"Religious Conversion, Land, Spit Jihad Will Not Be Allowed in Uttarakhand": Chief Minister
New Age Islam News Bureau
14 October 2024
Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand CM
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· "Religious Conversion, Land, Spit Jihad Will Not Be Allowed in Uttarakhand": Chief Minister
· Pakistan Sectarian Violence: 16 Killed as Sunni, Shiite Tribes Clash in Kurram District
· Hezbollah Threatens Israel with More Attacks If Lebanon Assault Continues
· French President Calls On Iran’s President to Back Mideast ‘De-Escalation’
· Caves in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Region Are Windows to History, Gates to Adventure: Afaq Society for Astronomy
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India
· President's Rule Revoked in Jammu & Kashmir, Stage Set for New Government to Assume Charge
· Kerala Muslim Community & Political Leaders Condemn Child Rights Panel's Order On Madrassas
· Karnataka Congress GovernmentWithdraws Cases Against Individuals; BJP Union Minister Calls Them 'Islamic Fundamentalists'
· To Discuss Kashmir’s ‘Burning Issues’, Engineer Rashid Meets L-G – Day After Omar Called On Him
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Pakistan
· Pashtun Jirga Deplores Militancy, And Subsequent Anti-Terrorism Operations That Had Displaced Millions
· Economists Slam PTI's Protest Call During SCO Moot as 'Self-Destructive'
· ‘Comprehensive’ security plan in place for Islamabad SCO summit as PTI protest looms
· SCO summit: PML-N rejects PTI's condition to withdraw Oct 15 protest
· Lahore, AJK police recover 29 kidnapped children
· Rally staged for recovery of kidnapped tribesmen
· Leaders, workers picked up in crackdown on nationalists
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Mideast
· Israel military shows journalists area of operations in south Lebanon
· ‘Apocalyptic’: Israel destroys mosque, bombs market in southern Lebanon
· Iran in diplomatic push to seek halt in violence
· Hezbollah drone strike kills four, wounds dozens at Israeli base
· Lebanon’s PM condemns Netanyahu’s demand for UNIFIL’s withdrawal
· UN says Israeli tanks burst into peacekeeper base, Israel gives different account
· Israeli airstrike kills five children in Gaza, says official Palestinian news agency
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Europe
· Symposium on "Islamic architectural heritage of Shusha city" concludes in Azerbaijan
· Ukraine denounces Russia's reported execution of captured troops
· Russia opens criminal case against US mercenary
· No more German military hardware for Ukraine – Bild
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Arab World
· Saudi Media Ministry Launches Initiative To Showcase Diverse Lives Of Residents
· Riyadh governor receives ambassador of Palestine
· Saudi naval forces participate in Medusa 13 joint naval-air exercise in Greece
· Saudi ministry promotes broiler pigeon breeding
· UAE parliamentary delegation participate in coordinating meeting of Islamic Group
· Over 10 million faithful visited Al-Rawda Al-Sharif at Prophet’s Mosque in 2024
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Africa
· God Did Not Create Nigeriawith Abundant Natural Resources to Struggle – Former President Obasanjo
· Nigeria Was Not Snubbed In UN Election – Presidency Explains
· Dbeibeh urges enhanced transparency and governance in Islamic Call Society operations
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Southeast Asia
· Malaysia Ready to Lead ASEAN with Focus On Inclusivity, Sustainability - PM Anwar
· IGP: New Phase Of Probe Focuses On Whether Children In GISBH Homes Were Exposed To Jihad Elements Via Videos
· Perak police chief: Tanjung Malim shooting was of ‘criminal’ by Bukit Aman
· FT minister gives all-clear to Jalan Masjid where sinkhole appeared
· BMKG Predicts Most of Jakarta Will Be Cloudy All Day, Light Rain in the South and East During the Day
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South Asia
· Bangladesh Nationalist Party Slams Govt For Failure To Arrest Awami League Cadres Involved In Student Shootings
· 3,195 held this month for attacks on protesters
· New Child Support Centres Established in Paktika Province
· Mawlawi Abdul Kabir Criticizes Tax Increases on Afghan Exports at Imam Abu Hanifa Exhibition
· Afghan arrested in France is brother of man who planned US election attack
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North America
· US Failed to Stop Mystery Drones Over Military Sites – WSJ
· Man arrested near Trump rally had two guns and fake passports
· Harris or Trump? What Chinese people want from US election
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/religious-conversion-land-spit-jihad/d/133437
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"Religious Conversion, Land, Spit Jihad Will Not Be Allowed in Uttarakhand": Chief Minister
Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand CM
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October 13, 2024
Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Sunday that religious conversion, encroachment, "land jihad and thook (spit) jihad" will not be allowed in ‘Devbhoomi' Uttarakhand.
He also called upon the educated people to come forward to stop such things.
At a felicitation ceremony in Udham Singh Nagar district's Kichha, the chief minister said that Uttarakhand is ‘Devbhoomi' where everyone lives together.
"But religious conversion will not be allowed in Uttarakhand, encroachment will not be allowed, land jihad will not be allowed. Some people are doing spit jihad in Uttarakhand, but spit jihad will not be allowed in the state," Mr Dhami said.
"Educated people should come forward to stop bad things in the society. Whatever is wrong, will not be tolerated. This will not be tolerated in Uttarakhand at any cost,'' he said.
Recently, two brothers – Naushad Ali and Hasan Ali, residents of Khatauli in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh – were arrested for allegedly spitting in a tea pot and serving that tea to customers.
Mr Dhami said his government is taking tough but necessary decisions. He mentioned the anti-copying law, anti-riot law etc and said the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will also be implemented in the state soon.
He said the people of Uttarakhand had given a mandate to his government for UCC and it will become the first state to implement it in independent India.
Source:ndtv.com
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Pakistan Sectarian Violence: 16 Killed as Sunni, Shiite Tribes Clash in Kurram District
Sunni Muslim men gather to offer prayers during the funeral ceremony for victims who were killed in a tribal clash, at Kurram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on October 13, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP
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Oct 13, 2024
At least 16 people, including three women and two children, were killed in a fresh sectarian clash in Pakistan's northwest, officials said.
Sunni and Shiite Muslim tribes have been engaged in intermittent fighting for several months in the Kurram district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Kurram, formerly a semi-autonomous area, has a history of bloody confrontations between tribes belonging to the Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years.
A convoy of Sunnis was travelling under the protection of paramilitary soldiers on Saturday when they came under attack, a senior Kurram administration official told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
"As a result, 14 people, including 3 women and 2 children, were killed, and six others were wounded," he said.
Frontier police responded and killed two of the attackers, who were identified as Shiites, the official said.
Other recent clashes in July and September killed dozens of people and ended only after a jirga, or tribal council called a ceasefire.
Officials are attempting to broker a fresh truce. Tribal and family feuds are common in Pakistan.
However, they can be particularly protracted and violent in remote areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where communities abide by traditional tribal honour codes.
The Shiite community in Pakistan, a predominantly Sunni Muslim country, has long suffered discrimination and violence.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.
Source:wionews.com
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Hezbollah Threatens Israel with More Attacks If Lebanon Assault Continues
Israeli soldiers and other people fold gurneys following a drone attack from Lebanon at Sheba Medical Centre in Ramat Gan, Israel October 13, 2024. © Violeta Santos Moura, Reuters
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October 14, 2024
BEIRUTU, Lebanon: Lebanese militant group Hezbollah threatened Israel with more attacks if its offensive in Lebanon continued, after a drone attack on a base near Israel’s Haifa Sunday killed four soldiers.
Israel’s military said four soldiers were killed in the attack, the deadliest such assault on an Israeli base since September 23, when Israel increased its attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hezbollah “promises the enemy that what it witnessed today in southern Haifa is nothing compared to what awaits it if it decides to continue its aggression against our... people,” it said.
In what it described as a “complex” operation, the Iran-backed group said it had launched dozens of missiles toward Nahariya and Acre north of Haifa “with the goal of keeping Israeli defense systems busy.”
At the same time, it launched “squadrons of various drones, some of which were being used for the first time, toward various areas in Acre and Haifa, where they were able to get past Israeli air defense radars without being detected” and hit the training camp in Binyamina south of Haifa, it added.
They “exploded in the rooms where dozens of officers and soldiers of the Israeli enemy were present.”
After claiming the Binyamina attack, Hezbollah said it had launched missiles at a “maintenance and rehabilitation base” of the army, also south of Haifa.
The incident comes two days after air raid sirens sounded in central Israel after two aerial drones entered the country from Lebanon. At least one building north of Tel Aviv was damaged during the incident.
Hezbollah has been regularly firing rockets and drones into Israel for more than a year, but has reached further since the fighting escalated in late September.
Israel’s air defenses, including the Iron Dome system, have intercepted most of the projectiles, with few casualties caused by strikes or falling debris.
The escalation in Lebanon has killed more than 1,300 people and displaced over a million more from their homes, according to official figures.
Source:arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2575172/middle-east
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French President Calls On Iran’s President to Back Mideast ‘De-Escalation’
This combination of file photos shows Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, left, speaking in parliament in Tehran on July 30, 2024, and France's President Emmanuel Macron during a press conference in Paris on June 12, 2024.
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October 13, 2024
TEHRAN: French President Emmanuel Macron called on Iran’s leader Masoud Pezeshkian to support a “general de-escalation” in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon in a telephone conversation Sunday, his office said.
Macron stressed “the responsibility of Iran to support a general de-escalation and to use its influence in this direction with the destabilising actors that enjoy its support.” Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters are fighting Israeli troops in Lebanon.
The Iranian presidential website said that in his conversation with Macron, Pezeshkian had called for an end to “crimes” in Lebanon and Gaza.
They discussed ways to secure a “ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel,” a statement on the website said.
Pezeshkian “asked the French president to work together with other European countries to force the Zionist regime to stop the genocide and crimes in Gaza and Lebanon,” the statement added.
Source:arabnews.com
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Caves in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Region Are Windows to History, Gates to Adventure: Afaq Society for Astronomy
Caves and sinkholes offer a glimpse into the past, often revealing the secrets of humanity and unique geological formations. (SPA)
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October 14, 2024
Riyadh: At least 542 caves and sinkholes discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region offer more destinations for the increasing number of tourists, adventurers and researchers interested in these structures, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Of varying shapes, these structures offer a glimpse into the past with their unique geological formations, said the report, quoting Burjas Al-Falih, a speleologist and a member of the Afaq Society for Astronomy.
Among the most famous caves in the Kingdom are the Jabal Qarah in Hufuf, Dahl Heet in Riyadh city, and Shuwaimis in Hail region.Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife has recently begun examining these structures in the Northern Borders region as a part of its Caves Exploration Program, which began in 2022.
According to the center, there are at least 1,826 caves in the Kingdom.
These consist of underground passages and tunnels formed by natural processes in dry limestone areas — evidence of a historical era that experienced prolonged rainy conditions.
The breathtaking rock structures often feature stalactites and stalagmites.
Al-Falih emphasized the importance of documenting cave explorations. By classifying locations, types and access, adventurers can explore these sites responsibly, he said.
Organizing official trips to these locations can also help ensure their protection, he added.
In an earlier SPA report, Dr. Mohammed Ali Qurban, the chief executive officer of the NCW, explained that the discoveries in the caves hold significant environmental value for the Kingdom.
“The cave ecosystems serve as a historical museum, providing evidence of the biological diversity that has existed in the Kingdom throughout various historical eras, as well as the spatial, environmental, and climatic changes in the Arabian Peninsula,” he was quoted as saying.
He said the center’s earlier discovery of Arabian cheetah mummies in a cave — with some skeletons estimated to be over 4,000 years old — provided the first evidence of the species’ presence in the Kingdom.
Researchers from the center had also discovered rare bats and the remains of several extinct animals, he said.
The cave ecosystem is one of the rarest and most important of its kind in the world, recognized as a part of a nation’s natural heritage by UNESCO.
Source:arabnews.com
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India
President's rule revoked in Jammu & Kashmir, stage set for new government to assume charge
14.10.24
President's rule was withdrawn in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, paving the way for the formation of a new government in the union territory.
A gazette notification to this effect was issued by the Union Home Ministry.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019) read with Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, the order dated the 31st October, 2019 in relation to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall stand revoked immediately before the appointment of the chief minister under Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019," the notification signed by President Droupadi Murmu said.
The National Conference-Congress alliance won the recent Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and is set to form the government.
NC vice president Omar Abdullah will be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He has been elected as the leader of the alliance.
Central rule was imposed in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir on October 31, 2019, following the formal division of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament on August 5, 2019. Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile state, was also abrogated on that day.
Prior to October 31, 2019, the central rule was continuing in the erstwhile state from June 2017 after the resignation of the then chief minister Mehbooba Mufti when the BJP withdrew support to the PDP-led government.
Central rule was first imposed in the erstwhile state as Governor's rule for six months. Later, President's rule was imposed for the next six months which was subsequently extended several times with the approval of Parliament.
Article 356 of the Constitution, under which President's rule is imposed in a state, is not applicable in union territories.
On October 31, 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir turned into a union territory, President's rule imposed in the undivided Jammu and Kashmir was withdrawn.
