Pakistan Home to 12 Foreign Terrorist Organisations, Five of Them Being India-Centric: Congressional Research Service
New
Age Islam News Bureau
28
September 2021
Pakistan home to 12 foreign terrorist
organisations/ Image Source: PTI
-----
•
Taliban Appreciated Pakistan for Supporting the Islamic Emirate of Taliban
•
Pakistan Should Take Credible Steps to End State-Sponsored Terrorism: India at
UNHRC
•
Muslim Scholars Urge Youth to Shun Deviant Teachings; It Was Time Religion
Became A Key Driver for the Youth: Sheikh from Al Azhar University
Pakistan
•
Everyone Must Play Role to Make Pakistan Islamic State like Riyasat-e-Madinah:
Pakistan Ulema Council
•
Pakhtuns not Taliban sympathisers: ANP
•
Taliban Victory in Afghanistan Fuels Terror Attacks In Pakistan
•
Pakistan: Hindus raise concern after local administration builds boundary wall
inside temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Karak
•
Pakistan flag returned from space journey handed over to Pakistan embassy in
Beijing
--------
South Asia
•
Tajikistan Interfering in Afghanistan’s Affairs: Mullah Baradar
•
Afghanistan PR calls off speech in UNGA to preserve national interests
•
Afghanistan’s economy on the brink of collapse, banks run out of cash: Norway
•
Life changing under Taliban, just not all at once
•
ICC prosecutor seeks authorization to resume Afghanistan war crimes
investigation
--------
Europe
•
EU urges Iran to allow UN nuclear watchdog access to TESA Karaj site
•
'Greece has no intention of entering into an arms race with Turkey'
•
Turkey, Poland defines cooperation to continue: Envoy
--------
Arab World
•
Radio broadcast of Grand Mosque's lessons and sermons in international
languages launched
•
Israel Gears Up To Take Part In Expo 2020 Dubai
•
Bahrain calls for a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in Middle East
•
UAE diplomat slams Iran, ‘external’ interference in Arab region at UNGA
•
Jordan to fully reopen main crossing with Syria on Sept. 29
•
In apparent reference to Hezbollah, UN calls on Lebanon to commit to
disassociation
•
Beirut port blast probe faces derailment for second time
--------
India
•
Kanpur IAS Officer, Iftikharuddin, Accused of Promoting Conversion to Islam,
Probe Ordered Over Viral Video
•
How Kerala’s Left Hopes To Benefit from Polarisation of Christians and Muslims
•
Assam Violence: Muslim Organisations Meet CM; Two Local Leaders Held
•
Pune city Muslims to protest ATS arrest of cleric in Uttar Pradesh
•
1 Pak terrorist killed in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir
•
India-Saudi Arabia Relationship Is No Longer Cosy
--------
Mideast
•
Houthis Are Following Behaviour of ISIS, Al-Qaeda: Yemen’s FM to UN General
Assembly
•
Iran Sends Protest Letter to IAEA over Inaccurate Report
•
Amir Abdollahian: Iran Responds Goodwill with Goodwill
•
Iranian President: No Limit for Expansion of Ties with Sri Lanka
•
Iran’s VP in Moscow to discuss nuclear cooperation: RIA
•
At UN, Israeli PM Bennett says Iran has crossed nuclear “red lines”
•
Palestinian officers go on trial over death of Abbas critic Nizar Banat
•
Iran: Two IRGC members killed in fire at research centre
•
Al-Aqsa: Settlers Storm Mosque and Raise Israeli Flags
--------
Africa
•
At Least 15 Al-Shabaab Terrorists Killed By Their Own Bomb in Kenya
•
Tanzanian opposition decries intimidation of leaders
•
US military commander for Africa visits Algeria, meets President Tebboune
•
Algeria hands new jail terms to two ex-premiers for graft
--------
Southeast Asia
•
PMYT Cult Leader Calls on Followers to Repent, Return To True Teachings of
Islam
•
China, NATO officials discuss Afghanistan, regional tensions
•
Global Peace Mission chief Azam is now special adviser on Afghanistan
•
PMO says appointments of special advisor and special envoy is vital, not waste
of resources
--------
North America
•
Al Qaeda Operated From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi: US Congressional Research
Service Report
•
Joe Biden has no plans to call Imran Khan soon: Spokesperson
•
US State Department no. 2 to visit Pakistan, India after Taliban takeover
•
Pentagon leaders to face hearings in Congress over Afghanistan troop withdrawal
•
Scientists reconstruct 3D faces of Egyptian mummies from over 2,000 years ago
•
US national security adviser to travel to Saudi Arabia, UAE
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/pakistan-foreign-terrorist-india-centric/d/125458
--------
Pakistan
Home to 12 Foreign Terrorist Organisations, Five of Them Being India-Centric:
Congressional Research Service
Sep 28, 2021
Pakistan home to 12 foreign terrorist
organisations/ Image Source: PTI
-----
WASHINGTON:
Pakistan is home to at least 12 groups designated as ‘foreign terrorist
organisations', including five of them being India-centric like Lashkar-e-Taiba
and Jaish-e-Muhammed, according to a latest Congressional report on terrorism.
US
officials have identified Pakistan as a base of operations or target for
numerous armed and non state terrorist groups, some of which have existed since
the 1980s, the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in the
report.
The
report released by the bipartisan research wing of US Congress on the eve of
the historic Quad summit here last week, said that these groups operating in
Pakistan can be broadly categorised into five types -- globally-oriented,
Afghanistan oriented, India- and Kashmir-oriented, domestically oriented, and Sectarian
(anti-Shia).
The
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) was formed in the late 1980s in Pakistan and designated
as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) in 2001.
“LET
was responsible for major 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India, as well as numerous
other high-profile attacks,” the CRS said.
Jaish-e-Mohammed
(JEM) was founded in 2000 by Kashmiri terrorist leader Masood Azhar and was
designated as an FTO in 2001. Along with LET, it was responsible for the 2001
attack on the Indian parliament, among other attacks, it said.
Harakat-ul
Jihad Islami (HUJI) was formed in 1980 in Afghanistan to fight the Soviet army
and was designated as an FTO in 2010. After 1989, it redirected its efforts
toward India, although it did supply fighters to the Afghan Taliban.
“With
an unknown strength, HUJI today operates in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh
and India, and seeks annexation of Kashmir into Pakistan,” the report said,
adding that HUM was designated as an FTO in 1997 and operates mainly from
Pak-Occupied Kashmir and from some Pakistani cities.
Finally,
Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was formed in 1989— reportedly as the militant wing of
Pakistan's largest Islamist political party—and designated as an FTO in 2017.
It is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
Among
other terrorist groups operating from Pakistan are al-Qaida, CRS said, adding
that it has operated primarily from the former Federally Administered Tribal
Areas and in the megacity of Karachi, as well as in Afghanistan. It has since
2011 been led by Ayman al-Zawahiri and reportedly maintains supportive ties
with many of the groups inside the country.
CRS
said according to the US State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2019,
Pakistan has “continued to serve as a safe haven for certain regionally focused
terrorist groups,” and has “allowed groups targeting Afghanistan ... as well as
groups targeting India ...to operate from its territory”.
The
Department also noted “modest steps” taken by Pakistan's government to counter
terrorism financing and to “restrain” some India-focused militant groups
following an early 2019 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
It
assessed, however, that “Islamabad has yet to take decisive actions against
India- and Afghanistan-focused terrorists,” and that “progress on the most
difficult aspects of its 2015 National Action Plan to counter terrorism remains
unfulfilled—specifically its pledge to dismantle all terrorist organisations
without delay and discrimination”.
On
the topic of “terrorist safe havens,” the Department concluded that Pakistan's
government and military “acted inconsistently with respect to terrorist safe
havens throughout the country. Authorities did not take sufficient action to
stop certain terrorist groups and individuals from openly operating in the
country”.
Other
terrorist groups inside Pakistan are al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent(AQIS),
Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP or IS-K); the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani
network, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA),
Jundallah (aka Jaysh al-Adl), Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), and
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LEJ).
CRS
reports are not an official report of the US Congress. Independent experts
prepare these reports at periodic interval for the US lawmakers to take
informed decisions.
Source:
Times of India
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Taliban
Appreciated Pakistan For Supporting The Islamic Emirate Of Taliban.
September
27, 2021
Courtesy TOI/ Photo - AP
------
Taliban
spokesman and Afghanistan’s Acting Deputy Information Minister Zabihullah
Mujahid in an interview to Pakistan Television noted that Pakistan had demanded
of the international community to establish better ties with Afghanistan,
reported Geo News.
Mujahid
said Afghanistan would be further connected by road to Peshawar and different
cities of Pakistan.
To
a question, he said the desecration of the Pakistani flag at the Afghan border
was an unfortunate incident.
The
acting deputy minister assured the media that action would be taken against
anybody who would damage relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, reported
Geo News.
To
a question, he said if an invitation was extended to the Afghan leadership for
a visit to Pakistan, it would be considered.
Mujahid
also said Afghanistan wants good relations with other countries and desires to
expand trade and economic ties, reported Geo News.
“We
hope that our neighboring countries will continue to extend support to
Afghanistan internationally,” he said, noting that many countries had also
raised their voices “in our favor” at international forums and in conversations
with US representatives.
Acting
Deputy Information Minister of Taliban, also claimed that war had ended in
Panjshir and “we do not desire war with anybody”.
The
time has come for the Afghan nation to work for the progress and prosperity of
Afghanistan, he said, reported Geo News.
After
achieving peace in Afghanistan our priority was to expand trade with other
countries, he added.
The
Taliban spokesman warned of action if any group attacks in Afghanistan or
fights with the Taliban government.
Source:
The Kabul Times
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Pakistan
should take credible steps to end state-sponsored terrorism: India at UNHRC
Sep
28, 2021
GENEVA:
India on Monday (local time) asked Pakistan to take credible and irreversible
steps to end state-sponsored terrorism and dismantle the terrorist
infrastructure in all the territories under its control.
India's
statement came while exercising its Right of Reply at the 48th session of the
Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in response to Pakistan's comments.
The
Permanent Mission of India at UN, Geneva hit out against Pakistan and said,
"This is yet another attempt by Pakistan to make baseless and fabricated
allegations against India, in its bid to deflect the attention of the Council
from its failure to guarantee basic human rights and fundamental freedoms to
the people living in its territories and Indian territories occupied by
it."
"The
Council has seen incessant and irrelevant rants by Pakistani delegates during
debates under various agenda items, which only reflects their desperation and
paranoic state of mind. The entire territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including
the territories occupied by Pakistan, has been, is and shall continue to be an
integral part of India. Pakistan, instead of wasting the time of the Council,
should devote its attention to the grave human rights situation in
Pakistan," read India at UN statement.
"It
is ironical that a radicalised and failed State like Pakistan, with no regard
whatsoever for values and culture of democracy, dares to preach the largest and
most vibrant democracy like India," added the statement.
Enforced
disappearances, extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions of those who
try to speak against the establishment carried out by the State's security
agencies are rampant in Pakistan with impunity, it said.
"Last
week, speaking at the Committee of Enforced Disappearances, Amina Massod shared
the grief and pain inflicted upon her and several other families by the
Pakistani authorities. It has been 16 years, she is still searching for her
husband who was picked up by the Pakistani forces in 2005," read the
statement.
Pakistan
has consistently maintained its position as the world's epicentre of terrorism
and the leading exporter of terror and violence.
