Two US Navy sailors missing off coast of Somalia

Two US Navy sailors missing off coast of Somalia
In this photo courtesy of the US Navy, Marines load into a V-22 Osprey on the flight deck of the USS Makin Island (LHD8) as they conduct maritime operations off the coast of Somalia in 2020. (AFP)
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Updated 22 January 2024
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Two US Navy sailors missing off coast of Somalia

Two US Navy sailors missing off coast of Somalia
  • US forces have long operated in Somalia in coordination with and on behalf of the government
  • The sailors were deployed to the US 5th Fleet area of operations supporting a wide variety of missions

WASHINGTON: Two US Navy sailors have been reported missing at sea while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia, the US military said Friday.
The two sailors went missing Thursday evening, US Central Command said in a brief statement.
“Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing to locate the two sailors. For operational security purposes, we will not release additional information until the personnel recovery operation is complete,” it said.
The sailors were “forward-deployed” to the US 5th Fleet area of operations “supporting a wide variety of missions.”
The 5th Fleet’s area of operations covers about 2.5 million square miles of water and includes The Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean, according to the military’s website.
US forces have long operated in Somalia in coordination with and on behalf of the government, mostly conducting regular aerial strikes to support official forces fighting extremist Al-Shabab rebels.
Washington has designated Al-Shabab as a terrorist organization.
According to the US Africa Command, Al-Shabab is “the largest and most kinetically active Al-Qaeda network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack US forces and threaten US security interests.”


British PM breached parliament’s rules over clothing donations to wife — Sunday Times

British PM breached parliament’s rules over clothing donations to wife — Sunday Times
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British PM breached parliament’s rules over clothing donations to wife — Sunday Times

British PM breached parliament’s rules over clothing donations to wife — Sunday Times
  • Sunday Times said those donations were declared but the clothes given to his wife were not

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has breached parliamentary rules by not declaring a wealthy businessman and Labour Party donor bought high-end clothes for his wife Victoria, the Sunday Times reported on Saturday.
According to the Sunday Times, Starmer, in power since July, faces an investigation after “neglecting to disclose” that major Labour donor Waheed Alli covered the cost of a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for his wife.
The premier’s registered financial interests, listed on the parliament’s website, show that he has received several donations from Alli, including multiple pairs of glasses, work clothes and accommodation.
The Sunday Times said those donations were declared but the clothes given to his wife were not.
A spokesperson for 10 Downing Street said in a statement sent to Reuters that Starmer and his team had sought advice from authorities on coming to office, and believed they had been compliant.
“However, following further interrogation this month, we’ve declared further items,” the spokesperson said.
Alli is British media entrepreneur and former chairman of the online fashion retailer ASOS.
Under the House of Commons code of conduct, members of parliament have to provide information about financial interests which might reasonably be thought to influence their work.
A Conservative Party spokesperson called for a full investigation over “apparent serious breaches of parliamentary rules.”


Pope Francis calls for lasting solution to Palestinian cause

Pope Francis calls for lasting solution to Palestinian cause
Updated 14 September 2024
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Pope Francis calls for lasting solution to Palestinian cause

Pope Francis calls for lasting solution to Palestinian cause
  • Pope commended King Abdullah’s ongoing diplomatic efforts

LONDON: Pope Francis has reiterated the need for a just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian issue, warning that failure to achieve this goal would only lead to continued violence and instability in the region, it was reported by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan on Saturday.

The pope highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, and praised Jordan’s King Abdullah II’s support for the Palestinian people.

The king has facilitated daily humanitarian aid to the area, delivered by the Jordan Armed Forces via air and land, since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out in October.

The pope commended King Abdullah’s ongoing diplomatic efforts, noting his active role in international forums where he consistently advocates for Palestinian rights.

According to Pope Francis, the king has repeatedly warned that true peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East can only be achieved by resolving the Palestinian issue, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Pope Francis also lauded Jordan’s clear and firm stance on the Palestinian cause, highlighting the country’s efforts to keep global attention on the issue and to condemn violations against the Palestinian people under occupation.

He also expressed deep concern over the prolonged war on Gaza. He voiced regret over the international community’s failure to take meaningful action to end the war and achieve peace.

