday said the "blind use of
religious fanaticism would bury Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran
Khan's politics." In an exclusive talk with media persons, Fazal who is
also the head of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) said Imran Khan, who
ignited fire of hatred in the society, was now had to bear the brunt of it.
Reacting
to the Wazirabad incident, he said the incident took place in the jurisdiction
of Punjab, where PTI had its own government.
The
accused was caught by the PTI worker and referred to the Punjab Police, he
said, adding that the Police took a statement from the accused in which he
confessed that the "PTI chief had been guilty of insulting the
religion." "Despite this, Imran Khan and his cronies are hell-bent to
agitate by accusing the Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Interior
Minister Rana Sana Ullah and (one of)Pakistan's security official without any
evidence, which had made the matter suspicious," he said.
JUI-F
chief said a high-level investigation of this matter was necessary so that the
nation could be apprised about the actual facts.
Fazal
alarmed that the consequences of using such incidents for political aims would
be dangerous in future and a third force could take advantage and put the
nation in trouble.
Source: UrduPoint
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/blind-use-of-religious-fanaticism-to-bury-im-1589668.html
--------
SC
requested to defer hearing of contempt plea against Imran
Haseeb
Bhatti
November
5, 2022
PTI
chief Imran Khan’s lawyer submitted an application to the Supreme Court (SC) on
Saturday to defer a hearing in a contempt case filed against the former prime
minister for allegedly flouting a May 25 court order that defined the limits
for his party’s ‘Azadi March’ at the time.
The
deferral was sought on the grounds of Imran’s hospitalisation after he was
wounded in Thursday’s gun attack in Wazirabad and would not be able to submit a
reply sought by the court in the previous hearing.
The
interior ministry had approached the SC for contempt of court charges against
Imran on October 13 for allegedly flouting the court’s order in which, the
petition recalled, the apex court directed the PTI to hold its ‘Azadi March’
gathering in a ground located between sectors H-9 and G-9.
The
plea stated the that court had designated the area for the protest in view of
the categorical assurances on behalf of the party’s top leadership and their
counsel that their rally would not cause any inconvenience or blockage of the
Srinagar Highway or trouble the public and that the rally would be conducted in
a peaceful and lawful manner.
However,
Imran and his supporters made their way towards D-Chowk in alleged
contravention of court orders, the plea alleged.
At
the last hearing, the SC had given Imran a chance to explain the alleged
flouting of the court order and sought a detailed reply from him by November 5
(today).
The
application said Imran had been hospitalised due to an “unfortunate incident” —
a gun attack that caused him an injury in the shin — and could not submit a
reply.
It
prayed the court not to hold the hearing scheduled on November 7 and not fix
the case for a hearing for now.
The
govt’s plea
The
federal government, through the interior ministry, had approached the Supreme
Court for initiating contempt of court proceedings against Imran for violating
its May 25 order, wherein the PTI was restricted from holding its ‘Azadi March’
near Peshawar Mor between the H-9 and G-9 areas of Islamabad. However, Imran
and his supporters made their way towards D-Chowk in alleged contravention of
court orders.
According
to the petition, the apex court had in its May order directed the PTI to hold a
gathering on a ground located between sectors H-9 and G-9 in view of the
categorical assurances on behalf of the party’s top leadership and their
counsel that their rally would not cause any inconvenience or blockage of the
Srinagar Highway or trouble the public and that the rally would be conducted in
a peaceful and lawful manner.
Despite
these assurances, the PTI top leadership, acting in blatant disregard for the
directions, exhorted its supporters to reach D-Chowk, falsely professing that
the court had allowed the march without any conditions, it added.
The
contempt petition pleaded for the implementation of the apex court order for
the protection of the fundamental rights of the public, particularly residents
of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
It
also requested that the Supreme Court should also issue comprehensive
guidelines for all future protests to be held in the federal capital that
should include prior intimation of the date, selection of the venue, assurance
of not causing any hindrance to public life and a commitment to ensure that the
protesters would not cause any damage to public or private property.
The
plea also claimed the tone and tenor adopted by the PTI chairman in his
speeches against the incumbent rulers and state institutions was “highly
inflammatory”, aimed at encouraging distrust and contempt and instigating
revolt.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1719126/sc-requested-to-defer-hearing-of-contempt-plea-against-imran
--------
Army,
govt ‘on same page’, demand end to falsehoods
November
5, 2022
ISLAMABAD:
Hours after Imran Khan directly blamed government officials and an army officer
for the attempt on his life, federal ministers and the military denied the
allegations, calling them “unacceptable and uncalled for”, while demanding
action against “those responsible for defamation and false accusations against
the institution and its officials”.
Earlier,
Mr Khan had accused the prime minister, interior minister and a spy agency
officer for hatching a plot to assassinate him and demanded their immediate
removal.
In
a late night statement, the military’s media wing condemned the allegations and
said: “The baseless and irresponsible allegations by chairman PTI against the
institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable
and uncalled for.”
ISPR
added that the Pakistan Army was a professional and disciplined organisation
with a robust internal accountability system for any unlawful acts committed by
uniformed personnel.
Calling
Mr Khan’s allegations regrettable, the ISPR said honour and safety of its rank
and file were being “tarnished by vested interests”. “The institution will
safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what.”
Earlier
on Friday, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Interior Minister Rana
Sanullah also lambasted Mr Khan’s recriminations.
Ms
Aurangzeb raised questions over Mr Khan’s actions following the attack.
“Why
did he not go to any hospital nearby after being hit by four bullets and wasted
three precious hours to reach Lahore?” she asked. Mr Khan was taken to Lahore,
around 123km southwest of Wazirabad where he was shot.
She
also questioned why no government doctors and police were allowed to check or
visit Mr Khan.
“We
offer full cooperation of the federal government to investigate the incident,”
adding that Mr Khan can call Scotland Yard, private investigators or anybody to
probe the attack. “But eventually you will have to appear in court so that the
truth may come out.”
“Not
only was Imran Khan making false accusations without any evidence, but the fact
is that the attacker was in Punjab police’s custody and investigation was the
responsibility of the Punjab government, not the federal government.”
“For
Almighty’s sake, I plead not to play the religion card.This is a dangerous path
and could lead to serious consequences.”
She
claimed Mr Khan has been defaming the institutions for political benefits,
saying: “It all started after March 07 he [Mr Khan] offered Gen Bajwa to become
army chief for lifetime for supporting him in the vote of no confidence.”
She
added when the COAS refused, a derogatory campaign was launched against the
army and to “ridicule” martyrs.
Later,
Mr Khan used the words neutral, animal and XYZ etc for the army, she added.
Meanwhile,
talking to Geo News, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah called Mr Khan a
compulsive liar and said his whole media talk was nothing more than “baseless
allegations”.
He
disputed Mr Khan’s claim that he received four bullets and demanded an
independent medical board to examine these claims.
While
rejecting the possibility of more than one attacker – as claimed by Mr Khan – the
interior minister said there was minute-by-minute footage of the attack which
could be examined.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1719079/army-govt-on-same-page-demand-end-to-falsehoods
--------
Southeast Asia
Malaysia
GE2022: Parties gear up for campaign flag-off
Shannon
Teoh
NOV
5, 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR - The two-week campaign for Malaysia’s 15th General Election officially
kicks off on Saturday in a multi-cornered battle that is likely to result in no
clear winner after the Nov 19 vote.
Most
contenders have had to rush to prepare for the polls that were not due until
September 2023 but were controversially called when caretaker Prime Minister
Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved Parliament on Oct 10, despite warnings of deadly
year-end floods by mid-November.
The
Meteorological Department said on Thursday that the north-east monsoon – which
killed 54 in 2021 and caused RM6 billion (S$1.8 billion) in losses – is now
expected to hit the country earlier, from Nov 7, and will last till March. This
raises the potential risk of the 21 million-strong electorate having to brave
flood waters to vote.
The
fragmented political landscape, with three main coalitions and dozens of
independent blocs vying for power, is likely to see close to a thousand
nominations submitted on Saturday for the 222 parliamentary seats, and hundreds
more for the only three – out of 13 – state assemblies that have chosen to hold
concurrent polls despite the impending deluge. The states of Perlis, Perak and
Pahang were ruled by Umno.
All
candidates will have to submit their papers between 9am and 10am at various
centres in all 222 federal wards, with confirmation of names that will appear
on the ballot papers expected before noon.
Analysts
expect the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) to garner the most seats in Parliament,
putting the Umno-led coalition in pole position to form the next government.
Umno
vice-president Ismail had dissolved Parliament after intense pressure from
party president Zahid Hamidi’s faction, which had stridently insisted that they
should capitalise on the momentum from the two-thirds supermajority wins in two
state polls in the past year, as well as the unpreparedness of their opponents.
BN’s
vote share in the Melaka and Johor state polls were within a few points of the
40 per cent mark – enough to fend off opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan
Harapan (PH) and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN).
But
opinion polls showed approval of the Ismail administration was at 31 per cent
in October, lower than the 39 per cent mark in April 2018, just weeks before
Najib Razak – now jailed over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal – was
deposed as Umno lost power after the general election, the first time in
Malaysia’s six-decade history.
Zahid,
as the head of BN, also chose to drop a slew of dissidents from the BN
candidate slate who were either critical of him or were Ismail supporters,
triggering backlash that has seen at least two of those dropped deciding to
defend their seats as PN nominees.
There
have also been last-minute changes to PN’s line-up as well as internal
bickering over PH’s decision to drop popular leaders in several seats,
especially across its stronghold of Selangor, Malaysia’s richest state.
