Snippets from Hezbollah Deputy Chief Sheikh Naim Qassem’s Speech After Leader’s Assassination

Monday, 30 September 2024 8:33 PM

By Alireza Hashemi

Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has vowed that the resistance is ready to confront any Israeli ground incursion in southern Lebanon, in his first speech since the movement’s longtime leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was martyred in an Israeli airstrike on Friday.

In his speech on Monday, Sheikh Qassem highlighted that America is supporting Israel with all its capabilities, noting that Israel commits massacres in all areas of Lebanon, trying to leave no house without traces of aggression.

Despite the challenges, he assured that the resistance will not back down from Sayyed Nasrallah’s positions and that the movement is following alternative plans for its leaders.

He also mentioned that they will choose a new Secretary-General at the earliest opportunity.

Here are snippets from his speech:

We have lost a brother, a beloved, and a leader, His Eminence the Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, may God have mercy on him.

This great man remained in the field of jihad, mission, and mobilization until the moment of his martyrdom.

Sayyed Nasrallah was devoted to Islam, a lover of Muhammad (PBUH) and the family of Muhammad, a follower of Imam Khomeini's path, and a follower of Imam Khamenei's path.

He was a leader of the free Mujahideen, with his absolute priority being Palestine and al-Quds within the framework of Islamic unity.

Israel commits massacres in all areas of Lebanon, and America supports Israel with all its capabilities and supports it in all its massacres.

If Israel thinks that its internationally open hand and its determination to be brutal and aggressive will help it achieve its goals, it is delusional.

With days and pains, we continue, and we are a people of faith and have trust in God's promise of victory.

The path that His Eminence the Secretary-General raised and supervised is a continuous path, and Hezbollah continues with its goals and its field of jihad.

The command and control system and the Mujahideen will continue what you were following, O Secretary, with the same precision and the steps you drew.

The alternative plans you put in place for individuals and alternative leaders, we are following them, and everyone is present in the field.

Despite the loss of several leaders, the attacks on civilians, and the great sacrifices, we will not budge an inch from our positions.

The Islamic resistance will continue to confront the Israeli enemy, supporting Gaza and Palestine, and defending Lebanon and its people.

Watch what happened after His Eminence's assassination; the resistance operations continued at the same pace and increased.

Ma'ale Adumim was struck, which is 150 km from the Lebanese border, and Haifa was struck, and the enemy admitted that a million people entered shelters because of just one missile, and the rope is on the pulley.

I want to inform you that what we are doing is the minimum as part of the plan to follow up the battle. We know the battle may be long, and the options are open before us, and we will face any possibility.

Watch what happened after His Eminence's assassination; the resistance operations continued at the same pace and increased.

We are ready if the Israeli decides to enter by land; the resistance forces are ready for ground engagement.

We have prepared and equipped ourselves, and with reliance on God, we are confident that the enemy will not achieve its goals, and we will emerge victorious.

Our people and loved ones, the calamity is great, the sacrifices are significant, and the enemy works to strike the military capability of the resistance and strike civilians.

We are doing everything we can and addressing the assassination of cadres with alternative resources. Israel has not been able to reach our military capability, and what its media says is a dream they have not reached and will not reach.

Our capability is strong and great, and he is going mad because of his inability to reach these capabilities, and we have full readiness, thank God, and we continue.

These great people who stood while conducting difficult tasks will not be shaken now, and we are confident in you, O people of sacrifice and redemption.

We are now following the leadership and managing the confrontation according to the party's structure, and we have done the necessary work to replace what happened as a problem.

We will choose a Secretary-General for the party at the earliest opportunity according to the party's established mechanism for selection. We will fill the leadership and positions firmly, and be assured that the options will be easy.

If anyone is waiting to see what will happen, I tell you that what is happening is under normal and natural follow-up. I thank the Lebanese who showed honorable national unity in confronting the crimes of Israel and America.

The unity that manifested among all sects and families in all regions is the cornerstone of Lebanon's pride.

I thank the Lebanese government, political forces, municipalities, and all those who worked for standing with the truth.

We are in one boat, but rest assured, God willing, victory is ours, and we have prepared what we have, and we need patience.

Hezbollah Political Council Member: Allies to Join Hezbollah if War Expands

By Al Mayadeen English

Member of Hezbollah's Political Council, Mahmoud Qomati, underlines that Lebanon would not be left alone if the war expands.

Hezbollah Political Council member Mahmoud Qomati asserted in an interview with Al Mayadeen that the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah will defeat the Israeli occupation forces if they launch a ground invasion into Lebanon emphasizing that Hezbollah's allies "will intervene if the battle expands."

Qomati warned that southern Lebanon "will become a graveyard for the occupation forces" should they enter, highlighting the Resistance's vast arsenal of unused weapons and the fighters' readiness to engage with Israeli forces.

Addressing observers, Qomati said the Resistance was rebuilt immediately following the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. The legacy of Sayyed Nasrallah is well-maintained, he said, adding, "his trust is in our hands and will remain so with every leader and fighter."

Qomati also reiterated Hezbollah's stance, which had been affirmed by the late Secretary-General since the beginning of the Israeli occupation's war on Gaza, stressing that the party "will not halt its support unless a comprehensive proposal is put forward, including a ceasefire in Gaza."

He added that "no conditions can be imposed on the resistance before a ceasefire," and Hezbollah "will not give an opinion on any initiative until that happens." 

Qassem: Israeli occupation 'will not achieve its goals'

Meanwhile, Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, delivered a televised speech on Monday, confirming that Hezbollah "will elect a new Secretary-General at the earliest opportunity according to the established procedure." He pointed out that "the choices are easy and clear because we stand united."

Sheikh Qassem further expressed confidence that the Israeli occupation "will not achieve its goals" and that "the resistance will emerge victorious." He reaffirmed Hezbollah's preparedness for a ground confrontation if the Israeli occupation decides to invade, declaring: "We are strong, unified, and no one should think that we are weak or that our capabilities have been affected."

Moreover, Loyalty to the Resistance bloc member Hassan Fadlallah said Monday that the key to facing the challenges facing Lebanon would be curbed by resilience, underlining that the morale of the Resistance remains high.

Commenting on the Israeli threats of a ground invasion of Lebanon, Fadlallah told Al Mayadeen, "When we confront the enemy on the battlefield, we know how they flee from the Resistance fighters." He asserted that the Lebanese Resistance possesses the will to fight, from Naqoura to Shebaa, stressing, "The community surrounding the Resistance is magnificent and unbreakable."

Fadlallah reaffirmed that the Resistance is steadfast and will continue to confront the Israeli occupation, which is backed by the US and its Western allies. "Our battle is to prevent the enemy from achieving its goals," he said, adding this was "a moment of confrontation and resilience, and the priority is to stop the aggression against our people, our country, and the Palestinian people."

'Israel' Says Started 'Limited' Incursion into Lebanon

By Al Mayadeen English

The Israeli occupation says it has begun an allegedly limited incursion into southern Lebanon as operations intensify in the South.

