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 12, 2025
Staff
'Turkey has neutralized 236 Daesh terrorists in N. Syria in 2021 so far'
November 04, 2021Turkey has neutralized at least 236 Daesh/ISIS terrorist in northern Syria since the beginning of 2021, sources in the National Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
The Turkish Armed Forces continue to fight against all terrorist organizations including FETO, the PKK, its offshoot YPG, and Daesh/ISIS without any discrimination.
In 2013, Turkey became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terror group.
The country has since been attacked by its terrorists multiple times, with 315 people killed and hundreds more injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.
In response, it launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey will conduct cross-border operations to fight terrorism “whenever necessary."
"There is no stepping back from it," he told reporters on his Sunday return flight from the G20 Leaders' Summit held in Rome./aa
The Ministry of Interior resumed its services and started accepting visa requests for Commercial, Family and Visit visas. Although the visas have been opened for 53 countries the decision does not include citizens of 7 countries namely Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan.
Nationalities of these above listed countries are not granted business, work or family visas. But with special approval of the Ministry of Interior visas can be issued, reports Al Rai. In the past the Ports and Passports department granted tourist visas to a number of passport holders on arrival at the airport. Currently this service still stands suspended. This type of visa (E-visa) will be very soon available online, and a person who wishes to visit Kuwait will need to apply in advance through the Ministry of Interior website (https://evisa.moi.gov.kw/evisa/home_e.do) for which vaccination certificate and PCR are requirements./AT
Iraq pays Kuwait another $490m in war reparations
November 03, 2021Kuwait has received additional reparations of almost $500 million for Iraq’s 1990 invasion, the Iraqi Embassy in Kuwait said. “Iraq on October 26 paid Kuwait $490 million, and it will work to pay off what is left in reparations due for the year of 2022, approximately $629 million,” the embassy said in a statement. Baghdad has paid around $50 billion in reparations over the last three decades.
Iraqi forces under then-dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait on Aug 2, 1990, sparking international condemnation. They occupied the state for seven months before they were pushed out by a US-led international coalition in the first Gulf War early in 1991. In 2018, Baghdad paid the first war reparations to Kuwait since 2014, when there was a pause in payments due to a security crisis in Iraq where the Islamic State group took over large areas of the country.
But it had asked for an extension for the final $3.8 billion because of its worst fiscal crisis in years during the coronavirus pandemic that brought a collapse in oil prices. While Kuwait and Iraq now have civil relations, issues remain over borders and the repatriation of bodies. – AFP
Kuwait government urges vaccinated people to take their booster shots
November 03, 2021Kuwait’s government urged the public who have already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to take the previously approved booster shot. This appeal came as the Ministry of Health announced offering booster coronavirus vaccine shots without previous appointments, provided that six months have passed since the second shot was taken. Those wanting to get the third shot should head directly to Kuwait’s Vaccination Center in Mishref, the ministry stated, stressing the importance of taking this shot to help boost the immune system and provide better protection against the coronavirus.
Health Minister Sheikh Dr Basel Humoud Al-Sabah had briefed the Cabinet on the country’s COVID-19 pandemic situation, indicating “stability and continuing improvements” due to an unprecedented decline in cases, deaths and hospital bed and intensive care unit occupancy to their “lowest levels.” He also reiterated the ministry’s launch of the vaccination campaign for children in the 5-11 age group.
Houthi’s threats
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti ministers reiterated the country’s condemnation of Houthi attempts to threaten the security of Saudi Arabia, underlining their support for steps assumed by the neighboring Gulf kingdom to ensure its security, stability and sovereignty. During their weekly meeting on Monday at Seif Palace, led by Acting Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, the Cabinet praised an address delivered at a previous meeting by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on behalf of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The address praised as “fruitful” the national dialogue held between the executive and legislative branches, and called for comprehensive reform and development of government assessment.
Ministers were later briefed on His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s attendance of the Middle East Initiative Summit in Saudi Arabia, where he pledged Kuwait’s full commitment to Riyadh’s environmental plans. Kuwait stands side-by-side with Saudi Arabia, he said, mentioning that his country is at the forefront of nations seeking to achieve human and environmental sustainability. This can be achieved through strengthening carbon neutral pathways and increasing green spaces, as portrayed in Kuwait’s 2035 development strategy, he said, highlighting the global need for sustainable strategies aimed at the protection of the environment.