“At
this point in time, with the lower-than-expected level of Malay voter support
for BN, it is possible to imagine that no single coalition will attain a large
enough plurality to form a government with just one other party or coalition,”
said Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research on Friday in its release of its
October survey data.
This
implies that whether it is BN, PH or PN, or a combination of two of these
coalitions, the support of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), which dominates the
eastern state, could be crucial in determining who becomes Malaysia’s prime
minister in a fortnight.
PH
came to power in 2018 and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad became prime minister, but
the coalition’s reign lasted just 22 months. It crumbled due to ebbing support
from the crucial Malay Muslim demographic, which makes up the majority in about
six of 10 parliamentary wards.
Tan
Sri Muhyiddin was sworn in as premier in March 2020 after defecting with his
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and forming PN but found himself on the
receiving end when Umno MPs withdrew their support.
PN
and GPS agreed to back Datuk Seri Ismail as premier in Aug 2021, as Zahid was
and is still burdened by dozens of graft charges.
Critics
accuse Zahid and his allies of pushing for snap polls ahead of a verdict in his
corruption trial expected in early 2023.
Whether
that narrative will hurt the former deputy premier enough will be tested as he
defends his Bagan Datok seat against PH’s Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Akin who
has a track record of giant-killing.
Source:
StraitsTimes
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-ge-2022-parties-gear-up-for-campaign-flag-off
--------
Survey:
Voters more concerned about economy than politics, seven in 10 feel country
moving in wrong direction
By
Zarrah Morden
04
Nov 2022
KUALA
LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Most voters going into the 15th general elections (GE15) were
concerned about the economy with 74 per cent of respondents saying the country’s
biggest problem is its economy.
The
next biggest problems faced by the country were related to political issues (3
per cent), racial issues (3 per cent), and leadership issues (3 per cent).
The
top concern for the Malaysian voters surveyed was inflation (31 per cent),
followed by political instability (13 per cent), corruption (12 per cent) and
enhancing economic growth (12 per cent).
"Issues
driving voter motivations are fairly universal: the economy and inflation.
"But
we now see voters genuinely concerned over political uncertainty, as it may
mean that public priorities take a back seat compared to leaders’ efforts to
stay or gain power,” it said.
In
addition, 72 per cent of respondents felt that the country is going in the
wrong direction due to economic concerns (32 per cent of respondents) followed
by political instability (27 per cent).
Other
concerns were poor and inefficient administration (12 per cent), bad quality of
leadership and no welfare (8 per cent), and racial issues (3 per cent).
However,
those who said the country was going in the right direction cited a favourable
economy (13 per cent), good national and state administration (11 per cent),
good quality leadership and welfare (8 per cent), social and public safety (5
per cent), and good development and infrastructure (1 per cent).
Dissatisfaction
with the direction of the country was high among ethnic lines (65 per cent for
Malays, 85 per cent for ethnic Chinese and Indians, 71 per cent for Muslim
Bumiputera and 63 per cent for non-Muslim Bumiputera) and age groups (65 per
cent for those aged 18 to 20, 73 per cent for those aged 21 to 30, 74 per cent
for ages 31 to 40, 71 per cent for ages 41 to 50, 74 per cent for ages 51 - 60
and 71 per cent for ages 61 and above).
Merdeka
Center noted that levels of dissatisfaction with the direction of the country
increased after the dissolution of Parliament.
Source:MalayMail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
'I’ll
be a leader for all Malaysians': Anwar delivers message of unity in Perak ahead
of Nomination Day
Pichayada
Promchertchoo
04
Nov 2022
TAMBUN,
Perak: Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim delivered a message of unity
and multiracial harmony on Friday (Nov 4) in Tambun, where he is set to contest
for a parliamentary seat in the upcoming general election.
“If
I become a leader, I will be a leader for all Malaysians,” Mr Anwar told the
cheering crowd of supporters during his visit to an Indian-Malaysian community
in the constituency.
They
gave him a warm welcome, with music and firecrackers outside a local restaurant
in Tambun amid the rain.
The
75-year-old politician is leading PH in its fight to form a new government when
Malaysians go to the polls on Nov 19. Nomination Day will take place on
Saturday morning.
“We
have to bring in new politics, respect and accept people from different races
as our citizens,” he said.
In
his speech on Friday, Mr Anwar made references to the ruling parties and vowed
to be different.
“I
want support from the Malays, the Chinese, the Indians and indigenous people
because this is Malaysia. I don’t want to be like political parties such as PAS
(Parti Islam Se-Malaysia), Bersatu (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or UMNO
(United Malays National Organisation). They play up racial sentiments. I do
not,” said Mr Anwar.
PAS
is an Islamist party while Bersatu and UMNO are Malay nationalist political
organisations.
The
three are part of the incumbent government, which operates under two
coalitions, namely Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
The
latter was established in 2020 when Bersatu and several members of parliament
from Mr Anwar’s party - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) – defected from PH to form
a new coalition with PAS. The incident is commonly known as the Sheraton Move.
The
upcoming election will see the three major coalitions fighting to capture the
federal seat of government in Putrajaya.
For
PH, which won the previous polls in 2018, its fight against the two ruling
coalitions could be an uphill battle.
In
Tambun, Anwar will compete for the parliamentary seat against Mr Ahmad Faizal
Azumu from PN and Mr Aminuddin Hanafiah from BN, according to the latest announcements
by the coalitions.
The
seat is currently held by Mr Ahmad Faizal, whose party Bersatu defected from PH
during the Sheraton Move.
The
move resulted in the collapse of the PH government, then led by Dr Mahathir
Mohamad, after being in power for 22 months.
“We’ll
build this country as a team, a full team, a team that loves and helps each
other,” said Mr Anwar on Friday.
“I
want to make sure that when we form a government on Nov 20, this government
will be different from others.”
Source:ChannelNewsAsia
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
DAP
respects constitution, monarchy says Anwar
Tsubasa
Nair
November
4, 2022
IPOH:
Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed the notion that DAP would
be in control of the government if the coalition won the general election.
Speaking
at a pre-election rally here, Anwar also defended DAP, saying the party
respected the Federal Constitution and the Malay rulers. DAP’s rivals have
claimed the party was anti-Malay.
“In
our government, the prime minister is Malay, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is
Malay, and so are the menteris besar. Don’t worry, DAP is our faithful ally,”
he said.
He
said that while he as a Malay would lead the government if PH won GE15, he
would be a leader for all.
Anwar,
who will be contesting the Tambun seat, welcomed some 480 Tambun MIC members
from eight branches who quit the party to join PKR.
Hulu
Kinta assemblyman Arafat Varisai Mahamad, who was present at the event, claimed
the ex-MIC members were disappointed that the community in Tambun had been
neglected.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
PKR
members who run as independents will be sacked, says Anwar
Shaq
Ismail
November
5, 2022
IPOH:
Any PKR member who contests as an independent candidate in the general election
will be sacked, says party president Anwar Ibrahim.
This
comes after former PKR vice-president Tian Chua nominated himself as an
independent candidate for the Batu seat.
“It
is unfortunate (Tian Chua) choose this path,” Anwar told reporters after
submitting his nomination papers for the Tambun seat at the Ipoh Industrial
Training Institute.
“He
is a passionate and dedicated reformist (but) I don’t think this action is
something that a reformist should be doing.
“Whatever
it is, we have taken the appropriate action.”
Earlier,
Tian Chua said he was ready to face any disciplinary action from the party for
contesting the Batu seat as an independent candidate.
Nonetheless,
the former Batu MP told Malaysiakini that he was “always with Pakatan Harapan
and PKR” in spirit.
“This
is a party I have a strong emotional attachment to. I love and support all PKR
leaders despite the internal differences that we have,” he said, stressing that
he had not quit PKR.
He
claimed the composition of Batu voters had increased by over 30,000 voters
since 2018 with a rise in Malay voters, adding that these factors were why
PKR’s P Prabakaran could lose at the polls.
“My
part here (as an independent candidate) is to ensure we do not risk losing Batu
to PKR’s opponents.”
PKR
named Prabakaran to defend the seat he won as an independent in the last
general election (GE14) before joining the party.
Tian
Chua was the Batu MP from 2008 to 2018 but failed to defend his seat in GE14
after he was disqualified on nomination day.
Earlier
today, Prabakaran said he was disappointed that Tian Chua had chosen to contest
GE15 as an independent candidate and accused him of being selfish.
The
Batu seat will be a contest among 10 candidates, with big names like MIC
vice-president A Kohilan Pillay (Barisan Nasional) and Gerak Independent’s Siti
Kasim in the fray.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
PN
welcomes any winnable candidate, says Hadi
November
3, 2022
ALOR
SETAR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) welcomes anyone who wants to support or join the
coalition in the 15th general election (GE15), said its deputy chairman, Abdul
Hadi Awang.
Hadi,
who is also the PAS president, said PN’s doors are open to any prospective
candidate capable of winning a seat for the coalition.
“The
names of candidates can change at any time before nomination day,” he told
reporters after the announcement of PN’s candidates for Kedah parliamentary
seats last night.
He
was responding to speculation that PN might offer former Arau MP Shahidan
Kassim, who was dropped from Barisan Nasional’s list of candidates, the chance
to contest on PN’s ticket in GE15.
Earlier
yesterday, Perlis PN chairman Syukri Ramli was reported to have informed the
PAS and PN leadership of Shahidan’s intention to defend the seat.
PN
will contest 169 parliamentary seats, including 74 by Bersatu, 64 by PAS, 20 by
Gerakan and 11 by affiliated groups.
