LONDON
The far-right anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats party said Sunday that it wants to spend 25 billion Swedish kronor ($2.3 billion) on strengthening the justice system and withdraw grants for immigrants who do not adopt the country’s culture.
The party’s leader, Jimmie Åkesson, called it “a classic assimilation policy" and said he envisions the construction of special "Sweden centers" in marginalized areas.
“There you can let the Swedish way of being and Swedish heritage become very accessible in a part of the country where it is currently very inaccessible,” he said.
Åkesson was speaking to the media while visiting the party’s stronghold of Ånge municipality.
The Sweden Democrats, once barred from politics due to their neo-Nazi ties, are currently Sweden’s third-largest party.
They have surged in opinion polls ahead of elections due next month and are now on the way to becoming the country’s second largest party.
According to recent polls, they took over second place from the country’s traditional right-wing Moderate Party and are now the main competitors to the ruling Social Democrats and Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who is currently leading a minority government.
In an interview with Swedish Radio, Åkesson refused to say whether he would request to be prime minister if his party ends up at the top of the polls.
“I don’t think I should have to sit and draw any red lines about what the government should look like at the moment. We’ll have to decide that after the elections. If I had my way, I’d be in a majority government, but I don’t get to do that on my own,” he said.
In this year’s election campaigning, all Swedish political parties pledged tougher stances on immigration, crime and integration, which are the core issues for the Sweden Democrats.
Sweden will hold legislative elections on Sept. 11.
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Sweden Democrats party have surged in opinion polls ahead of elections due next month.
Once barred from politics due to their neo-Nazi ties, the Sweden Democrats are currently Sweden’s third-largest party, bolstered by a rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the public.
(Andres Kudacki / AP)
Anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats party has said it wants to spend $2.3 billion on strengthening the justice system and withdraw grants for immigrants who do not adopt the country’s culture.
The party’s leader, Jimmie Akesson, called it “a classic assimilation policy" and said he envisions the construction of special "Sweden centres" in marginalised areas.
“There you can let the Swedish way of being and Swedish heritage become very accessible in a part of the country where it is currently very inaccessible,” he said.
Akesson was speaking to the media while visiting the party’s stronghold of Ange municipality.
Once barred from politics due to their neo-Nazi ties, the Sweden Democrats are currently Sweden’s third-largest party.
They have surged in opinion polls ahead of elections due next month.
READ MORE:Clashes erupt again over anti-Muslim rally in Sweden
Far-Right, Anti-Immigrant SD is now the second-largest party in Sweden. The election is only 19 days away. pic.twitter.com/ntkyXP6Nqd
Growing support for anti-immigration policies
The party has the second-largest share of voter support ahead of the September 11 vote, trailing the ruling Social Democrats, which have dominated Swedish post-war politics.
The Sweden Democrats polled between 20 and 23 percent in three different surveys published this week, overtaking the conservative Moderate party in the close race.
Candidates have been vying for support among voters who say that crime is a top concern, followed by immigration and segregation issues.
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson's Social Democrats enjoyed a lead with around 30 percent of voter support, according to the polls.
Her party, long defenders of the country's cherished welfare state, has in recent years curbed immigration and campaigned on tackling gang-related crime.
The conservative Moderate party, traditionally the second most popular party, came in third with between 16 and 18 percent of voter support.
Moderates leader Ulf Kristersson is challenging Andersson for the post of prime minister.
Sweden has struggled to contain deadly shootings and bombings that have soared in recent years, many linked to gang rivalries or organised criminals battling over the drug market.
The far-right Sweden Democrats have been shunned since entering parliament in 2010 but with violence and crime dominating voters' concerns, the right-wing bloc, made up of the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals, is now ready to cooperate with the Sweden Democrats to wrest power from the Social Democrats.
The Social Democrats are meanwhile relying on support from the Left, Centre and Green parties, with the two blocs neck-and-neck in the polls.
