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Islamic World News ( 15 Oct 2020, NewAgeIslam.Com)

Military Veterans Have Written To President to Seek Action on A Non-Existent ‘Muslim Regiment’ Lie

New Age Islam News Bureau

15 October 2020

Representational Photo: Veterans write to Prez, seek action against fake news on social media about non-existent 'Muslim Regiment'

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• After Ad Row, Tanishq Store Made To Put Out Apology

• 'Black Day': China, Pakistan's Election to UN Rights Body Draws Ire

• Thousands Flee Taliban Onslaught in Southern Afghanistan

• Saudi Arabia G20 Interfaith Forum Unites Muslim, Jewish, Christian Leaders

• US Elections: Group of 33 Former Ambassadors To Middle East Endorse Biden Over Trump

• ‘New Era’ Begins In US-Saudi Relationship, Pompeo Tells Saudi Arabian FM

• Palestinian Islamic Jihad Threatens Conflict over Palestinian Prisoner

• Chinese and Iranian Cooperation Thwart US ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaigns

India

• Military Veterans Have Written To President to Seek Action on A Non-Existent ‘Muslim Regiment’ Lie

• After Ad Row, Tanishq Store Made To Put Out Apology

• India, Pakistan in war of words over Kashmir, terror at Commonwealth meet

• Hold Pakistan accountable for the ongoing turmoil in Kashmir: Member of European Parliament

• PM Modi pays tribute to former president Kalam

• APJ Abdul Kalam will always remain an inspiration to every Indian: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu

• Two terrorists slain in Shopian encounter

• Farooq calls Gupkar Declaration meeting on October 15, Mehbooba to attend

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Pakistan

• 'Black Day': China, Pakistan's Election to UN Rights Body Draws Ire

• Govt convenes NA, Senate sessions amid rising political heat

• Fazl confident to oust govt till year’s end

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South Asia

• Thousands Flee Taliban Onslaught in Southern Afghanistan

• Top Member of ‘Taliban’s Quetta Shura’ Killed in NDSF Ambush

• Rohingya in Bangladesh protest killings in Myanmar

• Peace Delegations Hold General Meeting in Doha

• Military helicopters collide in Afghanistan's Helmand during operation against Taliban

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Arab world

• Saudi Arabia G20 Interfaith Forum Unites Muslim, Jewish, Christian Leaders

• Hezbollah Member: US Not Able to Bar Resistance Membership in Lebanese Cabinet

• Lebanese Forces party threatens to sue pro-Hezbollah newspaper

• Militants delivered chlorine barrels to White Helmets for false flag gas attack in Syria’s Idlib: Russia

• Lebanon, Israel hold 1st round of indirect demarcation talks

• Bahrain says will prosecute social media activists condemning Israel normalization

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North America

• US Elections: Group of 33 Former Ambassadors To Middle East Endorse Biden Over Trump

• ‘New Era’ Begins In US-Saudi Relationship, Pompeo Tells Saudi Arabian FM

• Pakistan is not isolated, says UN envoy

• Saudi Arabia’s FM heads to Washington for first US-Saudi Strategic Dialogue talks

• US slams Turkey for ‘calculated provocation’ after survey vessel sent near Greece

• US Navy SEAL who killed bin Laden reacts to Trump suggestion it was a hoax

• US' cruel sanctions on Iran amount to collective punishment of millions of innocent lives: New York Times

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Mideast

• Palestinian Islamic Jihad Threatens Conflict over Palestinian Prisoner

• CBI Governor Hopes for Transfer of Multibillion-Dollar Iranian Assets from Iraq

• Deputy Judiciary Chief: Iranian Nation Not to Forgive Europeans’ Collaboration with US Sanctions

• Ansarullah releases two US prisoners in exchange for 200 Yemenis held in Oman

• Turkey trains 120 fighters in Libya, again denies sending troops to battle Armenia

• After normalization, expanding settlements: Israel approves more units

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Southeast Asia

• Chinese and Iranian Cooperation Thwart US ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaigns

• PAS Assemblyman Calls for Action against Illegally Built Non-Muslim Places Of Worship in Penang

• CMCO: Morning markets in Selangor allowed to operate, says MB

• Umno threatens to pull out of Malaysia's ruling alliance PN unless it gets new terms

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Africa

• Sudan: Attorney General Calls for Removing Sudan From Terrorism List

• Suspected jihadists kill 25 in central Mali attacks

• Somali Islamist Insurgents Pile up Cash, Says U.N. Report

• UN humanitarian chief: Sahel is very close to tipping point

• Boko Haram Terrorists Kill 14 Farmers in Borno

• Somalia army kills 11 militants in operation in southern region

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Europe

• Turkish Arms Sales to Azerbaijan Surged Before Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting

• Turkey vows to give Greece ‘answer it deserves on the ground’ in energy dispute

• Russia’s defense minister calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to respect ceasefire

• Fighting between Azerbaijan, Armenian forces spreading coronavirus: WHO

• Germany warns Turkey against ‘provocation’ in Mediterranean

• Turkish Defector Says He Was Ordered to Kill Politician in Austria

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/military-veterans-written-president-seek/d/123152

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Military Veterans Have Written To President to Seek Action on A Non-Existent ‘Muslim Regiment’ Lie

Oct 15, 2020

Representational Photo: Veterans write to Prez, seek action against fake news on social media about non-existent 'Muslim Regiment'

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NEW DELHI: A large number of military veterans have written to President Ram Nath Kovind requesting stern action against those spreading “fake news” on social media about a non-existent “Muslim Regiment” of the Indian Army refusing to fight in the 1965 war against Pakistan.

India has never had any Muslim regiment and such “blatant falsehoods”, which began in May 2013, are still being insidiously spread on the social media at a time when the country is confronted with military tensions with both Pakistan and China, said the veterans.

Signed by 120 veterans, including former Navy chief Admiral L Ramdas and 24 two and three-star Generals from the armed forces, the letter refers to a blog written in TOI.

‘Brig Usman was seniormost officer killed in action in 1948’

The veterans’ letter refers to a blog written in TOI by Lt-General S A Hasnain (retd) that said the disinformation campaign was possibly part of “psy ops” unleashed by Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations wing. “We wish to point out that Muslims fighting as part of multiclass regiments in the Indian Army have proved their absolute commitment to the cause of our nation,” said the letter.

It cited the examples of top gallantry medals being awarded to Havildar Abdul Hamid (Param Vir Chakra), Major (later Lt General) Mohammad Zaki and Major Abdul Rafey Khan (Vir Chakras) in the 1965 war, among others.

Even earlier, during the partition in 1947, Brigadier Mohammad Usman chose to remain in the Indian Army when his Baluch Regiment went to Pakistan despite being approached by Jinnah. “Brig Usman fought the Pakistani invasion in Kashmir and was the seniormost officer killed in action in July 1948. He was posthumously awarded Mahavir Chakra for his gallantry,” it added.

Underlining the need to protect the apolitical and secular ethos of the Indian armed forces, the letter said there should be “firm and immediate action” in the matter, with a warning also being issued to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. “Issue immediate instructions also to all state governments that the generation of false and seditious messages in social media should be acted upon with alacrity so as to not jeopardie national security.”