The Israel occupation forces (IOF) have initiated a series of "limited" and "localized raids" in southern Lebanon, allegedly only targeting the border area, the IOF announced in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

The operation, which had been failing for hours as Israeli forces faltered under Hezbollah's fire, reportedly aims to "neutralize" the Resistance's infrastructure and positions that pose a threat to "Israel" and its northern settlements.

The IOF said the incursion is being carried out based on "precise intelligence", focusing on villages in southern Lebanon at the border area with occupied Palestine as part of a broader plan developed by the General Staff and the Northern Command. 

The invasion is supported by the Israeli occupation's Air Force and Artillery carrying out extensive strikes on southern Lebanon as part of the Israeli Operation Northern Arrows.

The Israeli political leadership approved the invasion in one of the latest bids which have been faltering over the course of nearly a year, to bring back Israeli settlers to the North.

The Israeli occupation forces had been attempting to infiltrate Lebanon for hours, with the Islamic Resistance bombarding troop movements in the region.

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem asserted Monday in his first public address since the martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that the Resistance knows the upcoming battle would be long, stressing, "we are prepared to face any possibility, and we will emerge victorious from this battle."

He asserted that Hezbollah "is ready to confront any possibility if Israel decides to enter by land, and we are ready to engage the enemy if it decides to invade."

Sheikh Qassem continued, stating, "We are well-prepared and confident that the Israeli enemy will not achieve its objectives, and we will emerge victorious," adding that "the actions of the party are merely the minimum required as part of our strategy to sustain the battle, aligned with the assessments and plans established based on the needs of the situation on the ground."

Israeli Aggression on Syria Kills 3 Civilians, Injures 9 Others

By Al Mayadeen English

The Israeli occupation forces carry out an act of aggression on Syria with four waves of attacks.

Syrian air defenses intercepted Israeli missile strikes near the capital, Damascus, overnight, marking the third such attack in recent nights, according to Syria's state news agency, SANA.

Explosions were heard repeatedly in the area as the Israeli occupation forces targeted locations around Damascus.

The Syrian air defense systems successfully intercepted most missiles aimed at western Damascus, particularly in the direction of the Mezzeh neighborhood. However, the strikes led to casualties, with the Syrian Defense Ministry stating that three were killed and 9 others injured as a result of the Israeli aggression.

Journalist Safaa Ahmad was killed in the aggression.

Footage showed a car engulfed in flames after being struck in Mezzeh, with Syrian media confirming that firefighting teams were working to control the blaze.

This comes on the heels of the Syrian air defenses on Sunday intercepting a drone heading toward the western countryside of Homs in light of escalating Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory.

An Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted the Wadi Hanna area in al-Qusayr, near a Syrian Army checkpoint in the Homs countryside. According to the report, loud explosions were heard across the city of Homs, accompanied by intense barrages of anti-aircraft missiles. 

This latest strike comes amid an escalation of Israeli attacks on various regions in Syria, coinciding with increased Israeli aggression on Lebanon. Tensions have been particularly high along the Syrian-Lebanese border, where Israeli aircraft launched attacks near Lebanese areas in the country's east.

The sounds of explosions and anti-aircraft fire were also reported in areas such as al-Qusayr, Jousiyah, Qalamoun, and Kfeir Yabous near the border, extending to the northern countryside of Quneitra, near Mount Hermon, parallel to Lebanon's western Beqaa region.

In a separate incident on Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed a man and his wife when their home in Beit Saber, located in Mount Hermon in the Damascus countryside, was hit.

This surge in Israeli air raids continues to provoke regional instability, with both Syria and Lebanon bearing the brunt of the aggression that targets any and every country that is supporting Gaza in the face of the ongoing genocide.

US Victoria Base Near Baghdad Airport Comes Under Fire

By Al Mayadeen English

The US military base, Victoria, located near the Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, has come under fire amid Washington's unequivocal support for "Israel" which has amped up its aggression across the region.

In response to the US' unwavering support for Israeli aggression in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen, an attack targeted the US military's Victoria base near Baghdad Airport late Monday into Tuesday.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Iraq reported that four consecutive explosions were heard around the base, with alarm sirens sounding within the facility. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the operation.

This operation underscores the ongoing Resistance against US military involvement in the region amidst its unequivocal backing of "Israel's" actions as the occupation has ramped up its aggression on Lebanon.

US to increase forces in Mideast with F15s, F22s

The United States will send extra fighter aircraft squadrons to the Middle East to strengthen its security posture as combat in the area escalates, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday.

"The forces due to rotate into theater to replace them will now instead augment the in-place forces already in the region," according to Singh. "Again, I won't talk specific timelines or numbers for OPSEC [Operational Security] reasons, but can tell you these augmented forces include F-16, F-15E, A-10, F-22 fighter aircraft and associated personnel."

The US Department of Defense stated on Sunday that it has increased the readiness of extra US soldiers to respond swiftly to a potential assault by Iran and its allies against US personnel and interests in the Middle East.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin "increased the readiness of additional U.S. forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies," according to a Pentagon statement.

The statement emphasized that the Pentagon "maintains robust and integrated air-defense capabilities across the Middle East, ensuring the protection of U.S. forces operating in the region."

The statement boasted that the US has the capacity to deploy forces "on short notice" and maintains a "significant amount" of capability in the region amid the evolving security situation.

According to the Pentagon, "Secretary Austin made clear that should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every necessary measure to defend our people."

Hezbollah Continues Operations Against IOF Troop Movements

By Al Mayadeen English

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon continues its operations in support of Gaza and in defense of Lebanon and its people, targeting the movements of occupation soldiers on the Lebanese-Palestinian border.

Overnight Monday, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon targeted Israeli occupation forces at the entrance of the Shtula settlement with artillery fire, confirming direct hits.

Hezbollah had intensified its operations over the past hours on Israeli troop movements ahead of the IOF declaring the beginning of its ground incursion into Lebanon.

Half an hour before midnight, the Resistance announced a significant operation targeting the movements of Israeli soldiers in the orchards opposite the towns of Odeisseh and Kfar Kila, resulting in confirmed injuries.

These operations by the Islamic Resistance were announced to have been in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza, in support of their Resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its citizens.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Palestine reported hearing sirens in Misgav Am in the occupied Al-Jalil, while our correspondent in the South confirmed that Hezbollah fired rockets at the area.

Israeli news website Walla reported that missiles were launched toward Misgav Am, which has been declared a closed military zone.

Moreover, 35 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward occupied northern Palestine within 40 minutes after midnight, according to Maariv.

Sep. 30 Hezbollah operations against 'Israel'

- At 01:50, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched artillery shells toward an Israeli infantry unit at the Sadh site, achieving direct hits.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of Fadi-2 rockets toward the Naqoura base.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets toward the occupied city of Safad.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets toward the settlement of Gesher HaZiv.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets toward the settlement of Sa'ar.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets toward the settlement of Kabri.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon targeted the Kfar Giladi settlement with a Noor missile.

- At 15:35, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets toward an Israeli assembly point in Bethsaida.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets toward an Israeli assembly point in the settlement of Yiftah.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of rockets toward an Israeli assembly point at the Zaoura site.

- The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon launched a barrage of Fadi 1 rockets toward several settlements northeast of Haifa.