Far-right, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats in Sundbyberg district of Stockholm running ad demanding bridge connecting their district to Rinkeby be demolished. Why? Rinkeby is a poorer district w/large immigrant community. Hard to imagine more open example of forced segregation. pic.twitter.com/q52Xbf6G8C
Akesson for PM?
In an interview with Swedish Radio, Akesson refused to say whether he would request to be prime minister if his party ends up at the top of the polls.
“I don’t think I should have to sit and draw any red lines about what the government should look like at the moment. We’ll have to decide that after the elections. If I had my way, I’d be in a majority government, but I don’t get to do that on my own,” he said.
In this year’s election campaigning, all Swedish political parties pledged tougher stances on immigration, crime and integration, which are the core issues for the Sweden Democrats.
READ MORE:Why do Sweden’s authorities stand accused of kidnapping Muslim children?
Something that's not talked about much is that young men in Sweden are OVERWHELMINGLY right-wing. About 60% would vote for the conservative and nationalist parties.
Reuters exclusively reported that U.S. President Joe Biden’s emergency board, tasked with helping major freight railroads and unions end a contract negotiation stalemate, proposed annual wage increases of between 4% and 7% through 2024. A lockout or strike could send prices for necessities higher and upend battered U.S. supply chains ahead of mid-term elections that will determine whether Biden’s Democratic party holds narrow control of the House of Representatives and Senate.
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Youth basketball league participants in Los Angeles are still being required to wear masks while they are on the court more than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Los Angeles Uprising, an organization that pushes back against "restrictions and mandates," tweeted a picture of a youth basketball game from Saturday which shows participants wearing masks while on the court.
The youth basketball game took place at the Mar Vista Recreation Center.
A flyer for the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks Summer Basketball League states that a "face mask is required at all times."
EMAILS FROM CALIFORNIA DOCTOR ALLEGEDLY POISONED BY WIFE WITH DRANO REVEAL 'INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE'
Kids in a youth basketball league in Los Angeles are still being required to wear masks due to COVID-19.
(LA Uprising)
In addition, participants over the age of 12 must provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 before entering any indoor park facility.
The Los Angeles Uprising founder, who chose to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital that the policy is absurd.
"Obviously, at this point, there's no excuses anymore. You know, everyone has access to vaccines. Everyone can do it. Everyone's caught in this. At this point, it's just completely out of alignment," the LA Uprising founder said.
GOV. NEWSOM BLASTS OAKLAND LEADERS FOR NOT HANDLING RAMPANT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS
The debate on COVID-era masks has polarized the nation.
(iStock)
"And no one in this city has ever fought for kids or said, 'Hey, let's make sure we get this in alignment for them.' Let's make sure that teens and kids this end of summer and fall don't have to deal with restrictions if they don't need to. But no one ever speaks up for the kids, certainly out of public health and certainly not in the city. They've never done that. They've never looked out for the kids. Never," he added.
Jonathan Zachreson, founder of Reopen California Schools, told Fox News Digital that he thinks it's dangerous to have kids wearing masks while doing physical activity.
A young child is seen wearing a mask while getting a vaccine.
(iStock)
"I would say it's dangerous to have kids in physical activity, excessive exertion like basketball, to be in masks. And frankly, you know, we talk about mask choice and allowing people to make decisions for them and their families," he said.
Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.
Ethiopia's peace committee says it has drawn up a "peace proposal" to try to end the war that erupted in November 2020, but Tigray rebels dismiss the call as "obfuscation".
Tigray rebels have long insisted that basic services would have to be restored to the region of six million people before dialogue could begin.
(Reuters)
The Ethiopian government has called for a formal Tigray ceasefire agreement to be reached as soon as possible to enable the resumption of basic services to the war-stricken northern region.
A committee established in June to explore the possibility of talks with Tigrayan rebels said on Wednesday it had drawn up a "peace proposal" to try to end the war that erupted in November 2020.
The announcement came on the same day that the World Health Organisation described the situation in Tigray as the "worst disaster on Earth".