"Pakistan
is a country whose former Presidents and Prime Ministers have openly
acknowledged the support and inter-operational linkages between Pakistan's
state machine, and the UN proscribed terrorist organisations," added the
statement.
Earlier,
India had slammed Imran Khan in its Right of Reply in response against Pakistan
Prime Prime Minister's references to Kashmir in his United Nations General
Assembly virtual speech and stated that Islamabad has an established history of
actively supporting terrorists.
Source:
Times of India
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click the following URL to read the text of the original story:
--------
Muslim
Scholars Urge Youth to Shun Deviant Teachings; It Was Time Religion Became A
Key Driver for the Youth: Sheikh from Al Azhar University
September
27th 2021
Muslims
across the country have been asked to follow the true teachings of religion
with following an upsurge in deviant teachings.
According
to scholars from Al Azhar University in Egypt, who presided over a lecture at
the Riyadh Mosque in Lamu County on Monday, the Quran has the right teachings
but there are those who are taking advantage of the naivety of the youth and
teaching the opposite.
Sheikh
Abdelmeguid Elsayed from Al Azhar University said it was time religion became a
key driver for the youth, noting that many a youth were now walking away from
religious teachings, and now choosing a different lifestyle.
"Mosques
are losing youth to the world. The number of people going to religious
institutions is reducing and this should be a worry, “said Sheikh Elsayed.
He
added: “Terror cells are targeting our youth and they are unrelenting. If we do
not go back to the roots, we may lose our youth to the world.”
Taking
the example of Lamu, where the lecture was held, the scholars, backed by their
Kenyan counterparts, insisted on the need for Muslims, especially the youth to
abide by the plain teachings of Islam.
“The
youth in Lamu are increasingly being recruited into terror groups and quite
often enticed by wrong teachings of Islam. We urge the youth to abide by the
plain teachings of Islam,” said Sheikh Ramadhan Mohamed.
The
scholars, who have been on a mission in different parts of the country,
spreading the gospel of embracing the real teachings of Islam and peaceful
co-existence between religious outfits, noted that in the course of their
studies, it has been found that there is a sharp decline in the uptake of
religion, especially among the young people.
The
Al Azhar mission from Egypt has pledged to support the initiative with
scholarships to youth, both within and without the county.
Source:
The Standard
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Pakistan
Everyone
Must Play Role to Make Pakistan Islamic State like Riyasat-e-Madinah: Pakistan
Ulema Council
September
27, 2021
FAISALABAD -
Special Representative to Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and
Central Chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has said
Pakistan will become a model Islamic state like Riyasat-e-Madinah if every
segment of society plays its religious and constitutional role.
Addressing
the Ulema Mashaikh Pakistan Solidarity Convention at Jamia Masjid Kutchehry
Bazaar here on Sunday, he said the recent changes in neighbouring country
(Afghanistan) had foiled nefarious designs of those who were conspiring against
Pakistan. He said after 20 years, a major world power had been defeated in
Afghanistan. Ashrafi said that India was still conspiring to initiate a hybrid
war so that a chaotic situation could be created in the region, but Ulema would
foil all those conspiracies with their vision and religious insight.
Tahir
Ashrafi said, “We give equal respect to all religious leaders. It is our
ideology to make Pakistan a model Islamic state.” He said no one could force
anybody to change his faith.
He
said that government was striving to transform Pakistan into Riyasat-e-Madinah.
“Pakistan will become a model Islamic state when we will start realising our
individual obligations,” he said.
He
urged all faithful to follow in the footsteps of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad
(Peace and Blessings of Allah Be Upon Him). He said, “In Riyasat-e-Madinah, the
great Caliph Hazrat Umar (RA) was also accountable to a common man, but we have
failed to do so because of the influential segments of our society.”
He
said in 1990, during the Benazir era, the slogan of accountability was raised,
but not even a single case was decided. He said, “It was our own faults that we
could not make Pakistan a model Islamic state.”
Hafiz
Ashrafi said much hype was being created about the new faith conversion law,
but everyone should rest assured that we would not allow any law to be enforced
in Pakistan which was contradictory to Quran and Sunnah.
Source:
The Nation
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Pakhtuns
not Taliban sympathisers: ANP
September
28, 2021
PESHAWAR:
Awami National Party has criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for describing
Pakhtuns sympathisers of Taliban in his speech at UN General Assembly.
ANP
central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain in a statement here on Monday
said prime minister twisted the history by saying that Pakhtuns were
sympathiser of Taliban.
“We
are Pakhtuns and have never been sympathisers of terrorists and Taliban,” he
said and added that connecting Pakhtuns with such people was tantamount to
distorting their history. He said history was witness to Pakhtuns’ sacrifices
in the war against terrorism.
Mr
Hussain said that about 80,000 people lost their lives in the war against
terrorism and most of them were Pakhtuns including 144 students of Army Public
School Peshawar. He said that terrorists had not only killed the people
mercilessly but also destroyed worship places, historical buildings, hujras and
bazaars.
The
ANP leader said that the war was imposed on Pakhtuns, who suffered the most
during the past 40 years. He said that nationalist Pakhtuns also signed
agreements with the terrorists in Malakand division but terrorists violated the
agreements and the entire area was cleared of them.
In
reaction to the operation against terrorists, Mr Hussain said, his only son was
also martyred. He asked Imran Khan to avoid distorting historical facts and
hurting emotions of Pakhtuns.
Source:
Dawn
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1648809/pakhtuns-not-taliban-sympathisers-anp
--------
Taliban
victory in Afghanistan fuels terror attacks in Pakistan
Sep
28, 2021
ISLAMABAD:
Deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan have increased to the highest level in
over four years as US troops left Afghanistan and the Taliban took power, a
sign of growing instability in the region that could hurt business and
investments.
Pakistan
has seen 35 attacks that left at least 52 civilians dead in August, the highest
since February 2017, according to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism
Portal. Most of the violence has been attributed to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan,
an offshoot of the Afghan militant group that has been encouraged by
developments next door.
The
Pakistani militant group “has been emboldened further by what happened in
Afghanistan,” Umar Karim, a visiting fellow at the London-based Royal United
Services Institute, said over the phone. “The terrorist group had already been
growing stronger much before the situation in Afghanistan with splinter groups
merging over the past year or so.”
Rampant
violence
With
the Taliban in control of Afghanistan, there are concerns in Islamabad that a
spillover in terror activities could affect investments, including China’s Belt
and Road Initiative that has seen $25 billion poured into power plants and road
projects. Pakistan is already facing pressure from Beijing who called on the
government to protect such projects after a bus explosion in July killed 12
workers, including nine Chinese citizens.
Holding
back
The
growing instability and increased risk in the region have already prompted at
least one foreign investor to hold back on acquiring a Pakistani company,
according to two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named,
citing the private nature of the information.
Pakistan
is not talking about it openly, but it’s concerned about the re-emerging threat
of the Pakistan Taliban, which had been crushed by a combination of US drone
strikes and domestic military operations, said Asfandyar Mir, a senior expert
at the United States Institute of Peace.
Source:
Times of India
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--------
Pakistan:
Hindus raise concern after local administration builds boundary wall inside
temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Karak
28
September 2021
Karak
(Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)[Pakistan], September 28 (ANI): Hindu community in the
historic town of Terri in Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in
Pakistan have raised concerns over the encroachment of the Hindu temple
premises by the district administration and construction of a boundary wall
inside the temple premises.
A
local cleric of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazi (JUI-F) named Hafiz Faizullah who
runs a religious seminary near the temple, along with his local supporters
raised various objections over the temple. After those objections, the district
administration started the construction of a boundary wall inside the premises
of the temple in the name of security and even the commissioner, deputy
commissioner did not listen and considered any argument, reports The Express
Tribune quoting an elderly Hindu man.
He
added that the special assistant (minority affairs) Wazirzada to the province's
Chief Minister was not willing to solve the issue, fearing that this could
annoy the local Muslims in the area.
Faizullah
raised an objection that the word 'Mandir' has been written on the newly
constructed building instead of Samadhi and the Hindu community had also
expanded the building. He even objected to the construction of rooms that would
accommodate the pilgrims at the temple, claiming that it would lead to the
temple's enlargement and goes against the agreement between the Hindu and
Muslim communities, said members of the Hindu community.
Last
year, a mob led by a local cleric Maulana Sharifullah of JUI-F and others had
attacked the temple and demolished it completely.
After
the incident, an FIR was lodged and several attackers were arrested by the
police. But a Member of the Provincial Assembly of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(PTI) party Ziaullah Bangash intervened and persuaded the government and Hindu
community to forgive the people who were arrested for attacking the temple.
As
Bangash had a personal interest in the incident, the negotiations reached
between both the groups that reconstruction of the temple will be allowed by
the Muslim community but the reconstruction will take place within the limits
of 'Sharia'.
Source:
Yahoo News
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/pakistan-hindus-raise-concern-local-061233623.html
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Pakistan
flag returned from space journey handed over to Pakistan embassy in Beijing
September
28, 2021
Pakistan's
national flag, which was carried to China's space station onboard the
Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, was handed over to the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing
at a ceremony at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).
The
national flags of Pakistan and China were sent by China Manned Space Agency
(CMSA) to outer space to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment
of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The
flags were sent aboard the Long March-2F carrier rocket on June 17, 2021 and
returned via Shenzhou-12, China's manned spacecraft after staying in space for
three months.
Read
more: Pakistan to send its first person to space in 2022, says Fawad Chaudhry
The
Shnezhou-12 space mission carried three Chinese astronauts to space for
building Tiangong, a Chinese space station which is expected to be completed
next year.
Speaking
on the occasion, Ambassador Moin ul Haque congratulated CMSA, CAST and other
Chinese research institutions for the successful manned space mission.
He
said the space journey of national flags of the two countries was a special
demonstration of a unique friendship between Pakistan and China and a befitting
way to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
Source:
Dawn
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--------
South Asia
Tajikistan
interfering in Afghanistan’s affairs: Mullah Baradar
28
Sep 2021
The
first deputy of the Prime Minister of the Taliban Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar
accused Tajikistan of interfering in Afghanistan’s affairs.
Mullah
Baradar in his recent interview with Al Jazeera though did not mention any
specific action, said that there is a reaction to every action.
Tajikistan’s
president Emomali Rahman had recently said that there should be transparent
elections in Afghanistan and an all-inclusive government should be established
through this means.
On
the other hand, Rahman in his UN speech said that they are forging further
security layers on the border with Afghanistan in order to prevent the spread
of terrorism from Afghanistan.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.khaama.com/tajikistan-interfering-in-afghanistans-affairs-mullah-baradar-79587485/
--------
Afghanistan
PR calls off speech in UNGA to preserve national interests
28
Sep 2021
Afghanistan’s
permanent representative in the United Nations Ghulam Muhammad Ishaqzai said
that he abandoned his speech in the UNGA in order to preserve national
interests and Afghanistan’s seat.
Ghulam
Muhammad Ishaqzai was due to give a speech at the UN’s 76th General Assembly on
Monday, September 27 but called off his intention.
Afghanistan’s
Mission in UN in a Twitter post said that they will continue working with UN
Security Council to preserve Afghanistan’s seat in the UN.
Earlier,
Taliban’s political office member Sohail Shaheen said that they have the right
to participate in the UN and criticized the decision of excluding them in this
year’s UNGA.
Source:
Khaama Press
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Afghanistan’s
economy on the brink of collapse, banks run out of cash: Norway
27
Sep 2021
The
Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland who is currently
visiting Afghanistan said that Afghanistan is on the countdown to economic
collapse.
