A Landmark Report into the British Media’s Coverage of Muslims and Islam Finds Shocking Levels of Misinformation, Stereotyping and Islamophobia
New Age Islam News Bureau
01 December 2021
A Muslim worshipper prays beneath the timber 'tree'
columns inside Cambridge Central Mosque on 23 November 2021 (AFP)
----
• Religious Conversions and Love Jihad to Come Up For
Discussion at Hindu Ekta Mahakumbh Chitrakoot Discussion
• US Delegation Expresses Deep Concerns over Afghans'
Abuses at Doha Meet With Taliban
• Pakistan Calls for Increase in Funding For Peace
Efforts in Conflict-Hit Nations
• Taliban, Myanmar Junta Unlikely To Be Let Into UN
for Now, Say Diplomats
Europe
• Afghanistan Assets Must Be Unfrozen, Taliban Won’t
Buy Weapon: Putin
• European diplomats warn no time for ‘niceties’ in
Iran nuclear talks
• Macron urges Iran’s Raisi to respect nuclear
obligations ‘without delay’
• Far-right commentator announces French presidential
bid
• ‘Camps in NE Syria mean ticking bomb for Europe’: EU
counter-terrorism chief
--------
India
• Muslim Community Ill-Treated By Karnataka Govt, BJP Leader
Manippady Writes To CM
• BSF DG Concedes Threat Of Pak Pushing In Taliban
Fighters, Abandoned US Military Equipment Into Kashmir
• Apply for citizenship under CAA once rules come,
govt says but mum on timeline
• Balapur ancient mosque will be restored soon:
Mohammed Saleem
• Jaish's IED expert among two terrorists killed in
encounter in J&K's Pulwama
• Weapons Looted By Taliban in Afghanistan Can Be
Smuggled Into India, Border Force Warns
--------
North America
• US removes Colombia’s FARC from terrorism list
• US held responsible for deaths of thousands of
civilians in Syria
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistan expects $3 billion reserves deposit from
Saudi Arabia in days
• Bilawal terms talks with TTP betrayal of martyrs
• Punjab chief secretary told to ensure recitation of
Darood Sharif at school assemblies
• Pakistan puts transit conditions on Indian aid to
Afghanistan
--------
South Asia
• Transgender breakthrough hailed in Bangladesh
• Taliban, US Conclude Their Two-Day Negotiations In Doha
• Saudi Arabia and India to reopen their embassies in
Kabul
• Taliban’s ops on Daesh in Nangarhar province, three
Daesh affiliates killed four Taliban wounded
--------
Southeast Asia
• Nearly 1,100 Cases of Child Abuse Reported In Selangor
from Jan-Sept, State Assembly Told
• Negri Sembilan recorded 1,064 divorces involving
Muslim couples from Jan-Sept, state assembly told
--------
Arab World
• Lebanese Sunni Scholar: International Law Needed To
Back Islamic Unity
• Hezbollah working to delay Lebanon elections: Geagea
• Final results confirm Sadr’s victory in last month’s
Iraqi vote
• Syria claims it seized amphetamine-based drugs
headed for Saudi Arabia
• UAE won’t stop Lebanese traveling to the United Arab
Emirates: Gargash
• Arab Coalitions targets Iran-backed Houthi militia
training camp
--------
Mideast
• 446-Year-Old Selimiye Ottoman Imperial Mosque
Getting Revamped
• Iran: Red List Sanctions Prevent Green Light for US
Return to N. Deal
• Iran’s Top Negotiator in Vienna: All Issues of
Previous Round of Talks Subject of Discussions
• Spokesman: Iran Merely to Accept Removal of Unlawful
Sanctions
• UN agency for Palestinian refugees faces funding
crisis
• Turkey jails opposition figure over ‘political
espionage’: Reports
• Israel warns military option on table to block Iran
nuclear quest
-------
Africa
• Libya's Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi Accuses Military Force
Of Obstructing His Electoral Appeal
• Moroccans set fire Israeli flag, call for end to
Rabat's normalization with Zionists
• Uganda and Congo attack Islamist militia in joint
operation
• Al-Shabaab terror group attacks Ethiopian troops,
airport in Somalia
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/uk-media-islamophobia-muslims-misinformation/d/125881
-----
A Landmark Report into the British
Media’s Coverage of Muslims and Islam Finds Shocking Levels of Misinformation,
Stereotyping and Islamophobia
A Muslim worshipper prays beneath the timber 'tree'
columns inside Cambridge Central Mosque on 23 November 2021 (AFP)
----
December 1, 2021
A landmark report into the British media’s coverage of
Muslims and Islam has found shocking levels of misinformation, stereotyping and
Islamophobia.
Conducted by the Muslim Council of Britain’s Centre
for Media Monitoring (CFMM), the report analyses over 48,000 online articles
and 5,500 broadcast clips between October 2018 and September 2019, finding that
almost 60 percent of the articles and 47 percent of the television clips
associated Muslims and/or Islam with negative aspects of behaviour.
The report, entitled, British Media’s Coverage of
Muslims and Islam (2018-2020), also presents 10 case studies in which Muslims
are misrepresented, defamed and libelled in major publications, with damages
paid in nine of the cases, alongside public apologies.
Of the publications monitored, The Spectator, Daily
Mail Australia, Mail on Sunday, Christian Today and the Jewish Chronicle were
found to have particularly antagonistic coverage of Muslims and/or Islam.
Right-wing and religious publications were found to
have a "higher percentage of articles either demonstrating a bias against,
or generalising or misrepresenting, Muslim belief or behaviour".
The Times, which published the false “Christian Child Forced
into Muslim Foster Care” story - still available on the newspaper's website
despite having a complaint upheld against it by the UK's press standards
organisation - is found to have repeatedly maligned Muslims and Muslim
institutions.
During the period covered by the CFMM’s analysis, the
Jewish Chronicle, the Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday all paid out libel
damages to Muslims and Muslim institutions.
'Well-worn tropes and generalisations'
The report's analysis of television clips found that
national broadcasters were more likely to demonstrate bias against Muslims than
regional ones. It also found that right-wing pundits were on many occasions
"left unchallenged when making generalisations against Muslims, including
promoting falsehoods".
Rizwana Hamid, CFMM's director, said: “This latest
report does not seek to place blame on any newspaper or broadcaster, nor on any
individual journalist or reporter... However, it is time for the industry to
admit that, on occasion and too often when it comes to Muslims and Islam, it
gets things wrong."
The report's author, Faisal Hanif, said: “While
neither Muslims nor Islam should be immune from criticism or inquiry, where
warranted, we do expect this to be done fairly and with due care, without
resorting to well-worn tropes and generalisations.”
Two British newspaper editors, Emma Tucker of the
Sunday Times and Alison Philips of The Mirror, welcomed the report. Tucker said
this welcome came "in the full knowledge that it contains criticisms of
the press, my own paper included".
Philips said the report "shows how much we as
journalists must question ourselves and the work we are producing in relation
to reporting of Muslims and Islam".
Almost one in ten online articles analysed
misrepresented Muslims and/or Islam, with the majority of misrepresentation (82
percent) coming from news reporting.
The report found that when it came to associating
Muslims with negative behaviour and activity - something present in 60 percent
of articles analysed - the news agencies Reuters, Associated Press (AP) and AFP
were the top offenders.
Those wire services were found to have almost
exclusively bookended reporting on the harsh living conditions faced by
Palestinians in Gaza with descriptions of the area being ruled by the
"Islamist militant" group Hamas.
Most articles did not mention the Egyptian and Israeli
blockades of the coastal enclave, described by the Norwegian Refugee Council as
"the world's largest open-air prison".
The CFMM report describes wire agencies as
"incubators of negative aspect and behaviours" connecting, often
entirely unnecessarily, Muslims and Islam to terrorism, violent political
events and strife in the Middle East.
Source: ABNA24
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
--------
Religious Conversions and Love Jihad to Come Up For
Discussion at Hindu Ekta Mahakumbh Chitrakoot Discussion
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath,will
address a session of the Hindu Ekta Mahakumbh. (File photo)
-----
Dec 1, 2021
Lucknow: Though touted to be completely apolitical,
the 12-point agenda of Hindu Ekta Mahakumbh, scheduled to be held in Chitrakoot
on December 15-16, has all the ingredients which can give a political overtone
to discussions.
Among the issues that would come up for discussion are
religious conversions and love jihad which may influence the political
discourse in the state that would go to polls early next year.
According to sources, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh
chief Mohan Bhagwat and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in the capacity of
head priest of Gorakhnath Temple, will address a session of the Hindu Ekta
Mahakumbh, which is being claimed to be the biggest conglomeration of Hindu
saints and seers from across the country.
The ‘mahakumbh’ is being organised by Padma Vibhushan
Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya. Though it is being claimed
that around 5 lakh saints and seers from across the country will be present in
Chitrakoot on December 15, at least one lakh seers from all sects are expected
to attend the programme.
The theme of the event is “Chaahe Panth Anek Ho, Saare
Hindu Ek Ho (All Hindus are one irrespective of different sects)”.
The topics of discussions include ‘Shri Ram Temple – A
symbol of national respect’, solution and problems related to administrative
control on mutts and temples of Hindus, religious conversion – an international
conspiracy, need for population control law, nationalism and uniform civil
code, love jihad – deviation of youths and its solution, need for Indian
philosophy-based education, de-addiction, cow protection, social harmony, demonization
of Hindu religion through various means of publicity, and environment-oriented
cultural rejuvenation.