However, subsequently, the President issued a notification stating that central rule will continue for an indefinite period through the lieutenant governor (LG) in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The provision in case of failure of constitutional machinery related to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which has a legislature, is governed by Section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
Section 73 of the Act states, "If the President on receipt of a report from the LG of UT of Jammu and Kashmir is satisfied (a) that a situation has arisen in which the administration of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Act; or (b) that for the proper administration of UT of Jammu and Kashmir it is necessary or expedient so to do, the President may, by order, suspend the operation of all or any of the provisions of this Act for such period as he thinks fit and make such incidental and consequential provisions as may appear to be necessary or expedient for administering the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the provisions of the Act." Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India are related to the administration of union territories and the creation of local legislatures or councils of ministers for some of them.
Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 covers the appointment and responsibilities of the chief minister and ministers.
Source:telegraphindia.com
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Kerala Muslim Community & Political Leaders Condemn Child Rights Panel's Order On Madrassas
October 13, 2024
Malappuram: The recommendation of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to stop funding to madrassas unless they comply with the Right to Education (RTE) has stirred up a debate in the state. Though the madrassas in the state are less likely to be affected by directions on funding given the present structure, representatives of organisations said that the move is against minorities. Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Sangam state secretary Abdu Samad Pookkottoor said that the madrassas in the state are not accepting any kind of aid from the state government. They function separately from the general education sector under a body governed by Muslim organisations. “The decision would not affect the madrassas functioning in Kerala at present. However, it would affect those in North India. The move is against the religious freedom existing in the country. It would have a long-lasting impact. We are concerned that it will affect the functioning of madrassas in Kerala in the future. The Muslim o rganisations would counter it legally and democratically," Abdul Samad Pookkottoor said. IUML organising secretary E T Muhammed Basheer described the move as one of the gravest examples of atrocities taking place against minorities in the country. “The letter sent by the Chairman of NCPCR includes very atrocious comments about the minority community. There is a conspiracy behind it. He is tarnishing the image of madrassas by making unrealistic comments about the system. "It is an agenda to encroach into the constitutional rights of the minorities to run and manage educational institutions," E T Muhammed Basheer said. Kerala Muslim Jamaat has also joined other Muslim organisations to oppose NCPCR's recommendations. They stated it was a violation of the minority rights enshrined in the constitution
Source:onmanorama.com
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https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2024/10/13/kerala-muslim-community-politicans-condemn-crc-madrassas-order.html
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Karnataka Congress GovernmentWithdraws Cases Against Individuals; BJP Union Minister Calls Them 'Islamic Fundamentalists'
Oct 14, 2024
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday condemned the Congress government in Karnataka for withdrawing cases against individuals he referred to as "Islamic fundamentalist elements." According to Joshi, these individuals were involved in violent incidents, including an attack on a police station. Speaking to reporters, Joshi said, "The Congress party government in Karnataka has withdrawn very serious cases of Islamic fundamentalist elements. I want to bring it to the knowledge of the country through you that this was an attack." Joshi explained that the cases were filed against individuals who allegedly attempted to kill police officers and burn down a police station. These cases were initially filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a law used to address activities deemed anti-national or harmful to the government
He emphasised the severity of the charges, saying that the accused had been denied bail multiple times by various courts, including the trial court, high court, and Supreme Court. He expressed outrage at the decision to drop these cases, and said, "In spite of having all such facts before them, they have withdrawn the case against them, which is a most condemnable thing. It means the Congress party is trying to join hands for their vote bank politics with the people who are anti-social, anti-national, and where there are very serious cases under UAPA. I strongly condemn this."
Joshi also criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for recent comments in which Kharge labelled the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a "terrorist party." Joshi responded by pointing to past incidents involving Congress leaders.
"Kharge talks about BJP as a terrorist party. May I remind him that your party supremo, Sonia Gandhi, was in tears when the Batla House incident took place, where a terrorist was shot dead by the police," Joshi added. The Batla House encounter refers to a controversial police operation in 2008, during which two suspected terrorists were killed, and one police officer lost his life.
Source:indiatimes.com
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https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/union-minister-pralhad-joshi-condemns-congress-for-withdrawing-cases-against-islamic-fundamentalists-in-karnataka/articleshow/114203121.cms
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To Discuss Kashmir’s ‘Burning Issues’, Engineer Rashid Meets L-G – Day After Omar Called On Him
Written by Bashaarat Masood
October 13, 2024
Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, met Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhawan Saturday.
The meeting comes a day before NC vice-president Omar Abdullah is set to be sworn in as the new CM.
This is Rashid’s first meeting with Sinha. In a statement it issued about the meeting, Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) said it was aimed to discuss the “burning issues” of North Kashmir, which Rashid represents in Parliament.
“Er Rashid urged LG to relook in the cases of terminated govt. employees and sought LG’s intervention to release all prisoners lodged in and outside jails of J&K. He also briefed LG about the difficulties being faced by the people in the name of police verifications and demanded that harassment of youth and others in the name of verification by the police may be immediately stopped,” AIP said in a statement.
It further said: “Er Rashid also asked LG to convey to the central government that if it could talk to people of Ladakh and North East, why couldn’t talk to people of Jammu and Kashmir to resolve their legitimate issues and political rights”.
Source:indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/engineer-rashid-meets-jk-l-g-to-discuss-kashmirs-burning-issues-9617515/
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Pakistan
Pashtun Jirga Deplores Militancy, And Subsequent Anti-Terrorism Operations That Had Displaced Millions
Ibrahim Shinwari
October 14, 2024
• PTM claims 2.3m people still displaced, over 76,000 martyred
• KP governor calls for unity among Pashtuns to defeat ‘nefarious designs of enemy’
KHYBER: The Pashtun jirga organised in Jamrud by the recently proscribed Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) with the government support concluded on Sunday with delegates deploring the impact of militancy and subsequent anti-terrorism operations over the last two decades that had displaced millions.
The delegates, from different political parties and professional organisations, held discussions at 60 separate enclosures to present their recommendations for the final declaration at a relatively larger forum. The final declaration was not issued till 8pm on Sunday, and is likely to be issued following deliberations among the stakeholders on its contents.
The mobile phone network remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day in the area.
During the three-day assembly, the organisers displayed data on human and financial losses on large screens, which also featured details of militant attacks in the province as well as statistics on natural resources in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
According to data collected by the PTM, military operations during the last two decades displaced 5.7 million people, out of which at least 2.3m people are still homeless.
Participants were informed that as many as 76,584 people, including 1,375 tribal elders and 3,000 religious figures, were martyred in bomb blasts and targeted killings during the past two decades and at least 6,700 people went ‘missing’. Similarly, 370,000 houses and mosques were either completely or partially destroyed as a result of terrorism and anti-terror operations, it claimed.
The statistics also focused on natural resources and a sense of deprivation among locals who availed “very little or no benefits” from their extraction.
The PTM urged the delegates to ponder over the damages and natural wealth of the region and come up with recommendations for a future line of action.
PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen asked the delegates to also include in their proposals the demand for the security forces and the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan to vacate the tribal belt within 60 days.
He claimed that peace would naturally return to the area. He chided political parties for failing to mobilise even 3,000 each of their supporters for the jirga.
Final day
On the last day of jirga, a large number of people continued to arrive in Jamrud, leading to long queues near Karkhano Market where people remained stuck for hours. The security of the main compound was managed by volunteers while police were deployed on the routes leading to the venue, both from Jamrud and Peshawar.
Besides parking, the organisers had made elaborate arrangements to facilitate the visitors and delegates, with food and drinks available at dedicated stalls.
A sizeable number of women’s rights activists and students from different educational institutions in Peshawar were also in attendance on the final day. There were rumours of a day-long extension but the organisers clarified that the final declaration would be issued on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, who also visited the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga, told the participants that the province’s key issue was militancy.
He said police and the armed forces were fighting against militants and offering sacrifices for the past 24 years, adding that these sacrifices were not hidden.
“We will have to unite for the province’s rights and resolve its issues,” the governor urged in an official statement issued by his office.
He appreciated the jirga and said that the enemy’s nefarious designs could be thwarted with unity. He claimed that the PPP offered the largest number of sacrifices to ensure law and order in the country.
Source:dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1865043/ptm-jirga-deplores-militancy-sense-of-deprivation
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Economists slam PTI's protest call during SCO moot as 'self-destructive'
October 13, 2024
ISLAMABAD: Businessmen and economic analysts have expressed deep concerns over the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest call at Islamabad’s D-Chowk ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The former ruling party had announced holding another protest in the federal capital's on October 15 — the day all-important moot would begin.
PTI spokesperson had announced that all district-level protests were suspended given the forthcoming demonstration in the federal capital next week.
The Imran Khan-founded party had launched a series of protests for the "independence of the judiciary" — as the government aims to introduce constitutional amendments — and for the release of its founder jailed at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for more than one year.
Talking to state news channel PTV, economists slammed PTI's protest call during the SCO summit as "self-destructive," citing concerns over economic instability and damage to Pakistan's global image.
The business community in Islamabad stressed that the SCO conference was an important platform to promote regional economic cooperation and hoped that PTI would reconsider the decision to protest for the country’s national interest.
Renowned economist Dr Noor Fatima said: "This move will undermine Pakistan's credibility in the international community. We need to focus on economic diplomacy, not political posturing.”
"The SCO conference is an opportunity to strengthen our ties with regional countries,” she emphasised.
Industrialist Mirza Ikhtiar Baig warned that PTI's call might jeopardise the country’s chances of benefiting from this platform.
"The SCO conference is critical for Pakistan's economic revival. The protest call will only create uncertainty and deter foreign investors," he said, adding that Pakistan needs to showcase its “economic potential, not its political divisions”.
'Economic interests first'
Meanwhile, the business community also urged the Imran Khan-founded party to take back its protest call, saying that it was the right time for the country to focus on its economic prowess and not on "divisive politics”.
“We must put our economic interests first. This move will have long-term consequences for Pakistan's economy " said a trader in Islamabad.
"The SCO conference is crucial for regional trade facilitation, which could be disrupted by the former ruling party,” another trader in Lahore said,
Muhammad Fahim, president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “PTI’s call has created uncertainty among traders. We are worried about the impact on our businesses.”
Moreover, Jameel Paracha, a trader at the Karachi Wholesale Market, said this was not the right time for politics, but rather stability to boost the economy.
“We urge PTI to reconsider their decision — our businesses can’t afford more instability.” Khawaja Shahbaz, president of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry contended.
Ayesha Khurram, president of Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said. “We need to prioritise economic growth over political interests.”
Source:thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1239785-traders-economists-urge-pti-to-defer-oct-15-protest-amid-sco-summit
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‘Comprehensive’ security plan in place for Islamabad SCO summit as PTI protest looms
By AFP & Web Desk
October 13, 2024
ISLAMABAD: A ‘comprehensive’ security plan for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, scheduled for October 15 and 16, has been chalked out with federal authorities preparing to shut down the federal capital.
Speaking to journalists, Islamabad Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Nasir Ali Rizvi said that the federal police had developed an integrated security strategy to ensure safety during the event.
“Security personnel will be deployed at funnel areas, hotels and places where foreign delegations are staying,” he said, adding that they ensured the security of foreign leaders, delegations and guests.
Furthermore, Rizvi said search and information-based operations were underway, with personnel of the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies, Frontier Corps (FC) and Rangers performing their duties.
The police chief pointed out that almost 93% of the police force has been deployed for security arrangements, amounting to over 9,500 officers and personnel. “An integrated traffic plan has also been issued for the convenience of citizens.”
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will be among the senior regional government officials attending the two-day conference on Tuesday and Wednesday (October 15-16).
In the weeks leading up to the summit, the government has introduced new laws that restrict protests in the federal capital.
They have also arrested hundreds of supporters of the key opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who attempted to march in Islamabad earlier this month, to register a protest for the "independence of the judiciary" and release of its jailed founder Imran Khan.
A deadly attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers in the mega port city of Karachi last week also deepened security fears.
The local administration has banned protests, sit-ins, rallies and public gatherings in Karachi under Section 144 for five days citing security concerns.
Meanwhile, Section 144 has also been imposed in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Karachi till October 17, with the deployment of troops on the streets for the duration of the summit and closure of Metro Bus Service.
Similar restrictions have been imposed in some districts of Punjab, including the provincial capital Lahore.
Imtiaz Gul, a security analyst and executive director of the Centre for Research and Security Studies, said the meeting holds great significance for a country that's "not seen as safe".
"The government claims to have made elaborate security arrangements and understandably so because it has to make sure that the event passes off peacefully without any untoward incident," he added.
Counter alliance
The SCO comprises Pakistan, China, India, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or "dialogue partners".
All visiting member nations are expected to send government heads apart from arch-rival India, who will dispatch its foreign minister in a rare visit to its neighbour.
The SCO is sometimes touted as an alternative to the Western-dominated Nato military alliance.
Analysts say the SCO is one forum where they are trying to curry regional influence.
While the SCO has a mandate to discuss security, the Islamabad summit is due to focus on trade, humanitarian and cultural issues.
Protest threat
The country's domestic concerns are likely to dominate the sidelines of the summit, however.
The incarcerated former prime minister's PTI has threatened to stage protests, a week after scattered demonstrations by supporters saw the capital locked down for three days with mobile phone signal cut and exit and entry points blocked.
"The PTI doesn't want to showcase the positive side of Pakistan to the world," accused Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal during a press conference Saturday.