Source:Free
Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Thailand,
Saudi Arabia to launch coordination council amid relations thaw
November
04, 2022
BANGKOK:
Thailand is preparing to set up a coordination council with Saudi Arabia to
boost newly restored relations, including in trade and investment, a top
official from the Thai Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.
Ties
between the two kingdoms stalled in the 1980s and were renewed in late January,
following Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s visit to Riyadh, which was
the first top leadership meeting between the two countries in more than three
decades.
During
the visit, the Kingdom and Thailand discussed a road map for their bilateral
relations.
The
Southeast Asian nation’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Don Pramudwinai said last month that the road map would be made official during
a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The
crown prince has been invited as a special guest by the Thai leadership to
attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok on Nov.
18-19.
The
coordination council to implement the relationship road map is expected to be
established during the visit, Umaporn Futrakul, director of the Bureau of Asia,
Africa and Middle East of the Department of Trade Negotiations at the Thai
Ministry of Commerce, told Arab News.
“When
the crown prince visits, there will be an announcement on the details of the
coordination council,” she said.
“The
coordination council will consist of committees, and one of those will be trade
and economy which, it has been agreed, the ministries of commerce from both
sides will co-chair.”
Since
the restoration of bilateral ties, many agreements and official visits have
already followed. The two governments have also signed a series of cooperation
deals and the volume of trade between them has already significantly increased.
Between
February and September 2022, bilateral trade volume between Thailand and Saudi
Arabia reached $7.2 billion, compared with $4.5 billion in the same period last
year, according to Ministry of Commerce data.
In
the same timeframe, Thai exports to Saudi Arabia were $1.3 billion, up 23
percent, while imports were $5.9 billion, posting an increase of more than 72
percent.
“The
resumption of ties has made the relationship better in the big picture,”
Futrakul said.
“After
the two sides started their interaction and resumed their ties in different
dimensions, it led to more visits from top executives from both sides than
before … these frequent visits lead to more trade and investment.”
The
top Thai exports to Saudi Arabia in 2022 were automobiles, spare parts,
accessories, as well as wood products, household appliances, electric devices
and processed seafood.
The
key imports from Saudi Arabia were crude oil, fertilizers, natural gas and
metal products.
A
further boost in trade is expected soon as the cooperation council will come
with frameworks to advance economic relations on both ends.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2193781/world
--------
Europe
Sparkhill
mosque vandalised with bricks during prayer
04
November, 2022
Bricks
and stones were thrown through a mosque's windows during morning prayer.
Worshippers
at Paigham-E-Islam Trust in Sparkhill, Birmingham, were left terrified after
the attack at about 06:45 GMT on Friday, Mohammed Suleman said.
West
Midlands Police said a man had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
The
force added that several other buildings the Stratford Road area were
vandalised during the same morning.
"The
motive behind the attacks is yet to be established, but we're currently
questioning the man in his 40s who remains in custody and is undergoing a
mental health assessment," a spokesman said.
Mr
Suleman said he was "very shocked as we have a really good community
relationship with Sparkhill".
The
police spokesman said more officers had been dispatched to the area.
"We
understand the worry and anger this may cause," they added.
Source:
BBC
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-63515184
--------
Muslim
Brotherhood statement confirms death of leader
Damien
McElroy
Nov
04, 2022
Ibrahim
Munir, the leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, died on Friday, two years
after taking the role.
The
organisation said in a statement that Munir had lived in London for decades and
was 85 years old.
He
had lived in exile for most of the last 40 years.
The
Islamist movement was founded in Egypt and took power in a presidential
election in 2012. A year later that presidency was brought down by mass protests
against the organisation's rule.
The
Muslim Brotherhood high command has since used its position overseas to try to
consolidate after the loss of power and Munir was central to those efforts.
The
group's spiritual leader Yusuf Al Qaradawi died in September. He was sentenced
to death by an Egyptian court in absentia in 2015 along with other Egyptians
affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in a case relating to a 2011 mass jail
break.
Source:TheNationalNews
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkey
warns Finland, Sweden must ‘take steps’ before NATO approval
05
November, 2022
Turkey
will not formally approve Finland and Sweden’s membership of NATO until the two
countries take the necessary “steps,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
told alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg Friday.
Ankara
has accused the two Nordic nations of providing a safe haven for outlawed
Kurdish militants it deems “terrorists” and held back on ratifying their NATO
membership despite an agreement in June.
“President
Erdogan noted that the steps to be taken by Sweden and Finland would determine
how fast the approval process... would go and when it would be concluded,” the
Turkish presidency said.
Erdogan
and Stoltenberg held a private meeting in Istanbul that was closed to the
media.
Finland
and Sweden dropped decades of military non-alignment and scrambled to become
NATO members in May, after Russia invaded Ukraine.
But
Erdogan threatened to block their bids and sought concessions, leading to a
deal in June between Turkey, Finland and Sweden that included provisions on
extraditions and sharing information.
New
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will visit Ankara on Tuesday to meet
with Erdogan in a trip that Stockholm hopes will lead to Turkey’s approval.
Stoltenberg
“welcomed the major, concrete steps already taken by both countries to put the
memorandum into practice, and stressed that their accession will make NATO
stronger”, the alliance said in a statement on Friday.
On
Thursday, the NATO secretary general said Finland and Sweden’s accession was
important “to send a clear message to Russia” during a press conference with
the Turkish foreign minister.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
EU's
Borrell urges Iran to end arms deliveries to Russia
Oliver
Towfigh Nia
04.11.2022
BERLIN
The
EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday called on Iran to end its
military support to Russia in the war against Ukraine.
"We
insist on Iran to stop providing arms to Russia. Iran denies it but Ukrainians
have been providing evidence of these drones," Borrell said on the
sidelines of the Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting in the western
German city of Muenster.
His
remarks came in the wake of statements by NATO Secretary General Jens
Stoltenberg who also expressed concern on Thursday.
"We
also see that Iran is offering drones and considering supplying ballistic
missiles to Russia," said Stoltenberg, adding, "This is unacceptable.
No country should support Moscow in this illegal war."
A
staunch ally of Moscow, Tehran has so far denied supplying arms to Russia.
Meanwhile,
Borrell also condemned the security crackdown on anti-regime protesters in Iran
and vowed "to continue supporting the demonstrators."
"We
have to express our strong support to the demonstrators, especially the women,
the courageous women in Iran," he added.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eus-borrell-urges-iran-to-end-arms-deliveries-to-russia/2729796
--------
Muslim
students in UK furious over pro-Palestine student union president sacking
05
November 2022
Robert
Carter
Press
TV, London
Islamophobia
scandal now threatens a British student union following anger over the sacking
of its female Muslim president amid allegations of anti-Semitism.
Shaima
Dallali was elected president of the National Union of Students in March.
Dallali was initially hailed for being the first ever black Muslim female to
take up the post, however, she was suspended from the role in July amid an
investigation into anti-Israel comments she made up to 10 years prior to her
election.
Including
a 2012 tweet in which Ms Dallali wrote: “Khaybar Khaybar O Jews… Muhammad’s
army will return Gaza.” A tweet she has since apologised for.
Dallali
expressed further fury as the news of her sacking after she discovered the news
on Twitter. Shared by a pro-Israel newspaper who may have been leaked the story
prior to the NUS updating Mrs Dallali. In response, Dallali has vowed to fight
the outcome via a pending legal challenge, alleging discriminatory treatment.
Mrs
Dallali's sacking has sparked furious anger across the British Muslim
community. Who believe this is gross censorship of pro-Palestine activism.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US,
Britain strengthening Daesh terrorists’ foothold, destructive potential in
Afghanistan: Russian diplomat
04
November 2022
Russian
Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov has held the
United States and Britain responsible for the growth of the notorious Deash
Takfiri terrorist group in Afghanistan and the uptick in violence across the
South-Central Asian country.
Kabulov
made the comments in an opinion piece published in the Russian daily newspaper
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, stating that Washington and London are helping the Daesh
affiliate, commonly known as Daesh in Khorasan Province, to cement its foothold
in the crisis-stricken nation.
He
added that the US and Britain are also exerting considerable pressure on
high-profile Taliban figures to distance themselves from Russia and China,
before they are targeted in assassination strikes carried out by unmanned
aerial vehicles.
“Americans,
together with their British collaborators, are putting their frantic efforts
into strengthening the positions and the destructive potential of the Afghan
offshoot of Daesh, and are seeking to avail themselves of the extremists to
alienate Afghanistan’s neighboring states from Moscow,” Kabulov pointed out.
“While
the United States, as part of a political blackmail, is placing the Taliban
leaders under pressure to dissociate themselves from Russia and China, it is
demanding Afghanistan's ruling authorities not to take any action against
Uyghur insurgents, who form the militant organization Turkistan Islamic Party,”
the Russian diplomat noted.
Daesh
has a foothold in eastern and northern Afghanistan, particularly in Nangarhar,
which is regarded as its base in the war-torn country. It has recently claimed
responsibility for several attacks across Afghanistan.
In
May last year, at least 85 people – mainly girl students – were killed and
about 300 wounded when three bombs exploded near their school in the
Shia-dominated Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood of Kabul.
In
October 2020, Daesh admitted to attacking an educational center in the same
area that killed 24 people, including students.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Sunak
government scraps plan to relocate UK embassy to occupied al-Quds
04
November 2022
The
government of new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has abandoned a plan put
forward by his predecessor Liz Truss for moving the UK embassy from Tel Aviv to
occupied al-Quds.
A
spokesperson with the UK government said on Thursday that “there are no plans
to move the British embassy.”
