As The Taliban Shift Their Focus from Insurgency to Government, Islamic State's-Khorasan Staged a String of Bloody Attacks in Afghanistan
New
Age Islam News Bureau
04
November 2021
FILE
- Fighters with IS-Khorasan, the affiliate in Afghanistan, vow allegiance to
Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, in this photo issued
Nov. 5, 2019, by the SITE Intelligence Group.
-----
• Pakistan
Senate Body Rejects Bill Declaring Women’s Inheritance Fundamental Right
• FBI:
White Supremacists, Pose a Violent Threat in the United States Similar To That
of Islamic State Militants
• Over
120 Fanatic Jewish Settlers Defile al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied al-Quds
• Muslims
in Uganda Urged Lawmakers Wednesday to Establish Laws That Conform With Islamic
Principles
South Asia
• Islamic
State's Kabul hospital attack undermines Taliban security pledges
• 12
journalists killed, 230 became victims of violence in Afghanistan last year:
Report
• Russia
calls on intra-Afghan parties not arouse internal conflicts
• US
drone strike that killed 10 Afghans did not violate law: Pentagon
--------
Pakistan
• Pakistan
Senate Body Rejects Bill Declaring Women’s Inheritance Fundamental Right
• Punjab
Cabinet Committee on Law and Order Plans to Remove Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s
Proscribed Status
• Saad
Rizvi’s detention: LHC CJ seeks arguments for maintainability of plea
• TLP
activists still in Wazirabad awaiting release of Saad Rizvi
• TLP
issue not discussed with govt allies, cabinet: Fawad
• Military
to brief lawmakers on national security issues
--------
North America
• US
Cities in Michigan Elect First Muslim Mayors
• US
blacklists Israel's NSO, Candiru for spyware undermining national security
• US
welcomes EU announcement of resuming Iran nuke talks
• US
denies claims Iran thwarted American attempt to ‘steal’ oil tanker
--------
Mideast
• Digital
rights activists accuse Facebook, social media of anti-Palestinian bias
• Iran
to Resume Talks on Removal of Sanctions Late in November
• Iranian
Oil Minister Hails IRGC Navy for Taking Back Oil Cargo from US
• Iran
Warns US President to Grant Objective Guarantees Or Talks Fail
--------
Africa
• Nigeria
welcomes cooperation with Iran in the area of Hajj, pilgrimage
• EU
mission to train Mozambican troops to fight terrorism
--------
India
• Poonch
infiltrators believed to have trekked down to Shopian
• Akhilesh
may even convert to get Muslim votes: UP minister
--------
Southeast Asia
• KL
MPs Ask FT Minister to Reverse Liquor Sale Ban, Say Against Keluarga Malaysia Ideals
• Islamist
insurgents launch attacks on Thai security forces
• Warisan
hopes to bring multicultural, issue-driven politics to West Malaysia, says
Shafie
• Cops
say still want to extradite Nur Sajat despite asylum granted in Australia
--------
Arab World
• As
Lebanese Pound Loses 90 Pct of Value, Citizens Carry ‘Worthless’ Stacks of Cash
• Lebanon
seeks dialogue with Saudi Arabia despite new tension over leaked comments
• Turki
Al al-Sheikh’s English horror film ‘Cello’ wraps up production in Saudi Arabia
• Arab
Coalition says 145 Houthis killed near Marib
• US,
UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE call for immediate restoration of Sudan’s govt: Statement
• US
says it understands Saudi Arabia’s concerns after Lebanon rift, calls for
dialogue
• Syria
to end subsidies for around 800,000 of its richest citizens
--------
Europe
• Dubai
Court Ruling That Former Leeds FC Director Falsified Documents Upheld In UK
• Vietnam
has been in talks with Iran over seized oil tanker: Foreign ministry
• Germany
rules out military solution to Ethiopian conflict
• EU
calls for ending divisive rhetoric in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/taliban-insurgency-khorasan-afghanistan/d/125709
--------
As
The Taliban Shift Their Focus from Insurgency to Government, Islamic
State's-Khorasan Staged a String of Bloody Attacks in Afghanistan
FILE
- Fighters with IS-Khorasan, the affiliate in Afghanistan, vow allegiance to
Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, in this photo issued
Nov. 5, 2019, by the SITE Intelligence Group.
-----
November
03, 2021
Kabul,
Afghanistan —
As
the Taliban shift their focus from insurgency to government, their most
formidable rival is the Islamic State's regional chapter, which has staged a
string of bloody attacks in recent weeks.
The
latest atrocity claimed by Islamic State-Khorasan, also known as ISIS-K, killed
at least 19 people Tuesday, including a senior Taliban commander at a military
hospital in Kabul, with dozens more wounded.
It
followed the slaughter of scores of Shiite Muslims at a mosque last month, and
a suicide bombing that killed more than 100 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers,
as American troops evacuated in August.
Here
is a look at the rivalry between the two groups:
What
is IS-Khorasan?
The
Islamic State group came to prominence when it proclaimed a caliphate in Syria
in 2014.
It
inspired a number of offshoots elsewhere, including in "Khorasan," a
historical region taking in parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and
Turkmenistan.
Jean-Luc
Marret, of the Foundation for Strategic Research, a French think tank,
describes IS-Khorasan as "a conglomeration of former jihadist
organizations, including Uyghurs and Uzbeks, and Taliban defectors."
According
to U.N. estimates, IS-Khorasan has between 500 and a few thousand fighters in
northern and eastern Afghanistan, including cells under the nose of the Taliban
in the capital, Kabul.
Since
2020, the group has reputedly been led by Shahab al-Muhajir, whose nom de
guerre suggests he arrived in the region from the Arab world, but his origins
remain murky.
He
is variously rumoured to have been an al-Qaida commander or a former member of
the Haqqani network, one of the most powerful and feared factions in the Taliban.
How
great is the threat?
IS-Khorasan
has been responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent
years, massacring civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan, at mosques, shrines,
public squares and even hospitals.
The
group has especially targeted Muslims from sects it considers heretical,
including Shiites, much like the original IS group.
It
was hit hard by both the Taliban and U.S.-led forces and was losing influence,
but its attacks have ramped up since their rival Islamists took power in
August.
According
to researcher Abdul Sayed of online extremism tracker ExTrac, al-Muhajir placed
"a renewed emphasis on urban warfare and symbolic violence."
Where
did the rivalry begin?
Many
IS-Khorasan fighters fought for the Taliban or allied groups, or came from
insurgent movements inspired by al-Qaida.
While
both the Taliban and IS-Khorasan are hardline Sunni Islamist militants, they
differ on strategy and interpretation of religion, while claiming to be the
true flag bearers of jihad.
Despite
a history of targeting Shiites, the Taliban have now pledged to protect them.
IS-Khorasan, however, remains bent on eradicating groups it considers
apostates.
The
Taliban of 2021 aim to rule Afghanistan under their interpretation of Islamic
law, whereas IS-Khorasan is still wedded to the goal of a global caliphate.
While
differences run deep, the border between the groups is porous, and fighters can
shift sides as their commanders' views and opportunities evolve.
"ISIS-K
has been previously successful in recruiting members disaffected with the
Taliban and those who perceive the Taliban as too moderate," said Barbara
Kelemen, of Dragonfly Security Intelligence.
"With
the Taliban now seemingly implementing some moderate reforms ... there is a
high probability [IS-Khorasan] will try to capitalize."
Are
the Taliban equipped to fight back?
Afghanistan's
ousted U.S.-backed government received hundreds of billions of dollars in
support and security assistance but could defeat neither the Taliban nor
IS-Khorasan.
Now
the Taliban face IS-Khorasan with very little outside assistance and none of
the sophisticated intelligence gathering and surveillance deployed by foreign
militaries.
They
know their enemy and the terrain, though, and last month announced the
destruction of an IS-Khorasan cell in Kabul after a suicide attack.
And
they have the potential support of two groups that know IS-Khorasan's tactics
very well.
As
a report from the U.S.-based Soufan Center said, if the Taliban are to fight
ISIS-K, they will have to "rely on the Haqqani network, al-Qaida and other
violent nonstate actors for manpower, combat expertise and logistical
support."
Source:
VOA News
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-size-up-threat-from-tenacious-islamic-state-khorasan/6299399.html
--------
Pakistan
Senate Body Rejects Bill Declaring Women’s Inheritance Fundamental Right
A
file view of a Pakistan Senate session. — APP
-----
Amir
Wasim
November
4, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice on Wednesday rejected two
constitution amendment bills, including the one seeking to declare women’s
inheritance a fundamental right, with a majority vote.
The
committee, however, approved two other constitution amendment bills, including
the one seeking to authorise advisers to the chief ministers to participate in
the proceedings of the provincial assemblies.
The
committee which met under Syed Ali Zafar of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf
(PTI), was to take up a heavy legislative agenda that included 11 private
member’s constitution amendment bills, but it had to defer most of them due to
the absence of the movers.
