The English website of the Islamic magazine - Al-Mujtama. A leading source of global Islamic and Arabic news, views and information for more than 50 years.
February 11, 2025
Staff
Libya finds new mass grave in Tarhuna
October 23, 2021A new mass grave was found in Libya’s southwestern city of Tarhuna that was recently liberated from warlord Khalifa Haftar’s militia, the government said Friday.
The General Authority for Research and Identification of Missing Persons said the grave was discovered in an agricultural project area.
Haftar’s forces and affiliated militias committed war crimes and acts of genocide from April 2019 to June 2020, according to official sources.
Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
On Feb. 5, Libya's rival political groups agreed during UN-mediated talks to form an interim unity government to lead the country to elections in December in which Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh was designated to form a new government./aa
A UN official said Friday that he is worried about the military escalating violence against civilians and opponents of a coup in Myanmar after the army intensified its dispatch of soldiers to the north.
UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews pointed out that the deployment of tens of thousands of troops and heavy weaponry, and other military assets to the north and northwest regions of the country are reminiscent of similar tactics by the military before its genocidal attacks against the Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2016 and 2017.
"We should all be prepared, as the people in this part of Myanmar are prepared, for even more mass atrocity crimes. I desperately hope that I am wrong," he told the General Assembly in a report on the latest developments in the country.
Andrews urged the international community to close the door to money, weapons and legitimacy for the Myanmar military, noting that such sanctions work, citing the recent release of thousands of political prisoners.
Andrews reiterated his call to the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on the military junta.
He noted sanctions have not yet affected the ability of the junta to continue to seize state revenues and foreign exchange to enrich leaders and fuel attacks on the civilian population.
“The single largest source of revenue for the junta is the oil and gas industry. I encourage member states to follow the call of several hundred civil society organizations within Myanmar who have called for Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise to be sanctioned," he said.
Military coup in Myanmar
On Feb. 1, Myanmar's military seized power after allegations of fraud in the 2020 general elections and political tension in the country.
The army arrested many officials and ruling party leaders and declared a state of emergency for one year.
According to The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), more than 1,100 people have been killed and over 9,000 demonstrators have been arrested after the military intervened against anti-coup protesters and rebel groups.
Large-scale demonstrations against the coup continue as the trial of senior government officials in military courts continues./agencies
S&P affirms Turkey's credit rating; outlook stable
October 23, 2021S&P on Friday affirmed Turkey's long-term foreign currency rating at "B+" and long-term local currency rating at "BB-," with a stable outlook.
The stable outlook considers the risks from Turkey's economic imbalances, but these are partly offset by the resilience of Turkey's private sector and the manageable stock of net general government debt, the global rating agency said.
"Our ratings on Turkey remain supported by its diversified economy and resilient and adaptive private sector, which, in the past, has weathered external shocks, currency volatility, and frequent changes in economic policy," it said in a statement.
"Turkey's economy has recovered faster than those of other emerging markets, with real output already 8.4% above the pre-pandemic peak as of the second quarter of 2021," it added.
The agency said it expects Turkey's economy to expand by 8.6% this year with a strong recovery in exports and resilience of domestic activity to the pandemic.
It said Turkey's credit rating would be upgraded if balance of payments are strengthened, especially the central bank's net foreign-exchange reserves.
The rating would also be revised up if there is an effectiveness in monetary policy, it added.
"The Turkish economy rebounded briskly from a pandemic-related downturn last year, and has continued to expand in 2021," the statement said.
"In real terms, output had already exceeded the pre-pandemic peak in the third quarter of 2020, and now stands 8.4% above the pre-pandemic level attained in the first quarter of 2020," it added.
Noting that Turkey has fully vaccinated more than 55% of its population, with almost 65% having received at least one jab, S&P said pandemic risks for the Turkish economy are now receding.
"The lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, as well as the removal of Turkey from red travel lists by several EU countries, the UK, and Russia, has allowed tourism to restart, boosting service exports," it said.
The agency said Turkey's travel income from visitors abroad jumped to $7.7 billion in May-August period of this year, which is a significant increase from $2 billion during the same period of last year.
Turkey's total travel revenue amounted to $10.5 billion in the first eight months of 2021, the agency said, adding the amount could increase to $18 billion for the full year.
S&P, on the other hand, warned that supply chain disruptions and higher energy prices could drag on economic recovery, since Turkey is an energy importing country.
The agency warned that it could lower Turkey's rating if there is a heightened risk of banking system distress, and if banks' access to foreign funding deteriorated, or domestic residents dollarized their savings further.