"Instead, they aim to present a picture of the country filled with tear gas and unrest."
Authorities have declared a three-day public holiday for Islamabad and the neighbouring city of Rawalpindi starting Monday, along with road closures to reduce movement around the area.
The "red zone" government quarter hosting the summit meanwhile has been spruced up with manicured lawns ringed by razor wire.
It is grappling with a broad uptick in militancy coinciding with the Taliban's 2021 return to power in neighbouring Afghanistan, where Islamabad say attackers are now taking shelter.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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SCO summit: PML-N rejects PTI's condition to withdraw Oct 15 protest
By Web Desk
October 14, 2024
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has dismissed the condition offered by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which the former ruling party had set out for calling off its October 15 protest, as it coincides with the highly-anticipated Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The PML-N-led ruling coalition, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), had urged the PTI to re-evaluate its call for protest in the federal capital which will be hosting the high-level moot from October 15 to 16.
Speaking on Geo News programme "Naya Pakistan", PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram had said: "You can open the jail for a jalsa [...] then if you're so worried about the SCO, then allow a meeting with [Imran] Khan. If his sisters and doctors say that everything is fine after meeting him, then there'll be no protest."
Explaining that the meeting would take 10 to 15 minutes, he stressed that the party's leadership was worried about its founding chairman's health.
"You've made us incommunicado," he said, claiming that the authorities were not allowing meetings with the ex-prime minister.
The PTI spokesperson also dispelled reports that there were differences within the party leadership over holding the October 15 rally.
The News reported that PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, among others, opposed the rally, while Hammad Azhar, Salman Akram Raja, and others advocated for holding the protest.
Meanwhile, the party has also written a letter to the Ministry of Interior requesting a meeting to be scheduled with the former prime minister. "PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar and Hamid Raza should be allowed to meet the PTI founder."
The letter also mentioned that their last meeting with the PTI's founding chairman was on October 3.
'Effort to blackmail the government'
PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry, responding to the PTI's demand, said that Khan is the most privileged prisoner in history. He added that Khan is already having regular meetings, implying there is no restriction on his interactions.
Chaudhry further criticised PTI's narrative, stating: "They are using the SCO conference as an excuse."
He emphasised the significance of the event, saying: "The SCO conference is a major international event, with 200 delegations coming to Pakistan. This conference is not about any individual; it is directly tied to the country’s economy and future."
He also dismissed PTI's protest plans, accusing them of attempting to blackmail the state. "The call for protest is merely an effort to blackmail the government," Chaudhry said.
He highlighted that, despite being a prisoner, Khan is receiving VIP treatment. "Along with meetings, he is also enjoying special privileges. A VIP prisoner is getting VIP facilities," he claimed.
Concluding his statement, Chaudhry expressed doubt about PTI's ability to follow through on their protest threats. "They might think about protesting, but they won’t have the courage to actually do it," he said. He accused PTI of using the situation as a pretext to attack the SCO conference.
Source:thenews.com.pk
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Lahore, AJK police recover 29 kidnapped children
Asif Chaudhry | Tariq Naqash
October 14, 2024
LAHORE/MUZAFFARABAD: In a major breakthrough against child trafficking, a joint team of the Anti-Kidnap for Ransom Unit (AKRU) of the Lahore Organised Crime Unit (OCU) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) police have recovered 29 kidnapped children from Kotli district of AJK.
Aged between 14 and 20, most children were kidnapped from the surroundings of Hazrat Ali Usman Hajvari (RA) Data Ganj Bakhsh shrine Lahore and each child was reportedly sexually abused multiple times.
The raid was carried out by a joint team of the Lahore OCU and AJK police at two rented houses in Kotli city of AJK where the kidnapped children were kept under tight vigilance of the armed men.
To make the raid successful, Lahore police high-ups had talked to AJ&K Inspector General of Police Rana Abdul Jabbar with a request to ensure secrecy and depute a team of professional officers for the recovery of the children. Lahore OCU DIG Imran Kishwar told Dawn a suspect arrested by the OCU police had leaked information about the child trafficking network being run by a gang of kidnappers for the last several years.
The suspect had told police that the gang had abducted hundreds of homeless children from outside the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajveri (RA). The child traffickers lured these children under the false promises of lucrative employment and later transported them to AJK.
“The heart-wrenching reality revealed that these innocent victims were subjected to egregious human rights violations, including illegal confinement and forced labour in the catering industry,” the DIG said.
Disturbingly, he said, the victim children endured profound abuse, including sexual exploitation.
The AKRU of the Lahore OCU arrested key players of the gang including one Imran known by the alias ‘Kanpata’.
He said Kanpata used to trace and target the children offering them wages of Rs2000 per day besides free food and accommodation.
As the abandoned or homeless child agreed to the lucrative package, Imran handed him over to other members of the gang namely Nasir and his son Ali, belonging to Narowal district.
These two suspects then would take children by public transport to rented houses in AJK’s Kotli city, the DIG said.
Mr Kishwar said that the kidnappers’ gang used to earn Rs75000-Rs100,000 per day through the bonded labour.
SSP Kotli Adeel Ahmed Langrial told Dawn that a police team from Lahore had taken 29 kidnapped children and three accused into custody from two areas of his district on Friday.
“They sought our assistance in tracking down an alleged trafficker, Nasir, after receiving complaints from victims who had escaped from his custody,” said SSP Langrial.
In Sehnsa, the police team from Lahore raided the Kashmir Wattan Marriage Hall and found 15 children employed by Nasir for catering work, the SSP said.
He said eight more children were rescued from Nasir’s rented accommodation in Kotli city, from where Nasir’s son, Ali Raza, and his clerk, Ali Nawaz, were also apprehended.
Additionally, six children were removed from a public bus arriving from Lahore.
Source:dawn.com
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Rally staged for recovery of kidnapped tribesmen
Saleem Shahid
October 14, 2024
QUETTA: Members of the Bugti Rabita Committee staged a demonstration on Sunday against the bandits of kacha area of Sindh, demanding recovery of abducted Bugti tribesmen.
Members of Bugti Rabita Committee led by Dr Hayat Bugti, Haider Khan Bugti and Fareed Bugti gathered in front of the Quetta Press Club.
Speakers at the demonstration demanded that the government immediately secure the release of two young Bugti tribesmen.
They warned that if their demands were not met, the Bugti tribesmen would expand their protests.
They said the kacha area bandits have kidnapped two young men of the Bugti tribe. They are now demanding Rs50 million as ransom for their release.
“It is a well-known fact that there is a bandit regime in Sindh, and unrest arises whenever these individuals occupy high positions,” the protesters said.
They urged the government to act on behalf of their abducted Bugti members, noting that these bandits have the support of high-ranking officials.
They said that they would meet Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti to discuss the situation.
However, they added, if the issue remains unresolved, the Bugti tribes will unite to recover their kidnapped young men.
Source:dawn.com
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Leaders, workers picked up in crackdown on nationalists
Dawn Report
October 14, 2024
HYDERABAD: A crackdown on leaders and workers of various nationalist parties and groups triggered protest demonstrations in many districts of Sindh on Sunday.
According to Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz (JSM-R) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), their leaders, Riaz Chandio and Dr Niaz Kalani, respectively, were taken away and kept at some undisclosed places while scores of their workers were picked up in a night-long crackdown.
They claimed that the aim of the crackdown was to sabotage their protest rally, titled ‘Rawadari March’, which was scheduled for Sunday in Karachi.
JSM-R chief Riaz Chandio was to lead the rally organised by his party while Dr Kalani and JSQM workers were to join it along with activists of various other nationalist parties and groups.
Whereabouts of the two leaders were not known till late Sunday evening.
Leaders of a number of nationalist entities at a consultation session, chaired by Riaz Chandio in Hyderabad a day earlier, had spelt out the common issues which were to be agitated at the Sunday rally.
Speaking at the session, the leaders had condemned the Sept 19 extrajudicial killing of blasphemy suspect Dr Shahnawaz Kunbhar in Mirpurkhas and desecration of his body, which was torched by a group of unruly religious extremists in Umerkot, where it was to be buried.
The participants had demanded punishment according to law for all police officers and personnel involved in the custodial killing and action against the extremist elements.
Besides, the leaders had vowed to agitate Punjab’s plan to create new canals over Indus and Sindh government’s failure to rein-in dacoit gangs who, according to them were ruling over two entire divisions of upper Sindh.
Scores of two nationalist entities’ workers were also picked up in raids on their homes in various cities and towns of Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad, Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Sanghar and other districts.
Homes of Sindhu Nawaz Ghangro and Punhal Sario were also raided but they could not be detained.
Other workers and supporters of the entities reacted by staging demonstrations in all these cities and towns on Sunday.
A meeting of JSM-R was held in Hyderabad on Sunday to condemn the raids and detention of the leaders and workers. The party’s activists held a protest demonstration outside the local press club. They were led by Shahnawaz Badahi, Azizullah, Sarfaraz Memon, Ayaz Solangi and others.
Addressing the participants, they warned that if they were not released within the next 24 hours, the party would hold protests across Sindh on Monday.
In Larkana, a group of protesters led by Zulfikar Buledi, Razzak Sargani and Zubair Memon held a demonstration outside the local press club to condemn the crackdown.
Activists of different nationalist parties also held demonstrations in different towns of Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze, Sanghar, Dadu and Jamshoro districts.
They warned that highways would be blocked if all the detained leaders and workers were not released immediately.
The demonstration outside the Kotri SITE gate was led by Abdul Fattah Chana, Mallah Qadir and Azad Panhwar.
Source:dawn.com
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Mideast
Israel military shows journalists area of operations in south Lebanon
October 14, 2024
EBANON-ISRAEL BORDER, Lebanon: The Israeli military on Sunday took a group of journalists across the border into south Lebanon, and showed what it claimed were three Hezbollah positions including two tunnels, just a few hundred meters from the border.
The Israeli soldiers escorting the media team, which included an AFP photographer, through the mountainous and densely forested terrain said they were near the Lebanese town of Naqura near the border.
The soldiers did not specify how far they were inside southern Lebanon, nor did the journalists see any other people in the area during their brief embed that lasted for about 90 minutes.
The movement of journalists was restricted by the military to a limited area, while the photos and video footage taken during the embed had to be approved by the military before publication.
One of the tunnels was, according to the military, just a few hundred meters (yards) from a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) post.
Israel has repeatedly asked UNIFIL, deployed along Lebanon’s southern border since 1978, to abandon its positions since it escalated its campaign against Hezbollah in September.
UNIFIL has rejected the requests.
“This is how you build an operational attack outpost. And that’s what we found here, just 300 yards from the UN post,” said Lt. Col. Rotem, an Israeli commander accompanying the journalists, who gave only one name for operational purposes.
The journalists were also shown a ditch located amid a cluster of trees, which the military claimed was a Hezbollah post.
The AFP photographer saw Israeli military vehicles crossing the border into Lebanon near Naqura, where troops had cut down trees near the entrance to one of the tunnels.
The military has escorted staff from several media organizations into southern Lebanon since Israel began its ground assault on September 30.
Israel stepped up its campaign in Lebanon on September 23, nearly a year after Hezbollah began launching cross-border attacks in what it said was support for its Palestinian ally, Hamas.
Source:arabnews.com
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‘Apocalyptic’: Israel destroys mosque, bombs market in southern Lebanon
13 Oct 2024
A series of Israeli air raids have destroyed a mosque and levelled a marketplace in southern Lebanon, in what has been described as “apocalyptic” scenes as Israel intensifies and widens its bombardment campaign across the country.
In the latest Israeli raid early on Sunday, an old mosque in the village of Kfar Tibnit in southern Lebanon was “completely destroyed”, the National News Agency reported. There were no immediate reports on deaths.
In the southern city of Nabatieh, an attack on a market late on Saturday killed several people and caused a fire, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. The number of dead and injured is yet to be determined due to the huge fire.
Al Jazeera’s Laura Khan, reporting from capital Beirut, said the Lebanese Red Cross is still trying to see “if there were any survivors and trying to pull out those injured”.
“Many people have taken to social media. They have been sending videos of what almost seems like apocalyptic scenes – entire streets destroyed.
“The fire was so bad that emergency services were not able to get in and see if there were bodies in the rubble,” said Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan, reporting from Hasbaiyya in Nabatieh governorate, adding that the market “is now completely destroyed”.
The latest attacks followed an Israeli order for Lebanese civilians to evacuate 23 southern villages. Many people fled to northern Lebanon to escape Israeli air raids.
Meanwhile, at least 15 people were killed and 37 wounded in attacks in central and northern Lebanon as Israeli forces hit at least three areas outside the traditional strongholds of the Lebanese group, Hezbollah.
The town of Deir Billa in northern Lebanon was hit in an Israeli air raid for the first time since hostilities escalated. Two people were killed and four injured as unidentified “body parts” were recovered after an Israeli attack, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.
In Barja, south of Beirut, four people were killed and 18 wounded in a raid, according to the ministry, which also reported nine deaths and 15 injuries in an “enemy strike” on the village of Maaysrah to the north of Beirut.
The Israeli attacks also wounded another United Nations peacekeeper in the south, prompting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Western countries to condemn the attacks, which the UN described as a “serious development”.
Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said he feared an Israeli escalation against Hezbollah could soon spiral “into a regional conflict with catastrophic impact for everyone”. There is “no military solution”, Tenenti added.
