Philippines orders strengthened military presence after ‘Chinese activities’ near islands

Philippines orders strengthened military presence after ‘Chinese activities’ near islands
China claims most of the South China Sea, overlapping with those claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Above, anti-China activists during a protest at a park in Manila in 2019. (AFP file photo)
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Updated 22 December 2022
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Philippines orders strengthened military presence after ‘Chinese activities’ near islands

Philippines orders strengthened military presence after ‘Chinese activities’ near islands
  • Earlier report claims of Chinese construction on four uninhabited features in the disputed Spratly islands

MANILA: The Philippines’ defense ministry on Thursday ordered the military to strengthen its presence in the South China Sea after monitoring “Chinese activities” in disputed waters close to a strategic Philippine-held island.
The ministry did not specify what activities those were and its statement follows a report this week of Chinese construction on four uninhabited features in the disputed Spratly islands, news that Beijing has dismissed as “unfounded.”
Any encroachment or reclamation on features within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone “is a threat to the security of Pagasa island, which is part of Philippine sovereign territory,” the ministry said in a statement, using the Filipino name for Thitu island.
“We strongly urge China to uphold the prevailing rules-based international order and refrain from acts that will exacerbate tensions,” it added.
The Chinese embassy in Manila reiterated that China strictly abides by a consensus reached among claimants that included not developing uninhabited reefs and islands.
Asked to respond to the defense ministry’s statement, it said both countries would “properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultations.”
China claims most of the South China Sea, through which billions of dollars worth of goods pass each year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have overlapping claims to various islands and features.
Thitu is the most strategically important of nine features the Philippines occupies in the Spratlys, located close to Subi Reef, one of seven artificial islands that China has built on submerged reefs, some with surface-to-air missiles, aircraft hangars and runways.


UK festival celebrates creativity of Arab, Muslim refugees

UK festival celebrates creativity of Arab, Muslim refugees
Updated 8 sec ago
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UK festival celebrates creativity of Arab, Muslim refugees

UK festival celebrates creativity of Arab, Muslim refugees
  • Platforma seeks to highlight migrants’ contributions to British society
  • Event promises heady mix of art, comedy, music and theater

LONDON: An arts festival showcasing the works of Middle Eastern and Muslim refugees is touring the southwest of England.

The Platforma festival, which opened on Saturday, aims to tackle perceptions of refugees in the UK. It is managed by Counterpoints Arts, a London-based organization that seeks to promote the artistic contributions of migrants and refugees to British society.

This year marks the seventh edition of the event and will feature a variety of visual arts, drama, music and comedy inspired by people from refugee backgrounds. It runs until Nov. 5.

The festival hit the ground running in Bristol on Sunday with a session on Arabic calligraphy and poetry. Among the events planned for the coming weeks are performances by comedians Alaa Shehada, Hanna Shammas and Diana Sweity who will dive deep into the intricacies of Palestinian identities with engaging stand-up comedy routines in Bristol on Oct. 10.

On Oct. 21, Devon will witness “Crown,” a performance blending classical Persian dance, contemporary dance and Sufi movements.

Back in Bristol, the comedic duo Mohand and Peter will deliver a unique theatrical experience, melding humor with evocative narratives rooted in Sudan.

From Oct. 28-29, “Dear Laila,” an art installation by Basel Zaraa, will be on show at Bristol’s Palestine Museum. The work brings to life the Palestinian narrative of displacement, as told through the experiences of one family.

Another highlight of the festival will be “Sudafest: Hope and Healing” on Oct. 22, which celebrates Sudanese art and culture.

Its founder, Hiba Elhindi, told the BBC: “I am from Sudan and I came to the UK in 2014. I have lived in Bristol pretty much that whole time. I have been engaging in many activities in the Sudanese community.

“I would say around 90 percent of the Sudanese population in Bristol are refugees.”

Elhindi believes art has the power to break linguistic and cultural barriers.

“We have been working really hard in using art and culture as a platform for Sudanese current issues,” she said.