- At 23:20, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon targeted Israeli troop movements in the orchards opposite the towns of al-Odaiseh and Kfar Kila.

ANC Not Moved by DA's Threat to Leave GNU Over Brink's Removal in Tshwane

The party said its regional structures would not be pressured into supporting the re-election of the DA councillor as the metro’s mayor.

An African National Congress (ANC) flag flies outside a polling station in Langa, near Cape Town, on 1 November 2021. Picture: AFP

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) says it's not moved by the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) threat to leave the Government of National Unity (GNU) over the ousting of Cilliers Brink as City of Tshwane Mayor.

The party said its regional structures would not be pressured into supporting the re-election of the DA councillor as the metro’s mayor.

This comes after DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille accused the ANC of placing the GNU’s future in jeopardy by instituting a motion to remove the DA-led coalition in the capital.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC’s meeting with the Communist Party of Vietnam - the party’s Deputy Secretary General - Nomvula Mokonyane - said Zille must vent her frustration through the correct channels.

“So, there has to be consistency because we're not cry babies when a decision is taken against us or people opt to collaborate, we don't have an issue. And that's where we need to help Helen, because I do not even believe that is a position of the Democratic Alliance.”

At Least 6 Killed in Bomb Blasts in Somalia

Sunday September 29 2024

Firefighters and residents assess a rickshaw at the scene of an explosion on a bomb-rigged car that was parked on a road near the National Theatre in Hamarweyne district of Mogadishu, September 28, 2024.

At least six people were killed and 10 injured on Saturday by bomb explosions in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu and a town in the country's Middle Shabelle region, police and witnesses said.

It was not immediately clear who had carried out the attacks, although Islamist militant group al-Shabaab frequently orchestrates bombings and gun attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere in the Horn of Africa country.

The blast in Mogadishu involved a bomb-rigged car that was parked on a road near the National Theatre in Mogadishu, about one kilometre away from the president's office.

It detonated, killing five people and injuring seven, a policeman at the scene, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the press, told Reuters. The casualty figures were confirmed by another policeman in the area.

A police spokesperson did not pick up a Reuters' call seeking comment.

In a separate incident, a bomb planted in a livestock market in Jowhar city in Somalia’s Middle Shabelle region killed one person and injured three other civilians, Jowhar police commander Bashir Hassan told a press conference.

Al-Shabaab has been fighting for years to topple Somalia’s central government and establish its own rule based on its strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.

UAE Accuses Sudanese Army of Attacking its Ambassador’s Residence in Khartoum

Monday September 30 2024

The Sudanese army on Monday rejected an accusation by the United Arab Emirates that its forces had bombed the residence of the UAE ambassador in Khartoum, blaming instead the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The UAE earlier on Monday said the residence of its ambassador in Khartoum had been attacked by a Sudanese military aircraft, condemning it as a "heinous attack".

These "shameful and cowardly acts" are being carried out by the paramilitary RSF,  the Sudanese army said in a statement.

The army has repeatedly accused the UAE of providing weapons and support to the RSF in Sudan's 17-month-old war. The Gulf state denies the allegations. UN sanctions monitors have described as credible accusations that the UAE had provided military support to the RSF.

War erupted in April last year between the Sudanese army and the RSF over a transition to free elections. The UN says nearly 25 million people - half Sudan's population - need aid, famine is looming and some eight million people have fled their homes.

"The Ministry stressed the importance of protecting diplomatic buildings and embassy staff residences, in accordance with the treaties and customs that regulate diplomatic relations," the UAE statement added.

Uganda Receives First Batch of Pipes for Crude Oil Project

Monday September 30 2024

Line pipes arrive in Uganda at Kyotera Main Camp and Pipe Yard 4. Pool

By JULIUS BARIGABA

Uganda on Monday received the first batch of coated line pipes for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, which was delivered to the main camp and pipe yard in Kyotera District, signalling the project developers’ intent to fast track the laying and construction of the cross-border pipeline in both Uganda and Tanzania. 

China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co. Ltd (CPP), the construction contractor for Eacop, received nine trucks of insulated line pipe from the coating plant in Nzenga, Tabora Region, Tanzania. 

With the arrival of the insulated line pipes in Uganda, CPP is expected to start laying of the pipeline in Uganda as the developers race against time to export the first barrels of crude oil by the end of next year, a statement from Eacop Ltd said.

“The project remains on track to meet its construction and operational timelines, with a continued focus on safety, environmental sustainability, and local community engagement,” it said.

“This is a major landmark in the construction of the Eacop and a clear sign of the progress of the project. Government and its partners are committed to ensuring that all developments are completed in the most environmentally responsible and sustainable manner,” said Ali Ssekatawa, Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU). 

He added that civil works have already advanced on the pumping stations, main camps, pipe yards and storage facilities along the 1,443-kilometre pipeline, which will link oil fields in the Albertine Basin in Uganda to the Tanga port in Tanzania.

To date, the project has received 800 kilometres of line pipes, which are currently being coated and insulated at the Nzega Coating Yard.

To mitigate climate change risks, the project will deploy renewable energy for all pumping, heating, monitoring and storage operations, with the 296km section in Uganda to be fully carbon neutral, powered entirely by 80MW of solar and hydroelectric energy, while efforts are underway to develop similar renewable capacity on the Tanzanian side.

The project, estimated to cost $5 billion, is being developed by the Eacop Company, with Uganda and Tanzania as shareholders, each holding a 15 percent stake, while French supermajor TotalEnergies holds 62 percent and China National Offshore Oil Corporation Uganda Limited owns eight percent.

Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame Player and Tireless Advocate, Dies at 58 From Brain Cancer

By TIM REYNOLDS

12:26 PM EDT, September 30, 2024

Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways — the playful finger wag at opponents after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”

Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.

He also was part of one of the league’s most iconic playoff moments, helping eighth-seeded Denver oust top-seeded Seattle in the first round of the 1994 Western Conference playoffs. That best-of-five series marked the first time a No. 8 beat a No. 1 in NBA history.

“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”

Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.

Ryan Mutombo, the Hall of Famer’s son, said in a tribute posted on social media that his father “loved others with every ounce of his being.”

“My dad is my hero because he simply cared,” Ryan Mutombo wrote. “He remains the purest heart I have ever known.”

Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”

Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.

“He was always there to talk to me and advise me on how to approach the season and take care of my body and icing after games and stretching and trying different things like yoga,” Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “He will be always remembered and may his soul rest in peace.”

Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

“There aren’t many guys like him,” Morey said. “Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. ... His accomplishments on the court, we don’t need to talk about too much. Just an amazing human being, what he did off the court for Africa. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”

___

AP Sports Writers Steve Megargee in Milwaukee and Dan Gelston in Camden, New Jersey, and Associated Press writer Ian Harrison in Toronto contributed to this report.

Tunisia Passes Law to Strip Courts of Power Over Election Authority Appointed by President

2:06 PM EDT, September 27, 2024

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia’s parliament amended a law on Friday, stripping power from courts over decisions made by an embattled election authority whose members are appointed by President Kais Saied.

Nine days before the presidential election, a majority of members of parliament voted in favor of amending the young democracy’s first election law as the election authority remains in conflict with courts demanding that it returns three candidates to the ballot.

