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☆ Iran's Raisi says Israeli 'normalization' deals will fail
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during a press conference concluding his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, U.S., September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said in a U.S. television interview on Sunday that U.S.-sponsored efforts to normalize Israeli relations with Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, "will see no success". In an interview with CNN, Raisi also said Iran had not said it does not want nuclear inspectors from the United Nations' nuclear watchdog in the country. Raisi has said Iran has no issue with the U.N. nuclear watchdog's inspection of its nuclear sites, days after Tehran barred multiple inspectors assigned to the country. Commenting on Iran's nuclear programme, Raisi said:"We have announced time and time again that the use of nuclear weapons, the use of weapons of mass destruction in general, do not have a place.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Shannon Stapleton, Raisi, Islamic Republic of Iran hasn't, Rami Ayyub, Peter Graff, David Holmes Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, CNN, United Nations, United Arab, Israel, Islamic, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tehran, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, Islamic Republic of Iran

☆ Netanyahu says Israel is edging 'closer' to normalization deal with Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Sana Noor Haq | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it is “likely” Israel will reach a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, in what would mark a seismic foreign policy shift for both countries as they edge closer to reaching a deal mediated by the US. Speaking to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview on Friday, Netanyahu touted the potential pact as “a quantum leap” in the region. Saudi Arabia, like many Arab states, does not currently recognize Israel; such a deal would have potential to enhance Israel’s acceptance in the Muslim world, particularly considering Saudi Arabia’s role as the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites. Netanyahu has made tightening relations with Saudi Arabia a linchpin of his premiership, although it is unclear what kind of concessions toward Palestinians would be allowed by his right-wing coalition. Israel says the raids are intended to prevent or punish Palestinian militant attacks on Israeli civilians because the Palestinian Authority is failing in its security obligations.

Persons: Kaitlan Collins, Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Netanyahu, ”, Israel, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, bin Salman, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Collins, “, Mahmoud Abbas, ” Abbas Organizations: CNN, Israeli, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, Fox News, Assembly, Reuters, UN, Palestinian, West Bank, Israel, Palestinian Authority Locations: Israel, Saudi Arabia, Asia, Jordan, United Arab, Riyadh, New York City, New York

☆ Lina Mukherjee: Indonesia jails woman who recited Muslim prayer on TikTok before eating pork
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Lina Lutfiawati, known as Lina Mukherjee on social media, was tried on Tuesday in the Palembang district court on Sumatra island. Speaking to reporters outside court on Tuesday after the trial, Mukherjee expressed shock at the sentence. “I know I was wrong but I really did not expect this punishment,” she said, in comments carried by CNN affiliate, CNN Indonesia. It is possible that she will file an appeal, CNN Indonesia added. Photos and videos taken of Mukherjee throughout the trial and carried by CNN Indonesia often showed her in tears and accompanied by a heavy security presence.

Persons: Lina Lutfiawati, Lina Mukherjee, Mukherjee, ”, Allah, babi, crackling, “, Andreas Harsono Organizations: CNN, TikTok, Indonesian Ulema Council, Watch’s Locations: Bali, Palembang, Sumatra, CNN Indonesia, Indonesia, Watch’s Indonesia, Chinese Indonesian

☆ Saudi crown prince says normalization with Israel gets 'closer' every day
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Abu Dhabi, UAE CNN —Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) said that his country was moving “closer” each day toward reaching a normalization deal with Israel, the first time he has publicly acknowledged the process. We’re gonna see how it goes.”The Biden administration has for several months been in talks with Saudi Arabia on the matter, according to US officials. Saudi Arabia has been strengthening its ties with China as Washington’s rivalry with the Asian nation heats up. “We are the biggest buyer of American armored manufacturing,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia is “critical” to US arms exports. Saudi Arabia is in the process of changing laws to make them “more realistic” for Saudis, he said.

Persons: UAE CNN — Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ”, Biden, don’t, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Fox News ’ Brett Baier, ” BRICS, BRICS, Jamal Khashoggi, Khashoggi Organizations: UAE CNN — Saudi Arabia’s Crown, Fox News, Saudi, MBS, ”, West Bank, Wednesday, CNN, Fox, White, America, CIA Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Israel, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, ”, Iran, Tehran, China, Beijing, Gulf, America, Arabia, West, Russia, Istanbul

The Old City of Jerusalem and its walls were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981, but UNESCO doesn't list it under Israel or Palestine. Whereas other sites are listed by country, UNESCO lists the site separately, under "Jerusalem (Site proposed by Jordan)." Source: Screenshot from UNESCOIsrael, which joined UNESCO in 1949, has nine sites named to the list, including Masada, the Old City of Acre and the "White City" of Tel Aviv. A backdrop of political alliancesUNESCO's decision to add Tell es-Sultan/Jericho to its World Heritage Site has angered Israeli officials, with Israel's foreign ministry releasing a statement Sunday calling it a "cynical" ploy by the Palestinians to politicize UNESCO. Kyiv's Saint Sophia Cathedral is now on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.