The
Secretary-General in a statement said that the formal banking system could
collapse any day now because of a lack of cash.
“If
the economy collapses, even the most basic services will no longer function,
and humanitarian needs will soar even higher. Dealing with the liquidity crisis
is critical as aid organizations seek to scale up to meet urgent humanitarian
needs.” Reads the statement.
Egeland
has called on the international community to provide the people of Afghanistan
with urgent humanitarian assistance as the winter is approaching and this will
make the lives even difficult for those who are have been displaced and living
on the streets.
Source:
Khaama Press
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Life
changing under Taliban, just not all at once
Sep
28, 2021
KABUL:
Life in Kabul has changed in the six weeks since the Taliban swept into the
Afghan capital- just not all at once.
Some
things that remain the same: Traffic is back to a noisy, congested snarl. The
young men still play cricket and watch traditional wrestling matches in the
city's Chaman-e-Hozari Park. Under their previous rule, the Taliban banned many
sports, but so far have not done so this time.
Many
women seemed to stay off the streets in the days after the Aug. 15 takeover,
but in the weeks since, more and more are appearing back in public, some in
longer coats and headscarves, some in the all-covering burqa, which has been
worn traditionally by many in Afghanistan regardless of the Taliban.
Cars
wait in traffic as Afghans shop in a local market in Kabul (AP Photo)
One
woman on a recent day passed a row of beauty salons, where some ads on the
windows had been defaced or covered to scratch out images of women, but some
ads were untouched.
It's
emblematic of the in-between place where Kabul resides for the moment. Will the
hard-line Taliban impose the harsh restrictions they did when they ruled in the
1990s, or will there be some margins of flexibility? Photos of all living
things, even animals, were banned under their previous rule. So far that hasn't
happened, but it is still unknown how far the Taliban themselves have decided
to go.
Women
are already feeling restrictions. Female employees in the Kabul city government
have mostly been told to stay home, and high school girls have not been allowed
back to class.
One
subtler visual change: Fewer men are seen wearing Western dress. Government
employees were the ones who most often wore Western-style clothes, and they
have now switched over to the traditional shalwar-kameez combination of long
shirt and baggy pants.
The
most blaring change is the presence of the Taliban themselves. Taliban fighters
directing traffic or manning the many checkpoints have largely put on blue
camouflage uniforms, giving them a more official air. But many other fighters
wear the shalwar kameez. Most have never been to Kabul in their lives.
On
one evening, fighters sat guarding a building where Taliban are being housed.
Behind them on the blast walls, an old mural depicted a woman behind barbed
wire, originally painted to comment on the harshness of war. On another day, a
group of Taliban, cradling their automatic weapons, enjoyed a day boating on a
lake near Kabul, talking about how strange life was for them in this city.
Other
signs show the growing economic desperation. The economy was already
deteriorating before the Taliban came, with more than 55% living below the
poverty level. Now after the takeover, it is crumbling fast, with the UN
warning 97% could be below the poverty level by the end of the year.
Makeshift
markets have appeared everywhere, stocked with furniture and household goods as
people sell off what they can. At one, women picked around rugs for sale.
Another on the fringes of Chaman-e-Hozari Park was poorer, with old men
peddling piles of old clothes. Districts with upscale restaurants and shops are
emptier. Everyone talks of leaving the country.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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ICC
prosecutor seeks authorization to resume Afghanistan war crimes investigation
27
September ,2021
The
prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Monday said he was seeking
approval to resume a war crimes investigation into Afghanistan, focusing on the
actions of the Taliban and the ISIS-K militia.
A
statement said the request was being made to the court’s judges in light of
developments since the extremist Taliban movement seized control of Afghanistan
in a lightning advance last month.
The
ICC had already spent 15 years looking into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan
before opening a full investigation last year. That probe was put on hold by
the Afghan government, which said it was investigating the crimes itself.
The
Hague-based ICC is a court of last resort, intervening only when a member
country is unable or unwilling to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity
or genocide.
The
fall of the internationally recognized Afghan government and its replacement by
the Taliban represent a “significant change of circumstances,” new prosecutor
Karim Khan said in a statement.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Europe
EU
urges Iran to allow UN nuclear watchdog access to TESA Karaj site
27
September ,2021
The
EU on Monday urged Iran to allow inspectors access to a nuclear site, while
Tehran argued the facility was exempt from a recent agreement with the UN
watchdog.
The
Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Sunday it had
been denied “indispensable” access to the TESA Karaj centrifuge component
manufacturing workshop near Tehran contrary to a September 12 agreement with
Iran.
Iran’s
ambassador to the IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi on Monday rejected the charge on
Twitter.
“During
the discussions in Tehran and Vienna, Iran indicated that... equipment related
to this Complex are not included for servicing,” he wrote, referring to IAEA
work on its surveillance equipment.
Sunday’s
IAEA statement “isn’t accurate and goes beyond the agreed terms,” he added.
At
a Vienna meeting of the IAEA board of governors, the EU said it urged Iran to
allow access “without any further delay”, expressing its “deepest concern.”
“This
is a worrying development,” the statement said.
This
month’s agreement between the IAEA and Iran came days after the nuclear
watchdog had decried a lack of cooperation from Tehran.
Agency
inspectors had been allowed to service monitoring and surveillance equipment
and to replace storage media at “all necessary locations” except the TESA Karaj
workshop, the IAEA said on Sunday.
IAEA
Director General Rafael Grossi in his latest report on Iran informed member
states that the Islamic republic had granted all other access from September
20–22.
The
IAEA’s latest report comes amid stalled EU-brokered negotiations to revive a
2015 landmark agreement scaling back Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for
sanctions relief.
That
deal started to fall apart in 2018 when the US withdrew from it and reinstated
sanctions. Iran in turn again started to ramp up its nuclear activities.
Talks
began in April in Vienna between Tehran and the remaining five parties to the
2015 deal aimed at bringing Washington back into the agreement.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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'Greece
has no intention of entering into an arms race with Turkey'
Derya
Gülnaz Özcan, Tevfik Durul
28.09.2021
Greece’s
prime minister said Monday that he has no intention to enter into an arms race
with Turkey.
In
an exclusive interview with Greece’s state-run broadcaster ERT, Kyriakos
Mitsotakis, who is in Paris for a two-day official visit, said: "I had
predicted in the spring that we would have a quiet summer. I see no reason why
we shouldn’t have a quiet autumn and a quiet winter. I believe that Turkey
understands that the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean will ultimately not
benefit anyone."
Stating
that cooperation can be reached with Turkey on common issues such as the
climate crisis and the refugee problem, Mitsotakis underlined that economic
cooperation is possible as part of good neighborly relations and respect.
He
said the only way to solve the problems in the Eastern Mediterranean and the
Aegean Sea is international law.
"I
will tell you frankly: Agreements can be reached that require a mutual stepping
back on some issues so that we can ultimately achieve solutions that benefit
everyone."
He
also emphasized the need for the modernization of the Greek Army.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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Turkey,
Poland defense cooperation to continue: Envoy
Omer
Tugrul Cam
27.09.2021
Deep-rooted
relations between Turkey and Poland recently led to defense cooperation, and it
will continue to grow, Ankara’s ambassador to Warsaw has said.
“We
have sold very important defense equipment to Poland, a NATO and EU country,”
Cengiz Kamil Firat, who came to inaugurate Turkey's honorary consulate in the
city of Wroclaw, told Anadolu Agency. "This is a start and will
continue."
In
May, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said his government would
purchase 24 Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey, becoming the first NATO member to
buy Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Bayraktar
TB2 entered the Turkish army inventory in 2014, and it is currently in use by
several countries, including Ukraine, Qatar, and Azerbaijan.
Highlighting
that diplomatic relations between Turkey and Poland date back at least 600
years, Ambassador Firat said the Poles have a positive view of Turkey, and
there are many common cultural aspects.
Recalling
that Polish President Andrzej Duda visited Turkey in May, the ambassador said
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to visit Poland within
the next year.
According
to Firat, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and National Defense
Minister Hulusi Akar will come to Poland next week.
On
trade relations, Firat said the two countries have a trading volume of around
$6 billion, with President Erdogan aiming to grow it to $10 billion per year.
He added that $8 billion worth trade has already taken place this year.
The
ambassador said Turkey is one of the top three tourist destinations for Poles,
with about 900,000 of them visiting Turkish cities before the COVID-19
epidemic.
Turkey
expects to receive 500,000 Polish tourists in the first year after the
relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions, one million the following year, and over
1.5 million annually over the next three years, he said.
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-poland-defense-cooperation-to-continue-envoy/2376218
--------
Arab World
Radio
broadcast of Grand Mosque's lessons and sermons in international languages
launched
September
27, 2021
MAKKAH
— President of the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Sheikh Dr.
Abdulrahman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais inaugurated Monday a 24-hour live radio
broadcast of Grand Mosque's lessons and sermons via the Manarat Al-Haramain
platform in many international languages.
Dr.
Al-Sudais stressed that the launch of the direct broadcast of the lessons and
sermons comes as a continuation of the plans and digital programs that the
Presidency is working on to serve those wishing to benefit from the services
being provided by the Two Holy Mosques.
Source:
Saudi Gazette
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Israel
gears up to take part in Expo 2020 Dubai
27
September ,2021
Israel
is gearing up to take part in Expo 2020 Dubai when the world fair opens Friday,
a spokesman said, a year after the UAE and Israel normalized ties.
“We’re
very happy to be here,” Menachem Gantz told AFP, the spokesman of Israel’s
Pavilion at the six-month world fair.
“This
is the first time the expo is in the Middle East, and the first time Israel is
participating in an event of such a large scale and importance (in an Arab
country)”.
On
September 15 the United Arab Emirates marked one year since normalizing ties
with Israel, a move that leaders hope could reap a trillion dollars in trade
and business.
Previously,
Egypt and Jordan were the only Arab states to have peace agreements under which
they recognize Israel, and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas called the deal a
“betrayal” of their cause.
After
the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan also agreed to normalize ties.
The
Israeli pavilion, which includes a large, illuminated sign saying “Towards
Tomorrow” using both Arabic and Hebrew -- will be open to all.
Inside,
pathways run between sand dunes made of a thin layer of concrete and
sand-colored rubber.
“Our
pavilion... is made of things that integrate us, that show how similar we are,”
Gantz said.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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Bahrain
calls for a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in Middle East
27
September ,2021
The
Kingdom of Bahrain calls for the establishment of a zone free of weapons of
mass destruction in the Middle East region, said Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, during an address to the UN
General Assembly.
“The
Kingdom reaffirms its support for international efforts aimed at preventing
Iran from acquiring the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, stressing the need
for Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA to ensure the maintenance of regional
and international security and stability,” he added.
The
Foreign Minister added that Bahrain, in cooperation with allied and friendly
countries, has made continuous efforts to pursue sources of terrorist financing
and money laundering, and has seen remarkable achievements in this regard,
placing it first in the Arab world in the Basel Anti-Money Laundering Index.
“In
this context, we renew the commitment of the Kingdom of Bahrain to continue its
efforts as part of the Global Coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and
Syria, and all extremist terrorist organizations, and to dry up their sources
of funding, stressing the importance of partnership and international
cooperation in combating terrorism and confronting the ideology of extremism,”
he added.