And the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) dismissed the committee's call as "obfuscation", saying the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had shown no real appetite for dialogue.
"In order to ensure a sustained provision of humanitarian aid as well as to facilitate the resumption of basic services and also to resolve the conflict peacefully; the committee has underscored that there is a need to conclude a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible," the Ethiopian peace committee said in a statement.
"To expedite this process, the committee has deliberated upon and adopted a peace proposal that would lead to the conclusion of a ceasefire and lay the foundation for future political dialogue."
The TPLF has long insisted that basic services would have to be restored to the region of six million people before dialogue could begin.
Fighting has eased in northern Ethiopia since a truce was declared at the end of March, allowing the resumption of desperately needed international aid convoys to Tigray after a break of three months.
Ethiopia's northernmost region has suffered desperate food shortages and is without access to basic services such as electricity, communications and banking.
Ethiopia's peace committee, meanwhile, said it would submit its peace proposal to the African Union (AU).
The AU has been leading the push to end a conflict that has killed untold numbers of people and left millions in need of humanitarian aid.
"All effort is being exerted in collaboration with the African Union so that it would be possible to determine the venue and time for talks and to begin peace talks quickly and to conclude a ceasefire agreement shortly," it said.
Abiy's government says any negotiations must be led by the AU's Horn of Africa envoy Olusegun Obasanjo but the rebels want outgoing Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to mediate.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is from Tigray, described on Wednesday the "man-made catastrophe" there as the "worst disaster on Earth" and slammed global leaders for overlooking the humanitarian crisis.
The Georgian government called Sunday on its “brothers” in its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to work with it to build a single, peaceful democratic state.
In a statement marking the 30th anniversary of the start of the Abkhazia war, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said his government is in favor of a peaceful solution to the country’s longstanding problems with territorial integrity.
“I firmly believe that our peace policy, oriented towards mutual respect and dialogue, brings closer the day when we, together with our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers, will continue to build a single, strong, peace-loving, democratic state that will create all the conditions for maintaining and strengthening the security, well-being and identity of every citizen,” said Garibashvili.
“The most dramatic event in our recent history, the confrontation between brothers, brought unjustified destruction, turned hundreds of thousands of people into refugees in their own homeland, and, the saddest thing, claimed the lives of many of our fellow citizens on both sides – soldiers and civilians,” he added.
A 13-month conflict erupted in August 1992 between the Georgian army and Abkhazian separatists supported by Russia.
In 2008, a five-day conflict referred to as the South Ossetia conflict broke out between Georgia and Russia over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Tbilisi ultimately lost control of both areas and Russia later recognized them as independent states.
In response, Georgia cut off diplomatic relations with Russia, after which Switzerland took up the role of mediator country.
Both regions remain internationally recognized Georgian territories.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the nation in Islamabad, on August 13, 2022. — Prime Minister's Office
ISLAMABAD: In his address to the nation ahead of Independence Day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a nation cannot be independent without economic self-reliance.
"There is no concept of a nation's independence without economic independence," the prime minister told the nation in a televised on Saturday.
"Most importantly, we will need to revive the passion that led to the creation of Pakistan," he said, noting that this passion will lead to the establishment of a great nation.
The prime minister's call for economic stability comes as the cash-strapped nation desperately seeks financial assistance from friendly countries and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The country's foreign reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan were recorded at $7,830.3 million, down $555 million compared with $8,385.4 on July 29, data released by the SBP on Thursday showed, which can cover fewer than 1.12 months of imports.
Shehbaz Sharif-led government came into power in April after the ouster of PTI Chairman Imran Khan — and since then, the incumbent rulers have been trying to stabilise the economy.
In his televised address, PM Shehbaz said that the nation has fought with terrorism and dealt with several challenges but today, it is facing hatred and anarchy.
“Attempts are being made to divide the nation and unity is being disturbed,” he said, adding the country’s economic crisis worsened following the previous government’s wrongdoings.