The move sparked anger from opposition and civil society groups, which say the election authority has acted in concert with Saied to ensure he faces little competition in winning a second term.

Demonstrators picketed in protest of the law outside of parliament throughout Friday.

Since becoming the first country to topple an authoritarian leader in last decade’s Arab Spring, Tunisia has had two presidential elections that observers have judged as democratic. However, the lead-up to this year’s vote has been tainted by quarreling in recent weeks, between the court and the Independent High Authority for Elections, or ISIE.

ISIE’s role came under scrutiny after it dismissed a judicial ruling ordering it to reinstate three potential challengers to Saied who it had left off the ballot, claiming the campaign filings each submitted were incomplete.

Its decision to leave Monther Zenaidi, Abdellatif Mekki and Imed Daimi off of the ballot is among several actions that civil society groups in Tunisia have protested during election season. Both before and afterward, other candidates have been arrested or barred from participation.

Before Friday’s vote, members of parliament accused the court that ordered the candidates to be reinstated of non-neutrality. Some said that its judges were puppets acting on behalf of unnamed foreign interests and parties, echoing the populist and conspiracy theory-laden rhetoric Saied has long employed against his opponents.

Zina Jiballah, an independent member of parliament, argued that “some parties get their orders from abroad,” alleging members of the court have a different agenda.

The North African country’s president has throughout his tenure accused civil society and opposition groups critical of his governance of having nefarious motives and being puppets of foreign countries.

“History will remember that we are not sellers of countries and that Tunisia was saved by honest men and women,” said Sonia Benmabrouk, of the Hope and Work Party during Friday’s debate.

Saied, a 66-year-old populist who won his first term in 2019, will ask voters next weekend to grant him five more years in office.

With the country’s most prominent opposition figures imprisoned, he faces two little known candidates — businessman Ayachi Zammel and Zouhair Maghzaoui, a member of parliament who had previously thrown his support behind the president.

Zammel is in prison on election fraud charges that have been leveled at several Saied opponents.

Model Makers in Madagascar are Bringing History’s Long-lost Ships Back to Life

By SARAH TETAUD

2:03 AM EDT, September 29, 2024

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — A French trading ship that sank in the 17th century with treasure onboard is being brought back to life in a workshop in Madagascar with every stroke of Rafah Ralahy’s small wood sander.

Ralahy, eyes sparkling behind his glasses, has learned in 30 years as a craftsman at the Le Village model ship making company that recreating history in miniature form can’t be rushed. It’ll take time to get the shape of the hull just right on this model, to get it just as it was on the 1,000-ton original.

The ship in question was called the Soleil d’Orient — the Eastern Sun — and it was one of the best in the French East India company. It sank in 1681 while carrying ambassadors and treasure sent by the King of Siam (now Thailand) to King Louis XIV of France. Anyone wanting an exact wooden replica from Le Village, albeit a few feet long, can get it for just over $2,500. That excludes the shipping costs.

“My job is to be as faithful as possible to the plan,” said 50-year-old Ralahy, referring to copies of the ships’ original building plans that Le Village acquires from maritime museums or other sources. “At each stage we check so that the model we create is identical to the ship designed centuries ago.”

Le Village has been making models of history’s most famous vessels since 1993 and sending them to collectors across the world, some of them eminent. Prince Albert of Monaco has several models displayed in his palace, said Le Village co-owner Grégory Postel. The Spanish royal family also own Le Village creations. Pope Francis was gifted a model by Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina.

Those royal customers are looking for a model ship “that resembles what their ancestors knew,” said Postel, championing the company’s attention to historic detail. Some of the high-end models sell for a princely sum of $10,000. Collectors with as much passion but less means can find something for around $150.

Le Village has dozens of ships available for order, from celebrated to infamous to ill-fated. Some recently were shown at an exhibition in Venice, Italy, including one of the company’s showpieces, the British ship HMS Bounty that is renowned for a mutiny by its disgruntled crew. A model of perhaps the most famous ship ever, the Titanic, is of course available.

Le Village’s staff of more than two dozen model makers work in nine dusty workshops on the outskirts of the Madagascar capital of Antananarivo. Like Ralahy, many of them have been here for more than 20 years, crafting a reputation for an unusual company.

Madagascar has hardly any shipbuilding tradition despite being the world’s fourth largest island. So, Le Village’s own story is one of endeavor.

It was started by Frenchman Hervé Scrive, who arrived in Madagascar off the east coast of Africa with a passion. He sold it after 20 years to a family, but it hit choppy waters during the COVID-19 pandemic as Madagascar — already struggling with high levels of poverty — sank into a deep economic recession.

Postel, his wife and another French couple bought it last year with the aim of bringing it out of financial trouble and, hopefully, expanding. Postel said they want to start a woodworking school to spread the craft on the island and create opportunities for others. They’d also like to build a maritime museum of their own.

Ralahy, a house painter as a young man before finding another use for his nimble hands, sands the rough wood that will become the outer hull of the Soleil d’Orient model he’s started. Weeks of intricate work lie ahead for the team of crafters and some models take more than 1,000 hours of work. But the miniature sails will be hoisted on a new Soleil d’Orient nearly 350 years after tragedy befell the original and she sank with no survivors, sending her treasure to the ocean bottom.

Each model passes through the different workshops and through the hands of different specialists. Husbands and wives work together at Le Village, as do other members of the same families. It’s a tight-knit team.

In another room, four women who craft and attach the tiny ropes, sails and other finishing touches, are working with a sense of urgency on one model. This one is nearing completion and has already been paid for.

“It’s a race,” said Alexandria Mandimbiherimamisoa as she gets mini flags ready to add to the ship. “We have to send the boat to its buyer in a week.”

Her husband, Tovo-Hery Andrianarivo, also works at Le Village, his fingernails blackened from a misplaced hammer blow or two over the years, an occupational hazard. He spoke of their collective pride when they see how far some of their models have traveled.

Andrianarivo once watched a documentary on the recreation of a life-size version of the Hermione, an 18th-century frigate that carried French General Lafayette to the American War of Independence. It was rebuilt and launched again in 2014 to much fanfare.

“Behind the museum curator who was speaking, there was our model,” Andrianarivo said. “The feeling I felt that day was incredible.”

Thousands Gather in Ethiopia’s Capital to Celebrate a Religious Festival. Many are Thinking of Peace

By SAMUEL GETACHEW

11:25 PM EDT, September 26, 2024

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Thousands of Ethiopians gathered in the capital Thursday to celebrate an annual religious festival distinguished by the lighting of bonfires according to the beliefs of the local Orthodox Christian faithful.

National celebrations of the festival, known as Meskel, traditionally happen in a square by the same name in Addis Ababa. It is one of Ethiopia’s most celebrated religious holidays, marked with rituals and merriment across the country.

Festivities will continue until Friday, a national holiday during which the faithful attend church services and share intimate moments with their families.

In celebrations of Meskel — a word in the local Amharic language for “cross” — bonfires are burned across the country. In Meskel square Thursday, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church lit a large one in the presence of thousands of believers in white costumes.

