Friday, November 08, 2024

Resistance in Lebanon Will Foil Enemy's Schemes: Lebanese MP Fadlallah

By Al Mayadeen English

8 Nov 2024 23:08

MP Hassan Fadlallah confirms to Al Mayadeen that if the US administration does intent to stop the war, it will stop immediately, emphasizing that the bet is solely on the battlefield.

The Israeli occupation is attempting to "change the features of the region," through its aggression against Lebanon, but "this will not change the reality of the situation," member of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc in the Lebanese Parliament, MP Hassan Fadlallah, stated on Friday.

Speaking to Al Mayadeen, Fadlallah said, "The Israeli enemy’s longstanding goal is to control the area south of the Litani River," noting that these ambitions "have been thwarted by the Resistance."

He further emphasized that "the Resistance will foil these Israeli schemes now just as it did in the past" and that "the situation will be transformed by the steadfastness of the Resistance and through the battlefield."

He described the legendary confrontations along the southern Lebanese border with occupied Palestine as "a rare heroism of individuals and groups," in reference to the Resistance and the freedom fighters.

On that note, he stressed that "the Israeli occupation infiltrates, commits massacres, and carries out bombings," however, it has failed to assert its dominance on the battlefield as it has also failed to establish any extended presence along the border towns.

Fadlallah argued that "the occupation today seeks to take revenge from the villages of Bint Jbeil [district] and surrounding areas," where its military was humiliated back in 2006. The Lebanese MP also affirmed that "the Resistance remains steadfast in villages located just one or two kilometers from the border."

Enemies will be prevented from achieving their goals

Fadlallah told Al Mayadeen that "the occupation is trying to harm people through widespread destruction," however, he emphasized that, as Hezbollah promised, "this destruction will be reconstructed."

He explained that the main battle is focused in the area south of the Litani, adding that "rockets continue to rain down on enemy settlements," while noting that "the Resistance is fighting along the border in villages that the enemy has infiltrated and shelling settlements beyond the border."

Fadlallah stressed that "the occupation is unable to return the settlers of the north or achieve its stated goals," adding that "the primary bet for stopping the aggression is on the battlefield."

"As long as the fighting continues, the Resistance will keep targeting military headquarters and barracks in the settlements," he asserted, adding that “the settlers will not return to the northern settlements until the aggression stops.”

"The Israeli enemy has not been able to achieve any of its objectives," Fadlallah asserted, adding that "it has failed to bring back the settlers or eliminate the Resistance."

He reiterated, “When we speak of victory, we mean thwarting the enemy’s goals. When the occupation cannot achieve its aims, it has not won the war." He added, "Our mission today is to prevent the enemy from achieving its objectives."

Fadlallah also noted, "Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the ‘Master of the Ummah's martyrs,’ was martyred while overseeing both battlefield and political efforts."

Forcibly displaced people are priority for Hezbollah

On the forced displacement issue, Fadlallah told Al Mayadeen that Hezbollah's health, political, and social units have been catering to the displaced people's needs since day one.

He also confirmed that Sheikh Naim Qassem is closely following up on the displaced people's needs and the services provided to them.

"Hezbollah is extensively involved in handling the displacement issue," the MP added. "Even though we don’t publicize much about this, our approach has been to ensure that aid reaches the displaced."

Reassuring the public, Fadlallah stated that "the core capabilities of the Resistance remain intact," adding, "Our cadres and high-level expertise are still strong despite pursuits and assassinations."

"The enemy’s aggression has not broken the will of the Resistance," he asserted.

As for how and where the Resistance deploys its capabilities, Fadlallah clarified, "This depends on the Resistance’s strategic plans and field conditions."

US administration can end war immediately if it wanted to

Fadlallah emphasized that "every strike the Resistance directs at the enemy is carefully calculated," with the primary goal being to "end the aggression."

Regarding the US administration’s support for the Israeli occupation, Fadlallah told Al Mayadeen, "We have never relied on the current US administration, as it treats us just as it treats Gaza."

"If the US administration chooses to end the aggression, it ends immediately," he said.

He added, "We cannot rely on a partner in the aggression to halt the aggression, even if they have the power to decide." Fadlallah stressed that "the enemy has been unable and will continue to be unable to defeat or eliminate us."

“We have known this enemy since '48, and we know that it has [greedy] ambitions in our land," he continued.

Whoever thinks can change political equation in Lebanon is delusional

On the Lebanese political file, the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc member said, "From day one, we stated that this matter is in the hands of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and we trust his handling of it," asserting that "Hezbollah's leadership is in full communication and coordination with Speaker Berri, who is among the most committed to safeguarding our sovereignty and the freedom of our land.”

Fadlallah stressed that "the enemy will not gain politically what it failed to secure on the battlefield."

"On the military front, these are the enemy’s limits—it will neither advance further nor secure positions on the ground," he affirmed.

Addressing the Resistance supporters through Al Mayadeen, Fadlallah said, "We tell our people, as you have always done, patience, patience. We will, God willing, reach the desired outcome," noting that "the Israeli enemy is targeting various areas to turn them against the Resistance and its supporters," to no avail.

Fadlallah also responded to some political forces hinting at changing Lebanon's political dynamics and hoping to capitalize on the Resistance's anticipated victory by taking political advantage. He cautioned, "Those who believe they can alter Lebanon’s political equation are deluded."

"We hear many statements from various sources," he continued, "but we are not naïve."

Fadlallah added, "To some, we say, ‘You acted hastily and revealed too much, but this is not your moment.’"

On the national level, he noted that "many positive developments have been achieved so far," emphasizing that "those focused on the battlefield and the plight of the displaced will not engage in disputes with anyone."

"Our primary goal is to prevent the enemy from achieving its objectives," he added. "At home, we feel assured," he said, accusing certain forces of exploiting opportunities to present credentials to the Americans. "This approach will not build a homeland," he concluded.

IOF Depriving 80,000 Palestinians in Northern Gaza of Life Necessities

By Al Mayadeen English

8 Nov 2024 20:37

Thousands of displaced Palestinian families, forced to flee their homes, are sleeping on the streets due to a shortage of tents and shelter.

80,000 Palestinians still in northern Gaza are deprived of basic necessities and humanitarian aid, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported on Friday.

Our correspondent pointed out that thousands of families have been displaced to the west of Gaza City and are sleeping on the streets because of a lack of tents available to protect them from heat and cold.

Intense shelling by Israeli naval vessels targeted the beach of the Nuseirat refugee camp and the city of Rafah in central and southern Gaza Strip.

On Thursday evening, 27 Palestinians, including children and women, were killed, and others were injured in a new massacre committed by the Israeli occupation after it bombed a house in the Jabalia refugee camp.

The death toll from the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has risen to 43,508 martyrs, in addition to 102,684 injuries since October 7, 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry confirmed on the 399th day of the aggression.

The IOF also continue to forcibly disrupt the work of civil defense in northern Gaza Strip under Israeli targeting and aggression, and thousands of citizens there are now without humanitarian aid and medical care.

In the southern Gaza Strip, the occupation forces continue their ground invasion of large neighborhoods in Rafah, since May 7. Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported large explosions as a result of Israeli shelling targeting Khan Younis. 

The six-month update on the human rights situation in Gaza, covering the period from 1 November 2023 to 30 April 2024, highlights severe violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in Gaza, describing the Strip as "a rubble-strewn landscape."

Ajith Sunghay, Director of the UN Human Rights Office for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, has condemned these violations, emphasizing the widespread destruction of hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure, which has contributed to a dire humanitarian crisis. He also pointed to the severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, which have led to widespread starvation among Palestinians.

Additionally, Sunghay noted the targeting of journalists and civil society organizations, which has disrupted their work, and, according to the latest figures from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), nearly two million people in Gaza are now internally displaced and struggling with severe shortages of food, water, and medicine.

Families are frequently forced to relocate, and 80% of Gaza is now designated for evacuation and relocation by Israeli forces, confining Palestinians to just 20% of the territory.