Through
the bills, mostly tabled by the opposition members, the movers had suggested
some crucial changes to various provisions of the Constitution related to the
promulgation of ordinance, increase in the powers of the Senate, ensuring
meaningful participation of the provinces in the affairs of the federation and
fundamental rights of the citizens of Pakistan.
The
committee members were found divided in their opinion while discussing the bill
moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Saadia Abbasi seeking to
include the right of inheritance for women as the fundamental right under the
Constitution.
Through
the bill, Ms Abbasi had suggested insertion of a new Article 24A in the
Constitution and the proposed amendment read “no women shall be deprived of her
share from the inheritance in Pakistan”.
While
arguing in favour of her bill, Ms Abbasi said Islam had prescribed well-defined
shares for the male and female descendants of a deceased person, according to
an official handout issued by the Senate Secretariat.
She
said Islamic law entitled women to inherit immovable and movable properties,
yet the practice had been to deny women their share in inheritance. She termed
it an unjustified practice that had become a norm.
She
said the purpose of her bill was to acknowledge, declare and assert the right
of women in inheritance as a fundamental right in consonance with principles of
Islam. She further said if the said amendment was approved it would enable
women to directly approach the Supreme Court on matters related to inheritance.
Railways
Minister Azam Swati was of the view that relevant laws already existed and
there was no need for listing the matter of inheritance as fundamental right.
On
the other hand, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar,
while supporting the bill, said this amendment reinforced the state’s
commitment towards protecting women’s right to inheritance.
However,
another PPP senator and former law minister Farooq Naek also endorsed the
minister’s viewpoint, saying they needed to work towards better implementation
of the existing laws. Later, the chairman put the bill before the members for a
vote and it was rejected with a majority.
The
committee rejected another constitution amendment bill, also introduced by Ms
Abbasi, regarding citizens’ right to bail and also declaring it a fundamental
right in the Constitution.
The
committee, however, approved the bill moved by Ms Abbasi regarding
identification, preservation, conservation, restoration and access for all to
national heritage sites of Pakistan.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
FBI:
White Supremacists, Pose A Violent Threat In The United States Similar To That
Of Islamic State Militants
An
FBI logo is pictured on an agent's shirt in the Manhattan borough of New York
City, New York, U.S. October 19, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
-----
By
Mark Hosenball, November 4, 2021
WASHINGTON,
Nov 3 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement and security agencies believe domestic
extremists, notably white supremacists, pose a violent threat in the United
States similar to that of Islamic State militants, top U.S. security officials
told Congress on Wednesday.
Concern
about racially motivated domestic extremists had prompted the FBI to elevate
the threat to a level equal with that posed by the Islamist militants, said
Timothy Langan, the assistant director who heads the counterintelligence
division.
Langan
told a House Intelligence subcommittee the Federal Bureau of Investigation had
detected a significant increase in the threat of violence from domestic
extremists over the last 18 months.
He
said the bureau was conducting around 2,700 investigations related to domestic
violent extremism, and there had been 18 lethal attacks targeting U.S.
religious institutions in which 70 people had died in recent years.
The
FBI has engaged with tech companies regarding their role in fueling extremism,
has successfully disrupted planned acts of violence and will continue to
"try to close the gap" on its inability to legally decode encryptions
on mobile phones.
John
Cohen, acting undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis in the Department of
Homeland Security, told the subcommittee that racial superiority and
"hatred of immigrants" were major threat concerns.
He
said his department believes the biggest domestic threat is posed by lone
offenders and small groups indoctrinated in extremist ideology. The threat is
fueled by a blend of extremist beliefs and personal grievances, he said.
Cohen
noted that domestic extremists conduct so much discussion openly on social
media that covert collection of intelligence on the threats they pose may often
not be necessary to spot the threats.
Some
Republican members of the House subcommittee suggested U.S. spy agencies should
not be collecting information on U.S. political activity unless there is a
connection to foreign actors.
Source:
Reuters
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Over
120 Fanatic Jewish Settlers Defile al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied al-Quds
November
4, 2021
A
large number of Jewish settlers on Wednesday morning desecrated the Aqsa Mosque
in Occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem).
------
A
large number of Jewish settlers on Wednesday morning desecrated the Aqsa Mosque
in Occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem).
At
least 126 settlers, including 55 students of Hebrew institutes and 10
government officials, entered the Mosque in groups through its Maghariba Gate
and toured its courtyards under police escort, according to local sources.
A
number of settlers were seen performing prayers or rituals during their tours
at the Islamic holy site.
The
Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers and police
forces in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The
Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the
Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy
site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by
settlers.
During
the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound, entry restrictions are
imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their
IDs could be seized until they leave the holy place.
Source:
ABNA24
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://en.abna24.com/news/over-120-fanatic-jewish-settlers-defile-al-aqsa-mosque_1195258.html?
--------
Muslims
in Uganda Urged Lawmakers Wednesday to Establish Laws That Conform With Islamic
Principles
Photo:AA.com
-----
Godfrey
Olukya
KAMPALA,
Uganda/ 04.11.2021
Muslim
leaders in Uganda urged lawmakers Wednesday to establish laws that conform with
Islamic principles.
The
call was made by the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council's leadership while meeting
with lawmakers on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee to present
their views on the 2021 succession amendment bill.
“The
bill under scrutiny does not respect the laws of succession in the holy book,
the Quran, which are followed by Muslims,” said Uganda's second Deputy Mufti
Sheikh Mohamed Ali Waiswa.
Waiswa
said Muslims in Uganda have been all along following the laws of succession in
the Quran and the holy teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
“Muslims
have been having no problems with sharing the property of the deceased because
they have been following the Quranic laws concerning succession,’’ he noted.
Waiswa
said they are pushing for the enactment of the Administration of Muslim
Personal Law Bill, which will cater for the establishment of Qadhis courts that
cater for Muslim marriages, divorce, inheritance and guardianship. He said the
committee should push for the establishment of Sharia courts in Uganda as is
the case in neighboring countries like Kenya so that all Muslims who become
embroiled in misunderstandings can go to those courts to settle them instead of
the circuit courts.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/muslims-in-uganda-call-for-islam-friendly-laws/2411410
--------
South Asia
Islamic
State's Kabul hospital attack undermines Taliban security pledges
Nov
4, 2021
KABUL:
Just a few months after the Taliban took charge in Kabul and promised to
restore peace in Afghanistan, many Afghans still fear an invisible enemy: the
Islamic State.
The
local chapter of the jihadist group is replicating the very tactics that the
Taliban used to successfully destabilise the now-ousted US-backed government,
including bombings against symbolic targets.
"The
Taliban called us infidels. Now, they are getting killed by people who call
them infidels," a shopkeeper said near the scene of the latest carnage --
a gun and suicide bomb attack on a military hospital on Tuesday.
"And
they have no chance of winning this war," he said.
The
day after the attack, a cleaner passed by with a hose to rinse blood from the
pavement and a Taliban fighter pointed with his Kalashnikov to where human
remains dangled from the perimeter's razor wire.
Nineteen
people were killed in the attack claimed by Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the
local chapter of the group.
The
operation gave the Taliban a chance to launch its feared Badri special forces
and deploy a team from a helicopter in a show of force as they confronted the
militant attack squad.
But
the commander of the force, Kabul's security chief Hamdullah Mokhlis, and at
least three Taliban comrades were killed as they battled the militants.
A
member of the hospital's medical staff said they warned the Taliban to manage
the traffic outside the building, which had been targeted in the past.
"They
didn't listen to us," he told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"They
don't know how to handle the situation. Four cars burst into flames after the
second explosion. They didn't even think of calling the firemen. We had to do
it ourselves. They don't have the number."
The
hospital was last attacked in 2017, in another operation claimed by IS-K. A
six-hour gun battle erupted and militants went room to room, slaughtering
patients.
One
doctor said the Islamic State are the Taliban, but worse.
"I
can't tell the difference between them. They have the same facial hair, the
same clothing. For me they are the two ears of the donkey."
For
some, IS-K is more deadly than the Taliban were when they were fighting for
control. They see a more sophisticated strategy, with multiple bombings and
more complex tactics.
On
Tuesday, a motorcycle suicide bomber hit the main gate of the hospital and
gunmen stormed their way in behind him.
As
Taliban special forces were arriving on the scene 20 minutes later, a car bomb
-- which witnesses say looked like a taxi -- exploded.
"I
have seen all this before, the same exact tactics," another doctor said.
"I
know these tactics so well that, after the first explosion, even when I saw
people lying injured, I knew I couldn't go to treat them, because the second
explosion would happen soon, and it happened."
A
day after the blasts, security was tighter. Heavily armed Taliban patrols in
pick-up trucks captured from the former US-backed security forces thronged the
area.
Cars
were stopped and searched, papers checked.
Farmer
Hazrat Noor from Jowzjan province, who came to the capital for treatment, was
pleased with the Taliban victory and swore "he'd never felt safer in 40
years".
