Ayodhya Mosque Won’t Be Named After A Ruler, Says Sunni Waqf Board Trust, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation
New Age Islam
News Bureau
20 August 2020
Land decided by government for Mosque at Raunahi village of Ayodhya. (Express photo/File)
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• Pakistan On
Lookout for New Separatist Voice to Lead The Hurriyat Conference
• China Wants
Pakistan To Lead Muslim World as The Only Muslim Nuclear-Armed State
• Almost Half of
The Afghan Population Is in Need of Humanitarian Aids
• UAE-Israel
Accord: Saudi Arabia Committed to Arab Peace Plan, Says Foreign Minister
• Iranian Jewish
MP: UAE, Israel Turned into Trump’s Election Campaign Headquarters
• Man Causes
Motorway Accidents in Berlin In 'Islamist' Act: Prosecutors
• ‘Libya At Risk
of More Disastrous Blast Than One in Beirut’
• Biden
Denounces Anti-Israel Activist, Rejects Her Endorsement At DNC
India
• Ayodhya Mosque
Won’t Be Named After A Ruler, Says Sunni Waqf Board Trust, the Indo-Islamic
Cultural Foundation
• Sheikh Hasina
Pushes for Infra Projects and Makes A Promise That Dhaka Will Not Be Party to •
Anything Inimical to New Delhi’s Interests
• 'It Marked End
of Conflict Between Hindus, Muslims': Aligarh BJP Leaders, Ruby Asif Khan &
Nargis Mehboob Ali
• Lashkar
commander among 3 ultras slain in twin J&K encounter
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Pakistan
• Pakistan On
Lookout for New Separatist Voice to Lead The Hurriyat Conference
• PM Khan:
Pakistan can’t recognize Israel until Palestine gets its rights, state
• Pakistan's PM
Khan plays down differences with ally Saudi Arabia
• Coordination
body formed for Karachi betterment
• US envoy lauds
Pakistan role for regional peace
• Palestine
envoy challenges seizure of his vehicle in IHC
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Southeast Asia
• China Wants
Pakistan To Lead Muslim World as The Only Muslim Nuclear-Armed State
• Indonesia's
Muslim clerics decry Israel-UAE deal
• PM Muhyiddin:
Spirit Of Maal Hijrah Gives Malaysian Muslims Strength To Face Covid-19
• King, Queen
attend Maal Hijrah celebration at National Mosque
• Mujahid:
Azeez, Umno stoking racial hatred by implicating Guan Eng as ‘culprit’ who
destroyed Tabung Haji
--------
South Asia
• Almost Half of
The Afghan Population Is in Need of Humanitarian Aids
• Ghani: With
the release of Taliban prisoners, a wave of narcotics may enter Britain
• The Illusion
of Inclusivity in Afghan Peace Process
• Taliban Attack
in Takhar Killed 14 Afghan Security Forces
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Arab world
• UAE-Israel
Accord: Saudi Arabia Committed to Arab Peace Plan, Says Foreign Minister
• After
UAE-Israel deal, is Bahrain the next Arab state to move toward peace?
• Saudi Arabia
issues desperate call for extension of anti-Iran UN arms ban
• Hezbollah
shipped explosive chemicals to Lebanon prior to Beirut blast: Reports
• Kenyan
domestic worker abandoned in Beirut with belongings in garbage bag
• Number one
issue in Iraq is the question of pro-Iran militias: Expert
• Unknown gunmen
assassinate Iraqi activist Reham Yacoub in central Basra
• Security fears
in Lebanon after reports of Turkish weapons shipments
• US announces
new aid to Iraq, but warns that ‘armed groups’ must be controlled
--------
Mideast
• Iranian Jewish
MP: UAE, Israel Turned into Trump’s Election Campaign Headquarters
• Iran’s Mehr
agency accused slain Iraq activist Reham Yacoub of working for US
• Iran upholds
prison sentences of five Christians
• Israel likely
won’t stamp passports of UAE tourists: Israeli foreign ministry
• Israeli
airstrikes on Gaza Strip for 8th consecutive night
--------
Europe
• Man Causes
Motorway Accidents in Berlin In 'Islamist' Act: Prosecutors
• ‘East
Mediterranean to decide future of EU-Turkey ties’
• Turkey issues
report on Turkish minority in Greece
--------
Africa
• ‘Libya At Risk
of More Disastrous Blast Than One in Beirut’
• At least 45
migrants killed after boat capsizes off Libya coast: UN
• UN chief
demands immediate release of Mali’s president
• African Union
condemns ‘unconstitutional change’ in Mali
• 45 African
migrants killed off Libya in worst shipwreck of year
• Militants take
hundreds hostage in northeastern Nigeria
• UN Security
Council slams Mali 'mutiny,' urges dialogue
• African Union
suspends Mali's membership after coup
• Libyan
official agrees to meet pro-Haftar leader in Morocco
• Nigeria: 12
civilians reported killed in volatile town
--------
North America
• Biden
Denounces Anti-Israel Activist, Rejects Her Endorsement At DNC
• Trump says US
to invoke snapback of UN's Iran sanctions
• US senators
warn Trump of Saudi covert nuclear program
• US charges two
citizens, one Pakistani with moving US currency to Iran, Khamenei
• US to impose
UN sanctions ‘snapback’ on Iran: Trump
• US sanctions 3
accused of aiding Iran's Mahan Air
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
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Ayodhya Mosque Won’t Be Named After A Ruler, Says Sunni Waqf Board Trust, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation
by Avaneesh Mishra
August 20, 2020
Land decided by government
for Mosque at Raunahi village of Ayodhya. (Express photo/File)
----
TWO DAYS after the district administration in Ayodhya handed over the five-acre plot allotted for the mosque and started the demarcation process, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust formed by the Sunni Waqf Board for construction of the mosque and developing other public facilities in Dhannipur village confirmed on Wednesday that even as a name for the mosque is yet to be agreed upon, it was decided that the “mosque would not be named after [Mughal emperor] Babar or any other king, emperor or ruler.”
On Monday, the
Ayodhya district administration started the demarcation of the land for the
proposed mosque. With the recent developments, the Indo-Islamic Cultural
Foundation trust is opening two bank accounts to start collecting money for
construction purposes.
Secretary and
spokesperson of the trust, Athar Husain, said mutation of the land was done on
August 2 and they would get the physical possession once the demarcation was
done from all the sides. He added that the demarcation process was under way and
it needs to be clarified that the local administration is demarking their land
as the five-acre plot is part of a larger state farm that is around 25 acres.
On the proposed
name of the mosque, he said so far nothing was decided although there are
reports in sections of the media is that the mosque may be called Dhannipur
mosque, that was his “personal suggestion.”
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/ayodhya-mosque-wont-be-named-after-a-ruler-says-sunni-waqf-board-trust-6561943/
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Pakistan On Lookout
for New Separatist Voice to Lead The Hurriyat Conference
Harinder Baweja
Aug 20, 2020
SAS Geelani, former chairman Hurriyat Conference, at a
protest in Srinagar in 2016. (Reuters Archives)
------
Pakistan is
looking hard to find a new separatist voice to lead the Hurriyat Conference,
multiple government and security officials familiar with the matter said on
condition of anonymity.
The separatist
body, first formed in 1993, has played an important part in Kashmir but has
been largely defunct since the state’s special status was changed last year on
August 5.
“The deep state
in Pakistan is looking for younger leaders and has been trying to persuade
those who have been a part of militant organizations, including the more
battle-hardened groups like the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba,’’ a home ministry official
said.
There has been
no direction from the Hurriyat leaders to the general masses -- diktats were
common before that -- in the past year.
In a surprise
move, 91-year-old SAS Geelani who was the separatist group’s “chairman for
life” resigned from the faction of the Hurriyat he headed. The parallel body,
headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been silent for nearly a year.
“Pakistan is
looking for fresh faces to take charge and channelize the anger and resentment over
the government’s decision to strip the state of its special status, once
guaranteed under Article 370,” said another official, adding that “the changes
in the domicile law has also led to a lot of disquiet.”
On August 5 last
year, the Rajya Sabha passed laws and resolutions effectively abrogating
Article 370 and splitting Jammu & Kashmir into two Union territories. The
Lok Sabha passed these the following day.
In March this
year, the government enacted an executive order where it expanded the definition
of domicile to include non-locals who have been living in Jammu & Kashmir
for 15 years and the children of Central government employees who have worked
in the region for 10 years.
The Hurriyat was
at the forefront of several agitations in the past and both Geelani and the
faction led by the Mirwaiz were instrumental in issuing protest calendars.
Most separatist
leaders were placed under house arrest ahead of the Centre’s move to bifurcate
the state into two Union Territories and have not been able to organise
protests.
The Hurriyat
Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq broke its silence after almost a year,
when in July, it held a meeting and called for the Kashmir problem to be
resolved through dialogue between India, Pakistan and the people of J&K.
The meeting was
held a few days after Geelani resigned and accused his colleagues of inaction
and corruption. Soon after the meeting, a statement was issued in which the
Mirwaiz faction vowed to work towards “the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir
conflict.”
In his
resignation letter, Geelani accused his colleagues of having failed to evolve a
strategy to counter the reading down of Article 370.
Many in the
Hurriyat are also being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
“Pakistan is now
trying its best to create a new team,” said the first official quoted above.
Pakistan has provided a base to several terror groups operating in Kashmir and
India has maintained that its neighbour exports terror and foments trouble in
the Valley.
To mark the
first anniversary of the reading down of Article 370, Pakistani Prime Minister
released a new, “political map” in which it identified Kashmir as a “disputed
territory.”
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pakistan-on-lookout-for-new-voice-to-lead-hurriyat/story-cRaOXNgEhV5oJ73fdtkNVM.html
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China Wants
Pakistan To Lead Muslim World as The Only Muslim Nuclear-Armed State
August 20, 2020
China has risen to the
support of Pakistan and wants the country to lead the Islamic world as the only
Muslim nuclear-armed state
------
ISLAMABAD: China
has risen to the support of Pakistan and wants the country to lead the Islamic
world as the only Muslim nuclear-armed state, foreign media reported. China
seems to be an active force behind shifting of alliances. Beijing is close to
finalising a massive 25-year strategic partnership deal with Tehran worth $400
billion in Chinese investment in Iran. China has the opportunity to make
inroads in the Muslim world and to expand its influence.
Earlier, under
pressure from a Gulf country, Pakistan had pulled out of an international
summit of Muslim leaders held in Malaysia. The summit was hosted by Malaysia’s
then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in Kuala Lumpur and attended by dozens of
world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to discuss
current issues in the Muslim world.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/703261-china-wants-pakistan-to-lead-muslim-world
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Almost Half Of
The Afghan Population Is In Need Of Humanitarian Aids
20 Aug 2020
The total number of people
in dire need of support becomes 16 million people which forms nearly half of
the country's population living under harsh conditions.
------
UN statistics in
the initial months of 2020 showed that 12 million people in Afghanistan were in
need of humanitarian aids.
World Food
Program announced on Wednesday that in addition to a population of 12 million
who were previously announced as humanitarian aid beneficiaries, another 4
million have recently been badly affected by the COVID-19.
The total number
of people in dire need of support becomes 16 million people which forms nearly
half of the country’s population living under harsh conditions.
WFP specifically
called upon oppositions to support the humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan by
not obstructing humanitarian activities.
One third of the
country may face food shortages in the upcoming times that will negatively
affect the livelihood of the public.
Adding to the
report, “Current nutrition survey shows that an estimated 2 million children
under the age of 5 will suffer life-threatening contour of hunger.”
https://www.khaama.com/almost-half-of-the-afghan-population-is-in-need-of-humanitarian-aids-876875/
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UAE-Israel
accord: Saudi Arabia committed to Arab Peace Plan, says foreign minister
19 August 2020
Saudi Arabia’s
foreign minister said on Wednesday that the Kingdom is committed to peace on
the basis of the Arab Peace Plan, in the first official comments since the
United Arab Emirates reached a normalization deal with Israel.
Foreign Minister
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also said in an event in Berlin that Israel’s
unilateral moves with regards to settlements are hindering the chances for
peace, Saudi state TV reported on Wednesday.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Meanwhile Saudi
Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir told reporters on
Wednesday that “peace must be achieved with the Palestinians” on the basis of
international agreements as a condition for any normalization of relations with
Israel.
“Once that is
achieved all things are possible,” he said.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/08/19/Saudi-Arabia-committed-to-Arab-Peace-Plan-says-foreign-minister.html
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Iranian Jewish
MP: UAE, Israel Turned into Trump’s Election Campaign Headquarters
Aug 19, 2020
“The Jewish
community of Iran condemns the normalization deal between the UAE and the hated
Zionist regime and declares that this worn-out and ridiculous theater will not
help the collapsing Zionist and UAE regimes,” Sameh Yah said in a statement on
Wednesday.
“The treacherous
scenario is merely a propaganda show to serve the two regimes’ master, Trump,
to win the US presidential election as if the two regimes have practically
turned into Trump’s headquarters for presidential campaign,” he added.
Sameh Yah said
that another goal pursued by the deal is implementation of the Deal of the
Century plot, sponsored by Trump.
Earlier on
Wednesday, Iran’s Jewish community in a statement deplored the recent
normalization deal between the UAE and Israel, warning Abu Dhabi that the
betrayal will yield no result but disgrace for them.
“The Jewish
community of Iran condemns the UAE's shameful agreement to normalize ties with
the fake and devil Zionist regime, mediated by the Great Satan (the US), and
declares that this betrayal by the ignorant people who are nothing more than
milking cows, as said by their masters, will double pressure and oppression on
the oppressed people and will yield nothing but disgrace for the conspirators,”
the statement said.
