PARIS  - French Prime Minister Jean Castex was in the process early Friday of forming an independent commission that would look to rewrite some controversial language in the government's new proposed global security bill.

Castex's announcement came late Thursday after being proposed by Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin's, as reported in Le Monde.

Several MPs, however, were taken aback by Castex's move, especially former Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who expressed "astonishment" to Castex, and said he and fellow parliamentarians were "indignant."

Given the circumstances, Castex changed course later Friday and issued a new letter to Richard Ferrand, President of the National Assembly, on the commission, part of which read: "I confirm to you that the task of proposing a re-writing of a legislative provision will not fall within the scope of this committee, a mission which can only be the responsibility of parliament."

The bill, introduced by La Republique En Marche (LREM) earlier this month, was voted on and adopted Tuesday by the National Assembly. It will now move to the Senate in January for examination.

The contested Article 24 of the bill is multifarious, but chiefly supplements the law of July 29, 1881, on freedom of the press. Its controversial part comes in the statement, "Dissemination of face images or any other identifying element of an officer belonging to the national police or the gendarmerie acting in the context of a policing operation, by any means whatsoever and on any medium whatsoever, with the aim of causing harm to his or her physical or psychological integrity, shall be punishable by one year's imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros [over $53,700]."

The article prohibits photographs of officers in the line of duty from spreading unduly online and in the media. According to France24, supporters say it protects law enforcement, members of which are very often subjected to harassment.

Castex's initial announcement came on the heels of his meeting Thursday with journalists and media unions who have objected vehemently to the bill's passage, opposing its limits on freedom of expression. Tuesday's adoption of the legislation sparked protests last weekend, and additional demonstrations are planned Saturday.

In a news release Thursday, Castex detailed that the bill's editing will entail "a new wording of Article 24 in order to respect the objective pursued while dispelling any doubt about respect for the freedom to inform."

The commission Castex planned to appoint -- to be chaired by Jean-Michel Burguburu, head of the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CHCDC) -- was promptly rebuked by parliamentarians. Its formation remains to be seen.

National Assembly President Ferrand expressed opposition to an external body and said he held "deep emotion" for the tenets of the bill. He called the creation of a commission "an attack on the missions of Parliament."

"In the end, only parliamentarians write and vote the law," said Ferrand, according to French daily franceinfo.

Police brutality has been a thorny issue in France in recent years. This week, two incidents in Paris stunned officials, including the interior minister.

On Saturday, police accosted music producer Michel Zecler inside a studio in Paris's 17th arrondissement, causing him extensive injury, and tossed a teargas grenade through the window as they left the premises. Later, officers wrote a false description of the events in a police report.

Darmanin said the event was "shocking" and called for the officers' suspension Thursday.

Monday, officers were again found using excessive force to clear a migrant camp on Paris's Place de la Republique in the 11th arrondissement, an unnecessary and harsh action in which several migrants were seen beaten in footage that went viral./aa

TEHRAN(AA)

The killing of Iran's top nuclear scientist by unknown assailants is being linked to Israel by senior political, military officials in Tehran.

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the top-notch nuclear scientist who headed research and innovation wing at Iran's Defense Ministry, was killed on Friday on the outskirts of capital Tehran.

The second high-profile assassination this year after IRGC commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani's killing in a US air strike in January, Fakhrizadeh's killing has drawn strong reactions in Tehran.

Security analysts warn that the incident could spark a new round of tensions in the region, as top Iranian military officials have vowed “strong retaliation”.

The fingers are being unequivocally pointed at Tehran's bitter adversary Israel.

The top nuclear scientist was attacked in Damavand county near Tehran after assailants blew up a vehicle and then opened fire at his vehicle, wounding him and others with him.

The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where Fakhrizadeh succumbed to his injuries. Others are believed to be in critical condition.

Reactions

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was among the first to condemn the nuclear scientist's killing, saying Israel was "likely to have been involved" in it.