The
minister added that the Middle East region continues to be in a state of
instability and insecurity, with the people of a number of nations suffering
difficult conditions due to the wars, crises and conflicts it is witnessing.
“These
have resulted in the loss of lives, the displacement of millions of refugees
and displaced persons, and the destruction of cities, villages and
infrastructure, turning the lives of these people into a painful tragedy of
daily suffering, driving away opportunities for peace, security and stability,”
he added.
The
minister added that Bahrain has always been keen to preserve the cohesion of
the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, due to the importance
of its role in maintaining the security and stability of the region.
“Therefore,
the Kingdom stresses the importance of the commitments included in the Al-Ula
Summit Declaration, which was held in the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
earlier this year, that would promote interdependence and joint coordination
and the achievement of greater cooperation and integration among member
states,” he added.
The
minister added that the Bahrain’s signing of the Declaration in Support of
Peace with the State of Israel comes in line with the vision of His Majesty
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to promote the principles of peaceful coexistence
and to consolidate a culture of peace, fraternity, dialog, cooperation and
mutual respect with its noble goals endorsed by all monotheistic religions and
enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
“We
call on the international community to work for a just and comprehensive
solution to the Palestinian issue that meets the aspirations of the brotherly
Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as
its capital, in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution, and
resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative,” he
added.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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UAE
diplomat slams Iran, ‘external’ interference in Arab region at UNGA
27
September ,2021
The
United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday slammed “external” interference in Arab
affairs and called for countries in the region to be included in any nuclear
deal talks with Iran.
“We
can’t ignore Iran’s development of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs,
as well as its interference in the region,” UAE Minister of State Khalifa
Shaheen al-Marar said during a speech at the UN General Assembly.
“Any
future agreement with Iran must address the shortcomings of the JCPOA and
involve the countries of the region,” the Emirati diplomat added.
The
US has been engaged in indirect talks with Iran since President Joe Biden
became US president. But the talks have been stalled since the new Iranian
government was elected.
Regional
countries have been left out of the nuclear deal talks, similarly to the secret
talks held between Washington and Tehran under the Obama administration, which
led to the original JCPOA.
Al-Marar
also called on Iran to end its occupation of the three UAE islands: Greater
Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa.
As
for the conflicts and wars in Yemen, Libya and Syria, al-Marar said all foreign
interventions needed to come to an end.
“Crude
regional interference in Arab Affairs must be halted to end the cycle of
conflicts in the Arab region successfully,” he said, in an apparent reference
to mercenaries from regional countries, including Turkey.
In
Yemen, the Emirati diplomat said there was an opportunity to reach a ceasefire
and sustainable peace.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Jordan
to fully reopen main crossing with Syria on Sept. 29
27
September ,2021
Jordan
will fully reopen its main border crossing with Syria from Wednesday,
government and industry officials said, as a high-level Syrian team arrived in
Amman to discuss how to ease the flow of goods hit by the coronavirus pandemic
and a decade of conflict.
Although
the Jaber crossing has been open since 2018 after the Syrian government drove
opposition fighters from southern Syria, trade has yet to recover to the $1
billion pre-war level.
The
pandemic led to measures to try to curb transmission of the coronavirus and
those restrictions will be lifted from Wednesday, officials told Reuters.
They
said a visiting trade delegation from Syria, led by economy, trade,
agriculture, water and electricity ministers, would also discuss lifting tariff
barriers.
“We
hope the moves will restore previous trade dealings before the conflict and
revive lucrative transit trade,” Jamal al Rifae, deputy head of Jordan’s
chamber of commerce, told Reuters.
Interior
Minister Mazen Faraya said restrictions on Syrian transit cargo to Gulf markets
and Iraq through Jordan will also be lifted, which Damascus has been pushing
for.
Transit
cargo from the Gulf will also be allowed from Jordan to Syria along with
unrestricted passenger traffic, Faraya told Jordan’s Al-Mamlaka public
broadcaster.
Before
the conflict in Syria, the Nasib-Jaber crossing was a transit route for
hundreds of trucks a day transporting goods between Europe and Turkey and the
Gulf.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
In
apparent reference to Hezbollah, UN calls on Lebanon to commit to
disassociation
27
September ,2021
The
UN Security Council Monday called on Lebanon to commit to a policy of
disassociation from “any external conflicts,” an apparent reference to
Iran-backed Hezbollah’s participation in wars across the region.
“The
members of the Security Council called upon all Lebanese parties to implement a
tangible policy of disassociation from any external conflicts, as an important
priority, as spelled out in previous declarations, in particular the 2012 Baabda
Declaration,” a statement from the Security Council read.
Hezbollah
has admitted to intervening in the neighboring Syria war to prop up President
Bashar al-Assad, while also fighting alongside other Shiite militias.
The
group says it is fighting extremists, while much of the international community
has accused them of slaughtering opposition fighters.
Hezbollah
has also sent fighters, advisers and officials to Yemen and Iraq.
Their
participation in these wars has led Gulf states, mainly Saudi Arabia, to bring
its decadeslong support to Beirut to a near-halt.
Separately,
the Security Council called on the new Lebanese government to “swiftly and
transparently implement the well-known, necessary and tangible reforms” needed
to unlock billions of dollars in international aid, soft loans and grants.
“Such
reforms are key to respond to the dire needs and legitimate aspirations of the
Lebanese population regarding the urgent security, economic, social and
humanitarian challenges facing the country,” the 15-member UN body said. “They
also underlined the importance of delivering those reforms in order to ensure
effective international support.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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--------
Beirut
port blast probe faces derailment for second time
27
September ,2021
A
probe into the catastrophic Beirut port explosion faced being derailed for the
second time this year on Monday when a senior politician wanted for questioning
filed a complaint doubting the lead investigator’s impartiality.
The
move followed a smear campaign by Lebanon’s political class against judge Tarek
Bitar, who was appointed after his predecessor was forced out following similar
accusations by officials he wanted to question about suspected negligence.
More
than a year since the blast, attempts to bring any senior official to account
for the more than 200 lives lost and thousands injured have made no progress,
with powerful parties including the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah and others
in the ruling elite alleging bias in the investigation.
The
blast, one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded, was caused by a
huge quantity of ammonium nitrate that was unsafely stored at the port from
2013.
The
probe was frozen on Monday on the basis of the complaint by Nohad Machnouk, a
Sunni Muslim lawmaker and former interior minister Bitar wanted to question on
suspicion of negligence.
A
judicial source told Reuters the investigation must now remain on hold until
the court of cassation decides either to accept or reject the complaint.
“There
is great anger among the families. There is a type of disgust toward the
political class,” said Ibrahim Hoteit, a spokesperson for victims’ families
whose brother was killed in the blast, responding to Monday’s move.
The
families, who accuse Lebanon’s entrenched political class of impunity, have
demanded an international probe, saying every time the investigation begins it
gets blocked.
“It’s
clear they are using all legal means and immunities to stop the investigation,”
Nizar Saghieh, head of The Legal Agenda, a research and advocacy organization.
“The impunity system is defending itself in an ugly way without boundaries.”
Bitar
has faced opposition since July, with politicians refusing to waive the
immunity of several former ministers and security officials the judge wanted to
investigate.
Hezbollah
leader Hassan Nasrallah last month accused Bitar of “playing politics” and
called the probe “politicized.”
Source:
Al Arabiya
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India
Kanpur
IAS Officer, Iftikharuddin, Accused of Promoting Conversion to Islam, Probe
Ordered Over Viral Video
Ranjai
Singh
September
28, 2021
An
IAS officer in Kanpur has been accused of promoting religious conversions and
spreading propaganda against Hinduism after a video of him attending a
conversion ceremony has gone viral on social media.
The
senior IAS officer of Kanpur, Iftikharuddin, has been accused of spreading
propaganda against Hinduism. The allegations have been levelled by the national
vice-president of Math Mandir Coordination Committee Bhupesh Awasthi.
Awasthi
has released the video of Mohammad Iftirakhuddin, who is presently serving as
the Chairman of UP State Road Transport Corporation. The clip shows the IAS
officer attending a religious event in Kanpur.
The
video also shows a group of people sitting on the floor while a maulana is
heard preaching religious sermons with the IAS officer in attendance. The IAS
officer is seen talking about religious conversions while speaking to the
audience.
Source:
India Today
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
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How
Kerala’s Left hopes to benefit from polarisation of Christians and Muslims
FATIMA
KHAN
28
September, 2021
Kerala:
On 10 September, Joseph Kallarangatt, the Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Church in
Kerala’s Pala town, warned Christian women of the threat of “narcotics jihad”,
which according to him involved “jihadis” entrapping the women through drugs.
It’s
been weeks since his remark and a subsequent clarification by the Pala diocese,
but the controversy surrounding it refuses to die down.
Last
Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a press conference, in which he
dismissed any connection between narcotics and ‘jihad’. “Such campaigns would
tantamount to sowing seeds of hatred in a state like Kerala where people from
all communities live together,” he said.
But
Vijayan’s statement came after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)
as well as critics repeatedly accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF)
government of “playing it safe” on the matter, and not taking a strong and
unequivocal position against it from day one.
The
CPI(M) had initially even suggested that the bishop’s intentions were not to
“create enmity”.
That
didn’t go down well with the UDF, which is concerned by the emerging rift
between its two strong vote-banks.
The
BJP, meanwhile, has explicitly backed the bishop’s statement, with its state
leaders even writing to PM Modi requesting protection for the bishop in light
of the protests against him.
CPM
on backfoot, accused of ‘muted reaction’
In
his first reaction against the Pala bishop’s remarks, the CM on 10 September
said the problem of narcotics in the state does not have “religious hues”. He
added that the context of the bishop’s statement wasn’t clear, but that people
in positions of responsibility should ensure there are “no religious schisms”
in society.
Days
later, however, the CM said the statement wasn’t meant to create enmity, before
ruling out any action against the bishop, since the remark was part of a sermon
from the pulpit to believers, and not a public statement.
The
CPI(M)’s troubles were compounded by a leaflet, prepared by the party, which
warned of alleged increasing attempts “to lure educated young women to
extremism” at professional colleges. The leaflet, which was distributed among
its cadres at its local meetings across various districts of the state, was
slammed for pandering to the “love jihad” narrative.
“We
kept insisting that the CM must hold an all-party and all-religion heads meet
in order to pacify the situation and not let it boil over. But the CM refused
to do so. They kept tip-toeing around the matter. Their initial reaction was
very meek,” V.D. Satheeshan, Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in
the Kerala assembly, told ThePrint.
What
has further complicated matters for the CPI(M) is that its newest ally, the
Kerala Congress (M), endorsed the Pala bishop’s statement with its leader, Jose
K. Mani, saying the priest was only pointing out “social dangers”.
The
Kerala Congress (M) had broken off its alliance with the UDF ahead of the 2021
assembly polls, and had joined the LDF, which was seen as an advantage for the
latter, as the KC (M) is the predominant Christian party of the state.
Under
continued pressure to take a stronger stance against the bishop, the CM
Wednesday not only urged the clergyman to rectify his statement, but also
presented data to show how no religious group is connected with drug peddling.
CPI(M)
politburo member M.A. Baby denied there being any duplicity in the party’s
reaction.
“The
CM has categorically said narcotics should not be connected to religion. All of
us stand by his statement,” Baby told ThePrint.
UDF
at risk of its minorities’ vote-bank being further dented
Fearing
a growing rift between the Christian and Muslim community, the UDF has taken a
strong position against the bishop’s remarks.