Addressing Israel’s bombing of schools that sheltered displaced civilians, the pope condemned the attacks, particularly when such strikes are justified by the presumption of fighters being present.

“It is bad, it is bad, it is bad,” he said. The pope also rejected the argument that the ongoing war is purely defensive, highlighting the number of children among the victims.


Pro-Palestine protester found not guilty of racial abuse over coconut poster

Pro-Palestine protester found not guilty of racial abuse over coconut poster
Updated 14 September 2024
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Pro-Palestine protester found not guilty of racial abuse over coconut poster

Pro-Palestine protester found not guilty of racial abuse over coconut poster
  • Hussain defended the placard as a form of “light-hearted political banter"

LONDON: A British teacher who carried a placard depicting Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman as coconuts during a pro-Palestine demonstration in London was acquitted on Friday of a racially aggravated public order offense.

Marieha Hussain, 37, attended the protest in November, where her placard showed the faces of the then prime minister and home secretary superimposed onto coconuts beneath a palm tree.

Hussain, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, denied the prosecution’s claim that the placard was “racially abusive,” insisting it was meant to be satirical and humorous. On Friday, Westminster Magistrates’ Court cleared her of the charges, The Guardian newspaper reported.

Speaking outside the court, Hussain expressed frustration over the ordeal: “The damage done to my reputation and image can never be undone.” She criticized what she described as the misuse of hate speech laws, claiming they were being “weaponized to target ethnic minorities.”

Reflecting on the personal impact of the trial, she added: “This ordeal has been agonizing for my family and I. Instead of enjoying my pregnancy, I’ve been vilified by the media, lost my career, and been dragged through the court system.”

Despite the challenging experience, Hussain voiced her continued commitment to activism, particularly in support of Palestine.

“Nearly a year on from the genocide in Gaza, and despite this trial, I’m more determined than ever to continue using my voice to defend Palestine,” she said.

During the trial, Hussain defended the placard as a form of “light-hearted political banter,” explaining it was a satirical way of addressing serious issues.

Her defense lawyer, Rajiv Menon, argued that the case was a troubling attack on freedom of expression.

Menon said: “This prosecution of Ms Hussain is a disturbing attack on the right to peaceful protest, the right to criticize politicians, and the right to satirise in a British context.”

He highlighted the contrast between Hussain’s prosecution and the perceived leniency shown to figures such as Suella Braverman, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson, who have made controversial statements without facing similar consequences.

Expert testimony was heard in court regarding the use of the term “coconut” and whether it constitutes a racial slur.

Menon contended that the placard was a satirical critique of the policies and rhetoric employed by Sunak and Braverman, particularly in relation to race and immigration.

The district judge, Vanessa Lloyd, ultimately found that the placard fell within the realm of political satire.

“I find that it was part of the genre of political satire, and, as such, the prosecution has not proved to the criminal standard that it was abusive,” she said.
 


‘Things might improve’: Young Kashmiris set for first local elections in decade

‘Things might improve’: Young Kashmiris set for first local elections in decade
Updated 14 September 2024
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‘Things might improve’: Young Kashmiris set for first local elections in decade

‘Things might improve’: Young Kashmiris set for first local elections in decade
  • Kashmir has been without a local government since 2018
  • Unemployment is about 18 percent, nearly double India’s average

NEW DELHI: Nasir Khuehami and his family have never participated in a mainstream election in Jammu and Kashmir, but he is currently campaigning to mobilize others to take part in next week’s vote — the first in a decade and taking place in a new political setting after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stripped the region of its autonomy in 2019.

Polling will be held in stages between Sept.18 and Oct. 1 to elect a local assembly — a truncated government with a chief minister, who will serve as the region’s top official, and a council of ministers — instead of remaining under the direct rule of New Delhi.

The result will be announced on Oct. 8.

“I don’t care which regional party wins, what matters is that the people of Kashmir should have someone who is their own,” Khuehami told Arab News.

The 26-year-old national convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association is visiting different districts of the valley to mobilize students ahead of the vote.