“Social media posts like the ‘Muslim Regiment’ put in the public domain are an insidious attack on the morale of our armed forces. It generates doubt in the public mind that if Muslim soldiers cannot be trusted, then other Muslims too are no different. It exacerbates mistrust and hate between communities,” it added.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/new-delhi-veterans-seek-action-on-muslim-regiment-lie/articleshow/78672852.cms

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After Ad Row, Tanishq Store Made To Put Out Apology

Oct 15, 2020

The advertisement in question, for Tanishq’s new collection called Ekatvam (which means oneness), showed a Muslim family organising a baby shower for their Hindu daughter-in-law.

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A Tanishq jewellery store in Gandhidham town in Gujarat’s Kutch district put up a note apologising for a recent advertisement featuring a Muslim woman with a Hindu daughter-in-law, police said on Wednesday.

The police statement came after TV reports said a group of people angry with the advertisement barged into the store and threatened the manager. The store owner and the police, however, denied the reports.

“The store owner told us that he was not threatened. As demanded by some people, he had put up that apology in Gujarati as Tanishq had issued the same in English at the national level. There is no element of threat or attack involved,” said Mayur Patil, superintendent of police, Kutch-East.

The advertisement in question, for Tanishq’s new collection called Ekatvam (which means oneness), showed a Muslim family organising a baby shower for their Hindu daughter-in-law. The Tanishq jewellery brand is a division of the Titan company, promoted by the Tata Group in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.

Some people had asked the store owner to put up the apology in Gujarati so that more people could understand it, police said. The note condemned the advertisement, which has been withdrawn from all platforms after it received a backlash with #BoycottTanishq trending on social media.

“We apologise to the Hindu community of Kutch on the shameful advertisement of Tanishq,” the handwritten note said.

The note was put up on the store’s door on October 12, and has since been removed, police said. The SP said the showroom had received some threatening calls on October 12 regarding the advertisement after which security was stepped up around the showroom. “But there was no attack,” he said.

Later, a person who purportedly asked the showroom manager to apologise, Ramesh Maitra, said he went to the showroom and his intention was not to hurt anyone’s business.

“Yes, I went there to apprise the showroom people about the feelings of the Hindu samaj (society) of the area and asked them to write an apology for the advertisement. I did not intend to hurt the business of anyone,” he said in a video issued on Wednesday.

Photos of the apology note have since been widely shared on social media.

Advertising bodies came out in support of the advertisement featuring the interfaith family.

“Such baseless and irrelevant attack on creative expression is extremely concerning,” The Advertising Club said on Twitter. “The Advertising Club on behalf of the Indian Media and Advertising industry strongly condemns the threatening and targeting of Tanishq and its employees in regards to their latest advertisement on the new jewellery line.”

The Indian chapter of the International Advertising Association said the events that led to the withdrawal of the advertisement were “very unfortunate”, and demanded action from the government against “intimidating behaviour”.

“While we respect the opinion of every individual on subjective matters, these should not descend to illegal threats and anti-social behavior. We appeal to the concerned governments to take a serious view of such intimidating behaviour and take exemplary action where required to ensure that businesses are provided a safe environment to communicate their brand advertising messages,” the association tweeted.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/after-ad-row-tanishq-store-made-to-put-out-apology/story-Bp94K5oSqKWcwMwYrZMZAK.html

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'Black Day': China, Pakistan's Election To UN Rights Body Draws Ire

Oct 14, 2020

File: Pakistan PM Imran Khan (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping

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NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON: The re-election of countries like China and Pakistan to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) amid opposition from rights groups drew condemnation from various quarters on Wednesday.

China won a seat at the UNHRC by a small margin on Tuesday while Pakistan secured the highest number of votes among the five candidates from the Asia-Pacific region.

Rebuking the rights body over the election of nations like China, Russia and Cuba, the US said its stand to withdraw from the council two years ago has been vindicated.

"The election of China, Russia, and Cuba to the UN Human Rights Council validates the US' decision to withdraw from the council in 2018 and use other venues to protect and promote universal human rights. At UNGA this year, we did just that," US secretary of state Mike Pompeo tweeted.

The election of China, Russia, and Cuba to the UN Human Rights Council validates the U.S. decision to withdraw from… https://t.co/BGOGkHxKte

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) 1602619538000

Pompeo said that America's commitment to human rights is far more than just words.

"We have identified and punished human rights abusers in Xinjiang, Myanmar, Iran and elsewhere, and call for all nations to take this moment to recommit to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)," he said.

U.S. commitment to human rights is far more than just words. We have identified and punished human rights abusers i… https://t.co/uTtS4kRWSx

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) 1602619538000

Several rights groups and activists, too, strongly opposed the election of both China and Pakistan due to their abysmal human rights records.

Hillel Neuer, a Geneva-based international lawyer on human rights and executive director of United Nations Watch, condemned the election of the four countries and called it a "black day" for human rights.

"Today is a black day for human rights - UN's newest world judges on human rights include: Pakistan - persecutes Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis. China - herded one million Uyghurs into camps. Russia - poisons dissidents. Cuba - police state. The inmates are running the asylum."

U.N. Human Rights Council members today include: Saudi Arabia🇵🇰 Pakistan🇸🇴 Somalia 🇳🇬 Nigeria🇶🇦 Qatar🇪🇬 Egy… https://t.co/za22WXPIHL

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) 1571855152000

Today is a black day for human rights—U.N.'s newest world judges on human rights include: Pakistan - persecutes… https://t.co/9NZDfypVP4

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) 1602627065000

India's top foreign policy expert Brahma Chellany tweeted, "China, despite incarcerating more than a million Muslims, unleashing harsh repression in Tibet and killing detainees to harvest their organs for transplant, wins a UN Human Rights Council seat. It secures 30 votes less than its proxy, Pakistan. The Council is becoming irrelevant."

China, despite incarcerating more than a million Muslims, unleashing harsh repression in Tibet and killing detainee… https://t.co/zT2RgrmEhO

— Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) 1602654469000

Questioning the rights body, social media influencers Surendra Poonia said, "How come your organization is not able to see atrocities on minorities in Pakistan and torture camps in China where Uighur Muslims are tortured? It is like a brutal killer getting awarded for non-violence."

Amjad Ayub Mirza, an activist from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), said that election of the "world's worst human rights abusers" to the UN body will damage its credibility.

"World's worst human rights abusers set to be elected to the board of the UN Human Rights Council. Countries include Pakistan, China, Cuba, Russia and Saudi Arabia. This will seriously damage the credibility of the organization," Amjad Ayub Mirza tweeted on Wednesday.

Last week, a coalition of human rights groups from Europe, the United States and Canada had called on UN member states to oppose the election China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, saying their human rights records make them “unqualified.”

According to the list of Human Rights Priority Countries published in 'The 2019 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Report' titled 'Human Rights and Democracy' by the British Government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), there were serious human rights concerns and violations in Pakistan in 2019, including restrictions on civic space and freedom of expression, intolerance and direct and open discrimination towards minorities communities.

Besides Pakistan, several reports have also been raised concerns over prevalent human rights violations in China.

"China continued to place restrictions on the expression of religious belief, ethnic minorities, the media and wider freedom of expression, as well as detaining and harassing human rights defenders, and restricting the space for civil society to operate. The authorities' use of arbitrary detention continued, as did a lack of judicial transparency and due process, particularly in cases deemed 'politically sensitive'. In Xinjiang, credible estimates indicate that over 1 million Uighurs and other ethnic minorities have been extrajudicially detained in internment camps across the region," the report said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/black-day-china-pakistans-election-to-un-rights-body-draws-global-ire/articleshow/78660742.cms

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Thousands flee Taliban onslaught in southern Afghanistan

Oct 14, 2020

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan: Tens of thousands of people in southern Afghanistan have fled their homes following days of heavy fighting between the Taliban and security forces, officials said Wednesday, as violence continues to soar despite ongoing peace talks.