“This cowardice - with serious indications of Israeli role -shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators,” Zarif tweeted. “Iran calls on int'l community - and especially EU - to end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state terror.”

Condemning the killing, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said the time for "appeasement politics" is over and it's time to "exact revenge" for the scientist's killing.

Iran's Chief of Army Staff Gen. Mohammad Baqeri also issued a statement, accusing the “terrorists” affiliated with Israel of killing “one of the managers and servants” of Iran’s defense industry.

Baqeri, who had a long association with the slain scientist, termed it a “heavy blow” to the country’s defense sector and said the “hard revenge” awaits them.

Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami said the killing of Fakhrizadeh, who worked in his ministry, shows “the depth of enemies’ hatred towards the Islamic Republic”.

Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s top military advisor and a strong contender for next year’s presidential elections, also blamed Israel.

He said the Israelis, in the last days of their “gambling ally”, referring to Donald Trump administration, are making “every effort to ignite an all-out war” with Iran, adding that they will “regret their act”.

The top commander of IRGC Gen. Hossein Salami termed the killing a provocation by “dominant powers” for “confrontation with Iran”.

Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, in a strongly-worded statement, said his country “will take revenge from the perpetrators” of the act.

Israel’s hand?

The speculation over Israel’s hand in the attack has been further reinforced by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement quoted in the Israeli media hours after the incident.

“I can’t share with you some of the things that I did this week, but I would tell you that there is something moving in the Middle East,” he was quoted as saying by an Israeli news channel.

He also spoke of “tense period ahead” for his country, without divulging details.

Reports have been doing rounds about the Israeli premier’s visit to Saudi Arabia, although denied by Riyadh, where he was joined by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, which some analysts saw as a precursor to military confrontation with Iran in the final weeks of Trump’s presidency.

Fakhrizadeh had been on the radar of Israeli spy agency for a long time, according to informed sources. He had even survived a few assassination bids in the past.

He was mentioned by Netanyahu during one of his presentations on Iran’s nuclear program in 2018, singling out the slain nuclear scientist as a pioneer of Iran’s nuclear program.

Due to high threat perception, Fakhrizadeh had been under the protective shield of Iran’s security agencies, sources said. His pictures were also not published in the media.

In 2011, a report by the UN nuclear watchdog identified him as a “key figure” in Iran’s nuclear program. He was the only Iranian official mentioned in the report.

The agency sought permission to meet the scientist, which was turned down by the Iranian government.

Past killings

Fakhrizadeh is the latest victim of a series of attacks on prominent Iranian nuclear scientists in recent years, which Iran has always blamed on Israel.

His killing came on the eve of the assassination anniversary of another senior nuclear scientist Majid Shahriari, who was killed in a car bomb blast in Tehran on Nov. 29, 2010.

Shahriari was believed to have played a key role in one of the biggest nuclear projects in Iran.

Massoud Ali Mohammadi, a senior nuclear scientist was one of the first to be targeted in January 2010 with a remote-controlled bomb in Tehran. He is believed to have been close to Fakhrizadeh.

Mostafa Roshan, a 32-year old nuclear scientist, was also killed in the same month in a bomb explosion in Tehran, the youngest of them.

While Fakhrizadeh’s killing is being termed as a “big blow” to Iran’s nuclear program, Abolfazl Amouei, the spokesman for parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission, said it will not affect the progress.

Amouei said the nuclear know-how is generally “indigenized” and the top scientist’s assassination will only prompt them to develop it further.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been high since 2018 when the Trump administration in a surprising move quit the 2015 nuclear accord, terming it a “horrible, one-sided deal”.

It was followed by re-instatement of sanctions on Iran, which only got worse with time. A year after, in May 2019, Iran responded by reducing its commitments under the deal.

Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA) said Iran now has 12 times the amount of enriched uranium than was allowed under the 2015 nuclear deal.

The election of Joe Biden as the new US president had rekindled hopes of US administration’s return to the deal and Iran’s return to its commitments under the deal.