With
26 per cent Muslims and 18 per cent Christians, both communities make for a
significant chunk of the voter base in Kerala. Both the minorities have
traditionally supported the Congress-IUML coalition.
In
the April 2021 assembly polls, however, there was a shift in both communities
towards the LDF. According to Lokniti-CSDS post-poll survey data, nearly
two-fifths Muslims and Christians voted for the LDF in 2021, a significant
increase when compared to the one-third of both communities siding towards the
LDF in the 2016 elections.
Speaking
to ThePrint, M.K. Muneer, IUML leader and former social welfare minister
conceded that “minorities are moving away from UDF”.
“This
is because of the intense propaganda of the CPM. It’s only because the CPM
believes in good optics,” Muneer said. “They will make strong statements
against the CAA to appease the Muslim community, but they are not doing
anything on ground for their empowerment.”
He
further said that the CPI(M)’s “meek reaction” to the Pala bishop’s statement
shows where the party “truly stands”. “They believe in political posturing, and
want to make both communities happy without really doing anything for either,”
he said.
‘Parties
not taking on the bishop’
Experts
said the LDF is likely to benefit from this concerted effort to “target and
polarise the minorities”.
“Both
Christians and Muslims are the backbone of the UDF. Polarisation among the two
communities will only help the LDF as they will be able to chip away at the
UDF’s two loyal vote-banks,” said political analyst G. Pramod Kumar.
But
Kumar added that the Congress hasn’t taken on the bishop either, and is merely
trying to “play peacemaker”.
“The
UDF finds itself in a fix because they wouldn’t want to estrange either of the
two communities. So while they want to seem like they are standing with
Muslims, they are only speaking in a language of brokering peace, as opposed to
confronting the bishop aggressively,” he said, adding that “except for the BJP,
every party has tried to shove this matter under the rug”.
The
Congress showed fissures of its own political position on the matter.
On
Sunday, former finance minister P. Chidambaram wrote an article in The Indian
Express slamming the Pala bishop for his stance, which invited the contempt of
Kerala Congress president K. Sudhakaran, who said the KPCC was handling the
matter and “outsiders need not aggravate the situation”.
‘Nothing
wrong in what he said’: BJP backs bishop
The
BJP has thrown its weight behind the Pala bishop’s remarks, given that it is in
line with the party’s politics in the state.
Source:
The Print
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click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Assam
violence: Muslim organisations meet CM; two local leaders held
27th
September 2021
NEW
DELHI: A joint delegation of two prominent Muslim organisations met Assam Chief
Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday over the violence during an eviction
drive in Darrang district which saw police firing, and demanded a high-level
judicial inquiry into the incident.
Clashes
borke out between police and alleged encroachers, resulting in the death of two
persons and injuries to 20, during an eviction drive last week in Gorukhuti
village in Assam's Darrang district.
The
joint delegation of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind called
on Sarma in Guwahati and expressed pain on the incidents in Darrang district
and demanded that the Assam chief minister play his role in ensuring justice, a
statement issued here by the Jamiat said.
The
delegation demanded a high-level judicial inquiry should be conducted into the
incident, Rs 20 lakh compensation to the family of those killed by police
action, Rs 10 lakh to the injured person, immediate steps for relief and
rehabilitation of evicted with minimum six bighas of land for agriculture and
one bigha of land for residence, proper arrangement be made for health,
sanitation and drinking water and foods for those people.
Maulana
Hakeemuddin Qasmi, general secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, who was part
of the delegation, said that what happened in Darrang district was very
distressing as human rights have paramount importance in the Constitution.
The
delegation included Qasmi, vice president Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Maulana Ameenul
Hasan, and secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Mohammad Shafi Madani, among others.
Two
local leaders were arrested for allegedly inciting violence during the eviction
drive at Sipajhar in Assam's Darrang district on September 23 in which two
persons, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed in police firing and over 20
injured, an official said on Monday.
The
arrested are Shan Mahmood, president of Chanua gram panchayat, and Hasmat Ali,
a former president of the Baznapathar gram panchayat and they are presently in
the custody of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) which is probing the
incident, a district police official said.
"The
two were arrested on Sunday night for instigating the people to attack the
police during the eviction drive. They were responsible for inciting violence
in the area, which left two persons dead and several others injured, including
11 policemen," the official said.
Assam
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had alleged on Saturday that there is
evidence that the Popular Front of India was involved in the violence during
the eviction drive and has written to the Centre to ban the outfit.
The
PFI, however, denied the charge.
He
had also alleged that according to intelligence reports, six people, including
a college lecturer, had collected Rs 28 lakh during the last three months from these
poor landless families with an assurance they are going to convince the
government that there will be no eviction.
It
is yet to be established whether the two arrested men had links with the PFI.
Meanwhile,
a delegation of AIUDF MLAs called on the chief minister and urged him to
provide a proper rehabilitation package for those who were evicted.
The
package must include six bighas of land for agriculture and one bigha for
residential purpose along with facilities such as drinking water, primary
health care, education etc, the party said.
"Since
people are living there for decades and had a settled life, therefore, before
evicting people there should have been a proper rehabilitation package for
them," according to a memorandum submitted by the party to the Sarma.
It
should also not be forgotten that these people are landless and compelling
circumstances forced them to occupy the land from which they were evicted, the
memorandum said.
The
AIUDF also alleged that revenue officials and other agencies gave only 12
hours' notice to the encroachers while it is impossible for them to vacate
their land with families and belongings in such a short time.
Source:
New Indian Express
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Pune
city Muslims to protest ATS arrest of cleric in Uttar Pradesh
By
Nadeem Inamdar
SEP
27, 2021
PUNE
The Kul Jamaat E Tanzeem, a group representing various Muslim organisations in
the city will hold a protest in front of the District Collectorate on Wednesday
afternoon, to protest the arrest of cleric Maulana Kalimuddin Siddiqui by Uttar
Pradesh’s anti- terrorist squad (ATS) on September 22.
The
group announced the protest at a press meet held at the Patrakar Sangh on
Monday.
Convenor
of the group Zahid Shaikh said, “The arrest of Maulana Kaleemuddin Siddiqui is
aimed at targeting scholars of Islam and clerics, as part of the right-wing
policy of the UP government. His arrest is ‘undemocratic’ and
‘unconstitutional’. The charges of illegal funding and conversions carry no
grain of truth. We will strongly protest against the UP government and submit a
memorandum to the district collector.”
Azar
Tamboli, a Muslim leader present at the press meet said, “The UP government has
deliberately targeted religious scholars taking into account the political
dividend it wants to reap in the future. However, we will raise our voices
through the democratic mode of protest, so that such injustices being done to
the Muslim community are stopped by the right-wing government in UP. We demand
that the fake cases lodged against clerics be withdrawn immediately. This
incident is a pre-planned conspiracy, building a false narrative through
propaganda for political benefit.”
Source:
Hindustan Times
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
1
Pak terrorist killed in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir
Sep
28, 2021
NEW
DELHI: In a big victory for security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, one Pakistani
terrorist was killed by the Indian Army in an anti-terror operation in Uri
sector on Tuesday morning.
Out
of the two terrorists holed up in the region, one of them surrendered before
the forces, sources said.
The
operation was carried out by Pulwama police and troops of 50 Rashtriya Rifles,
the Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet.
Srinagar
Police with assistance of Pulwama Police & 50RR arrested 02 #OGWs from
#Pulwama. Their interrogation revea… https://t.co/HGPvk0ymLe
—
Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) 1632803641000
Their
interrogation revealed that LeT commander Riyaz Sathrgund had asked them to
build a hideout in Rajourikadal area of Srinagar.
Source:
Times of India
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
India-Saudi
Arabia Relationship Is No Longer Cosy
By
Syed Ali Mujtaba
27th
September 2021
The
foreign minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Prince Faisal bin Farhan
was on a three-day visit to New Delhi from Sept 19 to 21. His visit was widely
hailed by the Indian press as a great success. The media tamely published the
handouts given to the Ministry of External Affairs and did not report some
unsavory developments that took place during the Saudi Foreign Minister’s visit
to India.
The
Indian media brushed aside all the annoying developments and reported with glee
that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and KSA Foreign Minister Faisal
bin Farhan discussed a plethora of issues related to their bilateral
relationship, especially regional and international concerns of mutual
interest. The two ministers reviewed the implementation of the Strategic
Partnership Council Agreement signed during the visit of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia in October 2019.
However,
there were some dark patches that emerged in the otherwise seemingly cordial
relationship between India and the kingdom during the visit of the Saudi
Foreign Minister to India.
MS
Education Academy
The
first was the KSA Foreign Minister chose Indian soil to declare that Kashmir is
a disputed issue between India and Pakistan. This amounted to committing an act
of sacrilege because New Delhi has been quick to respond when such views are
aired.
Remember,
hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raked up the Kashmir issue
in his address to the UNGA, India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar
pounded on him with the statement that he needs to adhere to the relevant UN
Security Council resolutions in respect to Cyprus. However, in the wake of the
KSA Foreign Minister’s statement, New Delhi has chosen to remain silent and
none loathed the KSA foreign minister for his unsavory comments.
Here
it may be apt to mention that the KSA in October 2020 had released a banknote
of 20 Riyal that showed Kashmir outside the Indian map. This was protested by
India and the KSA quickly announced to withdraw the bank note. However, such an
inadvertent error could be seen a part of a definite agenda to give discomfort
to India.
India
and Saudi Arabia have been cozying around for some time as their mutually
beneficial interests syncing with each other. India is looking for investment
to shore up the country’s sagging economy and the Saudis see India as a huge
market for its oil export. The economic allurement to both the countries
entices each other and outweighs all other considerations.
The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia being the custodian of Islam and the Muslims of the
world is turning a blind eye towards atrocities being committed against Muslims
in India. While India is loathing the Sharia laws in Afghanistan, it pays no
heed to the same laws being implemented in the KSA.
Similarly,
KSA is opposed to the Sufi variety Islam being practiced by the Indian Muslims
but prefers to remain silent, and so does India against the Wahabi – Salafi
variety of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia. The swan song for both the
countries is economic consideration whereas the rest is a waste of time.
However,
global politics have started changing after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Every country is busy playing hardball and international politics is no more a
zero-sum game. In this realignment, KSA is looking beyond the USA by making
forays for a handshake with China.
This
new script in international relations started emerging since the KSA Crown Prince
Mohammad bin Salman demanded back from Pakistan his country’s $1 billion soft
loans. This time Pakistan did not beg mercy but repaid the loan with the help
of China. However, this development for the KSA came with strings attached.
After
the repayment of the loan to KSA, China stopped oil import from Saudi Arabia.
This direct action of China hit KSA hard and it lost a huge market for its oil
exports. The KSA was the largest oil supplier to the communist nation but after
this episode, it lost its numéro uno position in the world’s oil export
market.
All
this started after Pakistan made an unsuccessful attempt to counter the
KSA-controlled Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) by organizing a parallel
outfit with help of Turkey and Malaysia, accusing the KSA of abandoning the
cause of Kashmir.
Source:
Siasat Daily
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.siasat.com/india-saudi-arabia-relationship-no-more-cozy-2198162/
--------
Mideast
Houthis
Are Following Behaviour of ISIS, Al-Qaeda: Yemen’s FM to UN General Assembly
27
September ,2021
Yemen’s
Foreign Minister said that the Iran-backed Houthis are following the behavior
of ISIS and al-Qaeda through committing crimes and human rights violations.