The PM added that the nation must look toward finding ways to take the country’s forward.
“Our government has been working day and night to save Pakistan from the economic crisis and default,” he said, criticising the previous government which led country to seek loans.
“The previous government left 48 billion in deficit — the worst in the history of Pakistan,” the PM said.
The PM added that his government has decided to start solar projects to deal with power shortage in the country.
“We have decided to take Pakistan toward economic progress, as there is no concept of Pakistan’s freedom without economic freedom,” the PM said.
While slamming the previous government, PM Shahbaz said that in 2017 and 2018 Pakistan was self-sufficient in wheat production, but the country is now forced to import wheat. He also criticised the PTI-led administration for not purchasing cheap LNG.
“Difficulties can be dealt with through economic stability and consistent policies,” PM Shahbaz remarked, adding that the nation can only progress if it overcomes challenges with passion.
He said that economic dependence has become the country’s identity, which our elders would've never thought about.
"As a prime minister, this has been my harshest experience," the PM added, questioning the PTI’s government whether on whose behest they halted the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), damaging the country's economy.
"Our [PML-N] government left the country self-sufficient in wheat, but the previous government's negligence led to the import of wheat," the premier highlighted.
At the outset of his address, the PM congratulated the nation on completing 75 years as an independent nation.
He said that the people celebrate Independence Day, Pakistan Day, Quaid-e-Azam Day, and Iqbal Day but the "truth" is, in the last 75 years, the nation has only only celebrated these days but not acknowledged the founding father's purpose.
The PM noted that the country failed to provide the young generation what they deserved.
"Why this nation is still lost even when God has blessed it?" he questioned.
Fierce fighting between Moscow and Kiev continues in eastern and southern territories on day 169 of the conflict even as both sides trade blame for imperilling Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant with attacks nearby.
Bombardment near the plant has raised the spectre of a nuclear catastrophe in Ukraine.
(AFP)
Thursday, August 11, 2022
Ukraine calls for end to Russian control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the international community to "react immediately" to force Russian forces to leave the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant targeted by shelling in recent days.
"The entire world must react immediately to chase out the occupiers from Zaporizhzhia," Zelenskyy said in his daily video address.
"Only the Russians' full withdrawal... would guarantee nuclear safety for all of Europe," he added, condemning "Russian nuclear blackmail".
The bombardment near the plant also occurred last week, raising the spectre of a nuclear catastrophe in a country that suffered the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
Russia doubles rate of air strikes on Ukraine positions
Russia has doubled the number of air strikes on Ukraine's military positions and civilian infrastructure compared with the previous week, Ukrainian Brigadier General Oleksiy Hromov said.
"The enemy's planes and helicopters avoid flying into the range of our air defences, and therefore the accuracy of these strikes is low," he told a news conference.
Ukraine, Russia blame each other for shelling of nuclear plant
Ukraine and Russia-installed local officials blamed each other for a renewed shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power complex in southern Ukraine.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to military activity near the plant, the largest in Europe, which Russia seized in March.
Ukraine's nuclear power company Energoatom said the plant's area was struck five times on Thursday, including near the site where radioactive materials are stored, but nobody was injured and radiation levels remained normal.
Satellite images show destruction at Russian air base in Crimea
Released satellite pictures have shown devastation at a Russian air base in Crimea, hit in an attack that suggested Kiev may have obtained new long-range strike capability.
Pictures from independent satellite firm Planet Labs showed three near-identical craters where buildings at Russia's Saki air base had been struck with apparent precision. The base, on the southwest coast of Crimea, suffered extensive fire damage with the burnt-out husks of at least eight destroyed warplanes clearly visible.
Russia has denied aircraft were damaged and said explosions at the base on Tuesday were accidental. Ukraine has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack or said exactly how it was carried out.
Ukraine and Russia are trading accusations over shelling around a Moscow-controlled nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia that has killed 14 civilians and left thousands of people without electricity.