It added that
the move will further make the freedom-seekers in the world to strengthen
struggle against the Zionist regime and defense for the Palestinian people’s
rights.
In relevant
remarks on Saturday, another Iranian Jewish MP Siamak Mareh Sedq underlined
failure of the recent agreement between the UAE and Israel to normalize
relations.
“The Persian
Gulf Sheikhdoms are after confrontation against Iran’s national interests and
the resistance front and therefore, they have stretched their hand towards the
main enemy of the resistance front and Iran’s national interests,” Mareh Sedq
told FNA.
“Similar to the
suppression of the resistance in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon the move started by
the Persian Gulf littoral Sheikhdoms will fail,” he added.
Trump on
Thursday announced a deal brokered by his government between Isreal and the UAE
which he said would lead to full normalization of ties between the two.
Critics see the
deal as the latest attempt by Trump to save his presidential campaign against
the Democrat Joe Biden.
Palestinians
have reacted with shock and dismay after Trump unveiled an agreement between
the United Arab Emirates and Israel to normalize ties.
The deal pledges
full normalisation of relationships between the two countries in the areas of
security, tourism, technology and trade in return for suspending Israel's
annexation plans in the West Bank.
Both the
Palestinian leadership and public were caught by surprise when the announcement
came on Thursday.
"We
absolutely had no prior knowledge of this agreement," Ahmed Majdalani, the
Palestinian Authority's (PA) minister of social affairs, told Al-Jazeera,
adding, "The timing and speed of reaching this agreement were surprising,
especially that it came at a critical moment in the Palestinian struggle."
Former PA
minister Munib al-Masri noted Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who ruled Abu
Dhabi for more than 30 years before his death in 2004, had always been a strong
supporter of the Palestinians.
"The late
Sheikh Zayed was a dear brother to me, I knew how much he was proud of his
support for Palestine… I never imagined that in my lifetime I would see the day
in which the UAE would simply sell the Palestinians out for the sake of
normalisation," al-Masri said, noting, "It's very shameful. I can't
believe it until now."
Other
Palestinian officials announced though the news came abruptly, it was not much
of a surprise.
"We were
not surprised that much because the Emirati army was never on the borders ready
to fight Israel," said Mustafa al-Barghouti, leader of the Palestinian
National Initiative and member of the PA parliament.
"We've been
seeing recent strange moves by the UAE such as sending direct flights to
Israel, and there were leaks of secret accords between the two in terms of
scientific and economic cooperation. It is clear that these were preliminary
steps to absorb yesterday's shock," he added.
The PA and all
Palestinian factions, including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, issued official
statements denouncing the UAE-Israel agreement. Palestinian leaders who spoke
to Al-Jazeera called it a "stab in the back".
"We already
knew that there has been normalisation going under the table, but to formalise
and legalise it that way at this critical moment is shocking. It's a stab in
our back and the back of all Arab nations," stated Majida al-Masri, former
PA minister of social affairs.
Al-Barghouti
emphasised the deal "doesn't introduce any change or progress, it's far
from being genuine peace".
"This is an
attempt to enforce the 'Deal of the Century' that aims to liquidate Palestinian
national rights, it represents a denial of Palestinian, Arab and Islamic
rights," he continued.
Palestinian
leaders stated the deal was "a free gift to Israel" and was made to
help the re-election of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"The UAE's
position, in terms of its timing and essence, can only be understood as giving
Israel leverage for free," said Wasel Abu Yousef, member of the PLO's
Executive Committee and leader of the Palestine Liberation Front, adding,
"There's no reasonable justification for it except that it gives more
power to the occupation and increases its crimes against the
Palestinians."
https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990529001096
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Man causes
motorway accidents in Berlin in 'Islamist' act: prosecutors
19 Aug 2020
BERLIN: A man
has caused a series of motorway accidents in Berlin, injuring six people
including three seriously in what German prosecutors on Wednesday (Aug 19)
described as an Islamist act.
The man appears
to have had an "Islamist motivation according to our current
knowledge", prosecutors told AFP.
Local media
reported that the man was a 30-year-old Iraqi who had shouted "Allahu
Akbar" (God is Greatest) when getting out of his car after hitting several
vehicles around 6.30pm (1630GMT) on Tuesday.
Berlin police
said the man caused three accidents on the Autobahn 100 in the city's
Tempelhof-Schoeneberg district before claiming that a box in his car contained
a "dangerous object".
However, when
police opened the box using high-pressure water jets it was found to contain
nothing but tools.
The driver was
arrested and the motorway closed for several hours, causing significant travel
disruption.
"Nobody
come any closer or you will all die," the Bild daily quoted the suspect as
saying after he stopped his car and placed the metal box on the roof of his
vehicle, a black Opel Astra.
German media
reported that a motorcycle driver was among those injured.
People with ties
to Muslim extremism have committed several violent attacks in Germany in recent
years.
The worst was a
ramming attack at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12.
The Tunisian attacker, a failed asylum seeker, was a supporter of the Islamic
State militant group.
More recently, a
Muslim man and his wife were convicted of planning a biological bomb attack in
Germany in 2018 with the deadly poison ricin.
The pair had
ordered castor seeds, explosives and metal ball bearings on the internet to
build the toxic bomb.
The man was in
March sentenced to 10 years in prison while his wife received an eight-year
sentence in June.
Since 2013, the
number of Muslim militants considered dangerous in Germany has increased
fivefold to 680, according to security services.
German
Chancellor Angela Merkel has often been accused, particularly by the far right,
of having contributed to the threat by opening the country's borders to
hundreds of thousands of migrants in 2015.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/germany-berlin-motorway-accident-muslim-man-13034524
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‘Libya at risk
of more disastrous blast than one in Beirut’
19.08.2020
The chairman of
National Oil Corporation (NOC) has warned in a video that a disastrous
explosion worse than the one in Beirut earlier this month is looming at Libya’s
Brega port.
According to
Mustafa Sanallah, 25,000 tons of ammonia gas is stored at the port, located 750
kilometers (466 miles) east of the capital Tripoli, which 20 days ago witnessed
the use of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) in clashes between two factions of
forces loyal to warlord Khalifa Haftar.
Considering that
the gas can explode if exposed to intense heat, Sanallah believes that the port
is under high risk of a calamitous explosion.
“It is very
likely that the Beirut explosion will be repeated at Brega, Ras Lanuf and Sidra
[ports],” cautioned Sanallah, adding the larger quantities of explosive
material compared to the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate that were stored in
Beirut port could create a more catastrophic blast.
The port, which
is under Haftar’s control, has been closed since January this year.
The assumption
by Sanallah is that if the ignition of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate in Beirut
port caused an explosion that killed more than 170 people and injured more than
6,000 others as well as causing billions of dollars in property losses, the
situation in Libya could be much worse.
Sanallah noted
that a previous leakage incident of ammonia gas caused the deaths of many
workers.
Ammonia gas is
as deadly as ammonium nitrate.
The production
of ammonium nitrate industrially occurs through the reaction of ammonia gas
with concentrated nitric acid. Since ammonia gas or ammonium nitrate can easily
explode if subjected to heat, it is important that the material is stored under
strict supervision and in safe conditions.
Previously, a
number of ammonia gas leaks have claimed the lives of many people and injured
others. In August 2013, a liquid ammonia gas leak from a refrigerated warehouse
in Shanghai, China killed 15 people and injured 26.
In India, at
least six people were killed and more than 150 others injured following an
ammonia gas leak from a tanker in June 2015.
Similarly, an
explosion at the Uralchem chemical plant in Russia’s city of Berezniki that
manufactures ammonia gas killed 3 people in May 2019.
Some 20 million
tons of ammonium nitrate is produced annually across the world. While
three-quarters of it are used in making fertilizer, the remaining quarter is
used in the mining industry as an explosive to blast rock and to move mounds of
earth.
Libya narrowly
escaped a Beirut-like disaster
In a statement,
the NOC said clashes between two factions loyal to Haftar took place near Brega
port, where oil tanks are located.
According to
Sanallah, besides oil tanks, 25,000 tons of ammonia gas is also stored at the
port and the country was lucky to have escaped a disaster that could have been
nine times worse than the Beirut explosion.
The NOC
condemned Haftar’s militia for "lack of responsibility and lack of
military discipline of any kind” which could have easily wiped out surrounding
populations.
The concerns by
NOC are valid considering that seven oil tanks have been hit by an RPG in
clashes at Sidra port – the largest oil port in the country – between rival
forces in the country causing losses worth millions of dollars.
However, the
Beirut port explosion postulates that ammonium nitrate is much more perilous
than the oil tank explosions.
Why does
protecting Oil Crescent matter?
The Oil Crescent
is a region that stretches from Ras Lanuf in the country’s east to the
north-central city of Sirte and down to the southern Jufra district.
The region
accounts for more than 60% of Libya’s total oil production and has been a cause
of conflict among rival forces battling for control of the country.
Forces loyal to
Haftar have prevented the export of oil from this region and have sought the
support of the Sudanese Janjaweed and Russian Wagner mercenaries to achieve
this.
This move has
led to the militarization of this strategic and economically important area
turning it into an imminent battlefield since oil represents the main source of
hard currency in Libya.
The fact that a
major war in the region is impending may lead to devastating human and economic
tragedies due to the high possibility of oil tanks being targeted.
Necessary
precautions should, therefore, be taken to avoid a scenario similar to the
Beirut port explosion as well as ensuring the exportation of oil which is the
economic backbone of many Libyans.
So far,
international negotiations led by the US, Turkey, and Russia have been ongoing
to demilitarize the area extending from Sirte, 450 kilometers (280 miles) east
of Tripoli, to the city of Ajdabiya, 850 kilometers (528 miles) east of
Tripoli, which will remove the oil crescent from the equation.
The success of
the agreement is expected to pave the way for dialogue between rival factions
in order to find a political solution to the crisis and consequently sparing
Libya from an imminent tragedy that could be worse than the Beirut port blast.
Haftar forces
have already proved that they are reckless and irresponsible by exchanging
rocket fire among themselves near oil tanks. Their presence in the oil crescent
is therefore undeniably a serious cause of alarm.
Hence,
international pressure on Haftar and his forces to withdraw from the region is
critical to saving the lives and economy of Libyans.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/-libya-at-risk-of-more-disastrous-blast-than-one-in-beirut-/1946641
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Biden denounces
anti-Israel activist, rejects her endorsement at DNC
20 August 2020
US Democratic
presidential candidate Joe Biden has denounced and distanced himself from a
prominent anti-Israel activist, who voiced support for him in the live stream
of the Democratic National Convention.
Linda Sarsour,
former Women’s March co-chair, participated in the Democratic National
Convention’s Muslim Delegates Assembly on Tuesday.
Biden’s campaign
spokesman Andrew Bates immediately reacted to the pro-Palestinian activist’s
presence in the convention, saying that she “has no role in the Biden campaign
whatsoever.”
“Joe Biden has
been a strong supporter of Israel and a vehement opponent of anti-Semitism his
entire life, and he obviously condemns [Sarsour's] views and opposes BDS, as
does the Democratic platform,” Bates said.
Sarsour, a
Palestinian-American activist, has been a vocal supporter of The Boycott,
Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) international pro-Palestinian movement that has
been campaigning for a boycott of all Israeli goods, and academic and cultural
activities for over 15 years.
She responded in
a tweet later that she “just came here to remind you that you need a coalition
to defeat Donald Trump and that Muslim Americans are an important voter bloc in
key states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania & I know
a little something about how to organize them.”
The Council on
American-Islamic Relations reacted to Biden’s campaign’s move, saying that
“smearing” Sarsour and other American Muslims as anti-Semitic for supporting
Palestinian human rights is “predictable, despicable and unacceptable.”
The political
action group, MoveOn, also called Sarsour “a leader in the fight for justice
for all of us.”
“Biden can
support Israel without implying that critique of Israeli government policy is
anti-Semitic or condemning advocates for Palestinian rights,” it added.
The group called
on Biden to build “a big tent” that welcomes Muslim Americans and progressives
“even where policy disagreements exist."
Sarsour formerly
campaigned for Senator Bernie Sanders, who was Biden's leading rival for the
Biden.
She said in a
tweet earlier this month, “It's no secret that I have disagreements with both
VP Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris, but I know what I need to do: elect the
Biden-Harris ticket and prepare to hold them accountable in the White House.”
The pro-Palestinian
activist said last year that, “How can you be against white supremacy in
America and the idea of being in a state based on race and class, but then you
support Israel that is based on supremacy, that is built on the idea that Jews
are supreme to everyone else.”
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/20/632200/US-presidential-campaign-Joe-Biden-Linda-Sarsour-Israel-BDS
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India
Sheikh Hasina
Pushes For Infra Projects And Makes A Promise That Dhaka Will Not Be Party To
Anything Inimical To New Delhi’s Interests
Shishir Gupta
Aug 20, 2020
Bangladesh Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina told visiting Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla that
Dhaka will not be party to anything inimical to New Delhi’s interests and will
not allow its territory to be used by terrorists or insurgents targetting
India, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named.
According to
diplomats based in Dhaka and New Delhi, the Bangladesh PM emphasized the
importance of completing bilateral infrastructure and connectivity projects in
time. In this context, it has been decided that a high level project monitoring
committee headed by the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka and the Bangladesh
Foreign Secretary will be set up immediately.
The people cited
in the first instance added that the two countries have also decided that the
meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission at the level of Foreign Ministers
will be scheduled soon so that all bilateral projects are brought to speed.
In the year when
Bangladesh is celebrating 100 years of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman aka Bangabandhu
and 50 years of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations, Shringla, during his 90
minute meeting with PM Hasina told her that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
spoken about strengthening relations with the neighbours in his Independence
Day speech.