Taliban
guard Mohamad Torbi, the leader on a cordon near the hospital, said his men can
recognise IS-K fighters "because they are different, they are strangers,
with different accents and behaviour".
"This
time they arrived in military clothes," he added.
Rivalry
between Taliban and ISIS-K
The
Islamic State group came to prominence when it proclaimed a
"caliphate" in Syria in 2014.
It
inspired a number of offshoots elsewhere including in "Khorasan", a
historical region taking in parts of modern day Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and
Turkmenistan.
Jean-Luc
Marret, of French think tank the Foundation for Strategic Research, describes
IS-K as "a conglomeration of former jihadist organisations, including
Uyghurs and Uzbeks, and Taliban defectors".
According
to UN estimates, IS-K has between 500 and a few thousand fighters in northern
and eastern Afghanistan, including cells under the nose of the Taliban in the
capital Kabul.
Since
2020, the group has been reputedly led by one Shahab al-Muhajir, whose nom de
guerre suggests he arrived in the region from the Arab world but his origins
remain murky.
He
is variously rumoured to have been an al-Qaida commander or a former member of
the Haqqani network, one of the most powerful and feared factions in the
Taliban.
IS-K
has been responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent
years, massacring civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan, at mosques, shrines,
public squares and even hospitals.
The
group has especially targeted Muslims from sects it considers heretical,
including Shias -- much like the original IS group.
It
was hit hard by both the Taliban and US-led forces and was losing influence but
its attacks have ramped up since their rival Islamists took power in August.
According
to researcher Abdul Sayed of online extremism tracker ExTrac, Shahad placed
"a renewed emphasis on urban warfare and symbolic violence".
Many
IS-K fighters fought for the Taliban or allied groups, or came from insurgent
movements inspired by al-Qaida.
While
both the Taliban and IS-K are hardline Sunni Islamist militants, they differ on
strategy and interpretation of religion, while claiming to be the true
flag-bearers of jihad.
Despite
a history of targeting Shias, the Taliban have now pledged to protect them.
IS-K, however, remains bent on eradicating groups it considers
"apostates".
The
Taliban of 2021 aim to rule Afghanistan under their interpretation of Islamic
law, whereas IS-K is still wedded to the goal of a global
"caliphate".
While
differences run deep, the border between the groups is porous, and fighters can
shift sides as their commanders' views and opportunities evolve.
"IS-K
has been previously successful in recruiting members disaffected with the
Taliban and those who perceive the Taliban as too moderate," said Barbara
Kelemen, of Dragonfly Security Intelligence.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
12
journalists killed, 230 became victims of violence in Afghanistan last year:
Report
Nov
3, 2021
KABUL:
Twelve journalists were killed and 230 others became victims of violence during
the past year in Afghanistan, a committee said in a report on Tuesday, reported
local media.
Afghanistan's
Journalists Safety Committee's report -- which was released on the occasion of
International Day to end Impunity for Crimes against journalists on Tuesday --
said that violence against journalists includes beating, threatening, and
disparagement said Khaama Press.
The
report covers months from the last November until November 2021.
One
journalist has been killed and 67 became victims of violence only after the
Taliban takeover, as per the report,
For
addressing violence in the particular beating of journalists and their safety,
the committee has asked for the creation of a special mechanism.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Russia
calls on intra-Afghan parties not arouse internal conflicts
04
Nov 2021
Russia’s
foreign ministry has called on resistance front-co-led by Ahmad Masoud and
Amrullah Saleh- to solve their conflicts through dialogue and do not provoke
internal conflicts in Afghanistan.
Spokesperson
of Russian foreign ministry Maria Zakharova on Wednesday, November 3 said that
all political and ethnic groups should refrain from provoking further internal
conflicts in Afghanistan.
Maria
Zakharova said that they should look for ways to facilitate mutual
understanding and national reconciliation to restore peace and stability in the
country.
The
foreign ministry’s spokeswoman has apparently expressed concern over
instability in Afghanistan not to spread to the region.
The
call on the resistance front comes days after its leader Ahmad Masoud was seen
in Tajikistan who was purportedly there to seek help and raise money for the
anti-Taliban front.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/russia-calls-on-intra-afghan-parties-not-arouse-internal-conflicts-5746546/
--------
US
drone strike that killed 10 Afghans did not violate law: Pentagon
04
Nov 2021
Pentagon
Inspector General said on Wednesday that the US strike in Kabul in August this
year that killed 10 Afghans was a tragic mistake but did not violate the law.
The
inspector general for the US Air Force confirmed that execution errors and
communication breakdowns led to the casualties of civilian people but added
that it was neither violation of law nor a violation of the law of war.
The
attack that was conducted on August 29 during the evacuation of the US from
Kabul International Airport killed three adults and seven children close to the
airport.
The
car that was targeted was first suspected to have been an ISIS-K affiliated
one.
Officials
in the inspector general said that the US men in service who were involved in
the vacation process believed that they had eliminated an imminent threat.
The
attack had come days after ISIS-K fighters killed over a hundred Afghans and 11
US Marines at the gate of the airport.
Source:
Khaama Press
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/us-drone-strike-that-killed-10-afghans-did-not-violate-law-pentagon-5678657/
--------
Pakistan
Punjab
Cabinet Committee on Law and Order Plans to Remove Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s
Proscribed Status
Mansoor
Malik
November
4, 2021
LAHORE:
The Punjab Cabinet Committee on Law and Order on Wednesday worked out a plan to
take the proscribed title of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) off as a part of
confidence-building measures in the aftermath of the federal government-TLP
agreement, contents of which are still unknown in the public domain.
The
federal government’s steering committee led by state minister Ali Muhammad Khan
has already finalised modalities to offer relief to the TLP and its leadership
and sort out the looming law and order and economic crisis.
In
a build-up to the government-TLP agreement, the cabinet committee met under the
chairmanship of Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja on Wednesday and finalised
the recommendation for chief minister’s approval and onward submission to the
federal government.
“The
committee discussed and okayed a plan to remove proscription title imposed on
the TLP. The committee will submit its recommendation to the chief minister
within 36 hours,” a source in the committee meeting told Dawn. The chief
minister will eventually submit the Punjab government’s recommendation to the
federal government for a final decision.
Since
steering committee convener Mr Khan has already stated that the TLP activists detained
by the police have been released as part of the agreement, the cabinet
committee decided to give relief to the TLP activists included in the Fourth
Schedule on fast track, as soon as they will apply to their respective deputy
commissioners or the Punjab home department.
Sources
say the cabinet committee decided that the Punjab government would not oppose
or resist, if the TLP activists in jail, apply for their bail. However, sources
say, the TLP activists booked under heinous charges including ATA sections
would not be given any relief. Such activists would depend on the decisions of
courts concerned.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1655810/punjab-cabinet-plans-to-remove-tlps-proscribed-status
--------
Saad
Rizvi’s detention: LHC CJ seeks arguments for maintainability of plea
November
4, 2021
LAHORE:
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti on Wednesday asked the
counsel in a petition against the detention of Hafiz Saad Rizvi, the chief of
proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), to convince the court on the
maintainability of the plea since the period of the impugned detention had
lapsed.
Earlier,
the counsel for the petitioner pointed out that the Supreme Court had remanded
the matter to the high court for a fresh decision.
However,
the chief justice, who was heading a two-judge bench, observed that the
detention period mentioned in the notification under challenge had expired.
The
counsel said negotiations between the government and the TLP on the issue of
Rizvi’s detention were underway.
The
judge observed that the court had nothing to do with the negotiations and asked
the counsel to either withdraw the petition or file a new one.
The
counsel sought a two-day time from the court saying the petition could be
withdrawn.
The
bench adjourned the hearing till Thursday (today) for further arguments on the
maintainability of the petition.
The
Supreme Court had on an appeal of the government suspended the operation of the
LHC single bench’s order and remanded the case for a fresh decision by a
division bench.
Previously,
the government had withdrawn its reference before a federal review board when
it failed to justify the detention of Rizvi despite an order passed by the LHC
single bench.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
TLP
activists still in Wazirabad awaiting release of Saad Rizvi
November
3, 2021
The
activists of proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) remained in Wazirabad
for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday, camping at a park in the city,
awaiting the release of party chief Saad Hussain Rizvi even after the
government claimed it had reached an agreement with the protesters on Sunday.
Rizvi,
who is the son of late TLP founder Khadim Rizvi, was taken into custody under
the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance 1960 on April 12 over charges
that he had incited his followers to take the law into their own hands as,
according to him, the government had reneged on its promise to expel the French
ambassador.
The
Lahore High Court ordered Rizvi’s release last month but the government did not
move ahead with the order, planning instead to take the case to the Supreme
Court, triggering the TLP’s latest round of protests in Lahore on Oct 20.
After
three days of clashes with the police in Lahore, the TLP began a long march to
Islamabad on Oct 22. Five police officials were martyred and scores from both
sides received injuries in clashes in Lahore and Gujranwala as the marchers
moved towards the capital on the Grand Trunk Road.