In turn, His Highness the Amir’s representative, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali briefed ministers on his attendance of separate Future Investment Initiative talks in Riyadh. At the meeting, he praised distinguished steps, made by Saudi Arabia, on several economic and social spectrums under the wise leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al-Saud as per the kingdom’s 2030 development strategy.
Political affairs
Afterwards, the Cabinet discussed political affairs on both the Arab and international fronts. Ministers voiced Kuwait’s condemnation and denunciation of continued Houthi attempts aiming to target and threaten the security of Saudi Arabia’s Najran, Abha International Airport and Jazan with two drones and ballistic missiles.
The Cabinet said the continuation of these hostile practices and escalation against civilians and residential areas as well as Saudi Arabia and the region’s security constitute a flagrant violation of the rules of international humanitarian law. The Cabinet noted that such practices require a rapid and decisive action by the international community to deter these threats and hold the perpetrators accountable.
It reiterated that Kuwait fully stands with Saudi Arabia and supports it in all measures taken to maintain its security, stability and sovereignty. The ministers further deplored the cowardly terrorist bombing on the entrance of Yemeni Aden International Airport that killed and wounded dozens of people. It re-affirmed Kuwait’s firm stance rejecting violence and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The Cabinet reiterated Kuwait’s solidarity with the Yemeni legitimate government, renewing its call for the international community to put pressure so as to reach the desired political solution to put an end to the Yemeni crisis, in line with the three agreed references. It finally expressed sincere condolence to the victims’ relatives, wishing a speedy recovery to those injured. – KUNA
World leaders make historic pledges on forests, methane emissions
November 03, 2021World leaders on Tuesday made remarkable pledges on real action at the COP26 summit to limit rising temperatures and support to small island developing states (SIDS) and Africa to adapt to the changing climate.
A wide range of announcements were made on day three of the UN climate conference, focusing on green innovation and historic commitments on deforestation and methane emissions.
More than 100 leaders took a landmark step forward at a meeting of world leaders, committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
The pledge is backed by $12 billion in public and $7.2 billion in private funding.
Countries including Canada, Russia, Brazil -- which also increased their national commitments, China, Colombia, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo all endorsed the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forest and Land Use.
Together, they pledged to support 85% of the world's forests, an area of over 13 million square miles which absorbs around one-third of global carbon released from burning fossil fuels each year.
This was also the first time that a COP conference included a major event on methane, with 105 countries, including 15 major emitters such as Brazil, Nigeria, and Canada, signing up to the Global Methane Pledge.
The historic commitment, led by the US and EU alongside the UK COP26 presidency, equates to up to 40% of global methane emissions and 60% of global GDP.
South Africa to receive $8.5 billion in climate assistance
The third day of COP26 also featured an international partnership between South Africa on one side and the US, Britain, France, Germany, and the EU on the other to provide $8.5 billion over the next three to five years to help the African country transition to a low-carbon economy.
"Climate change is an existential challenge that confronts us all, and South Africa is committed to playing its part in reducing global emissions. The partnership that we have established today is a watershed moment not only for our own just transition, but for the world as a whole," the office of President Cyril Ramaphosa quoted him as saying in a statement.
South Africa is the world's most carbon-intensive electricity producer and is struggling with the ageing coal-fired power plants that produce 80% of its electricity.
The partners will mobilize funds through a range of instruments, including grants and concessional finance, to support the implementation of South Africa's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to reduce domestic carbon emissions to within a target range between 420 CO2-eq and 350 CO2-eq by 2030.
The partners said they were supporting South Africa as it needed a just transition from coal, especially since there several important sectors stood to be negatively affected by such a transition, including mining, energy, manufacturing, and transport.
South Africa is ranked the 12th biggest climate emitter in the world and the top emitter on the continent. The country said it would use the funds to accelerate investment in renewables and the development of new sectors including electric vehicles and green hydrogen./agencies
Facebook shutting down its facial recognition technology
November 03, 2021Facebook announced Tuesday it is ending its use of facial recognition technology and deleting the "faceprints" of over a billion users.
The company, now called Meta but still retaining the name Facebook for its social media platform, said in a statement that "growing societal concerns" were the reason for shutting down the technology, and that "regulators have yet to provide clear rules" on its use.