However, today’s attack, experts believe, could lead to a new spell of tensions between Iran and the US. The likelihood of “military retaliation” by Iran or its regional allies against Israel cannot be ruled out.

More than 150 Ghanaian migrants have been brought back from Libya through the first charter flight of its kind since COVID-19-related border closures, the International Organization of Migration (IOM)) announced on Friday.

The 150 Ghanaians travelled from Libya to their homeland on Nov. 24, to arrive in the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), in Accra, according to an IOM statement.

“Upon arrival, migrants were tested for COVID-19 and provided with onward transportation cash assistance for their immediate needs, including travel to their home communities. The most vulnerable received medical and psychosocial assistance,” the statement said.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic poses additional challenges to vulnerable migrants, a more coordinated and efficient support system with Government and partners needed to make sure no migrant is left behind in the COVID-19 response,” Abibatou Wane-Fall, IOM Ghana’s chief of mission, said.

Out of over 584,500 migrants identified in Libya by the IOM, more than 27,200 are Ghanaians.

“Libya accounts for 63.5 percent of the returns to Ghana under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Other major countries of return include Niger, Mali and Mauritania,” the IOM statement said.

Hundreds of Africans have died in recent years trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea through Libya in search of better opportunities in Europe./aa

TEHRAN, Iran

A leading Iranian nuclear scientist has been assassinated by unidentified gunmen on the outskirts of the capital Tehran on Friday, the country’s foreign minister said.

“Terrorists murdered an eminent Iranian scientist today. This cowardice—with serious indications of Israeli role—shows desperate warmongering of perpetrators.

“Iran calls on int'l community—and especially EU—to end their shameful double standards & condemn this act of state terror,” Javad Zarif said on Twitter.

The incident took place in Damavand county at 2:30 p.m. local time (1100GMT) when Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was traveling in his private vehicle accompanied by family members, according to sources.

In a statement, the Iranian Defense Ministry confirmed the assassination, and said: "Armed terrorists attacked the car carrying head of the Research and Innovation Organization of the Ministry of Defense Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on Friday."

The assailants reportedly blew up a vehicle ahead of Fakhrizadeh's car before shooting indiscriminately at him, leaving him and others in the car severely wounded.

The top nuclear scientist was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital but he eventually succumbed to his wounds, sources said. His bodyguard is said to be in critical condition.

It is still not clear how many people were killed or injured in the attack that happened at the entrance of mountainous Absard city.

It's the second high-profile targeted killing of a top Iranian official after IRGC Quds Force chief Gen. Qassem Soleimani's killing in a US airstrike in January this year.

Fakhrizadeh's killing came on the eve of the assassination anniversary of another top Iranian nuclear scientist Majid Shahriari, who was killed in 2010.

He had survived a few assassination bids in the past.

Following the killing of many nuclear scientists in recent years, Fakhrizadeh had been under a protective shield of Iranian security agencies. His pictures were also not published in the media despite his high-profile status.

Iran had also refused requests of the UN nuclear watchdog body to interview him in an attempt to keep him away from media arc lights.

Fakhrizadeh has also taught physics at Imam Hossein University in Tehran, which is tied to the revolutionary guards (IRGC)./aa

ISTANBUL

After G20 Leaders' Summit decided to help underdeveloped countries in supplying COVID-19 vaccine, experts say that the amount of assistance in both the supply of vaccines and meeting the cost would be limited, as the developed countries are seriously affected by the global coronavirus outbreak.

During his speech at the two-day summit held last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested: "The vaccines developed should be made available to be the common property of humanity rather than deepening the existing injustices."

Turkey, on the other hand, also started to take steps to access the vaccine.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced that an agreement to purchase 50 million doses of vaccine was signed with China, and talks to purchase some 25 million doses from Germany were ongoing.

