Islamic State Group Released A Poster Depicting A Militant Beheading Santa Claus In Bizarre Anti-Christmas Graphic
New
Age Islam News Bureau
25
December 2021
Islamic State 'beheaded Santa' in a graphic
[Getty]
-----
•
Russian President: Insulting Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) Not an Artistic Freedom
but Is 'Violation of Religious Freedom'
•
Rizvi alias Tyagi, Ex-Chief of UP Shia Waqf Board, Booked for 'Dharam Sansad'
Hate Speech
•
Pakistan Ulema Board Decides To Cleanse Curriculum of Extremism: Special
Assistant To PM
•
Indonesia’s Festive Tradition, Arguing If Muslims Can Say ‘Merry Christmas’ Or
Not
Arab World
•
Arab Coalition Air Strikes Destroy Vehicle Killing Three Houthi Militia
•
Two killed after Houthi projectile hit Jazan: Arab Coalition
--------
Europe
•
Western powers demand Libya decide on elections without delay
•
Turkey pursuing 'proactive diplomacy': Foreign minister
•
Pope celebrates Christmas Eve Mass as virus surges in Italy
•
Britain to begin resettling Afghan refugees in January
--------
India
•
'New Sai Juice Centre' Run By A Muslim Man For 15 Years Vandalised, Forced To
Shut by Right-Wing Group Claiming Sai Is ‘Hindu Deity’
•
Friday prayers ‘barred’ at Srinagar’s Grand Mosque for 20th week in a row
•
Namaz only at six sites in Gurugram, under police watch
--------
Pakistan
•
Extremists have torn state’s writ into pieces, Rabbani tells Senate
•
PM hails Putin’s remarks against Islamophobia
•
Pakistan, Afghanistan border fencing row resolved: Official
•
Terrorists attack check post in Pak; two soldiers killed: Official
•
Govt Officials, Opposition Leaders, Others Extend Felicitations To Christian Community
On Christmas
--------
Southeast Asia
•
Compulsory for Haj pilgrims to wear digital detectors upon return, says health
minister
•
On Christmas eve, Melaka, Perak, Pahang and Selangor record drop in number of
evacuees
-------
Mideast
•
Open-Ended UNHRC War Crime Probe against Israel Backed By 125 Countries
•
Gazans Attend Friday Prayer In Solidarity With Female Palestinian Prisoners
•
President Raeisi offers Christmas greetings to Pope, Christians
•
Iran fires missiles on last day of massive drills with stark warning to Israel
•
FM: Iran, Azerbaijan Agree to Open New Chapter in Cooperation
•
Turkey freezes assets of 770 people, including a Chicago-based foundation
•
Dozens of Palestinians injured in anti-settlement protests in West Bank
--------
South Asia
•
UN Extends Exemption of Travel Ban on Afghan Taliban Leaders
•
Pakistan for accountability in Afghanistan
•
Taliban Claim To Dissociate Nearly 2,000 Affiliates For Misbehaviour
•
China delivers winter clothes to 34 provinces of Afghanistan
•
Pakistan, Taliban resolve Afghanistan border fencing row: Official
--------
Africa
•
Internet Services Disrupted in Sudan’s Khartoum Ahead Of Planned Protests: Report
•
500 Wagner paramilitaries reportedly enter Mali amid controversy
•
Libya’s parliament under pressure over delayed presidential vote
--------
North America
•
Is Biden Really Concerned About The Saudi Ballistic Missile Program?
•
US lawmakers call on Biden to end blockade on Yemen
•
US embassy urges nationals to avoid protest sites in Sudan
•
US foreign policy team sends confusing signals about Iran: Analyst
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
--------
Islamic
State Group Released A Poster Depicting A Militant Beheading Santa Claus In
Bizarre Anti-Christmas Graphic
Islamic State 'beheaded Santa' in a graphic
[Getty]
-----
24
December, 2021
The
Islamic State group has released a poster depicting a militant beheading Santa
Claus in an attempt to strike fear as the Christmas holidays near.
The
text on the poster encouraged their followers to launch attacks:
"We
send a message to our monotheist brothers in Europe, America, Australia,
Canada, Russia, and other countries of unbelief and apostasy. We say to you,
our brothers, oh monotheists, avenge your brothers and sisters who have been
killed and captured by these scumbags", the poster read.
“Attack
the citizens of crusader coalition countries with your knives, run them over in
the streets, detonate bombs on them, and spray them with bullets.”
The
extremist group released a number graphics ahead of the Christian religious
celebration, including one showing helmets of US soldiers stacked up in the
shape of a Christmas tree. On top of the tree was a blood stained Santa hat.
Another
graphic depicted the United States Central Command's chief being roasted in a
Santa outfit, with text saying: "bring the red wine, we will roast General
Mackenzie".
The
latest graphics are not the first time that the extremist group, which once
held large areas of territory in Syria and Iraq, has targeted Santa Claus.
In
2016, as it held control over the Iraqi city of Mosul, reports emerged that the
group was distributing leaflets warning of the "evils" of the
fictional character.
Source:
The New Arab
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/islamic-state-group-behead-santa-anti-christmas-graphic
--------
Russian
President: Insulting Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) Not an Artistic Freedom but Is
'Violation of Religious Freedom'
Vladimir Putin (File)
----
December
24, 2021
Russian
President Vladimir Putin has said that insulting Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace
Be Upon Him) does not count as an expression of artistic freedom but is a
"violation of religious freedom", according to state news agency
TASS.
Putin
made these remarks during his annual press conference in Moscow on Thursday,
adding that insults to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were a violation of "the
sacred feelings of people who profess Islam".
TASS
reported that the Russian president also criticised the publication of
blasphemous sketches of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in French magazine Charlie
Hebdo.
Such
acts, the report quoted Putin as saying, gave rise to extremist reprisals.
Artistic
freedom had its limits and it shouldn't infringe on other's freedoms, he added.
The
president further stated that Russia had evolved as a multi-ethnic and
multi-confessional state and so Russians were used to respecting each other’s
traditions, according to the report.
In
some other countries, this respect came in short supply, he said.
PM
welcomes Putin's remarks
Meanwhile,
Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed Putin's statement, saying it "reaffirms
my message that insulting Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not 'freedom of
expression'."
"We
Muslims, especially Muslim leaders, must spread this message to leaders of the
non-Muslim world to counter Islamophobia," the premier said.
Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also appreciated the Russian president's
statement.
"Insulting
our Holy Prophet (PBUH) is indeed a violation of religious freedom and is a far
cry from freedom of expression," he said.
Charlie
Hebdo had published the blasphemous sketches in 2015, prompting condemnation
from Muslims across the world.
The
publication had also led to an attack on the magazine's office on January 7,
2015, in which 12 persons had been killed.
The
issue had resurfaced in 2020 when the magazine republished the sketches on
September 2 to coincide with the trial of 14 people accused of helping the
attackers carry out their gun rampage against the magazine staffers.
A
month later, a history teacher in France was beheaded after he had shown the
caricatures in his class. In a ceremony dedicated to the teacher, French
President Emmanuel Macron had vowed not to "give up [the] cartoons"
and also made contentious remarks against "Islamists", who he said
"want our future".
The
caricatures were then also projected onto the facade of a building in one city
and at protests around the country.
The
move and the French president's remarks had drawn criticism from the Muslim
World.
PM
Imran had denounced them and said: "This is a time when President Macron
could have put [a] healing touch and denied space to extremists rather than
creating further polarisation and marginalisation that inevitably leads to
radicalisation."
Meanwhile,
the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan demanded that the government expel the French
envoy and close the embassy, leading to protests with police and clashes across
the country.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1665573
--------
Rizvi
alias Tyagi, Ex-Chief of UP Shia Waqf Board, Booked for 'Dharam Sansad' Hate
Speech
Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Narayan Tyagi is the
former head of Shia Central Waqf Board in Uttar Pradesh and recently converted
to Hinduism. (@ANI/Twitter)
-----
December
24, 2021
Amid
widespread outrage over alleged hate speeches made at a religious assembly in
Haridwar last week, police have filed a case booking Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra
Narayan Tyagi, the former head of Shia Central Waqf Board in Uttar Pradesh,
under Section 153-A (promoting enmity). Rizvi alias Tyagi had recently
converted to Hinduism.
“A
case has been registered against Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Narayan Tyagi. We
are probing the case. Police will look into details of the case and act
accordingly,” Senior Superintendent of Police Yogendra Singh Rawat told
News18.com, adding that the investigation officer will decided if additional
sections should be added to the FIR.
The
FIR was lodged based on a written complaint by a local resident who said his
sentiments had been hurt by the speeches made at the ‘Dharam Sansad’ held in
Haridwar from December 17-19. The complaint mentioned Rizvi by name.
The
‘Dharam Sansad’ was attended by several religious leaders, who allegedly
exhorted violence against minorities and called for a ‘Hindu nation’. The
religious assembly was organised by Yati Narsinghanand, a controversial figure
accused of making provocative speeches in the past as well.