UNIFIL said at least five UN peacekeepers had been wounded during the fighting in southern Lebanon in two days. Tenenti said “a lot of damage” had been caused to its posts there.
According to reports, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a call on Saturday that UNIFIL must not be targeted.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters detonated an explosive device and clashed in gun battles with Israeli forces who tried to infiltrate Ramyah village in southern Lebanon. The group said on social media it inflicted deaths among the Israelis and that fighting was continuing around the village.
Israel says some 300 rockets were fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel in the last 24 hours.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said at least 1,645 people have been killed since Israel escalated attacks on Lebanon in September, while a total of 2,255 have now died after a year of fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli forces.
Source:aljazeera.com
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Iran in diplomatic push to seek halt in violence
October 13, 2024
TEHRAN: Iran held a series of diplomatic talks on Sunday, with President Masoud Pezeshkian seeking support from France’s Emmanuel Macron for a ceasefire in Lebanon, and the foreign minister visiting Iraq while on a regional tour.
According to a statement on Iran’s presidential website, Pezeshkian and Macron discussed ways to secure a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel as the Iranian leader condemned Israel’s “crimes” in Gaza and Lebanon.
Macron’s office said he called on Pezeshkian to support “a general de-escalation and to use its influence in this direction with the destabilising actors that enjoy its support.”
Iran backs Hamas, which is battling Israel in Gaza, and Hezbollah, which is fighting Israel in Lebanon.
Israel has vowed to retaliate against an Iranian missile strike on October 1, raising fears of the wars in Gaza and Lebanon morphing into an all-out regional conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was meanwhile in Iraq on Sunday, a neighbor and ally of his government, as part of a series of visits in the region for talks on the wars in Lebanon and Gaza.
Araghchi said there would be “no red lines” in defending the country’s people and interests, adding that efforts would continue to “contain an all-out war in our region.”
Iran has said its launch of 200 missiles on Israel earlier this month was retaliation for the killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders in the region and a general in its Revolutionary Guards.
At a joint news conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Araghchi said in Iraq that his country was “fully prepared for a war situation ... but we do not want war, we want peace.”
He also said Iran would continue consultations “to prevent the escalation of tension in the region and to work for peace” and a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
After his visit to Iraq, Araghchi headed to Oman, IRNA state news agency reported.
On Thursday, he had been in Qatar, where he met Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose government has been mediating talks aimed at securing a Gaza ceasefire and has also called for a truce in Lebanon.
On Wednesday, Araghchi met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, during his trip to the Kingdom.
Source:arabnews.com
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Hezbollah drone strike kills four, wounds dozens at Israeli base
October 13, 2024
Beirut: Israel’s military said a Hezbollah drone killed four soldiers at one of its northern bases Sunday, as it expanded its bombardments of Lebanon and troops battled militants across the border.
The attack on a military training camp in Binyamina, near Haifa, was the deadliest such assault on an Israeli base since September 23, when Israel increased its attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Emergency services reported more than 60 wounded.
Authorities in Gaza, meanwhile, said the death toll from an Israeli strike Sunday on a school being used as a shelter for displaced people had risen to 15, including whole families, while a separate overnight strike on a hospital killed four.
And as fighting raged between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon’s south, United Nations peacekeepers said they had again been in the firing line.
They said Israeli troops “forcibly” entered a UN position with two tanks, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the force to withdraw from the area.
Israel’s military said a tank had backed into the UN post while under fire.
Iran-backed Hezbollah said late Sunday that it launched “a squadron of attack drones” at the Binyamina camp, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of the major city of Haifa.
The strike was in response to Israeli attacks, including air strikes on Thursday that Lebanon’s health ministry said killed at least 22 people in central Beirut.
In a later statement, Hezbollah warned Israel that “what it witnessed today in southern Haifa is nothing compared to what awaits it if it decides to continue its aggression against our noble and dear people.”
An Israeli volunteer rescue service, United Hatzalah, said its teams in Binyamina assisted “over 60 wounded people” with injuries ranging from mild to critical.
Hezbollah has been firing rockets and drones into Israel for more than a year in support of Hamas militants in Gaza.
Since late September, however, its strikes have reached further into the country.
Israel’s sophisticated air defenses have intercepted most of the projectiles, with few casualties caused by strikes or falling debris.
Israel’s recent strikes have increasingly focused on areas beyond Hezbollah’s traditional strongholds in southern Beirut, and Lebanon’s south and east.
Israel said its air force hit “Hezbollah launchers, anti-tank missile posts, weapons storage facilities” and other targets, while on the ground its soldiers “eliminated dozens” of fighters.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency said Israeli forces had “escalated their attacks” on southern Lebanon with “successive air strikes” pounding several border villages.
It later reported that an Israeli strike on Mayfadoun, near Nabatiyeh, in southern Lebanon, had killed five people and wounded one other.
Hezbollah said its forces clashed several times with Israeli troops who tried to “infiltrate” villages along the border.
Before the drone strike it had said it launched a salvo of rockets at a “base in southern Haifa.”
The group later aired an audio recording of its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah calling on fighters to “defend this holy and blessed land and this honorable people.”
Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike in south Beirut on September 27, and several other senior commanders of the movement have also been killed.
Israel’s military said about 115 projectiles fired by Hezbollah had crossed into Israeli territory by Sunday afternoon.
A Hezbollah fighter was captured emerging from a tunnel in south Lebanon on Sunday, Israel’s military said, the first such announcement since the start of the ground offensive.
UN peacekeepers accused Israeli troops of breaking through a gate and entering one of their positions before dawn Sunday in south Lebanon, the latest of several incidents the UNIFIL mission has reported since Thursday.
Five Blue Helmets have so far been injured, provoking international condemnation.
“Two IDF (Israeli military) Merkava tanks destroyed the position’s main gate and forcibly entered the position” in the Ramia area, before leaving 45 minutes later, UNIFIL said.
The Israeli military later said a tank “backed several meters into a UNIFIL post” while “under fire” and attempting to evacuate injured soldiers.
Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu had called on the UN to move peacekeepers in southern Lebanon out of harm’s way, after the mission rejected requests to abandon its positions.
The peacekeepers’ presence had “the effect of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields,” said Netanyahu.
UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday said “attacks” against peacekeepers “may constitute a war crime.”
UNIFIL, with about 9,500 troops, is in southern Lebanon under the longstanding UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which stipulated that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers should be deployed in south Lebanon.
Three Lebanese soldiers were wounded on Sunday, the country’s army said, when Israeli forces fired on military vehicles in the Marjayoun area.
French President Emmanuel Macron, in a phone call with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, appealed to Tehran to support “a general de-escalation” in Lebanon and Gaza, his office said.Gaza’s civil defense agency said Israeli shelling had killed at least 15 people and wounded dozens more Sunday at a school turned shelter for displaced Palestinians in central Gaza’s Nuseirat camp.
“The school was bombarded with a large volley of Israeli artillery, resulting in an initial death toll of 15 martyrs, including children, women and entire families, and 50 wounded,” said Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the agency.
Israel’s military said it was “looking into the reports.”
Separately, the military said early Monday that it had carried out a strike targeting a “command and control center, which was embedded inside a compound that previously served as the ‘Shuhadah Al-Aqsa’ hospital.”
Civil defense spokesman Bassal said the strike had killed four people and wounded many more, noting it was the seventh time an attack had hit the “tents for displaced people inside the walls of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.”
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said late Sunday that a WHO-Palestine Red Crescent operation had managed to resupply two hospitals in northern Gaza.
“WHO and partners finally managed to reach Kamal Adwan and Al-Sahaba hospitals yesterday after 9 attempts this past week,” he posted on X.
Hamas sparked the war in Gaza with the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
The number includes hostages killed in captivity.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says more than 42,000 people, the majority civilians, have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began there. The UN considers these figures to be reliable.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 1,300 people since September 23, according to an AFP tally of official figures, including for Saturday.
That toll exceeds the entire Lebanese toll of 1,200 — mostly civilians — in the last Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006, when 160 people, mostly soldiers, died in Israel.
The Pentagon said it would deploy a high-altitude anti-missile system and its US military crew to Israel to help the ally protect itself from potential Iranian attack.
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Lebanon’s PM condemns Netanyahu’s demand for UNIFIL’s withdrawal
NAJIA HOUSSARI
October 13, 2024
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati has condemned his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu for appealing to UN chief Antonio Guterres to remove peacekeepers from the Lebanese side of the border, where clashes between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israeli troops have intensified.
Lebanon “condemns Netanyahu’s position and the Israeli aggression against UNIFIL (UN Interim Force in Lebanon) peacekeepers,” said Mikati.
He added: “The warning that Netanyahu addressed to … Guterres demanding the removal of the UNIFIL represents a new chapter in Israel’s approach of not complying with international norms.”
Mikati’s statement came as Saudi Arabia officially launched relief air support to Lebanon, and the first plane carrying humanitarian and medical aid reached Beirut.
Rafic Hariri International Airport on Sunday witnessed the arrival of the first aircraft from the Saudi relief airlift, accompanied by the Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari.
The Saudi aid agency KSrelief announced that the airlift was established “under the directives of the Kingdom’s leadership to provide medical and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people in support of their efforts to cope with critical circumstances.”
The first aircraft carried 46 containers of various aid supplies, including tents, in anticipation of the approaching winter season.
The Saudi Press Agency also reported that KSrelief had continued implementing the fourth phase of the Hope Bakery charitable project in the Akkar Governorate and Miniyeh district in northern Lebanon.
During the past week the project has distributed 175,000 bundles of bread to families in need, including Syrian and Palestinian families, and host communities in northern Lebanon, benefiting 12,000 households.
The Lebanese Caretaker Minister of Economy Amin Salam; Caretaker Minister of Environment Nasser Yassin; and the Secretary-General of the Lebanese High Relief Commission Maj. Gen. Mohammed Khair welcomed the support’s arrival at the airport.
Yassin thanked Saudi Arabia “for this assistance in these challenging times to secure urgent needs. The Kingdom has consistently supported Lebanon, and we appreciate this stance and commitment.”
Bukhari, who met Mikati, said: “The first wave of assistance has arrived, confirming Saudi Arabia’s commitment and support for the Lebanese people in facing difficult challenges.”
A Qatari aircraft transporting tonnes of medical supplies also arrived at the airport, while an Omani aircraft, loaded with 40 tonnes of medicine and humanitarian assistance, is scheduled to arrive on Monday.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued to target the Lebanese army.
A drone targeted a Lebanese army vehicle with a missile on Sunday as it passed through the town of Burj Al-Muluk, injuring three soldiers.
An airstrike on the town of Srebbine in the district of Bint Jbeil wounded four paramedics.
Meanwhile, UN peacekeepers in Lebanon on Sunday asked for an explanation from the Israeli army over what they said were “shocking violations” against their force, including forcing entry into one of their positions.
UNIFIL said in a statement: “We have requested an explanation from the Israeli army for these shocking violations.”
The organization also accused Israel’s military of halting a logistics convoy.
The UN peacekeepers said Israeli tanks broke through a gate to enter a Blue Helmet position in Lebanon on Sunday, after blocking their movement the previous day.
The peacekeeping mission said: “At around 4:30 a.m., while peacekeepers were in shelters, two Israeli military Merkava tanks destroyed the position’s main gate and forcibly entered the position in the Ramia area of southern Lebanon.
“They requested multiple times that the base turn out its lights. The tanks left about 45 minutes after UNIFIL protested through our liaison mechanism.”
A little over two hours later, peacekeepers reported “the firing of several rounds 100 meters north, which emitted smoke.”
They added: “Despite putting on protective masks, 15 peacekeepers suffered effects, including skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions, after the smoke entered the camp.”
Israeli soldiers on Saturday had “stopped a critical UNIFIL logistical movement near Mais Al-Jabal, denying its passage,” the force said, referring to an area in south Lebanon.
“For the fourth time in as many days, we remind the IDF and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel.”
The UN force added: “Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and Resolution 1701.”
It added that UNIFIL’s mandate provided freedom of movement in its area of operations.
The number of peacekeeping soldiers in UNIFIL stands at 10,500, representing over 40 countries worldwide. They are deployed in fixed and mobile sites in the border area to monitor the implementation of Resolution 1701 in coordination with the Lebanese army.
Mikati on Sunday reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to Resolution 1701.
He said that Netanyahu “is not content with the aggression he is waging on Lebanon, claiming martyrs and victims and causing indescribable destruction.”
Mikati added that Netanyahu’s “warning to Guterres represents a new chapter in the approach of non-compliance with international legitimacy and its related resolutions.”
He added: “This statement is for the international community and the UN, and it should be a new incentive to take the appropriate stance after Netanyahu turned against the French-American call, supported by foreign and Arab countries, for a ceasefire.”
The southern front on Sunday witnessed new Israeli incursion attempts, especially in Maroun Al-Ras where Hezbollah announced its targeting of a gathering of Israeli soldiers inside the town.
The group also announced it had targeted an Israeli tank south of the Lebanese town of Qouzah with a guided missile.
A violent confrontation also took place at the entrance to the town of Ramyah, and machine-gun clashes were heard in an area between Aita Al-Shaab and Ramyah.
Israel’s Maariv newspaper reported that the Israeli army had captured a Hezbollah member in southern Lebanon and found an underground tunnel within a building that led to an area where other members of the group were present. Hezbollah-affiliated activists denied Israel’s claim.