The RSS, the BJP and other Hindu organisations have
been raising the issues of cow protection, love jihad, population control law,
uniform civil code and religious conversions on various platforms.
Since these issues have remained close to the RSS, the
mahakumbh is likely to have political implications too in view of the
participation of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and CM Yogi Adityanath.
Source: Times of India
Please click the following URL to read the text of the
original story:
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US
Delegation Expresses Deep Concerns over Afghans' Abuses at Doha Meet With Taliban
Representational
image. AP
-----
Dec
01, 2021
A
delegation from the United States expressed deep concerns over alleged human
rights abuses in Afghanistan during its meeting with Taliban representatives at
Doha in Qatar.
The
team, led by special representative for Afghanistan Thomas West, asked the
ruling Islamic militant group to take necessary action to protect the rights of
citizens in the war-torn nation, the US state department said.
West
led a senior interagency delegation to discuss the Afghanistan situation with
the Taliban in Doha.
In
a statement, US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said american
officials expressed deep concern regarding allegations of human rights abuses
and urged the Taliban to protect the rights of all Afghans. The US also urged
the Taliban to uphold and enforce its policy of general amnesty, and take
additional steps to form an inclusive and representative government.
Ted
said the US delegation “emphasised the importance of the Taliban fulfilling its
public commitment not to allow anyone to pose a threat to any country from the
soil of Afghanistan, safe passage for US citizens and Afghans to whom we have a
special commitment, the protection of the rights of all of Afghanistan’s
citizens, including its women, girls, and minorities, and the safe release of
hostage Mark Frerichs”.
The
US also remains committed to ensure that sanctions against the Taliban do not
limit the ability of Afghan civilians to receive humanitarian support from
Washington.
West
said the Taliban are aware that the US is deeply concerned about reports of
retaliatory killings and forced disappearances of former ANSF (Afghan National
Security Forces) members. “We have urged the Taliban to ensure their promise of
amnesty is upheld throughout their ranks and hold those responsible to account.
Speaking
about US’ continue support to Afghan people with humanitarian aid, West said,
“We've provided $474 million this year, applaud the robust efforts of Allies
& partners in this space, & are making every effort to help the UN
& humanitarian actors scale up to meet needs this winter.”
“We
will continue clear-eyed, candid diplomacy with the Taliban. Legitimacy &
support must be earned by actions to address terrorism, establish an inclusive
government, & respect the rights of minorities, women & girls –
including equal access to education & employment,” he further said.
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Pakistan
Calls for Increase in Funding For Peace Efforts in Conflict-Hit Nations
Ambassador
Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative at the UN
----
November
30, 2021
UNITED
NATIONS: Lauding the role of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in
supporting peace efforts in conflict-hit zones, Pakistan called for enlarging
funding for the 31-member body’s activities aimed at economic and financial
stabilisation of affected nations.
“Pakistan,
as a troop-contributing country for six decades, has observed first-hand how
the UN peacebuilding can act as a catalyst to mitigate violence and restore
peace and stability in conflict-affected countries,” Ambassador Munir Akram,
Pakistan’s permanent representative at the UN, told the body’s annual session
on financing for peacebuilding.
Pakistan’s
troops, he said, have often mobilised their own resources to complement
peacekeeping efforts with peacebuilding initiatives, calling the benefits of
such endeavours “profound and far-reaching.”
In
his remarks, Akram stressed the need for sustaining the existing funding
streams to the Commission, while referring to the programmatic funding
earmarked for peacebuilding activities in several peacekeeping missions.
“This
vital funding stream must not disappear,” the envoy said.
“It
should, in fact, be enlarged through the Security Council’s legislation of the
appropriate mandates and the resources for appropriate mandates which should
cover this peacebuilding aspect as well.”
Akram
said that specific needs and priorities of the selected countries should ideally
be identified by the governments of the countries concerned in order to
mobilize additional resources for peacebuilding.
“These
needs should then be transformed into specific projects and the financial
support then mobilized for such projects from bilateral and multilateral
sources, including the Peacebuilding Fund.”
He
said Pakistan supports the expansion of the Peacebuilding Fund through all
possible means — larger contributions from existing donors, contributions from
new donor countries especially countries which have a national security
interest in stabilising a particular country coming out of conflict, and
contributions from institutions especially the international financial
institutions (IFIs)/Multilateral Development Banks in particular.
“Peacebuilding
and humanitarian support to distressed populations should not be nullified by
sanctions and asset freezes which contradict or undermine the objectives of
peacebuilding and security stabilisations or humanitarian assistance,” the
envoy stressed.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
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Taliban,
Myanmar junta unlikely to be let into UN for now, say diplomats
December
1, 2021
A
United Nations committee meeting on Wednesday is unlikely to allow
Afghanistan’s Taliban or Myanmar’s junta to represent their countries at the
193-member world body, say diplomats.
Rival
claims have been made for the seats of both countries with the Taliban and
Myanmar’s junta pitted against ambassadors appointed by the governments they
ousted this year. UN acceptance of the Taliban or Myanmar’s junta would be a
step toward the international recognition sought by both.
A
nine-member UN credentials committee, which includes Russia, China and the
United States, will meet at UN headquarters to consider the credentials of all
193 members for the current session of the UN General Assembly. The committee
will likely defer its decisions on the representation of Afghanistan and
Myanmar on the understanding that the current ambassadors for both countries
remain in the seats, four diplomats told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.
The
committee — which also includes the Bahamas, Bhutan, Chile, Namibia, Sierra
Leone and Sweden — will then send its report on the credentials of all members
to the UN General Assembly for approval before the end of the year.
Both
the committee and the General Assembly traditionally take decisions on
credentials by consensus, diplomats say.
Leverage
The
Taliban, which seized power in mid August from the internationally-recognised
government, has nominated its Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as
Afghanistan’s UN ambassador. The current UN ambassador appointed by the ousted
government, Ghulam Isaczai, has also asked to keep the seat.
When
the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001 the ambassador of the
government they toppled remained the UN representative after the credentials
committee deferred its decision on rival claims to the seat.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the Taliban’s desire for
international recognition is the only leverage other countries have to press
for inclusive government and respect for rights, particularly for women, in
Afghanistan.
The
Taliban’s nominated UN envoy Shaheen posted on Twitter earlier this month: “We
have all the conditions needed for occupying the seat of Afghanistan at UN. We
hope legal requirements will supersede political preferences.”
Myanmar’s
junta, which seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in
February, has put forward military veteran Aung Thurein to be its UN envoy.
Current Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun — appointed by Suu Kyi’s government — has also
asked to renew his UN accreditation, despite being the target of a plot to kill
or injure him over his opposition to the coup.
The
former UN special envoy on Myanmar, who stepped down last month, warned that no
country should recognize or legitimise the junta, while Guterres pledged in
February to mobilise pressure “to make sure that this coup fails.”
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/taliban-afghanistan-myanmar-united-nations-seat-7650145/
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Europe
Afghanistan
assets must be unfrozen, Taliban won’t buy weapon: Putin
01
Dec 2021
Russian
President Vladimir Putin has said that the Taliban have billions of dollars
worth of weapons left by the previous Afghan government and the US and added
that they do not need to buy more so the assets of Afghanistan must be
released.
Speaking
at economic union in the Russian capital Moscow, Vladimir Putin said the
Taliban desperately need the money to address the humanitarian crisis, buy
medicines, and support the Afghan children.
Raising
the voice, Putin has now joined the countries and international organizations
that have been calling on the west to release over $9 billion of Afghanistan to
help address the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country.
The
Russian president has called on the Western Banks especially American Banks to
pioneer and release the fund for humanitarian needs.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-assets-must-be-unfrozen-taliban-wont-buy-weapon-putin-8758676/
--------
European
diplomats warn no time for ‘niceties’ in Iran nuclear talks
01
December ,2021
European
negotiators on Tuesday said they will assess the “seriousness” of the Iranian
position over the next few days to decide whether to continue with recently
resumed talks about reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.
Without
wanting to set “an artificial deadline”, “we don't have the luxury to spend
time on niceties”, one of the European diplomats at the talks said, declining
to be identified.
“If
they don't show that they are serious about this work, then we'll have a
problem,” diplomats from the E3 nations of Britain, France and Germany said.
“The
next 48 hours will be very important.”
After
Monday's formal meeting, groups of experts began work on Tuesday on the
sensitive issue of US sanctions, before tackling Tehran's nuclear commitments
on Wednesday.
While
the EU chair of the talks, Enrique Mora, said he was optimistic at the end of
the inaugural session, the diplomats were more measured: “We neither breathed a
sigh of relief” nor cried disaster, one of them said.
The
diplomats said they hoped to have “a clearer picture by the end of the week”,
referring to a possible “breakdown” in negotiations if no progress was made.
“It
will be time to reconsider our diplomatic approach, but we are not there yet.”
The
2015 agreement, known by its acronym JCPOA, offered Tehran the lifting of some
of the sanctions stifling its economy in exchange for a drastic reduction in
its nuclear program, which was to be placed under strict UN control.
But
the US left the pact in 2018 under then president Donald Trump and reinstated
the punitive measures.