A
related controversy has, meanwhile, erupted over All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul
Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi’s purported remarks against Uttar
Pradesh Police.
Addressing
a gathering in Kanpur, Owaisi recounted cases of police atrocities against
minorities in the state and said they would be published by god. He added that
policemen in the state will not enjoy political patronage forever.
Clarifying
on his remarks, Owaisi on Friday said a clipped version of his speech was being
circulated on social media to trigger controversy.
“A
clipped one-min video is being circulated from a 45 min speech I gave in
Kanpur. I have shared my entire speech on Twitter now. The context to my speech
is amply clear. I was talking about cops who torture 80-year-old men. I was
talking about cops who watch silently as mobs thrash a rickshaw driver in front
of his daughter. Also, cops who rained lathi blows on a man as held his child
in his arms," Owaisi said.
“I
said we will remember these police atrocities. Is this objectionable? Why is it
offensive to remember how police have treated Muslims in UP? We cannot forget
the oppression that was meted out to Anas, Suleiman, Asif, Faisal, Altaf,
Akhlaq, Qasim, and hundreds of others," he asked in a series of tweets. “I
did not incite violence or make threats. I talked about police
atrocities."
The
Uttarakhand unit of Owasi’s party had also filed a police complaint on Thursday
night, seeking action against those who made hate speeches at the ‘Dharam
Sansad’.
On
Friday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too sought action against those
who incited violence.
“Strictest
action should be taken against those who incite hatred and violence of this
kind. It is despicable that they should get away with making an open call to
murder our respected ex-PM and unleash violence against people of different
communities," she said, referring to remarks made against former PM
Manmohan Singh at the event.
“Such
acts violate our constitution and the law of our land," she added.
Source:
News18
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Pakistan
Ulema Board Decides To Cleanse Curriculum of Extremism: Special Assistant to PM
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Religious
Harmony Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi speaks to the media in Lahore on Friday. — PID
-----
December
25, 2021
LAHORE:
The Muttahida Ulema Board has unanimously decided to cleanse the curriculum of
extremist content, says Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Religious
Harmony Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi.
Speaking
at a press conference here on Friday following a meeting of the board, he said
the single national curriculum did not have any element of extremism and
radicalism. So far, 307 books had been cleared from possible extremist content,
he added.
Mr
Ashrafi expressed grief over the Sialkot tragedy, stating that the nation as a
whole was embarrassed over the incident. He said that teachings of Islam did
not allow any such heinous act and the united voice raised by the Ulema in
condemning the incident had been heard all over the world.
In
response to a question, Hafiz Ashrafi said that if Maulana Fazlur Rehman was
expecting to be congratulated on winning the local body elections in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, he should first congratulate Imran Khan on becoming the prime
minister.
Commenting
on the Afghanistan situation, he said that it’s the responsibility of all human
beings to help the Afghans on humanitarian grounds in the prevailing
circumstances. He hoped that aid to Afghanistan would soon begin to flow to
alleviate the sufferings of its people.
Mr
Ashrafi felicitated the Christian community on the eve of Christmas with the
commitment to help avail all facilities to celebrate their festivities.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1665609/ulema-board-decides-to-cleanse-curriculum-of-extremism-sapm
--------
Indonesia’s
Festive Tradition, Arguing If Muslims Can Say ‘Merry Christmas’ Or Not
Members of a choir get ready to sing Christmas
songs in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
-----
23
Dec, 2021
It’s
the end of another year, which in Indonesia can only mean one thing: the return
of the country’s perennial debate on whether Muslims should say “merry
Christmas” to Christians.
Heated
public discourse around the topic highlights how entrenched identity politics
still are in Indonesian society, analysts said – more than two years after a
divisive presidential election in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority
nation, which saw the heavy use of such identity-based appeals to voters.
This
time around, the debate was sparked by a regional branch of the country’s
supreme body of Islamic clerics. On December 9, the Indonesian Ulema Council’s
(MUI) North Sumatra branch released a list of recommendations for Muslims in
the region, which included a ban on wishing Christians a merry Christmas as it
said this was “not in accordance with Islamic law”.
Many
were quick to dispute the decision, including members of MUI’s central
leadership. Cholil Nafis, the council’s head of da’wah (proselytising), said in
a statement released on Sunday that Muslims are allowed to say Christmas
greetings, as Indonesia is “a plural society”.
While
the council did decree in a 1981 fatwa that celebrating Christmas is haram
(forbidden) for Muslims, he said it had issued no such ruling on festive
greetings. In fact, the MUI said in 2019 that it neither encouraged nor forbade
the saying of “merry Christmas” – essentially leaving people to make up their
own minds.
On
Sunday, Indonesia’s deputy minister for religious affairs, Zainut Tauhid
Sa’adi, said in a statement that he respected both opinions regarding Christmas
greetings.
Clerics
who ban such greetings “based their argumentations on [the belief] that saying
‘merry Christmas’ is part of [the Christian] religion”, while those who allow
Muslims to say it believe that it is only a friendly gesture “to respect human
relations”.
“Let’s
not turn this into a polemic that could disrupt inter-religious harmony,” he
said.
A
festive tradition
MUI
North Sumatra is far from alone in telling Indonesia’s Muslims to forego
Christmas greetings. Multiple videos showing popular cleric Abdul Somad and
others doing the same can be found on Twitter and TikTok. One even features a
cleric telling Islamic bakers not to accept Christmas-related orders from
Christian customers.
For
many of the country’s Muslims, however, the annual tradition of arguing about
festive greetings has grown tiresome – with some such as Makmun Rasyid, an
anti-extremism activist, pointing out on Twitter that Egypt’s top Sunni Muslim
leader, Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb, has no qualms about wishing
Christians a ‘merry Christmas’, and “also does not hesitate to visit Christian
leaders at their churches ahead of Christmas”.
“At
the end of every year we discuss whether it’s OK to say ‘merry Christmas’,”
said another Twitter user posting under the name Jihan. “Don’t you get tired of
talking about this all the time?”
For
feminist activist, human rights worker, and medical anthropologist Lies
Marcoes, the re-emergence of the debate every Christmas shows how hard its is
for Indonesian society to shake off its identity politics.
The
country’s politicians, and their supporters, often latch onto topics such as
festive greetings “that make Muslims doubt their identity” said Marcoes,
described as one of Indonesia’s foremost experts on Islam and gender.
“In
Islam, this topic will always be twisted, such as claiming that wishing
Christians ‘merry Christmas’ means that [a Muslim] acknowledges Jesus as their
god. [But] there are many dimensions to a Christmas celebration, including as a
way to acknowledge brotherhood.”
Marcoes
suggested that Muslims in Indonesia “ignore” the Christmas greetings ban in
North Sumatra – and urged the MUI’s leadership to deliver a ruling that allows
Muslims to wish Christians ‘merry Christmas’, to prevent future controversies
and reaffirm the unity of the nation.
“Wishing
‘merry Christmas’ to Christians should be seen as a normal thing to do, much
like how Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and others greet Muslims during Islamic
holidays,” she said.
Source:
SCMP
Please
click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Arab World
Arab
coalition air strikes destroy vehicle killing three Houthi militia
25
December ,2021
Air
strikes by the Arab Coalition destroyed a military vehicle killing three Houthi
militia crew northwest of the rebel-held capital Sana’a.
Medics
in Yemen said that three people died and six others were injured in the
coalition air strikes.
On
Friday, the Arab Coalition said a Houthi projectile that hit the Saudi city of
Jazan has led to the killing of two civilians, a Saudi national and a Yemeni
resident.
The
coalition said another Houthi projectile hit the Saudi city of Najran.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Two
killed after Houthi projectile hit Jazan: Arab Coalition
24
December ,2021
The
Arab Coalition said on Friday a Houthi projectile that hit the Saudi city of
Jazan has led to the killing of two civilians, a Saudi national and a Yemeni
resident.
Earlier
on Friday, the coalition, which is supporting the legitimate government in
Yemen, said two civilians were wounded, according to initial reports.
The
coalition said another Houthi projectile hit the Saudi city of Najran.
The
Arab Coalition added that the hostile attacks were launched from the Yemeni
city of Sadaa, warning that it will carry airstrikes to deal with the source of
the threat.
The
coalition said it took precautionary measures to ensure there were no civilian
casualties.
On
Thursday, the Arab Coalition said it had destroyed an armed drone attempting to
target Abha International Airport.
The
Iran-backed Houthi militia has in recent months ramped up their attacks on the
Kingdom and launched dozens of cross-border aerial attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The
Houthis targeted civilian areas and energy facilities in the Kingdom with
explosive-laden drones and ballistic missiles.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe
Western
powers demand Libya decide on elections without delay
Shweta
Desai
25.12.2021
PARIS
European
countries and the US urged Libyan authorities to decide Friday on a final date
for elections without delay.
The
demand came two days after crucial presidential and parliamentary elections
were canceled.