Whether a Facebook user has opted "in" to facial recognition, which accounts for about 640 million people, or opted "out", all users will have their faceprints deleted.
Facebook has faced withering criticism in the last few weeks, after company whistle-blower Frances Haugen accused Facebook of using algorithms that have fueled dangerous behavior for years.
But concerns over facial recognition and privacy go back further. In 2020, the US state of Illinois successfully sued Facebook for $550 million dollars for violating that state's biometric privacy law by harvesting users' "faceprints" without their express permission.
In 2019, the city of San Francisco, near Facebook's headquarters, became the first city in America to outlaw the technology. It was around that time that the company had started scaling back its use of photo "tagging" using facial recognition.
There have also been concerns that China has used the technology to surveil a region that is home to a largely Muslim population.
"This change will represent one of the largest shifts in facial recognition usage in the technology's history," said Jerome Pesenti, head of Meta's artificial intelligence division, in the company statement.
Pesenti touted the benefits of the technology, particularly for blind and visually impaired people. He also said the company is looking at a "narrow set" of instances in which facial recognition could be used to verify a person's identity to use financial products or unlock a personal device.
But Pesenti said concerns about the place of facial recognition in society and "ongoing uncertainty" over how it will ultimately be regulated led to the decision./aa
Progress made at COP26 summit as 90% of world signed up to net zero, says UK's Boris Johnson
November 03, 2021There is no doubt that “some progress have been made” at the UN Climate Change Summit, where many world leaders and thousands of delegates have been meeting in Glasgow, Scotland the British prime minister said Tuesday evening.
Closing the leaders’ summit at the COP26, Boris Johnson said the biggest-ever public fund to fight climate change was raised through pledges, adding: “Ninety percent of the world has now signed up to net zero, including India.”
“We will keep working with world leaders to get to net zero sooner.”
He added: “We must take care to guard against false hope ... still a very long way to go. I am cautiously optimistic ... After two days of talks we’ve pulled back a goal or two from being 1-5 down.”
Johnson said “billions of dollars have been committed to supporting developing and vulnerable countries” to support them in reaching the emission targets.
“We’ve been asking for action on coal, cars, cash and trees and after just a couple of days we can certainly begin to tick three of those boxes – we are beginning to write the tick.
“That’s all happened because we have been able to come together in Glasgow.”
Johnson also said that the clock in the “doomsday scenario is still ticking” but “we have a bomb disposal team on site and they are starting to snip some of the wires, some of the right wires I hope.”
“The world leaders may be leaving, but the eyes of the world are on our negotiators and we have your numbers,” says Johnson, who is due to fly back to London this evening.
Johnson’s speech marked the end of the leaders’ summit within the COP26, which is set to end on Nov. 12.
More than 100 world leaders signed a declaration Monday committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
Under the agreement, 12 countries also pledged to spend $12 billion in public funds between 2021 and 2025 to protect and restore forests, and an additional $7.2 billion will be provided by private investors.
The announcement of the Leader's Declaration on Forests and Land Use came on day one of the summit.
Day two saw the announcement by the US and EU of a global partnership to cut emissions of greenhouse methane by 2030.
The announcement from EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Joe Biden came on the final day of the leaders’ summit.
The partnership dubbed The Global Methane Pledge will work towards reducing methane emissions by 30% by the end of the decade.
The conference will continue until Nov. 12 with numerous panels, meetings and side events, all looking for remedies to reduce the levels of global warming by keeping it to 1.5 C./aa
UNICEF on Tuesday said that around one billion children worldwide are at "extremely high risk" from the consequences of climate change.
"Two-thirds of countries' climate plans don't address the needs and priorities of children," Gautam Narasimhan, a UNICEF senior adviser on climate, energy, and environment, told a press conference at the UN climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
Narasimhan cited a World Meteorological Organization assessment documenting how the years since 2015 have been Earth’s six warmest years on record.
"2021 is expected to be one of the warmest years on record, according to our colleagues at WMO," he added.
"But while leaders are once again talking about the impact of the climate crisis on children, too few are yet to turn these words into meaningful actions that actually consider children."
Of the 103 country plans for climate change, UNICEF considers just 35 of them –about one-third – to be child-sensitive, said the UN official.