Source:arabnews.com
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UN says Israeli tanks burst into peacekeeper base, Israel gives different account
October 13, 2024
JERUSALEM/NEW YORK: The United Nations said on Sunday Israeli tanks had burst through the gates of a base of its peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, the latest accusation of Israeli violations and attacks denounced by its own allies.
The UNIFIL peacekeeping force said two Israeli Merkava tanks destroyed the main gate of a base and forcibly entered before dawn on Sunday morning. After the tanks left, shells exploded 100 meters (yards) away, releasing smoke which blew across the base and sickened UN personnel, it said in a statement.
In its version of events, the Israeli military said militants of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah had fired anti-tank missiles at Israeli troops, wounding 25 of them. The attack was very close to a UNIFIL post and a tank helping evacuate the casualties under fire then backed into the UNIFIL post, it said.
“It is not storming a base. It is not trying to enter a base. It was a tank under heavy fire, mass casualty event, backing up to get out of harm’s way,” the military’s international spokesperson Nadav Shoshani told reporters.
In a statement, the military said it used a smoke screen to provide cover for the evacuation of the wounded soldiers but its actions posed no danger to the UN peacekeeping force.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: “The time has come for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones.”
“The IDF has requested this repeatedly and has met with repeated refusal, which has the effect of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields.”
Guterres paid tribute to UNIFIL’s peacekeepers, who “remain in all positions,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement issued later on Sunday, adding that “the UN flag continues to fly.”
The Secretary-General reiterated a warning that peacekeepers must not be targeted, he said.
“Attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law, including international humanitarian law. They may constitute a war crime,” Dujarric said.
UNIFIL has said previous Israeli attacks on a watchtower, cameras, communications equipment and lighting had limited its monitoring abilities. UN sources say they fear any violations of international law in the conflict will be impossible to monitor.
CONFLICT FLARING FOR A YEAR
Hezbollah, which Israel has been battling on the ground in southern Lebanon since it launched an incursion at the start of this month, denies Israel’s accusation that it uses the proximity of peacekeepers for protection.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah resumed a year ago when the Iranian-backed group began firing rockets at Israeli positions in support of Hamas at the start of the Gaza war and has sharply escalated in recent weeks.
On Sunday, Hezbollah said it attacked a camp of the Israeli military’s Golani Brigade camp in Binyamina in northern Israel with a “swarm of drones.” Israel’s N12 News television said at least 67 people were wounded and the head of the ambulance service told N12 that four people were in critical condition.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, typically one of Israel’s most vocal supporters among Western European leaders, spoke to Netanyahu by phone on Sunday and denounced the “unacceptable” Israeli attacks, her government said.
Italy has more than a thousand troops in the 10,000-strong UNIFIL force, making it one of the biggest contributors of personnel. France and Spain, which each have nearly 700 soldiers in the force, have also condemned the Israeli attacks.
The presence of UNIFIL puts peacekeepers from 50 separate countries in harm’s way, in a force initially set up in southern Lebanon in 1978.
The area has seen decades of conflict, with Israel invading in 1982, occupying southern Lebanon until 2000 and again fighting a major five-week war against Hezbollah in 2006, which ended with a ceasefire monitored by UNIFIL.
Israel’s assault against Hezbollah over the past three weeks has uprooted 1.2 million Lebanese and inflicted an unprecedented blow on the group by killing most of its senior leadership.
Lebanon’s government says more than 2,100 people have been killed and 10,000 wounded in over a year of fighting, mainly over the past few weeks. The toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but includes scores of women and children.
REGION ON TENTERHOOKS
Israeli officials say UNIFIL has failed in its mission of upholding UN Resolution 1701, passed after the 2006 war, which calls for the border area of southern Lebanon to be free of weapons or troops other than those of the Lebanese state.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday, expressed “deep concern” about reports Israeli forces had fired on peacekeeper positions. He urged Israel to ensure their safety and that of the Lebanese military, which is not party to Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah.
The Middle East meanwhile remains on high alert for Israel to retaliate against Iran for an Oct. 1 barrage of long range missiles launched in response to Israel’s assaults on Lebanon.
Iran said on Sunday it has “no red lines” in defending itself. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi’s comments appeared intended to counter suggestions that Iran would absorb an Israeli strike without a response, as it did earlier this year when Israel last struck Iran after a volley of Iranian missiles.
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Israeli airstrike kills five children in Gaza, says official Palestinian news agency
October 13, 2024
CAIRO: An Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza killed five children on Sunday, according to official Palestinian news agency WAFA and media affiliated with Hamas.
A group of children were playing near a cafe in the Al-Shati area when they were killed by a drone strike, according to WAFA, which cited local sources.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the report.
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Europe
Symposium on "Islamic architectural heritage of Shusha city" concludes in Azerbaijan
13 October 2024
The symposium titled "Islamic architectural heritage of Shusha city" concluded on October 13 with a panel discussion focused on "Sustainable Architecture: Material, Project, Implementation".
The event was organised by the Shusha City State Reserve Administration through the support of ICESCO, Caliber.Az reports via local media.
Demet Ulusoy Binan, Fatma Samadova, Hamida Rhouma, Pietro Laureano, and Aziza Miledin delivered speeches and shared insights on the process of preserving architectural heritage during the discussions.
Moreover, there were presentations and discussions focused on the research, analysis, evaluation, and conservation of historical monuments. Participants also exchanged architectural experience related to the development of infrastructure that holds particular significance in urban planning.
The symposium featured contributions from representatives of various organisations, including over 80 architects from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Egypt, the UAE, Tunisia, Kenya, Jordan, Italy, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.
On the first day of the symposium, international architects had the opportunity to explore the historical and architectural landmarks of Shusha, including the restored mosques and the city’s fortress walls.
Guests were informed about the large-scale infrastructure projects, urban improvements, construction work, and renovations in Shusha—a city rich in ancient historical and cultural landmarks. Moreover, a guided tour of the city was organised for the attendees.
On the second day of the symposium, speakers at the opening ceremony emphasised that this event will significantly contribute to the study and preservation of the unique architecture of Shusha and the Islamic world as a whole.
The symposium then continued with panel discussions on such topics as "Regeneration of Historical Urban Elements", "Modern Shape of Monuments" and "Sustainable Architecture: Material, Project Implementation."
Source:caliber.az
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Ukraine denounces Russia's reported execution of captured troops
October 13, 2024
Matt Murphy
Ukraine's human rights ombudsman has denounced the alleged execution of nine captured Ukrainian troops by Russian forces in the Kursk border region.
Dmytro Lubinets said he had written to the United Nations and the Red Cross about the allegations, accusing Moscow of breaching "all the rules and customs of war".
The intervention follows reporting by Ukrainian battlefield analysis site DeepState, which published drone footage purporting to show the dead troops who it said were drone operators. Officials in Russia have yet to comment on the allegations.
Kyiv is believed to have deployed thousands of troops into the Russian border region since it launched its shock incursion earlier this summer.
The images published by DeepState showed the dead Ukrainian troops stripped to their underwear and lying face down in what appeared to be farmland in Kursk. The BBC cannot independently verify the images.
The outlet said the drone operators had been overrun by a rapid Russian advance.
"These actions must not go unpunished, and the enemy must bear full responsibility," Mr Lubinets wrote in a message to Telegram. "The international community should not turn a blind eye to such crimes!"
Kyiv has frequently accused Russian of executing captured Ukrainian troops - a war crime under the Geneva Convention. Earlier this month the prosecutor general's office alleged that Russian forces had executed 93 Ukrainian soldiers since the beginning of the conflict.
It added that an official investigation had been opened into reports that 16 Ukrainian soldiers were executed in the eastern Donetsk region near the city of Pokrovsk - where fighting has raged for months. Officials said the reports would mark the "largest mass execution" of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian troops since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022.
The Kremlin denies that its soldiers have been committing war crimes in Ukraine.
Ukrainian journalist, 27, who chronicled Russian occupation dies in prison
'Russians invaded my house and held a soldier captive there'
Russian strike kills eight in fresh attack on Ukrainian port
The reports come as Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian positions in Kursk. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address from Kyiv on Saturday that Ukrainian troops had fought off a renewed Russian advance in the region.
Analysts say that Kyiv launched the offensive to try and force Russia to redirect some of its troops from its offensive in eastern Ukraine. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has estimated that around 40,000 Russian forces are now active in Kursk - up from 11,000 when Ukrainian troops first crossed the border.
But the offensive has failed to slow Russian momentum in the eastern Donbas region, where relentless attacks has slowly pushed Ukrainian forces backwards.
The Ukrainian leader acknowledged that "there are very difficult conditions, with harsh enemy actions" in both Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia in his address on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, the Russian defence ministry said its forces had seized the village of Mykhailivka, which sits along a highway near the key city of Pokrovsk.
Russian forces have been advancing towards Pokrovsk - which is a key logistics hub - for months. Experts say if Russia can seize the city Ukraine's ability to resupply units in other crucial towns would become far more difficult.
Meanwhile, Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine continued overnight. Air force officials in Kyiv said Moscow launched 68 drones and four missiles towards Ukrainian territory.
Source:bbc.com
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Russia opens criminal case against US mercenary
13 Oct, 2024
Russia has launched an investigation against an American citizen, Derrick Bales, in connection with multiple crimes, including murder, terrorism, and mercenary activities, that he allegedly committed on Russian soil while fighting for Kiev as a mercenary, the nation’s Investigative Committee announced on Saturday.
According to investigators, Bales “has been personally taking part in the armed conflict as a mercenary on the territory of the Russian Federation, acting as part of the Forward Observations Group private military company fighting on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
Bales is the founder of the Forward Observations Group, which refers to itself as a military-style brand that sells tactical gear and various accessories. The company has social media pages on Instagram and YouTube, while the group’s members have travelled to Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. They have also published photos from Donbass and, most recently, Russia’s Kursk Region. Moscow has repeatedly referred to it as a private military company engaged in the Ukraine conflict.
According to the Investigative Committee's statement, the group’s members, including Bales, illegally crossed into Kursk together with the Ukrainian military in late August. Kiev launched an incursion into the Russian border region earlier that month.
Ukrainian forces made some initial progress in the early days of August but were quickly contained. Moscow’s troops have subsequently been gradually pushing the Ukrainians back.
Over the nearly two months since the start of the incursion, the Russian military has managed to recapture more than a dozen settlements close to the border. The total number of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the operation has surpassed 20,000, according to Russian Defense Ministry estimates.
According to the committee, Bales and his fellow mercenaries killed civilians to intimidate the locals, and also sought to inflict “serious property damage and destabilize the work of the local authorities” in Kursk. Bales acted “as part of an organized group … motivated by political and ideological hatred,” the investigators said.
Russian law enforcement is currently seeking to determine the whereabouts of Bales and his accomplices and “establish all the facts of his crimes.”
The Forward Observations Group published several photos from Kursk on its Instagram account. One of them, dated from mid-August, showed three men dressed in camouflage and wearing military gear with assault rifles in their hands. The men can be seen standing in front of a Humvee with a caption to the photo saying: “The boys in Kursk.”
The photo prompted the Russian Foreign Ministry to summon the US charge d’affaires in Moscow to protest what it called the involvement of an American private military company in Kiev’s incursion into the Russian border region. These actions “clearly demonstrate the United States’ role as a direct participant in the conflict and its complicity in Vladimir Zelensky’s malicious plans,” the ministry said at the time.
The group has since published another photo it said was from Kursk that shows another man in military gear holding an assault rifle and standing near a mortar against the background of a damaged building. The man’s face was painted over in the photo.
American officials have not reacted to the Russian Investigative Committee’s statement so far.
Source:rt.com
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No more German military hardware for Ukraine – Bild
13 Oct, 2024
Germany has no more military hardware to offer Ukraine beyond what has already been pledged, even as Kiev remains hard-pressed by Russia on the front line, Bild reported on Saturday.
According to the outlet, the German Defense Ministry does not believe that Ukraine will be capable of launching “an offensive to liberate its own territory” in the near future.
The report also said, citing an internal document, that Berlin would no longer send “heavy weapons” to Ukraine, and that deliveries of this type of aid have been “completed.” The term applies to tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled howitzers and similar hardware.
In addition, according to Bild, a supposedly new €1.4 billion ($1.53 billion) military aid package German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently pledged in fact refers to commitments promised and paid for last year.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has obtained neither the permission to use Western-made weapons to strike deep in Russia – including German Taurus missiles, which Berlin has not supplied – nor the promise of a speedy NATO accession process, the article said.
The last time Ukraine launched a full-scale counteroffensive to retake the territory it claims as its own was in early June 2023, with some of the fiercest fighting taking place in the southern sector of the front in Zaporozhye Region.
Although the fighting raged for much of the summer and fall, Ukrainian troops made little progress and suffered heavy casualties. Officials in Kiev blamed the lackluster performance on intel leaks and delays in weapons deliveries by the West, which they said allowed Russia to prepare formidable defenses.
In early August, Ukraine also launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region. While its troops initially made some progress, their advance was soon halted, with fighting ongoing. At the same time, Russian forces have made notable gains in Donbass, liberating numerous settlements in recent weeks.