That India
remains top on Bangladesh PM’s agenda was evident from the fact that FS
Shringla was the first foreign visitor that she met since the outbreak of
coronavirus four months ago, the people cited above said, adding that the
meeting was characterised by warmth.
FS Shringla
briefed the leader of Bangladesh about the work happening on a Covid-19 vaccine
in India and promised her (in response to a question) that because India
manufactures 60% of the world’s vaccines, it will ensure that Dhaka’s
requirements are addressed, the people said. The visiting FS also discussed the
prospect of starting an air bubble between New Delhi and Dhaka so that medical,
technical and business professionals are allowed to travel by air in the coming
days. FS Shringla also spoke to the Bangladesh Army Chief and General Secretary
of Awami League party as well as senior ministers through video conference, the
people added.
PM Hasina also
raised the Rohingya issue with FS Shringla and requested that India facilitate
the return of the displaced refugees to Myanmar. The people said, she was very
clear that Bangladesh will not allow its territory to be used either by
terrorists or insurgents. The two sides also discussed the security scenario in
the region as well as forces opposing the growth of India-Bangladesh bilateral
ties.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sheikh-hasina-pushes-for-infra-projects-at-fs-shringla-meet-then-makes-a-promise/story-mUDpO58D6yDbOGvtZdkiSK.html
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'It Marked End
Of Conflict Between Hindus, Muslims': Aligarh BJP Leaders, Ruby Asif Khan &
Nargis Mehboob Ali
Amir Haque
Aug 19, 2020
Aligarh: Ruby
Asif Khan & Nargis Mehboob Ali - both women's wing leader of the BJP in
Aligarh have been threatened with physical harm & expulsion from Islam for
conducting puja of Lord Ram at their home on 5th August, the day bhoomi poojan
of Ram temple was conducted in Ayodhya by PM Modi.
Videos of the
women conducting the puja at their home in Shah Jamal area of Aligarh alongside
the bhumi pujan at Ayodhya had gone viral eliciting angry response from Muslim
hardliners.
The Muslim women
said they conducted the puja to celebrate the occasion of bhoomi pujan since it
marked the beginning of construction of the long-awaited temple at Lord Ram's
birth site. Ruby Asif Khan said this also signified the end of a long-standing
acrimonious conflict between Hindus & Muslims which needed to be marked.
The BJP's
Women's wing leaders & workers had also sent Rakhi to Ramlala & prime
minister Modi ahead of Ram temple bhoomi pujan on 30th July. A contribution of
Rs. 5100 for the Ram Temple Teerth Kshetra Trust was also sent by the women
around the same time.
This act of the
BJP's Women's wing leaders, however, did not go down well with the local Muslim
hardliners. They allegedly stuck posters across the old Aligarh city
threatening to expel the women from Islam for conducting Ram puja.
Handouts with
published pictures of these Muslim women leaders conducting puja at their home
were also being distributed. The idea, Ruby & Nargis say, is to instigate
people from the community against them and get them ostracised.
The women also
complained that they were constantly being hounded and threatened with physical
harm by certain elements. Some even threatening acid attack or burning them
alive for siding with Hindus & working for BJP.
Ruby &
Nargis have approached the Delhi gate police station in Aligarh for
registration of an FIR against those who have threatened them. Ruby's husband
Asif Khan said they have also identified some of those involved with the
police.
The women
complainants were flanked by other BJP leaders & workers. Circle Officer
Sudesh Gupta said the police is registering a case and will take prompt action
in the matter.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/aligarh-bjp-womens-wing-muslim-leaders-threatened-with-expulsion-from-islam-death-for-conducting-ram-puja/639498
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Lashkar
commander among 3 ultras slain in twin J&K encounter
Aug 19, 2020
SRINAGAR: A
Lashkar-e-Taiba commander was among three terrorists killed in two encounters
across Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Both anti-terror operations continued
till the filing of this report.
Lashkar
commander Naseer-u-Din Lone and an unidentified aide were killed during a
cordon-and-search operation by a joint team of Army’s 32RR, CRPF and J&K
Police in the orchards of Ganipora Kralgund area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s
Kupwara district. Confirming Lone’s killing, IGP (Kashmir Range) Vijay Kumar
tweeted, “Handwara encounter update: LeT commander Naseer-u-Din Lone, who was
involved in the killing of three CRPF jawans at Sopore on May 4 this year, got
killed.”
Giving details
of the ongoing encounter, Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia
said, “Cordon was laid and contact established. Firefight ensued. Two
terrorists were killed in the gunfight, joint operation in progress.”
Earlier in the
day, a terrorist was killed in Molu Chitragam area of south Kashmir’s Shopian
district during a similar cordon-and-search operation by a joint team of Army’s
44RR, CRPF and J&K Police, official sources said. The identity and
affiliation of the slain ultra were yet to be ascertained.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/lashkar-commander-among-3-ultras-slain-in-twin-jk-encounter/articleshow/77641279.cms
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Pakistan
PM Khan:
Pakistan can’t recognize Israel until Palestine gets its rights, state
19 August 2020
Pakistani Prime
Minister Imran Khan says his country will never recognize Israel until the
issue of Palestine is resolved days after the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
reached a normalization deal with Israel.
In an interview
with the private Dunya News television network on Tuesday, Khan said Islamabad
will not follow suit in recognizing Israel, in a reference to Abu Dhabi, which
has reached a highly controversial deal with Tel Aviv to establish full
diplomatic ties.
“Our stance is
very clear from day one and Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had said Pakistan
can never accept Israel until the people of Palestine get rights and state,”
Khan said.
The Pakistani
prime minister further noted that recognition of Israel equals to abandoning
Pakistan’s stance on the Muslim-majority Kashmir region.
“The case of
Palestinians is similar to people of Kashmir and their [Palestinians] rights
have been snatched and they have been suffering from Israeli atrocities. Both
issues have a similar background,” Khan pointed out.
The Himalayan
region of Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since their
partition in 1947. The countries have fought three wars over the territory.
The
Indian-administered part of the region, known as Jammu and Kashmir, enjoyed
autonomy until August 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu
nationalist government revoked that status.
On 13 August, US
President Donald Trump announced the peace deal between the UAE and Israel
brokered by Washington.
The UAE claims
the deal — which the Palestinians have rejected as backstabbing — was designed
to stave off Tel Aviv’s planned annexation of the occupied West Bank.
Supporters of
the Palestinian cause, however, reject that claim, saying normalization
attempts have been in the offing for a long time.
Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also reaffirmed that the regime’s annexation
has been delayed but is not off the table.
Anger is boiling
in the Middle East and the entire Muslim world over the agreement.
In Pakistan,
tens of thousands of people joined protests organized by political and
religious activists in various cities on the weekend to condemn the UAE.
The protesters
voiced strong support for Palestine and the liberation of Jerusalem al-Quds,
stressing that compromise with the occupiers is a great betrayal of Palestine
and the entire Islamic world.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/19/632134/Pakistan-Khan-UAE-normalization-Israel
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Pakistan's PM
Khan plays down differences with ally Saudi Arabia
Aug 20, 2020
Pakistani Prime
Minister Imran Khan has played down differences with longtime ally Saudi Arabia
after his army chief visited Riyadh in a bid to ease a dispute over policy
towards the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
The dispute,
brought on by Pakistani demands for Saudi Arabia to take a firmer line against
India for what Pakistan says is its human rights violations in
Indian-administered Kashmir, has threatened Riyadh's financial support for
Islamabad.
Pakistan and
Saudi Arabia had no differences, Khan said in a late Tuesday interview, backing
away from criticism by his foreign minister this month who suggested Saudi
Arabia was indifferent on Kashmir.
"The
rumours that our relations with Saudi Arabia have soured are totally
false," Khan said in the interview with the Dunya News television channel.
"Our
relations are very good. We are constantly in touch."
Army chief
visits Riyadh
Pakistan's army
chief travelled to Saudi Arabia on Monday for a one-day visit that was
"primarily military-affairs oriented", the army said.
But top military
and government officials said the visit was aimed at calming the simmering
standoff that could badly hurt cash-strapped Pakistan's foreign reserves.
Saudi Arabia
gave Pakistan a $3bn loan and $3.2bn oil credit facility to help its balance of
payments crisis in late 2018.
Pakistan's
demands for Saudi Arabia to support it against India over Kashmir led to Saudi
Arabia forcing Pakistan to pay back $1bn early, military and finance ministry
officials have told the Reuters news agency.
Saudi Arabia is
also demanding repayment of another $1bn of the loan and has not responded to
Pakistani requests to extend the oil facility, they said.
Saudi anger
The Saudi
government has not commented on the matter.
The Saudi-led
Organization of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) has only held low-level meetings on
Kashmir, to the frustration of some who want to see a more robust position.
"On the
Kashmir issue, there is a view that OIC should have stepped forward," Khan
said.
"Saudi has
its own foreign policy. We shouldn't think that because we want something Saudi
will do just that," he added.
Earlier,
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sought a meeting of the OIC.
"If you
cannot convene it, then I'll be compelled to ask Prime Minister Imran Khan to
call a meeting of the Islamic countries that are ready to stand with us on the
issue of Kashmir and support the oppressed Kashmiris."
Qureshi's
remarks revived Riyadh's anger, one of the Pakistani military officials and a
government adviser earlier told Reuters.
Analysts say
Saudi Arabia does not want to risk its business interests in India by
supporting Pakistan over Kashmir.
Pakistan and
India both claim the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir in full but rule it in
part.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/pakistan-pm-khan-plays-differences-ally-saudi-arabia-200819103415259.html
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Coordination
body formed for Karachi betterment
Aamir Yasin |
Azfar-ul-Ashfaque
20 Aug 2020
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI:
Leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Muttahida
Qaumi Movement-Pakistan on Wednesday met for the third time in a short span of
one week and decided to form a coordination committee for collaboration between
the federal and Sindh governments in six areas for the betterment of Karachi.
However, the
PPP-led Sindh government claimed that the coordination committee was for the
entire province and not for Karachi alone.
First two
meetings between the three parties were held in Islamabad and Karachi,
respectively, in the presence of a senior member of the security establishment,
which is very much concerned over the state of affairs in the provincial
metropolis and wanted all stakeholders to find out a solution to the problems
of Pakistan’s commercial hub.
“We have serious
political difference with the Sindh government but we will work together with
it for the development of the city which generates most of the revenue of the
country,” Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar told a press conference
in Islamabad after meeting Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his
team.
Mr Umar said a
six-member committee had been formed and it would not be headed by anyone and
both sides would work on a mutual understanding. The committee would start its
work from Thursday (tomorrow) and next meeting would be held in Karachi on
Saturday, he added.
He said the
federal and Sindh governments reached a consensus for the development of
Karachi and identified six areas for collaboration.
Accompanied by
federal ministers Aminul Haque of the MQM-P and Ali Zaidi of the PTI, Mr Umar
said: “The areas of collaboration include solid waste management, clean
drinking water projects and anti-encroachment drive, infrastructure
development, road construction and transport management in the port city.”
He said it was
decided in the meeting that all bottlenecks in the long-standing projects such
as Karachi Circular Railway, K-IV water project and Greater Karachi Sewerage
Project S-III would be removed through mutual consultations.
“The projects
list will be shortlisted and it would be decided which projects are to be led
by the Sindh government and which projects are the responsibility of the
federal government,” he said, adding that financial and legislative matters of
the projects would also be finalised within the given time.
The planning
minister made it clear that there would be no compromise on the accountability
process in the country in the name of development.
Earlier in the
day, the Sindh chief minister along with provincial ministers Nasir Shah and
Saeed Ghani flew to Islamabad to hold a meeting with PTI and MQM ministers Asad
Umar, Ali Zaidi and Aminul Haque.
A spokesperson
for the Sindh CM said National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman Lt
Gen Mohammad Afzal — who was present in the Karachi huddle — also participated
in the meeting. He said the meeting had decided to form a coordination
committee. “The committee between the federal and provincial governments would
coordinate on [development] projects in Sindh,” he said, without even
mentioning Karachi.
Sources said
that in Wednesday’s meeting, the PPP side was of the view that it would be
better for it if the people viewed the committee as apolitical and purely a
government body. The PPP, the sources said, also wanted the committee to cover
the whole province instead of Karachi as its voters would consider a body only
for Karachi as a federal move to encroach upon provincial government’s powers
and as a step to separate Karachi from the rest of Sindh.
Prior to
Wednesday’s meeting, the three parties met in Karachi on Aug 15 in the presence
of a senior member of the security establishment. After that meeting,
provincial government’s spokesperson Murtaza Wahab told the media that a
committee to be headed by Chief Minister Shah was being formed on Karachi, with
federal ministers Asad Umar and Ali Zaidi of the PTI, Aminul Haque of the MQM-P
and provincial ministers Nasir Shah and Saeed Ghani as its members.
But in a matter
of a few hours, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Shah came up with a statement
declaring that no decision was taken regarding the formation of any committee
and that development works in the city was the responsibility of the provincial
government.
Later, CM Shah
also repeated the same thing, but added that the formation of the committee
came under discussion during the meeting.
On Tuesday, CM
Shah told reporters in Sukkur that only representatives of the federal and
provincial governments, and not leaders of any political party, would be part
of the committee to sort out the issues of Karachi and it would work for the
removal of all hurdles in the way of development works.
PPP holds
protests
The PPP on
Wednesday staged protest demonstrations in Karachi and Islamabad against the
PTI-led government’s ‘intention’ to separate Karachi from Sindh and warned that
it could launch an MRD-like movement if conspiracies were not stopped.
The protests
were held outside the Karachi Press Club and the National Press Club,
Islamabad, in which senior party leaders and scores of workers participated.