Taliban militants launched a series of attacks on the city of Lashkar Gah in restive Helmand province on Sunday night, prompting the US to call in air strikes to defend Afghan forces.

The fighting triggered an exodus by local residents who crammed onto motorcycles, taxis and buses.

"More than 5,100 families or 30,000 people... have fled the fighting so far," Sayed Mohammad Ramin, director of the refugees department in Helmand, told AFP.

"Some families are still living in the open in the streets in Lashkar Gah, we don't have tents to give them."

Local resident Hekmatullah said he was forced to flee after a mortar hit his neighbour's house, killing two women.

"The fighting was so intense that I did not have time to take any extra clothes. I only took my family," said Attaullah Afghan, a farmer who fled with his family of 12.

Fighting was ongoing in at least four districts on Wednesday, Afghan officials said, adding that security forces have repelled repeated Taliban assaults in the area.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said thousands had fled and called on Taliban fighters and security forces "to take all feasible measures to protect civilians, inc. safe paths for those wishing to leave" the area.

A collision between two helicopters early on Wednesday in Helmand's Nawa district also killed at least nine people, according to Omar Zhwak, a spokesperson for the provincial governor.

The defence ministry said they were investigating the incident.

Helmand -- a Taliban stronghold -- is where international forces fought some of the bloodiest campaigns of Afghanistan's 19-year war.

Under a deal the Taliban signed with Washington in February, the insurgents are not supposed to hit urban areas and are meant to keep violence down.

The US committed to pulling all foreign troops from the country by next May in return for Taliban security pledges and an agreement to begin peace talks with the Afghan government in Qatar.

Talks began last month between the Taliban and Afghan government in Doha but appear to be stalled as the two sides have struggled to establish a basic framework for negotiations.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/thousands-flee-taliban-onslaught-in-southern-afghanistan/articleshow/78657839.cms

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Saudi Arabia G20 Interfaith Forum Unites Muslim, Jewish, Christian Leaders

13 October 2020

Saudi Arabia is presiding over a virtual global interfaith forum that began on Tuesday, with participation from Muslim clerics, Jewish rabbis, Christian priests and others religious figures.

The Kingdom is hosting the online event as part of its presidency this year of the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations.

Faisal bin Muaammar, who heads the Saudi-funded International Dialogue Center organizing the five-day forum, told The Associated Press the purpose of the event is to enhance relationships among different faiths.

“We are talking about a relationship between religions, between Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus. The dialogue has no political agenda at all, or a political direction in terms of political conversations or negotiations,” he said.

Still, he said interfaith forums like this can help build bridges between people and countries.

“If it is used for the right reasons, the input of religious leaders or religious parties is excellent for any peace process in the world,” he said.

The event had been envisioned to be held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the forum is being held virtually like other high-profile G-20 events hosted by Saudi Arabia.

Speakers at Tuesday’s opening session included the Saudi religious affairs minister, the secretary general of the Saudi-based Muslim World League, the grand mufti of Egypt, archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and ecumenical patriarch, the president of the Conference of European Rabbis, and UN representatives.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/10/13/Muslim-Jewish-Christian-leaders-participate-in-Saudi-Arabia-G20-interfaith-forum

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US elections: Group of 33 former ambassadors to Middle East endorse Biden over Trump

Joseph Haboush

13 October 2020

A group of 33 former US ambassadors recently penned an endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, according to the letter seen by Al Arabiya English.

The list also includes several Middle East experts and analysts based in the US. Claiming that the United States has “lost the trust and friendship of many countries, alienated close allies, emboldened adversaries,” the signatories said they felt confident Biden would reverse this.

For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

In the letter, the main issues touched on involved Lebanon, Palestine and Israel.

Biden, according to the letter, would reinstate aid halted under President Donald Trump to the Palestinian people.

“It is for these reasons among many others that we believe that Joe Biden has the integrity, knowledge, and understanding to initiate and support policies that protect America’s interest and security,” the letter read.

A majority of the 33 ambassadors were appointed by former Presidents Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, who are Democrats. Daniel Benaim, the former Middle East Advisor to VP Biden, was also one of the supporters.

Robert Ford and Ryan Crocker were among the most notable diplomats, considered closer to the Republican Party, to sign and endorse Biden.

Read more: After US elections, there will be little change in Middle East policy: Experts

Several were appointed by former President George W. Bush or served under the Republican president’s term.

Trump has taken an aggressive approach toward Iran, withdrawing from the Iran deal engineered by Obama and his team.

Washington says the maximum-pressure campaign has drained the Iranian regime of resources previously used to fund militias and proxies worldwide.

Biden and the Democrats have openly stated their willingness to re-enter the Iran deal. However, the recent snapback mechanism that was used by the Trump administration will make it difficult to undo economic sanctions imposed on Tehran.

Democrats also believe the Trump administration has been biased in favor of Israel when dealing with the Arab-Israeli conflict.

However, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain recently signed normalization deals with Tel Aviv and more Arab countries are expected to follow suit in the near future.

Under the deal dubbed the “Abraham Accords,” Israel halted its annexation of parts of the West Bank and Gaza.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/10/13/US-elections-Group-of-33-former-ambassadors-to-Middle-East-endorse-Biden-over-Trump

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‘New era’ begins in US-Saudi relationship, Pompeo tells Saudi Arabian FM

Joseph Haboush and Tamara Abueish

14 October 2020

The US-Saudi Strategic Dialogue that kicked off Wednesday in Washington marks a new era in ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

“This Strategic Dialogue between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that Prince Faisal and I launched today marks a new era in our relationship,” the US diplomat said during a joint news conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Both diplomats were speaking after the first meeting between US and Saudi officials at the inaugural dialogue.

“Our conversations this morning reflected a mutual willingness to grow not only our security and economic ties, but our whole partnership,” Pompeo said.

He revealed that the US was in talks to acquire 26 acres in Riyadh for a new US embassy.

Discussions also touched on regional security, including Iran’s malign behaviour, which Pompeo said was threatening the Kingdom’s security and was disrupting global commerce.

“Today we reaffirmed our mutual commitment to countering Iranian malign activity, and the threat it poses to regional security and prosperity,” Pompeo said. He added that the US supported “a robust program of arm sales to Saudi Arabia, a line of effort that helps the Kingdom protect its citizens and sustains American jobs.”

For his part, Prince Faisal condemned Iran’s “continuing destabilizing behaviour,” citing its financial and material support to terrorist groups, including the Houthis in Yemen.

He cited the more than 300 Iranian-made ballistic missiles and drones fired by the Houthis towards the Kingdom. “Their development of their nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and their malign activities represent a grave danger to the region and the world,” Prince Faisal said.

The Saudi FM reiterated the Kingdom’s support for a “comprehensive political solution in Yemen.”

Prince Faisal warned of an environment catastrophe that “will irreparably damage Yemen’s coastline and marine life in the region.” He was referring to the FSO Safer, an aging oil tanker, on the Red Sea which the Houthis have repeatedly refused full access to.

Meanwhile, Pompeo urged Saudi Arabia to consider normalizing relations with Israel, while thanking the Kingdom for “assistance they’ve had in the success of the Abraham Accords so far.”

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed peace deals with Israel last month in a US-brokered deal at the White House.

For his part, Prince Faisal said the Strategic Dialogues comes at “a very important time.”