Back
in September, former UK PM Truss had pledged outgoing Israeli prime minister
Yair Lapid that she would review the relocation plan.
The
decision had drawn backlash from Palestinian groups and people, regional
countries, and church leaders.
By
moving the British embassy to occupied al-Quds, Truss was seeking to follow in
the footsteps of Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, who
moved the US embassy to al-Quds despite worldwide condemnations.
At
the time when Washington implemented the illegal move, then then-Prime Minister
Theresa May said the UK had no plans to move its embassy and publicly disagreed
with the US move.
The
embassy relocation plan was first proposed by Truss in a letter to Conservative
Friends of Israel (CFI), a pro-Israel lobby group, earlier this year.
Israel
lays claim to the entire al-Quds, but the international community views the
city’s eastern sector as occupied territory while Palestinians consider it the
capital of their future state.
Meanwhile,
al-Quds is at the heart of the Palestinian conflict in the past decades as
Palestinians insist that East al-Quds was illegally occupied by the regime in
1967 and it should serve as the capital of a Palestinian state.
‘Much
work needed to amend Balfour Declaration injustice’
In
a statement on Wednesday, Palestinian ambassador to London Husam Zomlot
welcomed the Sunak government's decision, also appreciating all those who
“helped keep the UK in line with international law.”
“There
is much work to be done to create a conducive environment for peace in the
Middle East and make amends for the historic injustice caused by the Balfour
Declaration, 105 years ago,” he added.
The
Balfour Declaration came in the form of a letter from Britain’s then-foreign
secretary, Arthur Balfour, addressed to Lionel Walter Rothschild, a figurehead
of the British Jewish community. It was published on November 2, 1917.
The
declaration was made during World War I (1914-1918) and was included in the
terms of the British Mandate for Palestine after the dissolution of the Ottoman
Empire.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/11/04/692136/UK-backtracks-over-moving-embassy-to-Quds
--------
Mideast
‘Daesh-like
murderers of Arman Aliverdi were trained by foreign countries’
05
November 2022
The
comrades and colleagues of Arman Aliverdi, a 21-year-old Iranian Basiji youth
who was severely beaten by wild rioters in Tehran and was martyred in the
hospital later, say the Daesh-like thugs who killed the young man have been
trained by foreign countries.
One
of Arman’s friends, who was present with him in the Ekbatan area where he was
beaten and stabbed to death, told the al-Mayadeen TV channel that “the attitude
of thugs on the streets of Tehran was so similar to that of Daesh terrorist
group (also known as ISIS) and it seems like they have been trained on how to
carry out violence and killing.”
The
young man recounted that “Martyr Arman Aliverdi chose to walk through side
alleys in order to avoid the crowds. He was walking when suddenly violent
rioters started throwing stones at him and the group of young men with him.
Some rioters clashed with the martyr, and as he tried to move on, the thugs
found out that he belonged to the Basij volunteer forces and therefore
surrounded him and started assaulting him.”
He
said whenever the thugs would see a young man belonging to the Basij, they
would relentlessly surround and assault him.
The
West-supported rioters, he continued, ordered him to insult his own religious
beliefs. However, Arman repeatedly refused, which infuriated the rioters. Then
they shoved him to the ground and started beating him. “They stripped him of
his clothes, kicked him, punched him, slapped him, insulted him, tortured him,
and stabbed him with knives.”
He
also recalled that “when we found the martyr, he was covered with his blood. We
transferred him quickly to the hospital but he did not survive and died due to
torture and severe injuries.”
On
a related note, a Basij officer told al-Mayadeen that “foreign players who
meddle in Iranian internal affairs have been training rioters to target people
and centers belonging to the Basij and the Revolution.”
He
added that some of the protesters are not thugs and have the right to protest,
but the protests were hijacked and exploited to carry out Western agendas and
cause damage to Iran’s security and stability.
“There
are trained persons, however, who are worse than Daesh terrorists. They are
trying to carry out heinous crimes in Iran, worse and more violent than the
ones we witnessed in Syria and Iraq. We will confront them,” he said.
He
called on the Iranians to open their eyes to the violent nature of the thugs
and rioters and to be vigilant against Western-backed attempts to turn Iran
into chaos.
Meanwhile,
Arman’s torn-out clothes and his silver ring that was broken due to severe
beating and torture have been put on display at the headquarters in memory of
the young Basiji man.
The
thugs, who have killed dozens so far, claim to be “advocates” of freedom of
thought, belief, and religion; freedom of speech; and freedom of expression.
Videos on social media show how violent rioters have been going on a rampage
across the country, attacking security officers and people who have religious
looks, women wearing the full Hijab or Iranian Chador which is a traditional
and conservative outfit, resorting to vandalism against public property, and
desecrating religious sanctities.
Many
peaceful protesters backed off and retreated in fear for their lives, after realizing
that this is yet another plot to cause unrest in Iran. Meanwhile, millions of
Iranians took part in rallies that were held in 900 cities on Friday, including
in the capital Tehran where demonstrators strongly condemned the hostile
policies of the US and some other Western and Arab regimes against Iran, which
displayed unity among Iranians.
Dual
standards remain crystal clear, showing how Western media coverage is biased.
At the time Western media outlets cover fake news and circulate disinformation on
Iran, they do not provide any media coverage to the violence and damage caused
by the violent rioters, including the violent killing of Aliverdi, in an
attempt to create an “anti-Iran” intended rhetoric, sabotage the image of Iran,
and meddle in its internal affairs.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
War
crimes committed by Yemen’s Houthis since truce expiry, says UN
04
November, 2022
Yemen’s
Iran-backed Houthi militia has committed war crimes since the expiry of a peace
agreement last month, the United Nations’ human rights chief said on Friday,
citing incidents of sniper attacks and shelling.
Yemen’s
warring parties failed to renew a UN-brokered truce deal that expired a month
ago, dashing the hopes of some Yemenis for a broader pact that would ease
economic woes and prolong relative calm after more than seven years of
fighting.
Since
then, the UN human rights office said it has verified three incidents of
shelling in government controlled-areas that killed a boy and a man and wounded
others as well as three incidents of sniper shootings, attributing the attacks
to Yemen’s Houthis.
“We
are gravely concerned for the safety and security of civilians,” said Jeremy
Laurence, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker
Türk.
“The
deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian objects is prohibited by
international law and constitutes a war crime.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
President
Rayeesi: Iran Not Intimidated by West's Sanctions, Threats
2022-November-4
President
Rayeesi made the remarks addressing a public rally in the Iranian capital of
Tehran on Friday. The rally was held as part of nationwide rallies to mark the
National Day of the Fight against Global Arrogance on the anniversary US
embassy takeover on November 4, 1979.
"Today's
symbol of arrogance is the ruling system in the United States that is according
to Imam Khomeini (RA), the Great Satan," the Iranian president said.
"Arrogance
seeks to destroy many nations and peoples in the world and endanger their
material and spiritual interests in order to secure its interests," he
added.
He
pointed out that if it had not been for the move taken by students who followed
Imam's path, the fight against arrogance would be incomplete.
"The
President of the United States uttered words out of distraction and said that
they are looking for Iran's liberation. Mr President! Iran was freed 43 years
ago and got out of your captivity and we will never be your milk cow (cohort)
again," the Iranian president said.
He
added that the Iranian nation has declared these positions many times through
its insight and its good knowledge of the enemy.
President
Rayeesi also said that the younger generation in Iran has the same view towards
the United States as their fathers and mothers did at the time of the
revolution.
He
pointed to the western countries' support for the rioters in the recent riots
in Iran, and said that the country will not be intimidated by their sanctions
and threats.
"The
great Iranian nation will not give in to your pressures," President
Rayeesi said while addressing the American and Western politicians, after
saying the Westerners have planned to do what they did to Syria and Lybia.
He
further advised them to get lessons from the failed policies and not make other
attempts against Iran.
In
relevant remarks on Wednesday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei made a reference to the takeover of the Washington
Embassy in Tehran, also known in Iran as the “Den of Espionage” in 1979, and
said that "this day is the
embodiment of the evil of the United States and its defeat".
"So,
for those who think that the US is an unwavering power, it becomes evident that
it is not the case when we look at the events that took place on this
day," he stated.
"The
US is completely vulnerable," he affirmed.
"In
its propaganda, the US says the overtaking of the Spy Den was the start of the
conflict between the Iranian nation and the US. They lie. The conflicts between
Iran and the US started with the 1953 coup. Why did you overthrow a national
government elected by popular vote?" the Leader added.
He
recounted atrocities committed by the Americans against the Iranian nation over
the last 70 years, saying that the nation, to the Americans’ chagrin, has
thwarted all their enmities.
"The
US today is the same US of August 1953, but with 2 key differences. First, the
ways it shows its hostility have become more complicated. Second, the US was
the dominant power at the time of the 1953 coup. It is not today. The US's
power is diminishing little by little," the Supreme Leader added.
"One
can see a trace of the US in most of the events that take place against Iran.
Then they claim they care about the Iranian nation! You have imposed the most
severe sanctions - the like of which they admit have never been imposed on any
nation in history - against Iran," Ayatollah Khamenei declared.
"The
world is approaching a new order in which the US will be isolated and Asia will
rise to power," he stressed.
"The
signs of the US decline are obvious. They have economic, social, and moral
problems inside the US. There are discords and bloody divisions. These are
their domestic problems. And there are their miscalculations in global
affairs," the Leader noted.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkey:
Suspected Islamic State leader tells prosecutors he never fought in battle
By
Ragip Soylu
4
November 2022
The
suspected leader of the Islamic State (IS) said he was never involved in
fighting and was selected for the role against his wishes, a Turkish indictment
obtained by Middle East Eye showed.