Dr Nafisa Shah,
Ajiz Dhamra, Hasan Murtaza and Faisal Karim Kundi led the protest in Islamabad
and Nisar Khuhro, Saeed Ghani, Waqar Mehdi and Rashid Rabbani in Karachi.
They said the
“Niazi government” could not blackmail the PPP as neither the federal
government nor anyone else had the authority to divide Sindh.
They said Sindh
was the province which passed the resolution for Pakistan first and only it
could save Pakistan. No effort to divide Sindh would be tolerated. The federal
government was conspiring to dismember the country, the PPP leaders alleged.
Similar protest
rallies were also held in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Badin, Mirpurkhas,
Naushahro Feroze, Nawabshah and Mithi in Sindh.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1575390/coordination-body-formed-for-karachi-betterment
--------
US envoy lauds
Pakistan role for regional peace
20 Aug 2020
ISLAMABAD: Top
US diplomat in Islamabad Paul Jones on Wednesday paid a farewell call on Army
Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa.
“Ambassador Paul
W. Jones, US Charge d’Affairs to Pakistan, met General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief
of the Army Staff (COAS), on his farewell visit today,” the Inter-Services
Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Amb Jones held
temporary ambassadorial charge for two years. The US government has not even
appointed a full time ambassador to Afghanistan either, where a chargé
d’affaires is leading the embassy in Kabul.
“COAS thanked
ambassador for his services and contributions in Pakistan,” ISPR said.
“Visiting
dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s positive role for Afghan peace &
reconciliation process and ensuring peace and stability in the region,” it
added.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1575391/us-envoy-lauds-pakistan-role-for-regional-peace
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Palestine envoy
challenges seizure of his vehicle in IHC
Malik Asad
20 Aug 2020
ISLAMABAD:
Palestine Ambassador Ahmed Jawad A. Rabei has challenged the seizure of his
vehicle imported to Pakistan under diplomatic immunity.
Mr Rabei also
challenged the show-cause notice issued to him by the Federal Board of Revenue
(FBR).
Advocate
Sikandar Naeem Qazi filed the petition on behalf of the ambassador on
Wednesday. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah will hear the petition on Thursday
(today).
According to the
petition, the ambassador enjoyed immunity under the Vienna Convention, but the
FBR had on Aug 4 served him a show-cause notice for selling the vehicle
imported to Pakistan under the diplomatic immunity.
The FBR’s Aug 4
show-cause notice was also served on businessman Basil Ahmed Affendi, informing
him that the vehicle might be permanently confiscated and they might also face
penalties of up to 10 times of the value of the vehicle.
Rabei questions
show-cause notice issued to him by FBR
“The Ambassador,
Embassy of the State of Palestine, Islamabad, and Basil Ahmed Affendi are
called upon to show cause as to why the seized vehicle should not be
confiscated and why penal action should not be taken against them under Section
156 for violations of the Customs Act,” said the notice.
On Tuesday,
PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed raised the matter in the Senate and said
the FBR had tendered an apology to the ambassador, but it was not acceptable as
it had happened at a time when there were talks about recognition of Israel by
Muslim countries.
He said the
diplomat was not only served the notice over the import of two cars, but was
also asked to appear before the FBR, which was a violation of the Vienna
Convention and other international laws.
Moreover, he
said, his cars were confiscated which was an “excess” committed with the
ambassador of a friendly country.
The Senate
chairman referred the matter to the committee on foreign affairs, headed by Mr
Sayed, asking him to present a report in the house.
Leader of the
House Shahzad Waseem, however, regretted the PML-N senator’s act of linking the
FBR notice to the Palestine issue, terming it “inappropriate”.
However, the
counsel for the ambassador told Dawn that so far the Palestine embassy had not
received anything in black and white from the FBR and, therefore, the petition
had been filed in the IHC.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1575394/palestine-envoy-challenges-seizure-of-his-vehicle-in-ihc
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Southeast Asia
Indonesia's
Muslim clerics decry Israel-UAE deal
Pizaro Gozali
Idrus
19.08.2020
JAKARTA
Indonesia’s top
Muslim clerics on Wednesday denounced the recent normalization deal between the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel.
Muhyiddin
Junaidi, deputy chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, said UAE’s move was a
betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
“This was a
painful event for Muslims,” Junaidi said in an online discussion in Jakarta.
He said the UAE
has to remember that the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had agreed
to impose an embargo on Israel during its emergency meeting in Jakarta in March
2016.
“Did the UAE
leaders read the OIC’s decisions?” the cleric said.
He said
Indonesia owes Palestine for being one of the first to acknowledge its
independence from colonial rule in 1945, vowing that Jakarta will stand with
the Palestinians until they achieve liberation.
“Palestine is
the first country to recognize Indonesia's independence, we will never forget
their kindness,” Junaidi said.
He urged
organizations in the country to continue unified efforts to help free Palestine
from Israeli occupation, saying that the Palestine cause was not just a problem
for Muslims and Arabs but the entire world.
“This is a problem
of oppression and injustice and needs to be resolved thoroughly,” he added.
The UAE-Israel
normalization deal was announced by US President Donald Trump announced last
week between Israel and the UAE to normalize relations.
The UAE is the
first Gulf state and third Arab nation to have full diplomatic relations with
Israel after Egypt and Jordan.
Despite reports
that the deal halted Israel’s controversial plan to annex parts of the West
Bank, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government would go
ahead with the annexation.
Palestinian
groups have denounced the deal, saying it does nothing to serve the Palestinian
cause and ignores the rights of Palestinians.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/indonesias-muslim-clerics-decry-israel-uae-deal/1946863
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PM Muhyiddin:
Spirit of Maal Hijrah gives Malaysian Muslims strength to face Covid-19
19 Aug 2020
KUALA LUMPUR,
Aug 19 ― Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the spirit of Maal Hijrah and the
valuable lessons from the Hijrah event have provided strength to Malaysians in
facing the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic and efforts to revive the country’s
economy.
The prime
minister shared the words of encouragement in a post on his official Facebook
page today.
“This year, we
celebrate Maal Hijrah during the recovery movement control order (RMCO), which
is expected to end on Aug 31, 2020.
“This year’s
celebration may not be the same as previous years, but the spirit and lessons
still give us strength, especially in facing the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic
which is not over yet and efforts to revive the country’s economy,” he said.
Hijrah refers to
the migration of Prophet Muhammad and his friends from Mekah to Yathrib
(Madinah) in the year 622 AD.
The national
Maal Hijrah 1442H celebration, themed Ummah Rabbani Negara Harmoni is being
held at the National Mosque tonight.
Muhyiddin said
the theme emphasised the development of the country in line with the concept of
Baldatun Toyyibatun Wa Rabbun Ghafur (prosperous country under the protection
of Allah).
“This approach
emphasises the intention to seek the blessings of Allah SWT as the main goal in
maintaining our country as a developed, peaceful and harmonious country,” he
said.
Muhyiddin also
thanked those who have given ideas and contributions to the development of
Islam and the country.
Meanwhile, he
congratulated Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and
Syeikh Al-Azhar Al-Syarif, Syeikh Prof Dr Ahmad Tayyib who were named this
year’s Tokoh Maal Hijrah. ― Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/08/19/pm-muhyiddin-spirit-of-maal-hijrah-gives-malaysian-muslims-strength-to-face/1895413
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King, Queen
attend Maal Hijrah celebration at National Mosque
19 Aug 2020
KUALA LUMPUR,
Aug 19 ― The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa
Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah
Iskandariah tonight attended the national-level Maal Hijrah celebrations at
Masjid Negara here.
Their Majesties
were greeted upon arrival at 6.30pm by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator
Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.
Also present
were prime minister’s wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman and Zulkifli’s wife
Datin Dr Shereen Mohd Yunos.
The event began
with the recitation of the Quran by Ustaz Syukri Ali followed by the recitation
of the “yasin, tahlil, doa selamat” as well as year-end and new year prayers by
the Grand Imam of the mosque Ehsan Mohd Hosni.
Their Majesties
and the congregation then performed Maghrib prayer.
Zulkifli in his
speech at the event said the theme for this year’s Maal Hijrah celebrations,
”Ummah Rabbani Negara Harmoni” carries an important message that should be
appreciated by all especially Muslims in facing the global Covid-19 pandemic.
“Hopefully, we
can embody the spirit of Hijrah in the days ahead in the new norm,” he said. ―
Bernama
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/08/19/king-queen-attend-maal-hijrah-celebration-at-national-mosque/1895415
--------
Mujahid: Azeez,
Umno stoking racial hatred by implicating Guan Eng as ‘culprit’ who destroyed
Tabung Haji
BY R. LOHESWAR
14 Aug 2020
KUALA LUMPUR,
Aug 14 — Parit Buntar MP Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa has slammed former
Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim for turning the Muslim
pilgrimage fund’s mismanagement debacle into a racial matter.
In a dialogue
between the two held by Sinar Harian tonight, Mujahid took issue with the Umno
Baling MP for blaming former finance minister Lim Guan Eng for purportedly
interfering in TH’s financial affairs during Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) 22-month
administration.
“These are all
lies by Azeez to fool you,” said Mujahid, who was formerly minister in charge
of religious affairs.
“He wants the
narrative to be that Lim being a Chinese is taking over the TH as he is signing
off on the documents.”
Azeez has been
claiming that TH under the PH administration had sold four of the fund’s hotels
to a company, Urusharta Jemaah Sdn Bhd (UJSB) and the undertaking was signed by
Lim as finance minister.
Azeez also
claimed there was no government guarantees under the PH government for TH
shares.
Mujahid
explained that the hotels and other assets were sold as they were not making a
profit — with the four hotels making only 1.7 per cent in profits and bleeding
TH funds.
He added that
there were three ministries involved in restructuring TH’s finances which were
the Prime Minister’s Office, Economic Affairs Ministry and the Finance
Ministry.
“Not
surprisingly, Azeez never brought up Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s name, who was
economic affairs minister who was also involved in TH affairs. Not to mention
the prime minister's offices.
“Why? Because
both are Malay-Muslims while Lim is a Chinese so let’s blame him right?
“Let me remind
everyone that Lim wasn’t the one who made the final decision, it's the Cabinet
which the majority of are Malay-Muslims. So stop these political games,” he
added.
Last month,
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said in a written Parliamentary reply
yesterday that assets of Lembaga Tabung Haji have not been sold off to
non-Muslim companies and the fund is not being controlled by non-Muslims.
In Muhyiddin’s
reply to Mujahid, he added that in line with the Recovery and Restructuring
Plan, uncompetitive Tabung Haji’s assets had been transferred to a special
purpose vehicle — UJSB — under Ministry of Finance Incorporated.
The government
was forced into a bailout of TH last year that will cost an estimated RM17
billion after discovering that the fund had been in deficit, owing to financial
decisions made during the Barisan Nasional administration.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/08/14/mujahid-azeez-umno-stoking-racial-hatred-by-implicating-guan-eng-as-culpri/1894064
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South Asia
Ghani: With the
release of Taliban prisoners, a wave of narcotics may enter Britain
20 Aug 2020
Afghan
President, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani warned about the negative consequences of the
remaining Taliban prisoners who are said to be involved in drug trafficking,
kidnapping and mass murders.
“If the
remaining prisoners of Taliban get released, a wave of narcotics may enter
Britain”, Ghani warned speaking in an exclusive interview with the UK Times.
Ghani said that
incase of an increase of narcotics trade in the United Kingdom and Europe, the
responsibility would go to the United States and other members of NATO.
“If amphetamines
reach the shores of the United States, we must know that it is a consequence of
the release of these prisoners, and if these people commit crimes, they will
have a joint international responsibility,” Ghani said.
This comes as
President Ghani signed a decree ordering the release of 400 remaining Taliban
detainees following the approval of the Ground Council (Loya Jirga).
The process of
releasing these prisoners halted after some countries including Australia and
France objected saying the murderers of their soldiers and citizens must not
get released.
On the other
hand, the Afghan government announced that the remaining Taliban prisoners will
not get released until they do not free those Afghan commandos who are in
Taliban custody.
https://www.khaama.com/ghani-with-the-release-of-taliban-prisoners-a-wave-of-narcotics-may-enter-britain-867876/
--------
The Illusion of
Inclusivity in Afghan Peace Process
19 Aug 2020
When it comes to
the peace process, young Afghans are frequently seen as less experienced, less
educated, somehow emotional, and trouble-makers. This is both unfair and
dangerous. The Afghan youth can play a positive role in the country’s peace
process; both in the impeding intra-Afghan talks and in supporting
Afghanistan’s perilous journey to reconciliation.
The most
important element of the Afghan peace process, the intra-Afghan negotiations
between the government and the Taliban, is yet to begin. It is expected that a
group of men and women representing the diverse political and ethnic spectrum
of Afghan society will soon engage informal conversations with the
representatives of the Taliban.
However, and
from the very outset, young Afghans, the country’s future leaders, have been
largely excluded from this peace process. This is not only counter-intuitive;
it also goes against the U.N. Security Council resolution 2513 in March 2020
when it emphasizes on the “importance of the effective and meaningful
participation of youth in the peace process” and states that “any political
settlement must respond to the strong desire of Afghans to sustain gains
achieved since 2001.”
In Afghanistan,
this lack of inclusion matters even more than in most countries. The Afghan
youth, defined as aged 18–35 years old by the country’s National Youth Policy,
constitutes more than 67% of the population, with a national average age of
18.4 years old, making Afghanistan one of the world’s youngest countries.
Since the
beginning of the peace talks – between the United States, led by the U.S.
special envoy, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, and the Taliban’s representatives
in Qatar – young Afghans have been making efforts to raise awareness of the peace
process among the younger generation and to engage them in this process as
committed stakeholders. Yet so far, the Afghan government has turned a deaf ear
to this public plea.