The
TLP leadership had on Oct 30 asked the protesters to wait at Wazirabad for
further instructions when the government and the group started negotiations.
Both sides reached an agreement the next day but have not made the details
public.
A
source stated that the government was now considering releasing Rizvi. “The
government is seriously mulling over to cool down the situation in a manner
that its efforts do not go waste and a long-term solution is reached in wake of
government-TLP agreement,” added the source. However, no action on this has
been taken so far.
In
the latest development, the TLP workers have erected a camp at a park near
Allahwala Chowk in Wazirabad but refrained from disrupting routine life in
adherence to directives of the group’s leaders. The personnel of law
enforcement agencies are also present in the surrounding of the park,
monitoring the situation.
However,
internet service remains suspended in the city, causing hardships to people.
The obstacles placed on the railway bridge on the River Chenab three days ago
to bar the TLP marchers from crossing it on foot were removed, but trenches dug
by authorities were not filled until Wednesday evening, causing disruption in
the movement of vehicular traffic towards Islamabad.
Meanwhile,
Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat had a day ago
confirmed that the Punjab government had released more than 800 workers of the
TLP.
Separately,
Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, who was also one of the guarantors of the deal with the
TLP, defended on a private television channel the release of TLP activists amid
the killing of police personnel, saying it was hard to single out actual
culprits in mob attacks.
“We
have to forget this killing and move on. We cannot put the country at risk with
killing of 10 people,” he said in the show.
On
Sunday, members of the negotiating team from the government side claimed that
they had reached an agreement with the proscribed group but refused to divulge
its details.
Mufti
Munibur Rehman, who facilitated the talks along with some other religious
leaders, had said at the time that details of the agreement would be made
public at an “appropriate time”. He, however, said its “positive results” would
be visible to the nation next week or during the next 10 days.
Source:
Pakistan Today
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
TLP
issue not discussed with govt allies, cabinet: Fawad
November
3, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday sought support of ruling coalition
partners for use of electronic voting machines in the 2023 general election and
took them into confidence on the government’s stance on the Election Commission
of Pakistan (ECP).
However,
the prime minister did not take the allies or the federal cabinet into
confidence about the government’s ‘agreement’ with the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik
Pakistan (TLP). Instead, he barred all cabinet members from commenting on the
matter in public.
“The
issue of TLP was discussed neither in the coalition partners meeting nor before
the federal cabinet,” said Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry while talking to
Dawn.
He
said the government’s coalition partners had graciously supported the electoral
reforms of PM Khan and assured him of taking the agenda forward. “We have put
forth our idea of electoral reforms before our coalition partners, including
PML-Q and MQM, which will be further briefed on this in near future,” he said.
The
prime minister met the coalition partners after chairing a federal cabinet
meeting and took them onboard regarding the government’s stance on the ECP in
the backdrop of electoral reforms.
“There
is a consistent position of the government on electoral system which is needed
to be reformed for ensuring free and fair elections and strengthening democracy
in the country,” he added.
He
said the leaders of government’s allied parties expressed their full confidence
in his leadership and policies. “During the meeting, matters relating to
overall political and economic situation in the country were discussed,” he
added.
Among
the coalition partners, member of the National Assembly Dr Khalid Maqbool
Siddiqui, Law Minister Farogh Nasim and Minister for Information Technology
Amin-ul-Haq represented the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM); MNA Ghaus Bakhsh
Mehr and Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza
represented Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA); Minister for Water Resources
Moonis Elahi represented Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q);
Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and Senator Manzoor Ahmad Khan
Kakar represented Balochistan Awami Party (BAP); Interior Minister Sheikh
Rashid Ahmad represented Awami Muslim League-Pakistan (AML-P) and PM’s aide
Shahzain Bugti represented Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP).
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1655603
--------
Military
to brief lawmakers on national security issues
Amir
Wasim
November
4, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Wednesday convened an in-camera
meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on Nov 8 for
a briefing by military officials on the current national security issues.
The
meeting will be held at 11am at the main hall of the National Assembly for
which invitations have been sent to more than 80 people, including MNAs,
senators, members of the federal cabinet, four provincial chief ministers and
Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister.
The
members of the parliament are expected to raise the issue of recent
controversial and secret agreement signed by the government with the banned
Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as the agenda issued by the National Assembly
Secretariat says that the members can raise any item during the meeting with
the permission of the chair.
As
the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) hinted at participating in the
meeting, the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said a
decision in this regard would be made after consultation within the party.
This
will be third meeting of the PCNS. Its last meeting was held in September to
discuss regional security situation in the wake of the developments that were
taking place in Afghanistan. The meeting that had taken place only days before
Taliban takeover of Kabul had been attended by Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar
Javed Bajwa and Director General of the Inter-Service Intelligence Lt-Gen Faiz
Hameed.
The
top military officials had also responded to questions of the lawmaker during
the meeting which was also attended by Opposition Leader and PML-N president
Shehbaz Sharif and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
The
speaker has also invited Opposition Leader in the Senate Syed Yousuf Raza
Gilani, PPP’s parliamentary leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman, former prime
ministers Raja Pervez Ashraf and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PML-N parliamentary
leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate Khawaja Asif and Azam Nazeer
Tarar, respectively.
When
contacted, PPP vice-president Sherry Rehman said as far she knew the party was
considering to participate in the meeting. She, however, questioned the venue
of the meeting, saying it should have been convened in a committee room,
instead of the main hall of the National Assembly.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1655813/military-to-brief-lawmakers-on-national-security-issues
--------
North America
US
Cities In Michigan Elect First Muslim Mayors
Servet
Gunerigok
WASHINGTON.
03.11.2021
In
Tuesday's mayoral elections in the US, two Muslim Americans were elected to
lead cities in Michigan.
Abdullah
Hammoud became Dearborn’s first Muslim mayor. The 31-year-old state
representative defeated former state representative Gary Woronchak garnering
nearly 55% of votes.
Dearborn
is a city known for its large Arab and Muslim population.
"Dearborn,
we won! I’m honoured & humbled by today’s support. Our residents spoke
loudly -- we want change & bold leadership to tackle the challenges our
city faces. We live in the greatest city in America and I’m excited about what
we can achieve together. Let's get to work!" he wrote on Twitter following
his projected victory.
And
Arab-American Amer Ghalib made history after beating long time Hamtramck Mayor
Karen Majewski.
Ghalib
garnered 68% of the votes while Majewski 31%.
Hamtramck
is the only city in America with a Muslim majority population.
The
Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
congratulated the two mayors-elect for their victories in the elections.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-cities-in-michigan-elect-first-muslim-mayors/2411217
--------
US
blacklists Israel's NSO, Candiru for spyware undermining national security
03
November ,2021
The
US said Wednesday that it had blacklisted Israel’s NSO and Candiru for selling
spyware to foreign governments that “maliciously” targeted government officials
and journalists.
Over
the summer, a global investigation showed that the Israeli-NSO licensed Pegasus
spyware was used to hack the smartphones of prominent foreign officials,
journalists, and human rights activists.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
NSO
rejected the reports and claimed “uncorroborated theories.”
On
Wednesday, following the US decision, NSO again said it was innocent.
“NSO
Group is dismayed by the decision, given that our technologies support US
national security interests and policies by preventing terrorism and crime, and
thus we will advocate for this decision to be reversed,” an NSO spokesperson
was quoted as telling AFP.
But
the US was quick to note that it was not taking action against countries or
governments where the companies were located.
“NSO
Group and Candiru were added to the Entity List based on a determination that
they developed and supplied spyware to foreign governments that used this tool
to maliciously target government officials, journalists, business people,
activists, academics, and embassy workers,” the US said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
welcomes EU announcement of resuming Iran nuke talks
Michael
Hernandez
03.11.2021
WASHINGTON
The
US welcomed on Wednesday the EU’s announcement that negotiations with Iran on a
mutual return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear accord will resume at month's
end.
State
Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration hopes that when
Iran returns to negotiations following a five-month hiatus it would be
"ready to negotiate quickly and in good faith as well."
"We
believe it remains possible to quickly reach and implement an understanding on
compliance with the JCPOA by closing the relatively small number of issues that
remained outstanding at the end of June when the sixth round concluded,"
said Price, referring to the agreement by its formal name, the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action.
"We
believe that if the Iranians are serious we can manage to do that in relatively
short order. But we’ve also been clear, including as this pause has dragged on
for some time, that this window of opportunity will not be open forever,
especially if Iran continues to take provocative nuclear steps," he added.
The
US and Iran held six rounds of indirect talks mediated by the deal's other
participants, but those talks ground to a halt in June and have not resumed
following the election of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a vocal critic of
the JCPOA.
Representatives
from China, Russia, France, the UK, and Germany will also participate in the
Nov. 29 meeting in Vienna, which is to be chaired by Enrique Mora, deputy
secretary-general of the EU diplomatic service.