Bashar
Khattab Ghazal al-Sumaidai, who was arrested in Istanbul in September, told
Turkish prosecutors that he had never fired a bullet against any of the group's
many enemies.
He
denied ever being a part of the IS armed forces or sentencing anyone to death
in his role as justice minister.
His
ascension to the group's leadership is believed to have happened after US
special forces killed the former leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in
Syria in February.
A
month later, the group named Abu Hasan al-Hashemi al-Qurashi as his successor,
a name which is thought not to be real. Some believe the leader to be Juma Awad
al-Badri.
However,
the Turkish indictment dated 10 October, based on an IS insider testimony and
other information, says al-Sumaidai is most likely the man known as al-Qurashi,
the group's third self-proclaimed caliph.
Al-Sumaidai
told prosecutors that he accepted the possibility of becoming the group's new
leader due to his popularity among fighters and since very few senior ranking
officials were left in the group.
But
he said the declaration was made against his wishes.
While
IS no longer controls the vast territory it did in Syria and Iraq during its
peak between 2014 and 2018, the group has remained a security threat throughout
the region, particularly in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
IS
history
In
the indictment, al-Sumaidai, who is also known by his nickname Abu Zeyd,
revealed details of his personal life and role in IS.
He
was born in 1975 in Mosul, Iraq and finished a university degree in electricity
while studying Islamic law for over 20 years in a mosque in the city.
His
father was a non-commissioned military officer and his mother was a housewife.
He had not seen them since 2015.
Up
until he joined IS in 2012, he had worked as a teacher in religious schools in
Mosul.
He
joined the group after meeting Abu Muslim Al-Turkmani, who was a senior leader
in the organisation at the time.
Al-Sumaidai
said he rose through the ranks after becoming a confidante of Abdul Nasser
Qardash, who was an influential figure among the IS leadership, with close ties
to its first self-proclaimed caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
In
April 2014, he was appointed as the education minister by al-Baghdadi as the
group seized control of Mosul.
Later
that year, he moved to Syria's Raqqa and was reassigned as the justice minister
and the chair of an appellate court.
Source:
MiddleEastEye
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-islamic-state-leader-prosecutors-never-fought-battle
--------
Erdogan,
Putin agree to send Russian grains to poor African countries for free
Nov
4, 2022
ISTANBUL:
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that he had agreed with his
Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Russian grains sent under the Black Sea
export deal should go to poor African countries for free.
"In
my phone call with Vladimir Putin, he said 'Let's send this grain to countries
such as Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan for free' - and we agreed," Erdogan
said in a speech to businesspeople in Istanbul.
The
comment came after Moscow resumed on Wednesday its participation in the United
Nations and Turkey-brokered grain agreement, ending four days of
non-cooperation that still saw exports continue from Ukrainian ports.
Source:
Times Of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
Calls on US President to End Hypocrisy
2022-November-4
"Mr.
Biden: end this hypocrisy — incl support for terror & ISIS," Amir
Abdollahian tweeted on Friday.
"Simultaneous
with open support for violence & terror during recent riots in Iran, WH is
reaching out for an agreement," the Iranian foreign minister said while
referring to the current development in Iran, as well as the US' role in
backing terrorism and violence.
Amir
Abdollahian's remarks came in reaction to Biden's allegations who claimed that
the Iranian opponents would be able to reach freedom, while there are
speculations on his own mental health.
Addressing
an election campaign, the US president claimed on Thursday, “Don't worry, we're
gonna free Iran.”
“They’re
gonna free themselves pretty soon,” he alleged in the West Coast campaign
speech.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010813000591/Iran-Calls-n-US-Presiden-End-Hypcrisy
--------
Erdogan
rival is first target of media law, opposition party says
November
05, 2022
ISTANBUL:
Turkiye’s main opposition party has said its leader is the first target of a
media “disinformation” law after police asked prosecutors to open an
investigation into comments he made blaming authorities for a drug “epidemic.”
Last
month parliament passed a law sought by President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party
that allows judges to impose jail sentences of up to three years on anyone who
spreads false or misleading information.
Critics
say what can be deemed false or misleading under the law is vaguely defined and
open to abuse, and the legislation has raised deep concerns over free speech
ahead of next year’s elections in Turkiye, and questions over who might be
prosecuted.
On
Monday, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said on
Twitter that Ankara had not questioned the origin of money brought into the
country and this “dirty money” from drug smuggling had been used to finance
Turkiye’s current account deficit.
On
Wednesday, Erdogan called Kilicdaroglu “vile” to make such an allegation and
said Turkiye was successfully combatting the illegal drug trade.
Kilicdaroglu
is seen by many as the most likely candidate to challenge Erdogan in a
presidential election set for next June.
Senior
CHP lawmaker Engin Altay said on Thursday that Kilicdaroglu was “the first
target of the censorship law ... (which) has produced its first fruit.”
Altay
and media reports said Turkish police headquarters had filed a complaint to the
chief prosecutor against Kilicdaroglu over the allegations made in the Twitter
video, calling for the opening of a court case. The police and Interior
Ministry refused to comment.
The
police complaint, according to opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet, said the
Twitter video had sought to besmirch the police with “unfounded” allegations,
and requested a court case over “spreading misleading information to the
public.”
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2193946/middle-east
--------
Iranian
Foreign Ministry Strongly Criticizes UNSC's Unofficial Meeting
2022-November-4
"The
Islamic Republic of Iran considers the Wednesday meeting of the UNSC as the
blatant misuse of international mechanisms by the US for its illegal objectives
in and meddling in the internal affairs of independent states," the
Iranian foreign ministry said.
It
pointed out that during the meeting, which was not welcomed by member states,
ambassadors from the US and Albania were the only high-ranking officials
present.
"Nonetheless,
the US did not allow opponent member states to make speeches," the
statement added.
The
statement further said that the act proved that the US administration is
pursuing media dictatorship against independent countries even at the UN.
The
meeting showed that the US misuses international mechanisms, such as the UNSC,
to put political pressure on independent states, which distorts multilateralism
and international cooperation.
While
the US has a long history of violation of human rights, Washington has always
tried to use human rights as a tool to pursue its political agenda.
The
Islamic Republic sees the US’s measure as interference in the internal affairs
of independent countries, which violates the UN Charter.
"The
Iranian government is committed to cultural and civilizational values,
implementing human rights in line with international laws, and recognizing the
right to peaceful gatherings," it further added.
The
Islamic Republic condemns foreign intervention and ill-wished media campaigns,
which triggers violence and riot.
In
relevant remarks on Thursday, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the
United Nations Amir Saeed Iravani slammed the US claims that the UNSC meeting
was held to back human rights, at the time the Iranian people have been
suffering from the US' cruel sanctions for tens of years, which include food
and medicine embargo.
Earlier
in October, US President Joe Biden voiced support for riots in the country,
made an interventionist statement, and sought encouragement of violence.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iranians
Commemorate US Embassy Takeover Anniversary
2022-November-4
A
large number of Iranians, specially students from all walks of life staged a
big demonstration in front of the former US embassy which is called Den of
Espionage in Iran after it was taken over by Iranian students on November 4,
1979.
Similiar
rallies in other cities from big to small and even villages are held.
Iranian
President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi gave a speech at the ceremony in the capital.
The
nationwide rallies started at 9:30 am Tehran Local Time.
During
the rallies, people usually chant slogans against Global Arrogance (Western
powers led by the United States).
In
relevant remarks on Wednesday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei made a reference to the takeover of the Washington
Embassy in Tehran, also known in Iran as the “Den of Espionage” in 1979, and
said that "this day is the
embodiment of the evil of the United States and its defeat".
"So,
for those who think that the US is an unwavering power, it becomes evident that
it is not the case when we look at the events that took place on this
day," he stated.
"The
US is completely vulnerable," he affirmed.
"In
its propaganda, the US says the overtaking of the Spy Den was the start of the
conflict between the Iranian nation and the US. They lie. The conflicts between
Iran and the US started with the 1953 coup. Why did you overthrow a national
government elected by popular vote?" the Leader added.
He
recounted atrocities committed by the Americans against the Iranian nation over
the last 70 years, saying that the nation, to the Americans’ chagrin, has
thwarted all their enmities.
The
US today is the same US of August 1953, but with 2 key differences. First, the
ways it shows its hostility have become more complicated. Second, the US was
the dominant power at the time of the 1953 coup. It is not today. The US's
power is diminishing little by little," the Supreme Leader added.
"One
can see a trace of the US in most of the events that take place against Iran.
Then they claim they care about the Iranian nation! You have imposed the most
severe sanctions - the like of which they admit have never been imposed on any
nation in history - against Iran," Ayatollah Khamenei declared.
"The
world is approaching a new order in which the US will be isolated and Asia will
rise to power," he stressed.
"The
signs of the US decline are obvious. They have economic, social, and moral
problems inside the US. There are discords and bloody divisions. These are
their domestic problems. And there are their miscalculations in global
affairs," the Leader noted.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14010813000237/Iranians-Cmmemrae-US-Embassy-Takever-Anniversary
--------
Senior
Cleric Lauds Iranians' Massive Turnout in Anti-US Rallies
2022-November-4
Addressing
a congregation of people at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla
(congregational prayers site), Hojjatoleslam Seddiqi said, "The people,
with their million-march presence in the streets, once again demonstrated
national unity and cohesion and gave a firm response to the enemy's actions and
crimes."