“For the last 10 years there have been no elections in Jammu and Kashmir. In the last five years, after the abrogation of special status, even democracy was suspended, and it is bureaucrats who run the region. There has been no accountability,” he said.

“When we compare these bureaucrats with our own elected leaders, we find that our representatives are accountable, they listen to us, and they understand us ... This accessibility we miss now.”

Kashmir has been without a local government since 2018 when Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party brought down a coalition government, forcing the assembly to dissolve. A year later, Modi’s government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted the region its semi-autonomy, and downgraded it to a federally controlled territory.

Indian officials have repeatedly said that the move was aimed at tackling separatism and bringing economic development to the region, but Khuehami said people on the ground have yet to witness it.

“All the development agenda has fallen flat,” he said. “How many development activities took place, how many universities were created, how many exams were canceled? This is the reality.” He added that he was hopeful that, after the election, “things might improve.”

Ummar Jamal, a 23-year-old law student from the University of Kashmir was also looking forward to the vote, even though the powers of its elected administration will be limited, as the region is now a union territory.

“There was a sense of despondency after the abrogation of Article 370. I believe people are celebrating the election process (now). They are enjoying the celebration of democracy. I hope that after elections our representatives will be better placed to address our issues,” he said.

“Unemployment is very high. Why are the youth coming out in large numbers to campaign and vote? Somehow, they feel the public representatives may get these unemployment issues addressed.”

Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir is part of the larger Kashmiri territory, which has been the subject of international dispute since the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Both countries claim Kashmir in full and rule in part. Indian-controlled Kashmir has, for decades, witnessed outbreaks of separatist insurgencies to resist control from the government in New Delhi.

The two main regional parties — the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party — are going to challenge Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress, India’s main opposition party, is in alliance with the NC.

“There is a strong sense of anti-BJP sentiment because people feel that the BJP is trying to alter the regional identity. Youngsters are supporting the regional parties like NC and PDP which are speaking the language of the people and expressing their aspirations,” said Tariq Mir, 33, a PR manager and writer based in Srinagar, Kashmir’s largest city.

“The main issue is the question of the Kashmiri identity ... People want a peaceful life with dignity.”

But they also seek new prospects, as unemployment in the region stands at around 18 percent — nearly double India’s average.

Aqib Manzoor, a law student at Central University of Kashmir, said that while many hope for the restoration of the region’s statehood, the creation of jobs in the private sector, tackling corruption, and giving them more freedom of expression are also key issues.

“Though hopes remain very high, time will tell whether these issues and concerns of youngsters will be addressed, or just remain unaddressed like in the past, when the state assembly had enough powers to bring real changes on the ground,” he said.

“The center and all parties should prepare to seize the new opportunity for the future of a prosperous state that addresses the concerns and aspirations of (those who are) the future of the nation.”


Russia, Ukraine swap 206 POWs in UAE-brokered deal

Russia, Ukraine swap 206 POWs in UAE-brokered deal
Updated 14 September 2024
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Russia, Ukraine swap 206 POWs in UAE-brokered deal

Russia, Ukraine swap 206 POWs in UAE-brokered deal
  • Russian troops freed in Saturday’s swap were captured during Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region
  • Announcement comes just three weeks after Russia and Ukraine swapped 115 prisoners of war each

Moscow: Russia said Saturday it swapped 103 Ukrainian soldiers held captive for an equal number of Russian POWs in an exchange deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates.
The Russian troops freed in Saturday’s swap were captured during Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region, which began on 6 August, according to the Russian defense ministry.
There was no immediate confirmation from the Ukrainian side.
“As a result of the negotiation process, 103 Russian servicemen captured in the Kursk region were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime,” the Russian defense ministry said.
“In return, 103 Ukrainian army prisoners of war were handed over.”
“At present, all Russian servicemen are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are being provided with the necessary psychological and medical assistance, as well as an opportunity to contact their relatives,” the ministry added.
Despite ongoing hostilities, Russia and Ukraine have managed to swap hundreds of prisoners throughout the two-and-half-year conflict, often in deals brokered by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia or Turkiye.
The announcement comes just three weeks after Russia and Ukraine swapped 115 prisoners of war each in an exchange deal also mediated by the UAE.