US
President Joe Biden has attempted to bring the US and Iran back to mutual
compliance with the JCPOA, which placed an unprecedented international inspection
regime on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief
from international sanctions.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-welcomes-eu-announcement-of-resuming-iran-nuke-talks/2411344
--------
US
denies claims Iran thwarted American attempt to ‘steal’ oil tanker
Kasim
Ileri
03.11.2021
WASHINGTON
The
US on Wednesday rejected Iranian claims that it thwarted a US attempt to
"steal" an oil tanker in the Sea of Oman.
A
Pentagon official told Anadolu Agency the claims were "wrong" and US
forces were "just monitoring” the vessel in the strategic waters.
"It
occurred last week. Iran illegally boarded and seized the
internationally-flagged vessel in international waters and took it back into
Iranian waters," said the official who spoke on the condition of
anonymity.
US
forces tried to chase the tanker with warships and helicopters but failed to
gain control, according to Iranian state media.
The
tanker is currently docked in Iranian territorial waters.
It
is the latest of many close encounters between the naval forces of Iran and the
US in the Persian Gulf in recent years.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Mideast
Digital
rights activists accuse Facebook, social media of anti-Palestinian bias
03
November ,2021
Palestinian
activists contended Facebook and other social media platforms have censored
criticism of Israel in response to government pressure and launched a campaign
seeking to halt the activity.
Palestinians
have complained that political posts were removed or demoted especially by
Facebook and Instagram, which Facebook owns.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The
7amleh digital rights organization launched a website called 7or on Monday to
call attention to its position, saying it has documented 746 rights violations
in 2021 so far.
“We
see it as a war on the Palestinian narrative, as an attempt to silence them
speaking about their oppression and suffering,” said 7amleh founder Nadim
Nashif.
Facebook
responded to a request for comment by referring to the work of its independent
Oversight Board. The board called in September for moderation of Arabic and
Hebrew content to be reviewed for potential bias. The company said it would
implement recommendations from that review.
During
a May war between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, Israeli Defense
Minister Benny Gantz urged Facebook executives to be more proactive in removing
content from “extremists elements that are seeking to do damage to our
country.”
Internal
Facebook documents seen by Reuters showed that staff members expressed concern
over demotion of posts by Palestinian activist and writer Mohammed El-Kurd.
El-Kurd
said views of his posts on Instagram, where he has 744,000 followers, decreased
dramatically during Palestinian protests in May in Sheikh Jarrah, a Jerusalem
neighborhood where Palestinians are at risk of losing their homes to Jewish
settlers.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
to Resume Talks on Removal of Sanctions Late in November
2021-November-4
"In
a phone call with [the European Union's deputy foreign policy chief] Enrique
Mora, we agreed to start the negotiations aiming at removal of unlawful and
inhumane sanctions on 29 November in Vienna," Baqeri Kani wrote on his
twitter page on Wednesday.
The
European Union acted as the coordinator for the talks that led to conclusion of
the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the historic 2015 nuclear deal
between Iran and world countries.
The
US, however, left the agreement in 2018 and re-introduced the sanctions that
the accord had lifted.
Following
a year of strategic patience, Iran resorted to its legal rights stipulated in
Article 26 of the JCPOA, which grants a party the right to suspend its
contractual commitments in case of non-compliance by other signatories and let
go of some of the restrictions imposed on its nuclear energy program.
Iran
and the remaining parties to the JCPOA have held six rounds of talks in the
Austrian capital, which began after the administration of US President Joe
Biden voiced a willingness to rejoin the nuclear agreement, to examine the
prospect of the sanctions’ fresh removal.
The
talks were, however, put on hold in the run-up to Iran’s presidential elections
in June so that the Islamic Republic could go through a period of government
transition.
Meantime,
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said
on Wednesday that fresh talks between Tehran and the world powers will yield no
result without the US president's guarantee to respect the contents of the
agreement.
Shamkhani
draw a parallel between his country's conditions and defense against the Iraqi
imposed war in the 1980s and the US economic war on his nation now, and wrote
in a post in his twitter account, "The invitations to negotiate during the
war (Iraqi-Imposed war against Iran in 1980s) and now have instructive
similarities: Saddam's attacks continued (at the time), as sanctions continue
(now), part of Iran was occupied by the enemy (Saddam) then, the economy of the
Iranian nation has been taken hostage (now), the warriors were defending (the
country) on the fronts (then), and our scientists continue their legal nuclear
activities (now). There was no sign that the enemy has come to its senses
then."
"The
US president who lacks authority refuses to provide guarantees. If the current
situation does not change, the outcome of the negotiations is already
clear," he added.
Shamkhani
underlined that the difference between today and the days of war is that
"thanks to the revolution, the power and strength of Iran's resistance in
all fields has grown indigenous and self-reliant, continuous and based on
internal capacities".
His
comments came after Republican US Senator Ted Cruz wrote on his twitter page
last week that any future Republican president would again "tear up"
the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran even if the Biden government reaches an
agreement with Tehran and returns to the JCPOA.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14000813000170/Iran-Resme-Talks-n-Remval-f-Sancins-Lae-in-Nvember
--------
Iranian
Oil Minister Hails IRGC Navy for Taking Back Oil Cargo from US
2021-November-3
As
their latest weapon to show animosity towards the Iranian nation, the enemies
resorted to one of their old ways but the vigilance and braveness of the IRGC
forces foiled their plot, Oji said in his message on Wednesday.
He
appreciated the IRGC Navy for "saving the cargo of the Iranian tanker from
the hands of the American pirates".
The
IRGC naval forces fought off a US attempt to steal an Iranian oil cargo in the
Sea of Oman in a flagrant violation of international rules, seen as yet another
move to escalate tensions against Tehran.
The
US seized a tanker carrying Iranian oil for exports in the waters of the Sea of
Oman and transferred its crude shipment to another tanker, voyaging towards an
unknown destination.
The
IRGC naval forces took immediate action to surround the tanker and landed
troops on the deck of the vessel in heliborne operations and directed it
towards the territorial waters of Iran.
Then
several US military helicopters and warships rushed to seize the tanker but
failed thanks to the decisive and mighty action of the Iranian naval forces.
The
American forces again attempted to block the path of the tanker by more
warships and helicopters, but were again pushed back. The oil tanker is
currently in the territorial waters of Iran.
Commander
of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Hossein Salami in a recent
visit to the IRGC Command in Iran's Southern waters underlined that the IRGC
Navy has full control over the Persian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz by
means of modern electronic warfare.
General
Salami's positive assessment of defense-battle preparedness the IRGC Navy came
after his visit to the IRGC Command in the Persian Gulf islands and the Strait
of Hormuz.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
Warns US President to Grant Objective Guarantees Or Talks Fail
2021-November-3
Shamkhani
draw a parallel between his country's conditions and defense against the Iraqi
imposed war in the 1980s and the US economic war on his nation now, and wrote
in a post in his twitter account, "The invitations to negotiate during the
war (Iraqi-Imposed war against Iran in 1980s) and now have instructive
similarities: Saddam's attacks continued (at the time), as sanctions continue
(now), part of Iran was occupied by the enemy (Saddam) then, the economy of the
Iranian nation has been taken hostage (now), the warriors were defending (the
country) on the fronts (then), and our scientists continue their legal nuclear
activities (now). There was no sign that the enemy has come to its senses
then."
"The
US president who lacks authority refuses to provide guarantees. If the current
situation does not change, the outcome of the negotiations is already
clear," he added.
Shamkhani
underlined that the difference between today and the days of war is that
"thanks to the revolution, the power and strength of Iran's resistance in
all fields has grown indigenous and self-reliant, continuous and based on
internal capacities".
His
comments came after Republican US Senator Ted Cruz wrote on his twitter page
last week that any future Republican president would again "tear up"
the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran even if the Biden government reaches an
agreement with Tehran and returns to the JCPOA.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Africa
Nigeria
welcomes cooperation with Iran in the area of Hajj, pilgrimage
November
4, 2021
Nigerian
Ambassador to Tehran, Yakubu Santuraki Suleiman has announced that his country
welcomes expansion of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field
of Hajj and pilgrimage.
Santuraki
Suleiman made the remarks in a meeting held in Tehran on Wednesday with Supreme
Leader's representative in Hajj and pilgrimage affairs Hojjatoleslam
Abdolfattah Navvab.
According
to information center of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, the Nigerian
ambassador described Abuja-Tehran ties as good.
Surely,
Nigeria can make use of Iran's experiences in Hajj and pilgrimage, he added.
He
went on to say that his country respects rights of prominent Shia leader
Ibraheem Zakzaky.
As
he hoped, Islamic countries would copy Iran's move to establish coexistence
among Islamic religions as a model.
He
underlined that the world Muslims have great respect for Supreme Leader of the
Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
The
Nigerian ambassador further said that development of relations between the two
countries will be of benefit to both.
For
his part, Navvab said that religious and cultural commonalities between Iran
and Nigeria are good grounds for fostering bilateral ties.
Iran
is ready to share its experiences in Hajj and pilgrimage with Nigeria, the
Hojjatoleslam said.