Yemen’s
Foreign Minister, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, affirmed on Monday that his country’s
legitimate government has made many concessions for the sake of peace, adding
that the Houthi militia rejected all these peaceful initiatives by order of
Iran.
In
a speech before the United Nations General Assembly, he said that the
legitimate government extended its hand to peace several times to spare the
Yemenis destruction, adding that the Houthi escalation in Marib gives a clear
picture of the militias’ intentions and their position on peace.
“We
have accepted all peace initiatives in Yemen, especially the Saudi initiative,”
he added.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran
Sends Protest Letter to IAEA over Inaccurate Report
2021-September-27
Spokesman
of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi called on
the IAEA not to disrupt the constructive process with “purposeful and biased
reports”.
He
said that after the inaccurate report by the IAEA chief, the Iranian ambassador
to the Agency provided some explanations.
Kamalvandi
said that Iran has sent a protest letter to the IAEA.
On
Sunday, Iran’s Representative at International Organizations in Vienna Kazzem
Qaribabadi rejected the UN nuclear watchdog's claim that an agreement had been
made with Tehran on access to TESA Karaj Complex, a centrifuge component manufacturing
workshop in Northern Iran.
Qaribabadi
made the remarks in a tweet thread, addressing a claim that had been made by
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Director-General Rafael Grossi
in an earlier report who alleged that Iran was failing to fully comply with a
joint statement issued by the two sides on September 12 by refusing to allow
the agency access to the TESA Karaj Complex.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14000705000420/Iran-Sends-Pres-Leer-IAEA-ver-Inaccrae-Repr
--------
Amir
Abdollahian: Iran Responds Goodwill with Goodwill
2021-September-27
"Very
productive UNGA. In 50+meetings with political leaders, diplomats, experts and
journalists, I outlined our balanced, active and smart foreign policy,"
Amir Abdollahian wrote on his twitter page on Sunday, referring to his recent
visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly meeting.
"Iran
values diplomacy, always reciprocates respect, and responds to goodwill with
goodwill," he added.
Last
Monday, upon arrival in New York for the 76th United Nations General Assembly
Session, Amir Abdollahian said that talks with his counterparts in New York
would be based on a balanced foreign policy outlook and active diplomacy.
“I
hope that, with the opportunity that has arisen, we will be able to hold talks
with counterparts in line with the 13th [Iranian] Administration’s balanced
foreign policy and active, dynamic, and smart diplomacy,” he said.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/14000705000227/Amir-Abdllahian-Iran-Respnds-Gdwill-wih-Gdwill
--------
Iranian
President: No Limit for Expansion of Ties with Sri Lanka
2021-September-27
Iran
feels no limit for further promotion of economic and trade relations with Sri
Lanka, Rayeesi said in a meeting in Tehran with new Sri Lankan Ambassador to
Iran Wishwanath Aponsu where the new ambassador submitted his credentials to
the Iranian president.
He
expressed the hope that the two countries would take new steps towards
enhancement of relations with the launch of a joint economic cooperation
commission.
Aponsu,
for his part, referred to age-old relations between the two countries, saying
Sri Lanka has always supported the Iranian government and nation in
international organizations.
He
also called for further expansion of mutual cooperation in different energy,
trade and commercial areas.
Iran
has prioritized ties with the neighboring and Asian states.
Earlier
this month, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization officially admitted Iran as a
new member of the Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance at its
21st summit in Dushanbe.
Source:
Fars News Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran’s
VP in Moscow to discuss nuclear cooperation: RIA
28
September ,2021
Iran’s
vice president and head of the country’s atomic energy organization, Mohammad
Eslami, has arrived in Moscow for talks with the chief executive of Russian
state nuclear firm Rosatom, the RIA news agency cited Iran’s embassy as saying
on Tuesday.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
At
UN, Israeli PM Bennett says Iran has crossed nuclear “red lines”
27
September ,2021
Israeli
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that Iran had crossed “all red
lines” in its nuclear program and vowed that Israel would not allow Tehran to
acquire a nuclear weapon.
In
his first speech before the United Nations General Assembly, Bennett said Iran
sought to dominate the Middle East under a “nuclear umbrella” and urged a more
concerted international effort to halt Iran’s nuclear activities.
But
he also hinted at the potential for Israel to act on its own against Iran,
something it has repeatedly threatened in the past.
“Iran’s
nuclear program has hit a watershed moment, and so has our tolerance,” Bennett
said. “Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning.”
Bennett,
a far-right politician who ended Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as prime
minister in June, wants US President Joe Biden to harden his stance against
Iran, Israel’s regional arch-foe. He opposes the new US administration’s
efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Biden’s White House
predecessor, Donald Trump, abandoned in 2018.
Indirect
US-Iran talks in Vienna have stalled as Washington awaits the next move by
Iran’s new hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi.
Bennett
struck a less combative tone before the United Nations than Netanyahu, who
often relied on props and visual aids to dramatize his accusations against
Iran, an approach that critics derided as political stunts.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Palestinian
officers go on trial over death of Abbas critic Nizar Banat
27
September ,2021
A
Palestinian military court on Monday began the trial of 14 security officers
charged with beating to death a prominent critic of President Mahmoud Abbas, in
a case that has drawn widespread protests and calls for his resignation.
Nizar
Banat’s death following his arrest on June 24 has heightened criticism of
Abbas’ Palestinian Authority and his security forces, who human rights groups
say regularly arrest critics in the occupied West Bank. Abbas denies the
charges.
An
autopsy carried out the day Banat died showed he was struck in the head and
over the body with metal rods, leading to his death. The PA, which has limited
self-rule in the West Bank, has vowed to hold those responsible to account.
Appearing
in Monday’s court session in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the indicted
officers pleaded not guilty as prosecutors read out a charge sheet including
battery, abuse of power and violation of military instructions.
But
Banat’s family have demanded that senior Palestinian officials be held to
account over his death, accusing Abbas and his prime minister, Mohammad
Shtayyeh, of deflecting blame.
“This
is an incomplete and partial court case, and everyone in it is a scapegoat,
until the interior minister, the head of the Preventive Security Services and
his deputy are behind bars,” Banat’s brother, Ghassan, said outside the
courthouse.
Security
Services spokesman Talal Dweikat said on Sept. 5 that an internal inquiry found
its deputy director for the city of Hebron, where Banat was arrested, was not
involved in his death. The indicted officers’ lawyer did not provide comment.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Iran:
Two IRGC members killed in fire at research centre
27
September ,2021
Two
members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) died after a fire
broke out at a research center belonging to the IRGC in the capital Tehran on
Sunday, the force announced on Monday.
IRGC
members Morteza Karimi and Hossein Abedi died due to the severity of their
injuries, the IRGC said in a statement carried by state media.
The
IRGC had said in a separate statement on Sunday that a fire erupted at one of
its research centers in western Tehran, injuring three employees who had to be
taken to hospital.
The
statement did not address the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage to
the center.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Al-Aqsa:
Settlers storm mosque and raise Israeli flags
27
September 2021
Hundreds
of Israeli settlers on Monday stormed al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East
Jerusalem's Old City and raised Israeli flags, in a move seen as
"provocative" by Palestinians.
Over
770 Israeli settlers, accompanied by security officers, broke into the Al-Aqsa
compound in Jerusalem on Monday morning and again in the afternoon, local media
reported.
They
entered through the Moroccan Gate on the western side of the site, which the
Israeli authorities have controlled since the beginning of the occupation of
East Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967.
A
settler raised an Israeli flag in the area outside Al-Aqsa Mosque, while
Israeli police restricted Palestinians from entering the compound during the
settlers' tour. One Palestinian man was arrested when he attempted to obstruct
the settlers' tour by praying in their path.
Jerusalem's
Islamic Waqf has repeatedly described the settlers' tours as
"provocative" and said that Palestinian worshippers and guards at
al-Aqsa Mosque feel uncomfortable with the presence of Israeli police and
settlers touring the Muslim holy site.
Israeli
far-right activists have repeatedly pushed for an increased Jewish presence at
al-Aqsa, despite a longstanding joint guardianship agreement between Israel and
Jordan.
Some
right-wing Israeli activists have advocated for the destruction of the al-Aqsa
Mosque compound to make way for a Third Temple. But others want to seize the
eastern area of the al-Aqsa compound, known as al-Rahmeh Gate, to turn it into
an exclusive Jewish praying site, accessed by an ancient gate in the eastern
wall of the Old City.
'Dangerous
development'
Palestinian
Muslims and Christians do not seek to pray in the Western Wall Plaza, the
holiest site in Judaism to the east of al-Aqsa Mosque. Their access to the
site, however, has to go through a strict security check.
Azzam
al-Khatib, the general director of Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem, said that Israeli
police turned al-Aqsa Mosque into "a military barracks" on Monday and
that settler numbers breaking into the compound had surged in recent weeks.
Khatib
said these tours were "unacceptable" and that al-Aqsa "is a
mosque for Muslims that could not be partitioned or shared".
On
Sunday, almost 1,000 Israeli settlers entered al-Aqsa Mosque.
Radwan
Amr, the head of the manuscripts department in al-Aqsa, said that Monday's
events pointed to "a dangerous development, that settlers raised the flag
of the occupation inside al-Aqsa Mosque, while in place were the restrictions
imposed on worshippers and barring them from praying in al-Aqsa's yards during
the settlers' tour".
Source:
Middle East Eye
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-aqsa-settlers-storm-raise-flag
--------
Africa
At
least 15 al-Shabaab terrorists killed by their own bomb in Kenya
Andrew
Wasike
28.09.2021
NAIROBI,
Kenya
At
least 15 members of the al-Shabaab terrorist group were killed over the weekend
in Kenya when their vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device (IED),
police said Monday.
Other
militants from the group had earlier planted the explosive device in Lamu
County near the border with Somalia.
Kenya
Defense Forces (KDF) spokesperson Esther Wanjiku confirmed the incident to
local media, noting that it happened Sunday morning between Sarira and Ras
Kiamboni near Ishakani.
Al-Shabaab
terrorists have long carried out IED attacks in Kenya targeting security
officers patrolling key routes on the porous Kenya-Somali border.
In
2018, more than 100 Kenyan police were killed in separate IED attacks along the
border.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Tanzanian
opposition decries intimidation of leaders
Kizito
Makoye
28.09.2021
Tanzania’s
main opposition party, CHADEMA, has expressed deep concern about rising
intimidation of its leaders and individuals who are increasingly criminalized
under the guise of spreading false information online.
The
move comes after the arrest and detention of Freeman Mbowe, CHADEMA’s national
chairman, who is accused of terrorism and economic sabotage -- crimes he
strongly denies.
The
East African country has seen a sharp decline in respect for basic rights of
expression and association as authorities target dissenting voices, according
to human rights groups.
The
opposition is accusing the government of adopting and enforcing repressive laws
to restrict free expression, muzzle independent journalism and undermine
democracy by giving officials sweeping powers to ban political activities.
CHADEMA
Secretary-General John Mnyika has demanded the government repeal laws that
restrict the right to free speech and association.
“These
are constitutional rights, they’re flagrantly being violated with impunity,” he
said.
But
government spokesman Gerson Msigwa denied the allegations that authorities are
targeting critics for punishment.
“Our
country follows the rule of law and there’s no freedom without responsibility,”
he told Anadolu Agency.
Arsenal
of laws
The
2015 Cybercrimes Act was passed that year in Tanzania, which imposes hefty
penalties and jail times for posting false information online. It was followed
by the Statistics Act, which until its amendment in June 2019, criminalized
publishing statistics without government approval.