In
turn, the Islamic Republic, which denies it wants the bomb, has gradually
abandoned its commitments.
US
President Joe Biden's administration, eager to get back into the deal, is
indirectly involved in these talks, which began in April before breaking down
in June with the coming to power of ultraconservative President Ebrahim Raissi
in Iran.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Macron
urges Iran’s Raisi to respect nuclear obligations ‘without delay’
30
November ,2021
French
President Emmanuel Macron has called on his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi
to return to fulfilling Tehran’s obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal
“without delay” as negotiators seek to revive the accord at talks in Vienna,
his office said.
In
telephone talks on Monday, Macron urged Raisi to engage in a “constructive
manner” in the talks that resumed after a suspension of almost half a year,
following the election of the hardliner to the Iranian presidency.
European
powers are seeking to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)
that has been moribund since the United States walked out in 2018, prompting
Tehran to ramp up nuclear activities as Washington reimposed sanctions.
France’s
objective “was to see Iran return to full respect for all of its commitments
under the JCPOA and that the United States return to the agreement,” the French
presidency said.
Macron
also “underscored the need for Iran to engage constructively in this direction
so that the exchanges allow a swift return to the agreement,” it added.
“Iran
must return without delay to compliance with all its commitments and
obligations... and quickly resume cooperation that allows the (UN atomic)
agency to fully carry out its mission,” it said.
A
statement from Raisi’s office added that he urged Macron “to strive with other
parties in Vienna to conclude the negotiations and lift the sanctions against
Iran.”
“Sending
a full team to the talks shows Iran’s serious will in these talks,” Raisi said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
‘Camps
in NE Syria mean ticking bomb for Europe’: EU counter-terrorism chief
Agnes
Szucs
30.11.2021
BRUSSELS
Former
members of the Daesh/ISIS terror group and their families in camps and prisons
of northeastern Syria mean "a ticking bomb" for European security,
the EU’s new counter-terrorism chief said on Tuesday.
Speaking
for the first time at the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and
Defense, Ilkka Salmi, the recently appointed EU counter-terrorism coordinator,
gave an analysis on the most pressing challenges for European security.
Salmi
warned that the bloc had to provide humanitarian aid and support to reduce the
radicalization of former Daesh/ISIS fighters and their families who are held in
camps and prisons in northeast Syria.
“They're
a ticking time bomb for European security if you ask me,” he pointed out.
He
also noted that to improve the humanitarian situation, the bloc has to support
the reintegration of Syrian and Iraqi camp residents into their local
communities.
Salmi,
who has just returned from the Balkans where he studied the situation of
evacuated Afghans, promised to visit those Syrian camps next spring.
Talking
about the consequences of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, he reminded that
the EU had to prevent the infiltration of terrorists “through the development
of a common procedure for systematic and timely security checks of biographical
data, for instance, against all the relevant EU and internal databases.”
He
also warned that they “might have a not insignificant number of Afghans”
evacuated by the US and waiting now in Kosovo who could pose security concerns
for the EU.
In
total, there are 430 Afghans in Kosovo processed by NATO and another 2,500
Afghans in Albania who were assisted by US NGOs, he explained.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
Muslim
community ill-treated by Karnataka govt, BJP leader Manippady writes to CM
by
Kiran Parashar
December
1, 2021
BJP
leader and former Chairman of Karnataka State Minorities Commission Anwar
Manippady has accused the Basavaraj Bommai-led government of ill treating the
Muslim community in the state. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Manippady has
expressed his disappointment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Sab Ka Saath
Sab Ka Vikas is not being practiced in Karnataka and that the ‘Muslim community
is being ill-treated, harassed and threatened with dire consequences even if
our action are legitimate and legally binding’.
In
his letter, he said that the Muslims are unable to get burial grounds despite a
court order and they had to travel as far as 25-35km in search of burial
grounds during the pandemic.
In
the letter, he stated, “A burial ground allotted to us through the court order
in 2005 has not been given to us. Recently, during the Covid pandemic we had to
travel 25 to 35 kms in search of a burial ground for burying our brothers and
sisters dead bodies which was rampant then. The expenses were touching up to Rs
40,000 inclusive of ambulance charges. Even during the normal times we had to
travel quite a distance for the burial. Doddanagamangla, Survey no 5, Bangalore
South Taluk has no Muslim burial grounds in an about 6-7kms vicinity. Moreover
this Taluk has many Hoblis and villages without a burial ground.”
“In
fact when 2 acres were being granted to our community we saw to it that Hindu
and backward communities also got their lands for their cemeteries. None of
them had come to fight for the land as they had their cemeteries in the close
vicinity. We did that as an amiable gesture and also to get our land for the
burial. As we thought that the majority community’s names could get our burial
ground easily,” he added.
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
BSF
DG concedes threat of Pak pushing in Taliban fighters, abandoned US military
equipment into Kashmir
Dec
1, 2021
NEW
DELHI: BSF DG Pankaj Kumar Singh on Tuesday warned about the possibility of
Pakistan using Taliban fighters and arms and war equipment left behind by
US-led forces before withdrawings troops from Afghanistan, for waging jihad in
Kashmir.
"We
are very sensitive to this aspect. We are regularly monitoring and tracking
terror plans and conspiracies hatched across the border, and since this is to
be done by intelligence agencies, we are in touch with them to keep a strict
watch. The government is very concerned and careful lest it is caught
unawares," he said at a press conference organised by the BSF here.
Stating
that BSF has deployed around 62 companies, or roughly 6,000 troops, in Kashmir
purely for law and order duties – years after it made way for CRPF to assist
the J&K police in this function – Singh said this was done at the request
of J&K police following the string of targeted civilian killings in
October.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Apply
for citizenship under CAA once rules come, govt says but mum on timeline
Dec
1, 2021
NEW
DELHI: Discounting speculation about a rethink on the controversial Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) a day after the three farm laws were repealed by
Parliament, the government on Tuesday said the prospective beneficiaries of CAA
can apply for citizenship once the CAA rules are notified. It, however, did not
disclose any timeline for notifying the CAA rules.
In
reply to a written question in the Lok Sabha, MoS(Home) Nityanand Rai also said
the government had also not taken any decision to prepare the National Register
of Indian Citizens (NRIC), the official coinage for an all-India National
Register of Citizens or NRC.
Widespread
protests and sit-ins against CAA and NRC were held in several parts of the
country between December 2019 and March 2020.
CAA
was enacted in December 2019 but the rules are yet to be notified. The
government has sought multiple extensions from committees of subordinate
legislation, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, with the latest one due to expire on
January 9, 2022.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Balapur
ancient mosque will be restored soon: Mohammed Saleem
Mohammed
Hussain Ahmed
1st
December 2021
Hyderabad:
The Chairman of the Telangana Waqf Board Mohammed Saleem along with the Revenue
and Wakf Board officials undertook a visit to the ancient and defunct mosque at
Balapur and decided to restore it.
This
mosque at Balapur is 200 years old and registered in the Waqf Board record as
mosque and graveyard under gazette number 6-A serial No 2674.
The
local Muslim youths informed the Waqf Board Chairman that the people belonging
to the majority community are using the kabrastan and mosque compound as
animals’ pastureland.
They
also informed that whenever they try to clean up the mosque and offer prayer
there the locals object.
Source:
Daily Siasat
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/balapur-ancient-mosque-will-be-restored-soon-mohammed-saleem-2233626/
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Jaish's
IED expert among two terrorists killed in encounter in J&K's Pulwama
Dec
1, 2021
SRINAGAR:
Terrorist commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) Yasir Parray and a foreign
terrorist were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district
of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.
The
encounter took place at Qasbayar area of the south Kashmir district.
“Two
terrorists were killed in the encounter,” they said.
Inspector
General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said one of the slain was
Parray, commander of JeM and an IED expert.
#PulwamaEncounterUpdate:
#Terrorist commander of proscribed #terror outfit JeM Yasir Parray, an IED
Expert & foreig… https://t.co/Qn3mgfEkYu
—
Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) 1638330597000
Source:
Times of India
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Weapons
Looted By Taliban in Afghanistan Can Be Smuggled Into India, Border Force Warns
November
30, 2021
New
Delhi: Weapons looted by Taliban in Afghanistan can get smuggled into India and
used in terror-related activities, Director General of Border Security Force
said today, acknowledging threats emancipating from Afghanistan for the first
time.
"It's
a cause of worry since the Taliban cadre is now free and they have weapons. We
are alert and are in touch with our sister agencies," DG BSF Pankaj Singh
said.
Talking
to reporters on the eve of the 57th Raising Day of the paramilitary, the BSF
head said at least 67 drone sightings have been made this year till now along
India's western border with Pakistan.
''Right
now, the frequency of drones that are coming to our country is fairly small and
these are by-and-large Chinese-made drones...they are very good...and carrying
small payloads and in 95 per cent cases, they are carrying drugs'' he added.
''We
have installed some kind of anti-drone systems at the border and they are
working fairly ok but we are in the process of getting more and more
technology,'' Mr Singh said.
He,
however, added that covering the entire 2,300 km (of the India-Pakistan border)
with anti-drone systems will cost a lot, and hence a ''trade-off'' can be
thought of.
Like
if we have a vital installation or important asset on the border, the
anti-drone system to safeguard it can be installed there first, followed by
other locations, DG Singh said.