Donors pledge more than $1.55B for Ukraine -Denmark
A group of 26 countries have pledged more than $1.55 billion in aid to boost Ukraine's military capabilities in its war against Russia, Danish Defence Minister Morten Bodskov told a news conference.
Ukraine expects $3B US financial aid in August
Ukraine expects $3 billion of US financial aid to arrive in August and a further $1.5 billion in September, Finance Minister Sergiy Marchenko has said.
Marchenko said the payments were part of the $7.5 billion financial aid package agreed by Ukraine and the United States at the start of the summer and would be used to finance "critical spending" such as healthcare and pension costs.
Russia claims shooting down Ukrainian helicopter
Russia has claimed that it shot down a Mi-24 military helicopter belonging to the Ukrainian army near the Dnipro region of Ukraine.
In a statement on the Russian-Ukraine conflict, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the Russian forces continue their attacks on the military elements in Ukraine and that 50 percent of the soldiers of the 14th and 66th mechanised brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces were neutralised.
He said that 20 brigade and battalion command posts and 8 ammunition depots were hit, adding that 1 S-300 anti-aircraft missile system locator near Kramatorsk was also destroyed. The spokesperson said that 7 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were also destroyed over the last 24 hours.
Russia launched a satellite of its ally Iran into orbit, raising concerns across the Western bloc that it could be used on the Ukraine conflict and anti-Iranian military targets in the Middle East. But do those concerns have merit? https://t.co/pT2VWLUQqG
Russia has accused Kiev on the "nuclear terrorism," claiming that Ukrainian shelling of the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant could lead to a disaster worse than the notorious 1986 Chernobyl accident.
On Wednesday, the G-7 and EU voiced concern over the threats posed by Russia's possession of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, urging Moscow to hand over the war-torn country's nuclear facilities to the government in Kiev.
Ukraine and Russian officials blamed each other for the shelling of the power plant.
UK-UAE coordination on Ukraine important for the world - UK
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan on a call that co-operation between the two countries on Ukraine and regional stability was "hugely important for the world", Johnson's spokesperson said.
"The Prime Minister praised the Crown Prince's success in bringing prosperity to both the UAE and the Gulf more generally," the Downing Street spokesperson said.
"He (Johnson) expressed his confidence that this co-operation will continue in the years ahead."
Germany rejects calls for EU ban on tourist visas for Russians
Germany has rejected calls for an EU ban on tourist visas for Russian citizens, stressing that sanctions should not harm innocent people.
“This war is Putin’s war,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz told a news conference in Berlin, adding that EU sanctions should target President Putin and those responsible for the conflict in Ukraine.
“We have adopted far-reacting, concrete sanctions against many Russian officials, oligarchs, and powerful groups in Russia and we’ll certainly continue to take further steps,” he said.
Ukraine exports nearly 400,000 tonnes of grain in the first week following the announcement of a Türkiye-brokered deal to address global food insecurity https://t.co/FEzBNI2dRy
Guatemala hails Turkish diplomacy's role in Ukraine conflict
The foreign minister of Guatemala has praised Türkiye's role as a mediator since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict over five months ago.
"I admire the role played by Turkish diplomacy here (in the Ukraine conflict). I would like to thank the (Turkish) Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mevlut Cavusoglu) as well. They made a very important agreement (the grain deal) and gave hope to the world . This was a very important step for all of us, for Türkiye. You gave hope to the world," Mario Bucaro Flores told Turkish envoys on the fourth day of the 13th Ambassadors Conference in Ankara.
On July 22, Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul to reopen three Ukrainian Black Sea ports for exporting Ukrainian grain stuck due to the conflict.
Britain says sanctions also impact Russia's defence sector
The European Union's full ban on Russian coal imports have kicked in at a time when British defence intelligence said that Western sanctions were increasingly having an impact, even on Russia's defence exports.
Britain said that Moscow was already strained by the need to produce armoured fighting vehicles for its troops in Ukraine and hence “is highly unlikely to be capable of fulfilling some export orders,” in a sector it has long taken pride in.
