by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
Washington : The White House said on Friday that US President Donald Trump will travel to France, Ireland, Argentina and Columbia in November for bilateral and multilateral issues.
According to a statement issued by the White House press secretary, Trump will travel to Paris, France, to participate in a November 11 commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting in World War I, Xinhua reported.
Trump’s “participation in this event will highlight the sacrifices that Americans have made, not only during World War I but also in the century since,” the White House said.
While in Europe, Trump also will visit Ireland to “renew the deep and historic ties” with the country, read the statement.
Later in November, Trump will attend the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“The G20 Summit will be an opportunity for the President to highlight his pro-growth economic policies on an international stage and meet bilaterally with other key world leaders,” the White House said.
The US leader will also travel to Columbia, where he “looks forward to discussing with the Duque administration opportunities for even greater collaboration on security, counter narcotics, and regional affairs.”
In addition, Trump has asked Vice President Mike Pence to travel to Singapore in November to attend the United States-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and the East Asia Summit and then to Papua New Guinea for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings.
Pence will highlight the US regional vision, and meet with leaders of US regional allies and partners to advance security and prosperity, among others, the White House said.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
By Halil Fidan and Behcet Alkan,
Afrin, Syria : Syrians are now enjoying a free and secure travelling from Syria’s Azaz district to Idlib province after Afrin region was cleared from YPG/PKK terrorists as part of Turkish-led Operation Olive Branch.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, locals say they previously had to pay a huge amount to the terror group while going to northern Idlib province, which borders Turkey.
“Thank God, we’ve got rid of terrorists,” Ibrahim Ugla, a resident of Afrin, told Anadolu Agency while he was preparing to set out for Afrin with his belongings.
Syria’s Afrin region has been taken under “complete” control as part of Turkish-led Operation Olive Branch, the Turkish military said on Saturday.
“Previously, they [terrorists] were demanding a $1000 ransom for large vehicles and $500 for small ones. It was a huge amount. People were not able to travel for this reason,” he said.
Ugla thanked Turkey for its support to the people of Syria.
“Our neighbor and friend Turkey have been protecting Syrians for years. Many of our brothers have been living in peace there. Now, Turkish soldiers are trying to provide peace here. God bless them.”
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Fatma el-Hamdo, another Syrian, also expressed her happiness to be freed from terrorists.
“Previously, we were afraid of terrorists[…] They used to take money from us while we were travelling.”
A total of 3,733 terrorists have been ‘neutralized’ since the start of the Operation Olive Branch in Syria’s Afrin region, the Turkish military said in a statement on Saturday.
Turkish authorities often use the word “neutralized” in their statements to imply the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured.
Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch on Jan. 20 to clear terrorist groups from Afrin in northwestern Syria amid growing threats from the region.
The operation is being carried out under the framework of Turkey’s rights based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions, its self-defense rights under the UN charter, and respect for Syria’s territorial integrity, it said.
The military also said only terror targets are being destroyed and “utmost care” is being taken to not harm civilians.
—AA
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Riyadh : Iranians and Qataris are among the more than 1.7 million Muslims gathered in the holy city of Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, even though the governments in Tehran and Doha are at odds with Saudi Arabia.
Despite closing the border with Qatar on June 5 as part of the Gulf countries’ economic and diplomatic offensive against the gas-rich emirate, Saudi Arabia has allowed 1,340 Qataris to enter the country for the Hajj.
Doha earlier refused Riyadh’s proposal to arrange charter flights for Qatari pilgrims.
The Saudi minister of Islamic Affairs, Saleh al-Sheikh, told his country’s official news agency SPA that the kingdom serves all pilgrims without discrimination or exclusion on the basis of nationality, tribe or sect.
Political tensions are overshadowing the great religious event, but have not prevented 86,500 Iranian pilgrims from coming to Mecca this year after they were excluded last year following a deadly stampede during the 2015 Hajj.
Nearly 2,500 people – including 400 Iranians – died in the stampede, which Riyadh blamed on the Iranians, while Tehran faulted the Saudi government.
The Jeddah-based International Islamic News Agency said that the pilgrims include 25,500 people from the United Kingdom, 20,500 from Russia, 17,000 from the United States and 10,000 from France, among many other nationalities.
For the first time, the Saudi Ministry of Education has established nurseries where parents can leave their children while they perform the rituals of the pilgrimage, which lasts several days and takes place in different places.
Some 15,000 officers will ensure the safety of the Hajj and escort the pilgrims, according to the director of security, Gen. Mohamed al-Sharif.
The head of Saudi civil defense, Suleiman al-Amro, said that more than 3,000 “machines and devices” had been deployed in the holy places to respond to possible emergencies.
Besides the deadly stampede, the 2015 Hajj was also marred by a crane accident at the Great Mosque that left 100 people dead.
—IANS