He
pointed to the recent riots in some cities in the country, which are fomented
by the Western countries, and said, "Although war, sedition, chaos and
disturbance are not good, they come with a lesson, a warning, and a wake-up
call."
The
senior cleric said that the threats should be turned into opportunities.
He
said that the US problem with Iran did not begin with the takeover of its
embassy in Tehran on November 1979, but instead Washington was much earlier
than that an enemy to the Iranian nation.
The
senior Iranian recalled toppling the national government of Mossadegh in a
CIA-led coup in 1953, saying the former Iranian prime minister was neither a
Mulla nor made he any claims of being an Islamist, but he was overthrown by
Washington because he nationalized the oil.
"The
United States has a record of leading 60 coups in the world toppling other
nations' governments," he pointed out.
In
a relevant development earlier on Friday, Iranians from all walks of life held
nationwide rallies to mark the National Day of the Fight against Global
Arrogance on the anniversary of the US embassy takeover on November 4, 1979.
A
large number of Iranians, specially students from all walks of life staged a
big demonstration in front of the former US embassy which is called Den of
Espionage in Iran after it was taken over by Iranian students on November 4,
1979.
Similiar
rallies in other cities from big to small and even villages were held.
Iranian
President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi gave a speech at the ceremony in the capital.
The
nationwide rallies started at 9:30 am Tehran Local Time.
During
the rallies, people usually chant slogans against Global Arrogance (Western
powers led by the United States).
Addressing
a public rally in Tehran earlier on Friday, President Rayeesi blasted the
western countries' support for the recent riots in Iran, and said that the
sanctions and threats will in no way be able to block the Iranian nation's
progress.
The
rally was held as part of nationwide rallies to mark the National Day of the
Fight against Global Arrogance on the anniversary US embassy takeover on
November 4, 1979.
"Today's
symbol of arrogance is the ruling system in the United States that is according
to Imam Khomeini (RA), the Great Satan," the Iranian president said.
"Arrogance
seeks to destroy many nations and peoples in the world and endanger their
material and spiritual interests in order to secure its interests," he
added.
He
pointed out that if it had not been for the move taken by students who followed
Imam's path, the fight against arrogance would be incomplete.
"The
President of the United States uttered words out of distraction and said that
they are looking for Iran's liberation. Mr President! Iran was freed 43 years
ago and got out of your captivity and we will never be your milk cow (cohort)
again," the Iranian president said.
He
added that the Iranian nation has declared these positions many times through
its insight and its good knowledge of the enemy.
President
Rayeesi also said that the younger generation in Iran has the same view towards
the United States as their fathers and mothers did at the time of the
revolution.
He
pointed to the western countries' support for the rioters in the recent riots
in Iran, and said that the country will not be intimidated by their sanctions
and threats.
"The
great Iranian nation will not give in to your pressures," President
Rayeesi said while addressing the American and Western politicians, after
saying the Westerners have planned to do what they did to Syria and Lybia.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
detains journalist who interviewed Mahsa Amini’s father: Rights group
04
November, 2022
Iranian
security forces have arrested a journalist after she published an interview
with the father of Mahsa Amini, whose death has sparked seven weeks of anti-regime
protests, a rights group said Friday.
Nazila
Maroufian, a Tehran-based journalist from Amini’s hometown of Saqqez in
Kurdistan province, was detained on Sunday, the Norway-based Hengaw rights
group said.
She
was arrested at the house of one of her relatives in Tehran and was transferred
to Evin prison in the capital, it added, citing a telephone call she had made
to her family.
Maroufian,
who works for the Ruydad 24 news site, had published an interview with Amini’s
father Amjad on the Mostaghel Online news site on October 19.
“I
neither intend to commit suicide nor have any underlying disease,” she
commented wryly as she posted a link to the article, alluding to the dangers
faced by journalists in Iran covering the story.
She
also said that she was unable to publish the interview for days, and that her
family was threatened.
Mostaghel
has since taken down the piece but a cached version shows that the father
denied his daughter had any underlying health condition.
Amini’s
family contend that she was dealt a fatal blow in police custody. The Iranian
authorities dispute this but the anger over her death triggered the protest
wave.
Amjad
Amini said he had been told by a health official he would write in the final
report “whatever I like, it’s none of your business.”
The
headline of the interview read, “Mahsa Amini’s father: ‘They are lying!’”
The
two journalists in Iran who helped bring the story of Amini to the world’s
attention have already been arrested and have spent the last month in Evin
prison.
Niloufar
Hamedi reported for Iran’s Shargh newspaper from the hospital where Amini
languished in a coma for three days before she died. The journalist was
arrested on September 20, her family said.
Elahe
Mohammadi, a reporter for the Ham Mihan newspaper, went to Saqqez to report on
Amini’s funeral, which turned into one of the first protest actions. She was
detained on September 29.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
ready to deliver oil to India, says ambassador
04
November, 2022
Iran
wants to sell oil to India and is ready to deliver it, Iran’s ambassador to
India Iraj Elahi said on Friday in an interview with Reuters partner ANI.
“We
always express our readiness to increase our economic ties with India. It’s up
to India, we are ready to deliver oil,” Elahi said, adding that US sanctions
have been an obstacle.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Russia,
Turkey to deliver grain free of charge to needy countries: Erdogan
04
November, 2022
Russia
and Turkey have reached an agreement to deliver grain free of charge to
countries in need including Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan, Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.
Russian
President Vladimir Putin “told me during our telephone conversation that we
should send grain free of charge to countries including Djibouti, Somalia and
Sudan. We have agreed,” Erdogan said in a televised address.
“We
agreed to discuss this extensively at the G20 summit” in Indonesia, he added.
“We
will ensure that grain ships reach all countries in need, especially Somalia,
Djibouti and Sudan, which are struggling with serious food crisis and famine.”
Russia
returned to a grain deal this week which allows Ukrainian exports to pass
through the Black Sea.
The
July agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey, is up for renewal on November
19, three days after the G20 summit concludes in Bali.
Putin
has repeatedly criticized the agreement.
On
Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country would not
take part in the G20 if Putin attends. The Russian leader is yet to confirm
whether he will or not.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iranian
President Raisi slams back at Biden’s pledge to ‘free’ Iran
04
November, 2022
Iran’s
President Ebrahim Raisi on Friday ridiculed a vow by US President Joe Biden to
“free” Iran, as weeks of protests in the country show little sign of abating.
Campaigning
for mid-term elections in the US, Biden had on Friday said: “Don’t worry, we’re
gonna free Iran. They’re gonna free themselves pretty soon.”
Iran
has for more than six weeks been gripped by protests sparked by the death last
month of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the morality police for a breach of
the country’s strict dress code for women.
Addressing
a gathering commemorating the November 1979 takeover of the US embassy in
Tehran by students, Raisi said: “the US says it wants to free Iran, but I must
tell you that Iran liberated itself 43 years ago and will no longer submit to
you.”
“The
great people of Iran will not bow their heads to you,” he told thousands of
people who shouted, “Death to America, death to Israel, death to Great
Britain.”
Protesters
carried placards pledging loyalty to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, and also held pictures of him aloft, along with images of the Islamic
republic’s founder Ruhollah Khomeini.
Dozens
have been killed, mainly protesters but also members of the security forces,
according to the authorities, while hundreds of others – including women – have
been arrested.
“The
enemy is today targeting our solidarity and national unity, our security, our
peace and our determination,” Raisi said.
“Our
men and women, our young men and young women are determined, and we will never
allow you to carry out your satanic desires,” he warned the US.
Iran’s
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian meanwhile took to Twitter on Friday
to admonish the US president.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
censures UNSC’s ‘inexcusable silence’ after Shiraz terror attack
04
November 2022
Iran’s
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has sent a letter to the United
Nations, slamming the “inexcusable silence” of the UN Security Council in the
face of an October 26 terrorist attack in Shiraz, where over a dozen pilgrims
were heinously killed.
In
a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the text of which was
published on Friday, the Iranian minister censured the failure of the Security
Council in condemning the terrorist attack.
Reminding
the UNSC of its responsibility for maintaining peace and security, the minister
said it was “expected” from the body to “strongly condemn the terrorist attack
in Shiraz and call for the accountability and prosecution of those responsible
for such heinous crime” as part of its “established practices” and given that
it has “repeatedly constituted terrorism as one of the most serious threats to
international peace and security.”
“Nonetheless,
the Security Council's inexcusable silence in the face of this crime
demonstrated that certain powers, who are also permanent members of the
Security Council, continue to categorize terrorists as either good or bad, and
not only use ISIS as a tool to exert pressure on other nations to further their
own narrow political agendas, but also their discriminatory and irresponsible
actions make it more difficult for the Security Council to effectively carry
out its mandate in combating international terrorism.”
The
Iranian minister appreciated the “timely” condemnation of the terrorist attack
by Guterres and his spokesperson, noting that Tehran views “this responsible
action as a significant and encouraging step in taking the United Nations
towards a consistent and non-discriminatory approach to combat terrorism.”
A
heavily-armed terrorist assaulted the well-known shrine at approximately 5:45
p.m. local time (1415 GMT) on that October day, just before the evening
prayers, killing more than a dozen pilgrims — including a lady and two children
— and injuring at least 40 others. The attacker opened fire indiscriminately on
visitors within the shrine, according to the police commander of Fars province.
The perpetrator was wounded and taken into custody by security personnel. He
later succumbed to his wounds. Shortly afterward, the Daesh Takfiri terror
group claimed responsibility for the attack.
As
a victim of terrorism, Amir-Abdollahian said, Iran is determined in “its
efforts in the fight against terrorism, both to protect the security of the
region's nations and the honorable and great nation of Iran from the dangers
posed by such terrorist groups.”