"Weakened asset quality following the large-scale credit stimulus in 2020 could also put pressure on the banking system, particularly state-owned banks that saw their balance sheets expand more rapidly last year," it said./aa
The Dow Jones posted a new record, but the S&P 500 ended its seven consecutive days of winning streak on Friday, after the Federal Reserve Chair said the central bank is on track to start tapering.
After hitting an all-time high of 4,559.67 points shortly after opening bell, the S&P 500 fell almost 5 points, or 0.11%, to end the day at 4,544. This week, the index soared 1.64%, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency.
The Nasdaq decreased 125 points, or 0.82%, to close the session at 15,090. The tech-heavy jumped 1.29% for the week.
The Dow Jones, on the other hand, rose almost 74 points, or 0.21%, to 35,677. The blue-chip index climbed to a record high of 35,765.02 points during the session, while it gained 1.08% for the week.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said earlier that the central bank is on track to begin reducing its asset purchases, the process known as tapering.
He argued that the start of tapering is not likely to disrupt the recovery in the labor market, and markets are prepared for it, adding that maximum employment in the US labor market could be reached next year.
The yield on 10-year US Treasury notes was down 1.8% to 1.645%, while the dollar index fell 0.17% to 93.61.
The VIX volatility index, known as the fear index, rose 2.86% to 15.44.
Oil prices reversed course to end their losing streak. International benchmark Brent crude was trading at $85.81 with a 1.4% gain, and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was at $84.09 -- a 1.9% increase.
Precious metals gained with gold adding 0.6% to $1,794 per ounce, and silver increasing 0.7% to $24.33 an ounce.
After hitting an all-time high of $67,000 Wednesday, Bitcoin was trading at $61,100 with a 2.7% loss./agencies
Alec Baldwin: 'My heart is broken' after fatal shooting on movie set
October 23, 2021
Actor Alec Baldwin released a statement on Friday expressing his shock after a prop gun he was holding apparently discharged, leaving a movie cinematographer dead and the director injured.
"There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours," the 63-year-old Baldwin said in a tweet. "My heart is broken for her husband, their son and all who knew and loved Halyna."
The 42-year-old Hutchins was the cinematographer for the movie "Rust", being filmed in a rural part of the US state of New Mexico. The movie's director, 48-year-old Joel Souza, was also injured, but it was not clear about the nature of his injuries and he was treated and released from a New Mexico hospital later on Thursday.
Baldwin added that is "fully cooperating" with the police investigation into what appears to be an accident.
Photos from the set show a distraught-looking Baldwin talking on his mobile phone after the shooting.
It has been widely reported that Baldwin may have not known he was holding a "hot" prop gun - one that had metal projectiles inside - when he fired it.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department released a statement saying "Detectives are investigating how and what type of projectile (in the prop gun) was discharged."
Production on the set has been halted, at least temporarily, and a spokesperson for the movie production company released a statement saying "The entire cast and crew has been absolutely devastated by today's tragedy and we send our deepest condolences to Halyna's family and loved ones."
The shooting revived memories of the death of actor Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce Lee, who was killed by a prop gun, fired by a co-star, during shooting of the movie "The Crow", in 1993. The prop gun was mistakenly loaded with a .44-caliber bullet, rather than blanks.
Lee's family posted condolences to the families of Hutchins and Souza./agencies
Dozens of official reports have emerged in the US documenting systematic abuse of asylum seekers by various border agencies, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) announced.
Following litigation under the Freedom of Information Act, the HRW had obtained 160 internal reports with records on physical, sexual, and verbal abuse, as well as discriminatory behavior and due process violations between 2016 and 2021, the rights group said on Thursday.
Clara Long, the associate US director of the HRW, called the conduct of the officials involved from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the US Border Patrol (USBP), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement described in the reports "jaw-dropping."
"These internal government documents make clear that reports of grievous abuses -- assaults, sexual abuse, and discriminatory treatment by US agents -- are an open secret within DHS (Department of Homeland Security)," she said.
The HRW also claimed that the reports raised questions of whether serious allegations, including criminal conduct, are being effectively investigated
Among the instances of sexual abuse, a supervisory asylum officer in San Francisco reported to the DHS that a mother had reported that her young daughter had been forced to undress and was touched inappropriately by a CBP or a USBP officer after they were detained.
In another instance, a male asylum seeker was detained and taken to a detention center in San Ysidro, California, where an officer demanded sexual favors for his release.
The documented misconduct also took other forms, the HRW said, such as authorities having possibly violated asylum seekers' right to due process.
"The Department of Homeland Security appears to have normalized shocking abuses by its border agencies," Long added./agencies
Assad regime pockets millions of dollars in int'l aid: report
October 23, 2021
Syria's Assad regime has developed a complex scheme to skim tens of millions dollars from the UN as it delivers aid to the war-torn country.