France,
Germany, Italy, UK, and the US appealed to authorities in a statement “to
respect the aspirations of the people for prompt elections by swiftly
determining a final date for the polling and issuing the final list of
presidential candidates without delay.”
The
electoral commission canceled elections Wednesday that were scheduled for Dec
24, citing a lack of preparedness and disagreements.
Voting
has been postponed until January.
The
statement said it was important to maintain momentum for the goal of holding
“free, fair and credible elections” and to elect a representative and unified
government.
The
much-awaited polls were detrimental to mark the first step of the war torn
country toward political stability.
Since
a NATO-led intervention in 2011 overthrew Muammar Gaddafi's regime, Libya has
spiraled into chaos and civil war controlled by rebel armies and foreign
fighters.
In
March, an interim government was sworn in -- replacing the UN-backed Government
of National Accord (GNA) controlling Tripoli and the Western region, and the
eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), led by warlord Khalifa Haftar.
Although
Libyans were eagerly awaiting the elections that could pave the road for
political transition, various political factions and presidential candidates
had disputes and disagreements on the mechanisms of the electoral process and
the conduct of elections.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Turkey
pursuing 'proactive diplomacy': Foreign minister
Muhammet
Tarhan
24.12.2021
Turkey
is pursuing a "realistic foreign policy" based on the superiority of
the diplomatic initiative over a wide geography, the country's foreign minister
said Thursday.
"We
have a proactive approach to diplomacy, not reactive, without letting events
rule us," Mevlut Cavusoglu said at the closing ceremony of the virtual
International Security Academy organized by the International Relations
Association.
Cavusoglu
stressed that the global security environment was getting increasingly fragile.
"After
the Cold War, great power competition is fueling tensions in different regions
such as Ukraine, the Balkans, the Black Sea, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.
The effects of relatively modern challenges such as climate change, terrorism,
cyber attacks, irregular migration and the pandemic are being felt
everywhere," he said.
He
underlined that in the current environment of rapid change, one of the most
important points in international relations that has remained constant was the
international order established after World War II.
"While
software updates come to our mobile devices every few weeks, the fact that the
international system has not been updated for 80 years makes it difficult for
the system, especially the UN, to find solutions to problems," he said.
Cavusoglu
pointed out that in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, the "need
for multilateralism" had emerged once again.
"We
cannot say that a significant distance has been covered on this road in the
last year. However, we see that concepts such as multilateralism and solidarity
come to the fore, at least at the level of discourse," he said.
Russa,
Ukraine, NATO relations
The
Turkish top diplomat said during his speech that today, the rivalry between
Russia and Ukraine as well as between Russia and NATO has reached
"dangerous" levels.
"We
will not ignore our principles and close relations with Ukraine just because we
have extensive relations with Russia. In many difficult equations like this, we
do whatever the spirit of the time and our national security require. It's hard
work, but that's what diplomacy is for," Cavusoglu said.
In
2014, Russia began to support separatist forces in eastern Ukraine against the
central government, a policy that it has maintained for the past seven years.
For
the second time this year, Moscow reportedly concentrated military troops in
and around Ukraine last month.
NATO
and the EU have warned Russia that if it shows an aggressive attitude towards
Ukraine, it will face a serious response and heavy sanctions.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/turkey-pursuing-proactive-diplomacy-foreign-minister/2456176
--------
Pope
celebrates Christmas Eve Mass as virus surges in Italy
December
24, 2021
ROME:
Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass before an estimated 1,500 people in
St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday, going ahead with the service despite the
resurgence in COVID-19 cases that has prompted a new vaccine mandate for
Vatican employees.
A
maskless Francis processed down the central aisle of the basilica as the Sistine
Chapel choir sang “Noel,” kicking off the Vatican’s Christmas holiday that
commemorates the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem.
The
“Midnight Mass” actually began at 7:30 p.m., a nod to the 85-year-old pope’s
endurance and a hold-over from last year, when the service had to end before
Italy’s nationwide COVID-19 curfew.
No
curfew is in place this year, but cases this week have surged even beyond 2020
levels. For the second day in a row, Italy on Friday set a new pandemic daily
record with 50,599 new cases. Another 141 people died, bringing Italy’s
official death toll to 136,386.
The
Vatican secretary of state on Thursday imposed a new vaccine mandate on all
Vatican staff, extending it to all employees except those who have recovered
from the coronavirus. Previously, only employees who dealt with the public
directly had to be vaccinated, such as staff at the Vatican Museums and the
Swiss Guards, while others could access their offices with regular testing. The
mandate does not apply to the faithful attending Mass, but they were required
to wear masks.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1992401/world
--------
Britain
to begin resettling Afghan refugees in January
December
24, 2021
LONDON:
The UK has announced its Afghan resettlement scheme will start in January,
months after it secured the recovery of thousands of at-risk Afghans during the
Taliban takeover of Kabul.
It
is expected to provide support for up to 20,000 Afghans, with the program
prioritizing women, children, and those considered at high risk from Taliban
retribution.
Activists
for women’s rights, freedom of speech and the rule of law are anticipated to be
prioritized by the government’s support.
The
government said the Afghans it had already evacuated would be the first to be
resettled throughout Britain under the scheme. They will be granted indefinite
leave to remain, an immigration status that affords them the right to work and
study without risk of deportation.
Despite
details provided in recent announcements, charities working with refugees have
asked the government to clarify how the scheme will operate.
Louise
Calvey, head of services and safeguarding at Refugee Action, told The Guardian:
“It’s vital for the thousands of Afghans stuck in hotels in the UK and the
thousands more in fear of their lives in and around Afghanistan that the
resettlement program starts immediately and is properly funded. Yet ministers
remain concerningly tight-lipped on crucial details, such as how many of the
20,000 people they’ve pledged to help are already in the UK, and how many
additional refugees stuck overseas will be welcomed.
“The
government must also provide urgent clarity on how it intends to back local
councils and international organizations to make sure people fleeing the
Taliban quickly receive the life-saving protection and support they desperately
need.”
A
British Red Cross spokesperson told The Guardian: “We welcome the news that the
UK government is set to open the resettlement program that was promised to
people within Afghanistan who need protection.
Source:
Arab News
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1992376/world
--------
India
'New
Sai Juice Centre' Run By A Muslim Man For 15 Years Vandalised, Forced To Shut
by Right-Wing Group Claiming Sai Is ‘Hindu Deity’
Dec
25, 2021
Bareilly:
A juice shop called 'New Sai Juice Centre', being run by a Muslim man for past
15 years in Majhola area of Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district, was vandalised
and forced to shut on Thursday after members of a right-wing outfit raised
objection to the outlet's name.
The
activists claimed that "Sai Baba is a Hindu deity” and the Muslim owner
should change its name. They also allegedly threatened to shut all shops run by
Muslims which are named after Hindu deities in the locality.
Locals
in the area claimed that police initially remained a mute spectator while all
this was going on and later advised the owner, Shabbu Khan, to change the
shop's name “to avoid further trouble.”
An
FIR was subsequently registered against a local leader of the Bajrang Dal,
identified as Navneet Sharma, and his aides for "rioting and criminal
intimidation" on Friday.
The
action was taken after videos of the incident began circulating on social
media.
Speaking
to TOI, Khan, the juice shop owner, said, "I was about to have dinner at
home on Thursday when I was shocked to learn that a few people started
vandalising my shop. They asked me to close my shop because of my faith. This
shop is part of my life and is important for my family.”
Assuring
appropriate action against the culprits, Majhola SHO Dhananjay Singh said, “We
found that about 20-25 people, led by Navneet Sharma, had forcefully closed the
juice shop. They also slapped its owner. We have registered an FIR under IPC
sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 506
(criminal intimidation) and 147 (rioting) against Sharma and his aides.”
Source:
Times of India
Please
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Friday
prayers ‘barred’ at Srinagar’s Grand Mosque for 20th week in a row
by
Bashaarat Masood
December
24, 2021
Friday
prayers were stopped for the 20th consecutive week since August 6 this year at
Srinagar’s Grand Mosque. While the mosque has been largely out of bounds for
worshippers on Fridays since the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special
status in 2019, this year it has remained shut on 44 of the 52 Fridays so far.
“We
have now lost count of the number of times the mosque has been closed for
Friday prayers,” says Altaf Ahmad Bhat, Secretary of the Grand Mosque’s Auqaf
(management committee). “Every Friday, the police come in the morning, tell our
staff that there is no permission for the prayers and seal the mosque. They
don’t give any reason for it,” he said.
Asked
why Friday prayers were not allowed at the Grand Mosque, Inspector General of
Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said: “Please enquire from the civil administration”.
Deputy
Commissioner Srinagar, Mohammad Ajaz Asad, did not respond to repeated calls or
messages.
While
the Grand Mosque was closed after the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special
status on August 5, 2019 to prevent a huge congregation from gathering and to
avoid a law and order problem, the mosque was subsequently kept shut on Fridays
as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
However,
even as the second wave of Covid subsided and the government relaxed guidelines
that prevented the assembly of people, congregating at the mosque was still not
allowed. Over the last several months, the Jammu and Kashmir government has
allowed massive official functions, political rallies and conventions as well
as Christmas and New Year celebrations to take place.