The
Shiraz terrorist attack proved “the significance of the bravery of” Lieutenant
General Qassem Soleimani in fighting terrorism and the importance of maintaining
“ongoing, successful efforts in the region to eradicate terrorism,” said the
minister, reminding the international community that “its sensitivity and
vigilance toward terrorist threats should not be compromised.”
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/11/04/692157/Tehran-slam-UNSC-silence-after-Shiraz-terror-attack
--------
Africa
Somalia
claims to kill over 100 al-Shabaab terrorists in single operation
Mohammed
Dhaysane
05.11.2022
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
Backed
by locals, elite Somali forces killed more than 100 members of the al
Qaeda-affiliated terror group al-Shabaab, the country's Defense Ministry said
on Friday.
Ministry
spokesman Abdullahi Ali Anod told reporters that two units of the elite Danab,
or lightning brigade, troops with the support of, local militia forces known as
"Macwisley," engaged al-Shabaab in an operation since early Thursday.
The
operation, which involved airstrikes, took place near the town of Adanyabal in
the Horn of Africa country's Middle Shabelle region.
Anad
said a large number of al-Shabaab insurgents tried to defend the town but lost
over 100 members on a single front.
The
military has been conducting operations against the terror group since
President Hassan Sheikh Mahamud declared an "all-out war" against it
earlier this week after a devastating twin car bombing that killed over 100
people in the capital Mogadishu.
Al-Shabaab
claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, which also wounded 320 others.
Experts
believe the local forces that have been fighting alongside the country's army
are playing "significant" role against al-Shabaab.
Ali
Kulow, a former police officer now serving as a security analyst in Mogadishu,
told Anadolu Agency that local militia forces helped the government reclaim
strategic towns in its recent offensives in parts of the country.
"This
militia, that has proven itself a fighting force, is seen by many in the
country as a revolutionary force capable of defeating al-Shabaab if they
receive logistical support and strategic military planning," said Kulow.
He
underlined that the militia knew the countryside better than anybody and had
the support of the local population in terms of gathering intelligence on
al-Shabaab in the area.
"The
government should use the anger and dedication towards al-Shabaab because these
people witness the real brutality and money extortion of al-Shabaab. So, I can
see a real opportunity here and the government should organize and use them and
then integrate them into the national army," he added.
Somalia
has been grappling with security threats for years, with al-Shabaab being one
of its main concerns.
Since
2007, the terror group has fought the Somali government and international
forces in a deadly campaign that has claimed thousands of lives.
The
UN has warned of growing instability in the country, with its periodic reports
on Somalia this year detailing attacks by al-Shabaab and groups aligned with
the Daesh/ISIS terrorist organization.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Outgoing
Turkish envoy recounts his tenure in Uganda
Hamza
Kyeyune
05.11.2022
KAMPALA,
Uganda
Outgoing
Turkish envoy Fikret Kerem Alp has spent an eventful four-year tour in Uganda
that he describes as largely successful.
He
said FETO terror group fugitives who fled Türkiye and established a base in
Uganda, have been the single biggest challenge throughout his tenure in the
East African country.
Shortly
after the first-ever presidential visit from Türkiye to Uganda in 2016, when
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was preparing to host his Ugandan
counterpart in Ankara, Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) orchestrated a
defeated military coup that left 251 dead and 2,734 injured in Türkiye.
“Fighting
against FETO terrorists, who have also infiltrated offices and operate sham
services, has been my biggest challenge, but I paid them back with hard work.
They are not yet subdued, but have been largely incapacitated,” he told Anadolu
Agency in an exclusive interview.
Turning
to trade, the envoy has also been spearheading a major diplomatic and business
drive that has seen exports to Türkiye increase by 418% in 2021.
“I
carried out my duties with genuine love and affection for this beautiful
country of Uganda and its beautiful people. I also carried out my duties with
pride as the representative of Türkiye, the largest country in Europe both in
population and territory, the only one which has never been occupied,
colonized, or divided … since its establishment 99 years ago. I end my tenure
with love and pride, and in peace. These values cannot be measured by any
numbers or digits,” he said.
Alp
said relations between the two brotherly countries have gained momentum in all
fields and the trade volume has increased to $71 million in 2021, from $63
million in 2020.
“Uganda
is quite fertile and has a lot of natural resources, together with competitive
skilled labor. There exist immense economic potentials that are capable of
transforming the country into a key investment destination. Our wish is for
Uganda to prosper in all spheres of development,” he said.
The
Uganda Investments Authority (UIA) offers a raft of incentives to be enjoyed by
prospective Turkish investors, including a 10-year tax holiday with a minimum
investment of $10 million, free land, and an industrial park. Resources used in
industrial training for Ugandans are converted into tax value. And there exists
an emerging duty-free African market potential of more than 1 billion people
arising from the African continental free trade zone.
The
ambassador urged the Turkish community residing in Uganda to conform to
societal norms. “They need to have patience. This country doesn’t have to be
rushed. Secondly, they should learn to share because Ugandan people are
generous, they love to share what they have. Have corporate social
responsibility. Don’t target only profits, you have to give back to society,”
he said.
Asked
if he had advice for the incoming ambassador, Fatih Ak, he said: “He has been
the deputy director general for East Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and has been my boss. I can only take advice from him.”
Alp
said that during his tenure, there has been an increased interest in
cooperating on education and several students have been awarded scholarships
each year by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). Also,
some schools, like Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, have signed memorandums for
student exchanges with Uganda institutions of higher learning, and Türkiye’s
MAARIF Foundation is also expected to set foot in Uganda.
The
diplomat said that although Ankara has succeeded in enhancing ties with
Kampala, that development was not his achievement.
“The
achievements are not personal but for the whole Turkish embassy team. For the
past four years, we have been carrying the flag from our predecessors. We have
represented our beautiful country of Türkiye with pride and love for Uganda and
its development in terms of business and development,” he said.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/outgoing-turkish-envoy-recounts-his-tenure-in-uganda/2730270
--------
South
Africa’s Ethiopian diaspora welcomes agreement for peace
Hassan
Isilow
04.11.2022
JOHANNESBURG
The
Ethiopian community in South Africa welcomed news Thursday of the signing of an
agreement to end hostilities between their government and the Tigray People’s
Liberation Front (TPLF).
“I
am very happy with the outcomes of the peace negotiations. I hope peace will
now bring development and stability to my country,’’ Ethiopian businessman
based in Johannesburg, Suleiman Hussein, told Anadolu Agency.
He
commended African Union facilitators and the South African government for
hosting talks and said the war was not good for Ethiopia.
Peace
talks between the government and Tigray rebels bore fruit Wednesday as the two
warring sides agreed to a new cease-fire deal, in talks hosted in the South
African capital of Pretoria.
The
two-year civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions will likely
end if parties respect the deal.
“The
outcome of the peace negotiations in Pretoria was the best for Ethiopia, Africa
and the world. War will never solve any problem for any country,’’ another
Ethiopian businessman, Muzeyah Ntulu, told the Turkish news agency.
Olusegun
Obasanjo, the high representative of the chairperson of the African Union
Commission, announced the outcome of the peace, describing the outcome as a new
dawn.
“Today
is the beginning of a new dawn for Ethiopia, for the Horn of Africa and indeed
for Africa as a whole. Let me hasten to thank God for this new dawn,” the
former Nigeria president said Wednesday. “We are seeing in practice and
actualization what we have tried to achieve for ourselves over the years –
African solutions for African problems. We also see in today’s peace agreement
signing exercise the implementation of Agenda 2063 which embodies silencing the
guns in Africa.”
An
Ethiopian national who identified himself as Jonas, said: “This news has made
me homesick. I wish I was in Ethiopia to celebrate in my country. This is very
good news. We are one people, all Ethiopians, why should we kill one another?’’
Elizabeth
Damos was equally happy and thanked South Africa for hosting talks that began
Oct. 25.
South
Africa has a very large Ethiopian migrant community involved in different
sectors of the economy.
South
Africa welcomed the deal in a statement Thursday that said it is honored to
have been the host for the talks and will continue to work with all parties to
ensure that peace is maintained in Ethiopia.
It
said the agreement signals a commitment to ending the use of force to settle
differences and disputes and confirms the correctness of South Africa’s
principled position that political differences are best resolved through
meaningful dialogue and diplomacy.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Refugees
in Jordan receive winter clothing vouchers from Saudi Arabia’s KSRelief
November
05, 2022
RIYADH:
More Syrian and Palestinian refugees being hosted in Jordan of a warmer winter
with the continued of vouchers by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief
Center (KSRelief) for the purchase of clothing suitable to the changing
weather.
The
activity is being undertaken as part of Kanaf 2022 project being implemented by
the center in cooperation with the Jordanian Hashemite Charitable
Organization. Around 666 vouchers were
distributed and are expected to benefit 109 Syrian refugee families.
Meanwhile,
the relief agency also distributed 290 tons of food baskets in Adol and Sahel
regions of Somalia as part of its food security project in the country.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2194026/saudi-arabia
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Scores
of al-Shabab terrorists killed by Somali army
04
November 2022
Scores
of al-Shabab militants have been killed in Somalia as the government
intensifies its clampdown on the extremist takfiri outfit following a recent
terrorist attack in the Somali capital city Mogadishu.
The
defense ministry said on Friday that government troops, which were reinforced
by recruiting the local clan militia forces known as macawisley or “men with
sarongs,” killed at least 100 al-Shabab terrorists in heavy clashes in the
central Hiran region.