"Western governments, despite sanctioning Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, have become one of the regime’s largest sources of hard currency," researchers at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report published Wednesday.
Assad's scheme involves using Syria's Central Bank, which is officially under US sanctions, to force UN agencies to use an unfavorable exchange rate that allowed Damascus to divert 51 cents for every dollar spent in 2020, the CSIS report said.
UN agencies spent about $113 million in aid procurement in 2020, which allowed some $60 million to be diverted to the regime's coffers.
Researchers went over purchases made in 2019 and 2020 and identified contracts that were likely paid in Syrian pounds based on the location of contractors. The total sum of diverted funds jumps to $100 million when data from both years is combined, but researchers noted the estimate is likely an undercount because it only includes official UN operations, not those of international NGOs.
Other factors that could have led to a more conservative total include an inability to identify all UN contractors, and the fact that the study does not include payments made in Syrian pounds to pay salaries and activities other than procurement.
"Donor governments profess to have a strategy focused on helping the Syrian people in the face of an oppressive government," the researchers said. "But as they seek to help those suffering under Syrian government rule, they are simultaneously helping secure the government that is causing the suffering."/aa
Renault expects output loss of 500,000 vehicles amid chip shortage
October 23, 2021French carmaker Renault said on Friday it expects a production loss of 500,000 vehicles this year due to a global semiconductor shortage and production shutdowns.
According to the company's latest financial statements, more than 170,000 units could not be produced in the third quarter, and the group sold 599,027 vehicles, a decrease of 22.3% compared to 2020.
Its sales in Europe, which constitutes 53% of its total sales, were down 26.3%, while international sales decreased by 17.3%.
Group revenues stood at €9 billion ($10.5 billion) in the third quarter, falling 13.4% year-over-year.
Turkey comes at sixth place among Renault Group's 15 major markets, with 86,894 vehicles sold in the first nine months of 2021.
The shortage of chips, which are used in brake sensors, power steering and parking cameras, among others, has led manufacturers worldwide to cut or suspend production, leading to a rise in vehicle prices.
"The actions taken to further lower costs and maximize the value of our production allow us to confirm our guidance for the year despite the deterioration in components availability in the third quarter and reduced visibility for the fourth quarter," said Clotilde Delbos, chief financial officer of Renault Group./agencies
German climate activists call for strong action
October 23, 2021Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Berlin on Friday calling on political parties to take strong action to combat climate change.
Nearly 10,000 protesters gathered around the capital's landmark Brandenburg Gate during the demonstration, organized by the Fridays for Future youth movement.
Protesters called on the country’s prospective coalition government to set out clear goals to make Germany climate neutral by 2035, and a coal phase-out by 2030.
Some of the demonstrators blocked the entrance of the Social Democratic Party’s (SPD) headquarters for several hours, criticizing the party leaders for making insufficient pledges for climate protection.
The SPD, which narrowly won the last month’s elections, has started formal negotiations with the Greens and the Free Democrats this week to form a three-way coalition government.
The three parties reached a preliminary agreement on a blueprint outlining their main objectives, but differences remain on climate goals, and how to finance major energy transition projects and initiatives.
The parties are planning to conclude coalition negotiations next month and form the new government before Christmas./agencies
Pfizer-BioNTech says vaccine 91% effective in younger children
October 23, 2021Pfizer said in a study released on Friday that the COVID-19 vaccine it developed in partnership with BioNTech has been shown to be nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infection in children aged 5-11.
The study, which was published on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website, comes ahead of the agency's advisory panel meeting on Oct. 26 to decide on whether to recommend the vaccine for younger children. Pfizer has requested an emergency use authorization to allow for people younger than 12 and five or older to receive its vaccine.
The study relied on data from a smaller dose than the full-strength doses given to those who are already eligible. The company tested a 10-microgram regiment of two shots spaced three weeks apart, and found the regiment was 90.7% effective at preventing symptomatic infection.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is currently only approved for individuals 12 years-old and older. The FDA is expected to publish its independent analysis of Pfizer's data as early as Friday.
While it will be up to the FDA to decide on whether the vaccine is safe and effective for younger individuals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has the final say on whether it will be granted approval.
Should the process result in final consent, children could begin receiving the vaccine in November ahead of the Christmas holiday the following month. The Biden administration has already bought enough doses to ensure children in the age group can be vaccinated should approval be granted.
The White House's plan is to use a variety of forums to administer the shots, including pharmacies, children's hospitals, pediatricians’ offices, family offices, family doctors’ offices, rural clinics and community clinics.
"We will be ready, but again, it's all pending FDA and CDC decision," Jeff Zients, US President Joe Biden's COVID response coordinator, said on Wednesday./agencies