Afghan youths
are often perceived as volatile, less experienced, emotional, and often
regarded as nuisances when involved in significant decision-making processes.
As a result, the default thinking about youth and peacebuilding in the country
tends to be overwhelmingly negative. And to add insult to injury, they are also
viewed as vulnerable, powerless and in need of protection, especially those who
live in rural areas.
Despite Afghan
youth’s role to strengthen Afghanistan’s fragile democracy, they still face a
protracted lack of space for meaningful political engagement with the government
in Afghanistan.
With the right
tools and space young Afghans – whom again, form the vast majority of the
population – would have the ability to transform the country by affecting
positive change into their communities, and by extension, into Afghanistan as a
whole.
Afghan youths
are an essential source of creativity and an engine of forward-looking social
change. Recognizing and including their perspective and needs should not be
neglected, as it is now, but made a central piece of the ongoing peace process
and the country’s future.
If down the road
Afghanistan descents into renewed chaos and intensified bloodshed, it will be
argued that one of the contributing factors was the absence of young voices
into the ‘peace equation.’ We are still on time to avoid writing on the wall.
As victims of an
imposed war we, young Afghans, are understandably worried about our future.
Many of the achievements accomplished over the last nineteen years – such as
the respect of democratic values, the establishment of a constitution, the
upholding of civil rights, and the consolidation of a vibrant free media – have
been gained with the sacrifice of the country’s young citizens.
These
hard-gained successes cannot be deserted – whatever the result of the current
peace process is. Underpinning these institutions into the country’s future is
the only way to ensure a harmonious, rule-based, and stable future for
Afghanistan.
Considering the
absence of Afghan youth’s meaningful participation in the peace process, a
group of around 240 youth organizations and civil society activists from all
the 34 provinces of Afghanistan formed the “National Youth Consensus for
Peace.” A two-fold mechanism aiming to: 1) raise awareness about the barriers
to bring about peace in Afghanistan while voicing the demands of young Afghans
in the run-up to the intra-Afghan peace talks; and to 2) present a mechanism,
containing a set of constructive guidelines, to the government of Afghanistan
and international community for engagement of youth in Afghan peace process.
Afghan youth are
aware of their responsibilities and they are awakened to the undeniable reality
of embracing a new era in Afghanistan’s history; therefore, they are determined
to collectively call for their voices to be heard and their meaningful
participation to be recognized in all peace building efforts.
The ultimate
purpose of the peace process, the peace talks, in particular, is specifically
defined as being to advance the welfare of society, which requires the
substantive inclusion of society, hence a sustainable peace would only be
realized by the active and meaningful inclusion of Afghan youth in the peace
process.
https://www.khaama.com/the-illusion-of-inclusivity-in-afghan-peace-process-0898786/
--------
Taliban attack
in Takhar killed 14 Afghan security forces
20 Aug 2020
Taliban attacked
Khwaja Bahauddin district in the Northern Takhar province of Afghanistan last
night, killing at last 13 members of public uprising forces and 1 border
police, a local source said.
According to the
reports, Taliban attacked public uprising forces in Khwaja Bahauddin district
of Takhar last night that led to long hours clashes.
Both the
government officals and the Taliban have not yet commented on the incident.
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-attack-in-takhar-killed-14-afghan-security-forces-9797969/
--------
Arab world
After UAE-Israel
deal, is Bahrain the next Arab state to move toward peace?
Lauren Holtmeier
20 August 2020
Bahrain was the
first country to publicly welcome the new UAE-Israel peace deal, and phone
calls between officials and comments from unnamed Israeli officials in Hebrew
media have stirred speculation that Bahrain may be the second Gulf country to
normalize relations with Israel.
Israel and the
UAE reached a historic peace deal last week that will lead to a full
normalization of diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern nations in
an agreement that US President Donald Trump helped broker. Already some
business and communication agreements have passed including collaboration on a
coronavirus vaccine and restoration of phone lines between the two nations.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“It looks like
Bahrain and Israel could be moving in the same direction as the UAE and
Israel,” Varsha Koduvayur, senior research analyst at the Foundation for the
Defense of Democracies, told Al Arabiya English in an email exchange.
Following the
news of the peace agreement, Bahrain was one of the first countries to
congratulate the UAE, with a phone call between King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan taking place. Israel’s Mossad chief
Yossi Cohen and Bahrain’s Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa also
reportedly spoke in a phone call following news of the deal.
The new
UAE-Israel peace deal, the Abraham Accord, is a watershed moment in the region
and is only the third such agreement with Israel by an Arab nation, a first
from a Gulf country, and the first since the mid-1990s.
Egypt and
Jordan, which have previously signed peace deals with Israel welcomed the move.
In the US, White
House senior adviser and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner said that he believed
other Arab nations would soon follow.
“I do think that
we have other countries that are very interested in moving forward,” Kushner
told the American news outlet CNBC.
Israel has been
vocal in its hope that other countries will follow suit.
“In the wake of
this agreement will come additional agreements, both with more Gulf countries
and with Muslim countries in Africa,” Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen
told Israel-based radio station Army Radio, Reuters reported.
In other Israeli
media, one Hebrew outlet, the Kan channel, quoted an unnamed Israeli official
as saying that Bahrain is expected to be the next country to normalize ties
with Israel.
But Bahrain has
so far been silent on whether or not it will take the step toward peace.
“There might
need to be some more details or clarifications forthcoming on the contours of
the UAE-Israel deal before Bahrain also formalizes ties,” Koduvayur said. “The
question of whether the agreement stops or only suspends annexation remains as
a difference in messaging between the US and Israel on one hand the Gulf states
on the other.”
Koduvayur said
that Bahrain, however, has made several pro-Israel moves over the last few
years, including sending a Bahraini delegation to Jerusalem in 2017. And, in
2019, a small Israeli delegation was present in Bahrain when the Trump
administration rolled out its Peace to Prosperity plan for economic
development.
“But with the
UAE having blazed the trail, the political cost for Bahrain to normalize is
lower, with the UAE deal giving other Gulf allies political cover,” Koduvayur
concluded.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/08/20/After-UAE-Israel-deal-is-Bahrain-the-next-Arab-state-to-move-toward-peace-.html
--------
Saudi Arabia
issues desperate call for extension of anti-Iran UN arms ban
19 August 2020
The Saudi regime
has issued a desperate call for the extension of a UN arms embargo against Iran
only days after the UN Security Council said a resounding ‘No’ to a US
resolution seeking an illegal extension of the embargo.
The cabinet,
chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Tuesday, demanded the extension
of the arms embargo on Iran, alleging that the removal of the sanctions will
lead to “more destruction” and further fuel conflicts in the Middle East
region.
It also pledged
the kingdom’s support for all international measures that contribute to
stopping Iran’s regional clout.
The Security
Council on Friday rejected a US resolution to extend the arms embargo on Iran
that is due to expire in October under a 2015 nuclear agreement between Tehran
and six other world countries.
Besides the US,
only one of the Council’s 15 members — the Dominican Republic — voted in favor
of the US-drafted resolution, which had the support of the Saudi regime and its
allies at the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The vote
highlighted the division between Washington and its European allies since US
President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from Iran’s nuclear accord, which
is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and has
been endorsed by Security Council Resolution 2231, in May 2018.
Prior to the
session, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the UN Abdul Aziz al-Wasel had called for
the extension of the arms embargo on Iran, claiming that Tehran funnels weapons
to certain groups to disturb the peace in the Middle East.
The allegations
come despite the fact that Saudi Arabia is known to be actively supporting and
aiding the Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc across the region.
Moreover, the
oil-rich conservative kingdom has been engaged in a bloody campaign against
neighboring Yemen since March 2015 with the aim of reinstating a
Riyadh-friendly former government there.
The Riyadh
regime has not been alone in the atrocious campaign. It has been flanked by
regional allies and enjoys arms supplies from its Western backers.
Over 100,000 people
have been killed, according to some semi-official figures.
The war has also
destroyed and shut down Yemen’s infrastructure. The Yemeni population has been
subjected to large-scale hunger and diseases aggravated by the naval blockade
imposed on the country by the coalition of aggressors.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/19/632141/Saudi-Arabia-cabinet-calls-for-extension-of-arms-embargo-on-Iran
--------
Hezbollah
shipped explosive chemicals to Lebanon prior to Beirut blast: Reports
20 August 2020
Iran’s elite
Quds Force shipped ammonium nitrate to Hezbollah in Beirut around the same time
a Moldovan-flagged tanker arrived carrying 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate –
the same chemical substance that would later cause an enormous explosion and
engulf Beirut’s port and surrounding area, German media outlet WELT reported
Wednesday.
Previous reports
have found that Hezbollah had stock of the substance in northwest London and
Cyprus, while other reports also indicate that stockpiles were present in Germany
and Kuwait, WELT reported.
WELT, citing
Western security sources, reported that Iran-backed Hezbollah had received
large deliveries of ammonium nitrate from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) Quds Force – a US-designated terror organization.
Ammonium
nitrate, commonly used in fertilizer, can also be used in weapon production.
On July 16,
2013, a total of 270 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was delivered from Iran to
Lebanon, costing roughly 180,000 euros ($213,200, at today’s exchange rate).
Months later, on October 23, another 270 tonnes of the chemical were delivered,
costing around 141,000 euros, WELT reported. The article added that a third
shipment was made, but the amount delivered was uncertain.
“A total of one
billion Iranian rials was calculated for the delivery on April 4, 2014 (around
61,438 euros). Measured against the values of the other two deliveries, this
could have been 90 to 130 tons. In total, the three deliveries are for a
quantity of 630 to 670 tons of ammonium nitrate,” the WELT article conjectured.
The cargo
arriving in October 2013 was transported via plane, presumably on an Iranian
airline, such as Mahan Air, which is sanctioned by the United States. The other
deliveries were made via land or sea, the article alleged.
The explosion at
the Port of Beirut has left at least 178 dead, more than 6,000 injured and
destroyed vast swaths of the city.
However, there
is no evidence that links Hezbollah’s shipments to the ammonium nitrate stored
at the port responsible for the explosion.
Hezbollah has
strongly denied that it was storing arms at the blast site.
“We have nothing
in the port: not an arms depot, nor a missile depot nor missiles nor rifles nor
bombs nor bullets nor ammonium nitrate,” he added. However, it has long been
assumed that Hezbollah controls at least some aspects of port operations.
“The fact that a
massive amount of explosive material was just sitting in the Port of Beirut –
long suspected to be exploited by Hezbollah for illicit trade and smuggling –
raises troubling questions about whether the Iran-backed terror group, which is
the political glue that holds together Lebanon’s current government, had any
intentions of deploying that material in an attack,” wrote Jonathan Schanzer,
the senior vice president at Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
Obtaining
ammonium nitrate
WELT places
Hezbollah operative Mohammed Qasir as heading the purchasing operation. Qasir
was designated by the US Treasury in 2018 for acting as a “critical conduit for
financial disbursements” from the Quds Force to Hezbollah.
Qasir, based in
Damascus, Syria, worked closely with a Quds Force unit that was under the
supervision of Iranian Commander Qassem Soleimani, who himself was assassinated
in January 2020, Washington Institute analyst Matthew Levitt wrote in March
2019.
Hezbollah has
been heavily involved in neighboring Syria’s war, and teaming up with the Quds
Force meant that the Lebanon group could “develop integrated and efficient
weapons procurement and logistics pipelines through Syria and into Lebanon that
can be leveraged to greatly expand Hezbollah’s international weapons
procurement capabilities,” Levitt wrote.
There is still
no explicit evidence linking Hezbollah to the nitrate stored at the port of
Beirut, but many have pointed the finger at the Iran-backed group’s regional
behavior and past track record as indication that the group was likely linked
to the chemicals stored at the port.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/20/Hezbollah-shipped-explosive-chemicals-to-Lebanon-prior-to-Beirut-blast-Reports.html
--------
Kenyan domestic
worker abandoned in Beirut with belongings in garbage bag
Ismaeel Naar and
Omar Elkatouri
20 August 2020
The impact of
Lebanon’s dire economic situation and the aftermath of the devastating Beirut
explosion on domestic workers is being amplified after a video of a woman
abandoning her maid near the Kenyan embassy in the capital went viral.
Lebanese
activists have been sharing a video of a woman in her luxury car abandoning her
maid on the street in front of the Kenyan consulate in the capital Beirut while
other Kenyan women shout their anger at what they were seeing.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
“She brought her
here and the girl is sick and she refused to pay her, and she brought her here.
How can you drop a person into the street? It is haram [forbidden]. The girl is
complaining ‘I am sick’ and the woman came and dropped her here in the
streets,” one woman said.
The viral video
showed the abandoned domestic worker can be seen in distress holding her
personal belongings in a garbage bag.
The video, taken
by a passerby has been widely spread showing the domestic worker crying because
she was unable to do anything as she found herself both without work or
shelter.
Foreign domestic
workers have been paying the price for the economic crisis in Lebanon due to
the shortage of the dollar caused by an economic slowdown. Many domestic
workers are demanding their salaries at a time when many Lebanese who recruit
them are unable to pay salaries in dollars themselves.
According to
Reuters, thousands of foreign workers in Lebanon, some without legal
documentation, are out of work and left stranded by border closures due to the
global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Their plight has been compounded by the
deadly explosion at Beirut port on August 4.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/20/Watch-Kenyan-domestic-worker-abandoned-in-Beirut-with-belongings-in-garbage-bag.html
--------
Number one issue
in Iraq is the question of pro-Iran militias: Expert
Ismaeel Naar
Aug 20,
2020
The number one
issue surrounding Iraq is the question of pro-Iranian militias operating
outside government control, says former US Army intelligence soldier Michael
Pregent ahead of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's visit to the White
House.