The report calls for an immediate ceasefire, strict adherence to international law, and accountability for violations. It stresses the urgent need for access to humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians.

In the report, the UN Human Rights Office revealed that 70% of those killed in Gaza from November 2023 to April 2024 are women and children, describing this high civilian toll as a severe breach of international humanitarian law and attributing the high civilian death toll to "Israel's" use of weapons with expansive area effects in Gaza's densely populated urban zones.

"Our monitoring indicates that this unprecedented level of killing and injury of civilians is a direct consequence of the failure to comply with fundamental principles of international humanitarian law – namely the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack," stated UN human rights chief Volker Turk.

According to the detailed analysis, about 80% of the victims were killed in residential buildings or similar housing, out of which 44% were children and 26% were women.

The most represented verified fatalities were children aged 5 to 9, between ages 10 to 14, and babies and children from 0 to 4 years old. The report also verified that the youngest victim was a one-day-old boy, while the oldest was a 97-year-old woman.

"It is essential that there is due reckoning with respect to the allegations of serious violations of international law through credible and impartial judicial bodies," Turk said, stressing the importance of collecting and preserving evidence.

Morocco Limits Preaching About War in the Middle East that Invokes Jihad

By SAM METZ

1:16 PM EST, November 8, 2024

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Politicians and activists in Morocco are questioning limitations imposed on preachers regarding what they may say about war in the Middle East during sermons.

During a meeting at the country’s parliament this week, socialist lawmaker Nabila Mounib bemoaned the way that imams were curtailed in how they can speak about the plight of Palestinians and call for religious struggle to support their cause.

“No imam can speak about the Palestinian issue,” Mounib claimed on Tuesday. “Today no one is demanding jihad for our brothers in Palestine.”

In Morocco, imams are employed by the state and their sermons cannot be overtly political. Regardless of the extent to which they have focused on the Israel-Hamas war, Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs has said that such subject matter is permitted. Yet activists are still worried about de facto limits placed on preaching about Palestinians.

The question first arose in October 2023 after a document circulated on social media claiming to outline such limits. Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs said in a statement that preaching about the suffering of Palestinians was authorized and that the document was faked.

In an interview with Moroccan news website Anfas Press on Friday, Mounib said she had intended to denounce efforts to prevent imams from preaching about Palestinians but had not said they should call for jihad from their pulpits.

“Jihad,” which means struggle or effort in Arabic, can denote striving to live in accordance with the path of God, either through internally finding one’s faith or externally fighting for Islamic principles like justice. However, it can be interpreted in more militant terms as “holy war” and has been used by some as a religious concept used to recruit volunteers to fight since the Soviet-Afghan war began in 1979.

The debate centers on whether it should be allowed to invoke jihad in regard to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq later denied Mounib’s claim that preachers cannot broach the Israel-Hamas war but acknowledged and defended the prohibition on calls for jihad.

“Any imam who talks about barbarism and injustice and denounces them is welcome, but calling for jihad is something else,” he said.

Explaining the prohibition this week, Toufiq cautioned that there were different interpretations of jihad.

Yet to some pro-Palestinian activists in Morocco, the limitations are less about jihad and more about the tensions between state and society that have simmered since the war began.

“Imams have a right to take a stand and, in Islam, even have a duty,” Ahmed Wehman of the Moroccan Observatory for Anti-Normalization told The Associated Press. “The government has nothing to do with Moroccan public opinion. They do not represent Morocco and Moroccans.”

Morocco has one of the region’s most historically significant Jewish communities and was one of four Arab states to normalize ties with Israel in 2020. But tens of thousands of protesters have regularly taken to the streets of its major cities throughout the 14-month war, protesting Israel’s actions and demanding Morocco cut diplomatic ties.

Protests have united socialists like Mounib with Islamists, including those from the Justice and Development Party and Al Adl Wal Ihsane, a banned but tolerated Islamist movement that doesn’t participate in electoral politics. Some of its members have faced arrest and imprisonment for opining on social media about Morocco’s ties with Israel amid the war.

Many governments dictate what preachers can say from the pulpit in Muslim-majority countries, including Morocco, which has long worked to describe its brand of Islam to the world as a moderating force. Doing so is among authorities’ strategies to curb extremism but can at times push believers to look for spiritual guidance outside the government-controlled religious sphere.

Francesco Cavatorta, a political science professor at Université Laval in Quebec, said countries like Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Syria have historically exerted control over imams to control the narrative of religion and ensure sermons don’t undermine national stability.

In Morocco, he said, the regulation is “part of an effort to be seen as a country that is a Muslim country but a tolerant country and a welcoming country.”

Morocco has this year suspended preachers who veer from directives. Its Ministry of Islamic Affairs publishes guidance for imams on Wednesdays, two days before Friday prayers.

The content of sermons has in the past pitted the government against activists. In 2017, when anti-government protests were sweeping Morocco’s north, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs directed preachers to reproach activists for promoting division among Muslims, the online news outlet Le Desk reported. Nasser Zefzafi, the country’s most famous political prisoner, was arrested later that year after interrupting a sermon about the protests, shouting a question about whether mosques served God or the monarchy.

Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs did not respond to requests for comment.

Imams throughout the Middle East and North Africa have regularly referenced the war since October 2023, including in countries where the government oversees their sermons.

“The way to eliminate oppression and evil, no matter where it is in the world, is through the unity and solidarity of Muslims,” Ali Erbas, the head of the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs, said in a Friday sermon delivered in Azerbaijan. ”When Muslims act together with the consciousness of brotherhood and the spirit of solidarity, all people will find peace.”

Mozambique on Edge as Army is Deployed to Help Control Violence in Post-election Protests

7:44 AM EST, November 8, 2024

MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Mozambique has deployed soldiers on the streets to help keep order following weeks of protests against the ruling party that has been accused of rigging last month’s election to extend its 49 years in power.

Mozambique armed forces spokesperson Gen. Omar Saranga made the announcement at a late-night press conference on Thursday, saying the army would support police in keeping order. Soldiers had already been deployed when he made the announcement, Saranga said.

The country of 34 million people in southern Africa is on edge, with the presidential palace under heavy guard and security forces constantly patrolling the streets. Many people are locking themselves in their homes.

“In moments like this, with demonstrations taking place in some regions, our role also extends to supporting security forces in maintaining public order and peace,” Saranga said.

Thousands of protesters set fires and barricaded roads in the capital, Maputo, on Thursday in the biggest demonstration since the Oct. 9 election. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

The ruling Frelimo party’s candidate, Daniel Chapo, was declared the winner of the presidential election two weeks ago, continuing the leftist party’s dominance of Mozambican politics since independence from Portugal in 1975.

Opposition parties have accused Frelimo of stuffing ballot boxes and other election fraud, while international observers said there were problems with the vote and it was not free and fair. Frelimo has often been accused of rigging national and local elections to keep power. The Constitutional Council has not yet validated the results of the election, which it must do for them to be recognized.

Current President Filipe Nyusi of Frelimo is stepping down after serving the two terms allowed under the constitution.

Protests began almost immediately after the election, prompting a police crackdown. Police have been accused by rights groups of firing live bullets at peaceful demonstrations and at least 20 people have been killed by security forces, according to international groups. Mozambican rights groups say the death toll is much higher.

Anger also swelled after two senior opposition figures — a lawyer and a party spokesperson — were killed by unidentified gunmen, who ambushed them in their car and fired at least 25 rounds at them, according to their party.

The regional Southern African Development Community has called a special summit for later this month, when Mozambique will be high on the agenda. Neighboring South Africa has closed its main border crossing with Mozambique and heightened security on its side.

The Island of Mauritius, Praised as an African Success Story, Will Hold its National Election

FILE—Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, file)

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME

12:52 PM EST, November 8, 2024

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius will hold a national election Sunday, when Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth seeks to win a second term as leader of a nation often praised as one of Africa’s success stories.