“We
are unable to understand how all places of worship, mosques, shrines,
imambargahs and Khanqahs in Jammu and Kashmir are open for Friday prayers, but
only Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, continues to be selectively banned and restricted
from holding Friday prayers, which is extremely unfortunate and
incomprehensible,” the Auqaf said in a statement. “This behaviour of the rulers
is tantamount to sheer interference in religion and hurting the religious
sentiments and feelings of Muslims, which is unacceptable,” it added.
Situated
in Nowhatta, in the centre of the old Srinagar city, the Jamia Masjid has been
one of the oldest mosques in the city, built six centuries ago. It is one of
the main mosques in the valley and is the centre of religion and politics. The
mosque used to be the pulpit of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has been under house
arrest since the abrogation of J&K’s special status.
“In
the name of law and order and Covid, we are being stopped from offering even
prayers now,” said a resident of Nowhatta. “Why are curbs selective? If
political rallies can be held, if other places of worship can remain open, why
can’t we open the Jamia Masjid. There seems to be a sinister design behind it,”
he added.
Source:
Indian Express
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Namaz
only at six sites in Gurugram, under police watch
Bagish
Jha
Dec
25, 2021
GURUGRAM:
Friday prayers passed off peacefully for the first time since protests and
disruptions began in October, but were restricted to just six open sites,
heavily truncated from the 37 places that would usually see namaz
congregations.
The
six sites — Atlas Chowk at HSIDC Ground, Peepal Chowk in Udyog Vihar phase-2,
HSVP land in Udyog Vihar phase-4, Leisure Valley Ground in Sector 29, HSVP land
in Sector 42 and HSVP land in Sector 69 — are the same that were announced by
outfits participating in talks to re-designate namaz spots.
While
two Muslim outfits, including the Muslim Rashtriya Manch, were parts of the
talks, another group formed by some of the city’s Muslim residents in the wake
of the protests, Gurugram Muslim Council, has rejected the truncated list.
Unlike
in the last two weeks when Muslims gathered at places that were earlier on the
list of designated spots for namaz, congregations this Friday were largely at
the six sites, where police kept a watch.
In
Sector 40, a small group had gathered at an open area to offer namaz but were
sent back by police. The group claimed the land belongs to them but failed to
produce papers.
Locals
claimed the land is reserved for the construction of a school. Mufti Ahmad
Salim Qasmi claimed they had been offering namaz at the site for the past two
weeks.
Source:
Times of India
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Pakistan
Extremists
have torn state’s writ into pieces, Rabbani tells Senate
December
24, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader and Senator Raza Rabbani has said
that the extremists have torn the state’s writ into pieces, warning that
Sialkot lynching-like cases would continue if the root cause of the problem is
not uprooted.
Speaking
at the Senate session on Friday, he said: “Extremists groups are established in
the country and running their own courts in public.”
Rabbani
asked the government to divulge the conditions on which the state had brokered
a ceasefire agreement with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
He
also questioned the government’s haste to extend support to the Afghan Taliban,
when the latter do “not even recognise the border”.
He
asked the foreign minister to take the parliament into confidence about a
recent incident, in which the new rulers in Afghanistan reportedly barred
Pakistan’s security forces from fencing the border.
“They
are not ready to recognise the border, so why are we moving forward?”
questioned Rabbani.
The
former Senate chairman also raised alarm over reports that the banned TTP is
regrouping in Afghanistan, “which could possibly fuel terrorism in Pakistan”.
“On
what terms is the state talking about a ceasefire with the banned group?” he
questioned.
He
went on to say that the state of Pakistan means the civil and military
bureaucracy of Pakistan and not the people sitting in parliament.
Taking
part in the debate, Senator Azam Nazir Tarar said intolerance is spreading fast
in the society. “We should forget our political differences and unite on issues
like this,” he added.
Tarar
spoke about the horrific lynching of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara, a
factory manager in Sialkot, saying “the incident has shaken us to the core”.
The
senator said the brutality with which the mob killed the Sri Lankan citizen is
highly reprehensible.
Source:
Pakistan Today
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PM
hails Putin’s remarks against Islamophobia
December
24, 2021
Prime
Minister Imran Khan has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks
against Islamophobia, saying that the latter’s statement reaffirmed his stance
that “insulting our Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not freedom of expression”.
“I
welcome President Putin’s statement which reaffirms my message that insulting
our Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not freedom of expression. We Muslims, especially
Muslim leaders, must spread this message to leaders of the non-Muslim world to
counter Islamophobia,” the prime minister tweeted.
Earlier,
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that disrespecting Holy Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) does not count as the “expression of artistic freedom”.
Blasphemy
of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a “violation of religious freedom and the
violation of the sacred feelings of people who profess Islam,” he said while
addressing his annual news conference on Thursday.
Putin
said these acts give rise to extremist reprisals, citing as an example the
attack on the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris after it
published blasphemous sketches of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Russia’s TASS news
agency reported.
Putin
also criticised posting photos of Nazis on websites such as the one titled the
Immortal Regiment and dedicated to Russians who died in World War II.
While
praising artistic freedom in general, Putin said it has its limits and it
shouldn’t infringe on other freedoms.
Source:
Pakistan Today
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https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/12/24/pm-hails-putins-remarks-against-islamophobia/
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Pakistan,
Afghanistan border fencing row resolved: Official
Dec
25, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have resolved the recent row
over border fencing by agreeing that further work on the project that led to a
tense situation would be done through consensus, a media report said on
Saturday.
A
senior official, who spoke to a group of journalists on the background on
Friday, said it has been decided at a senior level that fencing-related issues
would in the future be dealt with through mutual agreement, he said.
The
official, however, did not exactly specify at which level the talks between
Pakistan and the de facto Afghan government were held after Wednesday's
incident in which Taliban fighters disrupted border fencing and took away
spools of barbed wire, the Dawn newspaper reported.
The
fighters had then also warned Pakistani soldiers against resuming fencing. The
incident led to a tense situation in the area where it occurred, it said.
Defence
ministries of the two sides later held talks on the issue. The Taliban ministry
of the border and tribal affairs also reportedly took part in the parleys.
The
official said Taliban defence minister Mullah Yaqoob visited the area on
Wednesday and defused the situation.
"The
dispute has been quietly and calmly settled," he said.
Pakistan
has been fencing the 2600-kilometer-long border with Afghanistan since 2017 to
end terrorist infiltration and smuggling despite very intense opposition from
the neighbouring country, the report said.
Besides
the erection of a fence, the project also includes the construction of border
posts and forts, and the raising of new wings of Frontier Corps, the
paramilitary force that guards the border.
The
official said 90 per cent of the fencing had been completed.
A
large part of the fence has been constructed in inhospitable terrain and in
some places at very high altitudes. The fencing is expected to be completed at
a cost of about $500 million.
Fencing
has been a contentious issue in Pakistan-Afghanistan ties because the Afghans
dispute the border demarcation done during the colonial period.
Pakistan,
however, insists that the line separating the two countries, also called the
Durand Line, is the valid international border.
The
differences over the status of the border have been so intense that they have
in the past resulted in several fatal clashes between the troops of the two
countries.
Pakistani
construction teams installing the fence have on a number of occasions endured
cross-border attacks by terrorists, the report said.
Islamabad
had always hoped that the Afghan Taliban would help in settling the
longstanding matter. However, that has not been the case.
The
Taliban did not resolve the issue when they were in control of Afghanistan from
1996 to 2001 and have not done anything substantive to address it this time
either so far, the report said.
Taliban
spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, who is currently the acting culture and
information minister, said in an interview days after the takeover of Kabul by
the group on August 15, rejected the fencing of the border by Pakistan.
"The
Afghans are unhappy and oppose the fencing. … The fencing has separated people
and divided families,” he had said.
The
official at the background briefing downplayed the Taliban's opposition to the
fencing project.
Source:
Times of India
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--------
Terrorists
attack check post in Pak; two soldiers killed: Official
Dec
24, 2021
KARACHI:
Two Pakistani soldiers were killed when terrorists attacked a check post in the
country's restive Balochistan province on Friday, according to an official
statement.
The
incident happened in Kech district of the province when the terrorists attacked
the checkpost and killed the two soldiers, the Inter-Services Public Relations,
the military's media affairs wing, said.
The
security forces have launched a search operation in the area to locate the
terrorists.
"Security
forces are determined to defeat such acts of inimical elements, aimed at
disrupting peace, stability and progress of Balochistan," the statement
said.
This
is the second such incident in the Balochistan province in a month.
Source:
Times of India
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Govt
officials, opposition leaders, others extend felicitations to Christian
community on Christmas
December
25, 2021
As
the Christian community across the country celebrates the festive occasion of
Christmas today (Saturday), government officials, opposition leaders and others
extended their felicitations and wishes to members of the community.