“Our strong partnership is vital in confronting the forces of extremism and terrorism that threaten our security and prosperity,” he said.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/gulf/2020/10/14/Saudi-US-talks-to-focus-on-strategic-partnership-between-the-two-countries-FM

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Palestinian Islamic Jihad threatens conflict over Palestinian prisoner

BY JOE TRUZMAN

October 13, 2020

In a video published by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) on Oct. 10, the Iran-backed militant faction threatened Israel with conflict if Maher al-Akhras, a PIJ operative in administrative detention, were to die in the custody of Israeli authorities.

The threat from PIJ and other militant factions in the Gaza Strip, came after the deterioration of Maher al-Akhras’ health due to a hunger strike he began more than 75 days ago in protest of his administrative detention.

Administrative detention is a policy employed by the Israeli government that allows it to detain an individual suspected of being involved in terrorist activity without being formally charged of a crime or standing trial.

According to an Al-Jazeera article, al-Akhras was detained in July in the West Bank by the Shin Bet based on evidence that he posed a “danger to public safety” due to his membership in Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of PIJ.

In the publication featuring some of PIJ’s arsenal and various images of destroyed Israeli homes, Ziad Nakhala, the Secretary-General of PIJ, called al-Akhras a “mujahid” — an acknowledgement of al-Akhras’ membership in Saraya al-Quds.

Furthermore, Nakahala warned Israel that it bears responsibility for the well-being of al-Akhras.

“We hold the enemy responsible for the life of each of the prisoners especially for the mujahid brother Maher al-Akhras,” Nakhala stated.

Additionally, in an interview with militants from Saraya al-Quds, another warning of consequences was made if al-Akhras were to be “martyred”.

“The Zionist enemy bears full responsibility for any Palestinian prisoner and they must expect any reaction that will come from the Palestinian resistance in the event that the capitve Maher al-Akhras is martyred. We are always ready and awaiting the orders of the leadership in the event of a decision to declare war,” the militant stated.

The act of PIJ members launching hunger strikes has precedence. Notably, a PIJ leader in the West Bank, Khader Adnan Ghaith, undertook a 56-day hunger strike in 2015 to protest his administrative detention. He was eventually released by Israeli authorities without being charged.

The threat of conflict from PIJ over the well-being of a prisoner has rarely resulted in conflict. It is not in the interest of Israel to allow the hunger striker to die due to legal ramifications and the threat of sparking a conflict.

Unless al-Akhras is formally charged with a crime in the coming days or weeks, it is doubtful he will remain in administrative detention much longer given the history of successful hunger strikes like the case of Khader Adnan Ghaith.

Joe Truzman is a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal.

https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2020/10/palestinian-islamic-jihad-threatens-conflict-over-palestinian-prisoner.php?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1612195_

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Chinese and Iranian cooperation thwart US ‘maximum pressure’ campaigns

13 October 2020

By Dennis Etler

The meeting of Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the Chinese province of Yunnan bodes well for the future of Sino-Iranian relations.

Since the end of WW2 both China and Iran have been targets of Western colonialism and imperialism. The US hegemonists have sought to destabilize both nations by encircling them with military bases, promoting political subversion and engaging in economic warfare. It is only natural that Iran and China see themselves as comrades-in-arms in their struggle to protect their sovereignty and independence.

Under the Trump Administration, both have suffered from maximum pressure campaigns meant to force them to concede to Washington’s demands. Trump’s tactics have scuttled international agreements and contravene international norms. US actions have been condemned by peace and freedom-loving people and nations all over the world.

Both Iran and China share a common experience of resistance to foreign domination that has not only strengthened their resolve but fortified their friendship. It is in their common interest to develop their ties in a comprehensive and constructive manner. The meeting in Yunnan is a major step in that direction.

The forthcoming November elections in the US will have a significant impact on both Sino-American and Iranian-American relations. A Trump win may signal a continuation of the current policies toward both. Neither Iran nor China can put any trust in what Trump or his representatives say as they have constantly gone back on their word. The only sound policy is to prepare for the worse when dealing with them.

If the Democrats retake the White House there is a greater prospect of a return to the policies of the previous Obama administration. American tactics may change but the strategic goal of containing Iranian and Chinese influence, both regionally and globally, will remain the same.

Being ancient and proud civilizations that have made sterling contributions to human progress throughout the centuries, it is no wonder that the two nations share a common bond of friendship and support each other's efforts for national rejuvenation and a multipolar world.

The two countries are united by mutual respect and shared admiration for each other's fine cultural traditions and a common desire for peace, development, and security. It is on this firm foundation that Sino-Iranian ties will continue to grow in strength and flourish over the coming decades.

*Dennis Etler is an American political analyst who has a decades-long interest in international affairs. He’s a former professor of Anthropology at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California.

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/10/13/636328/US-hegemonists-seeking-to-destabilize-Iran-and-China

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India

India, Pakistan in war of words over Kashmir, terror at Commonwealth meet

Oct 14, 2020

India on Wednesday criticised Pakistan for raising issues such as Kashmir at the virtual Commonwealth foreign ministers’ meeting, saying it is a “globally acknowledged promoter of state-sponsored terrorism” that masquerades as a victim of the menace.

The remarks were part of a statement delivered by Vikas Swarup, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, who participated in the meeting on behalf of external affairs minister S Jaishankar.

Both countries didn’t name each other in their respective statements though it was clear who they were referring to. Pakistan raised the issue of India’s alleged sponsorship of terror activities aimed against Islamabad, and described Jammu and Kashmir as a “disputed territory”.

Swarup said it was unfortunate that the Commonwealth meeting was “misused by one of our South Asian member states to pursue its own bigoted, ill-conceived, narrow and unilateral agenda on a multilateral platform”.

He added, “When we heard them rant about a South Asian state, we were left wondering why it was describing itself? And not surprisingly it came from a globally acknowledged promoter of state-sponsored terrorism masquerading as an alleged victim of the same.”

In his speech, Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, “While the world remains preoccupied with pandemic, a state in South Asia is targeting its religious minority groups in order to foment division and hatred… It has transgressed rights and freedoms of millions and fanned hyper nationalism to engineer illegal demographic change in a disputed territory and sowed racial tensions.”

Swarup accused Pakistan of bringing “genocide to South Asia 39 years back, when it killed its own people”, and said: “This is also the same country that has the dubious distinction of becoming synonymous with the phrase ‘epicentre of terrorism’ and hosting the largest number of terrorists proscribed by the United Nations.”

Swarup said the “only dispute left” in Kashmir, which Pakistan described as a “disputed territory”, is “its own illegal occupation of certain parts, which sooner or later, it would have to vacate”.

“For such a country to hypocritically preach about religious minority groups elsewhere, while trampling upon the rights of its own indigenous minorities, was indeed most regrettable, and a blatant misuse of this august platform,” he added.

Swarup also spoke of India’s role in helping other countries counter the Covid-19 pandemic, saying: “As we move towards development of a Covid-19 vaccine, India (which accounts for 60% of global vaccine production) has already committed its vaccine production and delivery capacity to help the world in fighting this crisis.”

In keeping with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2018, India has opened a “Commonwealth Sub Window” of $50 Million to provide grants to member states for projects related to SDG implementation and climate change.

In its first year of existence, this fund has approved 11 projects in nine Commonwealth countries, including the development of a climate early warning system in seven Pacific Island countries.