Mauritius, which sits about 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) off Africa’s east coast, is recognized as one of the continent’s most stable democracies and has developed a successful economy underpinned by its finance, tourism and agricultural sectors since gaining independence from Britain in 1968.

Jugnauth, 62, has been prime minister since 2017, when he succeeded his father. An alliance of parties led by his center-left Militant Socialist Movement won a majority of seats in Parliament to cement his leadership in 2019. Mauritius has a long history of parties joining in alliances to contest elections. The MSM has led the government since 2009.

Jugnauth’s five-party People’s Alliance will be challenged by opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam’s Alliance for Change in this weekend’s election.

Mauritians will vote for 62 seats in Parliament, and the party or alliance with a majority forms the government and chooses the prime minister. Another eight lawmakers are nominated by the Electoral Supervisory Council.

The World Bank has described Mauritius, a former colony of sugar plantations, as a “beacon of success for sub-Saharan Africa” and says it has achieved remarkable economic growth since independence. Mauritius was briefly rated a high-income country in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic set it back. It still has one of the highest standards of living in Africa.

The island, well known to tourists for its idyllic tropical beaches, has a population of just over 1 million people. It ranks second in Africa behind Seychelles on the Human Development Index, which ranks quality of life for citizens and takes into account life expectancy, access to education and per capita income.

The country has a strong Indian influence. More than 60% of Mauritians have Indian heritage and people speak Mauritian Creole, a French-based language with some English and other influences.

The Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a U.S. Congress-funded academic institution, said Mauritius’ stability and strong governance have made it a popular destination for financial investment.

“This has translated into high-quality health care, increased educational opportunities, and a 22% increase in per capita income over the past decade,” the center said in a pre-election analysis.

Jugnauth’s own image was burnished last month when the British government agreed to give sovereignty of the long-contested Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Mauritius had claimed the archipelago as its territory for more than 50 years.

Yet a countrywide ban on social media a week ago in response to a wiretapping scandal raised criticism of Jugnauth’s government and prompted some political turmoil ahead of the election.

Nicole Beardsworth, a political researcher at Johannesburg’s University of Witwatersrand, said some Mauritians were also left unhappy after allegations of irregularities in the 2019 election.

The wiretapping scandal saw recordings of the private conversations of politicians, police officers, business figures and others published online, prompting the government to block social media sites. The ban was initially ordered to remain in place until after the election but has been lifted. It raised questions from critics if authorities were behind the wiretapping.

The Reporters Without Borders organization, which promotes the right to freedom of information and media independence, said five well-known Mauritian journalists were also tapped and had their conversations leaked, and called for an investigation. The scandal indicated “a widespread system of surveillance” in Mauritius, the group said.

At an Art Festival in Dakar, Artists from Both Sides of the Atlantic Examine the Legacy of Slavery

By MONIKA PRONCZUK and MARK BANCHEREAU

11:44 AM EST, November 8, 2024

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A whirlwind of color and art at the opening of this year’s Dakar Biennale of Contemporary African Art in the Senegalese capital stood in stark contrast to the serious topic of slavery featuring in the artworks of guest artists from the United States.

The U.S. exhibit showcases seven African American artists whose works examine the past, present and future repercussions of slavery. It’s part of the international festival held every other year and known as Dak’Art.

Traditional “boubous,” wide-sleeved robes worn across West Africa, mixed with black suits and ties at the opening Thursday in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

The exhibition, founded in 1989 by the Senegalese government to promote the continent’s thriving art scene, has over the years become one of the most important among African artists.

This year’s theme, “The Wake,” has 58 artists from 33 countries exploring various meanings and evocations of the term, such as exhumation, mourning and uprooting, according to the organizers.

The central idea behind it is to link the past and the future by giving them equal importance, Salimata Diop, Dak’Art’s artistic director said in a statement distributed to the media.

The United States was the guest of honor of this year’s show.

The work of African American artists explored cultural beliefs about the afterlife held by Lebou, one of Senegal’s ethnic groups. The Lebou believe that in the afterlife, spirits dwell eternally in the ocean.

There was also an entire new alphabet depicted on the curly hair pattern of African hair, as well as an immersive exhibit attempting to let viewers experience what it might have felt like to be a slave and be thrown into the water.

The wake of slavery impacted all Americans, said Diana Baird N’Diaye, the show’s curator. She is based between the U.S. and Senegal. The displayed art does not only relate to the past, but also looks towards the future, she added.

“We are here because they (our ancestors) survived slavery in America,” she said. “We are here because our ancestors, our grandparents survived Jim Crow.”

“And now we are at another crucial moment,” Baird N’Diaye said.

The Dak’Art comes as several countries in the region are stepping away from traditional Western allies and turning towards new partners, such as Russia and China, with a less complicated history in the region.

In a region rocked in recent years by coups and extremist violence, Senegal has managed to maintain its reputation as a stable democracy. Still, Senegal’s ruling party, which is facing an election next week, has pledged to review its relationship with Western countries, but so far has not made any radical decisions.

Khady Diène Gaye, Senegal’s minister of youth, sports and culture, told reporters that the U.S. role as the guest of honor is “a display of the importance of art as a tool for dialogue between peoples, the promotion of peace, mutual understanding, but most importantly as a tool for economic and social development.”

The Dak’Art runs until Dec. 7. Originally scheduled for May, it was postponed following political tensions around the April presidential election and funding issues that the new authorities blamed on the former administration.

Why People with Disabilities in Nairobi are Looking Beyond Public Transport to Navigate Busy City

By MAGDALENE MWANIKI

12:11 AM EST, November 8, 2024

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Caroline Mwikali lost her ability to walk at age 13 after an illness. She quickly learned how difficult it is to get around in Kenya’s busy capital, Nairobi.

Mwikali, who now works at a car financing company, said public transport is not designed to accommodate wheelchair users like her.

Nairobi’s most popular modes of transport include motorbikes along with minivans and minibuses that are not fitted with ramps. They also are not designed to fit wheelchairs in their aisles, so users must be hoisted up the stairs and placed on regular seats while their wheelchairs are put with luggage.

“In most cases, the people manning the bus terminals have to lift you off the wheelchair to help you board the buses. This is not only uncomfortable but leaves you attracting unnecessary attention from the public,” Mwikali told The Associated Press.

She is among 2.2% of Kenya’s population, or about 900,000 people, who live with a disability. The most common type of disability is mobility-related at 42%.

One entrepreneur, Daniel Gatura, founded Ace Mobility in Nairobi in 2021. Its vehicles are modified with ramps and swivel seats to accommodate people with disabilities and anyone else who needs support commuting.

Gatura said he was inspired by a personal experience growing up.

“My father sustained a spinal cord injury in an accident that left him in a wheelchair when he was just 5 years old. I witnessed the challenges my father faced, including losing his job due to transportation issues,” Gatura said.

Users can book rides through the Ace Mobility app. Drivers are trained as caregivers, ensuring they understand how to provide respectful and appropriate assistance to passengers with disabilities.

Gatura said they have 5,000 users.

“We are changing the narrative around disability and reduced mobility. Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you cannot earn for yourself; it doesn’t mean you are a nobody in the society,” he said.

The transport is more expensive than public transport, charging the equivalent of $1 per kilometer (0.6 miles). The same amount can be used to pay for a 40-kilometer (24-mile) ride in public transport vehicles. But Gatura noted it delivers people directly to their homes.

“I find the charges quite fair considering the convenience that it offers. I get to travel comfortably and without necessarily moving from my chair. It also somehow preserves my dignity,” said Mwikali, who has used the service for four months after a referral from a former classmate.

But others like Cindy Cherotich can’t afford the service. She must jostle for space on minibuses while on crutches.

“When I go to the bus station sometimes the public vehicles do not allow me to board,” she said. “When they see my crutch and (see) somebody who is OK without crutches, they will let them in and I will be left.”

Lucy Nkatha, a disability advocate and coordinator of Kiengu Women Challenged to Challenge Group, an NGO, said she had never heard of Ace Mobility and called for marketing support for such companies.