According
to Radio Pakistan, special ceremonies are being held in churches across the country
in which prayers will also be held for "peace, progress and prosperity of
Pakistan".
The
state radio broadcaster stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Dr
Arif Alvi congratulated the Christian community on the occasion and assured
that the government will continue to safeguard rights and privileges of all
minorities living in the country.
"They
also commended sincere and invaluable services rendered by Christian community
in the fields of defence, education, health as well as economic development of
the country," the report added.
"They
said that the government will empower the minorities to use their abilities for
national development."
In
a tweet from his official account, the prime minister wished "all our
Christian citizens a very Happy Christmas".
The
president's official Twitter account also extended his "heartiest
felicitations", adding that the Muslims "deeply respect Jesus Christ
as one of the great messengers of Allah Almighty".
Inter-Services
Public Relations' (ISPR) director general extended the felicitations of
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) and service chiefs to the
"Christian community in Armed Forces and across Pakistan".
"From
the creation of Pakistan to date their sacrifices and contributions in service
of Pakistan are phenomenal," the DG ISPR added.
"Heartiest
congratulations to the Christian community around the world, particularly to
the Pakistani Christian brothers & sisters on the auspicisous occasion of
Christmas," Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N
President Shehbaz Sharif tweeted.
He
called for celebrating shared values and brotherhood in his message.
PML-N
Vice President Maryam Nawaz wished "Christian brothers and sisters"
and urged the country to "celebrate with them by spreading love, peace and
compassion".
PPP
Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari extended his "heartiest felicitations
to the Christian Community in Pakistan", saying that his party
"always treats the non-Muslims, including the Christians as equal
citizens".
Source:
Dawn
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Southeast Asia
Compulsory
for Haj pilgrims to wear digital detectors upon return, says health minister
Saturday,
25 Dec 2021
PUTRAJAYA,
Dec 25 — Individuals undergoing the seven-day mandatory quarantine after
returning from umrah pilgrimage, will be made to wear a digital detection
device starting next week, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin
Speaking
at a press conference on the Covid-19 development here today, Khairy said the
move was taken after 30 out of the 49 new cases involving the Omicron variant
in Malaysia detected between Dec 23 and 24 were cases imported from Saudi
Arabia.
“All
of them arrived from Saudi Arabia beginning Dec 13 until Dec 17. We discovered
that a large number of them did not comply with the directive to isolate
themselves from their family members but continued to meet with them. In fact,
they were also found to be entertaining guests.
“Maybe
guests and family members shook hands with them in the hope of receiving
blessings but unfortunately they were actually getting ‘Omicron’,” he said.
Khairy
said failure to adhere to the quarantine directive can potentially result in
increased transmission of Omicron variant infections in the country.
“I
hope the quarantine directive is observed. This is serious. We asked them to
complete their quarantine at home and not in hotels to save costs. So please
comply,” he said.
Khairy
also said to date, 62 Omicron variant cases have been recorded in the county
where 62 cases were imported and one local infection.
Source:
Malay Mail
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On
Christmas eve, Melaka, Perak, Pahang and Selangor record drop in number of
evacuees
24
Dec 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR, Dec 24 — The number of flood victims at relief centres (PPS) in Melaka,
Perak, Pahang and Selangor continues to drop, while in Kelantan the number
remains the same since noon.
According
to the Social Welfare Department’s InfoBencana application, there are still
46,524 flood victims at 306 PPS in Pahang, Kelantan, Selangor, Melaka, Perak,
Negri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur.
In
Melaka, the number of flood victims dropped to 37 victims from 13 families as
at 8 pm today.
Melaka
Civil Defence Force director Lt Col (PA) Cuthbert John Martin Quadra said eight
of the victims (four families) were at the PPS at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan
(SMK) Lubok China in Alor Gajah, while the remaining victims from nine families
were at the PPS at SK Parit Penghulu Benteng in Jasin.
In
Perak, there are still 105 victims, from 28 families, at two PPS in Hilir
Perak, from 111 people (30 families) at noon.
A
spokesman for the Malaysian Defence Force (APM) and the Perak Disaster
Management Committee Secretariat said the two families who returned home were
from Batu 7 ½ Lorong Mesra, Changkat Jong.
The
remaining evacuees comprise 61 people (18 families) at the PPS at Dewan
Bandaran Teluk Intan and the other 44 people (10 families) are at the PPS at
Dewan Sekolah Menengah Abdul Rahman Talib, he said.
In
Pahang, the number of flood victims has dropped to 26,494 people at 193 PPS
tonight, compared with 29,611 people at 212 PPS at noon.
The
number of districts still affected by floods remains at nine, namely Kuantan,
Maran, Jerantut, Lipis, Raub, Bentong,Temerloh,Bera and Pekan.
On
the water level of rivers, at Sungai Bera, it is still at the danger level and
reported to be rising. The water in Sungai Kundang, in Maran, and Sungai Pahang
at Lubuk Paku, is also at danger level.
In
Selangor, the Social Welfare Department’s Info Bencana portal reported that
17,656 flood victims, involving 4,732 families, are still at 99 PPS in the
state, from 17,891 people at noon.
The
Selangor Health Department (JKNS) through its official Facebook stated that the
Covid-19 Assessment Centre in Petaling has to be temporarily closed tomorrow
due to floods at the Section 19 Health Clinic (KK), Shah Alam, and will be
temporarily relocated at the Taman Medan Health Clinic, Petaling Jaya.
Another
CAC that will be temporarily closed tomorrow is at the Jenjarom Health Clinic,
which will be relocated at the Telok Datok Health Clinic, Banting.
Meanwhile,
the number of flood victims in Kelantan remained at 974 people from 332
families at five PPS in the Pasir Mas district.
Meanwhile,
the Drainage and Irrigation Department’s info banjir portal at
https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, reported that the water in all major
rivers in Kelantan has receded to below the danger level.
Source:
Malay Mail
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Mideast
Open-ended
UNHRC war crime probe against Israel backed by 125 countries
25
December 2021
An
overwhelming majority of 125 countries have backed an unprecedented open-ended
war crime investigation by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
against Israel, including into the 11-day Israeli deadly aggression on the
besieged Gaza Strip earlier this year.
In
May, the military of the Israeli regime bombarded the besieged Gaza Strip for
11 consecutive days, killing at least 260 Palestinians, including 66 children.
In the aftermath of the brutal war, the 47-member UNHRC initially approved a probe
into the crimes committed by the occupying entity against the inhabitants of
the impoverished enclave.
Its
broad mandate allows for a thorough probe into the human rights violations
committed by the Israeli military on either side of the so-called Green Line,
which includes Israel, the occupied West Bank and the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Later,
Israel asked to defund the probe by excluding the money for the probe from the
overall UNHRC budget.
The
matter was put to vote before the 193-member UN General Assembly on Thursday
night and Israel’s proposed amendment was massively rejected 125-8, with 34
abstentions.
Israel
itself and the United States were among the few that voted against the approval
of a budget for that investigation.
After
the vote, Palestine’s Permanent Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour commended
the vote and all UN member states that rejected Israel’s proposal, Palestine’s
official Wafa news agency reported.
He
also thanked the UNGA for approving all budgets of the programs relating to the
Palestinian cause, including his request to increase funding to the UN Relief
and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Israel’s
brutal siege on the Gaza Strip since 2007 has inflicted severe hardship on
residents. The poverty rate among Gaza’s population has reached 53 percent,
while “extreme poverty” stands at 33.8 percent, according to statistics by the
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
Source:
Press TV
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2021/12/25/673331/Palestine-Israel-war-crimes-UNHRC-Gaza
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Gazans
attend Friday prayer in solidarity with female Palestinian prisoners
24
December 2021
Ashraf
Shannon
Hundreds
attended the Friday prayer in front of the Red Cross office in Gaza in
solidarity with Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails.
They
came to drum up support especially for female Palestinian prisoners who have
been subjected to inhumane and oppressive measure inside Israeli prisons and
detention centers.
The
event is part of the Friday of Rage in solidarity with female Palestinian
prisoners.
Hamas
movement accused the Israeli Prison Service of deliberately targeting female
prisoners and endangering their lives.
According
to prisoners’ advocacy groups Palestinian female prisoners continue to face a
wide range of human rights violations in Israeli jails under the watchful eye
of the international community.
Israel
currently incarcerates some five thousand Palestinian political prisoners
including scores of women and children.
Palestinian
prisoners are being held in twenty four Israeli prisons and detention centers
under the administration of the Israeli Prison Service.
Source:
Press TV
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President
Raeisi offers Christmas greetings to Pope, Christians
24
December 2021
Iranian
President Ebrahim Raeisi has penned a letter congratulating Pope Francis on the
occasion of the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ and the Gregorian New Year.
In
his Friday message, the Iranian president expressed “cordial congratulations”
to the head of the Roman Catholic Church and all the Christians across the
world on the jubilant birth anniversary of Jesus Christ, the Prophet of peace
and kindness and the beginning of New Year.