"In August, UNICEF published The Children's Climate Risk Index, which revealed that 99% of the world's 2.2 billion children – virtually all of them – are exposed to at least one environmental threat, including heat waves, cyclones, flooding, drought, vector-borne diseases, air pollution, and lead poisoning," said Narasimhan.
"Roughly 1 billion children live in countries that are at ‘extremely high-risk’ of the threats of climate change. These children face multiple, compounding climate shocks, threatening their health, education and very survival," he added.
Threat to health
Narasimhan urged a response to the climate crisis, with the interests of children at the center, and implored governments to boost investment in climate adaptation and resilience.
"Children in communities that have contributed the least to global emissions will face the greatest impacts of climate change," he said.
"These are communities that will see the greatest growth in child population over the coming decades," he added.
For those children, cutting CO2 emissions may come too late – "given (that) emissions reductions will take decades to have an impact on the climate impacts we have already baked in," said the UNICEF official./aa
Natural gas critical for low carbon economy: CEO of Texas LNG
November 03, 2021The role of natural gas in the energy transition is critical and must be supported, as gas remains the ideal transition fuel to a low carbon economy, Vivek Chandra, the CEO of Texas LNG said on Tuesday.
In his speech during Europe’s largest and most influential meeting place for the global gas industry, the Flame energy congress in Amsterdam, Chandra said that an increase in gas usage in the energy mix is a proven and realistic way to dramatically reduce carbon emissions.
He, therefore, urged the gas industry to focus efforts on further reducing the carbon emissions in the gas value chain, as “increasing gas in the energy mix has allowed many countries to reduce their carbon footprint dramatically.'
Chandra cited the UK as an example of a country that has seen a 40% drop in its total carbon emissions over the past 40 years at the same time that it has steadily increased its usage of natural gas, subsequently dropping the share of coal from 80% to less than 10%.
'The share of gas in the mix increased from zero to 50%. In the same period, the UK's total carbon emissions have dropped by 40% while the size of the economy has expanded dramatically,' he said.
The US, likewise, has seen a change in its energy mix over the past 50 years and has steadily increased natural gas consumption, which has reduced its carbon emissions.
'In the last 15 years, the share of coal in the electricity generation energy mix has dramatically reduced. US carbon emissions rose steadily up to around 2005. Since then, carbon emissions have dropped dramatically, coinciding with the increased use of natural gas and the decreased use of coal,' Chandra explained.
With the current, extremely tight gas market, Chandra expects that the recent price volatility will be a sign of things to come.
'Demand is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Supply, outside of a few places, is constrained by reserves, domestic requirements and reluctance to invest in supply projects because of the demonization of natural gas,' he said.
Texas LNG is an LNG facility that will be constructed at the Port of Brownsville in South Texas, close to the US - Mexico border and the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico to export LNG to global markets.
The facility will have a permitted production capacity of 4 million tonnes per annum (MTA) with two trains each producing 2 MTA./agencies
COP26: EU pledges $1B to protect forests
November 03, 2021The European Union will contribute €1 billion ($1.16 billion) to the Global Forest Pledge of the UN Climate Change Summit, the top EU official announced on Tuesday.
“I am pleased to announce that the (European) Commission will provide €1 billion to the Global Forest Pledge,” Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU executive body, said on the second day of the summit held in the Scottish city of Glasgow.
She stressed that one-quarter of the sum will specifically be dedicated to the Congo Basin in Central Africa, which is the world’s second-largest tropical forest.
Von der Leyen also acknowledged that it was important for the bloc to play it5s part at home, explaining that EU consumers were not willing anymore “to buy products that are responsible for the deforestation of forest degradation.”
The European Commission will soon propose draft legislation to curb EU-driven global deforestation by only allowing commodities and products to the EU market whose production does not lead to deforestation.
She confirmed that the EU signed up to the declaration on Monday committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
“Europe is delighted to be part of this ambitious movement to protect our climate, to protect our heritage, and to protect our forests,” von der Leyen said.
The announcement of the Leader's Declaration on Forests and Land Use came on the first day of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Over $19.2 billion in public and private funds was pledged to protect and restore forests under the agreement.
The COP26 will continue until Nov. 12 with numerous panels, meetings, and side events, all looking for remedies to reduce the levels of global warming by keeping it at 1.5 degrees Celsius./agencies