“It should also be made affordable,” she said.

Sandra Nyawira, the disability inclusion adviser at United Disabled Persons of Kenya, noted that Kenya has a number of policies in place to address accommodations for people with disabilities, but implementation is rare. She called for more political will.

“It’s one thing to have a policy that speaks to your issues, but then it’s another to implement them,” she said.

 ICC Judges Unseal an Arrest Warrant for an Alleged Central African Republic Rebel

FILE - View of the ICC, the International Criminal Court, in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

11:46 AM EST, November 7, 2024

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday unsealed an arrest warrant for an alleged rebel from the Central African Republic accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, extermination, rape and persecution more than a decade ago.

According to his warrant, which was originally issued under seal in 2018, Edmond Beina commanded a group of about 100-400 fighters responsible for murdering Muslims in early 2014 in a village in the west of the impoverished nation.

Prosecutors say Beina’s group was part of the anti-Balaka, a mainly Christian militia that fought against the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebel force in 2013-2014. The fighting left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.

The Central African Republic has been plagued by violence since 2013, when Seleka rebels forced then-President Francois Bozize from office. Anti-Balaka militias fought back, also targeting civilians and sending most of the Muslim residents of the capital, Bangui, fleeing in fear.

ICC judges said in a written ruling that they unsealed the warrant for Beina’s arrest after authorities in the Central African Republic challenged the admissibility of the case. The court did not reveal details of the challenge.

Prosecutors allege that Beina was involved in crimes in the village of Guen in the country’s west from February to April, 2014, including murdering Muslim civilians. He also commanded other fighters who carried out crimes, his warrant says.

In one incident, prosecutors allege that Beina and his fighters stormed the compound of a Muslim community leader in Guen, where about 300 displaced people, including women and children were sheltering.

“Beina separated the civilians into groups and, at gunpoint, ordered the men and boys to lie down. Then, Beina summarily executed several Muslim men and boys with his Kalashnikov rifle, emptying one magazine and another,” the warrant said.

“Beina ordered his men to finish off any survivors,” it added, saying that at least 42 Muslim men and boys were killed in the attack.

Three other alleged rebels from Central African Republic are currently on trial at the court for their alleged roles in the sectarian violence in the country.

Thousands Turn Out for Inauguration of Botswana’s New President, Who Calls for Unity

By SELLO MOTSETA

11:59 AM EST, November 8, 2024

GABORONE, Botswana. (AP) — Thousands of people from around Botswana attended the inauguration Friday of their country’s new president, Duma Boko, who called for unity after an election that brought an end to the former ruling party’s 58 years in power.

His Umbrella for Democratic Change, a coalition of Botswana National Front and the Alliance for Progressives won 36 parliamentary seats and denied former president Mokgweetsi Masisi a second term.

Boko took his oath in front of thousands of citizens and delegates in the capital Gaborone on Friday after arriving in an open top vehicle accompanied by flag-carrying soldiers on white horses.

Addressing the nation in his first official speech as president, Boko encouraged those in attendance to give his predecessor — who was often subjected to jeers — some love and praised his willingness to concede power without incident.

He described the change of government in Botswana as a historic moment and stressed the need to avoid squabbles and personal rifts.

“This is indeed a historic moment most humbling and most sobering. It is one of the rarest moments that can only be acknowledged in retrospect,” he said.

He expressed his love for his country and the appreciation they had shown him in electing him to the country’s highest office.

“It gives me great pleasure when I look at you and you look back at me and say that’s my boy. You say so because you raised the boy. You love the boy. You know and understand that this boy loves you,” said Boko in a colorful inauguration speech fueled by optimism but thin on details of his party’s plans for national development.

During the campaign, his party promised to fight corruption and introduce a minimum wage of 4,000 Pula ($302) per month, unemployment allowance and to increase old age benefits and build new enterprises.

A recent Afrobarometer survey shows that unemployment is the most pressing concern for citizens, far surpassing other issues such as health, crime, poverty, education and corruption.

Official statistics show that unemployment has increased to 27.6% in 2024 from 25.9% in 2023.

“We want the government to create jobs and make better use of public funds,” said Onkutule Ntwayagae, a self-employed 42-year-old from the village of Mahalapye, attended the inauguration. Ntwayagae said he was expecting a change and an improvement in the livelihood of ordinary people.

Diamonds account for 80% of Botswana’s exports but the global downturn in demand for mined diamonds has affected the revenues of Debswana, the mining company the government owns with mining conglomerate De Beers, each with a 50% share.

There have been calls for Botswana to have increased ownership and to benefit more from the arrangement.

“If he is able to renegotiate the deal with De Beers it would create jobs. Debswana is our main cash cow and if it is experiencing difficulty we have serious problems.” Ntwayagae said.

Some Batswana believed that they would never witness a peaceful transfer of power to opposition.

“It means a lot for me because I never thought this day would come. We have seen the opposition fighting for power for so long. I am happy to have been able to witness this historic moment”, said Gosego Moleele, a teacher from Jwaneng.

Former president Ian Khama, South African deputy president Paul Mashatile and South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema were among the dignitaries attending the inauguration.

Thursday, November 07, 2024

Repair Works Responsible for Thursday’s National Grid Collapse — TCN

7th November 2024

By Dare Olawin

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has stated that the ongoing repair works in the power sector were responsible for Thursday’s grid collapse.

TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, disclosed this in a statement.

According to her, the national grid experienced a disturbance at approximately 11:29 am on Thursday, caused by a sudden rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz.

“Recovery efforts began immediately, and the Abuja Axis was restored within 28 minutes. Recovery is still ongoing,” she said, even though many residents reported they had yet to receive power supply since the first grid collapse on Tuesday.

“The frequency spike was caused by issues encountered at one of TCN’s substations, which had to be shut down to prevent further complications. In addition, we are actively engaged in significant repair works on several critical transmission lines and substations.

“This includes the 330kV transmission lines along the Shiroro–Mando axis, major upgrades at the Jebba Transmission Substation, and the restoration of the second Ugwuaji–Apir 330kV transmission line.

“Furthermore, following the submission of the investigative report on the causes of previous grid collapses, we have begun addressing the identified weaknesses in the transmission system.

“Efforts are being made to close the gaps highlighted in the report and to enhance the overall stability and resilience of the grid. These efforts include both technical upgrades and strategic interventions based on the committee’s recommendations,” Mbah added.

However, she noted that while the repairs and improvements are underway, some degree of instability in the system is likely to persist until all major works are completed.

“We acknowledge the impact of these disruptions and ask for the understanding and patience of the public during this challenging period.

“TCN remains committed to improving the reliability of electricity supply, recognising the vital role that stable power plays in Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

“We assure the public that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the grid’s long-term stability, in line with the recommendations of the investigative committee, while also addressing infrastructure damage, such as vandalised transmission lines,” she said.

The PUNCH reports that as Nigerians await full power restoration, the national grid collapsed once again on Thursday.

The grid had earlier collapsed on Tuesday, marking the 10th such incident since January 2024.

Our correspondent confirmed that, as of 11 am on Thursday, the 20 power plants were able to generate only 2,323 megawatts of electricity, as power generation later dropped to 0.00MW at 12 pm.

The peak generation for the day was 3,743MW as of 10 am.

The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company reported a power outage at 11:29 am.

“Dear Esteemed Customer, please be informed that we experienced a system outage today, 7th November 2024, at 11:29 hrs, affecting supply within our network. Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders. Kindly bear with us,” the IKEDC said.

Nigerian National Grid Suffers Fresh Collapse

By Faruk

Thu, 7 Nov 2024 12:37:53 WAT

The National grid has suffered yet another collapse, plunging the county into another round of darkness.

The collapse which happened around 11:28am, on Thursday, is the second this week and 10th in 2024.

A check on Independent System Operator, an autonomous arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) showed all power plants connected to the grid didn’t produce any electricity around 12pm.