According
to him, there is no foolproof system available in the entire world. "There
is no way as of now by which we can intercept, stall or make them (drones)
de-active. We are in the process...this (getting anti-drone technology) is our
number one priority,'' he said.
The
BSF has shot down two drones till now along the Pakistan border, he said.
He
said the force has also come across instances of drones carrying weapons
payload from across the Pakistan border into India and ''dropping them into our
area''.
"We
are in touch with intelligence agencies and state police about these droppings
as every time such a flight takes place, somebody is informed on the Indian
side to take delivery," he added.
The
DG said the force was getting ''wonderful cooperation'' from the Punjab Police
in this context.
Talking
about underground tunnels being found along this front, especially in the Jammu
area, he said the force was keeping a vigil on this activity and devising new
methods to check these structures that aid infiltration.
Armed
terrorists have used such tunnels, that are as deep as 30 feet, 3-4 feet in
width and height, and 100 meters below the international border fence, to
infiltrate the country.
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Mr
Singh said the force is looking for ''low-cost technology solutions'' with
regard to creating 'smart fencing', sensors, radars, and even countering the
drones or the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) threat.
Source:
ND TV
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--------
North America
US
removes Colombia’s FARC from terrorism list
01
December ,2021
The
United States on Tuesday announced it has removed the former rebels of the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia from its list of terrorist
organizations.
“The
Department of State is revoking the designations of the Revolutionary Forces of
Colombia (FARC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FT),” Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said in a statement.
The
US government had indicated its intention to remove the terror listing on
November 23, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the peace pact between the
Colombian government and FARC, which led to their being disarmed and dissolved
after decades of fighting.
The
United States officially designated FARC as a foreign terrorist organization in
1997, the halfway point of the rebels’ six-decade conflict with the government.
On
November 24, 2016, after negotiations in Cuba, the fearsome guerrilla group
laid down their arms and signed a peace deal with then Colombian president Juan
Manuel Santos.
But
the terror label has continued to weigh over its members, including those who
have now transformed themselves into a political party.
“The
decision to revoke the designation does not change the posture with regards to
any charges or potential charges in the United States against former leaders of
the FARC... nor does it remove the stain of the decision by Colombia’s Special
Jurisdiction of Peace, which found their actions to be crimes against humanity,”
Blinken said.
“However,
it will facilitate the ability of the United States to better support
implementation of the 2016 accord.”
Some
13,000 guerrillas have surrendered their arms since the signing of the peace
pact in 2016, and the FARC has since transformed into a minority political
party.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2021/12/01/US-removes-Colombia-s-FARC-from-terrorism-list
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US
held responsible for deaths of thousands of civilians in Syria
Ethem
Emre Ozcan
30.11.2021
The
US and the international coalition forces it leads are being held responsible
for the deaths of thousands of civilians in Syria.
A
Monday statement by the US Defense Department that they ordered an
investigation into the March 18, 2019 airstrike in the Syrian town of Baghuz,
which killed dozens of civilians, brought to mind other crimes committed by
US-led coalition forces against civilians in Syria.
The
US-led coalition forces, which started a military intervention in Syria on
Sept. 23, 2014 using the justification of combating the terrorist group
ISIS/Daesh, acted in partnership with the terrorist group YPG/PKK – the Syrian
branch of the terrorist PKK – on the ground and bombed schools, mosques, and
many other civilian areas.
A
report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) said that since Sept. 23,
2014, US-led coalition forces killed more than 3,000 civilians on the pretext
of fighting terrorism.
According
to the report, over the course of six years at least 172 massacres (attacks in
which at least five people were killed) were committed by coalition forces.
Coalition
forces carried out more than 180 attacks on regions where civilians live,
including schools, health centers, mosques, and bazaars.
More
than 500,000 civilians immigrated and became homeless during the US and
coalition attacks.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Pakistan
Pakistan
expects $3 billion reserves deposit from Saudi Arabia in days
Dec
1, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Saudi Arabia will deposit $3 billion in Pakistan's foreign reserves in a week
or so for one year at 4% interest under a support package signed on Monday,
Pakistan's finance ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.
The
South Asian nation has faced growing economic challenges with sliding foreign
reserves, a widening current account deficit, a depreciating currency and high
inflation.
Pakistan's
total liquid foreign reserves stand at $22.77 billion, according to the central
bank.
The
Saudi support package that included a $1.2 billion oil loan facility was agreed
during Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Riyadh last month.
Asked
when the Saudi deposit would land in Pakistan's foreign reserves, finance
ministry spokesman Muzammil Aslam told Reuters: "Hopefully this week or
early next week."
He
said it was a "one year demand deposit" with 4% interest.
Chief
executive officer Sultan Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Marshad of the Saudi Fund for
Development (SFD) and Pakistan's State Bank Governor Reza Baqir signed the
agreement in Karachi on Monday, the central bank said in statement.
"Under
this deposit agreement, SFD shall place a deposit of $3 billion with SBP. The
deposit amount under the agreement shall become part of SBP's Foreign Exchange
Reserves," it said.
The
Saudi facility has come a week after the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
agreed with Pakistan on measures needed to revive a stalled $6 billion funding
programme.
The
completion of the review, pending since earlier this year, would make available
750 million in IMF special drawing rights, or around $1 billion, bringing total
disbursements so far to about $3 billion, the statement said.
Source:
Times of India
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Punjab
chief secretary told to ensure recitation of Darood Sharif at school assemblies
December
1, 2021
LAHORE:
On the directions of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, the chief secretary has been
told to arrange the recitation of Darood Sharif (Darood-i-Ibrahimi) before the
national anthem and after the recitation of the Holy Quran in schools’
assemblies.
In
this regard, the chief minister said Darood Sharif had immense virtues. It is
an honour for every Muslim to offer Darood Sharif in the honour of Rehmatul Alameen
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), he added.
The
Punjab Assembly has earlier passed a (non-binding) resolution in the last week
of September, asking schools to recite Darood Sharif in the assemblies.
Meanwhile,
the chief minister inaugurated a tea shop, Punjab’s first literary museum and
adabi baithak at Majlis-i-Taraqqi-i-Adab (Board for Advancement of Literature)
on Tuesday and laid the foundation stone of the e-library block. He took a keen
interest in items belonging to Allama Iqbal, poets and intellectuals at Lahore
literary museum while viewing a place for storytelling.
Culture
Minister Khayal Ahmad Kastro, SACM Hasaan Khawar and director Mansoor Afaq were
also present.
Talking
to the literati, the chief minister said several steps were taken for the
welfare of writers and poets, adding that membership cards were being issued to
writers and poets by the Board for Advancement of Literature to provide
financial assistance through the writers’ welfare fund.
They
would be able to get books at subsidized rates besides accessing the antique
books of the Board for Advancement of Literature, he maintained. They would
also be able to benefit from any of the writers’ welfare schemes, he repeated.
He
said Unesco has declared Lahore a city of literature and a Lahore literary park
was being established in the city.
Source:
Dawn
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Pakistan
puts transit conditions on Indian aid to Afghanistan
Geeta
Mohan
November
30, 2021
Pakistan
has sent a list of conditions to India before allowing Indian aid to reach
Afghanistan. The new terms come days after Pakistan officially announced
allowing “transportation of 50,000 MTs of wheat and life-saving medicines
through Wagah as humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan”.
Officials
on both sides are engaged to resolve this new impasse of humanitarian aid for
Afghanistan. Sources have told India Today that Islamabad has sent a set of
conditions, two of which are of most concern.
One,
Pakistan insists that the supplies will have to be transported by Pakistani
trucks. The Indian side has proposed that if not Indian, then at least Afghan
trucks can carry the material across to Afghanistan. Afghan trucks have been
plying these roads for transportation of goods and materials in the past as
well. But, the Pakistani side for now is insisting on Pakistani trucks.
Secondly,
Pakistan wants to levy shipment charges on aid being sent to Afghanistan. India
is insisting that there should be no additional cost to supplies being sent as
humanitarian aid.
Talks
are underway to come to an understanding so that aid reaches the Afghan people
through United Nations agencies at the earliest. While loading and unloading at
Wagah could create logistical hassles, India still is open to Afghan trucks
taking the material forward to their home country.
On
November 24, Pakistan foreign office had stated, “As a goodwill gesture towards
the brotherly Afghan people, the Government of Pakistan has decided to allow
the transportation of 50,000 Metric Tonnes of wheat and life-saving medicines
from India to Afghanistan via Wagah Border on an exceptional basis for
humanitarian purposes.”
“The
decision of the Government of Pakistan to this effect was formally conveyed to
the Charge d’ Affaires of India at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.”
External
affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, during his weekly briefing on
Friday, had said that there was no deadline for the aid to reach Afghanistan
but with winters approaching, India was looking to send help as early as
possible.
Source:
India Today
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South Asia
Transgender
breakthrough hailed in Bangladesh
Stephan
Uttom
December
01, 2021
A
Catholic bishop has joined activists and netizens to congratulate a transgender
person who made history by winning the post of chairperson of a local
government body in a rural election in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
Nazrul
Islam Ritu, 43, bagged 9,557 votes to win the post of chairperson of
Trilochanpur Union Council in Jhenaidah district of southern Bangladesh on Nov.