Across Ethiopia, many gather in public squares and by churches to light similar bonfires from piles of logs, dry leaves and grass. Prayers and religious ceremonies are followed by a feast of “kitfo,” a lean minced meat somewhat similar to steak tartare that’s savored as part of Meskel festivities.

According to the church’s beliefs, the festival celebrates the cross upon which Jesus was crucified and its recovery by Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine. The story goes that Saint Helena had a revelation in a dream instructing her to light a bonfire and follow the smoke to find the cross buried in Jerusalem.

Meskel has been inscribed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This year’s festival comes at a difficult time for Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country and one of the largest landlocked nations in the world. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s efforts to secure access to the sea via the semiautonomous Somali region of Somaliland have angered authorities in Somalia who see the move as an act of aggression.

At the same time, Ethiopia is at odds with Egypt over the large dam on the River Nile that authorities in Cairo say will diminish their share of much-needed Nile water. The disputes have raised tensions in the Horn of Africa in recent weeks.

Abiy also has flexed with the Orthodox Christian Church, which criticized him for apparent excesses by government forces in the brutal war in the northern region of Tigray. That conflict ended with a peace deal in 2022. A new insurgency emerged in 2023 when government troops tried to disarm local militia in the Amhara region, which shares a border with Tigray.

Some Meskel celebrants said the festival presents an opportunity to consider peace.

“The importance of the celebration of Meskel to Ethiopians is to have us reflect on the idea of peace,” said Berhanu Admass, a church deacon. “This is to have us embrace forgiveness and pray for our peaceful co-existence as uniquely and beautifully defined to us by the hope that Meskel is and it represents.”

A larger celebration of Meskel is expected Friday in Gurage Zone in Ethiopia’s south, where Meskel has long held particular significance. The Gurage Zone administration said it expects hundreds of thousands of tourists to travel there.

Everton Gordon, a Jamaican-Canadian who has previously celebrated Meskel in Canada, said that marking the holiday in Ethiopia is a unique experience. The large bonfires are “going to be the highlight,” he said.

Ethiopian Azeb Bisrat and her children flew into Addis Ababa from Gonder, a city in Amhara that has witnessed intense fighting in recent months. She said that some members of her extended family were unable to travel because of security concerns.

“As a big family, we often drove to Addis Ababa to take part in such an important ritual, but the last few years have made that journey nearly impossible,” she said.

Luleseged Tadesse, a resident of CMC, a suburb of Addis Ababa, said that while he was unable to attend the big celebration in Meskel Square, he had mobilized neighbors, including Muslim Sudanese and Syrian refugees, to take part in the celebration. Those neighbors escaped conflicts in their countries.

“All neighbors have contributed to the festival what we can and we are going to light a bonfire, sacrifice a sheep and pray in our own religions for better days for Sudan, Syria and Ethiopia,” he said. “Such a celebration brings neighbors together, makes us act like a family and see the best in each other.”

Rwanda Reports 8 Deaths Linked to Ebola-like Marburg Virus Days After it Declared an Outbreak

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2014 photo, a medical worker from the Infection Prevention and Control unit wearing full protective equipment carries a meal to an isolation tent housing a man being quarantined after coming into contact in Uganda with a carrier of the Marburg Virus, at the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

By IGNATIUS SSUUNA

7:11 AM EDT, September 30, 2024

Kigali, RWANDA (AP) — Rwanda says eight people have died so far from the Ebola-like and highly contagious Marburg virus, just days after the country declared an outbreak of the deadly hemorrhagic fever that has no authorized vaccine or treatment.

Like Ebola, the Marburg virus originates in fruit bats and spreads between people through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or with surfaces, such as contaminated bed sheets. Without treatment, Marburg can be fatal in up to 88% of people who fall ill with the disease.

Rwanda, a landlocked country in central Africa, declared an outbreak on Friday and a day later the first six deaths were reported.

So far 26 cases have been confirmed, and eight of the sickened people have died, Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana said on Sunday night.

The public has been urged to avoid physical contact to help curb the spread. Some 300 people who came into contact with those confirmed to have the virus have also been identified, and an unspecified number of them have been put in isolation facilities.

Most of the affected are healthcare workers across six out of 30 districts in the country.

“Marburg is a rare disease,” Nsanzimana told journalists. “We are intensifying contact tracing and testing to help stop the spread.”

The minister said the source of the disease has not been determined yet. A person infected with the virus can take between three days and three weeks to show symptoms, he added.

Symptoms include fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting and, in some cases, death through extreme blood loss.

The World Health Organization was scaling up its support and will work with Rwandan authorities to help stop the spread, WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Saturday on the social media platform X.

The U.S Embassy in Rwanda’s capital of Kigali has urged its staff to work remotely and avoid visiting offices.

Marburg outbreaks and individual cases have in the past been recorded in Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Ghana, according to the WHO.

The rare virus was first identified in 1967 after it caused simultaneous outbreaks of disease in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia. Seven people died who were exposed to the virus while conducting research on monkeys.

Separately, Rwanda has so far reported six cases of mpox, a disease caused by a virus related to smallpox but that typically causes milder symptoms. Mpox, previously known as monkeypox because it was first seen in research monkeys, has also affected several other African countries in what the WHO has called a global health emergency.

Rwanda launched an mpox vaccination campaign earlier this month, and more vaccines are expected to arrive in the country. Neighboring Congo has so far reported most of the cases of mpox, the epicenter of the emergency.

Gunfire Erupts Near Guinea’s Presidential Palace and the Military Locks Down the Area

By MARK BANCHEREAU and BABA AHMED

9:39 PM EDT, September 26, 2024

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Shots were fired late Thursday near the presidential palace in Guinea’s capital Conakry, and the army briefly locked down the city center and evacuated it.

Local journalist Fode Toure, who was a few hundred meters from the presidential palace, told The Associated Press he heard gunshots and saw people running away in panic. An AP reporter near the palace saw heavily armed soldiers patrolling the streets.

A diplomatic official close to Guinea’s leader told the AP that 11 dissident soldiers opened fire on the special forces around the presidential palace, but they were overpowered by the special forces. Three of the assailants were killed and eight others arrested, he said, adding that the situation was under control. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters.

The official said the soldiers were loyal to Col. Celestin Bilivogui, who disappeared almost a year ago in mysterious conditions following his arrest by the special forces. Bilivogui was found dead on Wednesday, his family and lawyers said.

The lockdown of the center of Conakry was later lifted.

The ruling junta denied that any gunshots took place calling it a “crazy” and “fabricated” rumor in a statement read on national television. It urged residents of the city center to go about their business.

The West African nation has been led by a military regime since soldiers ousted President Alpha Conde in 2021. The West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has pushed for a quick transition back to civilian rule and elections are scheduled for 2025.

Col. Mamadi Doumbouya, the country’s leader, overthrew the president three years ago, saying he was preventing Guinea from slipping into chaos and chastised the previous government for broken promises.

However, since coming to power he’s been criticized for being no better than his predecessor. In February, military leaders dissolved the government without explanation, saying a new one will be appointed.