India has also more than doubled its support to the Commonwealth Small States Offices Program in New York, from $100,000 to $250,000, and Geneva, from $80,000 to $150,000, to support the engagement of small island developing states with global bodies such as the UN and WTO, Swarup said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-pakistan-in-war-of-words-over-kashmir-terror-at-commonwealth-meet/story-JTsItaGdpAJIhv36G6hCzI.html

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Hold Pakistan accountable for the ongoing turmoil in Kashmir: Member of European Parliament

Oct 14, 2020

BRUSSELS: Talking about the role of Islamabad in "illegally" occupying a part of Kashmir and dethroning its erstwhile ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, Member of European Parliament Fulvio Martusciello has urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for the ongoing turmoil in the valley.

In an opinion piece for EU-Chronicle on Wednesday, Martusciello called out Pakistan's attempt to distort history by observing October 26 as a "Black Day" to commemorate the war fought in Kashmir in 1947-48.

Calling out Islamabad's deceptive ways, he said that on one hand, Pakistan remembers its losses with great pain on its Black Day, on the other, it doesn't remember the "thousands of lives taken during their ethnic cleansing persecution during that invasion of Kashmir, wherein one town alone, Baramula, 14,000 Kashmiri Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs were slaughtered."

Pakistan is a country, which laments only its failures, he added.

He also wrote, "Under directions of the political leadership, Pakistan's military invaded and illegally occupied Kashmir and dethroned ruler Hari Singh in order to annex Kashmir. The move was part of its grand design to enhance its power, territory, and influence in the region - Pakistan's political leadership and Pakistan's military failed."

He urged the international community to recognise that the Jammu and Kashmir issue has been concocted by Pakistan for its own gains. "Islamabad must be held accountable for the ongoing turmoil inflicted in Kashmir," he said.

He even questioned the citizens of Pakistan who "do not deplore the rape of Kashmiri women and girls, nor the horrors and atrocities inflicted by the Pakistani military and its tribesman on innocent Kashmiri citizens". "And Pakistanis do not regret the illegal activities of their government or military..., nor the nihilism they imposed in (Pakistan-occupied) Kashmir," Martusciello went on to write.

He further wrote, "The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been mired in campaigns of disinformation and deception by Pakistan for decades, and now the youth need to know the truth to be empowered to follow their own destinies..."

Martusciello also talked about a former Pakistani Army General who made some revelation in a book regarding the strategy implemented by its military under the direction of the political leadership.

According to the European parliamentarian, (Rtd) Major General Akbar Khan had described the desperation and machinations of the Pakistani political establishment to obtain the Kashmir region.

"Akbar Khan confirms how intimidation and threats of the Pakistan regime forced the ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, to be left with no option but to ask for protection and support from the Indian government - this request then led to the accession of Kashmir to become a part of India under the internationally recognised agreement, The Instrument of Accession, which was accepted under the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, 1947," he said.

"I stand by the people of Kashmir and laud their resolve to oppose relentless Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the region," he finally said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/hold-pakistan-accountable-for-the-ongoing-turmoil-in-kashmir-member-of-european-parliament/articleshow/78665787.cms

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PM Modi pays tribute to former president Kalam

Oct 15, 2020

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to A P J Abdul Kalam, saying India can never forget his indelible contribution towards national development, be it as a scientist or the country's president.

Kalam served as the 11th president of India between 2002-07 and earned the respect and admiration of people and political parties across the spectrum for his simple living and non-partisan conduct.

He is also credited with opening the doors of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the masses and came to be affectionately called the 'People's President'.

Tributes to Dr. Kalam on his Jayanti. India can never forget his indelible contribution towards national developmen… https://t.co/1LEuSeXBew

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 1602732002000

He continued with his quest to guide and inspire the new generation with his speaking tours across the country after his term was over.

On his 89th birth anniversary, Modi tweeted, "Tributes to Dr. Kalam on his Jayanti. India can never forget his indelible contribution towards national development, be it as a scientist and as the President of India. His life journey gives strength to millions."

The prime minister also tagged a short clip of his laudatory references to Kalam in past.

Kalam, who died in 2015, also earned the sobriquet 'Missile Man of India' for his role in the development of India's missile programmes.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-modi-pays-tribute-to-former-president-kalam/articleshow/78674388.cms

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APJ Abdul Kalam will always remain an inspiration to every Indian: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu

Oct 15, 2020

NEW DELHI: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday remembered former president APJ Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary, recalling his words that dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action.

Kalam was born in 1931 in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu.

Describing Kalam as 'People's President', Naidu said he was an epitome of simplicity and knowledge.

"He made invaluable contribution in strengthening India's defence and space capabilities. He will always remain an inspiration to every Indian," the Vice President secretariat tweeted quoting Naidu.

He made invaluable contribution in strengthening India’s defence & space capabilities. He will always remain an ins… https://t.co/PB1kuXnohS

— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) 1602732811000

The Vice President quoted Kalam's words, "Dream, dream, dream. Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action."

Dream, Dream, Dream. Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action. - Dr APJ Abdul KalamI pay my h… https://t.co/bonYEen1Kf

— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) 1602732673000

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/apj-abdul-kalam-will-always-remain-an-inspiration-to-every-indian-vice-president-m-venkaiah-naidu/articleshow/78674014.cms

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Two terrorists slain in Shopian encounter

Oct 14, 2020

SRINAGAR: Two terrorists were killed in an anti-terror operation in Chakura area in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday. Their identities and affiliation were yet to be ascertained.

Acting on intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in Chakura, a joint team of J&K Police, Army’s 34RR and CRPF’s 178 Bn launched a cordon-and-search operation there. “Once the cordon was laid, the holed-up ultras were cornered from all sides and asked to surrender. The terrorists, however, opened indiscriminate fire at the search party instead, triggering an encounter in which the duo was slain,” said a police spokesperson.

“Their bodies were retrieved from the site of the gun battle afterwards. Incriminating material along with arms and ammunition were also seized from the spot and taken into case records for further investigation into their complicity in other terror crimes,” the spokesperson said.

The last rites of the ultras would be performed after completion of medico-legal formalities including DNA collection. “In case any family claims to be the kin of the slain terrorists, they can come forward for identification at PCR Kashmir Srinagar and participate in the last rites at Handwara,” the spokesperson added

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/two-terrorists-slain-in-shopian-encounter/articleshow/78667750.cms

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Farooq calls Gupkar Declaration meeting on October 15, Mehbooba to attend

Oct 14, 2020

SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and his son, party vice-president Omar Abdullah, called on PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti at her residence on Wednesday and invited her to a meeting of the signatories to the Gupkar Declaration at Dr Abdullah’s residence on Thursday.

Mufti “has kindly accepted Farooq Sb’s invitation” for Thursday afternoon, Omar Abdullah, himself an ex-CM, tweeted.

Mehbooba Mufti had been released late Tuesday might after over 14 months in detention under the J&K Public Safety Act, 1978. The Gupkar Declaration, issued after an all-party meeting on August 4, 2019, a day before the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split the state into two Union Territories, resolves to defend J&K’s special status. It was passed by the NC, PDP, Peoples Conference and some smaller parties. The signatories met again on August 22 this year and vowed to fight for the restoration of J&K’s special status as it existed pre-August 5, 2019, saying the measures taken were “spitefully shortsighted” and “grossly unconstitutional”.

Mufti, responding on Twitter to Omar’s message, said, “It was nice of you (Omar) & Farooq sahib to come home. It gave me courage listening to him. I’m sure together we all can change things for the better.”