28.
Ritu,
an independent candidate, defeated Nazrul Islam Sana, the incumbent chairman
and candidate fielded by the ruling Awami League party, who secured 4,529
votes, according to the Election Commission of Bangladesh.
Since
the news of Ritu’s victory spread, she has become a media sensation in a
largely conservative country where transgender people face widespread social
stigma and discrimination.
Many
commented that her victory signals a change, albeit a slow one, in the public
mindset about transgender people in Bangladesh.
Bishop
James Romen Boiragi of Khulna Diocese, which covers Jhenaidah district,
congratulated Ritu on her victory, noting that it shows a change in the
negative perception of transgender people.
“I
congratulate her on her victory because the challenge she has taken is truly
admirable. This victory will give courage to more transgender people,” Bishop
Boiragi told UCA News.
Boby
Hijra, a transgender activist based in the capital Dhaka and head of Sustho
Jibon (Healthy Life), a group promoting the rights of transgender people, also
hailed the victory.
“The
negative attitude of society toward us has been going on for ages. But I think
at least some of these negative thoughts have changed now and there will be
more changes ahead as proved by Ritu’s win in a Union Council election,” Boby
told UCA News.
Mohammad
Ali, 32, a voter from the constituency Ritu has just won, said the victory
proves transgender people can contribute to society if society offers them love
and care after long-running hatred toward them.
“We
have to change the mentality of looking down on transgender people. It should
not be limited to our area but all over the country. If we learn to stand by
their side, our society will become more beautiful,” Ali told UCA News over the
phone.
Rights
activists like Boby Hijra say that for decades transgender people have faced
abuses and discrimination in Bangladesh where they are popularly known as hijra
(eunuchs).
According
to the Social Services Ministry, Bangladesh has about 10,000 transgender
people. However, rights activists say their number must be 10 times higher as a
vast majority of them keep their identity secret fearing social ostracism.
Most
live in extreme poverty amid a lack of support for education, employment and
accommodation, forcing them to resort to begging, extortion, obscene singing
and dancing and even prostitution.
Many
face abusive treatment regularly including teasing, tirades, beatings and
sexual violence as people consider them as “abnormal and cursed,” Boby told UCA
News in a 2019 interview.
Nonetheless,
there have been some positive changes in recent times thanks to years of
campaigning from activists and aid groups.
In
2013, Bangladesh's government legally recognized hijra as the third or separate
gender. The recognition allowed them to obtain national identity cards, vote in
elections and avail themselves various state-funded social-economic benefits
including allowances.
Since
2012, the government has run a project to improve living standards of the
transgender community that provides scholarships to their children, skills
training to those aged 18 and over, and allowances for people older than 50,
among other services.
Source:
UCA News
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https://www.ucanews.com/news/transgender-breakthrough-hailed-in-bangladesh/95171#
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Taliban,
US conclude their two-day negotiations in Doha
01
Dec 2021
The
US and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have concluded their two-day talks in
the Qatari capital Doha as the US has still its sanctions on the Taliban in
place and Afghanistan is going through probably the biggest humanitarian crisis
in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s
delegation was led by the acting foreign minister Amir Khan Motaqi while US
special representative for Afghanistan Thomas West was leading the American
delegation.
Both
sides talked over humanitarian issues, ensuring safe passage to foreigners and
Afghans by the Taliban, and counterterrorism while the Taliban officials asked
their US counterparts in Doha to unfreeze Afghanistan’s reserves.
Spokesperson
of Afghanistan foreign ministry Abdul Qahar Balkhi in a Twitter post asked the
US to unconditionally release over $9.5 billion, remove the Taliban leaders
from the blacklist, and disconnect humanitarian issues from political.
The
special representative Thomas West pledged to be supporting the UN’s and other
humanitarian groups’ efforts in Afghanistan and acknowledged that the US is
committed to ensuring the US sanctions do not limit the Afghans’ ability to
receive humanitarian aids.
In
the meantime, the US is still steadfast on its sanctions on the Taliban leaders
and the frozen reserves of Afghanistan.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/taliban-us-conclude-their-two-day-negotiations-in-doha-45747/
--------
Saudi
Arabia and India to reopen their embassies in Kabul
01
Dec 2021
Afghanistan’s
foreign ministry in a statement said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has sent
a 14-member team of their embassy to Kabul and the country’s embassy will soon
be reopened in the Afghan capital.
The
Saudi Arabian diplomats have arrived in Kabul on Tuesday, November 30 and are
intended to resume consular services in Kabul.
The
ministry has appreciated the move and said that this was a profound step by
Saudi Arabia that will lead to good bilateral relations.
In
the meantime, India’s Hindu newspaper has reported that the country is willing
to reopen its embassy in Kabul.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/saudi-arabia-and-india-to-reopen-their-embassies-in-kabul-47457/
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Taliban’s
ops on Daesh in Nangarhar province, three Daesh affiliates killed four Taliban
wounded
30
Nov 2021
Security
officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Nangarhar province said that
their special forces have conducted six-hour operations in the provincial
capital Jalalabad that inflicted casualties to both parties.
As
per the officials, the operations that targeted the residence of the target
assassin of Daesh (ISIS-K), were carried out in the police district first of
the provincial capital.
The
police commander of Jalalabad city Tahir Mubariz said that the operations that
were conducted on the residence of Attaurahaman killed three ISIS-K affiliates
and wounded two more including Attaurahman.
Mubariz
added that a woman also includes those killed who died after her explosive
exploded.
“No
civilian has been harmed during the operations and only two Taliban fighters
have been wounded slightly.” Said Mubariz.
Source:
Khaama Press
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Southeast Asia
Nearly
1,100 cases of child abuse reported in Selangor from Jan-Sept, state assembly
told
01
Dec 2021
SHAH
ALAM, Dec 1 — A total of 1,076 child abuse cases were reported in the state
from January to September this year, the Selangor state legislative assembly
was told today.
State
Public Health, Unity, and Women and Family Development Committee chairman, Dr
Siti Mariah Mahmud said based on statistics from the Selangor police, this
number included cases of physical abuse (527 cases), emotional abuse (35) and
sexual abuse or harassment (514), without specifying cases involving
paedophiles.
She
was responding to Juwairiya Zulkifli (PH-Bukit Melawati) who asked on the
number of paedophilia cases recorded in the state, at the state legislative
assembly sitting, here, today.
“To
help prevent and reduce abuse cases involving children, including cases of
paedophilia, the Selangor Social Welfare Department has 11 child protection
teams (PPKK) in each district, with the role of supporting the group protection
services at the community level,” she added.
Dr
Siti Mariah said the PPKK was also responsible for coordinating activities at
17 Children’s Activity Centres (PAKK) in each district according to the needs
of the local community.
Source:
Malay Mail
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Negri
Sembilan recorded 1,064 divorces involving Muslim couples from Jan-Sept, state
assembly told
01
Dec 2021
SEREMBAN,
Dec 1 — A total of 1,064 Muslim divorce cases were recorded by the Negri
Sembilan Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAINS) and the state Shariah
Court from January to September this year, the state legislative assembly
sitting was told today.
Mentri
Besar, Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the figure was considered low compared
to the overall number in 2020 which recorded 2,563 cases and 3,177 cases in
2019.
“As
for divorce cases involving non-Muslims, 1,418 cases were recorded by the
National Registration Department (JPN) for the period 2019 until Aug 31 this
year,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the assembly sitting
here.
He
said this in reply to a question from Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Gemencheh)
who wanted to know the number of divorce cases for 2019, 2020 and 2021 and the
assistance and advisory services provided.
Aminuddin
(PH-Sikamat) said JHEAINS had been giving counselling services to couples who
needed consultation and has collaborated with several agencies including the
Social Welfare Department to provide guidance to troubled couples.
Source:
Malay Mail
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Arab World
Lebanese
Sunni Scholar: International law needed to back Islamic Unity
December
1, 2021
A
Sunni scholar says there is a need to adopt international laws on banning
divisive measures among followers of different Islamic Madhhabs.
“Today
we see in the West that racism has been banned internationally and individuals
who violate the norms are being punished. However, we still have adopted no
measure at the level of OIC or Arab Union or other scholarly councils that
exist in many Islamic and Arab countries for announcing any action that could
provoke killing of a Muslim as Haram,” said head of the Assembly of Lebanese
Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Ghazi Hanina, in an interview.
He
lamented that some media outlets have been turned into tools for sowing discord
among Islamic Madhhabs instead of raising knowledge and providing guidance.
Some
satellite channels’ promotion of Takfirism and division among Muslims has led
to the killing of Muslims in countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen,
he said.
Talking
about the need for unity in the Muslim Ummah, Hanina added that “One of the
reasons for the power of Islam is the unity among members of the Islamic Ummah;
therefore, unity is a fundamental guarantee of the Ummah’s power and
stability.”
The
source of this unity, he added, is the belief in God, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),
and the Quran.
Source:
ABNA24
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--------
Hezbollah
working to delay Lebanon elections: Geagea
30
November ,2021
One
of Lebanon’s main Christian politicians accused foe Hezbollah and its allies of
working to postpone a parliamentary election set for March over fears of
electoral losses, warning such a move would condemn Lebanon to a “slow death.”