Since the escalation of the conflict in 2022, Germany has provided Ukraine with €5.2 billion ($5.7 billion) in military aid, including Leopard tanks and other heavy equipment. In August, German media reported that the government would stop new shipments to Kiev in a bid to reduce spending. Both Kiev and Berlin have denied the claim.
Moscow has repeatedly warned that deliveries of Western weapons to Ukraine only serve to prolong the fighting and increase the risk of a direct confrontation with NATO.
Source:rt.com
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Arab World
Saudi media ministry launches initiative to showcase diverse lives of residents
HEBSHI ALSHAMMARI
October 13, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Media has launched a new initiative designed to showcase the diverse range of cultures that call the Kingdom home.
Expats from diverse backgrounds shared their optimism with Arab News, with one highlighting the initiative’s significance in “embracing different cultures” within Saudi Arabia.
The Global Harmony initiative aims to showcase the diverse lives of residents in the Kingdom, highlighting their professional and family life, social and recreational activities, contributions to the economy, success stories, and cultural integration in Saudi society, according to the Ministry of Media.
It will also highlight government and private sector efforts to improve the quality of life in Saudi cities.
As a track of the initiative, the Ministry of Media, in partnership with the General Entertainment Authority, is arranging events in Riyadh Season.
These events will feature cultural, artistic, and folkloric activities and shows, attended by prominent media outlets from the residents’ countries.
Cultures of nine different countries: India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan, Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Bangladesh, and Egypt will be presented in several events in Riyadh Season for 45 days starting from tomorrow.
Among them, there will be concerts, cultural and entertainment family events, traditional foods, and various handicrafts.
Mohammad Sabbah, a Palestinian who has called Saudi Arabia home for more than 20 years, reflected on his time in the Kingdom, describing it as “a rewarding journey filled with security and stability for me and my family.”
“We’ve found a second home here, where safety and peace are a constant under the Saudi leadership and warm hospitality of the people.”
He praised the newly launched initiative as “a crucial move toward fostering a more inclusive and interconnected society,” and added: “This represents a forward-thinking vision for Saudi Arabia. I see diversity as a source of strength and enrichment.”
As a marketing director at Energy Tracks, Sabbah highlighted the importance of the initiative in recognizing the role of expatriates.
“It acknowledges the value of expatriates in the community and serves as a bridge for better understanding and meaningful collaboration,” he said.
“Despite our cultural differences, we’ve found harmony with Saudi society. We’re proud to be woven into the fabric of this generous nation and are eager for an even brighter future ahead, especially with Vision 2030.”
Zineb Jariri, Senior PR Account Executive at Umami Communication, highlighted that the initiative demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to fostering cultural diversity and celebrating the different communities living in Saudi Arabia.
“It truly embodies the spirit of shared coexistence and strengthens mutual understanding between locals and expatriates from around the globe,” she said.
Moroccan Jariri emphasized that this initiative acknowledges the positive contributions of expats in various sectors of Saudi life. “It offers a chance to tell the story of Saudi Arabia as a flourishing, inclusive nation,” she remarked.
She anticipates that this move will promote social cohesion, boost cultural awareness, enhance cultural tourism, and further solidify Saudi Arabia’s standing as a regional leader.
Source:arabnews.com
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Riyadh governor receives ambassador of Palestine
October 13, 2024
RIYADH: Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar received Ambassador of Palestine to the Kingdom Basem Al-Agha on Sunday in Riyadh, where they held friendly talks.
Meanwhile, Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz met with Algerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Sherif Walid in Dammam on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed various topics of common interest.
The Algerian ambassador thanked Prince Saud for the warm reception.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi naval forces participate in Medusa 13 joint naval-air exercise in Greece
October 13, 2024
CRETE, Greece: The Royal Saudi Naval Forces took part on Sunday in a joint naval-air exercise called Medusa 13, being held in Greece.
The exercise includes naval and air forces from Greece, Egypt, France, and Cyprus, alongside Saudi Arabia, and aims to strengthen international military cooperation and enhance naval security, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Col. Naval Commander Fahd Al-Humaidi Al-Otaibi, the exercise commander, explained that Medusa 13 is designed to build alliances and foster joint security cooperation among participating nations.
The focus of the exercise is on executing joint combat missions using modern weaponry, coordinating between different units to counter unconventional maritime threats, and exchanging expertise in securing operational areas from various dangers.
The Saudi naval forces’ participation includes a range of units, such as the Special Naval Security Units, Marine Infantry, His Majesty’s Ships, and Naval Aviation. The exercise will take place both on the Greek island of Crete and in key operational areas in the Mediterranean Sea.
Medusa 13 will feature military operations, information operations, amphibious assaults, and a civilian evacuation scenario, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the training. The joint exercise is expected to significantly contribute to enhancing the naval capabilities of all participating nations while promoting regional security.
Source:arabnews.com
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Saudi ministry promotes broiler pigeon breeding
October 13, 2024
RIYADH: In a bid to boost food security and protein diversity, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture recently hosted a workshop in Riyadh for broiler pigeon breeders.
The workshop aligns with Vision 2030 goals and seeks to increase domestic production of poultry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It aimed to equip breeders with the knowledge and skills necessary to raise broiler pigeon production to 16 million birds annually, equivalent to 12,000 tons of meat.
By increasing production and adopting modern breeding techniques, the ministry hopes to boost food security and reduce reliance on imports.
The ministry emphasized the importance of collaboration with Saudi universities to conduct research that supports the productive and economic aspects of broiler pigeon breeding.
Broiler pigeon breeding is seen as a promising project in Saudi Arabia due to its contribution to food security and potential to preserve natural resources.
By investing in this sector, the Kingdom aims to achieve its national targets while promoting sustainable agriculture.
Source:arabnews.com
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UAE parliamentary delegation participate in coordinating meeting of Islamic Group
Oct 13, 2024
Geneva, [Switzerland] October 13 (ANI/WAM): Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), and the accompanying UAE (/topic/uae) parliamentary delegation (/topic/parliamentary-delegation) participated in the Coordinating Meeting of the Islamic Group, which includes the parliaments of the Union of Councils of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Member States (PUIC), on the sidelines of the 149th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU (/topic/ipu)) in Geneva, Switzerland. In his opening remarks at the meeting, he expressed sincere feelings of brotherhood from the UAE (/topic/uae), both leadership and people, to the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples, along with condolences to the families of the innocent victims. He added that the Palestinian issue is the cause of all Arabs and an integral part of their identity, stating that no peaceful political settlement or international forum can overlook the Palestinian right to establish its independent state based on the 1967 borders, with East J rusalem as its capital. Saqr Ghobash called on the parliaments of the Union of Councils of Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to unite in support of the Palestinian cause in all international parliamentary forums and to reaffirm the Palestinian right to establish an independent state according to international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. He also urged collective action to end the ongoing war in Lebanon in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1701, ensuring stability, security, and national sovereignty for the brotherly Lebanon. During the Islamic Group meeting, chaired by Adama Biktogo, President of the 18th session of the Union of Councils of the PUIC, the topics on the agenda of the 149th IPU (/topic/ipu) Assembly and the 214th session of
The participants exchanged views on the urgent item presented by the Palestinian and Algerian parliaments concerning the Palestinian cause and recent developments, agreeing to coordinate positions and adopt the urgent item to support the Palestinian cause. In a related context, the UAE (/topic/uae) parliamentary delegation (/topic/parliamentary-delegation) participated in the Asian Group meeting, which discussed topics on the agenda of the InterParliamentary Union meetings, agreeing to coordinate positions on several issues. (ANI/WAM)
Source:aninews.in
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Over 10 million faithful visited Al-Rawda Al-Sharif at Prophet’s Mosque in 2024
October 13, 2024
MADINAH — More than 10 million worshipers have so far performed prayers in Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah during the year 2024. According to statistics released by the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque, a total of 5,583,885 men and 4,726,247 women have prayed in Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif during the period.
Al-Rawdah Sharif is the area between the tomb of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his pulpit inside the Prophet’s Mosque. The statistics indicated that the average
waiting time before entering Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif was 20 minutes, with the number of visitors per day reaching up to 48,000. The authority carries out awareness programs for visitors of the holy mosque in 11 languages.
These efforts reflect the authority’s commitment to facilitating worship at the Prophet’s Mosque and visits to Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif, as well as visits to the tombs of the Prophet (PBUH) and his two companions.
These initiatives align with the aspirations of the Kingdom’s leadership to enhance services for visitors and worshipers at the Prophet’s Mosque.
Source:saudigazette.com.sa
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Africa
God Did Not Create Nigeriawith Abundant Natural Resources to Struggle – Former President Obasanjo
14 October 2024
By Justina Otio
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that God has blessed Nigeria with numerous resources for growth.
He said that it is not God’s plan for Nigeria to struggle economically, noting that the country is blessed with abundant natural resources.
Obasanjo shared his thoughts at the Methodist Archdiocese of Abuja’s 40th anniversary celebration on Sunday in Abuja.
He opined that Nigeria had all it needs to thrive.
He subsequently called on leaders to judiciously use the country’s abundant resources to develop the nation.
Obasanjo echoed the sentiments of Methodist Prelate, Dr Oliver Aba’s message, emphasising the importance of appreciating God’s blessings.
He said, “As God created other nations, endowing them with resources, He similarly blessed Nigeria with numerous resources for growth.
“Just as Egypt has the River Nile, Nigeria has the Rivers Niger and Benue, plus crude oil, fertile soil, and other natural resources.
“I firmly believe God didn’t create Nigeria to struggle. He has given us everything we need; it’s our duty to appreciate Him, especially since many countries lack what Nigeria has.”
Obasanjo urged leaders, clergy, and citizens to pray for the country’s healing, acknowledging that Nigeria’s current situation isn’t God’s fault.
“We’ve squandered God’s gifts, but if we humble ourselves and seek Him, He will heal our land,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, commended the Methodist Church Nigeria for its commitment to social justice, education, and humanitarian outreach.
In his goodwill message, Tinubu praised Methodist Church Nigeria for its pioneering role and impactful vision.
“I celebrate the 40th anniversary of Abuja Archdiocese, a testament to the church’s enduring spirit of faith, community, and service in Abuja and 183 years in Nigeria.
“The Methodist Church has significantly contributed to our nation’s development through social justice, education, and humanitarian efforts, transforming lives nationwide,” he said.
Source:naijanews.com
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Nigeria Was Not Snubbed In UN Election – Presidency Explains
13 October 2024
By Oladipo Abiola
The presidency has debunked claims that Nigeria was snubbed in the election for countries to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations General Assembly.
The presidency in a statement on Sunday, which was signed by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Nigeria did not present itself for election into the council.
Onanuga added that there was no competition in the African continent as all countries presented enjoyed regional backing and secured all available seats for the region.
He explained that whatever vote was recorded for Nigeria must have been cast in error in the secret balloting by some countries which thought Nigeria was on the ballot.
The presidential aide cautioned Nigerians not be quick to disparage or drag the country, especially on international matters.
The statement titled ‘NIGERIA AND THE 2024 UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL ELECTIONS: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT’ reads: “On October 9, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly elected 18 members to the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term.
“The members elected to the Council are Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Iceland, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Mexico, North Macedonia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand.
“The Council is an intergovernmental body within the UN system consisting of 47 States tasked with promoting and protecting human rights globally.
“The election, conducted via secret ballot, determined which nations would fill three-year terms beginning on January 1, 2025, replacing members whose terms expire on December 31, 2024.
“Among the outgoing members are Argentina, Benin, Cameroon, Eritrea, Finland, Gambia, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Montenegro, Paraguay, Qatar, Somalia, United Arab Emirates and the United States.
“According to a report on the meeting published by the UN, Argentina, Cameroon, Eritrea, India and Somalia, which had served two consecutive terms, were ineligible for immediate re-election.
“Also, Albania, Algeria, Brazil, China, Ghana, Japan, and South Africa will continue serving on the Council.
“In the African regional group, the endorsed candidates—Benin, Gambia, Kenya, DRC, and Ethiopia—successfully secured all five available seats.
“There was no competition in the African regional group, as the continent fielded the same number of candidates as available seats.
“Contrary to information circulating, Nigeria was not snubbed in this election, as some reports have falsely claimed.
“The country did not stand as a candidate for this cycle of elections, just like it did not stand for election in 2023 when a Nigerian medium sensationally reported that the country earned three votes.
“The same lie was rehashed in the erroneous report in circulation. Again, we restate that Nigeria was not on the ballot in the election held on 9 October. Whatever vote was recorded for our country must have been cast in error in the secret balloting by some countries which thought Nigeria was on the ballot.
“For those conversant with elections into international organisations, especially to prestigious bodies like the Human Rights Council, countries vying for positions usually receive regional endorsements.
“The regional bloc endorsed Benin and Gambia, both members of ECOWAS, for the 2025-2027 term.
“Given Nigeria’s continued leadership in fostering African unity, the nation focused on supporting the endorsed candidates to promote collective African representation.
“This has been the hallmark of President Bola Tinubu’s leadership on the continent. This strategic approach aligns with Nigeria’s long-standing diplomatic efforts to ensure Africa speaks with a united voice on the global stage.
“The media should cross-check their information before rushing to press. There was no sign this was done with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or our country’s mission in New York.
“As Nigerians, we should not be quick to disparage or drag our country, especially on international matters.”