The ISO’s website showed the generation plants produced an average of 2,323 megawatt of electricity around 11am but reading 0.00MW for 12pm.

As of the time of filing this report, TCN is yet to state the reason for the collapse.

Confirming the development, Jos Disco stated that the current outage being experienced within its franchise is a result of loss of power supply from the national grid.

“The loss of power supply from the national grid occurred this morning at about 11:28 hours of today, Thursday, 7th November 2024, hence the loss of power supply on all our feeders.”

“We hope to restore normal power supply to our esteemed customers as soon as the grid supply is restored back to normalcy.”

Nigeria’s Major Cities Suffer Blackouts as the Power Grid Collapses Yet Again

FILE - High tension power lines pass through Makoko slum in Lagos, Nigeria, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)

By DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN

12:40 PM EST, November 7, 2024

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s major cities including Abuja, Lagos and Kano suffered blackouts Thursday as the country’s electricity grid collapsed in the tenth such outage to hit the power system this year.

A “partial disturbance of the system” caused the latest round of blackouts, the Transmission Company of Nigeria said in a statement, without elaborating.

Grid failures are common in Nigeria where the power industry suffers from a lack of investment. The national grid has collapsed 10 times this year, the first time on Feb. 4 and the latest previous time on Tuesday.

Africa’s most populous country has the potential to generate 13,000 megawatts, but can only transmit 4,000 megawatts due to weak infrastructure, the transmission company said last year. That amount not enough for a population of more than 200 million people.

Nigeria gets about 40,000 megawatts from gasoline-powered generators for households and businesses, according to Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria’s minister of power.

Apart from weak infrastructure, armed groups have also sabotaged power supplies. Last month, the northern part of the country was without power for more than seven days after insurgents vandalized transmission lines, the Transmission Company of Nigeria said.

Last year, Nigeria enacted a law that allows states to generate and transmit power – a way of unburdening the aging national grid and attracting investors to the sector.

Non-Aligned Movement Condemns Israeli Airstrikes on Iran

While the United States enabled the attacks on Tehran, the United Nations Rapporteur for Palestine accuses the West of failing to uphold international human rights law

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Wednesday November 6, 2024

Geostrategic Analysis

Even though inside the United States, Britain and the many Western European states the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) retaliatory bombing of military sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran on October 26 was greeted with praise, others largely within the Global South viewed the actions of Tel Aviv as a major threat to world peace.

Iran has taken a leading position in supporting the affiliates of the Axis of Resistance which extends throughout the West Asia region.

Since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) with the backing of the administration of President Joe Biden, has killed tens of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank. Since the end of September, the war has expanded exponentially into Lebanon where daily bombing and shelling by the IDF has resulted in the deaths and injuries of many more. 

The displacement of 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has been a cause of concern for people around the world. In Lebanon reports suggest that 1.2 million people have been displaced in response to the IDF bombing operations with approximately 200,000-300,000 fleeing into neighboring Syria. 

Iran is viewed by successive administrations in Washington and Tel Aviv as the principal adversary of the settler-colonial regime. The build up of the diplomatic and military capability of Tehran since the 1979 Revolution has shifted the geostrategic landscape in the Persian Gulf and West Asia as a whole.

NAM Stands in Solidarity with Iran

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) representing 121 countries has issued a statement condemning the Zionist state for its attacks on Iran which resulted in the deaths of four people. This organization has its origins in the surge of the national liberation movements within the colonial territories in the aftermath of World War II and the imperialist invasion of the Korean Peninsula. 

In 1955 at the Bandung Conference in Indonesia, the first Afro-Asian Summit was held where these newly emerging states set out to pursue an independent course to the unfolding international situation. Six years later in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement was formally established. Since 1961, the NAM has held periodic conferences where various positions have been enunciated and implemented. (https://www.cvce.eu/en/obj/final_communique_of_the_asian_african_conference_of_bandung_24_april_1955-en-676237bd-72f7-471f-949a-88b6ae513585.html)

The NAM released its statement on November 4 where it condemned the IDF airstrikes for their violations of the territorial sovereignty of the Islamic Republic. In addition to defending the rights of one of its member-states to protect its ability to exist without threats of military attacks, the Mehr News Agency emphasized in a report that:

“The NAM also strongly condemns the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, whose airspace was illegally used by the Israeli regime to commit this aggression against Iran, the statement said. While expressing deep solidarity with the people and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the bloc reiterated that by launching the attack, the regime violated the fundamental principles of international law, the United Nations Charter, especially Article 2, Paragraph 4, which explicitly prohibits the use of force against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any country. The NAM members, while holding Israel accountable for its aggression and consequences, calls it the inherent right of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other affected countries to protect their sovereignty, and territorial integrity in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.” (https://en.mehrnews.com/news/224038/NAM-countries-condemn-Israeli-aggression-against-Iran)

These comments made by the NAM speak volumes as it relates to the burgeoning solidarity between peoples of the Global South. Although the governments affiliated with the NAM encompass different systems of economics and politics, there is an overall concern in regard to the well-being and genuine sovereignty of its people. 

Within the NAM countries there are 4.7 billion people residing which constitute 58.3 percent of the world’s population. Despite the unequal distribution of power between the western capitalist countries and the majority of those living in the Global South, the level of political consciousness and organization among the peoples of Africa, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific is rapidly rising.

Other groupings such as BRICS plus and The New Development Bank (NDB) are directly addressing the necessity for an alternative framework of international relations and trade. The concept of de-dollarization has gained interest within the Global South in collaboration with the Russian Federation. These issues are directly tied to the imperialist domination of Palestine, Lebanon, Iran and other areas of West Asia. 

UN Rapporteur Slams Western States for Ignoring Genocide

Iran is being targeted by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) due to its uncompromising solidarity with the people of Palestine. The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) has been mobilized in efforts to impose a blockade on Israeli-controlled ports in Palestine. 

These avenues of exposure and struggle are adopted because of the failure of the imperialist states and the United Nations to resolve the Palestinian question. The UN General Assembly voted recently to recognize Palestine as an independent state and to end the occupation by the Zionist regime over the next year. 

On October 31, Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territory Occupied Since 1967, issued a statement on her research involving events which have unfolded over the last year. Official figures supplied by the Gaza Health Ministry say that more than 43,000 people have been killed since October 7, 2023. In addition, more than 100,000 have suffered injuries. 

According to the UN report on Albanese’s work:

“Describing herself as ‘a reluctant chronicler of genocide,’ Ms. Albanese said the international community must recognize what is happening in Gaza as a genocide and ‘understand the bigger design behind what’s happening in Palestine today’. It is not simply war crimes and crimes against humanity that the Palestinians are experiencing — ‘they have experienced those through their entire life,’ she said, but the current situation is different. Under the fog of war, Israel has accelerated the forced displacement of the Palestinians that began decades ago, but ‘what’s happening today is much more severe because of the technology, the weaponry and the impunity’, she added.  It is time to consider suspending Israel’s credential as a Member State. Acknowledging that this is a sensitive topic, she said, ‘None of you really has clean hands when it comes to human rights,’ but no other country has maintained an unlawful occupation violating decades of UN resolutions as Israel has done, she said.” (https://www.un.org/unispal/document/ceirpp-419th-meeting-press-release-31oct24/)

Such words are an indication of what billions of people all over the world see taking place in Palestine. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that the legal claims brought by the Republic of South Africa against the State of Israel in December charging genocide were plausible. 

These research reports and lawsuits are important because they shed indisputable light on the objective conditions as they prevail. However, the people impacted by U.S.-Israeli policy in Palestine and throughout West Asia are compelled to resist the decades-long occupation, ethnic cleansing and genocide. 