When
Samia Suluhu Hassan became President of Tanzania after the death of John
Magufuli in March, she rekindled hope when she ushered in a new era of
democracy after the heavy-handed rule of her predecessor.
Hassan,
who inherited a divided nation, created a sense of optimism when she released
political prisoners, condemned attacks on free press and called for reconciliation
and national unity.
Eight
months on, critics say hopes have been suddenly slashed.
“We
are on the brink of a total disaster, our democracy is under attack,” said
Mnyika.
A
poster bearing a message in Swahili “Mbowe siyo Gaidi,” meaning, Mbowe is not a
terrorist, held by a female protester outside Tanzania’s high court Thursday in
Dar es Salaam, captured the state of desperation that has engulfed supporters
of the country main opposition party, whose chairman is detained indefinitely
for allegedly committing serious offences.
Mbowe
was charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts and indirectly funding
terror acts in a case widely perceived as a politically motivated move to
shatter his political influence.
He
is accused of plotting to kill a public official, and giving 600,000 Tanzanian
shillings ($260) under a ploy to blow up petrol stations and public gatherings
and cutting down trees to block roads -- charges he vehemently denies.
The
60-year-old outspoken politician has been behind bars since July 21 when he was
arrested in a nighttime police raid hours before he was scheduled to hold a
public forum on constitutional reforms.
Armed
wing
In
an interview with Anadolu Agency, Tundu Lissu, deputy chairman of CHADEMA and
former presidential candidate, accused authorities of abducting Mbowe and
illegally keeping him incommunicado for six days.
“Mbowe
was not arrested. He was abducted at gun point in the middle of the night and
was driven 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) to Dar es Salaam where he was held
illegally without access to his family and his lawyers,”
Lissu
strongly condemned the attack on civil liberties by authorities and described
the charges against Mbowe as “bogus and fabricated.”
“We
are dealing with a predatory police force that's being used by the ruling
regime as its armed wing to attack civil liberty,” said Lissu.
He
said the only mistake that Mbowe seems to have made is calling for
constitutional reforms and a new political order.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/tanzanian-opposition-decries-intimidation-of-leaders/2376651
--------
US
military commander for Africa visits Algeria, meets President Tebboune
28
September ,2021
The
head of the US military command for Africa visited Algeria on Monday, meeting
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and praising US ties with the North African
country.
“The
US appreciates the important role Algeria plays in promoting peace, security
and prosperity in the region and beyond, and we hope to continue building on
our strong bilateral relationship,” Africom commander General Stephen Townsend
said in a video tweeted by the US embassy.
In
meetings also attended by Algerian army chief Said Chanegriha, Townsend
discussed “security in the Sahel region and ways of expanding the capacities of
countries in the region, notably in terms of the fight against terrorism,” said
Algerian state media outlet APS.
Townsend
visited Algeria in September 2020, but the latest tour was his first since
Morocco became the fourth Arab state to normalize relations with Israel in
December last year, to the ire of Rabat’s regional rival Algiers.
The
US-backed deal also saw Washington recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the
Western Sahara, which Morocco considers its sovereign territory but where
Algeria has backed the Polisario independence movement.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Algeria
hands new jail terms to two ex-premiers for graft
27
September ,2021
Two
detained former prime ministers under Algeria’s longtime ex-president Abdelaziz
Bouteflika were handed additional prison sentences on Monday for corruption,
local media reported.
Ahmed
Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal were sentenced to six and five years respectively
for money laundering, wasting public money, abuse of office and “awarding contracts
in violation of public procurement regulations,” according to the newspapers
Ennahar, Echorouk and El Hayat.
The
charges related to Hamid Melzi, the former boss of a state firm that runs a
luxury residence for government officials as well as a publicly owned hotel
company.
Melzi
was sentenced to five years in prison, and also faces trial for industrial
espionage and “harming the national economy.”
Ouyahia
served four times as prime minister between 1995 and 2019, while Sellal led the
government from 2014 to 2017 and managed all four of Bouteflika’s election
campaigns.
Bouteflika
resigned in 2019 under pressure from the army, following weeks of mass protests
against his bid for a fifth term in office.
Source:
Al Arabiya
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
Southeast Asia
PMYT
Cult Leader Calls on Followers to Repent, Return To True Teachings of Islam
27
Sep 2021
SHAH
ALAM, Sept 27 — The head of the religious cult “Perjalanan Mimpi Yang Terakhir”
(PMYT), Masitah Ab Jalar, who announced her declaration of repentance
(Istitabah) today, has called on her followers to repent and return to the true
teachings of Islam.
During
the ceremony held at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, here,
Masitah, 39, who is also known as “Sittah Annur”, said she was making the
declaration willingly and without coercion from any party.
“I
repent and will practice the teachings of Islam based on authentic sources of
knowledge.
“Therefore,
I call on all parties or any individual who had listened to, followed, or
believed in my ‘dream’ to immediately stop any form of belief built upon my
statements, and return to the true teachings of Islam,” she said.
Masitah
then signed the declaration of repentance document.
Selangor
Mufti Datuk Anhar Opir; Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) director
Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad; Selangor Islamic Religious Council Secretary Ahmad
Shahir Makhtar and Department of Islamic Development Malaysia’s Syariah
Prosecution Enforcement Coordination Division director Mohd Ansor Rullah Mohd
Hassim signed as witnesses.
In
the meantime, Mohd Shahzihan said Jais would continue to monitor Masitah, and
if she did anything that was against the teachings of Islam, enforcement action
would be taken against her.
He
said the religious authorities did not want to take action that would distance
individuals from God, adding that today’s ceremony was arranged with Masitah’s
voluntarily consent in order to inform the public, especially individuals or
parties who believed and adhered to the statements regarding her “dream” to
also admit the mistakes made, repent and return to true Islamic principles.
Source:
Malay Mail
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
--------
China,
NATO officials discuss Afghanistan, regional tensions
Sep
28, 2021
BEIJING:
China's top diplomat has held a virtual meeting with NATO's chief to discuss
the situation in Afghanistan, amid longstanding disagreements between Beijing
and the US-led alliance over regional policies.
The
Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the discussions had been “positive
and constructive”. Foreign Minister Wang Yi and NATO Secretary General Jens
Stoltenberg had spoken the previous day, according to the statement, focusing
on “issues of common concern.”
Chinese
officials gave no further details of the talks.
Beijing
long opposed the presence of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan — with which
it shares a narrow border — while benefiting from the relative stability that
presence provided. It has been strongly critical of the shambolic US withdrawal
that paved the way for the Taliban sweeping to power, calling it hasty and
irresponsible.
Beijing
said the two officials speaking Monday agreed to “raise the standard of
dialogue to advance practical cooperation” between China and NATO on issues
including counterterrorism, anti-piracy, cyber security and international
peacekeeping.
Stoltenberg
told China's foreign minister that the alliance “went into Afghanistan to
ensure the country did not serve again as a platform for terrorists,” according
to NATO's press release Monday, adding that no attacks against China or
alliance members had been organized from the country since 2001.
Stoltenberg
also stressed in the meeting the importance of a "coordinated
international approach, including with countries from the region, to hold the
Taliban accountable for their commitments on countering terrorism and upholding
human rights, not least the rights of women.”
China
has kept open its embassy in Kabul and maintained dialogue with the Taliban
group, including hosting a delegation in July led by top leader Abdul Ghani
Baradar.
At
that meeting, Wang referred to the Taliban as “a pivotal military and political
force in Afghanistan" that is “expected to play an important role in the
in process of peace, reconciliation and reconstruction."
Beijing
has also called on the Taliban to uphold its pledge to restrain militants
seeking independence for the traditionally Muslim northwestern region of
Xinjiang. Wang has urged the group to keep border crossings open, while
offering $31 million in humanitarian assistance, along with 3 million doses of
Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccines.
China
has also previously signed deals for oil, gas and copper mining in Afghanistan,
although those have long been dormant.
Source:
Times of India
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Global
Peace Mission chief Azam is now special adviser on Afghanistan
September
26, 2021
KUALA
LUMPUR: Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman, commissioner to the Independent Permanent Human
Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has
been appointed as Wisma Putra’s special adviser on Afghanistan.
In
announcing this, foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah said Azam’s experience and
networking could help Wisma Putra to obtain first-hand information on
Afghanistan.
“Currently,
other than providing information and advice, he also helps Wisma Putra to facilitate
humanitarian efforts by Malaysian NGOs.
“Looking
at the prevailing uncertainties, it is crucial for us to keep in contact with
reliable sources. This is where Azam has an upper hand.
“This
is very important so that we have proper understanding of the latest
developments. Definitely, Wisma Putra will be utilising many sources but his
experience and networking will help us to obtain additional important
information.”
He
announced the appointment at the KL Conference on Afghanistan: Re-emergence of
a Nation, held virtually today.
The
event was jointly organised by Global Peace Mission (GPM) Malaysia and the
Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim). Azam is also the chairman of GPM.
Saifuddin
said Malaysia would continue to monitor political developments in Afghanistan
closely, and provide assistance in the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
Malaysia
should also not be influenced by Western narratives on the situation in
Afghanistan, he said.
“We
need to have our own understanding of what is happening in Afghanistan today,
what happened in the past and how we can move forward,” he said.
The
government has repeatedly stated that peace negotiations, reconstruction and
rebuilding of Afghanistan should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and
Afghan-controlled.
“I
believe it is the Afghanistan people who know best what needs to be done. They
know better their history, their problems or challenges, the new reality they
face and the way forward.
“We
in Malaysia, the ummah and the peace-loving citizens of the world must show our
support and solidarity and try our level best to give whatever assistance
possible to the Afghan people,” he said.
The
foreign minister said that although Malaysia has yet to recognise the new Kabul
government, it was committed to assisting Afghanistan with humanitarian aid as
well as in reconstruction and rebuilding the country.
Source:
Free Malaysia Today
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PMO
says appointments of special advisor and special envoy is vital, not waste of
resources
27
Sep 2021
BY
EMMANUEL SANTA MARIA CHIN
KUALA
LUMPUR, Sept 27 — Appointments of politicians into posts of special envoys to
specific nations and as a special advisor to the prime minister are not a waste
of resources and are significant roles, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said
today.
In
a written Parliamentary reply to a question posed by Tenom MP Noorita Sual, the
PMO explained that individuals appointed into these roles are those with a
specific set of networks, experience, and expertise that can bring benefits to
efforts of developing national interests.
Noorita
had questioned the government to state their position on these roles within the
government, and the amount of salaries they would receive.
The
PMO also explained that these “minister-level” statuses granted to the
appointees are different from those in the Cabinet and of not the same level as
federal ministers as contained within
Article 43(2)(b) of the Federal Constitution.
“Generally,
Special Envoys to the Prime Minister are appointed to assist and advise the
Prime Minister in matters that are related to the country, or field they are
tasked with.
“They
are given duties and responsibilities to increase the two-way communications
between Malaysia and the country or region they are entrusted with, which
covers increasing foreign relations, economy, trade, investments, and
education,” it said.
Source:
Malay Mail
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North America
Al
Qaeda Operated From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi: US Congressional Research
Service Report
Sep
28, 2021
NEW
DELHI: Al Qaeda has operated primarily from Pakistan's former Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), now incorporated into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
province; And in the megacity of Karachi, as well as in Afghanistan, according
to a report by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS).