Source:naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2024/10/13/nigeria-was-not-snubbed-in-un-election-presidency-explains/
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Dbeibeh urges enhanced transparency and governance in Islamic Call Society operations
BY SAFAALHARATHY SUN,
13/10/2024
Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh has discussed ways to enhance transparency and governance within the Islamic Call Society during a meeting with its newly appointed Board of Directors on Saturday.
Dbeibeh underscored the importance of ensuring full transparency in all activities of the society and emphasized the implementation of governance standards across its administrative and financial functions.
The PM also discussed with the board the importance of identifying and disclosing all assets belonging to the society, noting that this step is crucial given the society's current financial situation and to ensure optimal use of its resources.
Source:libyaobserver.ly
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https://libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/dbeibeh-urges-enhanced-transparency-and-governance-islamic-call-society-operations
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Southeast Asia
Malaysia ready to lead ASEAN with focus on inclusivity, sustainability - PM Anwar
BERNAMA
14-10- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is set to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, embracing the future with a clear vision focused on inclusivity and sustainability, ensuring that “every voice matters” and “leaving no one behind”, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar stated that the chairmanship will mark the beginning of a new chapter under the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
“Under the guiding light of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, a new chapter will begin. This marks the start of a 20-year journey – a journey where we rise together to shape a shared destiny.
“Selamat Datang. Welcome to Malaysia,” he said in a Facebook post.
Laos officially handed over the ASEAN Chairmanship to Malaysia on Friday during the Closing Ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, along with related Summits and the ASEAN Chairmanship Handover Ceremony in Vientiane.
Anwar accepted the ASEAN Chairmanship gavel from Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone at the event.
During the ceremony, Anwar also unveiled the logo and theme for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025: ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.
Source:thesun.my
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http://thesun.my/malaysia-news/malaysia-ready-to-lead-asean-with-focus-on-inclusivity-sustainability-pm-anwar-IB13128761
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IGP: New phase of probe focuses on whether children in GISBH homes were exposed to jihad elements via videos
14 Oct 2024
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — The investigation into GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) has now entered another new phase as police investigate the possibility that children rescued from charity homes run by the organisation were imbued with elements of militant jihad.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said an investigation into the matter was carried out after it was found that the children in question had been shown videos related to Abuya by the operators of the charity homes involved where they were placed.
Yesterday, Selangor Islamic Affairs and Cultural Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah while speaking at the 21st Hafiz College Convocation in Klang said the idea of militant jihad was believed to be instilled in the children rescued from the charity homes through video screenings.
Meanwhile in Johor, three more individuals believed to be linked to GISBH were brought before the Kota Tinggi Sessions Court, yesterday on charges of human trafficking and sexual abuse, bringing the total number of people charged in court so far to 11.
Mahmad Hamal Tukiman, 57, and Rabiahtul Adawiyah Md Shash, 31, who were charged with four counts of trafficking three women and a man aged 30 to 57, for the purpose of exploiting forced labour by means of threats, however they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They are accused of committing the act at Ikhwan Resort Kampung Air Bintan, Ladang Sungai Papan, Bandar Penawar, Kota Tinggi, between August last year and Oct 1 this year, which is an offence under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.
Muhammad Ansarullah Tukino, 20, pleaded not guilty to two charges under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 for committing physical sexual abuse against a 16-year-old boy.
The act was allegedly committed at Surau Ikhwan Resort Kampung Air Bintan, Ladang Sungai Papan, Bandar Penawar, Kota Tinggi at 10 pm, June 1 and 3, 2024.
They were allowed bail at RM5,000 for each charge in a local surety with the additional condition of handing over their passports to the court, reporting to the police station every month and not disturbing the victims and prosecution witnesses.
The court set November 27 as the mention date for the case of Mahmad Hamal and Rabiahtul Adawiyah while the case of Muhammad Ansarullah was set for November 28. — Bernama
Source:malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/10/14/igp-new-phase-of-probe-focuses-on-whether-children-in-gisbh-homes-were-exposed-to-jihad-elements-via-videos/153531
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Perak police chief: Tanjung Malim shooting was of ‘criminal’ by Bukit Aman
, 14 Oct 2024
By John Bunyan
IPOH, Oct 14 — Perak police chief Datuk Azizi Mat Aris has confirmed that a criminal was shot dead in Kota Malim Prima near Tanjung Malim early this morning.
Azizi said the police are still gathering details on the shooting incident.
“I don’t have many details about the case now. But I can confirm that I have received a report that a criminal was shot dead by a team from Bukit Aman,” he said.
He said this when asked to comment on the shooting case in a press conference held at the Perak Police Headquarters here.
Azizi added that another press conference would be held at 2.45pm to provide further updates on the incident.
Source:malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/10/14/perak-police-chief-tanjung-malim-shooting-was-of-criminal-by-bukit-aman/153582
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FT minister gives all-clear to Jalan Masjid where sinkhole appeared
14 Oct 2024
By Muhammad Yusry
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Jalan Masjid India where a sinkhole appeared in August is confirmed to be safe by experts and authorities, Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said in Parliament today.
She said various public agencies and professional bodies examined the location before helping to form the decision.
“Based on a study conducted by a special task force chaired by the KL mayor, Jalan Masjid India has now been confirmed safe for all types of activities.
“This conclusion was reached after considering the views and expertise collectively from various agencies, including the police, the fire department, the Public Works Department, the Department of Minerals and Geoscience, as well as professional organisations such as the Institute of Engineers Malaysia and the Malaysian Geotechnical Society,” she said during the ministers’ question time in the Dewan Rakyat.
Zaliha was responding to Batu MP P. Prabakaran, who asked for actions that will be taken following the sinkhole that occurred on Jalan Masjid India, including the examination of other areas that have the potential for subsidence.
She said several short-term actions have been implemented to address the issue, including an audit of utility asset integrity in the central business district (CBD), using technologies like ground penetrating radar and Mackintosh probes to detect weaknesses in the underground structure.
She added that geophysical tests such as micro gravity and ground settlement monitoring were also being used to monitor soil movements.
For the long term, Zaliha said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall will conduct deep soil investigations with “deep boring‘"’ and laboratory tests to ensure soil stability, with certified engineers providing geotechnical reports for high-risk areas.
They will also continue to update the public via social media on the safety measures being taken in the Jalan Masjid India area.
On August 23, a 48-year-old woman identified as Vijayaletchumy from Andhra Pradesh, India was swallowed by a sinkhole that formed along Jalan Masjid India near Wisma Yakin, prompting an immediate search-and-rescue operation that lasted nine days and was hampered by heavy rains during that time.
A second sinkhole formed some 50 metres from the first on August 28, prompting the city to cordon off the area for public safety.
Source:malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/10/14/ft-minister-gives-all-clear-to-jalan-masjid-where-sinkhole-appeared/153572
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BMKG Predicts Most of Jakarta Will Be Cloudy All Day, Light Rain in the South and East During the Day
October 14, 2024
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Meteorology Climatology & Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts that most areas of Jakarta will experience cloudy weather throughout Monday, October 14, 2024, except in the south and east during the day.
In the morning, all areas of Jakarta including Thousand Islands have the potential for cloudy weather.
In the evening, all areas of Jakarta including Thousand Islands are likely to experience cloudy weather again.
During the early hours of Tuesday, all areas of Jakarta have the potential for cloudy weather, except for Thousand Islands which may experience light rain.
The BMKG estimates that the air temperature in Jakarta will range from 25-34 degrees Celsius, with air humidity in the range of 65-90 percent. The wind blows from the northeast to the southeast at a speed of 5-10 kilometers per hour.
Source:tempo.co
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https://en.tempo.co/read/1928117/bmkg-predicts-most-of-jakarta-will-be-cloudy-all-day-light-rain-in-the-south-and-east-during-the-day?tracking_page_direct
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South Asia
Bangladesh Nationalist Party Slams Govt For Failure To Arrest Awami League Cadres Involved In Student Shootings
Oct 13, 2024
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has expressed grave concerns over the government's failure to arrest the 'cadres' of the Awami League and its associate bodies, who were involved in shooting students during mass protests against Sheikh Hasina's regime.
"Why have the Chhatra League and Jubo League cadres and activists, who shot at students, still not been arrested?" he questioned the interim government today.
Talking to reporters at the BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's grave, the BNP leader said it is incomprehensible why the government is unable to track down those responsible for the deaths of Abu Sayed, Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho and many other innocent students.
The BNP leader warned that if the culprits involved in the mass killings during the student-led uprising are not brought to justice, they may resort to even more destructive acts of sabotage.
Rizvi, accompanied by MA Malek, the president of the UK chapter of the BNP, who returned home after a long time, visited Zia's grave and placed a wreath there, paying homage to the BNP founder.
Rizvi noted that many influential AL leaders crossed into India after the mass uprising without facing any challenges or barriers at the border.
"India did not check their passports. They didn't even need visas. But the ordinary people of Bangladesh need passports and visas when they go to India," he observed.
The BNP leader recalled that BNP leader Salauddin Ahmed was illegally dropped by the Rab and Police on Indian territory after making him disappear for nearly two months.
"He (Salahuddin) had to face the case there and had to go to jail."
He questioned whether India, as a close neighbour and a democratic nation, sees Bangladesh through a biased lens.
"They ignore the people of Bangladesh and its independence and sovereignty, choosing instead to accept the world's most repressive and murderous politician, Sheikh Hasina, as a guest," said the BNP leader.
Rizvi said the celebration of the Hindu Community's largest religious festival Durga Puja ended smoothly in such a beautiful calm manner as the government was sincere and democratic parties, especially BNP, guarded the puja mandaps day and night.
"But the Indian media was spreading false propaganda in various forms, though to no avail. Bangladesh has been an exceptionally peaceful country with a long history of communal harmony. It's only Sheikh Hasina who has tarnished the nation's image by repeatedly attacking temples through her agents," he alleged.
The BNP leader said Indian policymakers often echo the rhetoric of the AL, giving an impression that they do not need the friendship of the people of Bangladesh. "They rely on the friendship of Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader to maintain their dominance over Bangladesh. Now let the people of India see how the people of Bangladesh peace-loving democracy are.
MA Malek, president of the UK BNP and advisor to the party chairperson, returned home today after 19 years.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/bnp-slams-govt-failure-arrest-al-cadres-involved-student-shootings-3726801
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3,195 held this month for attacks on protesters
Oct 14, 2024
A total of 3,195 people who have allegedly been involved in violence against students and people during the uprising have been arrested over the first 13 days of this month, according to a press release sent by the police.
At least 74 "high-profile" people belonging to the previous government were among them, said the release.
The release said the arrestees included those who had directly attacked the protesters, or had given the instructions to attack, or had incentivised such attacks to happen. A total of 1,695 cases have been filed concerning "those involved in these vile and despicable acts", said the release, signed by Assistant Inspector General of Police (Media and PR) Inamul Haque Sagar.
"Besides, police are going to file cases against, and arrest those who had been involved in extortion, exploitation, and criminal activities under the patronisation of the previous government."
The release said, "Those involved in the movement against discrimination, and the people have no reason to worry ..."
"Police are committed to creating a discrimination-free society based on the achievements of this movement," it added.
Source:thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/3195-held-month-attacks-protesters-3726981
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New Child Support Centers Established in Paktika Province
2024-10-13
PAKTIKA(BNA)The Social Affairs Directorate of Paktika Province, in collaboration with a local relief organization, has successfully completed the construction of 14 child support centers across the provincial capital and its districts.
Mawlawi Wali Jan Osama, a representative of the Paktika provincial authority, expressed his gratitude towards the relief organization, emphasizing the importance of these centers in fostering educational growth for underprivileged children. “These child support centers are crucial for developing the skills of children who are economically disadvantaged,” he stated.
The representative from the relief organization, overseeing activities in Khost and Paktika, highlighted that the centers were established at a cost of 4 million Afghanis. Each center has the capacity to accommodate 100 children, offering services in capacity building, public awareness, social and psychological support, and educational opportunities.
Local residents have expressed their satisfaction with the creation of these centers, recognizing their potential to improve educational access for children in Paktika.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/new-child-support-centers-established-in-paktika-province/
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Mawlawi Abdul Kabir Criticizes Tax Increases on Afghan Exports at Imam Abu Hanifa Exhibition
2024-10-13
KABUL(BNA): During the closing ceremony of the national and international exhibition honoring Imam Abu Hanifa (RA), Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, voiced strong opposition to the recent increase in taxes on Afghanistan’s export products, labeling it as unjust.
The event, which took place yesterday, attracted a diverse audience, including officials from the Islamic Emirate, investors, industrialists, foreign diplomats, and members of the public. In his remarks, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir expressed gratitude to the organizers and highlighted the significance of such gatherings for fostering exchange between Afghan and international traders and showcasing investment opportunities.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir noted that Afghanistan’s trade relations with Central Asia are thriving and evolving positively. He criticized the tax hike on exports, asserting that the Islamic Emirate has developed alternative trade routes to support Afghanistan’s commerce.
He emphasized the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to enhancing economic cooperation, stating, “We have provided good opportunities for both Afghan and foreign traders and investors.” Furthermore, he mentioned ongoing efforts to reduce tax rates and reiterated the government’s dedication to fulfilling its commitments to the business community.
In addition to addressing economic matters, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir condemned the recent attacks by Israel on Lebanon and Palestine, calling for solidarity with those affected.