“Everything else
will only happen after Prime Minister Kadhimi tells the United States what his
plan is to take on the militias. If he has no plan, then I can understand that
because he has no power,” Pregent, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute,
told Al Arabiya.
The Iraqi prime
minister prepared to make his first visit to the White House on Thursday.
Earlier on
Wednesday, the United States called for Iraq to dismantle non-government
"armed groups" that have "undermined national sovereignty"
ahead of Kadhimi’s visit.
“Kadhimi is
here, he can't do anything without the approval of Maliki and Hadi al-Amiri.
And the United States needs to realize that and I think it's gotten so bad in
Iraq, that the Americans understand that now. And it will dominate the
conversations over the next two days. What are you going to do about Abu Fadak
and Kataeb Hezbollah?” Pregent said.
During his
meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo reiterated Washington’s calls for the dismantling of militias but did
not specify which groups he was referring to.
(With inputs
from AFP)
Kadhimi, who
took office in May, faces challenges from factions of the Popular Mobilization
Unit (PMU) militias, also known as Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of Iraqi Shia
paramilitary groups with close ties to Iran.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/features/2020/08/20/Number-one-issue-in-Iraq-is-the-question-of-pro-Iran-militias-Expert.html
--------
Unknown gunmen
assassinate Iraqi activist Reham Yacoub in central Basra
Ismaeel Naar
19 August 2020
Unknown gunmen
have assassinated Iraqi activist Dr. Reham Yacoub in central Basra, activists
confirmed.
Yacoub was an
Iraqi activist, nutritionist and media personality in Basra who took part in
the recent popular protests that rocked Iraq.
Yacoub was one
of four activists who were targeted and killed in Basra on Wednesday night
while one other activist was assassinated in the capital Baghdad, according to
Al Arabiya's Baghdad correspondent Majid Hamid.
The
assassination of Yacoub comes a month after Iraqi security and extremism
researcher Hisham al-Hashemi was killed after three gunmen on two motorcycles
fired at him from meters away near his home in the capital Baghdad.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/19/Unknown-gunmen-assassinate-Iraqi-activist-Reham-Yacoub-in-central-Basra.html
--------
Security fears
in Lebanon after reports of Turkish weapons shipments
Joseph Haboush
Aug 20, 2020
Fears over a
security incident in Lebanon have grown in recent days with Turkey allegedly
flooding parts of the country with weapons, officials said, using the northern
border with Syria.
Three diplomats
confirmed to Al Arabiya English hearing about the Turkish-backed movement of
arms.
For all the
latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Two Lebanese
army intelligence sources also voiced their concern over the matter. One of the
intelligence sources spoke to Al Arabiya English following a surveillance
operation by a branch of the army in north Lebanon, earlier this week.
“We are pretty
worried about what’s going on. The Turks are sending an incredible amount of
weapons into the north,” the intelligence source said.
Asked about the
flow of Turkish weapons, a senior Lebanese diplomat said there were no specific
details, but “we know they’re active.”
“We are keeping
an eye on it and staying in contact with the United States administration,” the
diplomat said.
The US State
Department referred questions to the governments of Lebanon and Turkey and said
that it does not comment on foreign intelligence reports.
Turkey had long
been influential in Lebanon - most recently with two Turkish power barges
docking off Lebanon’s coasts to help with the neglected electricity sector.
Politically, it
backs members of Lebanon’s small, but active, Muslim Brotherhood branch.
Three days after
the Aug. 4 explosions in Beirut, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency published an
article titled “Turkey rushes to help Lebanon amid deadly explosion.”
Turkey’s Vice
President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu jetted to Beirut
days after and said that Ankara was willing to rebuild the port.
From Beirut,
Cavusoglu said Turkey stood with its “kin, the Turks and Turkmens in Lebanon
and around the world.”
He added: “We
will grant Turkish citizenship to our brothers who say ‘I am Turkish, I am
Turkmen,’ and express their desire to become a citizen. These are our [Turkish]
President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s instructions.”
A diplomat in
the region said that more weapons in Lebanon were the last thing needed.
Iran-backed Hezbollah has flaunted its arms and has repeatedly boasted about
its arsenal of missiles and rockets. Several other non-state groups and
militias, including the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, who hold annual
parades in Battle Dress Uniforms (BDU), also possess weapons.
Efforts to push
back against EU diplomacy
Turkey is also
locked in a dispute with much of Europe and the Arab world over its
interference in Libya and Iraq as well as its offshore digging in the Eastern
Mediterranean waters of Cyprus and Greece.
France, Turkey’s
NATO ally, has been an outspoken critic of Ankara’s “unacceptable” behavior in
recent months.
Cavusoglu hit
out at Germany over its disagreement over the Libya crisis. On Aug. 6, the
Turkish foreign minister accused Germany of taking part in a “biased” EU
initiative, which calls for a UN arms embargo to Libya’s fighting sides.
As for Turkey’s
deteriorating relationship with France, Erdogan was reportedly frustrated with
the outpouring of support for French President Emmanuel Macron during the
latter’s Beirut visit.
The Turkish
Embassy in Beirut did not respond to a request for comment. The French Foreign
Ministry was also unable to be reached for comment.
Firas Maksad, an
adjunct professor at George Washington University, said Lebanon was a disputed
territory. “There might be growing Turkish involvement in Lebanon and perhaps
it is an inexpensive arena for the Turks to play in. It’s readily available and
doesn’t cost much,” Maksad told Al Arabiya English.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/2020/08/19/Security-fears-in-Lebanon-after-reports-of-Turkish-weapons-shipments.html
--------
US announces new
aid to Iraq, but warns that ‘armed groups’ must be controlled
19 August 2020
The United
States Wednesday announced more than $200 million in additional humanitarian
aid to Iraq but called for “armed groups” to be replaced by local police.
Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo made the additional aid announcement as he met his Iraqi
counterpart in Washington, DC.
For all the
latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Nearly $204
million in additional humanitarian assistance for “the people of Iraq, Iraqi
refugees in the region, and to generous communities hosting them” will be
given.
Pompeo welcomed
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s call for early parliamentary
elections next year.
Kadhimi, last
month, proposed early elections following monthslong protests by the Iraqi
people.
The Iraqi
premier is set to meet US President Donald Trump this week and will be the
first Iraqi PM to visit the White House in three years. Washington did not extend
any invites to Kadhimi’s predecessor, who was seen as close to Iran.
On Wednesday,
Pompeo warned Iraqi that it needed to get armed groups under control.
“Armed groups
not under the full control of the prime minister have impeded our progress.
Those groups need to be replaced by local police as soon as possible,” Pompeo
said at a news conference with his Iraqi counterpart.
The top US
diplomat said the pair discussed ways Washington could “help preserve Iraq’s
rich cultural heritage and religious diversity, and support education in Iraq
as well.”
For his part,
Iraqi FM Fuad Hussein said Baghdad saw the US an ally, “and a strong ally for
Iraq. And we will continue to protect this alliance and to deepen it and expand
it.”
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/2020/08/19/US-announces-new-aid-to-Iraq-but-warns-that-armed-groups-must-be-controlled.html
--------
Mideast
Iran’s Mehr
agency accused slain Iraq activist Reham Yacoub of working for US
Yaghoub Fazeli
20 August 2020
An Iranian state
news agency had accused slain Iraqi activist Dr. Reham Yacoub of working for
the US and against Iranian interests in Iraq.
Yacoub, an Iraqi
activist, nutritionist and media personality was assassinated by unknown gunmen
in central Basra on Wednesday.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Yacoub took part
in Iraq’s anti-government protests and had led several women’s marches.
An article by
Iran’s Mehr news agency from September 2018 had accused the slain activist of
cooperating with the US consulate in Basra and giving women in the city
“riot-related training.”
“Under the guise
of exercise and jogging, [Yacoub] gives [Basra]’s women riot-related training
so they can be an important element of future demonstrations,” the article
said.
Yacoub herself
received “training” from US diplomats, the article said.
The article
claims the US consulate recruited Yacoub and other Basra-based activists in
2017-2018 to advance US interests in Iraq.
The article
concluded that Yacoub and other activists in Basra are part of a US plot to
harm relations between Baghdad and Tehran and to “destroy the image” of
Iran-backed militias in Iraq and the region.
Yacoub was one
of four activists who were targeted and killed in Basra on Wednesday night
while one other activist was assassinated in Baghdad, according to Al Arabiya's
correspondent in the Iraqi capital.
The
assassination of Yacoub comes a month after Iraqi security and extremism
researcher Hisham al-Hashemi was shot dead near his home in Baghdad.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/20/Iran-s-Mehr-agency-accused-slain-Iraq-activist-Reham-Yacoub-of-working-for-US.html
--------
Iran upholds
prison sentences of five Christians
Yaghoub Fazeli
19 August 2020
Iran has upheld
the prison sentences of five Christian citizens who had been sentenced to a
total of 50 years in prison, non-profit Christian watchdog Article 18 reported
on Wednesday.
An Iranian
appeals court recently upheld the sentences of Pastor Victor Bet-Tamraz and his
wife Shamiram Issavi who were sentenced to 10 and five years in prison
respectively, according to Article 18.
Last week,
Issavi was officially summoned to report to Tehran’s notorious Evin prison
within five days to begin her five-year prison sentence, but she managed to
flee the country with her husband hours before she was due to begin her
sentence, Article 18 reported.
Bet-Tamraz and
Issavi, both in their sixties, were charged with spreading Christianity and
acting against national security by organizing and running house churches.
Iran considers
the spreading of the Christian faith a criminal act. Every year, dozens of
Christian citizens and Christian converts are arrested and given long prison
terms.
The couple’s
current whereabouts are unknown, but they are “safe and well” and “determined
to continue their legal battle against their combined 15-year prison sentence,”
their daughter Dabrina told Article 18.
The appeals
court has also upheld the prison sentences of three Christian converts. They
are Hadi Asgari, Kavian Fallah-Mohammadi and Amin Afshar-Naderi. Asgari and
Fallah-Mohammadi were each sentenced to 10 years in prison and Afshar-Naderi
was sentenced to 15 years.
Bet-Tamraz,
Fallah-Mohammadi and Afshar-Naderi were arrested at a Christmas celebration in
2014 and sentenced alongside Asgari in 2017. Issavi received her prison
sentence half a year later, in January 2018.
Bet-Tamraz,
Afshar-Naderi and Fallah-Mohammadi were at some point held in solitary
confinement for 65 days, according to Article 18.
Iran’s constitution
only recognizes followers of the three religions of Judaism, Zoroastrianism and
Christianity as religious minorities, but neither this group of Iranians, nor
even Sunni Muslims, can perform their rites with complete freedom.
Christians,
Sunni Muslims, Jews, Baha’i’s, and others are frequently subject to harassment,
detention, and even execution.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/19/Iran-upholds-prison-sentences-of-five-Christians.html
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Israel likely
won’t stamp passports of UAE tourists: Israeli foreign ministry
Emily Judd
19 August 2020
Israel will
likely not stamp passports of tourists traveling to the country from the UAE,
according to Israel’s foreign ministry.
Israel and the
UAE announced a historic agreement to normalize relations on Thursday, with
plans to open up tourism and direct flights between the countries.
“In general,
tourists arriving to Israel are not required to have their passports stamped at
border control, but rather receive a paper note which can then be used to enter
Israel,” Israeli foreign ministry deputy spokesman Nizar Amer told Al Arabiya
English when asked about whether Israel will stamp UAE passports.
“The topic is
expected to be raised in discussions between the two countries,” he added.
Israel stamping
a UAE passport would be significant as certain Arab countries, such as Lebanon,
place entry restrictions on people with Israeli stamps in their passports.
As Amer
clarified, Israel has typically not stamped passports of foreign tourists and
instead provides a small slip of paper at the airport upon arrival that works
as an entry card into the country.
The United Arab
Emirates has previously allowed entry to tourists with Israeli stamps in their
passports and Israeli citizens have been allowed to enter the UAE if using a
non-Israeli passport.
That is expected
to change as relations normalize.
However the UAE
already made an exception last December when it announced it would allow
Israelis to enter the country using their Israeli passports for the 2020 World
Expo, which has since been delayed a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This week has
seen major developments in UAE-Israel relations. On Tuesday, UAE National
Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Yossi Cohen, head
of Israel's foreign intelligence, the Mossad.
The two
discussed bilateral cooperation in several fields, according to state news
agency WAM.
On Monday,
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin invited Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed
bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Jerusalem.
Rivlin expressed
the invitation in a letter, written in Arabic.
“I'm full of
hope that this step will contribute to building and strengthening the mutual
trust between us and the region's nations,” said Rivlin in the letter.
The UAE
confirmed on Sunday that a phone link had been set up with Israel, unblocking
phone calls between the countries.
UAE Minister of
Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Foreign
Minister Gabi Ashkenazi “inaugurated a phone link between the United Arab
Emirates and the State of Israel following the historic Peace Accord,” said UAE
Director of Strategic Communications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hend Al
Otaiba in a post on Twitter on Sunday.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/19/Israel-likely-won-t-stamp-passports-of-UAE-tourists-Israeli-foreign-ministry.html
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Israeli
airstrikes on Gaza Strip for 8th consecutive night
19 August 2020
Israeli aircraft
have conducted airstrikes on the Gaza Strip for the 8th consecutive night.
Israel claims
the raid was in response to a rocket that was fired from the besieged enclave.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/19/632113/Israeli-airstrike-Gaza
--------
Europe
‘East
Mediterranean to decide future of EU-Turkey ties’
Muhammet Ikbal
Arslan
19.08.2020
Developments in
the Eastern Mediterranean will determine the future of relations between the
European Union and Turkey, Greece and Southern Cyprus said Tuesday.