He
said the Jesus Christ’s birth is the "manifestation of God’s will and
power” and added that the spiritual status of Saint Mary, the Prophet’s mother,
shows the lofty position of women in divine religions.
Raeisi
added that the Prophet’s birth is an opportunity to pay tribute to Saint Mary
(Peace be upon Her) and a reminder of the moral characteristics of Jesus
Christ, who is a role model of altruism and the herald of salvation for the
oppressed, in standing against the arrogant powers’ oppression and signaling a
bright future for humanity.
The
Iranian president also thanked Pope Francis for his efforts to bring closer the
hearts and views of followers of Abrahamic religions.
He
also prayed that God bestow "health and success" to Pope Francis and
"happiness and blessing" to all human beings.
Source:
Press TV
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Iran
fires missiles on last day of massive drills with stark warning to Israel
24
December 2021
The
Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has simultaneously launched 16 ballistic
missiles of different classes during massive joint military exercises in Iran’s
southern areas, saying the drills carried a stark warning to Israel.
The
IRGC Aerospace Force fired long-range, medium-range, and short-range missiles
on Friday, marking the final day of the large-scale exercise, dubbed Great
Prophet 17.
The
ballistic missiles used in the exercise were Emad, Ghadr, Sejjil, Zelzal, and
Zolfaqar, which hit and destroyed the intended targets with an accuracy of one
hundred percent.
At
the same time, 10 of the Aerospace Force’s offensive drones also launched a
simultaneous operation and destroyed the intended targets.
The
IRGC Deputy Chief of Operations and spokesman for the joint drills Brigadier
General Abbas Nilforoushan said the exercise conveyed Iran’s deterrent power to
the enemies and carried a message of peace to Iran’s friends and neighboring
countries.
The
maneuvers were held in the Persian Gulf region, the Strait of Hormuz, as well
as the coastal areas of the southern province of Hormuzgan, Bushehr, and
Khuzestan. The exercises were part of major military drills Iran holds
regularly to improve its combat readiness.
They
intended to showcase the maneuverability of solid fuel missiles to cross enemy
shields and simultaneous strikes and to improve the combat readiness of the
IRGC’s forces.
During
the drills, five cruise missiles were also fired from Iran’s Shahid Roudaki
ocean-going warship for the first time. The medium-range cruise missiles
successfully hit their targets.
'We
will cut off hands of aggressors'
On
the sidelines of the drills, Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian
Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said the drills are aimed at giving
an appropriate response to the Israeli regime’s latest empty threats.
“This
exercise was planned in advance, but the numerous, empty threats of the Zionist
regime’s officials in recent days caused this exercise to take place at this
time … This was one of the most successful missile exercises of the Islamic
Republic of Iran so far,” General Baqeri said.
He
said the fact that Iran’s military can hit a target with 16 missiles
simultaneously demonstrates only a part of the Islamic Republic’s missile
power.
Baqeri
further warned Israel against making the slightest mistake, otherwise “we will
cut off their hands,” adding that the difference between a real operation and a
military exercise is a “change in the angle of launching the missiles.”
The
chief commander of the IRGC also made similar remarks, warning the enemies to
be careful of what they say.
Source:
Press TV
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FM:
Iran, Azerbaijan Agree to Open New Chapter in Cooperation
2021-December-24
"During
official visit to Baku, we agreed to open a new chapter," Amir Abdollahian
wrote on his Twitter account on Friday.
He
pointed out that the Iranian government prioritizes cooperation with its
neighbors.
"In
cordial meeting w @presidentaz, & my discussions w FM Bayramov & Parl.
Speaker we charted a roadmap to further enhance ties," the Iranian foreign
minister added.
In
a relevant development in late October, Amir Abdollahian and Bayramov in a
phone conversation discussed the latest developments in bilateral ties with
emphasis on resolving the differences and development of relations.
During
the phone call, Amir Abdollahian said the release of the two Iranian drivers,
detained on accusations of trespassing into Azerbaijan territories, was a
“constructive” measure that could prepare the necessary ground for resolving
misunderstandings between the two countries.
Source:
Fars News Agency
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https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14001003000519/FM-Iran-Azerbaijan-Agree-Open-New-Chaper-in-Cperain
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Turkey
freezes assets of 770 people, including a Chicago-based foundation
24
December ,2021
Turkey
froze the assets of 770 Turkish nationals and a Chicago-based foundation,
according to a decision published Friday in the country’s official gazette.
The
list of targets includes 454 people with alleged links to Muslim cleric
Fethullah Gulen, who lives in the United States. The Turkish government accuses
Gulen and his network of being behind a bloody coup attempt in 2016. Gulen has
denied the allegation.
For
all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Gulen
is the honorary president of the Chicago foundation that had its assets in
Turkey frozen. The Niagara Foundation’s parent organization, the Alliance for
Shared Values, is a nonprofit of the Gulen movement, which Turkey designated as
a terror group.
The
list published Friday shows 119 other people had assets frozen for links to
ISIS terrorist group, al-Qaeda, the al-Nusra Front and other alleged “terror
groups that abuse religion.”
Another
108 people were targeted for alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or
PKK, which is designated a terror group by Turkey and the United States.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Dozens
of Palestinians injured in anti-settlement protests in West Bank
24
December 2021
Dozens
of Palestinians taking part in anti-settlement protests in the occupied West
Bank have been injured by Israeli forces.
The
Palestine Red Crescent ambulance service said on Friday that five Palestinian
protesters were hit by rubber bullets during clashes with Israeli forces in Burqa
Village and the town of Beita in Nablus Province on Friday.
According
to the report, 43 other Palestinians suffered breathing difficulties due to
inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli troops to disperse the anti-settlement
protests in Burqa, Beita and the village of Beit Dajan in Nablus.
Three
other protesters suffered different injuries during the clashes in the West
Bank province.
Since
May, Beita has seen intensified clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians
protesting against a settlement outpost that has been established on Sobeih
Mountain by settlers under the protection of Israeli forces.
In
the village of Kafr Qaddum, east of the West Bank city of Qalqilya, six
Palestinians taking part in the weekly anti-settlement protests on Friday were
hit by rubber bullets and scores of others suffered breathing difficulties due
to tear gas used by the Israeli troops against the demonstrators.
Meanwhile,
clashes also erupted between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the town of
Azzun, east of Qalqilya, on Friday.
During
the clashes, an 18-year-old Palestinian was injured by live ammunition fired by
the Israeli forces, who also used tear gas, rubber bullets and sound bombs
against the Palestinians.
Also
on Friday, dozens of Palestinians suffered breathing difficulties due to
inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli troops who stormed the area of Bab al-Zawiya
area in the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron).
Israel
military, settlers will pay price for instigating violence: Hamas
The
Palestinian resistance movement Hamas on Friday warned that the Israeli
military and settlers would pay the price for rising settler violence against
Palestinians after an Israeli settler ran a 63-year-old woman over near the
town of Sinjil, northeast of the West Bank city of Ramallah, earlier in the
day.
“Rising
setter terrorism against our people in the occupied West Bank will be
confronted with an escalation of the act of resistance,” Hamas spokesman, Hazem
Qassem, said on Friday. “The [Israeli] occupation army and its settlers will
pay the price for these crimes.”
Source:
Press TV
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South Asia
UN
extends exemption of travel ban on Afghan Taliban leaders
Dec
25, 2021
KABUL:
The UN Security Council announced that it has extended the exemption of the
travel ban on senior members of the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan,
including First Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, for a period
of 90 days.
In
its announcement on Friday, the UNSC said that the ban, which came into force
on Wednesday, will last until March 21, 2022, TOLO News reported.
Besides
Baradar, there are 14 other Taliban members on the ban list, including Foreign
Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
"The
travel ban exemption is solely for travels required for participation in peace
and stability discussions in a range of countries," TOLO News quoted the
UNSC as saying in its announcement.
"Individual
itineraries will depend on the location of peace discussions. The Committee has
also decided to grant a limited asset freeze exemption only for financing
exempted travels."
The
Taliban-led government welcomed the UNSC's decision, while calling for the
removal of its leaders' names from the UN and US blacklists.
Source:
Times of India
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Pakistan
for accountability in Afghanistan
Anwar
Iqbal
December
25, 2021
UNITED
NATIONS: Pakistan supports a comprehensive and equitable accountability in Afghanistan,
says the country’s envoy to the United Nations, which recently adopted a
resolution to allow humanitarian and financial assistance to Kabul.
Although
the UN Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted the resolution moved by the
United States, some council members suggested holding the Taliban responsible
for the current situation in Afghanistan. The UNSC resolution also cautioned
that the assistance sent to Afghanistan must not benefit individuals and
entities sanctioned by the United Nations. Several Taliban leaders are on the
sanction list.
When
asked at his latest news briefing if Pakistan supports the demand for
accountability, Ambassador Munir Akram said: “There have obviously been
violations of human rights and criminal behavior, but we must see that this
accountability is comprehensive and equitable.”