Source:
ABNA24
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
EU
mission to train Mozambican troops to fight terrorism
James
Tasamba
04.11.2021
The
European Union launched a military mission Wednesday to train Mozambican troops
to fight terrorism in the country's northern province of Cabo Delgado.
Inaugurated
in the capital Maputo, the mission is meant to provide specialized training for
two years in combating terrorism and protecting civilians, said its commander,
Brigadier General Nuno Lemos Pires of the Portuguese army.
The
mission will have 140 training officers divided between two training centers --
one for commandos in Chimoio in central Mozambique and the other for marines in
the country's capital Maputo.
It
will contribute to improving the security situation in the country, said
Mozambican Defense Minister Jaime Neto, while Portugal’s National Defense
Minister Joao Cravinho said the training would offer an example of
effectiveness in the eyes of Mozambicans.
An
armed insurgency with its origins in the wider socio-economic and political
disparity has kept Mozambique smoldering since 2017.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/eu-mission-to-train-mozambican-troops-to-fight-terrorism/2411413
--------
India
Poonch
infiltrators believed to have trekked down to Shopian
M
Saleem Pandit
Nov
4, 2021
SRINAGAR:
The sound of gunfire has ceased almost entirely in the dense forests of Poonch,
in Jammu division, after the Army engaged infiltrators in a gun battle there on
October 11 that lasted more than 20 days. It appears, according to local
sources, that 10 or more of the Poonch infiltrators have trekked down to
villages in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Shopian
residents, sources said, were shocked to see well-armed terrorists hiding in
forests in the area. They said some terrorists who escaped during the Poonch
gun battle have even taken refuge in various villages in Shopian district.
However,
top Army officers said they were confident about tackling the Poonch
infiltrators using a new method. According to locals, the Army is allotting new
house numbers to individual hearths and recording the names and other details
of those who dwell there, including the mobile phone numbers of all family
members.
"It
makes it easy to check the backgrounds of residents and also learn the details
of any visitor to the district. The allotment of house numbers to all village
houses means we have to contact our informers less frequently as contacting
them risks exposing them," a senior military officer deputed to the
district said. "We get to know about the arrival of any guest at any house
in the district with the new mechanism," he said.
We
appreciate the method as it also save us from daily frisking on the roads. They
simply feed our house number into their mobiles and get our details," he
said.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Akhilesh
may even convert to get Muslim votes: UP minister
November
3, 2021
Uttar
Pradesh Minister Anand Swarup Shukla has alleged that Samajwadi Party chief
Akhilesh Yadav enjoys the patronage of Pakistan spy agency ISI and said he may
even go for religious conversion to appease Muslims.
He
may also be getting economic support from the neighbouring country’s
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the minister alleged while talking to
reporters at his residence on Tuesday.
“Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath has become a challenge for the Islamic world.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is getting all support from them. Akhilesh
is getting ‘sanrakshan aur sujhav’ (patronage and advice) from the ISI. It is
possible that he might also be getting economic support from it,” Shukla, who a
BJP leader, said.
Shukla’s
remarks come after Yadav in a speech in Hardoi on Sunday spoke of Mahatma
Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan founder
Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the same breath as leaders who fought for India’s
independence.
“To
appease Muslims, Yadav had performed ‘namaz’ and observed ‘roza’ (fast). He can
also go for ‘matantaran’ (religious conversion) and ‘khatna’ to get their
votes,” he said, adding that the former chief minister was doing so at the
behest of Pakistan.
In
his speech, Yadav praised India’s ‘Iron Man’ Vallabhbhai Patel on his 146th
birth anniversary but raised eyebrows when he appeared to equate the four
leaders, including Jinnah.
“On
the directions of the ISI, Yadav is glorifying Jinnah. He is issuing such
statements that Pakistan and the Taliban want,” Shukla, who is the minister of
state for parliamentary affairs, alleged.
He
claimed that Yadav’s comparison of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel with Jinnah was
condemnable and that he should regret it.
Source:
Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast Asia
KL
MPs ask FT minister to reverse liquor sale ban, say against Keluarga Malaysia
ideals
03
Nov 2021
BY
ASHMAN ADAM
KUALA
LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The city’s seven MPs have urged Federal Territories Minister
Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim to withdraw the liquor sale ban imposed on sundry
shops and Chinese medicine halls in Kuala Lumpur.
In
a statement, the seven said that the move to ban sundry shops and Chinese
medicine halls from selling liquor was inconsistent with Prime Minister Ismail
Sabri Yaakob’s Keluarga Malaysia concept of inclusiveness.
Instead,
they said the ban portrayed Malaysia as intolerant and disrespectful of
non-Muslim rights.
“We
the Members of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur are deeply disappointed and angry
with Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim’s decision to
allow Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to ban liquor sales in sundry shops and
Chinese medicine halls in Kuala Lumpur effective 1 November 2021.
“We
are of the opinion that such a sales ban which is carried out for the first
time in the history of Kuala Lumpur is unreasonable and unjustifiable,” they
said.
The
seven MPs who signed the statement are Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, Bukit Bintang MP
Fong Kui Lun, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng, Segambut MP Hannah
Yeoh, Wangsa Maju MP Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew and Batu MP Prabakaran
Parameswaran.
They
said Shahidan should not have approved DBKL’s ban on liquor sales as this
decision is unfair to non-Muslims, as they are normally sold in shops and
outfits that are run by non-Muslims.
“DBKL’s
decision and the FT minister’s approval for such an arbitrary ban is an
abomination and a direct assault on the business and consumers’ rights of
non-Muslims. Why target the non-Muslim community?
“Isn’t
this a violation of the rights of non-Muslims as equal citizens as provided for
by the Federal Constitution? Such a blanket ban in Kuala Lumpur is a blatant
affront on non-Muslims and it contravenes the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia
(Malaysian Family) propagated by the Prime Minister,” they said.
They
reminded Shahidan that sundry shops and Chinese medicine halls in Kuala Lumpur
are small and medium businesses with low profit margins, and the sale of liquor
to non-Muslims in these shops was a major source of revenue for them.
“These
law-abiding shops pay various licences to DBKL and the federal government every
year. The Associated Liquor Merchants Association of Malaysia (ALMA) estimated
that such a ban will hurt their business badly, including reducing RM50 million
of the revenues of the sundry shops in Kuala Lumpur.
“The
DBKL and the Federal Government should instead assist these small businesses
and not impose cruel restrictions on them, especially during these difficult
times when everyone is badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,” they said.
Under
the new prohibition, beer will still be allowed to be sold although only
between 7am and 9pm, and placed away from other beverages.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Islamist
insurgents launch attacks on Thai security forces
November
04, 2021
Islamist
insurgents in Thailand’s restive southernmost region have carried out several
attacks against security forces in recent days as part of an ongoing uprising
against the Buddhist-majority nation.
In
one incident on Nov. 2, six suspected militants ambushed two policemen
travelling in a pickup truck on a country road in the Muslim-majority province
of Narathiwat by opening fire on the officers in the early afternoon.
The
two officers, one of whom was shot in the leg and the other in the arm, managed
to flee before the attackers doused their vehicle in gasoline and set fire to
it.
The
day before, two rangers, who are themselves Muslim, were injured in the same
province when a bomb exploded near them while they were on patrol in a rural
area.
Narathiwat
is one of three Muslim-majority provinces bordering Malaysia where a separatist
insurgency conducted by shadowy Islamist groups has been ongoing since 2014.
More
than 7,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in terror attacks conducted by
separatists and retaliatory operations by Thai security forces.
Last
month four insurgents were killed in Narathiwat during a firefight with
security officials who laid siege to a village where the fugitives, who had had
arrest warrants out for them on criminal charges such as murder, were hiding.
A
few days later in the same province, a police vehicle was damaged and a passing
motorcyclist was injured when suspected insurgents exploded a roadside bomb.
Shortly
after that incident, security forces killed a suspected insurgent in a shootout
in a peat swamp in Narathiwat, making him the sixth insurgent to be killed in
the province within a week.
Despite
the toll the insurgency has taken on lives and nerves in Narathiwat and the
other two violence-scarred provinces, Yala and Pattani, the tit-for-tat
violence receives little attention in the Thai media, with only short news
items keeping tally of attacks and casualties.
Thailand’s
military-allied government has been seeking for years to pacify the restive
Muslim-majority region, but its efforts to negotiate a truce have so far been
rebuffed by insurgent groups.
In
the latest bid to win Muslim locals over, the government announced that as of
2023 rangers deployed to the three southernmost provinces will be teaching Thai
to schoolchildren whose mother tongue is Malay.
Border
patrol divisions already run some 200 schools in the area, but analysts warn
that such educational efforts are unlikely to have much success in pacifying
the restive region.
Insurgents
have for years made a point of staging attacks against government-run schools
by occasionally targeting teachers and administrators in an effort to drive
them from the area.