Doumbouya has rebuffed attempts by the West and other developed countries to intervene in Africa’s political challenges, saying Africans are “exhausted by the categorizations with which everyone wants to box us in.”

Several West African nations including Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have had coups that installed military juntas. They have severed or scaled back long-standing military ties with Western powers in favor of security support from Russia.

———

Ahmed reported from Bamako, Mali.

Israeli Aggression Escalates: Massacre in Al-Ain, Bekaa

By Al Mayadeen English

Israeli warplanes are still launching airstrikes on Lebanon, attacking residential areas and killing civilians.

"Israel" continues its aggression against Lebanon, targeting civilians in the South, Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut with intense airstrikes.

In the South, at least three people were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted a Civil Defense health center of the Islamic Health Society in the town of Humein al-Fawqa, while another strike hit the town of Jebchit in the Nabatieh district.

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) also launched several airstrikes on the city of Tyre, with one strike targeting a residential apartment.

Concurrently, Israeli warplanes struck the towns of al-Majadel and al-Qasimiyeh, according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent.

Israeli artillery heavily targeted the town of Shebaa until the early hours of dawn.

In the Bekaa Valley, the IOF committed yet another massacre in the town of al-Ain, resulting in ten martyrs, and targeted a vehicle on the road to the town of Iaat, west of Baalbek.

In addition to al-Ain, a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted the towns of Nabi Othman, al-Labouneh, Shaath, and Hermel, with the occupation's aircraft launching a wave of intense strikes, particularly in Baalbek.

Our correspondent in the region indicated that the airstrikes reached the borders of Lebanon and Syria. 

Israeli occupation continues aggression on Lebanon overnight

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon reported that Israeli occupation warplanes conducted new air raids on the city of Tyre.

As for the southern suburbs of Beirut, another of our correspondents noted four simultaneous Israeli airstrikes targeting the Choueifat area, which coincided with the landing of a civilian airplane at the nearby airport.

This raises serious concerns over the safety of civilian flights amid "Israel's" ongoing aggression, as "Israel" has repeatedly flouted international law and committed a number of documented war crimes.

Beirut's Southern Suburb was also targeted by a number of raids.

The death toll on Saturday reached 33 martyrs, while 195 injuries were recorded due to the Israeli aggression, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.  

Lavrov Says US Had Prior Knowledge of 'Israel's' Pagers Attack

By Al Mayadeen English

The Russian foreign minister accused Tel Aviv of converting civilian technology into a deadly weapon.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has asserted that the US was likely aware of "Israel's" intentions to carry out a “terrorist attack against Lebanon using communication devices".

He suggested that the attack's complexity and the subsequent leaks to Western media imply possible complicity from Washington.

Last week, a coordinated series of explosions involving thousands of hand-held pagers and wireless receivers occurred simultaneously across Lebanon, resulting in dozens of killings and thousands of injuries.

The Israeli attack, largely attributed to the Mossad spy agency, faced international backlash, with UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk labeling it a “shocking” and “unacceptable” act that violates human rights laws.

Addressing the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Lavrov condemned "Israel’s" “inhumane attack on Lebanon.” He also noted that “anyone who still has a sense of compassion is outraged by the fact that the October tragedy is being used for mass collective punishment.”

“Another glaring example of terrorist methods as a means of achieving political aims is the inhumane attack on Lebanon that transformed civilian technology into a lethal weapon,” the Russian foreign minister stated, calling for an immediate international investigation.

Lavrov stressed that reports from Western media about the details and preparations “indicate to varying degrees the involvement and, at the very least, awareness of Washington concerning the preparation of that terrorist attack.”

He added, “We understand that the Americans always deny everything and do everything they can to hush up any facts that come to light, as they did in response to the irrefutable evidence of their implication in the terrorist attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline,” referencing the September 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea, which halted Russian gas supplies to Western Europe.

In a related development, Norwegian police issued on Thursday an international search warrant for a Norwegian-Indian man, Rinson Jose, allegedly linked to the terrorist Israeli electronic attacks on Lebanon.

"Yesterday, the Oslo police district received a missing person report in connection with the pager case. A missing persons case has been opened and we have sent out an international warrant for the person," the police said.

Jose, 39, the founder of a Bulgarian company allegedly involved in the pager supply chain, went missing during a work trip to the US on 17 September.

Despite being contacted by Reuters, Jose refused to comment on the pager case and has since been unreachable. His company, Norta Global Ltd, was investigated by Bulgarian authorities, though no evidence was found linking it to the manufacturing or exporting of the pagers.

Dive deeper

On September 21, the Hungarian government announced that intelligence services conducted multiple interviews with the CEO of BAC Consulting, a Budapest-based firm linked to the attacks.

Taiwanese company Gold Apollo had said at the time that the model of pagers used in the detonations in Lebanon was produced by BAC Consulting, claiming that it only licensed its brand to the company and was not involved in manufacturing the devices.

Since the attacks, the CEO, Barsony-Arcidiacono, has not been seen publicly. Neighbors report not having spotted her, and she has not responded to any calls or emails from Reuters. A visit to her residence in downtown Budapest yielded no response, and her apartment, once accessible, is now closed off.

Last week, the Hungarian government confirmed that its intelligence services interviewed Barsony-Arcidiacono several times since the explosions. It classified BAC Consulting as a "trading-intermediary company" without a manufacturing presence in Hungary, claiming that the pagers had never entered the country.

It is worth noting that BAC Consulting's website, which was taken down later in the week, provided little insight into its actual operations in Hungary, and its registered address was listed as a serviced office in a suburban area of Budapest.

Nasrallah Assassination Aimed at Provoking US-Iran War: Russia’s Lavrov

Sunday, 29 September 2024 7:58 AM 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at a press conference during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on September 28, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah may have been intended to provoke a war between the United States and Iran.

Lavrov told reporters at a news conference after addressing the UN General Assembly on Saturday that a lot of people believe Israel’s assassination of Nasrallah was aimed at provoking Iran and the US “to unleash a full-blown war in the entire region.”

Killing the Hezbollah leader was “not simply a political assassination. It’s very cynical as an act,” Lavrov said.

“I think – well not even, I think, but a lot of people say – that Israel wants to create the grounds to drag the US directly into this and so to create these grounds, it is trying to provoke Iran,” Lavrov added.

“The Iran leadership, I think, are behaving extremely responsibly. And this is necessary. This is something that we should take due note of.”

Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on Friday, Lavrov said, “the Middle East is once again on the brink of a big war,” calling for active diplomatic efforts to prevent the “most catastrophic scenario.”

In his UN General Assembly speech, Lavrov condemned the Israeli regime for its “inhumane attack on Lebanon.”

“Another glaring example of terrorist methods as a means of achieving political aims is the inhumane attack on Lebanon that transformed civilian technology into a lethal weapon,” Lavrov said, calling for an immediate international investigation.

The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance group has confirmed the assassination of its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in massive airstrikes against Beirut on Friday evening.

'US knew about Israel’s pager attacks'

Lavrov also told reporters that the US was likely aware of the Israeli regime forces’ plans to launch a “terrorist attack” against Lebanon using communication devices.