Western
donors that Lebanon is relying on to stem its financial implosion have said the
vote must go ahead. Politicians from all sides, including Shiite Muslim
Hezbollah, have repeatedly said it should happen otherwise the country’s
standing would be dealt a further blow.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
But
Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces and an ally of Saudi Arabia,
pointed the finger at Hezbollah and its ally President Michel Aoun’s Free
Patriotic Movement for moves to delay it “because they are near certain that
they will lose their parliamentary majority.”
Aoun
said this month he would not sign authorization for the vote, approved by
parliament, to be held on March 27 as the date was too early.
Asked
whether a postponement would lead to more fighting after clashes last month
between the Lebanese Forces and Hezbollah, Geagea, said: “Not fighting, but to
more slow death.”
“With
the current way things are going, state institutions - and so the state - is
dissolving day by day,” he told Reuters at his residence in the mountains
overlooking the coastal town of Jounieh.
Lebanon
has no reliable opinion polling but should the election take place, Geagea’s
party is widely expected to make gains, with the Free Patriotic Movement
expected to lose seats, potentially robbing Hezbollah of its majority.
Without
an election to shake up parliament “you will see more of the same,” Geagea
said.
The
United Nations says the economic meltdown has left nearly 80 percent of people
in poverty.
Lebanon’s
government, formed from most major political parties in September following a
13-month period of political paralysis, has already not convened in nearly 50
days amid a push by Hezbollah and its allies to remove the judge investigating
the deadly August 2020 Beirut port blast.
Adding
to the economic peril, Lebanon is facing a blast of Gulf Arab anger after a
prominent broadcaster-turned-minister levelled blunt criticism at Saudi Arabia,
in a row that has further strained Beirut’s ties with once generous
benefactors.
Geagea,
who maintained close contact to the Saudi ambassador in Beirut, said
Hezbollah’s increasing influence was the main problem behind the rift that is
harmful to Lebanon’s economy.
“We
see Saudi and the Gulf as economic lungs for Lebanon,” he said.
Street
clashes
Geagea’s
Lebanese Forces is the second largest Christian party in parliament. It has
stayed out of the cabinet since a popular uprising against the sectarian elite
in 2019.
But
the group was thrust back into the headlines when tensions over the probe
erupted into the worst street violence in more than a decade last month,
reviving memories of the country’s 1975-90 civil war.
Seven
people, all followers of Hezbollah and its ally Amal, were killed.
Hezbollah
accused the Lebanese Forces of ambushing its supporters at the protest. Geagea
confirmed supporters of his party, along with others, were involved in the
clashes, but denied the move was pre-meditated and blamed Hezbollah for
entering Beirut’s mostly Christian Ain al-Remmaneh neighbourhood, a strong
support base for the Lebanese Forces.
During
Lebanon’s civil war, the Lebanese Forces, under Geagea, was a right-wing
militia that controlled swathes of territory including eastern Beirut.
Following
October’s clashes, Hezbollah’s leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused it of
seeking to start a sectarian conflict and warned Hezbollah had 100,000 fighters
at his disposal.
Geagea
denied Nasrallah’s allegation that the Lebanese Forces had 15,000 fighters,
saying the party had 35,000 members of whom only some had personal arms and
perhaps more than 10,000 – “the whole old generation” - had military training.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Final
results confirm Sadr’s victory in last month’s Iraqi vote
30
November ,2021
Iraq
released final results on Tuesday from last month’s general election,
confirming populist Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s movement’s victory as the
biggest bloc, with 73 seats in the fractious 329-seat house.
The
Taqaddum Party, which draws support from minority Sunni Muslims, won 37 seats.
Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law group won 33 seats, and
the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) secured 31, according to the results cited
by state media.
The
results were broadly in line with preliminary figures released in the days
after the Oct. 10 election, and unlikely to alter calculations much as
politicians negotiate on the makeup of a new government. Pro-Iran groups who
performed poorly have refused to accept the results.
Turnout
reached 44 percent, the commission said, revised up from the 43 percent
preliminary figure but still lower than in the last election in 2018.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Syria
claims it seized amphetamine-based drugs headed for Saudi Arabia
30
November ,2021
Syrian
authorities said Tuesday they seized over 500 kilograms (1,000 pounds) of
amphetamine pills known by the brand name Captagon hidden in pasta packages in
a van bound for Saudi Arabia.
An
investigation was underway to determine who was behind the attempted smuggling,
a statement on the official state news agency SANA said. It didn’t offer
details on whether anyone has been arrested.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
US
law enforcement officials say smuggling of the amphetamine-based drug from
Syria and Lebanon has been on the rise, with over $3 billion worth of Captagon
seized since February 2020.
The
amount far exceeds the value of Syrian legal exports, said James Walsh, a
high-level official with the State Department’s international narcotics bureau,
earlier this month. He had no details on how much goes through Lebanon and how
much is from Syria.
The
statement carried by SANA said authorities became suspicious and stopped a van
in rural Damascus carrying 525 kilograms (1,160 pounds) of the pills hidden in
a shipment of pasta heading to Saudi Arabia. The smugglers had sprayed pepper
over the pills to distract sniffer dogs, the statement said.
Walsh
said the smuggling of amphetamines from Syria has a wide ranging impact on
Europe, Africa and Asia and is obstructing efforts to resolve the country’s
lengthy civil war, while contributing to deteriorating relations with Gulf
states. He spoke at a conference organized by the Washington-based Atlantic
Center earlier this month.
The
US has imposed various sanctions on Syrian government officials and businesses
linked to President Bashar Assad, whom it blames for much of the country’s
decade-old conflict.
Arab
countries have been making moves to re-engage the Assad government after years
of boycott following the war’s outbreak.
Experts
say a crackdown on drug smuggling would be key for Arab rapprochement with
Syria.
Smuggling
of Captagon has also been at the heart of a spat between Saudi Arabia and
Lebanon, after over 5 million pills hidden in a shipment of pomegranate from
Lebanon were seized in the kingdom in April.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
UAE
won’t stop Lebanese traveling to the United Arab Emirates: Gargash
30
November ,2021
The
United Arab Emirates will not stop Lebanese from travelling to the country in a
diplomatic row between Beirut and Gulf Arab states, a senior Emirati official
said.
Anwar
Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, told reporters that Abu Dhabi
would continue humanitarian support to Beirut and did not want Lebanese
citizens to suffer more because of the country’s political and economic crisis.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Lebanon
is facing a diplomatic crisis with Gulf states, triggered by a minister’s
critical comments about the Arab Coalition in Yemen that prompted Saudi Arabia,
Bahrain and Kuwait to expel Lebanon’s top diplomats and recall their own
envoys. The UAE withdrew its envoys.
Several
Kuwait newspapers this month reported that Kuwait has suspended issuing visas
to Lebanese citizens.
“We
will not do anything that will hurt the Lebanese as private individuals, as
citizens. We have taken a decision that it will not effect the ordinary
Lebanese who are able to travel to the UAE,” Gargash said.
For
Lebanon’s damaged economy, the big concern would be any measures affecting the
hundreds of thousands of Lebanese who work in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates, and the dollars they send home to a nation drowning in poverty.
“We
had an informal dialogue with Lebanon for a long time saying that Lebanon
losing its bridge with Gulf would be harmful, but none (of these messages) were
heeded and when the crisis hit Lebanon it had no Arab support,” he said.
“They
thought it was a storm and would go away.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Arab
Coalitions targets Iran-backed Houthi militia training camp
30
November ,2021
The
Arab Coalition on Tuesday said it targeted a training camp belonging to the
Iran-backed Houthi militia south of Yemen’s Mahliya in Marib.
An
airstrike on the training camp left more than 60 Houthi militia members dead,
the coalition added.
The
Arab Coalition on Monday said it carried out 15 attacks against the Iran-backed
Houthi militia in Yemen’s Marib and al-Jawf in the past 24 hours.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mideast
446-Year-Old
Selimiye Ottoman Imperial Mosque Getting Revamped
December
01 2021
The
40-month restoration process has begun in the 446-year-old Selimiye Mosque, one
of the masterpieces of Mimar Sinan, the chief Ottoman architect, in the
northwestern province of Edirne, the provincial directorate for foundations has
announced.
“The
illuminated minarets [of the mosque] will be seen by the Greek side,” Osman
Güneren told İhlas News Agency on Nov. 30.
Within
the scope of the restoration works, most of the inner parts and the windows of
the mosque, lead plates and handwritings will be renewed.
Sinan,
also known as the Grand Architect, started the construction of the mosque,
which was commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan Selim II, in 1568 when he was 95
years old. The mosque, opened to public service in 1575 after seven years of
rigorous work, became one of the highest achievements of Islamic architecture
and a great example of Ottoman architecture.
The
Selimiye Mosque was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.
“We
handed the mosque to the restoration company on Nov. 26. We expect that it will
take some 40 months to finish,” Güneren said.
Source:
Hurriyet Daily News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/significant-ottoman-imperial-mosque-getting-revamped-169749
--------
Iran:
Red List Sanctions Prevent Green Light for US Return to N. Deal
2021-November-30
The
opening session of talks between Iran and the Group 4+1 (Russia, China, Britain
and France plus Germany) on lifting sanctions was held in a “constructive,
professional and straight” atmosphere.
All
parties acknowledged Iran's right to insist on the lifting of sanctions, and it
was decided that the meeting of the working group on removal of sanctions would
start discussions.