The British defence intelligence update, highlighting “the increasing effect of Western sanctions,” links with Western belief that the series of measures they imposed on the Kremlin since the February 24 offensive on Ukraine are increasingly having an impact on the Russian economy.
Indian firms are using dirham, yuan and euro more often to pay for Russian coal imports, according to Reuters, circumventing US dollar and avoiding risk of breaching Western sanctions against Moscow https://t.co/LhT5VpzgqC
UK, Denmark to supply additional aid, weapons to Ukraine
Britain and Denmark have announced more aid to Ukraine in the form of money and weapons in connection with an international donor conference in Copenhagen.
Britain in a statement said it will supply Ukraine with more multiple-launch rocket systems that can strike targets up to 80 kilometres away.
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the supply of weapons would help Ukraine defend itself against Russian heavy artillery.
Denmark will meanwhile increase its financial aid to Ukraine by $113.6 million, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the conference attended by several European defence ministers.
Latvian parliament declares Russia 'state sponsor of terrorism'
Latvian MPs have adopted a statement declaring Russia a "state sponsor of terrorism" and said its actions in Ukraine constituted "targeted genocide against the Ukrainian people".
The statement said the parliament "recognises Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view".
MPs said they considered "Russia's violence against civilians committed in pursuit of political aims as terrorism". They also condemned its use of cluster munitions "to sow fear and indiscriminately kill civilians".
UN denies that Ankara received a discount in grain prices from Ukraine under a Türkiye-brokered deal aimed at tackling global food crisishttps://t.co/I22EZQeQTM
Belarus dismisses reported explosions at airfield near Ukraine
Moscow's ally Belarus has played down reports of overnight explosions at a military airbase near the border with Ukraine that is said to be used by Russian troops.
"On August 10, at around 23:00 (2000 GMT), during a test run, a piece of equipment that had its engine replaced caught fire," the Belarusian defence ministry said in a statement.
It added that the fire was extinguished "in a timely manner" and there were no casualties.
Russia: Switzerland cannot represent its interests in Ukraine
The Russian foreign ministry has said that Switzerland could not represent Ukrainian interests in Russia and Moscow's interests in Ukraine because it is no longer a neutral country.
"Switzerland... has stopped being a neutral state and joined sanctions (against Russia)," Russian foreign ministry official Ivan Nechayev said.
Russia-backed separatists claim to have taken Pisky village in northwestern Donetsk. Our correspondent Melinda Nucifora has more from Odessa pic.twitter.com/IpS4yBhR06
Creditors agree to 2-year pause on Ukraine $20B debt
Ukraine's lenders have agreed to a pause for the payment of its $20 billion debt, as its economy has been severely impacted by Russia's attacks on the country, the prime minister has said.
"Investors in Ukraine's foreign debt agreed to postpone payments until 2024. It allows Ukraine to maintain macro-financial stability and strengthen economic sustainability", Denys Shmygal tweeted on Wednesday.
Holders of about 75 percent of Ukraine's debt agreed to the pause, the finance ministry said in a press release.
Pro-Russia rebels: Ukraine shells brewery, causing ammonia leak in Donetsk
Pro-Russian separatists have accused Ukraine of shelling a brewery in the occupied eastern city of Donetsk, killing one person and triggering a leak of ammonia, Interfax news agency reported.
The emergency ministry in the Russian-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said a shell had hit an ammonia line late at night, sparking a fire that at one point covered 6,500 square feet.
Pictures from the scene showed flames lighting the sky above one part of the city as well as firefighters donning masks. One picture appeared to show a corpse on the ground.
For live updates from Wednesday (August 10), click here
"We aspire to work with the Algerian presidency so that Morocco and Algeria can work hand in hand to establish normal relations between two brotherly peoples," says Mohammed VI.
Morocco and Algeria have long been at odds over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence from Rabat's rule.