He said the complexity of the attack and the leaking of details to Western media “indicate to varying degrees the involvement and, at the very least, awareness of Washington concerning the preparation of that terrorist attack.”

Last week, thousands of hand-held pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon simultaneously, killing dozens and injuring thousands, including many civilians.

The attack, widely blamed on Israeli spy agency Mossad, drew international condemnation, with UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk calling it a “shocking” and “unacceptable” act that violates human rights laws.

Tel Aviv has not claimed responsibility for the pager attacks, and its allies have denied any knowledge.

Venezuela’s Maduro on Nasrallah’s Assassination: Cowards of the World Are Silent

Sunday, 29 September 2024 5:56 AM

This handout picture released by Venezuelan Presidency shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaking at a pro-Hezbollah/Palestinian rally in La Guaira, Venezuela on September 28, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has condemned the assassination of Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by “Hitlerish” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, slamming the “coward” world leaders for remaining silent.

An Israeli regime force’s air strike on Friday against the southern suburbs of Beirut led to the assassination of the revered Secretary-General of Hezbollah and the killing of dozens of civilians.

The Venezuelan leader expressed his nation’s solidarity with the people of Gaza and Lebanon who he said were victims of “genocide” and “terrorist attacks” by the Israeli regime run by a “murderer who only reminds us of Hitler.”

“On behalf of the Historical Bloc of the Revolution, I express my solidarity with the Lebanese people after the announcement of the assassination of the Islamic leader, Sayyed Nasrallah.

“Cowards of the world are silent, but no one will silence the rebellious, revolutionary people,” Maduro said at a pro-Palestinian rally in La Guaira on Saturday.

Venezuela’s president called on Muslims, Arabs, and other peoples across the world to “raise their voices and show solidarity with the Palestinian people, with the people of Lebanon.”

“The orders for this attack were issued from the UN headquarters in New York,” he said, referring to Netanyahu’s presence at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday when he authorized the deadly attack.

In a psychopathic bombardment, Israel assassinated Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah.

Cuba’s president: Nasrallah assassination seriously threatens world peace

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel also condemned the Zionist Israeli regime’s assassination of Nasrallah.

In his account on X, formerly Twitter, the Cuban leader described Nasrallah’s assassination as a cowardly act and warned that this fact “seriously threatens regional and world peace and security, the full responsibility for which lies with Israel with the complicity of the United States.”

In Lebanon and across the region, Nasrallah was revered as a charismatic leader and military strategist who had dedicated his life to resistance against Israel and supporting the Palestinian cause.

Earlier on Saturday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said the brutal attacks by the “rabid Zionist dog” on Lebanon revealed the shortsightedness and foolish policies of Israeli officials, calling on all Muslims to unite behind Lebanese people and Hezbollah.

Thousands Rally in Baghdad to Denounce Israeli Assassination of Nasrallah

Sunday, 29 September 2024 9:41 AM

Thousands of protesters gathered near the US Embassy in Iraq on Saturday to denounce the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburb of Beirut.

Footage shows protesters holding flags of Hezbollah, Saraya al-Jihad, Iraq and Lebanon. Meanwhile, law enforcement personnel were seen using water cannons to try to push the protesters back.

"US, its accomplices and treachery will never gain victory. All its actions in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria demonstrate America's deceitfulness. It is coward and treacherous; America has been constantly spying on us everywhere with all the advanced technology, yet it does not dare to confront us face to face so treason is something it is used to," one of the protesters said.

On Friday, Israeli warplanes carried out a large strike against Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut’s densely populated southern suburb of Dahiyeh, flattening at least six residential buildings.

The attacks came as part of the regime’s escalation against Lebanon which has been targeting the country since October 7, when Tel Aviv launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

(Source: AFP) 

Iran Calls for Emergency UNSC Meeting to Address Israeli Aggression After Nasrallah’s Assassination

Sunday, 29 September 2024 2:09 AM

Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations

Iran calls on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to convene an emergency meeting to address the Israeli regime’s ongoing deadly aggression across the region, which recently led to the assassination of Hezbollah’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Amir Saeid Iravani, the Islamic Republic’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, made the request in a letter addressed to the council on Saturday. A day earlier, the regime embarked on intense airstrikes against Lebanon’s capital Beirut, causing the martyrdom of the leader of the Lebanese resistance movement alongside many others.

The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance group has confirmed the assassination of its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in massive airstrikes against Beirut on Friday evening.

The assassination came amid the Israeli regime’s October-present escalation against Lebanon and genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, which have respectively claimed the lives of hundreds of Lebanese and at least 41,586 Palestinians. Women and children comprise the majority of the victims.

Iravani denounced the unbridled aggression as “war crime and crime against humanity.”

He said the UNSC had to convene the meeting “to address Israel's terrorist aggression and the continuous atrocities perpetrated by the warmongering Israeli regime in Lebanon and across the region.”

“These brazen acts of aggression…pose a grave threat to regional and international peace and security, pushing the entire region into an all-out catastrophe,” he cautioned.

The spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry says inaction against the crimes of the Israeli regime will plague the whole world in the near future.

The envoy, meanwhile, reminded that attacks on Beirut had been carried out “using United States-supplied thousands-pound bunker busters.”

He also denounced the US for preventing the council from taking “an effective decision” against the regime, thus providing Tel Aviv with “complete impunity.”

“The Security Council must compel Israel to immediately cease its acts of aggression and crimes in Gaza and Lebanon, and comply with relevant UNSC Resolutions.”

Warning to Israel

Iravani reminded that the regime’s regional aggression saw it targeting the Iranian Consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus in April, causing the martyrdom of a commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), his deputy, and five of their accompanying officers.

He asserted that the Islamic Republic “will not tolerate any repeat of such aggression.”

“Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent rights under international law to take every measure in defense of its vital national and security interests.”

Retaliating against the April attack, the IRGC targeted the occupied Palestinian territories with a barrage of drones and missiles, inflicting damage on Israeli military bases there.

Bahraini Resistance Vows to Continue Nasrallah’s Path

Sunday, 29 September 2024 8:22 AM

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the late secretary general of Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement (File photo)

Bahraini resistance groups and an opposition movement have condemned the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, stressing that the path of the prominent resistance leader will continue.

The Israeli occupation pounded several residential building blocks in the Dahiyeh area of southern Beirut in a violent bombardment campaign on Friday, which led to the martyrdom of Nasrallah and several Hezbollah officials as well as civilians.

The deadly onslaught followed escalated tensions between the Lebanese resistance movement and the occupying entity.

The escalation has over the past week claimed hundreds of lives in and around Beirut with various acts of terror, including indiscriminate bombings of residential areas, targeted killings of resistance figures, and detonation of Hezbollah telecommunication gadgets.

Bahrain’s opposition movement of February 14 Youth Coalition expressed its condolences on the martyrdom of Nasrallah and praised him as a leader who “never feared the brutality” of the Israeli regime, calling him a “martyr on the path to Jerusalem [al-Quds].”

“We pledge to the martyred secretary not to abandon his path and to continue as he did in confronting the enemies, defending the oppressed, and adhering to the issues of the nation, especially the issue of Palestine,” it said in a statement.