BJP, meanwhile, said the three ex-CMs were out to “stoke trouble in the Valley”. BJP J&K chief Ravinder Raina claimed the Gupkar Declaration was “anti-national” and “Pakistan-sponsored”. He said the Abdullahs and Mehbooba Mufti have, during a fresh meeting, decided to carry forward the mission of the Gupkar Declaration, which BJP will never allow. “Politicians like the Abdullahs and Mehbooba Mufti are trying to cover up their crimes. Under the garb of the Gupkar Declaration, they are planning to stoke trouble in the valley. BJP wants to make it clear here that whosoever tries to create disorder won’t be left unpunished,” Ravinder Raina warned. Apni Party, too, opposes the declaration.

Mufti’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, said on Wednesday that the government’s decision to free her mother had been unexpected. “I think after I went to the court with a fresh petition the government might have felt a sense of shame and embarrassment and released her,” Iltija said. She had filed a fresh plea in the Supreme Court earlier this month seeking the release of her mother, but the government in its reply had cited the “geopolitical position of Jammu and Kashmir”, “its geographical proximity with Pakistan” and “Mehbooba’s glorifying militant statements” for the continuation of her detention.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/farooq-calls-gupkar-declaration-meeting-today-mehbooba-to-attend/articleshow/78667687.cms

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Pakistan

Govt convenes NA, Senate sessions amid rising political heat

15 Oct 2020

ISLAMABAD: Amid rising political temperatures in the country and in an apparent move to nullify the opposition’s act of requisitioning the National Assembly session, the government on Wednesday summoned regular sessions of both houses of parliament on Friday (tomorrow).

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) slammed the government’s decision to summon the sessions on a short notice and on the day when the opposition leaders will be attending their first public meeting from the platform of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Gujranwala as part of their anti-government campaign.

“The president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has summoned the session of the National Assembly on Friday, the 16th October, 2020, at 4.30pm in the Parliament House, Islamabad,” says a notification issued by the National Assembly Secretariat.

The Senate Secretariat also issued a similar notification announcing that the president has summoned the session of the upper house of parliament at 10.30am on Friday. The president has summoned the sessions in exercise of powers conferred by Article 54(1) of the Constitution.

The opposition parties had submitted a requisition notice on Oct 5 to discuss a six-point agenda, including the last month’s arrest of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) president and opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Sittings called on the day of opposition alliance’s first public meeting in Gujranwala

Besides discussing the arrest of Mr Sharif, the opposition also wanted to discuss the issues of “rising inflation in the country, increasing cases of violence against women, including rape, massive increase in prices of life-saving medicines, simultaneous extortionate rise in electricity prices and increase in circular debt beyond Rs2,300 billion and continuing collapse in Pakistan’s foreign relations endangering national security”.

The requisition notice carried signatures of 125 opposition members.

Speaker Asad Qaiser was bound to summon the NA session by Oct 19, as Article 54(3) of the Constitution states: “On a requisition signed by not less than one-fourth of the total membership of the National Assembly, the Speaker shall summon the National Assembly to meet, at such time and place as he thinks fit, within fourteen days of the receipt of the requisition; and when the Speaker has summoned the Assembly only he may prorogue it.”

Since the government has convened its regular session, the requisition notice submitted by the opposition will now technically have no effect. However, sources in the opposition said they would press the government to take up the agenda which they had submitted with their requisition notice.

According to the tentative parliamentary calendar, the regular session of the National Assembly was due to begin on Oct 5 and it was to continue till Oct 16.

PPP leader and former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf at a news conference slammed the government for summoning the parliament sessions on the day when the opposition parties would be holding their first public meeting. “Is parliament run through deceit?” asked Mr Ashraf, who is also vice president of the PDM.

Lashing out at the government’s economic policies and price hike in the country, Mr Ashraf said the PDM would continue to raise the voice of the masses inside and outside parliament. He said they would not leave parliament and would continue to play the role of a real opposition.

Meanwhile, the PPP also condemned the government’s “crackdown” on the opposition leaders and workers ahead of their Friday’s public meeting in Gujranwala.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in a statement condemned the Punjab police “siege” of village Bhagat of party leader Asif Bashir Bhagat in tehsil Phalia of Mandi Bahauddin and warned the regime to desist from such tactics.

The PPP chairman said the PTI regime had gone astray following the announcement of PDM’s movement, adding that such victimisation against the opposition workers won’t stop the regime’s fast-track reverse-counting.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said registration of cases against the PPP and other PDM workers, arrests and holding entire villages hostages should be stopped forthwith as “the implosion of the castle of sand built through stealing the people’s mandate and selectors’ masonry was now a matter of days”.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1585125/govt-convenes-na-senate-sessions-amid-rising-political-heat

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Fazl confident to oust govt till year’s end

15 Oct 2020

CHARSADDA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will oust the government by the end of December with the support of people.

Addressing a press conference in Charsadda on Wednesday, he said that opposition parties had kicked off joint movement against the government. “This puppet government will not be allowed to continue by the end of December,” he added.

On this occasion, former provincial minister and leader of Awami National Party Barrister Arshad Abullah announced to join JUI-F.

Terming Prime Minister Imran Khan an agent of international establishment, Mr Rehman said that political parties had joined hands against the ‘selected government’ that was brought to power through bogus elections in 2018.

He alleged that rulers were following the agenda of the international establishment and Pakistan was isolated due to their policies. “Pakistan will be no more a colony of international establishment,” he added.

The JUI-F chief warned the government against taking the situation to point of no return.

He said that PDM would run its movement within the framework of the Constitution. He said that PDM would hold rally in Gujranwala on October 16. He added that rallies were planned in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.

Mr Rehman said that selectors should admit their mistake and tender apology for installing incompetent government through manipulated elections. He said that selectors should stop support the government to prove their impartiality.

Expressing concern over the skyrocketing price hike in the country, the JUI-F chief said that middle class had lost purchasing power and people were committing suicide.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1585058/fazl-confident-to-oust-govt-till-years-end

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South Asia

Top Member of ‘Taliban’s Quetta Shura’ Killed in NDSF Ambush

By Mohammad Haroon Alim

15 Oct 2020

A senior member of the Taliban’s Quetta council, Mullah Abdul Karim, has been killed in an ambush by Afghan security forces in the Jani Khel district of southeastern Paktika province, security officials said.

A spokesman for the Paktika police chief, Shah Mohammad Areen, told the media that Mullah Abdul Karim, a key member of the Taliban’s Quetta council, was ambushed by security forces as he tried to cross the Jumjuma area of Jani Khel in Paktika province.

He added that besides Mullah Abdul Karim’s death, two of his accomplices were also wounded in the ambush, further reporting over the seizure of their carried weapons and ammunition.

The Taliban have not yet commented on the incident.

https://www.khaama.com/paktika-top-member-of-talibans-quetta-shura-killed-in-a-ndsf-ambush-8786544/

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Rohingya in Bangladesh protest killings in Myanmar

Md. Kamruzzaman

14.10.2020

DHAKA, Bangladesh

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees in southeast Bangladesh held a protest on Wednesday against the killing and torturing of their community members in Myanmar, a Rohingya member told Anadolu Agency.

Holding banners and placards, the refugees at a camp gathered and formed a human chain, demanding an immediate end to the killings and torturing in Myanmar’s Rakhine state .

“Due to restrictions, we did not gather in huge numbers. Some 300 members of us peacefully took part in today’s demonstration just to highlight that we are still being killed in Myanmar,” Ansar Ali, a Rohingya at the camp, told Anadolu Agency.