Such
an accountability, he said, must “take into account all the crimes committed by
anybody in Afghanistan over the last two decades”.
“So
that is at least our approach. We don’t know whether the process will start or
not. But if it does start, we hope that it will be equitable and
comprehensive.”
The
UNSC resolution does not call for accountability, but it does remind the
Taliban of their responsibilities as the de facto rulers of Afghanistan.
The
United Nations does not recognise the Taliban government and earlier this
month, the UN General Assembly delayed a decision on who will represent
Afghanistan at the world body.
At
Ambassador Akram’s news briefing, a journalist noted that the Taliban had
greatly restricted the freedom of the Afghan women and therefore could not be
trusted with protecting the rights of all Afghan citizens.
Source:
Dawn
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Taliban
claim to dissociate nearly 2,000 affiliates for misbehaviour
Dec
25, 2021
KABUL:
The Taliban on Friday claimed to have dissociated nearly 2,000 affiliates for
misbehaviour, including provincial heads of some directorates.
Officials
of the purification commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said
that they have dissociated 1,895 Taliban affiliates due to their misbehaviour,
reported Khaama Press.
A
spokesperson of IEA Inamullah Samangani in a Twitter post said that provincial
heads of some directorates are also among those whose memberships have been
dissolved.
"Cases
of most of these people have been referred to courts and a large number of
ill-bred people left IEA after the commission was created," read his
Twitter post.
Samangani
added that the officials and rank and file were dissociated after the
investigations of the purification commission, reported Khaama Press.
Purification
commission, a newly created administration of IEA, observes the Taliban
affiliates who misbehave with common people and do not abide by the rules.
Earlier,
the Taliban's supreme leader Mullah Hebtullah Akhundzada had asked Taliban
officials to identify influential people and dissociate them from their
rankings.
Source:
Times of India
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China
delivers winter clothes to 34 provinces of Afghanistan
24
Dec 2021
Ministry
of Refugees and Repatriates of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan sent to 34
provinces of the country the winter clothes and blankets donated by China.
The
aids were loaded in tens of trucks and are supposed to be distributed to people
who have not yet received aids.
Speaking
to journalists in Kabul, the Acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriates
Khalilurahman Haqqani said that the aids will be distributed to people in need
after a transparent survey in the provinces.
Khalilurahman
Haqqani expressed gratitude to countries that have delivered humanitarian aids
to Afghanistan and called on other countries to continue delivering aids to the
Afghan people.
“Afghanistan
is going through the toughest economic situation and the world must implement
its pledges in delivering humanitarian aids to Afghan people.” Said Haqqani.
Source:
Khaama Press
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https://www.khaama.com/china-delivers-winter-clothes-to-34-provinces-of-afghanistan-47457/
--------
Pakistan,
Taliban resolve Afghanistan border fencing row: Official
December
25, 2021
Pakistan
and Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have resolved the recent row over border
fencing by agreeing that further work on the project that led to a tense
situation would be done through consensus, a media report said on Saturday.
A
senior official, who spoke to a group of journalists on the background on
Friday, said it has been decided at a senior level that fencing-related issues
would in the future be dealt with through mutual agreement, he said.
The
official, however, did not exactly specify at which level the talks between
Pakistan and the de facto Afghan government were held after Wednesday's
incident in which Taliban fighters disrupted border fencing and took away
spools of barbed wire, the Dawn newspaper reported.
The
fighters had then also warned Pakistani soldiers against resuming fencing. The
incident led to a tense situation in the area where it occurred, it said.
Defence
ministries of the two sides later held talks on the issue. The Taliban ministry
of the border and tribal affairs also reportedly took part in the parleys.
The
official said Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob visited the area on
Wednesday and defused the situation.
"The
dispute has been quietly and calmly settled," he said.
Pakistan
has been fencing the 2600-kilometer-long border with Afghanistan since 2017 to
end terrorist infiltration and smuggling despite very intense opposition from
the neighbouring country, the report said.
Besides
the erection of a fence, the project also includes the construction of border
posts and forts, and the raising of new wings of Frontier Corps, the
paramilitary force that guards the border.
The
official said 90 per cent of the fencing had been completed.
A
large part of the fence has been constructed in inhospitable terrain and in
some places at very high altitudes. The fencing is expected to be completed at
a cost of about USD 500 million.
Fencing
has been a contentious issue in Pakistan-Afghanistan ties because the Afghans
dispute the border demarcation done during the colonial period.
Pakistan,
however, insists that the line separating the two countries, also called the
Durand Line, is the valid international border.
The
differences over the status of the border have been so intense that they have
in the past resulted in several fatal clashes between the troops of the two
countries.
Pakistani
construction teams installing the fence have on a number of occasions endured
cross-border attacks by terrorists, the report said.
Islamabad
had always hoped that the Afghan Taliban would help in settling the
longstanding matter. However, that has not been the case.
The
Taliban did not resolve the issue when they were in control of Afghanistan from
1996 to 2001 and have not done anything substantive to address it this time
either so far, the report said.
Taliban
spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, who is currently the acting culture and
information minister, said in an interview days after the takeover of Kabul by
the group on August 15, rejected the fencing of the border by Pakistan.
"The
Afghans are unhappy and oppose the fencing. The fencing has separated people
and divided families, he had said.
The
official at the background briefing downplayed the Taliban's opposition to the
fencing project.
Fence
is a reality. Nearly 90 percent of it has been installed. Not agreeing with it
is not an option, he emphasised.
Responding
to a question about talks with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP),
which were being held in Afghanistan through the Afghan Taliban's facilitation,
the official said the dialogue is still continuing despite TTP's announcement
about not extending the ceasefire.
The
talks are continuing and an effort is being made to reach a settlement. There
are differences over TTP's demand for the release of prisoners. The dialogue
has, however, not reached a dead end, he said.
The
TTP had on December 9 refused to extend the month-long ceasefire that started
after accusing Pakistani authorities of not fulfilling their commitments. The
ceasefire had begun on November 9 after initial progress in talks and it had
largely held. The TTP resumed attacks soon after ending the truce.
Source:
Business Standard
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Africa
Internet
services disrupted in Sudan’s Khartoum ahead of planned protests: Report
25
December ,2021
Internet
services appeared to be disrupted in the Sudanese capital Khartoum early on
Saturday ahead of planned protests, according to a Reuters witness.
On
Thursday, hundreds of women marched in Omdurman and protests hit other Sudanese
cities in response to allegations that 13 women were raped
during
anti-military rule protests earlier in the week.
The
United Nations Human Rights Office received 13 allegations of rape and gang
rape by security forces during the protests on Sunday.
That
demonstration drew hundreds of thousands of people to the capital Khartoum to
protest against a military coup on Oct. 25. They converged on the presidential
palace, where they attempted a sit-in before being dispersed by security forces
after sundown.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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500
Wagner paramilitaries reportedly enter Mali amid controversy
Aurore
Bonny
25.12.2021
DOUALA,
Cameroon
At
least 500 paramilitaries from the controversial private Russian Wagner Group
arrived on Thursday in Bamako, Mali’s capital, local security sources confirmed
to Anadolu Agency on Friday.
''We
confirm the arrival of 500 Russian soldiers,'' the Malian sources told Anadolu
Agency, asking not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
The
soldiers will be deployed in 10 locations in the West African country,
according to local media.
The
reported arrival comes as the paramilitary group attracts greater controversy.
On
Thursday, 15 European countries, including France, which is deploying its
military in Mali as part of the fight against terrorism, announced in a
statement that they had taken note of "the involvement the Russian
Federation’s government in providing material support for Wagner group’s
deployment in Mali" and called on "Russia to adopt responsible and
constructive behavior in the region."
They
condemned the deployment of mercenaries on Malian territory, warning that it
could further deteriorate the security situation in West Africa.
The
countries warned that the group’s involvement would "worsen the human
rights situation in Mali" and threaten the Agreement for Peace and
Reconciliation in the country.
In
2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pointed to 2,000 Wagner
mercenaries fighting in nearby Libya in support of Khalifa Haftar, a warlord
who has fought Libya’s legitimate government and undermined efforts for peace
and unity in the country.
-Wagner
Group ‘confusing the game’
"It
is certain that the Russian paramilitary group poses a lot of concerns, not for
the Malians but more for the West, France, the European community and the
United States because it is a new player that is confusing the game,"
Regis Hounkpe, the executive director of InterGlobe Conseils, a consulting firm
specializing in strategic communication and geopolitical expertise, told
Anadolu Agency.
The
group is criticized due to Russia's relations with France and the US, he said,
questioning if there would be as much controversy if it were a British group,
for example.
"It
is true that these mercenaries have a bad record in the Central African
Republic and elsewhere. But Mali is a sovereign state and has the right to
contract any action with any actor. Mali does not have to choose between the
wishes of its European collaborators who are against the new actor. This
country must assert itself," Hounkpe added.