Greece’s Foreign
Minister Nikos Dendias paid a visit to Southern Cyprus and met with his counterpart
Nikos Christodoulides and President Nikos Anastasiadis.
Both sides
decided the next step to take before the EU Foreign Ministers meeting to be
held in Berlin on Aug. 27-28.
Claiming that
Turkey’s activities in the region are directed against the EU, Dendias called
on the bloc to respond to counter it.
He said Turkey
is ignoring international and maritime law as well as European values.
Greece, Southern
Cyprus and France have demanded that the EU impose sanctions on Turkey due to
its activities in region.
Turkey last week
resumed energy exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean after Greece and Egypt
signed a controversial maritime delimitation deal.
The agreement
came days after Ankara said it would postpone its oil and gas exploration as a
goodwill gesture.
But after
declaring the Greek-Egyptian deal "null and void," Turkey authorized
the Oruc Reis seismic research vessel to continue its activities in an area
within the country's continental shelf.
The ship will
continue its two-week mission until Aug. 23 along with the vessels Cengiz Han
and Ataman.
Turkey has
consistently opposed Greece's efforts to declare an exclusive economic zone
based on small islands near Turkish shores, violating the interests of Turkey,
the country with the longest coastline in the Mediterranean.
Turkey has also
said that energy resources near Cyprus must be shared fairly between the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which has issued Turkish Petroleum
a license, and the Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus.
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the only solution to the dispute was
through dialogue and negotiation and urged Athens to respect Turkey’s rights.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/-east-mediterranean-to-decide-future-of-eu-turkey-ties-/1946279
--------
Turkey issues
report on Turkish minority in Greece
Emin
Avundukluoglu
18.08.2020
The Turkish
parliament on Tuesday issued a report elaborating on religious and cultural
problems faced by the Turkish minority in Greece.
The report by
the Department of Research Services also examined the difficulties in
protecting joint heritage sites in the southeastern European country, such as a
600-year-old Ottoman-era mosque in Didymoteicho.
Built in 1420,
the Celebi Sultan Mehmet Mosque was severely damaged in a 2017 fire.
Turkey
repeatedly offered cooperation to restore the mosque but to no avail.
“Despite the
positive steps taken by the Greek authorities, the joint cultural heritage in
Greece has not been protected as required," it said.
The research
argued that some restoration works by Greek authorities have destroyed the real
character and architectural aspects of structures.
It said that
Turkish groups in Western Thrace and the Dodecanese Islands did not have
control over their religious foundations, which negatively impacts the struggle
to protect historical sites.
"Absence of
any mosque in the Greek capital Athens, and the country's second-biggest city
of Thessaloniki draws a reaction from the Turkish minority. Athens is the only
European capital that has no mosque."
Greece's Western
Thrace region – in the country’s northeast, near the Turkish border – is home
to a substantial, long-established Muslim Turkish minority numbering around
150,000.
Decades of Greek
mistreatment towards the group has been ignored by the European Union, even as
it violates international treaties, high court rulings, and the 27-member
bloc’s own rules.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkey-issues-report-on-turkish-minority-in-greece/1945640
--------
Africa
At least 45
migrants killed after boat capsizes off Libya coast: UN
19 August 2020
A boat carrying
dozens of migrants bound for Europe capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya
and at least 45 people drowned or were missing and presumed dead, the UN said
Wednesday.
The capsizing,
which marked the largest number of fatalities in a single shipwreck off the
coast of the North African country this year, happened Monday when the engine
exploded, UN officials said. The boat, carrying at least 82 migrants, then
capsized.
Thirty-seven
survivors, mainly from Senegal, Mali, Chad and Ghana, were rescued by local fishermen
and later detained by Libyan officials onshore, according to a joint statement
by the International Organization for Migration and the UN refugee agency.
The survivors
reported 45 people, including five children, had drowned off the coast of the western
town of Zuwara, the statement said.
Alarm Phone, an
independent support group for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, said it
received a call Saturday from someone on a migrant vessel “panicking and
screaming” that passengers were about to die.
The migrants,
among them five women, two of them pregnant, said the boat engine had stopped
working and they did not have any food or water, the group said. Alarm Phone
said it alerted Libyan, Maltese, Italian and Tunisian authorities and provided
them with relevant details on the boat.
It was not
immediately clear that this was the same vessel that capsized off Zuwara.
Alarm Phone said
the last time it was in contact with the boat was late Saturday.
“We urge states
to swiftly respond to these incidents,” the UN agencies said. “Delays recorded
in recent months, and failure to assist, are unacceptable and put lives at
avoidable risk.”
The shipwreck
was the latest maritime disaster involving migrants seeking a better life in
Europe.
In June, a dozen
people were missing and feared drowned off the coastal town of Zawiya, about 48
kilometers (30 miles) west of the capital, Tripoli.
Libya, which
descended into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed
longtime dictator Moammar Gaddafi, has emerged as a major transit point for
African and Arab migrants fleeing war and poverty to Europe.
Most migrants
make the perilous journey in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats. The IOM said
in March that its estimated death toll among migrants who tried to cross the
Mediterranean passed the “grim milestone” of 20,000 deaths since 2014.
In recent years,
the European Union has partnered with the coast guard and other Libyan forces
to stop the flow of migrants.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/north-africa/2020/08/19/At-least-45-migrants-killed-after-boat-capsizes-off-Libya-coast-UN.html
--------
UN Security
Council slams Mali 'mutiny,' urges dialogue
Michael Gabriel
Hernandez
19.08.2020
The UN Security
Council strongly condemned a military "mutiny" Wednesday in Mali that
has led to the detention of senior government officials and their families.
The council's
members "urged those mutineers to release safely and immediately all the
officials detained and to return to their barracks without delay," and
called on Mali's stakeholders to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue to
end the ongoing crisis.
The African
Union suspended Mali’s membership Wednesday after soldiers ousted the president
and his government the previous day. The decision to oust Mali will remain in
effect until the restoration of constitutional order in the West African
nation, it said.
It also demanded
President Boubacar Keita and other senior officials be released.
Local
heavyweight Nigeria condemned the coup and demanded an immediate “restoration
of constitutional order.”
Keita announced
his resignation Tuesday after being detained by soldiers. Prime Minister Boubou
Cisse was also detained.
Tensions erupted
in Mali in 2012 following a failed coup and a rebellion by Tuareg separatists
that ultimately allowed al-Qaeda-linked militant groups to take control of the
northern half of the country.
Keita, 75, came
to power in 2013 but has been criticized by some who say he has failed to
protect them from terrorist attacks mostly in the northern and central part of
the country.
Mali, one of the
poorest countries in the world, suffers from the presence of several terror
groups, despite the presence of French, Malian and UN peacekeepers who carry
out counter-terrorism operations.
A 2015 peace
agreement between the government and Tuareg rebel groups could not be
implemented.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-security-council-slams-mali-mutiny-urges-dialogue/1947402
--------
African Union
condemns ‘unconstitutional change’ in Mali
19 August 2020
Chairman of the
African Union and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday
condemned the ‘unconstitutional change of government’ in Mali and demanded the
release of its leaders.
In his first
official reaction since President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was forced out on
Tuesday, Ramaphosa issued a statement demanding "the Malian military
release from detention the president, the prime minister, ministers and other
Government executives."
Keita said
Wednesday he had stepped down to avoid "bloodshed" after he was
detained in a coup, whose leaders pledged new elections.
Ramaphosa called
for the "immediate return to civilian rule and for the military to return
to their barracks".
He also urged
other leaders in Africa and beyond to "denounce and reject" the
military-led government.
Separately,
Angolan leader Joao Lourenco tweeted that despite the reasons behind Keita's
ouster, "we repudiate and discourage this way of forcing the alternation
of power."
The development
came hours after soldiers at the base in Kati, a town 15 kilometres from the
capital of Bamako, staged a mutiny, detaining an unspecified number of
high-ranking military and political figures, including the foreign and finance
ministers and the parliament speaker.
The soldiers
later arrested the president, along with Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, at their
residences.
EU calls for
‘immediate’ release of detained Mali leaders
Separately, EU
leaders also called for the immediate release of prisoners held after the coup
in Mali, who include the country’s president and prime minister.
“We call for the
immediate freeing of prisoners, and for a return to the state of law,” said EU
Council chief Charles Michel after a video summit of the bloc’s 27 leaders.
“We believe that
the stability of the region and of Mali, and the fight against terrorism should
be an absolute priority,” he added.
The EU has
operated a mission training the armed forces in Mali since 2013 and in July
announced a joint EU special ops force to back Mali’s fight against jihadist
groups.
Militants and
inter-ethnic violence in Mali and neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso killed at
least 4,000 people in 2019, according to the United Nations.
The entire Sahel
region is seeing ever more brazen attacks by Islamist groups despite the
beefing up of national armies and the deployment of 5,100 French anti-terrorism
troops.
Michel said
Europe would work in “close cooperation” with international and African
institutions involved “so that we can come to a solution that is directly
linked to the aspirations of the Mali people.”
Mali’s military
promises civilian transition
In a statement
broadcast on state-owned television early on Wednesday, a spokesman for the
mutineers calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the
People said they had decided to act to prevent Mali from falling further into
chaos.
Flanked by
soldiers, committee spokesman Colonel Ismael Wague invited Mali’s civil society
and political movements to join them to create conditions for a political
transition that would lead to elections.
“Our country is
sinking into chaos, anarchy, and insecurity mostly due to the fault of the
people who are in charge of its destiny,” he said.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/19/632166/Mali-African-Union
--------
45 African migrants
killed off Libya in worst shipwreck of year
19 August 2020
At least 45
African migrants have died in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast in the
largest recorded shipwreck this year, UN agencies said on Wednesday.
The UN High
Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration
issued a statement disclosing the accident on Monday, and called for an
increase of search and rescue capacity.
The statement
reported that 45 migrants, including five children, lost their lives when the
engine of the vessel exploded off the coast of Zwara.
"Some 37
survivors, mainly from Senegal, Mali, Chad and Ghana, were rescued by local
fishermen and later detained upon disembarkation," the statement said.
Libya is a major
migration route for those seeking to reach Europe, with an estimated 654,000
migrants, often living in cramped conditions with little access to health care.
The latest
shipwreck brings the death toll to at least 302 on the route so far this year,
the UN agencies' statement said.
In recent
months, hundreds of migrants have been stopped at sea and their vessels sent
back to Libya despite the risk of violence there.
With Libyan
state vessels taking responsibility for rescues in the absence of a European
Union program, more than 7,000 people have been returned to Libya this year,
the statement said.
The IOM and
UNHCR say Libya should not be classified as a safe port for migrants and that
they should not have to disembark there, wanting an alternative scheme to be
created to take people rescued or intercepted at sea to safe ports.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/19/632181/African-migrants-Libya-dead
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Militants take
hundreds hostage in northeastern Nigeria
20 August 2020
Daesh-linked
militants have taken hundreds of hostages after overrunning a town in
northeastern Nigeria.
Vigilante
militia leader Babakura Kolo said on Wednesday that militants from the
so-called West Africa Province (ISWAP) raided the town of Kukawa in Borno State
late on Tuesday, seizing the residents, who had just returned to their homes
after spending nearly two years in displacement camps in the regional capital,
Maiduguri.
“The terrorists
attacked the town in 22 trucks around 4:00 pm (16:00 GMT) yesterday and engaged
soldiers guarding the town in a fierce battle,” he said.
The residents
had returned to the town in early August under military escort on the orders of
Borno State authorities. They had fled their homes following a bloody attack in
November 2018.
A local chief
who accompanied the residents to the town said the people had returned with the
hope of cultivating their farmlands but had now ended up in the hands of the
terrorists.
“We don’t know
what they would do to them but I hope they don’t harm them,” said the chief,
who spoke to AFP anonymously.
An unnamed
security source who confirmed the incident to AFP said fighter jets were
deployed from Maiduguri on Wednesday to “tackle the situation,” without giving
any further details.
In the last two
years, local authorities have been encouraging the displaced people who have
fled due to an upsurge in violence in northeastern Nigeria to return home.
Residents have
been returned to five major towns since 2018, where they are confined under
military protection, with trenches dug around to try to fend off terrorist
attacks.
Despite the
fortifications, terrorist have continued to launch attacks.
ISWAP is a
splinter group of the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The two groups
have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more in the northeastern
areas of Nigeria.
The violence has
spilled over into the neighboring countries of Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, which
have created a joint military force to fight the terrorists.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/20/632190/Nigeria-militants-hundreds-hostage
--------
UN Security
Council slams Mali 'mutiny,' urges dialogue
Michael Gabriel
Hernandez
19.08.2020
The UN Security
Council strongly condemned a military "mutiny" Wednesday in Mali that
has led to the detention of senior government officials and their families.
The council's
members "urged those mutineers to release safely and immediately all the
officials detained and to return to their barracks without delay," and
called on Mali's stakeholders to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue to
end the ongoing crisis.
The African
Union suspended Mali’s membership Wednesday after soldiers ousted the president
and his government the previous day. The decision to oust Mali will remain in
effect until the restoration of constitutional order in the West African
nation, it said.
It also demanded
President Boubacar Keita and other senior officials be released.
Local
heavyweight Nigeria condemned the coup and demanded an immediate “restoration
of constitutional order.”
Keita announced
his resignation Tuesday after being detained by soldiers. Prime Minister Boubou
Cisse was also detained.
Tensions erupted
in Mali in 2012 following a failed coup and a rebellion by Tuareg separatists
that ultimately allowed al-Qaeda-linked militant groups to take control of the
northern half of the country.