The
Iranian delegation stressed that until a decision on the sanctions, it will not
be possible to decide on other issues.
It
was emphasized that as long as the sanctions red list is in place, the green
light for the US return to the agreement will not be turned on.
Sources
in the talks said Russia and China fully supported the positions of the Islamic
Republic of Iran.
Regarding
the documents resulted from the previous 6 rounds of negotiations, the
representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran stressed that these documents
are only a draft and although Iran does not stand in rejection of all of them,
the draft is basically changeable and negotiable; therefore the delegation of
the Islamic Republic Iran intends to submit its views and proposals on previous
texts and put new drafts on the table too.
It
was emphasized that until everything is agreed, nothing will be agreed upon.
The
former US president discarded a complete and final agreement. The current
president is expected to be at least as bold as his predecessor in accepting
the country's undertakings.
It
was emphasized that only the complete removal of sanctions and end of maximum
pressure with all its means can lead to the US return to the agreement.
It
was stressed that the negotiations should determine the fate of the sanctions
removal in a "sufficient, accurate and clear" way and that Iran will
continue its compensatory measures until the removal of sanctions.
The
Islamic Republic of Iran has always carefully and obsessively demonstrated
adherence to its undertakings in practice, and is now fully prepared and
determined to reach a "fair agreement that guarantees the legitimate
rights of the Iranian people". But if the US wants to play a sanctions
game with Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond appropriately to this
game.
It
was noted that throughout the years of oppressive sanctions, the Islamic
Republic of Iran has learned how to confront the sanctions and does not see
itself in a time urgency to reach an agreement.
Iran’s
top negotiator Ali Baqeri Kani, who is also the deputy foreign minister, told
reporters in Vienna on Monday that after the first round all participants
agreed to focus on lifting sanctions against Tehran.
Baqeri
Kani said that he was optimistic after the first meetings, adding that all
parties agreed that focus of the talks should be lifting of sanctions imposed
on Iran after the US unilateral withdrawal from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal,
officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He
added that the participants also agreed that a special working group should
start its work on Tuesday to discuss "the removal of illegal and brutal
sanctions" imposed on the Iranian nation.
"I
believe that this is a great achievement that all member states of the G4+1
group accepted Iran's rightful request and emphasized that the state of the US
regime's illegal sanctions against our people must be clarified first and then
other issues be discussed," Baqeri Kani said.
He
added that guarantees should be given to Tehran that no new sanctions would be
imposed on the country.
“During
the meeting, we emphasized that the main factor behind the current conditions
is actions taken by a country, which left the agreement in violation of the
accord and the United Nations Security Council resolution [that upheld it], and
also reinstated past sanctions [on Iran] in contravention of international laws
and regulations while imposing new sanctions as well,” Baqeri Kani said.
The
US unilaterally abandoned the multilateral nuclear deal in 2018 despite Iran’s
full compliance with its nuclear undertakings, as repeatedly certified by the
UN nuclear agency. The US then unleashed a “maximum pressure” campaign against
Iran, which practically deprived the country of all of the deal’s economic
benefits.
Envoys
from Iran and the remaining signatories to the JCPOA – Britain, France,
Germany, Russia and China – ended the first meeting of the seventh round of
discussions in Vienna on Monday. The negotiations were paused in June, when
Iran held its presidential election. Since then, the new Iranian administration
has been reviewing the details of the six rounds of discussions held under the
previous administration.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran’s
Top Negotiator in Vienna: All Issues of Previous Round of Talks Subject of
Discussions
2021-November-30
The
previous rounds of Vienna talks were only a “draft”, Baqeri Kani told reporters
after the first meeting with representatives of the Group 4+1 (China, Russia,
Britain and France plus Germany) in Vienna on Monday.
“Nothing
is agreed on unless everything has been agreed on," he added.
“The
drafts are subject to negotiation. Therefore nothing is agreed on unless
everything has been agreed upon."
"Accordingly,
all the discussions that were concluded in the previous six rounds are subject
to negotiations and this was agreed by all parties in today’s meeting as
well,”Baqeri Kani said.
In
response to a question about what guarantees Iran seeks from the European and
American sides, the negotiator said that it will be discussed in Tuesday's
working group on the removal of sanctions.
The
situation of cruel and illegal sanctions will be on the agenda of today's
working group on the removal of sanctions, Baqeri Kani noted.
"As
the Iranian negotiation team enjoys a serious will and practical readiness to
reach an agreement, we are optimistic about the future", he added, stating
that "because we do not trust the other side, we are not too
optimistic".
Baqeri
Kani had also said on Monday that after the first round of talks, all
participants had agreed to focus on lifting sanctions against Tehran.
Baqeri
Kani, who is also the deputy foreign minister, told reporters in Vienna on
Monday that he was optimistic after the first meetings, adding that all parties
agreed that focus of the talks should be lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran
after the US unilateral withdrawal from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal,
officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He
added that the participants also agreed that a special working group should
start its work on Tuesday to discuss "the removal of illegal and brutal
sanctions" imposed on the Iranian nation.
"I
believe that this is a great achievement that all member states of the G4+1
group accepted Iran's rightful request and emphasized that the state of the US
regime's illegal sanctions against our people must be clarified first and then other
issues be discussed," Baqeri Kani said.
He
added that guarantees should be given to Tehran that no new sanctions would be
imposed on the country.
“During
the meeting, we emphasized that the main factor behind the current conditions
is actions taken by a country, which left the agreement in violation of the
accord and the United Nations Security Council resolution [that upheld it], and
also reinstated past sanctions [on Iran] in contravention of international laws
and regulations while imposing new sanctions as well,” Baqeri Kani said.
The
US unilaterally abandoned the multilateral nuclear deal in 2018 despite Iran’s
full compliance with its nuclear undertakings, as repeatedly certified by the
UN nuclear agency. The US then unleashed a “maximum pressure” campaign against
Iran, which practically deprived the country of all of the deal’s economic
benefits.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Spokesman:
Iran Merely to Accept Removal of Unlawful Sanctions
2021-November-30
"Vienna
talks only concentrate on the removal of the illegal sanctions,"
Khatibzadeh said while rejecting issues such as step-by-step negotiations.
The
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman reiterated that the Iranian government
participated in the Vienna talks with firm determination to be certain that
what happens in Vienna is lifting the sanctions.
"If
the other parties have joined the negotiations with goodwill instead of killing
the time, talks will continue on the right path," he added.
In
relevant remarks on Monday, Iran’s top negotiator Ali Baqeri Kani said that he
is optimistic about the Vienna talks after the first round as all participants
agreed to focus on lifting sanctions against Tehran.
Baqeri
Kani, who is also the deputy foreign minister, told reporters in Vienna on
Monday that he was optimistic after the first meetings, adding that all parties
agreed that focus of the talks should be lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran
after the US unilateral withdrawal from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal,
officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He
added that the participants also agreed that a special working group should
start its work on Tuesday to discuss "the removal of illegal and brutal
sanctions" imposed on the Iranian nation.
"I
believe that this is a great achievement that all member states of the G4+1
group accepted Iran's rightful request and emphasized that the state of the US
regime's illegal sanctions against our people must be clarified first and then
other issues be discussed," Baqeri Kani said.
He
added that guarantees should be given to Tehran that no new sanctions would be
imposed on the country.
“During
the meeting, we emphasized that the main factor behind the current conditions
is actions taken by a country, which left the agreement in violation of the
accord and the United Nations Security Council resolution [that upheld it], and
also reinstated past sanctions [on Iran] in contravention of international laws
and regulations while imposing new sanctions as well,” Baqeri Kani said.
The
US unilaterally abandoned the multilateral nuclear deal in 2018 despite Iran’s
full compliance with its nuclear undertakings, as repeatedly certified by the
UN nuclear agency. The US then unleashed a “maximum pressure” campaign against
Iran, which practically deprived the country of all of the deal’s economic
benefits.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14000909000599/Spkesman-Iran-Merely-Accep-Remval-f-Unlawfl-Sancins
--------
UN
agency for Palestinian refugees faces funding crisis
30
November ,2021
The
head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Tuesday it was unable to
pay its 28,000 employees on time this month because of a major funding crisis,
warning of potential cuts in vital services to millions of people amid a global
pandemic.
UNRWA
runs schools, clinics and food distribution programs for millions of registered
Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, mainly the descendants of
Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel during the 1948
war surrounding its creation.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
5.7 million refugees mostly live in camps that have been transformed into built-up
but often impoverished residential areas in the Israeli-occupied West Bank,
east Jerusalem and Gaza, as well as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
UNRWA
head Philippe Lazzarini told reporters in Jordan that the resumption of US
support for the agency this year — which had been halted by the Trump
administration — was offset by a reduction in funding by other donors.
The
agency also went through a management crisis in 2019, when its previous head
resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct, nepotism and other abuses of
authority at the agency.
Staff
went on strike Monday after being informed last week that salaries would be
delayed, but halted the action following mediation, Lazzarini said.
“If
UNRWA health services are compromised in the middle of a global pandemic,
COVID-19 vaccination rollout will come to an end. Maternal and childcare will
stop, half a million girls and boys not knowing if they can continue learning,
and over two million of the poorest Palestinian refugees will not get cash and
food assistance,” he said.