Source:
UC News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.ucanews.com/news/islamist-insurgents-launch-attacks-on-thai-security-forces/94824#
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Warisan
hopes to bring multicultural, issue-driven politics to West Malaysia, says
Shafie
03
Nov 2021
BY
JULIA CHAN
KOTA
KINABALU, Nov 3 — Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has said
offering Malaysians another choice is important, in response to accusations
that his party is trying to gain a foothold in an already crowded national
political landscape.
Riding
on the platform of a multicultural, issue-driven party, Shafie said that it was
time to do away with divisive racial- and religious-based politics and give
Malaysians another viable choice.
“It
is about giving them a choice. Must it be Umno, Bersatu, Pakatan Harapan (PH),
PKR or DAP only? Maybe it is time winds from the east reach here. Why not? The
Malays won’t collapse without Umno. The Chinese won’t collapse without DAP.
Islam in this country won’t collapse without PAS. That’s why we are providing
the choice,” he said.
The
Semporna MP said that the current political scenario was unhealthily focused on
race and religion when it should be issues driven.
He
said in developed nations, established parties do not use race or religion as a
political tool but talk about livelihood, jobs, education, welfare, health and
security while practising their own religion.
“Religion
is important, but that is personal, between you and your beliefs. There are
more important, tangible things to consider. But that doesn’t mean Islam will
deteriorate,” he said.
Shafie
was speaking during an interview with Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar.
He
also told the veteran journalist that there was no reason a Sabahan or
Sarawakian should not be able to lead the country and said that it was only
fair game.
He
also reiterated that he was not gunning for the role of prime minister, but
that he was merely offering an option.
“PM,
DPM, that is not my ambition,” said the former Umno vice-president.
“I’m
not obsessed. I do not have high ambitions to hold the posts. But if you ask if
I am PM material, why not? I have relevant national experience having served
the government in all kinds of capacity for 32 years.
“I
can offer myself, but it is up to the people,” he said.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Cops
say still want to extradite Nur Sajat despite asylum granted in Australia
04
Nov 2021
BY
EMMANUEL SANTA MARIA CHIN
KUALA
LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The police have insisted their intentions to continue pursuing
extradition for transgender entrepreneur Nur Sajat Kamaruzzaman, despite the
latter being granted asylum in Australia.
Bukit
Aman Criminal Investigations Department Director Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd
Jalil Hassan was reported saying that the police have yet to be formally
informed of her status in Australia.
“Formally
we still have not received confirmation that Nur Sajat is in Australia,
however, we can see [that] based on recent social media postings.
“Officially,
we have not received the confirmation from our embassies. We will try [to
extradite] according to the laws [of] Australia,” Abd Jalil was quoted saying
in a report by The Star.
The
senior officer also revealed how investigations are still ongoing into Nur
Sajat’s allegations of molest against her by Selangor religious authorities
during her arrest earlier this year.
“We
will investigate the matter from all angles,” he said, urging Nur Sajat to
return home on her own volition, saying this could assist police investigations
into her abuse claims.
Over
the past few years, the transgender entrepreneur has been hounded by religious
authorities and local media due to her gender identity and her popularity on
social media.
Earlier
this year, she had reportedly slipped into Bangkok, Thailand, after an arrest
warrant against her for skipping a court hearing related to charges of
allegedly “insulting Islam” for wearing feminine clothing when hosting a
religious event.
The
police later confirmed this saying efforts to extradite her from their Thai
counterparts had been initiated, and that her photograph had been distributed
to border control authorities as early as March to keep an eye out for her.
The
police had taken the action following a request by the Selangor Islamic
Religious Department (Jais).
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Arab World
As
Lebanese pound loses 90 pct of value, citizens carry ‘worthless’ stacks of cash
03
November ,2021
Restaurant
owner Antoine Haddad has been in business for over 35 years but says he is
running out of hope as Lebanon struggles with one of the deepest financial
crises of modern times.
The
Lebanese pound lost around 90 percent of its value in the past two years,
propelling three quarters of the population into poverty.
For
Haddad, the difference between this and other crises that Lebanon has
experienced, including the 1975-1990 civil war, is that it feels like there is
no end in sight.
“Previously,
you had hope that: ‘tomorrow the war will end, we do this and that and go back
to where we were’, but this time there is no hope,” he said.
“They
(those in power) promised us we would have plenty of money in our hands, and we
indeed have a lot of it to play with,” he said sarcastically referring to the
growing stacks of banknotes needed for even basic purchases after the currency
drop.
Haddad,
whose small restaurant has been in business since 1984, said he can only buy 10
percent of the olive oil he used to buy with the same money.
The
government, facing an election in March as it tries to secure an IMF recovery
plan, has tripled transport allowance for employees to alleviate some of the
pain but most salaries, including the minimum wage, have not been adjusted.
Pub-owner
Moussa Yaakoub is also taken aback by the amount of cash he needs to run his
business.
“I
have never before held in my hands this amount of money,” he said as he counted
some 10 million pounds, worth $6,600 at the pre-crisis rate but now less than $500
at the market rate.
That
much money used to cover a pub’s operation for months, but now only pays a
couple of bills, he said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Lebanon
seeks dialogue with Saudi Arabia despite new tension over leaked comments
03
November ,2021
Lebanon
on Wednesday sought a dialogue with Saudi Arabia to resolve an unprecedented
diplomatic rift over a Lebanese Cabinet minister’s comments, even as new reasons
for tension emerged.
The
spat unfolded over statements by the Lebanese Information minister aired last
week about the war in Yemen, which Lebanese officials have said do not
represent official government views.
Riyadh
angrily recalled its ambassador and asked the Lebanese envoy to leave. It also
banned Lebanese imports, undermining the small nation’s foreign trade and
depriving it of millions of dollars while it is deep in an economic crisis.
Gulf
countries have joined Saudi Arabia in pulling out their diplomats, sharpening
the diplomatic slap.
Despite
the calls for mediation and dialogue, there is no sign of the crisis letting
up.
Instead,
new reasons for tension emerged, following leaks by a Saudi paper in which the
Lebanese foreign minister, apparently in off-the-cuff remarks to Lebanese
reporters, said drug smuggling out of Lebanon would not have happened if there
was no market in Saudi Arabia.
The
comments, apparently made at the outset of the crisis, were interpreted by
Saudi media as an endorsement of the smuggling, which had been another reason
for the tension with Lebanon.
Since
the crisis, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib in comments to the press had
said Riyadh is being too harsh on Lebanon. He did not deny the leaked comments
Wednesday in a statement, but said he had wished the Saudi paper would have
helped in resolving the crisis “instead of publishing partial and wrong
narratives” that only complicate matters.
In
separate comments following a meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun Wednesday,
Bouhabib said any problems between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia should be resolved
through dialogue. He added that Lebanon, which is going through one of the
world’s worst economic meltdowns, is looking for support from its neighbors to
overcome “the difficult circumstances it is going through” and the hardship its
people are facing.
“We
are certain that joint Arab interests will overrule what happened in the last
few days and there will be no spilling of oil over the fire,” Bouhabib said.
He
also appealed to Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries to respect Lebanon’s freedom
of expression and democracy, which he said are not intended to harm relations
with Lebanon’s neighbors and friendly nations.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turki
Al al-Sheikh’s English horror film ‘Cello’ wraps up production in Saudi Arabia
03
November ,2021
“Cello,”
an English and Arabic language horror film written by Turki Al al-Sheikh and
starring Oscar winner Jeremy Irons has wrapped up production in Saudi Arabia.
Al
al-Sheikh, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority,
shared the film’s poster in a Twitter post with the caption “2022.” He wrote
the script of the film, which is based on one of his novels.
The
film, which will be released in 2022, follows the story of an aspiring cellist
who learns that the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he
first thought, according to Deadline.
The
film was reportedly shot on location in Saudi Arabia and in Prague, Czech
Republic.
It
was financed by Saudi Arabia’s Rozam Media, which also owns the rights to the
film.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Arab
Coalition says 145 Houthis killed near Marib
03
November ,2021
The
Arab Coalition in Yemen said Wednesday it had killed 145 Houthi fighters in 24
hours in air raids near Marib, the final northern stronghold of pro-government
forces.
The
coalition, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government, has
claimed near-daily strikes over the last three weeks, that it boasts have
inflicted heavy losses on the Iran-backed Houthis.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/11/03/Arab-Coalition-says-145-Houthis-killed-near-Marib
--------
US,
UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE call for immediate restoration of Sudan’s govt: Statement
03
November ,2021
The
US, Saudi Arabia, the UK and the United Arab Emirates called for the immediate
restoration of Sudan’s civilian-led government in a joint statement released on
Wednesday.
“The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the United States of America,
and the United Kingdom affirm their countries’ stance with the people of Sudan
and emphasize the importance of supporting their aspirations for a democratic
and peaceful nation,” a joint statement read.
For
the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“We
call for the full and immediate restoration of its civilian-led transitional
government and institutions,” the QUAD for Sudan said.
All
four countries said they were committed to helping Sudan’s people advance their
country’s transition and voiced their “serious concern” over the situation in
the country.
The
Quad for Sudan also said the military should release those detained and lift
the state of emergency.