In an article written by human rights Atty. Stanley L. Cohen and published by Al Jazeera in 2017, it cites a UN resolution upholding the right under international law to resist colonial and imperialist oppression, noting:

“At that time UNGA resolution 37/43 removed any doubt or debate over the lawful entitlement of occupied people to resist occupying forces by any and all lawful means. The resolution reaffirmed ‘the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation by all available means, including armed struggle’.” (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2017/7/20/palestinians-have-a-legal-right-to-armed-struggle)

Consequently, the Palestinians and their allies in the region will continue to wage struggles in various forms aimed at their national liberation and sovereignty. This factor is a motivating force for the U.S. supply of arms to the settler-colonial Zionist state which are utilized to carry out genocide in Palestine and Lebanon as well as engage in airstrikes against Iran, Iraq, Yemen and Syria.

Both ruling class political parties in the U.S. are invested in the occupation of Palestine and the suppression of the people of the entire West Asia region. The administration of President Joe Biden was heavily castigated for its support of the genocide in Gaza. 

His apparent successor, President-elect Donald Trump, is also a staunch defender of the Zionist project. News reports on November 6 indicated that Trump had already spoken directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they discussed their hostile plans towards Iran. (https://english.alarabiya.net/News/united-states/2024/11/06/netanyahu-and-trump-speak-discuss-iranian-threat-israeli-leader-s-office-says)

Therefore, the role of the NAM and all progressive multilateral organizations are important for their solidarity with Iran and other anti-imperialist states under pressure by the U.S. and its allies. The broader the alliances among the peoples of the Global South, the greater the prospects for ending national oppression and exploitation around the world.

United Nations Security Council Renews Mission for the Western Sahara as Independence Remains Elusive

For more than five decades the Sahrawi people of Northeast Africa have been denied their rightful place in the international community

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Monday November 4, 2024

Geostrategic Analysis

What has been described as “Africa’s last colony”, the Western Sahara territory is still waiting to exercise its decades-long desire for national independence and sovereignty.

Formerly known as the “Spanish Sahara”, the area has been under the domination of the Kingdom of Morocco since 1975. 

The liberation movement which grew out of the struggle for freedom is popularly known as the Polisario Front. The organization engaged in an armed struggle and mass political campaign since the 1970s having designated itself as a “government in waiting”. 

This provisional government is called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and is recognized by the United Nations General Assembly and the African Union (AU). Despite the work of the Polisario Front/SADR in gaining widespread acceptance particularly among progressive forces and AU member-states, the UN has failed in holding a nationwide plebiscite on the future of the oppressed nation. 

In April 1991, the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was adopted. However, after 34 years the Sahrawi people have been unable to participate in the last stages of the independence processes. 

Although the UN Security Council voted to extend the mission in the territory, Algeria, perhaps the staunchest ally of the SADR, failed to vote on the resolution. Algeria and other progressive states on the continent, many of whom are in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) subregion, want full independence for the Western Sahara. 

Since the Western Sahara was a colony of Spain, it would be entitled to independence as all other African territories on the continent. To make an exception to the SADR in favor of the Kingdom of Morocco which is allied with the imperialist states such as France, Spain and the United States constitutes a grave injustice to the indigenous people. 

After the acceptance by the AU of the SADR as full members of the continental body, the Kingdom of Morocco resigned from the-then Organization of African Unity (OAU). However, after the transition from the OAU to the AU in 2022, efforts began for Morocco to rejoin the organization. This was eventually agreed upon, absent the willingness of the monarchy to accept a process towards full independence for the SADR. 

Such a decision to readmit Morocco clouds the actual stanch of the AU in regard to the SADR. Several governments have decried this contradictory situation saying it provides the ability of the AU and UN to sidestep the imperatives of decolonization. 

In a statement issued by the UN Security Council on October 31, it notes:

“Authorizing the Mission’s continued operations until 31 October 2025, the 15-member organ adopted resolution 2756 (2024) (to be issued as document S/RES/2756) with 12 votes in favor, zero against and two abstentions (Russian Federation and Mozambique).  One State, however, did not participate in the vote. Through the text, the Council called upon the parties to negotiate under the Secretary-General’s auspices without preconditions and in good faith, encouraging the continuation of consultations between his Personal Envoy and Morocco, Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguía el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO), Algeria and Mauritania to build on progress achieved. It reaffirmed its commitment to assist the parties to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.” (https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15882.doc.htm)

Yet, in reality there can be no compromise on the total liberation of the SADR as in any other colonial territory. Unfortunately, the adoption of this conciliatory view has been institutionalized within the AU and the UN although it remains counterintuitive. Every other African state which was colonized theoretically received the support of the AU and its predecessor as it relates to gaining national independence. 

Imperialism Behind the Colonial Status of the SADR

Obviously, the natural resources found within the Western Sahara including offshore oil deposits and the strategic location of the area has compelled Morocco and its imperialist allies to continue stalling the UN-mandated referendum. In recent years the situation has become further complicated as administrations in Washington, Paris and Madrid have publicly moved away from an actual acceptance of the demand for independence for the people of SADR.

Just recently U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that some undefined form of “autonomy” for the SADR would be more reasonable. This seems to be the same position enunciated by other imperialist states such as France and Spain. 

Under the previous administration of President Donald Trump, he declared that Washington would recognize the King of Morocco’s “sovereignty” over the Western Sahara. Apparently, this same position has been carried over into President Joe Biden’s White House. Interestingly enough the presidential and congressional races for November 2024 have completely excluded any discussion and debate on U.S. foreign policy towards Africa.

Despite the lack of acknowledgement of the 1.5 billion Africans on the continent in the electoral battle for the White House, House of Representatives and the Senate, major efforts have been underway for nearly three years to sway the AU member-states away from advocating for a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine-Russian war. There has been proposed legislation within the House which would impose sanctions on AU member-states which maintain good diplomatic, economic and political relations with the Russian Federation. 

This same posture holds true in regard to the demand for full independence of Palestine and the lifting of sanctions on the Republic of Cuba by the U.S. Algeria has continued to distinguish itself by being unwavering in its advocacy for the liberation of the Western Sahara.

The same UN statement cited above said of the position in neighboring Algeria:

“Algeria’s representative, whose country had earlier proposed two amendments to the resolution, said his delegation did not participate in the vote because of ‘the attitude of the penholder’ (U.S.).  His country’s views and positions, despite having been ‘well-founded’ in consonance with the Council’s processes, were ‘deliberately ignored’.  He regretted that the penholder did not demonstrate objectivity or impartiality, but circulated a text that did not ‘at all’ contain elements of prior agreements.  ‘The vote on this resolution changes nothing on the fundamental crux of this issue,’ he said.  Algeria believes that the right to the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara belongs only to the Saharawi people, and as such will ‘strive to speak out’ on all matters thereon.”

Algeria and other anti-imperialist states have maintained the demand that the SADR should come into existence as an independent and sovereign state. Any proposal advocating an imposed neo-colonial solution will inevitably fail in bringing peace and stability to this region of Africa.

Polisario Front Reemphasizes its Right to Self-Defense and Independence

In the aftermath of the debate and vote within the UNSC on the MINURSO decision to extend its role for another year, the official representative of the national liberation movement at the UN for the Western Sahara held his own press conference to clarify their positions. Dr. Sidi Mohamed Omar announced on Sahrawi National Television that the struggle of the people would continue.

Dr. Omar specifically criticized the French and U.S. governments for their efforts to undermine the Sahrawi people in their quest for total freedom. While, in other comments, the Polisario Front representative singled out Algeria for praise as it upheld the rights of the Sahrawi people as being essential in any efforts to resolve the crisis.