“The
humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees keep increasing while funding to the
agency has stagnated since 2013.”
Lazzarini
said the agency raised enough donations at a recent conference in Brussels to
cover up to 48 percent of its budget in 2022 and 2023. It also generated $60
million toward a $100 million shortfall until the end of the year to keep
services running.
“I’m
still not yet in a position to say when the November salaries will be paid,” he
said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Turkey
jails opposition figure over ‘political espionage’: Reports
30
November ,2021
A
well-known Turkish defense analyst and founder of the opposition Democracy and
Progress Party (DEVA), Metin Gurcan, has been jailed on charges of “political
and military espionage,” local media reported on Tuesday.
Gurcan,
a former member of the Turkish military, was one of the co-founders of DEVA
party led by Ali Babacan, a former deputy prime minister within President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AKP party.
Turkish
police detained him on Friday.
“I
am being detained on charges of political espionage. The police are at home...
They are searching. I am shocked and I seek your help,” Gurcan tweeted last
week.
Gurcan
was then jailed on Monday, according to the private NTV broadcaster.
“As
far as we know, Metin (Gurcan) has no means to access to any classified state
document,” Babacan told Haberturk television. “Because he is not working for the
state.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Israel
warns military option on table to block Iran nuclear quest
30.11.2021
JERUSALEM
Israel
on Tuesday threatened to use the military option to prevent Iran from obtaining
a nuclear weapon.
"It
is clear that the military option is on the table," Israeli Minister of
Internal Security Omer Bar-Lev told a local radio station in Tel Aviv.
Following
a five-month break, Iran and world powers on Monday resumed talks in Vienna in
a last-ditch attempt to restore the 2015 nuclear accord.
Israel
opposed the US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),
commonly known as Iran nuclear deal, signed in 2015 by Iran, the US, China,
Russia, France, the UK, Germany, and the EU.
Former
US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from the agreement
in 2018 and reimposed sanctions in a move aimed to bring Iran back to
negotiations for what Trump hoped would be a "better" deal.
"We
all know that since the (US) withdrawal from the agreement, Iran has advanced
significantly and severely, to the ability to make a nuclear bomb,” Bar-Lev
said.
He
said Israel seeks a return to “a stronger and longer agreement”, noting the
reimposition of US sanctions did not affect Iran.
On
Tuesday, Israeli military spokesman Ran Kochav said the army was accelerating
the pace to prevent Iran from becoming a "nuclear threshold" country.
"I
do not interfere in political affairs, but as we said before, we are preparing
for all possibilities,” he said.
Israeli
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday called on the international community
not to make concessions to Iran in the Vienna negotiations.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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-------
Africa
Libya's
Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi accuses military force of obstructing his electoral
appeal
November
30, 2021
The
son of the late Libyan President, Muammar Gaddafi, Saif Al-Islam, yesterday
said that a "military force surrounded the Sabha Court for a second day in
a row, and prevented judges and staff from accessing the building."
Saif
explained on Facebook that the act had suspended the consideration of an appeal
filed by his lawyer against a recent decision by the High National Election
Commission to exclude him from running in the upcoming presidential election.
The
United Nations earlier announced its dismay about the act.
The
HNEC said recently that Saif Al-Islam was not "qualified to run in the
country's next presidential elections," citing his previous convictions.
Libya
is due to hold its first round of presidential elections on 24 December, after
years of UN-led attempts to end the civil war and achieve political stability.
Source:
Middle East Monitor
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Moroccans
set fire Israeli flag, call for end to Rabat's normalization with Zionists
December
1, 2021
Moroccans
have held massive protest across the country on Monday to denounce
normalization of ties with Israeli regime and the military deal recently signed
between Rabat and Tel Aviv regime.
Demonstrators
on Monday took to the streets in several cities across Morocco to protest
Rabat’s normalization of ties with the Israeli regime and recent military
agreements signed between the two sides.
Moroccans,
including activists and ordinary people, took part in large-scale protests in
the cities of Oujda, Berkane, Ben Slimane, Beni-Mellal and Oulad Teima on
Monday.
The
demonstrators chanted vociferous anti-Israel slogans, calling for an end to
normalization of relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv and voicing their support
for the Palestinian cause.
The
police, however, foiled a similar protest by pro-Palestinian groups in the
capital Rabat on Monday, using brute force, according to reports.
The
demonstrations protested under the banner of “The Moroccan Front to Support
Palestine and against Normalization”, denouncing recent bonhomie between the
Israeli regime and Morocco.
They
also condemned the visit of Benjamin Gantz, the minister of military affairs of
the Israeli regime, to Morocco and rejected any collaboration with “the enemies
of the Palestinian people.”
The
pro-Palestine demonstrators said any cooperation with the Tel Aviv regime
constitutes a threat to Morocco and the whole region.
Gantz
visited Rabat last week, his first visit to one of the Arab states that
normalized ties last year, during which the two sides signed a military
agreement and a pact that would see Israel sells drones and weapons to Morocco.
In
a statement, Gantz said that the agreement was “very significant and will allow
us to exchange ideas, enter joint projects and enable Israeli military exports
here.”
The
Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, called it “unprecedented and
disgraceful”.
“The
agreement between Morocco and Israel will jeopardize regional security, and
will give the occupying regime the opportunity to escalate their attacks against
the Palestinian nation, and to infringe upon the security of African people,”
Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, wrote in a Twitter post.
The
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee also denounced
formalization of security cooperation between the North African state and the
Tel Aviv regime.
“We
hoped that the Kingdom of Morocco, which chairs the al-Quds Committee, would
not take this dangerous step in light of the racist measures practiced by
Israel against Palestinian people, its disregard of all peace agreements, its
rejection of negotiations and the [so-called] two-state solution, and its
imposition of a fait accompli policy,” it said in a statement.
Morocco,
the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan signed agreements to normalize
relations with Tel Aviv in 2020 as part of the so-called Abraham Accords,
brokered by the previous US administration.
Source:
ABNA24
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Uganda
and Congo attack Islamist militia in joint operation
December
1, 2021
BENI,
Democratic Republic of Congo, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Uganda and Democratic Republic
of Congo carried out joint air and artillery strikes against an Islamic State-linked
militia in eastern Congo on Tuesday, both countries said, vowing to continue
working together to secure the targeted area.
The
strikes targeted the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia, which has been
based in Congo since the late 1990s and is accused of killing hundreds of
villagers in raids after it pledged allegiance to Islamic State in mid-2019.
read more
IS
has in turn claimed responsibility for some of the ADF's violence, including a
string of recent bombings in Uganda, but United Nations researchers have found
no evidence of IS command and control over ADF operations.
In
separate statements, the Congolese and Ugandan armies said they had allied to
target ADF positions in Congo with air strikes and artillery.
"The
targets were accurately hit and operations against the terrorists will continue
as we look for other targets of opportunity during ground operations,"
Ugandan army spokeswoman Flavia Byekwaso said in a statement.
Congo
government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said the two sides had decided to cooperate
further.
"It
was agreed after an assessment to continue in-depth operations by the special
forces of the two countries to clear the positions of the terrorists
concerned," he said on Twitter late on Tuesday.
The
joint offensive is the first time Uganda has publicly intervened against the
ADF in Congo since a brief campaign in December 2017.
A
local official and a resident said they heard explosions on Tuesday morning in
Watalinga territory, North Kivu province, in the borderlands of eastern Congo.
"There
is a real panic here at home, especially because we were not informed of this
situation," said resident Julien Ngandayabo. "We have suffered too
much with the ADF, who have massacred our families. We are waiting to see if
this is the solution."
At
around 4:15 p.m. (1415 GMT), Fabien Malule, a resident of the Congolese border
town of Nobili, said he saw many Ugandan troops enter Congolese territory with
their weapons.
"Today
it is really a joy for some inhabitants here in Nobili. For me personally, as
we have suffered too much, I prefer to wait for the result of their
fight," Malule said.
RISKY
INTERVENTION
A
Congo army spokesman, Antony Mwalushay, said three ADF fighters were killed and
three wounded during intense fighting at the Semuliki bridge, which connects
the city of Beni to Uganda. One Congolese soldier was killed, he added.
A
triple suicide bombing in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Nov. 16, which killed
seven people, including the bombers, was the third Islamic State has claimed in
the east African nation.
Source:
Reuters
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Al-Shabaab
terror group attacks Ethiopian troops, airport in Somalia
Mohammed
Dhaysane
30.11.2021
MOGADISHU,
Somalia
A
Somali-based al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group attacked a military base and
an airport in the country's South West State in the early hours of Tuesday,
killing at least one soldier and a civilian and injuring several others, a
police official confirmed.
The
al-Shabaab terrorist group used heavy weaponry in the attack on the airport and
Ethiopian military base in Baidoa city, where the forces were operating under
the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), according to Abdi Ali Mohamud, a
police officer in the city.
"A
military base in Suuqa Hoolaha neighborhood in the city was also attacked by
the terrorists and one soldier was killed and another wounded," he said.
"We
don't know the exact number of people killed or injured in the airport
attack," he said, adding that "we know a civilian was killed and
several others were injured."
A
resident in the area, Haawo Ahmed Suleyman, told Anadolu Agency over the phone
that the Somali National Army and al-Shabaab terrorists were engaged in a
fierce firefight.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
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