“I don’t think there is enough media coverage of the war in Sudan in the UK, and people may not be aware of the issue. We have been using Sudafest as a platform to raise awareness about what is happening there.”

The Platforma festival was founded by Almir Koldzic, who moved to the UK from Yugoslavia in 1995 to escape the war in his homeland, the BBC reported.

The event, which is held every two years in a different part of England, aims to highlight the healing and unifying abilities of art and cultural expression.
 


Miss Universes from Bahrain and Pakistan promote halal tourism in Philippines

Miss Universes from Bahrain and Pakistan promote halal tourism in Philippines
Updated 01 October 2023
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Miss Universes from Bahrain and Pakistan promote halal tourism in Philippines

Miss Universes from Bahrain and Pakistan promote halal tourism in Philippines
  • Muslim travel market is forecast to reach a value of $225 billion by 2028
  • Manila won emerging Muslim-friendly destination award earlier this year

MANILA: Miss Universes from Bahrain and Pakistan have joined a campaign to promote halal travel in the Philippines, as Manila seeks to attract more visitors from the Middle East and Muslim-majority countries to meet its tourism goals this year. 

The Philippines’ economy is dependent on tourism, which in 2019 generated about $50 billion, contributing nearly 13 percent of the country’s GDP. But that share fell to about 5 percent in 2020 and 2021, when the global travel industry ground to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

With Manila positioning itself as a Muslim-friendly destination as part of a strategy to revive the tourism sector, the Miss Universes from Bahrain and Pakistan are part of the latest move to support the promotion of halal tourism in the Philippines. 

“The Department of Tourism is taking advantage of the presence of the Miss Universes from Bahrain and Pakistan to help and assist promote Muslim-friendly and halal tourism in the Philippines,” Tourism Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar told Arab News on Sunday. 

Abubakar said that the Miss Universes’ trip to the Philippines would be a “big boost” for the country that would hopefully influence the global Muslim community to visit the archipelago nation, which is home to white sand beaches, famous diving spots, lively entertainment, diverse cultural heritage and distinctive wildlife.

With the Muslim travel market forecast to reach $225 billion value by 2028, the Philippines’ government announced in 2022 that boosting foreign arrivals from the Middle East and Muslim-majority nations was among its priority goals. The Philippines is well on its way to meeting its target of welcoming 4.8 million foreign arrivals this year and has already received more than 4 million visitors so far, official data showed. 

Earlier this year, the Philippines won the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award during the Halal in Travel Global Summit, a recognition of its efforts to attract global Muslim travelers. 

That effort continues with the latest collaboration between the Department of Tourism and The Farm resort and Xpedition Middle East magazine, which seeks to promote halal and wellness tourism in the Philippines. 

Miss Universe Bahrain, Lujane Yacoub, and Miss Universe Pakistan, Erica Robin, arrived in Manila on Friday and will be in the country as part of their training for Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador in November. 

While the two women are in the Philippines, they are set to show the beauty of the country to the global Muslim community. 

“What the Philippines already has is this amazing diversity in wanting to welcome in many different places and even Muslim countries. It’s just an amazing place to be,” Yacoub said during a press conference on Saturday. 

“I encourage anyone from Bahrain to come and visit the Philippines. It is gorgeous with its beaches and its diving spots, and its rich, rich culture. The Philippines has amazing hospitality and it’s so welcoming.” 

Robin said that it was a privilege to help promote the Philippines. 

“It’s been just less than 24 hours and the Philippines already feels like home … And we still have … a lot to explore, a lot to learn, a lot to share with the world what the Philippines has to offer,” she said.  

“I feel so honored and blessed to promote something that needs to be out for people to know. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to show the brighter side of your country that I’m sure every Muslim country would love to know.” 