In this statement from Dr. Omar, he stressed that:

“The fact that our sisterly Algeria submitted two proposals on the subject of human rights for a vote by the Security Council is nothing but evidence of this principled position and its strong commitment to the United Nations Charter and its staunch defense of international law, which exposed the members of the Security Council who defend human rights around the world while choosing silence, inaction and double standards when it comes to Western Sahara. Whatever the content of the latest Security Council resolution, the Sahrawi people remain strongly determined to continue and escalate their struggle by all legitimate means, including armed struggle, to achieve their national aspirations for freedom and independence and to re-establish their sovereignty over the entire territory of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic”. (https://www.spsrasd.info/en/2024/11/02/6101.html)

The President of the SADR and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, was in attendance at the recent 70th anniversary commemoration of the beginning of the Algerian Glorious Liberation War on November 1. He extended his appreciation to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

Ghali said in a written statement that the experience of the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) was an inspiration to the Sahrawi and other oppressed peoples internationally by noting:

“His heartfelt wishes to the President of the Republic and the Algerian people on the sidelines of the commemoration of this important and exceptional event, not only in Algeria’s history, but the entire humanity, being a symbol of struggle, revolution, liberation and resistance against colonialism, enslavement and colonial domination. By fighting for freedom and independence, with determination and unwavering will, the Sahrawi people are at the forefront of all these peoples who, not only have been inspired by the commendable Algerian Revolutionary experience, but who further benefited from Algeria’s immutable support to legitimate struggles across the world, in accordance with the principles of the 1st November Revolution, the UN Resolution Charter and the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU).”

Wednesday, November 06, 2024

Pan-African Journal: Special Worldwide Radio Broadcast Hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor, for Tues. Nov. 5, 2024

Listen to the Tues. Nov. 5, 2024 special edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. 

To hear the entire podcast just go to the following URL: Pan-African Journal: Special Worldwide Radio Broadcast 11/05 by Pan African Radio Network | Politics

This episode features our PANW report with dispatches on some of the most pressing and burning issues of the day from Africa and other geopolitical regions of the world. 

In the second and third hours we look in details at events in West Asia including a United Nations report on human rights violations in Palestine.

Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast Hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the PANW for Sat. Nov. 2, 2024

Listen to the Sat. Nov. 2, 2024 edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire.

To listen to the entire podcast of this program just go to the following link:  Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast 11/02 by Pan African Radio Network | Politics

The program features our PANW report with many of the most pressing and burning issues of the day. 

In the second hour we look back on the 107th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration which created the crisis today in West Asia. 

We also review events in Yemen over the last several weeks.

Pan-African Journal: Special Worldwide Radio Broadcast Hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, PANW Editor for Fri. Nov. 1, 2024

Listen to the Fri. Nov. 1, 2024 special edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. 

To listen to the podcast of this program just click on the following link: Pan-African Journal: Special Worldwide Radio Broadcast 11/01 by Pan African Radio Network | Politics

This episode features some of the most pressing and burning issues of the day. 

In the second and third hours we review in detail recent developments in West Asia.

Nation Led by Sayyed Nasrallah Cannot But be Victorious: Sheikh Qassem

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Military Media

6 Nov 2024 17:24

Hezbollah's secretary-general promises Lebanon and its Resistance victory and says the situation for the Israeli regime will become tougher in the coming days.

A nation led by great Resistance leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, will not be defeated, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, stated in an address honoring the 40th day since the martyrdom of Sayyed Nasrallah and his companions. 

Sheikh Qassem stressed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin "Netanyahu does not understand that he is facing a Resistance movement that possesses essential factors of strength, including firm faith and Resistance fighters who are not afraid of death and willing to sacrifice their lives [for the cause]."

"Netanyahu's aim through his aggression on Lebanon is threefold: to end Hezbollah's existence, to occupy Lebanon (even if indirectly), and to draw a new map for the Middle East."

He explained that among the fundamental factors of the Resistance's capabilities, which allow it to confront the Israeli aggression, are "preparation, weapons, skills, and training."

"We have tens of thousands of trained fighters ready for confrontation at the borders, and we also have the necessary resources [to support them] for the long term," he asserted.

Highlighting the Israeli wars of genocide, Sheikh Qassem admitted to the Israeli Air Force's superiority in the skies, however, he highlighted the floundering performance of the occupation's ground forces, which are "facing strong resistance at the border."

Battelfield the only path to halt aggression 

Sheikh Qassem stressed that "only the battlefield will stop the aggression across the border, in addition to the Israeli internal front."

He also indicated that the days ahead for the Israeli regime will be tougher than before, indicating possible military escalation against the occupation forces.

The secretary-general of Hezbollah further asserted that the Resistance will compel the enemy to seek an end to the Israeli aggression on its own terms, emphasizing, "We are focused on the battlefield, not on political manoeuvres."

Regarding the results of the US elections, Sheikh Qassem said, "Hezbollah does not base its plans on the US elections, as they are of no value to us."

He explained that "the strength of the Resistance lies in its continuity despite the military disparities," underscoring that "our one and only choice is to prevent the occupation from achieving the objectives of its aggression."

"In our vocabulary, there is only the continuation of resistance, endurance, patience, and remaining in the field until victory. We cannot be defeated."

Netanyahu will be defeated

Furthermore, Sheikh Qassem confirmed that "Netanyahu cannot win; he will be defeated," explaining that "when the enemy decides to stop the aggression, it will be through indirect negotiations."

Noting the diplomatic efforts of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Sheikh Qassem said the top Lebanese official is carrying the banner of political Resistance.

He explained that negotiations are based on two main points: "Stopping the aggression and ensuring that the ceiling of negotiations is the full protection of Lebanese sovereignty."

Lebanese Army should take responsibility for Batroun incident 

Commenting on the Batroun incident, Sheikh Qassem said, "This violation is a major insult to Lebanon and a violation of its sovereignty."

On Friday, Israeli occupation forces infiltrated the northern city of Batroun and abducted a civilian sea captain. 

He called on the Lebanese Army to protect the maritime borders and issue a statement clarifying the reasons behind this incident. 

He urged the Lebanese Army to hold the UNIFIL forces, particularly those from Germany, accountable for the maritime violation in Batroun, seeing that German UNIFIL members are responsible for patroling the coasts of Lebanon and occupied Palestine to prevent such violations. 

Homage to Sayyed Nasrallah

Before delving into the latest domestic and regional developments, Sheikh Qassem, paid homage to martyr Sayyed Nasrallah and other Resistance leaders, seeing that this Wednesday marks the 40th day since his assassination by Israeli warplanes.

He is the epitome of a noble, great leader who sacrificed his life in the path of Allah. He has made tremendous contributions and continues to be a model for others. He is a courageous and inspirational leader, a scholar in the school of Wilayah, and a beacon for the liberation of Palestine. His words light up the path of guidance, and his stances embody the path of dignified life. He has won the hearts of people across the world as a symbol of Resistance. Our Imam, the leader Ayatollah Khamenei, may Allah protect him, described him as 'incomparable,' a truly great acknowledgment.

Secretary-General of Hezbollah Sheikh Naim Qassem on martyr leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah 

"Our leader built a Resistance party founded on the principles of true Islamic teachings, following the path of Wilayah as an intrinsic part of faith and upright living," Sheikh Naim added.

"He built a party that brings together all segments of society — young and old, men and women, the elderly and the disabled," the Secretary-General underlined. 

"It is the party of the free, the resistors, the honorable, the intellectuals, the workers, and anyone who can be an inseparable part of this great movement he established," he said. 

"Hezbollah is a party that works for the building of the homeland and resists the Israeli enemy. It has an organized structure and extends across all fields: cultural, political, jihadist, social, educational, and even healthcare," he explained.

Resistance within this party is based on a solid foundation of numbers, strength, expertise, faith, courage, and the ability to challenge the fiercest of enemies. It has revived us in our lives and will continue to do so in our deaths. As Allah said, 'And do not say of those who are killed in the way of Allah, 'They are dead.' Rather, they are alive, but you do not perceive it.' The Resistance will live on with us, and we will carry on its legacy. It will only grow and become stronger.

Sheikh Naim Qassem in an address marking 40 days since the martyrdom of Sayyed Nasrallah

Addressing Sayyed Nasrallah directly, Sheikh Qassem said, "Our leader, I know that you find comfort in us mentioning your close companions, those who stood with you and were martyred on this path alongside you."