Keita, 75, came
to power in 2013 but has been criticized by some who say he has failed to
protect them from terrorist attacks mostly in the northern and central part of
the country.
Mali, one of the
poorest countries in the world, suffers from the presence of several terror
groups, despite the presence of French, Malian and UN peacekeepers who carry
out counter-terrorism operations.
A 2015 peace
agreement between the government and Tuareg rebel groups could not be
implemented.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-security-council-slams-mali-mutiny-urges-dialogue/1947402
--------
African Union
suspends Mali's membership after coup
Addis
Getachew
19.08.2020
The African
Union has suspended Mali’s membership after soldiers on Tuesday ousted the
nation’s president and his government.
The Pan-African
body’s Peace and Security Council said Wednesday the suspension would remain in
effect until the restoration of constitutional order in the West African
nation.
It also demanded
that President Boubacar Keita and other senior officials be released.
In a related
development, local heavyweight Nigeria condemned the coup in Mali, demanding an
immediate “restoration of constitutional order”.
“The Nigerian
Government unequivocally condemns the coup d'état that took place in Mali
yesterday and demands the immediate and unconditional restoration of
constitutional order,” Nigeria’s Foreign Minister tweeted Wednesday.
“We welcome the
urgent activation of the ECOWAS Standby force,” it added, referring to the
Economic Community of West African States, an influential 15-member political
and economic bloc.
Keita announced
his resignation Tuesday after being detained by soldiers. Prime Minister Boubou
Cisse was also detained.
Tensions erupted
in Mali in 2012 following a failed coup and a rebellion by Tuareg separatists
that ultimately allowed al-Qaeda-linked militant groups to take control of the
northern half of the country.
Keita, 75, came
to power in 2013 but has been criticized by some who say he has failed to
protect them from terrorist attacks mostly in the northern and central part of
the country.
Mali, one of the
poorest countries in the world, suffers from the presence of several terror
groups, despite the presence of French, Malian, and UN peacekeepers who carry
out counter-terrorism operations.
A 2015 peace
agreement between the government and Tuareg rebel groups could not be
implemented.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/african-union-suspends-malis-membership-after-coup/1947382
--------
Libyan official
agrees to meet pro-Haftar leader in Morocco
19.08.2020
TRIPOLI
Khalid
al-Mishri, head of Libya’s High State Council, has agreed to meet Aguila Saleh,
speaker of the pro-Haftar Libyan parliament, in Morocco.
The meeting is
part of Rabat’s efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis, al-Mishri said on
Wednesday.
“There are
efforts being made by Morocco under the supervision of King Mohammed VI to
advance diplomatic efforts to solve the Libyan crisis,” he was quoted as saying
by Moroccan news channel Medi1 TV.
“In this regard,
we visited Morocco [in July], coinciding with the presence of Aguila Saleh in
the kingdom. We said we are ready to meet with him in public, but on the
condition of international guarantees and the presence of our Moroccan
brothers.”
The top official
said he was ready to meet all parties to the Libyan conflict on the same conditions.
On Morocco’s
role in finding a solution to the Libyan crisis, al-Mishri said: “We trust the
Moroccan leadership wants to reach a [just] solution and not secure the
interests of one party at the expense of the other.”
Libya has been
torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The
Government of National Accord (GNA) was founded in 2015 under a UN-led
agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to a
military offensive by forces loyal to warlord Khalifa Haftar.
The UN
recognizes the government headed by premier Fayez al-Sarraj as the country's
legitimate authority, as Tripoli has battled Haftar's militias since April 2019
in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.
Turkey continues
to support the internationally recognized government, while Haftar has been
backed by Russia, France, Egypt, and the UAE.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/libyan-official-agrees-to-meet-pro-haftar-leader-in-morocco-/1947209
--------
Nigeria: 12
civilians reported killed in volatile town
Ekip
19.08.2020
Nigeria
By Olarewaju
Kola
LAGOS, Nigeria
(AA) - Roughly a dozen civilians have been killed by Boko Haram terrorists
during an attack on a volatile town in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State,
according to locals.
The terrorists
invaded Kukawa, a restive town on the Nigerian border with Chad and Niger at
about 4 pm local time (1500GMT) on Tuesday, shooting sporadically, community
leader Mustapha Lawan told Anadolu Agency in Maiduguri, Borno’s provincial
capital.
The incident was
not immediately known until Wednesday afternoon due to the breakdown of
telecommunication facilities in the area.
The town is
located on the Lake Chad shore and processes fish to send it to various parts
of the country and neighboring African nations for sale.
Ahmad Sajo, a
member of a state-backed irregular security force, said some military personnel
were abducted by the terrorists.
No one has
claimed responsibility for the incident, but the town was attacked and captured
by Boko Haram in 2014, liberated by the military in 2016, and attacked again in
December 2018.
The military has
not also responded to the incident.
The attack came
barely two weeks after the convoy of Borno’s governor, Babagana Zulum, was
ambushed in the area by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
Over 50,000
civilians and security personnel have been killed and about 3 million people
displaced in over a decade of Boko Haram terror attacks in the country's
northeast.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/nigeria-12-civilians-reported-killed-in-volatile-town/1947166
--------
North America
Trump says US to
invoke snapback of UN's Iran sanctions
Michael Gabriel
Hernandez
20.08.2020
WASHINGTON
President Donald
Trump said Wednesday that he has directed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to
inform the UN Security Council that the US intends to "snap back"
international sanctions on Iran lifted as part of a 2015 nuclear deal.
Trump told
reporters at the White House the action is "a snapback, not
uncommon," even as it has been met with uniform opposition from the pact's
signatories.
The US president
decided in 2018 to unilaterally withdraw Washington from the multilateral
nuclear accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
(JCPOA), which was chiefly led by his predecessor, Barack Obama.
In so doing,
Trump ignored the objections from all of the pact's other participants, who now
openly question the US's standing to invoke snapback, as it is no longer a
party to the JCPOA. All of the other signatories -- the EU, UK, France,
Germany, Iran, Russia and China -- remain participants to the pact.
The EU's foreign
policy chief said Sunday that the US lacks standing to invoke snapback due to
Trump's May 2018 decision to leave the agreement and Washington's subsequent
lack of participation in any of the accord's mechanisms.
"We
therefore consider that the US is not in a position to resort to mechanisms
reserved for JCPOA participants (such as the so-called snapback)," Josep
Borrell’s spokesman said, according to Germany's DPA news agency.
The
"snapback" mechanism allows a deal participant to restore UN
sanctions lifted as part of the agreement if it deems Iran to be in violation
of the pact.
Trump continued
to rail against the agreement, saying it "funneled tens of billions of
dollars to Iran," repeating his assertion that it is a "total
disaster" and maintaining that the US still has a right to re-invoke UN
sanctions despite its withdrawal.
"When we
entered into the Iran deal, it was clear that the United States would always
have the right to restore the UN sanctions that will prevent Iran from
developing a nuclear weapon," he said.
Trump's decision
comes after the US was dealt an embarrassing blow when it failed to gain the
necessary support to pass a Security Council resolution that would have
extended an international arms embargo on Iran that sunset on Oct. 18 under the
JCPOA.
Only one other
nation in the 15-member chamber voted with the US in approval, with all others
either opposed or abstaining from the vote.
The US effort to
invoke snapback could occur as soon as Thursday, when Pompeo travels to New
York on a two-day trip to formally notify the Security Council that the US will
begin the snapback process.
That would start
a 30-day countdown for the sanctions to be re-imposed and for the arms embargo
to be extended.
"Secretary
Pompeo’s notification to the Council follows its inexcusable failure last week
to extend the arms embargo on the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism
and anti-Semitism. Secretary Pompeo will also meet with United Nations
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss Iran and other issues of shared
concern," State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
The Trump
administration is rushing to do so before Russia assumes the Security Council
presidency in October.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-says-us-to-invoke-snapback-of-uns-iran-sanctions/1947486
--------
US senators warn
Trump of Saudi covert nuclear program
Michael Gabriel
Hernandez
19.08.2020
WASHINGTON
A bipartisan
group of senators sent a letter to US President Donald Trump warning him of the
dangers of Saudi Arabia's undeclared nuclear and ballistic missiles program,
according to a report published Wednesday.
“Saudi Arabia is
positioning itself to develop the front-end of the [nuclear] fuel cycle. These
technologies, if unchecked, would give Riyadh a latent capacity to produce
fissile material for nuclear weapons,” Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen
wrote in the letter obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
He was joined by
two other Democrat and three Republican senators. They include Susan Collins,
Tim Kaine, Jeff Merkley, Jerry Moran and Rand Paul.
The letter
follows a publication of an exclusive report in the newspaper that Riyadh is
secretly expanding its nuclear program with Beijing's help. Citing western
officials, the report said it has constructed a facility to process uranium
into the key yellowcake concentrated powder needed for enrichment.
The manufacture
of yellowcake alone is not enough to establish a nuclear weapons program, but
it is a key early step in that direction or to develop a civilian nuclear
program.
The letter
additionally draws attention to reports Saudi Arabia is secretly developing a
ballistic missile program with China's aid.
“The Saudis
appear to be hiding significant parts of their nuclear program, which calls
into question their intentions,” Van Hollen told the newspaper. “China is
exploiting the situation.”
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-senators-warn-trump-of-saudi-covert-nuclear-program/1947444
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US charges two
citizens, one Pakistani with moving US currency to Iran, Khamenei
Ismaeel Naar
20 August 2020
Two American
citizens and one Pakistani national have been charged with federal crimes by
the US Justice Department on Wednesday for moving US currency to Iran on behalf
of the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader in 2018 and 2019.
Muzzamil Zaidi,
36, a US citizen who resides in Qom, Iran, was charged with acting in the
United States as an agent of the government of Iran without first notifying the
Attorney General. Zaidi, Asim Naqvi, 36, another US citizen who lives in
Houston, Texas, and Ali Chawla, 36, a Pakistani national who lives in Qom,
Iran, were all charged with violations of the International Emergency Economic
Powers Act.
“The complaint
alleges that both charges stem from the defendants’ campaign to transport US
currency from the United States to Iran on behalf of the Supreme Leader of Iran
in 2018 and 2019. Both Zaidi and Naqvi were arrested in Houston,” according to
a statement from the Department of Justice.
According to an
affidavit in support of the criminal complaint against the defendants, Zaidi
offered his services to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in or around July
2015 and said that he could serve the “Islamic Republic in the socio-political
or another field.”
Zaidi is
reported to have traveled to Syria sometime in June 2018 and then flew to an
“active war zone” in an armed Iranian military or intelligence aircraft.
“This case is
significant on many levels. To begin, as alleged in the criminal complaint, the
defendants have considerable operational links to the IRGC, which has conducted
multiple terrorist operations throughout the world over the past several years.
The life-blood of these terrorist operations is cash – and the defendants
played a key role in facilitating that critical component,” said Michael R.
Sherwin, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.
The criminal
complaint alleges that a letter Zaidi also received permission Khamenei to
spend khums (religious tax) money in Yemen. Prior to his move to the United
States beginning June 2020, Zaidi also spent time at an IRGC Quds Force base.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/08/20/US-charges-two-citizens-one-Pakistani-with-moving-US-currency-to-Iran.html
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US to impose UN
sanctions ‘snapback’ on Iran: Trump
20 August 2020
President Donald
Trump on Wednesday said he is directing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to
notify the United Nations Security Council that the United States intends to
restore virtually all previously suspended UN sanctions on Iran.
"Today I'm
directing the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, to notify the UN Security
Council that the United States intends to restore virtually all of the
previously suspended United Nations sanctions on Iran," Trump told
reporters.
Reuters reported
on Tuesday that Pompeo will likely travel to New York on Thursday to seek a
return of all UN sanctions on Iran and meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres, diplomats and a UN official said.
For all the
latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
The United
States is expecting to trigger snapback – a return of all US sanctions on Iran
– soon, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday, after the UN Security
Council rejected Washington’s bid to extend an arms embargo on the country.
To trigger a
return of the sanctions, the United States will submit a complaint to the
15-member UN Security Council about Iran’s non-compliance with the nuclear
deal, even though Washington quit the accord in 2018.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/08/20/US-to-impose-UN-sanctions-snapback-on-Iran-Trump.html
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US sanctions 3
accused of aiding Iran's Mahan Air
Michael
Hernandez
19.08.2020
WASHINGTON
The US slapped
sanctions on two companies and one individual Wednesday on allegations they
procured parts and provided logistic services for Iran's Mahan Air.
The airliner was
designated by the US in 2001 for providing support to the external operations
branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The two
companies sanctioned Wednesday are United Arab Emirates-based Parthia Cargo and
Delta Parts, as well as Iranian national Amin Mahdavi who the Treasury
Department says is the owner of Parthia Cargo.
“The Iranian
regime uses Mahan Air as a tool to spread its destabilizing agenda around the
world, including to the corrupt regimes in Syria and Venezuela, as well as terrorist
groups throughout the Middle East,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a
statement. “The United States will continue to take action against those
supporting this airline.”
The services
provided by Parthia Cargo and Delta Parts have allowed Mahan Air to maintain
its fleet of American, French and British-manufactured aircraft.
While Mahan Air
is primarily a civilian airliner, the US accuses it of being used by Iran's
military to ferry fighters and cargo to Syria to prop up the Assad regime, as
well as sending aid to US rival Venezuela.
Federal
prosecutors have filed criminal charges against Parthia Cargo and Mahdavi
related to the unlicensed re-export of US manufactured aircraft parts, the
Treasury said.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-sanctions-3-accused-of-aiding-irans-mahan-air/1947200
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