He said one of his cousins was shot dead by the Myanmar military on Tuesday. “Almost every day the Tatmadaw [Myanmar Army] kill Rohingya in Arakan [Rakhine],” he added,

According to him, hundreds of Rohingya have fled their homes due to the ongoing violence in the Rakhine state.

“Save Rohingya from mass killings. Stop genocide against Rohingya,” a placard in the demonstration read.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has recently found fresh evidence of “indiscriminate attacks on civilians in western Myanmar,” while Human Rights Watch has warned against “long-term marginalization” of the Rohingya.

Persecuted people

The Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017, pushing the number of persecuted people in Bangladesh above 1.2 million.

Since Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).

More than 34,000 Rohingya were also thrown into fires while over 114,000 others were beaten, said the OIDA report, entitled Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience.

As many as 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar’s army and police and over 115,000 Rohingya homes burned down, while 113,000 others vandalized, it added.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/rohingya-in-bangladesh-protest-killings-in-myanmar/2006731

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Peace Delegations Hold General Meeting in Doha

By Mohammad Haroon Alim

15 Oct 2020

For the first time, the Afghan government and the Taliban held a general meeting on Wednesday evening, calling on the contact groups to resolve their differences as soon as possible.

Nader Nadery, a member of the Afghan government’s delegation; Mohammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban’s political office, said in a tweet the meeting was also attended by leaders of both delegations and urged contact groups to resolve their differences as soon as possible to start discussing the agenda after agreeing on procedures.

The delegations discussed over contested points, while the groups were instructed to find a solution for breaking the deadlock.

According to reports, one of the suggestions is adding a U.S security council resolution to the talks and US-Taliban deal to be part of the framework.

However the Taliban has reiterated that without considering the US-Taliban deal as the main agreement, intra-Afghan talks will not have any significance.

Both sides have reportedly agreed on 18 out of 20 articles, the deadlock is yet not resolved over the Taliban request:

Negotiations should be under the framework of a US-Taliban deal.

If a dispute emerges, the solution should be sought under Hanafi jurisprudence.

This meeting has also ended without any outcome.

https://www.khaama.com/peace-delegations-hold-general-meeting-in-doha-8786754/

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Military helicopters collide in Afghanistan's Helmand during operation against Taliban

14 October 2020

At least nine people lost their lives after two Afghan military helicopters collided in midair in Afghanistan’s southern province of Helmand.

The incident occurred in the Nawa district of Helmand early on Wednesday, the Afghan Defense Ministry said, according to Afghanistan’s Tolo News.

The helicopters had dropped off Afghan commandos during an operation against the Taliban militant group and were carrying wounded Afghan security personnel when they collided “due to technical issues.”

The operation was reportedly still ongoing.

Heavy clashes have been taking place between Afghan security forces and the Taliban in Helmand over the past four days. Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes for safety.

Sayed Mohammad Amin, the head of Afghanistan’s refugee and repatriation department, said around 5,100 families had been displaced by the fighting, adding that there was an urgent need for food and shelter.

Helmand is one of the most embattled provinces in southern Afghanistan. More than 80 percent of its territory is controlled by the Taliban.

The militants launched a major offensive in the province on Sunday. They have seized military bases and have been closing in on the provincial capital, Lashkargah.

Afghan forces launch counter-assault in Helmand

Afghan security forces launched a counteroffensive in Helmand on Tuesday.

The Helmand governor’s media office said Afghan Special Forces, aided by strikes from the country’s air force, had managed to take back five checkpoints from the Taliban, killing 23 militants.

Heavy clashes erupted between Afghan security forces and the Taliban on the outskirts of Lashkargah on Monday, prompting the local residents of the Nad-e-Ali District to seek refuge elsewhere.

The fighting also resulted in the destruction of a power substation, causing power cuts in Helmand and Kandahar.

A number of telecommunication networks were also shut down.

Jets and helicopters continued to circle Lashkargah through the night on Monday and on Tuesday, attacking Taliban positions.

The United States military also launched airstrikes against Taliban positions in Helmand over the weekend in support of the Afghan security forces. The fighting came despite a “peace” deal between the two sides.

There have also been reports of intensified fighting in a dozen other provinces of Afghanistan.

‘The Americans are not honest with us’

Afghan Senate members have expressed concern about the situation in Helmand, calling for a reduction in violence there and across the country.

“We will put pressure on the central government to further support the Afghan forces in all provinces, especially Helmand,” the Chairman of the Afghan Senate Fazal Hadi Muslimyar said.

Some senators have also asked for the immediate withdrawal of American forces.

“There is a need for an immediate ceasefire in the country and the withdrawal of international forces, especially Americans,” Senator Anarkali Huaryar said.

“The Americans are not honest with us. On the one hand, they have a security pact with us, and on the other hand, they are trying in a way to impose the current situation on us,” Senator Gulalai Noor Safi said.

The fighting comes as the Afghan government and the Taliban are engaged in talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, in an effort to end nearly two decades of war in the country. The first round of the talks began last month, following the deal between the United States and the Taliban, which was reached also in Doha earlier this year.

Under the deal, Washington promised to pull out all its troops by mid-2021 in return for the Taliban stopping their attacks on US-led foreign forces in Afghanistan.

Official data shows that Taliban bombings and other assaults have increased 70 percent in Afghanistan since the militant group signed the deal with Washington.

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/10/14/636355/Military-helicopters-collide-in-southern-Afghanistan-9-killed

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Arab world

Hezbollah Member: US Not Able to Bar Resistance Membership in Lebanese Cabinet

Oct 14, 2020

“The resistance stream will not be excluded from the Lebanese cabinet in line with the US goals,” Mahmoud Qamati, the former minister of parliamentary affairs and a senior member of Hezbollah’s political council, was quoted by the Arabic-language al-Ahd news website as saying.

He added that members of the parliament, including Hezbollah members, have been elected by the Lebanese people in a legal and legitimate election based on the constitution.

“The parliament is the representative of people,” Qamati said.

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants issued a statement last month had described Hezbollah resistance movement as an “inseparable part” of Lebanon.

“Lebanon stresses its right to resistance to liberate its land and defend its sovereignty,” the ministry said, underlining that Hezbollah resistance movement is “an inseparable part” of Lebanon.

https://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13990723000513

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Lebanese Forces party threatens to sue pro-Hezbollah newspaper

Jacob Boswall

14 October 2020

A Christian political party in Lebanon has threatened to sue a major newspaper, long affiliated with Hezbollah, claiming it misconstrued the words of its leader.

The Lebanese Forces, led by Samir Geagea, strongly rejected Al-Akhbar newspaper’s claims that it was preparing for a military confrontation inside Lebanon.

For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

In an article published Tuesday, Al-Akhbar alleged that Geagea boasted of having 15,000 fighters armed and ready to fight against Hezbollah. The conversation allegedly took place during a dinner with Druze leader Walid Joumblatt.

“I have 15,000 fighters, and we are able to confront [Hezbollah], which is suffering from great weakness due to the situation in Lebanon and the region,” said Geagea, according to the article.

A similar article appeared on the online news platform 180post, attributing the following war-mongering quotation to the Lebanese Forces leader.

“The Lebanese Forces are now stronger than they were under [former leader] Bachir Gemayel … As for Hezbollah, it has become weaker than the Palestine Liberation Organization, led by Yasser Arafat, on the eve of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982.”

The Lebanese Forces were quick to deny the allegations.