“Hezbollah will succeed in overcoming this stage with competence until the desire of our great martyr is achieved by overthrowing the usurping entity, liberating Jerusalem [al-Quds], and praying in its al-Aqsa Mosque.”

February 14 Youth Coalition declared general mourning in Bahrain and called for holding mass rallies against the Israeli-American crime.

World leaders and regional figures have reacted to the martyrdom of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, expressing condolences and condemning the Zionist regime for the treacherous act.

The Bahraini resistance groups of the Islamic Resistance in Bahrain, Saraya al-Ashtar and Saraya Wa’ad Allah, also known as the Wa’ad Allah Brigades, also condemned the assassination in a joint statement and called for the avenge of Nasrallah’s blood.

“We call on the people of Bahrain, who have melted in love for this great master, to mobilize and seek revenge for his blood from the criminal Zionists for any Zionist present on the Islamic land of Bahrain is a legitimate target as they are at war with Allah and His messengers,” the joint statement said.

“We recall the steadfast support this great Master provided to the people and his significant backing to lift the injustice they faced. He never ceased to support the people with his words and stance. Let us raise the images of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah everywhere, adorn our villages and towns with the yellow banner, and instill his love in the hearts of our generations.”

The Bahraini resistance groups also prayed for patience and solace for Nasrallah’s family as well as steadfastness on the path of resistance.

Nasrallah led Hezbollah for more than three decades. He was elected secretary-general of Hezbollah in 1992 at the age of 32 after an Israeli helicopter gunship assassinated his predecessor, Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi.

The assassination came as part of the regime’s escalation against Hezbollah. Israel has been targeting Lebanon since October 7, 2023, when it launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah has been responding to the aggression with numerous retaliatory operations, including one with a hypersonic ballistic missile, targeting the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its operations against Israel as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed more than 41,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Strikes Hit US-run Base in Eastern Syria: Reports

Sunday, 29 September 2024 7:51 AM

A file photo of US occupation forces in northeastern Syria (By AFP)

A military facility housing US occupation forces in Syria’s eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr has reportedly come under attack.

Citing filed sources, Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen television news channel reported on Sunday that a barrage of rockets and drones targeted the American-run base at the Conoco gas field and achieved direct hits.

Meanwhile, Syrian media said that explosions were heard at the US military installation.

However, there were no immediate reports about the extent of damage at the facility, and possible casualties.

Citing a security source, Shafaq News Agency reported that Iraqi resistance forces had attacked the US base “by a single drone,” which was brought down without any losses.

Also on Sunday, several explosions were reported in Dayr al-Zawr’s al-Bukamal region near the Syrian border with Iraq.

The airstrikes targeted the headquarters of the Sayyed Al-Shuhada Brigades of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, wounding a person, said the Resistance News Network Telegram channel.

American warplanes carried out three airstrikes near Dayr al-Zawr following Sunday’s operation by the resistance, according to some reports.

The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance group has confirmed the assassination of its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in massive airstrikes against Beirut on Friday evening.

Iraqi resistance forces have conducted numerous strikes on the US-run bases in both Iraq and Syria in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid a Washington-backed Israeli genocide.

With the US green light, Israel has in recent weeks escalated its acts of terror and aggression in both Gaza and Lebanon.

On Friday, Israel assassinated Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, in southern Beirut using American-supplied bunker-buster bombs.

Israel Will Certainly Have No Future in West Asia: Iran’s Foreign Minister

Sunday, 29 September 2024 9:10 AM

Iranians protest in the city of Hamadan on September 28, 2024, in denunciation of Israel’s assassination of Secretary General of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. (Photo by Tasnim news agency)

The Iranian foreign minister says Israel’s assassination of the secretary general of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, will accelerate the regime's demise and leave it with no future in West Asia.

Abbas Araghchi made the remarks on Sunday at the end of his visit to New York, where he attended the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking to Iranian reporters, he offered condolences over the martyrdom of “the great resistance commander,” saying his blood will increase the power of Hezbollah.

“Definitely, this martyrdom is a great loss, but it will not cause any disruption in the resilience,” he added.

“With what it did first in Gaza and then in Lebanon, the Zionist regime will certainly have no future in the region. It will never see peace. The natural outcome … is the acceleration of the Zionist regime’s demise.”

Araghchi also noted that Iran views the United States as a “partner” in the Israeli crime, expressing dismay at the UN Security Council’s inability to resolve current problems.

Furthermore, the top Iranian diplomat said that he had reminded the UN chief of his responsibility to lead the international community in stopping Israel’s atrocities.

The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance group has confirmed the assassination of its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in massive airstrikes against Beirut on Friday evening.

On Friday, Israel assassinated Nasrallah in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh at the culmination of its intensified acts of terror and aggression in Lebanon over the past two weeks.

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October, shortly after the regime launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

Over the past year, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,640 Lebanese people and injured 8,408 others.

Following Nasrallah’s assassination, Hezbollah vowed in a statement that it will “continue its fight to confront the enemy in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable people.”

Hezbollah Announces Martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon

In a statement released just shortly ago, Hezbollah announced the martyrdom of Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah following years of sacrifice on the path of Resistance against the usurping Israeli entity.

Hezbollah has released a statement announcing the martyrdom of its Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

The Islamic Resistance began its statement with the verse: Let those fight in the way of Allah, who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, and then is slain, or he subdues [the enemy], soon We shall give him a great reward. [Surah al-Nisa', verse 74]

"His eminence, the leader of the Resistance, the pious servant of God, has passed on to God as a great leader, a brave martyr, joining the martyrs of Karbala...on the path of prophets," the statement read.

"Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, joined his great, eternal companions, whose journey he led for over 30 years through victory after victory" after succeeding Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi in 1992, leading them in "the liberation of Lebanon in 2000 and the Divine Victory of 2006," and up to the battle of support for Palestine and the oppressed people of Palestine.

Hezbollah extended its condolences to the Islamic nation and the steadfast people of Lebanon, and all the free and oppressed people of the world, congratulating Sayyed Hassan on achieving the greatest of divine gifts, through which he was granted his greatest wish, that of a martyr on the path to Palestine and al-Quds.

The Islamic Resistance also congratulated his fellow martyrs who joined him in martyrdom following the Israeli aggression on the Southern Suburb of Beirut.

In the statement, Hezbollah's leadership promised Sayyed Nasrallah, "our greatest, holiest, and most beloved leader in our path filled with martyrs and sacrifice, to continue its struggle against the enemy, in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon and its honorable, resilient people."

The Islamic Resistance concluded its statement by addressing the freedom fighters of the Resistance, "you who were his trusted shield...our leader the Sayyed still lives among us through his thought, spirit, and his holy path."

Friday's attack on Southern Surbub of Beirut

"Israel" launched massive strikes on Friday, targeting residential neighborhoods in the Southern Suburb of Beirut.

Six buildings were razed to the ground as a result of the Israeli aggression, as Israeli media reported that 2,000 tons of explosives were dropped on the neighborhood of Haret Hreik in the assault.

The IOF announced that the goal of the attack was the assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Israeli Army Radio pointed out that F-35 aircraft carried out the airstrikes using bunker-buster bombs.