(AP Archive)
Morocco's King Mohammed VI has used an address to "once again" reiterate his openness to restoring ties with Algeria, which broke off diplomatic relations with Rabat last year.
"We aspire to work with the Algerian presidency so that Morocco and Algeria can work hand in hand to establish normal relations between two brotherly peoples," Mohammed said on Saturday during the traditional speech marking the anniversary of his accession to the throne.
"I stress once again that the borders that separate the Moroccan and Algerian brothers will never be barriers preventing their interaction and understanding."
He urged Moroccans to "preserve the spirit of fraternity, solidarity and good neighbourliness towards our Algerian brothers".
Referring to "allegations that Moroccans insult Algeria and Algerians", Mohammed said they were the work of "irresponsible individuals who are trying to sow discord".
"This gossip about Moroccan-Algerian relations is totally senseless and frankly appalling," he added.
Western Sahara dispute
Morocco and Algeria have long been at odds over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence from Rabat's rule.
Algeria broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in August 2021, accusing Rabat of "hostile acts".
The decision was "completely unjustified," Rabat said.
The disputed status of Western Sahara –– a former Spanish colony considered a "non-autonomous territory" by the United Nations –– has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front since the 1970s.
Rabat, which controls nearly 80 percent of the territory, is pushing for autonomy under its sovereignty.
The Polisario Front, however, wants a UN-sponsored referendum on self-determination.
Morocco's sovereignty over the territory was backed by Washington in a 2020 deal that also saw Rabat normalise ties with Israel.
Algeria, which supports the Palestinian cause in addition to the Front, has taken the opportunity to criticise Morocco's growing military cooperation with Israel, which it refers to as the "Zionist entity".
The king also used Saturday's speech to pledge reform of the family code in favour of women's rights, social protections and price controls at a time of rising inflation.
The reformist king, 58, has ruled Morocco since July 1999, when he succeeded his father, Hassan II.
Moscow and Kiev accuse each other of bombing a jail holding Ukrainian prisoners in Russian-held territory, with Ukrainian President Zelensky calling attack "a war crime" as fighting enters its 157th day.
Russia alleges strikes were carried out by Ukraine with US-supplied long-range missiles, but Kiev blames Moscow for blasting the prison.
(Reuters)
Friday, July 29, 2022
Ukraine calls for Russia to be recognised as 'state sponsor of terrorism'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the deaths of dozens of prisoners in a Russian-held jail showed there should be clear legal recognition that Russia was a "state sponsor of terrorism."
"Today, I received information about the attack by the occupiers on Olenivka (the prison's location), in the Donetsk region. It is a deliberate Russian war crime, a deliberate mass murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war. More than 50 dead," he said in his daily address.
"I am appealing especially to the United States of America. A decision is needed and it is needed now."
For live updates from Friday (July 29), click here
Without naming the US, a Chinese diplomat at the UN says the principle of sovereignty is invoked when it comes to Ukraine, but the same principle is disregarded in the case of China's sovereignty over Taiwan.
Beijing is agitated over a possible visit to the Chinese island of Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
(TRTWorld)
China has accused the United
States of double standards at the United Nations for
challenging Beijing's sovereignty over Taiwan while emphasising
the principle of sovereignty for Ukraine after Russian forces assaulted it.
A day after Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned US President
Joe Biden in a phone call against playing with fire over Taiwan,
deputy UN ambassador Geng Shuang on Friday reinforced the message during
a meeting on Ukraine at the 15-member UN Security Council.
"While some country has repeatedly emphasised the principle
of sovereignty over the issue of Ukraine, it has incessantly
challenged the sovereignty of China over Taiwan, and even
deliberately created tension in the Taiwan Strait," Geng said, a
clear reference to the United States without naming it.
The determination of China to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity should not be underestimated, Geng said.
"I hope the country concerned will see this clearly and not play with fire."
Beijing is concerned about a possible visit to the
Chinese island of Taiwan by US House of
Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Such a visit would be a
dramatic, though not unprecedented, show of US support for
Taiwan.