In a statement, the party described the Geagea’s alleged comments as “a malicious attempt to demonize and corrupt the Lebanese Forces by spreading malicious rumors and fabricating false news about armaments, fighting, confrontations and wars.”

According to the statement, the articles had deliberately misconstrued Geagea’s words and that the party leader was merely boasting of his political power and not military strength.

The statement added that the articles attempted to damage relations between the Lebanese Forces and Joumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party.

The Lebanese Forces will take legal action against both Al-Akhbar and 180post, the statement concluded.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/10/14/Lebanese-Forces-party-threatens-to-sue-pro-Hezbollah-newspaper

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Militants delivered chlorine barrels to White Helmets for false flag gas attack in Syria’s Idlib: Russia

14 October 2020

The Russian Defense Ministry has warned that Takfiri terrorists and the so-called White Helmets group are preparing to carry out a chemical attack in the de-escalation zone of embattled Idlib Province in northwestern Syria and incriminate Syrian army soldiers.

Deputy head of the ministry’s Center for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria Rear Admiral Alexander Grinkevich said in a press briefing in Moscow on Tuesday that his center had evidence that Takfiri terrorists were planning to stage a new provocation using chlorine in Sfuhon village, south of the provincial capital city of Idlib.

“The Russian Reconciliation Center has received information that militants of illegal armed groups are preparing a provocation in the southern part of Idlib de-escalation zone to implicate Syrian government forces in using chemical warfare against civilians,” Grinkevich said.

The official said that members of the White Helmets, which calls itself a civil defense group, had arrived in the area and received several barrels of chlorine from the Takfiri militants operating in Idlib.

Back on September 12, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that militants affiliated with the so-called Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terror group were working to launch a false flag chemical attack in Idlib to incriminate government troops and invent a pretext for possible acts of aggression on the Arab country.

Grinkevich said at the time that the Takfiris were planning to film a fabricated poisoning of civilians in the Jabal al-Zawiya area, located southwest of Idlib city, and subsequently publish the video on social media networks or hand it over to Western and Arab media outlets to create the false notion that Syrian army forces had targeted the region with chemical weapons.

Western governments and their allies have been quick in pointing the finger at Damascus whenever an apparent chemical attack has taken place.

Syria surrendered its stockpile of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint mission led by the United States and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which oversaw the destruction of the weaponry. It has also consistently denied using chemical weapons.

On April 14, 2018, the US, Britain and France carried out a string of airstrikes against Syria over a suspected chemical weapons attack on the city of Douma, located about 10 kilometers northeast of the capital Damascus.

Washington and its allies blamed Damascus for the Douma attack, an allegation roundly rejected by the Syrian government.

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/10/14/636360/Militants-delivered-chlorine-barrels-to-stage-false-flag-chemical-attack-in-Syria-Idlib-Russia

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Lebanon, Israel hold 1st round of indirect demarcation talks

14 October 2020

Delegations from Beirut and Tel Aviv have taken part in an opening round of indirect negotiations on the demarcation of Lebanon’s southern maritime border with the occupying entity, and agreed to meet again in two weeks.

They sat down for negotiations at the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force in the southern Lebanese city of Naqoura on Wednesday.

Hosted by the UN and mediated by the US, the meeting broke up after barely an hour, and the two sides agreed to hold the next round of discussions on October 28.

The four-member Lebanese team is headed by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Lebanese Army for Operations Brigadier General Pilot Bassam Yassin, while the six-member Israeli delegation is led by the director general of the regime’s energy ministry.

According to a statement by the Lebanese army, Beirut’s delegation expressed hope during the session that the dispute with Israel would be settled within a “reasonable time.”

The talks mark a “first step in the thousand-mile march towards the demarcation” of Lebanon’s maritime frontier, he said. “Based on the higher interests of our country, we are looking to achieve a pace of negotiations that would allow us to conclude this dossier within reasonable time.”

Hezbollah, Amal criticize Lebanon’s team

Earlier on Wednesday, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Amal movements expressed their opposition to the makeup of their country’s delegation.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had previously announced a framework agreement for negotiations with Israel on demarcating the maritime and land borders, saying the demarcation will help Lebanon economically.

Hezbollah and Amal released a joint statement, calling for an immediate reform of the delegation based on Berri’s framework pertaining to the border demarcation to the April 1996 ceasefire understanding with Israel and UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

They said the inclusion of civilian figures in the Lebanese team contradicts the framework agreement, which only allows military officers to attend the periodic meetings on border demarcation.

Hezbollah and Amal “announce their explicit rejection of what happened and consider that it deviates from the framework agreement, harms Lebanon’s stance and supreme interests, transgresses all the nation’s strengths, deals a major blow to its role, resistance and Arab position, and represents a surrender to the Israeli logic which aims at reaching any form of normalization.”

Lebanon is locked in a conflict with Israel over an area in the Mediterranean Sea spanning about 860 square kilometers, known as Zone No. 9, which is rich in oil and gas.

Unlike land borders between, the maritime frontiers have not seen any military clashes.

Lebanon fought off two Israeli wars in 2000 and 2006. On both occasions, battleground contribution by its Hezbollah resistance movement proved an indispensable asset, forcing the Israeli military into a retreat.

Lebanon and the occupying regime are technically at war since the latter has kept the Arab country’s Shebaa Farms under occupation since 1967.

Beirut eyes the issue of delineation of its southern border zone with great sensitivity both due to concerns of Israel’s expansionist attitude and given its plans to engage in oil and gas exploration in its share of the Mediterranean.

Lebanese officials have, time and again, asserted that the limited border talks do not signify “normalization” or “reconciliation” with the occupying regime.

The assertion is aimed at distancing Beirut from a trend of normalization between some regional countries and Tel Aviv, which the United States has been setting the stage for.

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/10/14/636353/Lebanon-Hezbollah-Amal-Israel-border-demarcation

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Bahrain says will prosecute social media activists condemning Israel normalization

13 October 2020

Bahraini authorities have threatened those who criticize the US-brokered normalization deal with Israel on social media platforms, saying such activists will face prosecution.

The Bahraini Interior Ministry’s so-called General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Crimes said in a statement on Monday that it was monitoring those social media accounts that are working to “defame” Bahrain concerning the peace agreement with Israel.

The ministry alleged that these accounts “spread sedition” and pose a threat to national peace and stability and are run by “fugitives” out of the Persian Gulf state.

It threatened “legal steps” against those who promote their messages.

On September 11, US President Donald Trump announced that Bahrain was following the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in normalizing ties with Israel.

Four days later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed agreements with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani during an official ceremony hosted by Trump at the White House.

Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital, have condemned the deals as a betrayal of their cause against Israeli occupation.

The agreements have triggered a wave of anger among the public in Bahrain, where anti-Israel sentiment runs deep. Bahrainis have held several protests in recent weeks in condemnation of the agreement.

Bahrain’s main opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, has denounced the deal as an “ultimate betrayal of Islam and Arabs and a departure from the Islamic, Arab and national consensus.”

It also said that the Israel-Bahrain agreement is void of any legitimacy whatsoever.

Meanwhile, a number of Israeli media outlets have reported that the Tel Aviv regime has been operating an interests section in the Bahraini capital city of Manama for more than a decade.

The outlets said Israel had been running the mission in order to “strengthen economic and political measures in the region,” and that the Israeli foreign ministry was planning to establish an embassy in Bahrain.

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/10/13/636316/Bahrain-social-media-activists-Israel-normalization

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North America

‘New Era’ Begins In US-Saudi Relationship, Pompeo Tells Saudi Arabian FM