'In fair supply, WHO may play a central role' 

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Aydin Nurhan, a retired ambassador, said that the decision came out of the G20 summit does not refer to the center of the problem, and just a "principle" support for cheap and easy access to the vaccine.

He said it should not be expected from the countries to leave their own nations and prioritize other nations' needs in such a situation that the world goes through.
Nurhan noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) may undertake a "central role" in the fair supply of the vaccine, however, for that the governments and vaccine producers must commit to honest, accurate quantity reporting and net financial support.

"The statement is a declaration of goodwill. The weak are left alone with their destiny," he said, adding that the condition of the helpless before the crisis has worsened.

"Debt forgiveness [of underdeveloped countries] was not even mentioned. The offer of six-month postponement is like mocking," Nurhan said, referring to another decision taken at the summit.

Turkey was more cautious than many countries on the supply of the vaccine, he said, adding that the agreed quantity will provide access to the vaccine for nearly half of the population.

"Therefore, I think the distribution will take place fairly and equitably," he said.

'Poor countries cannot afford such cost'

Sencer Imer, an international relations professor from Ufuk University, told Anadolu Agency that the decision to help underdeveloped countries in the COVID-19 fight was one of the most important decisions of the summit.

"The world has turned into a global village. People are always in a state of traveling and this mobilization continues despite restrictions. Therefore, it can be prevented by the implementation of the vaccine in the whole world," Imer said, adding that the country that develops the vaccine would also revive its economy by selling it to the world.

He said Turkey is also included in the fund group that will be set up by G20 and added that contributions by the countries will be limited due to the pandemic's adverse effects on the economy across the world.

"Unemployment increased, economies shrunk. Thus, contribution by each country will be serious self-sacrifice," he noted.

Imer stressed that the vaccine, which is expected to cost around $30 for two doses, will create a serious burden for underdeveloped countries with an annual per capita income of $500 to 2,000.

He said poor countries cannot afford the cost, and they will be assisted by the fund that will be set up./aa

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir

Indian police detained former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti at her residence on Friday and also did not allow reporters to attend a news conference she was scheduled to address.

Mehbooba, the first woman chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, was released in mid-October after a 14-month-long detention. She was one of the several pro-India leaders who were jailed or detained in their homes on or after Aug. 5, 2019 when India scrapped the autonomous status of the disputed region.

“I have been detained again. I have been trying to meet the family of Waheed Parra for the past two days but authorities didn’t allow me. [Ruling party] BJP ministers and their stooges are being allowed to travel to every corner of Kashmir but only my movement becomes a security issue for the government,” she tweeted.

Waheed Parra, a youth leader of Mehbooba’s People’s Democratic Party, was arrested by India’s National Investigation Agency on Wednesday in a militancy case. Mehbooba had termed his arrest a tactic to pressurize political parties ahead of district council elections that begin Saturday.

After police stopped dozens of reporters from entering her residence in Srinagar, she tweeted: “Kashmir is an open air prison where no one has the right to express their opinion.”

She again linked her detention with the council elections, accusing the government of “using fear and intimidation in tandem to muffle any form of opposition”.

One of the vocal critics of India’s decision to scrap autonomy, Mehbooba has criticized the government of India for using its investigating agencies to harass the local pro-India political parties for participating in district council polls.

On Thursday, she had tweeted that the Bharatiya Janata Party, India’s Hindu nationalist ruling party, planned “foisting puppets and proxies” in Kashmir. But, she added, the surprise announcement by Kashmiri pro-India political parties to contest the polls has “derailed BJP’s designs”.

The council elections have assumed importance in view of the Aug. 5 decision. Either side could showcase the win as an endorsement of its stance on the watershed political decision.

Disputed Region

Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, New Delhi and Islamabad have fought three wars – in 1948, 1965, and 1971 – two of them over Kashmir.

Also, in Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir, Indian and Pakistani troops have fought intermittently since 1984. A cease-fire took effect in 2003.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights organizations, thousands have reportedly been killed in the conflict since 1989./aa