On
previous French anti-terrorist operations in Mali, he said: "France's
record in Mali is very poor at the moment. The recently withdrawn French
anti-terrorist force, Barkhane, did not have the desired effect. Mali is still
balkanized and in a political and security crisis. On its borders the terrorist
threat is still evident.”
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Libya’s
parliament under pressure over delayed presidential vote
24
December 2021
Libya’s
parliament has come under growing pressure to finish planning a long-awaited
presidential election, after the vote was postponed earlier this week.
A
group of presidential candidates called on the election commission on Friday to
finalize the list of candidates for the presidential and parliamentary polls.
They also warned that they would not accept further delays.
Some
98 candidates had registered for the presidential race, but no official list of
candidates was presented to the public and no formal campaigning went underway.
The parliament announced on Wednesday that the presidential election, planned
for Friday, would not go ahead. It did not set a new date for the election.
But
later on Wednesday, the electoral board suggested pushing the vote back by a
month to January 24.
The
parliament will meet on Monday to debate a new timeline for elections,
according to an official.
Analysts,
however, say that given the animosity between the eastern-based parliament and
authorities in Tripoli, agreeing a new date will be far from easy.
Citing
a parliamentary source, AFP reported that a committee had been formed to set
out a new roadmap. The source, who asked to remain anonymous, said the assembly
might propose reshuffling or replacing the current unity government.
The
interim government’s mandate expires on Friday. Some members of the House of
Representatives keep calling for a new government to be installed, while some
main factions and political institutions may stick with the UN-recognized
government.
The
interim government was formed in February to take the country through to
elections, but the election’s collapse, which was widely expected, has now left
an internationally-backed peace process in chaos and the fate of the interim
government in doubt.
The
delay has also sparked anger among people who say they were “thirsty” for the
crucial election that was aimed at ending a decade of chaos in the country.
Some
2.5 million Libyans had collected their voter cards, out of a population of
seven million.
After
the postponement of the vote, there was also a reported surge in violence in
the country, including by armed groups seeking to control the country’s oil
fields.
Source:
Press TV
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--------
North America
Is
Biden really concerned about the Saudi ballistic missile program?
24
December 2021
Former
American diplomat and political analyst J. Michael Springmann doubts that US
President Joe Biden is really concerned about Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing of
ballistic missiles, as has been shown by US satellite images.
US
satellite images acquired by American broadcaster CNN suggest that Saudi Arabia
is actively manufacturing ballistic missiles in at least one location.
Sources
familiar with the latest US intelligence claimed in the report that China is
helping the conservative kingdom in this regard.
In
recent months, according to the report, US officials at several agencies,
including the National Security Council at the White House, have been briefed
on classified intelligence revealing a number of large-scale transfers of
sensitive ballistic missile technology between China and Saudi Arabia.
The
report observed that the Biden administration is concerned that Saudi's
ballistic missile advancements could dramatically change regional power
dynamics and complicate American attempts to put restraints on Iran’s own
missile technology.
“Really?
Joe is concerned? Does he realize that his previous wild remarks about
‘hostile’ and ‘dangerous’ China have consequences? And that his remarks are causing the Chinese
to move into prior American spheres of influence?” asked J. Springmann, a
former US diplomat in Saudi Arabia.
“In
the late 1980s, before the US State Department fired him, this author reported
the Saudi import of Chinese Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs)
tagged Silkworm. At the time, there was
a great uproar in the international news media and the writer’s information
about the actual introduction of the missiles went nowhere (except to the US
embassy in Riyadh and to the then-president's daily security briefing),” he
stated.
“This
time around, the Chinese are back with advice and assistance—on solid-fuel
missiles. (The Silkworms were liquid-fueled.)
According to Jeffrey Lewis, a weapons expert, and professor at the
Middlebury Institute of International Studies, The domestic production of
ballistic missiles by Saudi Arabia suggests that any diplomatic effort to
control missile proliferation would need to involve other regional actors, like
Saudi Arabia and Israel, that produce their own ballistic missiles,’ he added.
“Now
that the Saudis have joined the missile race, along with the Apartheid Entity
styling itself Israel, Iran has more problems (and opportunities) for its
defensive missiles. Will the Islamic Republic demand that Israel reduce or
eliminate its rockets, many of which can be nuclear-tipped? Will the Islamic
Republic require international intervention to end the Saudi program? Or will the Islamic Republic press ahead with
newer and better defensive missiles?” Springmann said.
Despite
decades of Washington-imposed sanctions, Iran has made great achievements in
its ballistic missiles program.
A
Pentagon study has hailed Iran’s missiles program, saying its arsenal is larger
than that of any other Middle Eastern country.
Source:
Press TV
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US
lawmakers call on Biden to end blockade on Yemen
December
25, 2021
A
group of international humanitarian organizations and a number of American
legislators have demanded the administration of President Joe Biden to end the
siege on Sanaa International Airport.
The
organizations emphasized that the cruel and senseless blockade is harming
millions of innocent Yemenis, diplomacy and the peace process.
According
to The “Common Dream” website, the human rights and humanitarian organizations,
to which a number of US legislators joined, demanded President Biden to open
the airport in order to provide humanitarian aid, indicating that the Saudi-led
coalition airstrikes damaged the airport.
“The
Biden administration should take advantage of every possible influence to put
pressure on the Saudi-led coalition to end its siege of Sanaa International
Airport,” the website said, quoting the statement of the organizations group.
Source:
ABNA24
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https://en.abna24.com/news//us-lawmakers-call-on-biden-to-end-blockade-on-yemen_1212038.html
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US
embassy urges nationals to avoid protest sites in Sudan
Buhram
Abdel-Men'em
24.12.2021
The
US Embassy in Sudan on Friday advised its nationals to avoid areas expected to
witness protests on Saturday.
"Demonstrations
are expected to take place on December 25 in Khartoum and potentially in other
states," the embassy said in a circular posted on Twitter.
It
encouraged personnel and US nationals to "avoid non-essential travel,
avoid crowds and demonstration, and to exercise caution if unexpectedly in the
vicinity of large gatherings or protests."
On
Thursday, the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) made a public call to
take part in a rally on Saturday to demand the "establishment of a full
civilian authority."
On
Oct. 25, the military in the North African country dismissed Prime Minister
Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency amid
accusations and differences between politicians and the armed forces.
Hamdok,
however, was reinstated on Nov. 21 under an agreement with Abdel Fattah
al-Burhan, the Sudanese army chief, in a move that aimed to resolve a political
crisis that threatened to undermine Sudan's transition to democracy.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/us-embassy-urges-nationals-to-avoid-protest-sites-in-sudan/2456780
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US
foreign policy team sends confusing signals about Iran: Analyst
24
December 2021
The
current US foreign policy team is "rife with dissension and sends
confusing signals" about Iran, an American political commentator in Oregon
has said.
In
an interview with Press TV on Friday, Charles Dunaway said that there are
hard-core Zionist neocons embedded in key roles in the State Department and
White House who will do everything in their power to undermine President Joe
Biden if he adopts a more realistic stance on Iran.
As
a new round of talks is slated to kick off between Iran and the five remaining
parties to the landmark 2015 nuclear deal in Vienna, China calls on the United
States to "overhaul" its failed “maximum pressure” policy on Iran and
remove all "illegal" sanctions it has imposed against Tehran after
its unilateral withdrawal from the agreement.
"I’d
like to reiterate that, as the culprit of the Iranian nuclear crisis, the US
should overhaul its erroneous policy of 'maximum pressure' on Iran, and lift
all illegal sanctions on Iran and “long-arm jurisdiction” on third
parties," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular
press conference in Beijing on Friday. "On this basis, Iran should resume
full compliance," he added.
In
a tweet on Thursday, European Union deputy foreign policy chief Enrique Mora
said Iran and the five parties to the 2015 agreement, officially known as the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), would resume anti-Iran sanctions
removal talks in Vienna on Monday to "discuss and define the way
ahead."
Dunaway
said, “The Chinese foreign ministry is quite correct that the US should have
removed all its sanctions on Iran before beginning these talks on the
JCPOA. That would have restored the
treaty in its original form immediately.
After that, the parties could negotiate in good faith about additional
matters.”
“One
problem left unaddressed is that the US government cannot be trusted to live up
to its treaty commitments. Even the
Obama administration, which negotiated the JCPOA, imposed new sanctions in
violation of the agreement the next day after the treaty was signed,” he added.
“Because
the US has only contempt for international law and for the United Nations,
there is no way to hold it accountable for its serial violations of this and
many other treaties. Even if the Biden
administration had the integrity and inner strength to drop the sanctions and
return to the agreement, the next administration would most likely back out.
The pressure of the Israeli lobby would be relentless and few, if any, US
politicians have the guts to stand up to them,” he stated.
“The
current foreign policy team in the US is also rife with dissension and sends
confusing signals. There are hard-core Zionist neocons embedded in key roles in
the State Department and White House. If
a more realistic stance is adopted by the President, they will do everything in
their power to undermine him. This is evident in the mixed signals being given
regarding Ukraine and Taiwan,” he noted.
Source:
Press TV
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