"Among them are Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi, our previous Secretary-General, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, the great leader and your loyal companion, who was always by your side; Hajj Imad Mughniyeh, the commander of victories; Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine, Sayyed Fouad Shukr, Hajj Ibrahim Aqil, Hajj Ali Karaki, Hajj Hassan Laqees, Sheikh Ragheb, Sheikh Nabil, and all the other leaders, fighters, and martyrs," Sheikh Qassem said, highlighting the Resistance's deep heritage. 

"A people and Resistance led by Sayyed Nasrallah will achieve victory with heads held high," he added. 

"A nation led by His Eminence Sayyed [Hassan Nasrallah], may God bless him, will reach its goals with heads held high. A nation that pledged allegiance to Imam Hussein will defeat its enemies. The era of defeats is long gone and the time of victories has come, and we will come out victorious, even if after some time," he concluded.  

Hezbollah Missiles Strike Tel Aviv Area, Ravage Troops Near Border

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Military Media

6 Nov 2024 23:30

Hezbollah has introduced a new ballistic missile to the battlefield and shelled dozens of Israeli settlements and military sites.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah conducted a series of composite long-range attacks, introducing new weapon systems to the battlefield, on the 396th day of confrontations. 

Khaybar series of operations

Most notably, Hezbollah fighters executed a composite operation, firing a salvo of its long-range rocket artillery shells, before unleashing two Fateh-110 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) on Wednesday. 

Tzrifin base

At noon, the Resistance's forces fired multiple Fateh-110 SRBMs at the Tzrifin military base, which was preceded by a salvo of rockets, aimed at depleting Israeli air defenses. 

The Tzrifin is a huge base to the southeast of Tel Aviv and just south of the Israeli regime's largest airport, the Ben Gurion Airport. Sirens sounded across city settlements in the Gush Dan Metropolitan area, at the time of the attack, while shrapnel from one of the rockets severely damaged a car and one rocket impacted a parking lot in the Ben Gurion Airport. 

According to Hezbollah's Military Media Unit, the Tzrifin base hosts training camps, military schools, and the military spokesperson's unit. The large base is also located 130km south of the Lebanese-Palestinian border. 

Hezbollah said this operation came as part of the "Khaybar series" of operations, which aims to respond to the Israeli aggression that killed civilians and commanders in Lebanon. 

In line with the same series of attacks, Hezbollah's Unmanned Air Force launched three separate drone attacks as follows:

Bilu Camp

The first targeted the Bilu Camp, a base that serves as the headquarters for the 55th Reserve Brigade of the 98th Paratroopers Division, as well as other units. The base is located just north of the Tel Nof Air Base, in Gush Dan. 

At 6:00 pm, Hezbollah launched a swarm of drones at the camp, for the first time since confrontations ensued on October 8 last year, dealing precise hits to the intended targets. 

Stella Maris 

The second of these attacks targeted the Stella Maris Naval base, which is equipped with hardware used to monitor and detect maritime movements on the northern coast. 

This attack was conducted in coordination with Hezbollah's Rocket Force, which launched a salvo of precision-guided rockets during the drone attack. 

The Military Media said that the operation resulted in precise hits. 

Haifa Naval Base

The third drone attack targeted the Haifa Naval Base, which included the Shayetet 7 submarine fleet and the Shayetet 3 missile warship fleet, as well as other Israeli Navy units. 

At 7:10 pm, Hezbollah launched its first-ever attack on the base in this round of confrontations, dealing precise hits to targets in the base. 

Troops in Metulla pummelled with various weapons

On Wednesday morning, Hezbollah fighters worked on targeting the groupings and positioned Israeli occupation forces in the Metulla settlement, opposite the border town of Kfar Kila. 

After confronting Israeli invasions into nearby towns and the subsequent withdrawal of forces, Hezbollah fighters took the fight, once again, to the border settlements. 

In one direct attack, at 10:40 am, Hezbollah fighters fired an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) at an Israeli Merkava tank in the Metulla settlement, destroying it and killing and injuring its crew members. 

Just five minutes later, another ATGM struck an Israeli position in the same settlement. The Military Media Unit revealed that Hezbollah fighters had been monitoring the movements of occupation forces in the area, before firing an ATGM at a building utilized by Israeli troops. 

The ATGM struck the building, achieving a direct hit and killing and injuring the troops inside it. 

Later in the afternoon, at 4:30 pm, the Resistance fired a precision-guided rocket at the Metulla settlement, targeting an assembly point of Israeli occupation forces, causing confirmed casualties.

Drones, rockets attacks ravage Israeli troops, HQs

At 11:10 am on Wednesday, Hezbollah's Unmanned Air Force launched a one-way attack drone targeting the headquarters of a brigade subordinate to the 91st Territorial Division. The drone hit its target.

In the afternoon, the Unmanned Air Force launched two drones targeting Israeli occupation forces on the northeastern outskirts of the border town of Maroun al-Ras. 

The Resistance also launched a rocket attack, using the Nour multiple rocket launcher (MRL), which has only been officially deployed in one other operation, to target an assembly point of Israeli occupation forces in the Avivim settlement, opposite the border town of Maroun al-Ras. 

The short-range MLR fires short-range large-caliber rocket artillery shells, which pounded Avivim, causing extensive damage. The attack was conducted at 4:15 pm, and footage quickly emerged to show two large fires billowing from containers placed in the area. 

The Resistance fired salvoes of rockets in 23 other operations, targeting Israeli occupation forces, occupied Palestinian cities, and settlements, as follows:

At 9:00 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Kiryat Shmona city settlement, which Hezbollah said comes in line with its previous warnings to settlers to evacuate the area.

At 9:15 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Sa'sa' settlement. 

At 10:15 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Ravia base, which serves as the headquarters for the 188th Armored Brigade of the 36th Division, in the Golan. 

At 11:00 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Kfar Szold settlement. 

At 1:00 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at Camp Kela in the Golan. 

At 3:00 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at Camp Yoav in the Golan. 

At 3:15 pm. a salvo of rockets was fired at the Rosh Pina settlement near the occupied city of Safad.

Concurrently, a second salvo of rockets was fired at the Kfar Szold settlement.

At 3:25 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at the occupied city of Safad. 

At 3:45 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Goren settlement. 

At the same time, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Bar Yohai settlement, near Meron, which comes in line with previous warnings to settlers in the area. 

At 3:50 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Birya settlement, which comes in line with previous warnings to settlers in the area. 

At 4:00 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at the Meron settlement, which comes in line with previous warnings to settlers in the area. 

At 4:30 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at an assembly point of Israeli occupation forces, positioned on the eastern outskirts of the border town of Maroun al-Ras. 

At 5:00 pm, a third rocket attack was launched at the Kfar Szold settlement. 

At 5:30 pm, a second salvo of rockets targeted the city settlement of Kiryat Shomna. 

Concurrently, a salvo of rockets was fired at an assembly point of Israeli occupation forces at the al-Marj military site.

At 6:00 pm, a long-range rocket attack targeted the Zvulun military-industrial complex, to the north of the city of Haifa. 

At 6:45 pm, following the monitoring of the movement of Israeli occupation forces between the town of Kfar Kila and the Metulla settlement, Hezbollah fighters fired a salvo of rockets at enemy troops in the area. 

At 8:00 pm, a second salvo of rockets targeted Israeli occupation forces in the aforementioned area in Maroun al-Ras. 

At 8:15 pm, a third salvo of rockets targeted Israeli occupation forces in the same area. 

At 8:50 pm, a fourth salvo of rockets targeted Israeli occupation forces positioned on the eastern outskirts of Maroun al-Ras. 

At 10:50 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at the movements of Israeli occupation forces at the southern outskirts of Maroun al-Ras.

At 11:15 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired at the movements of Israeli occupation forces at the eastern outskirts of Maroun al-Ras.

At 11:20 pm, a salvo of rockets was fired for the sixth time at the movements of Israeli occupation forces at the eastern outskirts of Maroun al-Ras.