A spokesperson for the US mission to the United Nations
dismissed China's comment as "an attempt to distract and deflect
blame from the reality: that Russia's aggression against Ukraine
is unacceptable under any circumstance."
"China's failure to highlight Russia's role as the clear
aggressor in its conflict with Ukraine calls into question its
commitment to the principles of sovereignty and territorial
integrity," the spokesperson said.
Geng told the council China had always maintained that all countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity should be
respected and legitimate security concerns be taken seriously.
US stance on Taiwan
Beijing considers Taiwan a "breakaway province," but the latter has maintained its independence since 1949 and enjoys diplomatic ties with at least 14 countries.
Interactions between Washington and Taipei have grown significantly since the tenure of former US president Donald Trump, with former and sitting lawmakers making trips to the island home to more than 25 million people.
The US formally recognised China in 1979 and shifted diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing, and accepted Taiwan as part of the mainland under Washington's One China policy.
According to the president, democracy and good governance must take their roots in the African continent to sustain peace, stability and development.
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Monrovia, Liberia, called on leaders in West Africa to do all within their powers to ensure that elections are conducted in their countries in an atmosphere of trust, freedom and transparency as this is the only way the sub-region can be insulated from the scourge of unconstitutional takeovers that reared its head in three countries recently.
President Buhari made this call in a goodwill message to the government and people of Liberia as he joined other world leaders on the occasion of the 175th Independence Anniversary of the West African nation.
According to the president, democracy and good governance must take their roots in the African continent to sustain peace, stability and development while leaders must redouble their efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy.
"I would like to use the opportunity of this event to address an important issue affecting three countries in the ECOWAS region; Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
"All the three nations have National Elections in 2023. In Nigeria, we are working towards a free, fair, transparent, credible and acceptable outcome of elections and their results, it is important and necessary for all our countries to key into these resolves as they are indispensable to peace and stability in our countries and sub-region.
"The deepening of democracy and good governance are essential antidotes to check-mate unconstitutional change of governments as we sadly witnessed within the last three years in three countries within our sub-region. We must strengthen our efforts to guarantee the irreversibility of democracy in our sub-region and Africa," he said.
President Buhari used the opportunity to recall Nigeria's leading roles that pulled the country back from its fratricidal insurrection in the 90s, adding that his presence at the celebrations underscores his strong belief in cementing existing bilateral ties:
"Nigeria's contributions to the survival and safety of Liberia are well known. The dark period of your country's civil war from 1989 to 1997, was a period that Nigeria invested hugely for peace in Liberia and indeed stability in the rest of the ECOWAS sub-region. May those dark days never re-surface in our countries and sub-region."
The Nigerian leader commended his Liberian counterpart, George Weah, for his demonstration of love for the country and the pursuance of peace, unity and progress, as evidenced by people-oriented projects executed with the sole purpose of taking the country to greater heights within the limited resources available. While urging the Liberian leader to do more, he assured him of Nigeria's continued support in this regard:
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"Your Excellency's policy of development launched in 2018 as well as the recently launched youth empowerment program, targeted at comprehensively addressing the problems of youth restiveness in Liberia and equally aimed at rescuing the disadvantaged youths (ZOGOS in local parlance) from drug addictions and other forms of social vices and transforming them into useful members of the Liberian society, are clearly very appropriate policies to lift up the most vulnerable.
"Permit me to assure you and all Liberians that Nigeria, as a good partner and a dependable ally, would continue to support you in these efforts, within the limit of our resources. This brings to the fore, the need for strengthening and broadening the levels of collaboration and cooperation between our two countries, both bilaterally and multilaterally, within the ECOWAS, AU and the UN, in order to adequately tackle the common national, sub-regional and global challenges."
The President of Liberia, George Weah, thanked President Buhari and other West African leaders for their attendance and to the Nigerian president, in particular, he said, "thank you Mr President and the good people of Nigeria. Without your support, we would not have had peace."
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