US
officials have identified Pakistan as a base of operations and/or target for
numerous armed, non state militant groups, some of which have existed since the
1980s, said the report.
Many
observers predict a resurgence of regional terrorism and militancy in the wake
of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan last month, it added.
Twelve
of the 15 groups listed as based in Pakistan are designated as Foreign
Terrorist Organizations (FTO) under US law and most, but not all, are animated
by Islamist extremist ideology.
The
CRS said that among the India- and Kashmir-oriented militants, Lashkar-e-Taiba
(LeT) was formed in the late 1980s in Pakistan and designated as an FTO in
2001.
Led
by Hafiz Saeed and based in both Pakistan's Punjab province and in
Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), it is more recently fronted by the ostensibly
charitable Jamaat-ud-Dawa.
The
LeT was responsible for major 2008 attacks in Mumbai, as well as numerous other
high-profile attacks.
The
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was founded in 2000 by Kashmiri militant leader Masood
Azhar and was designated as an FTO in 2001. Along with the LeT, it was responsible
for a 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, among numerous others.
Based
in both Punjab and in PoK, the JEM's several hundred armed supporters operate
in India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. JEM also has openly declared war on the
US.
Harakat-ul
Jihad Islami (HUJI) was formed in 1980 in Afghanistan to fight the Soviet army
and was designated as an FTO in 2010. After 1989 it redirected its efforts
toward India, although it did supply fighters to the Afghan Taliban. With an
unknown strength, HUJI today operates in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and
India.
Harakat
ul-Mujahadeen (HUM) was designated as an FTO in 1997 and operates mainly from
PoK and from some Pakistani cities.It was responsible for the 1999 hijacking of
an Indian airliner, leading to the release from an Indian prison of JEM's
future founder; most HUM cadres subsequently defected to that group.
Hizb-ul
Mujahideen (HM) was formed in 1989 reportedly as the militant wing of
Pakistan's largest Islamist political party and designated as an FTO in 2017.
The HM's cadre of unknown size is composed primarily of ethnic Kashmiris.
Although Kashmir based, the group reportedly has key funding sources in
Pakistan.
According
to the US State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2019 (released in
June 2020), Pakistan has "continued to serve as a safe haven for certain
regionally focused terrorist groups", and has "allowed groups
targeting Afghanistan, as well as groups targeting India, to operate from its
territory".
The
Department noted "modest steps" taken by Pakistan's government to
counter terrorism financing and to "restrain" some India-focused
militant groups following an early 2019 terrorist attack in Kashmir.
It
assessed, however, that "Islamabad has yet to take decisive actions
against India- and Afghanistan-focused militants," and that "progress
on the most difficult aspects of its 2015 National Action Plan to counter
terrorism remains unfulfilled— specifically its pledge to dismantle all
terrorist organizations without delay and discrimination".
On
the topic of "terrorist safe havens", the Department concluded that
Pakistan's government and military "acted inconsistently with respect to
terrorist safe havens throughout the country. Authorities did not take
sufficient action to stop certain terrorist groups and individuals from openly
operating in the country".
Source:
Times of India
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Joe
Biden has no plans to call Imran Khan soon: Spokesperson
Sep
28, 2021
NEW
YORK: Joe Biden has no immediate plans to call Pakistani Prime Minister Imran
Khan, who has blamed Washington for the Afghanistan mess and its fallout in
Islamabad, according to the US President's spokesperson Jen Psaki.
Asked
by a reporter if Biden would call Khan "soon", Psaki said on Monday:
"I don't have anything to predict at this point in time."
While
officials at various levels of the US government have spoken to their Pakistani
counterparts, Biden has not reached out personally to Khan.
The
reporter said that while Biden was "mid-meeting" with Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on September 24, Khan at the UN delivered "some scathing
criticism of the US's actions in Afghanistan. And he's lamented the lack of
direct engagement between himself and President Biden".
"Why
hasn't the President used this aggressive diplomacy to answer that call from
the Prime Minister of Pakistan to engage directly?" she asked.
Psaki
replied: "The President has not spoken with every foreign leader at this
point in time; that is absolutely true. But he, of course, has a team -- an
expert team deployed to do exactly that.
"I
wouldn't overread into a leader-to-leader call in that particular regard."
Khan
had given a similar reaction when an interviewer had asked him about Biden's
silence.
Asked
by a CNN interviewer earlier this month about not having had a personal
conversation with Biden, Khan said: "I would imagine he's very busy, but
our relationship with the US is not just dependent on a phone call, it needs to
be a multidimensional relationship."
At
Monday's briefing, Psaki said: "We have been in touch at very high levels
with leaders in Pakistan from the State Department, from the Department of
Defence, and from other key components of the administration.a
"We
are continuing to work together and work on initiatives where we can, make
clear where we have concern."
Secretary
of State Antony Blinken met Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi
last week in New York and has held several phone conversations with him.
Defence
Secretary Lloyd Austin has also spoken several times with Pakistan's Army chief
General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Deputy
Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is scheduled to visit Pakistan next month on a
trip that will also take her to India.
On
September 24, Khan spoke at the UN just after Biden's Quad summit with Modi and
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga of Japan and Scott Morrison of Australia.
"There
is a lot of worry in the US about taking care of the interpreters and everyone
who helped the US. What about us?" the Pakistani leader asked.
Source:
Times of India
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US
State Department no. 2 to visit Pakistan, India after Taliban takeover
27
September ,2021
US
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel next month to Pakistan and
India, bitter rivals that have clashed on the way forward in Afghanistan, the
State Department announced Monday.
Sherman,
after CIA chief Bill Burns, will be one of the first high-level officials under
President Joe Biden to visit Pakistan, which has long irritated the United
States over its relationship with the Taliban.
Sherman
will meet senior officials in Islamabad on October 7-8 after an earlier visit
to New Delhi and Mumbai on October 6-7, when she will meet officials and civil
society leaders and address the US-India Business council’s annual “ideas
summit,” the State Department said.
The
trip comes as India, one of the top allies of the Western-backed Afghan
government that collapsed last month, urges the world to pay closer attention
to Pakistan’s role in the turmoil.
Pakistan
was the primary backer of the 1996-2001 Taliban regime, and has been accused by
US officials of keeping the insurgents alive through covert support.
Pakistani
Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an opinion piece published Monday in The
Washington Post, called his country a “convenient scapegoat.”
“In
Afghanistan, the lack of legitimacy for an outsider’s protracted war was
compounded by a corrupt and inept Afghan government, seen as a puppet regime
without credibility, especially by rural Afghans,” he wrote, elaborating on
themes in his address Friday to the UN General Assembly.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Pentagon
leaders to face hearings in Congress over Afghanistan troop withdrawal
28
September ,2021
President
Joe Biden’s top military leaders are expected to face some of the most
contentious hearings in memory this week over the chaotic end to the war in
Afghanistan, which cost the lives of US troops and civilians and left the
Taliban back in power.
The
Senate and House committees overseeing the US military will hold hearings on
Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, where Republicans are hoping to zero in on
mistakes that Biden’s administration made toward the end of the two-decade-old
war.
That
will follow similar questioning two weeks ago that saw US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken staunchly defending the administration, even as he faced calls
for his resignation.
US
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to praise American personnel who
helped airlift 124,000 Afghans out of the country, an operation that also cost
the lives of 13 US troops and scores of Afghans in a suicide bombing outside
the Kabul airport.
Austin
is expected to “be frank about the things we could have done better,” a US
official told Reuters.
That
will also certainly include the US military’s last drone strike before
withdrawing, which the Pentagon acknowledges killed 10 civilians, most of them
children - and not the ISIS militants it thought it was attacking.
“We
lost lives and we took likes in this evacuation,” the official said.
Ahead
of the hearing, Senator James Inhofe, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s top
Republican, wrote to Austin with a long list of requests for information,
including on the Aug. 26 airport bombing, equipment left behind and the
administration’s future counter-terrorism plans.
Senator
Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, said lawmakers would also press about “a lack of
coordination and a real plan for how we were going to get all the Afghans who
helped us out of the country.”
“I
don’t know if we’ll get answers. But questions will be raised again about why
we got to the point that we did in Afghanistan,” she told Reuters in a
telephone interview.
Many
of the hardest questions may fall to the two senior US military commanders
testifying: Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
and Marine General Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command.
McKenzie
called the drone strike a “tragic mistake,” one that critics say raises hard
questions about America’s ability to properly identify counter-terrorism
targets in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal.
But
McKenzie and other US officials will be under pressure to defend the Biden
administration’s plans to address future counter-terrorism threats from groups
like al-Qaeda and ISIS by flying in drones or commandos from overseas.
Republicans
have accused the Biden administration of downplaying the risks associated with
that so-called “over the horizon” capability.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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Scientists
reconstruct 3D faces of Egyptian mummies from over 2,000 years ago
28
September ,2021
Researchers
in the US have used DNA data from mummified remains to create 3D
reconstructions of the faces of three men who lived in ancient Egypt more than
2,000 years ago.
The
mummies came from Abusir el-Meleq, an ancient Egyptian city to the south of
Cairo, and they were buried between 1380 B.C. and A.D. 425, LiveScience
reported.
In
2017, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History
in Tübingen, Germany have successfully sequenced the DNA from Egyptian mummies
for the first time.
Taking
on the technology, researchers at Parabon NanoLabs, a DNA technology company in
Reston, Virginia, have used that genetic data to create 3D models of the
mummies’ faces.
The
experts created the faces through a process called forensic DNA phenotyping
which uses genetic analysis to be recreate the shape of facial features and
other aspects of a person’s physical appearance.
“This
is the first-time comprehensive DNA phenotyping has been performed on human DNA
of this age,” Parabon representatives said in a statement.
Parabon
revealed the mummies’ faces on Sept. 15 at the 32nd International Symposium on
Human Identification in Orlando, Florida.
Scientists
used a phenotyping method called Snapshot to predict the men’s ancestry, skin
color and facial features.
The
findings reveal that these ancient people were more genetically like
populations living in the eastern Mediterranean — a region that today includes
Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Iraq — than people living in modern-day
Egypt. The researchers then generated 3D meshes outlining the mummies’ facial
features, and calculated heat maps to highlight the differences between the
three individuals and refine the details of each face.
Parabon’s
forensic artist then combined these results with Snapshot’s predictions about
skin, eye, and hair color.
Worldwide,
the remains of thousands of mummies from ancient Egypt have been excavated, but
obtaining intact, undamaged DNA from the bodies has proved challenging.
Other
research teams made at least previous attempts to sequence DNA from mummies but
proved inconclusive. The first undertaking occurred in 1985 and was later shown
to be flawed, because the samples had become contaminated with modern DNA.
Source:
Al Arabiya
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US
national security adviser to travel to Saudi Arabia, UAE
Servet
Gunerigok
27.09.2021
WASHINGTON
US
national security adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to the Middle East,
including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said the White House
National Security Council on Monday.
According
to a statement by National Security Council's spokesperson Emily Horne, President
Joe Biden's adviser will be joined by National Security Council Middle East and
North Africa Coordinator Brett McGurk and US special envoy for Yemen Tim
Lenderking.
"Mr.
Sullivan will meet with senior leaders on a range of regional and global
challenges," said the statement.
According
to the Associated Press, Sullivan will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman to discuss the Yemen war, while he might also meet with Saudi Deputy
Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, a brother to the crown prince, said the US
network, citing two senior administration officials.
Source:
Anadolu Agency
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https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-national-security-adviser-to-travel-to-saudi-arabia-uae/2376252
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