Source:bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/mawlawi-abdul-kabir-criticizes-tax-increases-on-afghan-exports-at-imam-abu-hanifa-exhibition/
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Afghan arrested in France is brother of man who planned US election attack
By Fidel Rahmati
October 13, 2024
AFP, citing a source close to the case, reported that a young Afghan man was arrested in the city of Toulouse, France. The man is the brother of Nasir Ahmad Touhidi, who was arrested in Oklahoma, USA, and is accused of planning an attack on the U.S. presidential election day.
The French anti-terrorism court has not yet provided full details about the identity of the young man arrested in Toulouse.
According to AFP, the 22-year-old Afghan man intended to target a shopping center or a football stadium. French police arrested him after U.S. authorities, during their investigation of Nasir Ahmad Touhidi, shared information with the French police.
French police stated that three individuals were arrested in Toulouse on charges of “terrorism and plotting a suspected attack.” However, after initial investigations, the French anti-terrorism prosecutor released two suspects.
Earlier, on October 7, U.S. authorities reported the arrest of Nasir Ahmad Touhidi, a 27-year-old Afghan refugee, on charges of planning an attack during the U.S. presidential election.
The U.S. Department of Justice accused Touhidi of planning a terrorist attack in the name of ISIS, intending to shoot people and cause mass casualties on election day in November.
NBC News reported on October 10 that Touhidi had previously worked with the CIA in Afghanistan as a security guard.
The case involving Nasir Ahmad Touhidi and his brother has raised serious concerns about potential terrorist threats on both sides of the Atlantic. As investigations continue, cooperation between international law enforcement agencies highlights intelligence-sharing’s critical importance in preventing such attacks.
Source:khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghan-arrested-in-france-is-brother-of-man-who-planned-us-election-attack/
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North America
US failed to stop mystery drones over military sites – WSJ
14 Oct, 2024
An unidentified fleet of drones potentially spied on a US military airbase in Virginia after intruding into restricted airspace for 17 days last December, with the Pentagon powerless to stop them, the Wall Street Journal has revealed.
Swarms of drones were detected flying over Langley Air Force Base on Virginia’s shoreline – one of the select US bases hosting F-22 Raptor stealth fighters – the WSJ reported on Saturday, citing dozens of US officials, police reports, and court documents.
Former US Air Force General Mark Kelly, who was made aware of the incursions in December, estimated the lead unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to be “roughly 20 feet long, flying at more than 100 miles an hour, at an altitude of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 feet,” with other drones following. The drones flew in a pattern of one or two fixed-wing units accompanied by smaller quadcopters, roughly the size of 20-pound commercial drones, often operating at a lower altitude, the report said.
The dozens of drones moved south across Chesapeake Bay toward Norfolk and the base housing the US Navy’s SEAL Team Six special operations unit, as well as Naval Station Norfolk – a large naval port, Kelly noted.
When news reached the White House, officials reportedly attempted to brainstorm a response.
Military radars – tuned to detect larger military aircraft and to ignore anything resembling a bird –often failed to pick up the drones and needed recalibration. The offending quadcopters were also controlled on a radio frequency unavailable to off-the-shelf drones. Police attempted to pursue the drones, tracking their movements, but ultimately failed to identify their owners.
Authorities were skeptical about bringing the UAVs down. Federal law bars the military from shooting down drones near military bases unless they pose an immediate threat – which does not include aerial spying, the WSJ wrote. Jamming the drones was considered risky to local 911 emergency systems and Wi-Fi networks. Using directed energy weapons to shoot them down was viewed as too much of a risk to commercial aircraft.
The flights ceased on December 23 and the perpetrators remain a mystery, according to the report. Authorities failed to determine who was responsible for the flights but were reportedly convinced that the unprecedented incursion was too complex to have been orchestrated by hobbyists.
It is not the only case of unidentified drones being spotted over critical US infrastructure. Two months prior, five drones were reportedly detected over the Nevada National Security Site, a US nuclear testing facility outside Las Vegas. Officials have yet to identify those behind the incursion.
Source:rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/605668-us-langley-base-drone-swarm/
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Man arrested near Trump rally had two guns and fake passports
14 October, 2024
A man in illegal possession of a shotgun and a loaded handgun was arrested at an intersection near Donald Trump's rally in Coachella, California, on Saturday, police said.
The 49-year-old suspect, Vem Miller, was driving a black SUV when he was stopped at a security checkpoint by deputies, who located the two firearms and a "high-capacity magazine".
Mr Miller was then taken into custody "without incident", the Riverside County Sheriff's office said, and booked on possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine.
The US Secret Service said Trump “was not in any danger”, adding that the incident did not impact protective operations.
A local sheriff called the suspect a "lunatic" and his office added the encounter did not affect the safety of Trump or the rally's attendees.
Many questions remain unanswered.
While Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said it was impossible to speculate about what was in the mind of the suspect, he said he "truly believed" that his officers had prevented a third assassination attempt.
He added that it might be impossible to prove that this was the man's intent.
A federal law enforcement official told CBS News there was no indication of an assassination attempt connected to this incident.
Federal authorities say they are still investigating the incident, and it would be up to them to pursue any additional charges.
Mr Bianco is an elected official and a Republican who has previously expressed support for Trump. He is also acting as a surrogate - a representative - for Trump's re-election campaign.
The incident - which occurred at 16:59 PDT (00:59 GMT) - an hour before Trump was scheduled to appear on stage - highlights, once again, the intense security operation around him, and the dangers facing the former president, with just over three weeks to go until the election.
It follows two high-profile alleged assassination attempts on Trump earlier this year.
Mr Miller was charged with two misdemeanour weapons charges and was released on a $5,000 (£3,826) bail. No federal charges have been filed.
In a police news conference earlier on Sunday, Mr Bianco warned he might not be able to "give all of the information... because of what we're doing".
The sheriff added that as the suspect approached an outside perimeter, near the location of the rally, he "gave all indications that he was allowed to be there".
But as the suspect got to the inside perimeter, "many irregularities popped up", Sheriff Bianco added, explaining that the vehicle had a fake licence plate and was in "disarray" inside.
Multiple passports with multiple names and multiple driving licences were found in the car, the sheriff said, adding that the licence plate was "home-made" and not registered.
He added that the suspect had told authorities he was a member of the far-right group called Sovereign Citizens.
He said the licence plate was also "indicative of a group of individuals that claim to be Sovereign Citizens", but he had not concluded that Mr Miller was a member.
"I wouldn't say it's a militant group. It's just a group that doesn't believe in government and government control," he said. "They don't believe that government and laws apply to them."
The US Attorney’s Office, Secret Service, and FBI are aware of the arrest, according to a statement from federal authorities.
“The US Secret Service assesses that the incident did not impact protective operations and former President Trump was not in any danger,” the statement said.
“While no federal arrest has been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing. The US Attorney’s Office, US Secret Service, and FBI extend their gratitude to the deputies and local partners who helped ensure the safety of last night’s events.”
Security surrounding Trump has been heavily increased in the wake of previous alleged assassination attempts.
The Saturday before Mr Miller's arrest, Trump held his second rally in Butler, Pennsylvania this year, the same place were his ear was bloodied after a sniper fired multiple shots in his direction, killing one person in the crowd.
Another man is currently in jail after he was arrested outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach in September. The man was spotted hiding in bushes near the golf course with the muzzle of a rifle sticking out through the shrubbery.
North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher makes sense of the race for the White House in his twice weekly US Election Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
Source:bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gqyezwj7lo
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Harris or Trump? What Chinese people want from US election
14 October, 2024
Laura Bicker
In China, people are following the US election with keen interest and some anxiety. They fear what could happen next at home and abroad, whoever wins the White House.
“None of us wants to see a war,” says Mr Xiang, as the music in the park reaches a crescendo and a nearby dancer elegantly spins his partner.
He has come to Ritan Park to learn dance with other seniors.
They gather here regularly, just a few hundred metres from the Beijing home of the American ambassador in China.
In addition to new dance moves, the looming US election is also on their minds.
It comes at a pivotal time between the two superpowers, with tensions over Taiwan, trade and international affairs running high.
“I am worried that Sino-US relations are getting tense,” says Mr Xiang who’s in his sixties. Peace is what we want, he adds.
A crowd has gathered to listen to this conversation. Most are reluctant to give their full names in a country where it is permissible to talk about the US president, but being critical of their own leader could get them in trouble.
They say they are worried about war - not just about a conflict between Washington and Beijing but an escalation of current wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Election polls - is Harris or Trump ahead?
Only one candidate is talking about China
That is why Mr Meng, in his 70s, hopes Donald Trump will win the election.
“Although he imposes economic sanctions on China, he does not wish to start or fight a war. Mr Biden starts more wars so more ordinary people dislike him. It is Mr Biden who supports Ukraine’s war and both Russia and Ukraine suffer great loss from the war,” he said.
Some sisters recording a dance routine for their social media page chip in. “Donald Trump said in the debate that he will end the war in Ukraine 24 hours after he takes office,” says one.
“About Harris, I know little about her, we think she follows the same route as President Biden who supports war.”
Their opinions echo a key message being propagated on Chinese state media.
China has called on the international community to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza while aligning itself with what it describes as its “Arab brothers” in the Middle East and has been quick to blame the US for its unwavering support of Israel.
On Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the United Nations that China was playing a “constructive role” as he accused Washington of “exploiting the situation for selfish gain”.
While most analysts believe Beijing does not have a favourite in this race for the White House, many would agree that Kamala Harris is an unknown quantity to Chinese people and the country’s leaders.
Listen to Laura Bicker discuss China/US on The Global Story
Xi Jinping has economy worries. What do Chinese people think?
But some believe she will be more stable than Trump when it comes to one of the biggest flashpoints between the US and China - Taiwan.
“I don’t like Trump. I don’t think there is a good future between the US and China – there are too many problems, the global economy, and also the Taiwan problem,” says a father of a four-year-old boy in the park for a family day out.
He fears their differences over Taiwan could eventually lead to conflict.
“I don’t want it. I don’t want my son to go to the military,” he says as the young boy pleads to go back on the slide.
China claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its own and President Xi has said “reunification is inevitable”, vowing to retake it by force if necessary.
The US maintains official ties with Beijing and recognises it as the only Chinese government under its "One China policy" but it also remains Taiwan's most significant international supporter.
Washington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and Joe Biden has said that the US would defend Taiwan militarily, breaking with a stance known as strategic ambiguity.
Harris has not gone that far. Instead, when asked in a recent interview she stated a “commitment to security and prosperity for all nations.”
Donald Trump is instead focused on a deal - not diplomacy. He has called on Taiwan to pay for its protection.
“Taiwan took our chip business from us. I mean, how stupid are we? They’re immensely wealthy,” he said in a recent interview. “Taiwan should pay us for defence.”
One of their biggest worries when it comes to the former US president is that he has also made it clear he plans to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods.
This is the last thing many businesses in China want right now as the country is trying to manufacture enough goods to export itself out of an economic downturn.
Ministers in China bristle with contempt at US-led trade tariffs which were first imposed by Donald Trump.
President Biden has also levied tariffs, targeting Chinese electronic vehicles and solar panels. Beijing believes these moves are an attempt to curb its rise as a global economic power.
“I don’t think it will do any good to the US to impose tariffs on China,” says Mr Xiang, echoing the sentiments of many we met. The tariffs will hit the US people, he adds, and increase costs for ordinary people.
Many of the the younger generation, while patriotic, also look towards the US for trends and culture - and that, perhaps more than any diplomatic mission, has power too.
In the park, Lily and Anna, aged 20 and 22, who get their news from TikTok, echo some of the national messages of pride spread by Chinese state media when it comes to this competitive relationship.
“Our country is a very prosperous and powerful country,” they say, dressed in their national costumes. They love China, they said, although they also adore the Avengers and particularly Captain America.
Others like 17-year-old Lucy hope to study in America one day.
As she cycles on an exercise bike, newly installed in the park, she dreams about visiting Universal Studios one day - after her graduation.
Lucy says she is excited to see there is a female candidate. “Harris’s candidacy marks an important step forward for gender equality, and it’s encouraging to see her as a presidential candidate.”
Can Xi fix China's economy?
The People’s Republic of China has never had a female leader and not a single woman currently sits on the 24-member team known as the Politburo that makes up the most senior members of the Chinese Communist Party.
Lucy is also worried about the intense competition between the two countries and believes the best way for China and the United States to improve their relationship is to have more people-to-people exchanges.
Both sides have vowed to work towards this, and yet the number of US students studying in China has fallen from around 15,000 in 2011 to 800.
Xi hopes to open the door for 50,000 American students to come to China in the next five years. But in a recent interview with the BBC, the US ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, accused parts of the Chinese government of not taking this pledge seriously.
He said that on dozens of occasions the security forces or a government ministry have prevented Chinese citizens from participating in public diplomacy run by the US.
On the other side, Chinese students and academics have reported being unfairly targeted by US border officials.
Lucy, however, remains optimistic that she will be able to travel to America one day, to promote Chinese culture. And, as the music strikes up nearby, she urges Americans to visit and experience China.
“We may be a little bit reserved sometimes and not as outgoing or as extrovert as US people, but we are welcoming,” she says as she heads off to join her family.
Source:bbc.com
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