“Violence
has no place in the new Sudan, on this point we encourage an effective dialogue
between all parties, and we urge all to ensure that the peace and security for
the people of Sudan is a top priority,” the statement read.
On
Tuesday, a senior US official said Sudan’s top military general, Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan, “hijacked and betrayed the aspirations of the Sudanese people for a
peaceful, democratic country.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
US
says it understands Saudi Arabia’s concerns after Lebanon rift, calls for
dialogue
04
November ,2021
The
US said Wednesday that it understood Saudi Arabia’s concerns after Lebanon’s
information minister voiced support for the Iran-backed Houthis in the
yearslong Yemen war.
Nevertheless,
Washington called on Riyadh and the Gulf to restore ties with Beirut, citing
its unprecedented struggles.
“Our
position is that diplomatic channels should remain open if we are to seek to
improve the humanitarian conditions of the Lebanese people,”
State
Department Spokesman Ned Price said during a briefing with reporters.
Price
said the US would continue to support Lebanon in the midst of its economic
crisis.
He
refused to comment on whether Information Minister George Kordahi should step
down after his pro-Houthi comments were aired last week.
But
Price criticized the Houthis for refusing to play a positive role in reaching a
ceasefire in Yemen.
“The
notion that the Houthis have been anything but a destabilizing force and a
force that has inflicted additional hardship on the people of Yemen, that is
not an idea that we recognize,” the US official said.
On
Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Lebanon’s Prime Minister
Najib Mikati as well as Saudi Arabia’s and the UAE’s foreign ministers.
The
row over critical comments made by Kordahi about the Arab Coalition’s military
intervention in Yemen threw the country into a new crisis.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Syria
to end subsidies for around 800,000 of its richest citizens
03
November ,2021
Syria
will lift subsidies on basic goods such as bread and gasoline for around
800,000 of its richest citizens by the end of the year to help ease the burden
on state finances, officials said on Wednesday.
The
move will affect high-earners working in the private sector who can buy
essentials with ration cards at a reduced cost.
“There
are segments of society that do not need subsidies... I mean those who have
money,” Internal Trade Minister Amro Salem told a press conference.
Amro
said removing the subsidies would help the poorest in a country of over 18
million people whose economy has been devastated by a decade-old war, and where
salaries and subsidies account for the bulk of state spending.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe
Dubai
court ruling that former Leeds FC director falsified documents upheld in UK
04
November ,2021
A
judge has barred the former director of Leeds United Football Club from
continuing to challenge a Bahraini private equity firm’s enforcement of a $5.4
million Dubai court judgment, despite the man’s assertion that his ill health
made the order unjustifiable.
High
Court Judge Clare Moulder agreed to grant Bahrain’s GFH Capital Ltd.’s
application for an extended civil restraint order against David Haigh as it was
clear he would continue to challenge the earlier judgment, according to Law360
UK.
The
private equity firm is suing Haigh to enforce a $5.4 million judgment obtained
in Dubai against the former football executive, whom it accuses of falsifying
company invoices and diverting money into accounts he controlled.
Haigh
is known in Dubai and describes himself as a “human rights lawyer,
international crisis and media manager, entrepreneur and philanthropist.”
He
was convicted in Dubai in 2015 over breach of trust after allegations that
millions had been diverted into his and an associate’s bank accounts using
false invoices. He was jailed and subsequently returned to the UK.
He
was declared bankrupt in August 2020.
GFH
is suing Haigh in the high Court to enforce the Dubai judgement which was made
in 2018.
A
judge cleared the way last month for GFH to possess properties Haigh owns and
serve eviction notices to tenants living in several apartments and a farmhouse
complex in southern England.
Ashley
Pratt, GFH’s counsel, told the court that Haigh, who did not turn up at the
hearing on Wednesday, was seeking to re-litigate issues that had already been
decided through relentless court challenges.
He
has also made numerous applications for adjournments on medical grounds, Pratt
said.
Judge
Moulder agreed that Haigh “cannot rely on his ill health to justify his
persistent conduct in seeking to challenge findings which he does not accept.”
She
added that Haigh had been warned in the past about his conduct and that it
could result in a court order. The judge said that Haigh had filed at least
three claims that were completely without merit, including an application to
imprison one of GFH’s solicitors.
Judge
Moulder noted in her oral judgment that the order does not prevent Haigh from
bringing “legitimate applications,” but will filter out those that are
baseless.
The
start of Wednesday’s hearing was delayed several times by Haigh’s failure to
appear. He later emailed to say he was recovering from psychiatric treatment at
home in Cornwall, southwest England, and had only received notice that the
hearing was in person late last week.
After
calling two recesses to try to contact Haigh, Judge Moulder considered an
“informal” application for a two-week adjournment. Haigh said in a letter to
the court that he was still in ill health, that his phones had been hacked and
that he was trying to find legal representation.
But
after scrutinizing Haigh’s account, Judge Moulder said that she questioned the
authenticity of a letter purportedly from his doctor about his condition. There
were typographical errors in the October note and unexplained gaps in the
typeface that gave the appearance that words may have been transposed, the
judge said.
Against
the background of numerous delays and applications for adjournment on medical
grounds, Judge Moulder said the hearing would continue in Haigh’s absence.
“Haigh
has deliberately tried to frustrate the hearing today and deliberately and
voluntarily absented himself,” Judge Moulder said in an earlier oral judgment.
The
long-running dispute between the GFH and Haigh began in 2014.
Haigh
was the chief executive of GFH Capital, the investment banking arm of the
Bahraini group, and led its purchase of Leeds Football Club in 2012.
GFH,
which bought Leeds United two years earlier, accused Haigh of falsifying
company invoices and diverting funds into accounts he controlled. Leeds United
play in the top tier of English soccer, the Premier League.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Vietnam
has been in talks with Iran over seized oil tanker: Foreign ministry
04
November ,2021
Vietnam
has been in talks with Iranian authorities over the seizure of a Vietnamese oil
tanker off the Iranian coast, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.
“The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has held talks with the Iranian embassy in Hanoi,
and the Vietnamese embassy in Iran has held talks with the Iranian authorities
to verify information and settle the incident to ensure safety and humane
treatment for Vietnamese citizens,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang
said at a regular press briefing.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Germany
rules out military solution to Ethiopian conflict
Oliver
Towfigh Nia
03.11.2021
BERLIN
Germany
on Wednesday expressed "deep concern" over the escalating armed
conflict in Ethiopia, saying there could be no military solution to the
political crisis in the Horn of Africa country.
"We
are deeply concerned about developments in Ethiopia, the continued military
escalation in northern Ethiopia, and beyond," Foreign Ministry deputy
spokesman Christofer Burger said at a news conference in Berlin.
"The
armed conflict has been going on for over a year, and even after the most
recent developments, it is clear that there can be no military solution there.
All parties involved must immediately stop the fighting and seek a political
solution to the conflict," he added.
According
to Burger, his country is currently involved in "intense
coordination" with EU partners, aiming to find a political solution to the
Ethiopian conflict.
He
also voiced support for a UN investigation looking into possible human rights
violations in the country.
Burger's
remarks came a day after Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency.
The
decision followed an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers amid
escalating clashes between the government forces and the rebel Tigray People's
Liberation Front (TPLF) and Oromo Liberation Army-Shene (OLA-Shene).
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/germany-rules-out-military-solution-to-ethiopian-conflict/2411188
--------
EU
calls for ending divisive rhetoric in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Agnes
Szucs
03.11.2021
BRUSSELS
Divisive
rhetoric in Bosnia and Herzegovina should come to an end, an EU official said
on Wednesday, expressing hope that the UN will extend the mandate of an EU
military mission in the country.
“The
situation in Bosnia Herzegovina is a source of serious concern for the European
Union, and it has also been the focus of a great deal of diplomatic activity,”
Peter Stano, the European Commission’s foreign affairs spokesperson, told
reporters in Brussels.
The
country fell into political turmoil in July when Serb officials started
boycotting federal institutions after outgoing High Representative Valentin
Inzko introduced a new law banning the denial of genocide and criminalizing the
glorification of war criminals.
The
crisis escalated last month when Milorad Dodik, leader of the Serb-run
Republika Srpska, announced a pullout from the main federal institutions in
order to achieve sovereignty.
A
joint EU-US high-level mission visited the country last week to find solutions
to the current political crisis, Stano explained.
“The
European Union’s message is clear… the divisive rhetoric should stop, and
unilateral actions jeopardizing the territorial integrity of Bosnia Herzegovina
should also stop,” he said.
He
also added that the bloc is closely following the UN Security Council talks on
Bosnia and Herzegovina this week, and expressed hope that the mandate of the
EU-led military mission Operation Althea would be extended.
In
1995, the Dayton Agreement ending the Yugoslav Wars created a complicated
double-federative system of two main entities, the Republika Srpska and the
Croat-Bosniak-populated Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-calls-for-ending-divisive-rhetoric-in-bosnia-herzegovina/2411168
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