Suicide attack wounds 2 police officers in Ankara near parliament: Interior Minister

Suicide attack wounds 2 police officers in Ankara near parliament: Interior Minister
Updated 01 October 2023
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Suicide attack wounds 2 police officers in Ankara near parliament: Interior Minister

Suicide attack wounds 2 police officers in Ankara near parliament: Interior Minister
  • Turkish media reported a loud explosion was heard in Ankara near parliament
  • Parliament was scheduled to reopen on Sunday following a summer recess

ANKARA: A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the Turkish capital Ankara on Sunday, wounding 2 police officers, the Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

Turkish media reported a loud explosion was heard in the heart of the Turkish capital, near the Parliament.

Parliament was scheduled to reopen on Sunday following a summer recess.


Australia swelters through ‘scorching’ heat lifting bushfire risk

Australia swelters through ‘scorching’ heat lifting bushfire risk
Updated 01 October 2023
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Australia swelters through ‘scorching’ heat lifting bushfire risk

Australia swelters through ‘scorching’ heat lifting bushfire risk
  • Australia faces a high-risk bushfire season following the onset of an El Nino weather event
  • Australia’s last two fire seasons have been quiet compared with the catastrophic 2019-2020 ‘Black Summer’ of bushfires

SYDNEY: Australia’s southeast on Sunday sweltered in a heat wave that raised the risk of bushfires and led authorities to issue fire bans for large swathes of New South Wales state.
The nation’s weather forecaster said temperatures would be up to 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above average in some areas, with Sydney, the capital of Australia’s most populous state New South Wales, set to hit 36 C (96.8 F).
At Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport, the temperature was 34.6 C (94.3 F) at 2 p.m. (0300 GMT), more than 11 degrees above the October mean maximum temperature, according to forecaster data.
Australia faces a high-risk bushfire season following the onset of an El Nino weather event, recently announced, which is typically associated with extreme events such as wildfires, cyclones and droughts.
State Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib announced the start of an official bushfire danger period, with the “scorching” heat lifting the risk for the week ahead.
“Not only is it hot, it’s dry and it’s windy and those conditions combined are the perfect storm,” Dib said.
Fire authorities on Sunday issued nine total fire bans for parts of the state to reduce the chance of bushfires.
Further south in Victoria state, authorities issued an emergency evacuation order for a rural area in the Gippsland region, about 320 kilometers (198 miles) east of the state capital Melbourne, due to an out-of-control bushfire.
Australia’s last two fire seasons have been quiet compared with the catastrophic 2019-2020 “Black Summer” of bushfires that destroyed an area the size of Turkiye and killed 33 people. In Sydney, local resident Sandy Chapman said she was worried about the mix of extreme heat and wind.
“It doesn’t take long to start a fire and have it burning and it’s very scary,” Chapman said.
Sydneysider Katie Kell hoped there would be no repeat of bushfires on the same scale as 2019-20.
“I don’t know, with how hot it’s been since the start of spring, I’m not too confident,” Kell said.


Afghan embassy in India suspends operations

Afghan embassy in India suspends operations
Updated 01 October 2023
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Afghan embassy in India suspends operations

Afghan embassy in India suspends operations
  • Embassy says was difficult to continue operations due to cut in staff, resources
  • India will take control of the embassy in a caretaker capacity, Afghan embassy says

NEW DELHI: Afghanistan’s embassy in India on Sunday suspended operations, more than two years after the ouster of the former Western-backed government.

While New Delhi does not recognize the Taliban government that returned to power in 2021, it had allowed the Afghan embassy to continue operations under the ambassador and mission staff appointed by former president Ashraf Ghani, who fled Kabul as US troops pulled out.

“It is with profound sadness, regret, and disappointment that the Embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi announces this decision to cease its operations,” the statement read, posted on X.
The suspension comes into immediate effect.

The statement said it had been “increasingly challenging” to continue operations due to cuts in staff and resources, including a “lack of timely and sufficient support from visa renewal for diplomats.”

The closure follows reports that the ambassador and other senior diplomats left India in recent months, with infighting among those remaining in New Delhi.

But the statement said it “categorically refutes any baseless claims regarding internal strife” among embassy staff, and denied any diplomats were “using the crisis to seek asylum in a third country.”

India will take control of the embassy in a caretaker capacity, it added.