Defense
ministry spokesman Abdullahi Ali Anod said fierce fighting between the two sides
had taken place on Thursday in the villages of Garas Magan and El Hareeri.
El
Hareeri is about 15 km from the strategic town Adan-yabal of Middle Shabelle
province, which security forces liberated earlier this week, according to a
report by Somalia’s state news agency.
Images
posted to accounts linked to the national army on messaging platforms in social
media showed the bodies of scores of purported al-Shabab terrorists.
However,
the al-Shabab takfiri outfit claimed that its militants had killed dozens of
army soldiers and macawisley fighters instead.
The
group, which is linked to al-Qaeda, said only eight of their own fighters had
been killed, not by the government forces, but in an airstrike they blamed on
the US.
Asked
about an airstrike in the region, the US military said it would respond soon.
According to its website, there have been eight airstrikes in Somalia this
year.
The
United States military forces have conducted numerous airstrikes on civilian
and militant targets in several Muslim countries. Innocent women and children,
alongside suspected militants, have been the main victims of such illegal
attacks which have been condemned by human rights groups and governments
worldwide.
In
the meantime, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud began a concerted
offensive against the terrorists with support from the United States and the
clan militias in August.
The
Somali forces’ latest clash with the terrorists comes days after twin bombings
killed at least 120 people in the capital.
Al-Shabab
claimed responsibility for two car bombs that blew up outside the education
ministry in Mogadishu on Oct. 29.
The
incident was the deadliest terrorist attack in the country since a truck bomb
killed more than 500 people at the same location five years ago.
The
takifri group has killed tens of thousands of people since 2006 when it
launched its deadly campaign by spreading terror among civilians to overthrow
Somalia’s Western-backed central government.
An
African Union force pushed the al-Shabab militants out of the capital in 2011,
but the group still controls swathes of countryside and frequently carries out
gun and bomb attacks against both civilian and military targets. Its targets
include busy traffic intersections, hotels, and military bases.
Source:
Press TV
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2022/11/04/692149/Somalia-Shabab-Takfiri-Militants--Terrorists
--------
South Asia
Can
a decentralized political system lead to stability in Afghanistan?
November
5, 2022
Recently
some high-ranking Afghan politicians who live in exile have spoken about the
decentralization of power within Afghanistan’s political system believing it
may lead the country to a stability.
Mohammad
Sarwar Danish, the former Afghan Vice-President who live in New Zealand has
recently announced establishment of a political movement with an aim to fight
for the federalization of Afghanistan. Danish believes that in a federal
system, the power distribution will be fair and satisfactory among different
ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan.
Abdul
Rashid Dostum, the political leader of Uzbek tribe in Afghanistan has also
spoken about change in the political system of Afghanistan as a solution to
reaching peace. Speaking with a number of media outlets and journalists, Dostum
has also supported the idea of federalization in Afghanistan.
Mohammad
Karim Khalili, the leader of Wahdat political party and a prominent Hazara
political figure has also released a statement through his official Facebook
account, supporting the idea of federalization. The idea of federalization in
Afghanistan was one of the aims of Abdul Ali Mazari, the late leader of Wahdat
Party and he used to believe it could be a fair solution for the issues of
Afghanistan, Khalili said in a statement.
Afghanistan’s
political system has been ‘centralized’ in the course of history from absolute
kingdom to constitutional monarchy, republic and now the Taliban who has not
officially declared a specific political system.
The
question still remains that whether a change in the political platform of Afghanistan
from a full ‘centralized’ system to a ‘decentralized’ system or federalization
of the country can help to end the ethnic and religious conflicts in
Afghanistan or not? There has so far been no consensus among the Afghan
politicians on the subject, except very few of them who have recently broken
the silence in exile.
In
the meantime, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, a prominent Pashtun political figure who
used to play key roles in he last 20 years in Afghanistan, is now leading a new
political movement along with Masoom Istanikzai, the former chief negotiators
for the Afghan peace process. Atmar believes that decentralization of power in
Afghanistan would help, but in a TV interview he strictly opposed
federalization calling it ‘feudalism’.
In
an interview with BBC, Mohammad Hanif Atmar said that neither accepting the
Taliban’s rule and nor fighting with them militarily is the will of Afghan
people. Atmar said he believes the option of ‘negotiations’ must be considered
for farming an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
This
comes as a two-year old peace process between the former Afghan government and
the Taliban failed in August 2021. A number of Taliban political leaders housed
in Doha, Qatar were negotiating with a team of negotiators from the Afghan government
and other Afghan politicians for nearly two years.
A
senior official from the former State Ministry for Peace who does not want to
be named in this report said that the peace negotiations in Doha had no
tangible results as the Taliban were confident about a military take over and
they were not serious about negotiations.
The
conflict between Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, the former president of Afghanistan and
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the chair of High Council for National Reconciliation
was as extensive as there was a serious need of negotiators between to help
them communicate, the source from the former State Ministry for Peace told
Khaama Press.
There
was a little chance of farming an inclusive government with both the
participation of Taliban and other political players which was lost as
President fled at once and the Taliban took over the power, the source said.
On
the other had, the world is putting pressure on the Taliban to farm an
inclusive government inviting other ethnic and religious groups to the
government leadership, but the Taliban has not yet shown a green light. The
Taliban is acting asa Defacto administration as no country in the world has so
far recognized them and nor they have obtained an internal legitimacy.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/can-a-decentralized-political-system-lead-to-stability-in-afghanistan-9876/
--------
North America
Blinken
warns Israeli PM, Palestinian president of West Bank escalation
November
5, 2022
JERUSALEM:
US secretary of state Antony Blinken spoke with Palestinian president Mahmoud
Abbas yesterday, the official Wafa news agency reported, in a first call after
Israel’s veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu led a far-right alliance to a
general election victory.
Abbas
reiterated his demand that the US pressure Israel to stop its “crimes against
the Palestinian people”, the Wafa report said, “including blockades,
extrajudicial killings, home demolitions, and settlement construction”.
According
to the news report, Blinken told Abbas the US administration was making efforts
to calm the situation.
On
Thursday, Blinken expressed his concern over spiralling violence in the
occupied West Bank in a call with outgoing Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid
and “underscored the need for all parties to urgently de-escalate the
situation.”, a US state department spokesperson said in a statement.
More
than 100 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli forces this
year, in what the United Nations said is set to be the deadliest year for
Palestinians in the West Bank since 2005, when the organisation began tracking
fatalities.
A
string of fatal street attacks by Palestinians has killed 20 people in Israel
and Israeli settlements, and four members of Israel’s security forces have also
been killed this year.
Blinken
also commended Israel for its free and fair elections and “reaffirmed the
strength of the US-Israel bilateral relationship”, the spokesperson’s statement
said.
Israel’s
fifth election in less than four years confirmed a comeback for Netanyahu, now
buoyed by smaller ultranationalist and religious parties. His victorious bloc
includes lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir, a West Bank settler and former member of
Kach, a Jewish militant group on Israeli and US terrorist watchlists.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
committed to supporting ‘sturdy, dependable partners’ in Lebanon’s army:
Diplomat
04
November, 2022
A
senior US diplomat said Friday that the Biden administration was committed to
supporting Lebanon’s army and internal security forces, but warned the country
could face a further collapse.
“We
regard the Lebanese Armed Forces [LAF] and the Internal Security Forces [ISF]
as pillars of more than just immediate law and order,” Assistant Secretary of
State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf said.
Washington
has committed close to $3 billion to the LAF since 2006, which has been a
critical partner in the fight against terrorism. It is also believed to be an
important investment by the West against Iran-backed Hezbollah, which
continues, along with Palestinian factions, to be the only group with weapons
outside of the state’s control.
Leaf
praised the LAF and ISF for contributing to assistance in the aftermath of the
catastrophic Beirut Port blast in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. “And, of
course, they are critical to internal security,” she said during a panel at the
Washington-based Wilson Center.
The
Biden administration has provided in-kind assistance to the LAF and ISF, as
well as defense articles and food.
They
have even gone as far as working to contribute to direct salary payments to
Lebanese soldiers.
As
Lebanon’s currency has lost over 90 percent of its value against the dollar
since anti-government protests rocked the country in 2019, the rank-and-file
soldier’s monthly salary is worth less than $100 per month.
But
Leaf voiced frustration with the Lebanese government and its lawmakers for
failing to help its soldiers. “We never do direct salary payments… this is an
extraordinary thing for extraordinary times, and, of course, it’s not something
that a foreign government can or should do indefinitely.
“That
is the responsibility of the parliament and the cabinet. They need to get to
work,” Leaf said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
has no indications of Iranian regime collapsing: White House
04
November, 2022
A
White House official played down the potential for regime change in Iran on
Friday, saying that US President Joe Biden was expressing solidarity with
Iranian protesters after he said “we’re going to free Iran.”
“The
President was expressing our solidarity with the protesters as he’s been doing,
quite frankly, from the very outset,” National Security Council Spokesman John
Kirby told reporters.
During
a campaign rally in California on Thursday, Biden also said the Iranian people
would free themselves “pretty soon.”
Kirby
said it was up to the people of Iran to determine their future.
He
was pressed further on whether the Biden administration assessed that the
Iranian regime would soon collapse. “I don’t believe we have indications of
that kind,” he said.
The
White House official did, however, point to the problems the Iranian regime
faces due to “their own making.” And Washington will continue to work to hold
the regime accountable for the way it is treating its own people, Kirby said.
Protesters
across Iran have demonstrated for more than six weeks following the death of
Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the morality police for a breach of the
country’s strict dress code for women.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
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