Persons: Archivio J, Lange, De Agostini, Mounir, Jordan, Masada, Anastas, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv's, Kyiv's Saint Sophia, Pollex Organizations: UNESCO, Getty, Bank, Saudi Press Agency, The, City of, UNESCO Israel, politicize UNESCO, Saudi, U.S, Biden, United, UNESCO —, World, Saint Locations: Jericho, Palestine, Old City, Jerusalem, City, City of Jerusalem, Israel, Acre, Tel Aviv, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Mecca, Medina, Saudi, United States, Ukraine, Lavra, Kyiv, Pechersk, Lviv, Kyiv's Saint

[1/4] Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives U.S. President Joe Biden at Al Salman Palace upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Biden would also score a foreign policy win as he seeks re-election in November 2024. The focus is on Biden’s fellow Democrats who have condemned Saudi Arabia over human rights but whose support would be needed if any agreement requires congressional approval. Though foreign policy rarely sways U.S. elections, Biden, facing a re-election fight against Republican former president Donald Trump, may be thinking of his legacy. Murphy, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he favors Israeli-Saudi normalization and is open to reviewing any broader agreement but would not be easily convinced.

Persons: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Israel, “, ”, Jonathan Panikoff, government’s, Biden’s, Washington, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Aaron David Miller, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Chris Murphy, Murphy, Jared Kushner, Trump, Abraham, Netanyahu, Matt Spetalnick, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle, Dan Williams, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Saudi Crown, Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Rights, Atlantic Council, Saudi, Israel, Republicans, Israeli, Republican, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, SAUDI, MbS, NATO, Reuters, Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Abraham Accords, Middle, General, Trump, Biden, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Israel, U.S, Riyadh, Iran, Gulf, East, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi, Yemen, “, United States, Washington, Jerusalem

☆ Tupac, Cocaine, Murder: Henchmen Brothers, Hip-Hop's Forgotten Moguls
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +39 min

Mario called Tupac. All he could do was listen to her cry as he explained that he didn't know when he'd be back. He didn't speak Spanish, didn't know a soul in Mexico, and had no clue where he would be sent. Mario didn't ask why, and the guy didn't inquire about Mario's predicament. "It's all good, man," Mario told Jimmy.

Persons: Mario Rosemond, Rosemond, Jimmy, Mario, Akon, Sean Kingston, Gucci Mane, Jimmy Rosemond —, Lowell, Lodi Mack, Fletcher, Tupac Shakur, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Jimmy Rosemond, Saul Goodman, Tommy Davis, Mario stammered, It's, Jimmy Jr, Andrea, Constantin, Johnny Nunez, Rikers, —, Slick, Russell Simmons, Benny Medina, Lyor Cohen, Chris Lighty, Mona Scott, Mark Sparks, Shoop, Paul Bergen, Bryce Wilson, Wilson, Mohammed, Tef, Stewart, Little Shawn, Puff Daddy, Pac, Freddie Moore, Moore, Al Pereira, would've, Jimmy wasn't, They'd, didn't, Jimmy didn't, —, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Wyclef Jean, Garland, Cyrus, THONY BELIZAIRE, Mariah Carey, LL, Missy Elliott, Cent, Tef Stewart, Jimmy Rosemond Jr, Jimmy Sr, Khalil Abdullah, Jimmy Iovine, determinedly, DJ Skee, Mario couldn't, Mario chuckles, he'd, GummyBone, Mario didn't, I'm, freckling, he's, isn't, I've, Jim Brown, Michael K, Williams, Donald Trump, Arturo Holmes, Scott Olson, Trump, Brown, James Rosemond Jr, David Kushner Organizations: FBI, Entertainment, Justice Department, Bronx ., Quad Studios, AP, grandad, Wall, Black Panthers, Junior Mafia, Hollywood, Haiti, Management, Apollo, Lowell, Racing, Interscope Records, Interscope, Feds, Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV, Colombian, York Post, Drug, Administration, NFL, Trump, Stone, Atari Locations: Mexico, Haiti, Brooklyn, Bronx, Cuernavaca, Spanish, Rahway , New Jersey, Port, New York City, Vanderveer Estates, East Flatbush, Rikers, Islam, Miami Beach, New York, New Jersey, East Coast, West Coast, Plainfield , New Jersey, Brandy, Los Angeles, Czar's, Harlem, LA, California, Beverly Hills, San, Tijuana, Mexico City, Colombian, San Diego, Manhattan

And now, Shawn Fain is representing nearly 150,000 auto workers in one of the biggest labor strikes in decades. Referring to Biblical scripture, Fain asked union members: "Are you willing to have faith and move that mountain? The Wednesday before contract expiration, he said UAW members must fight for a better contract "by any means necessary" - one of Malcolm X's most quoted phrases. That six-week strike cost GM $3.6 billion and stressed the finances of UAW members. Company executives have said the UAW's demands will make them uncompetitive as the shift to EVs offsets the profits delivered by the combustion trucks UAW members build.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Rebecca Cook, Malcolm X, Detroit carmakers, Fain, handshakes, Bernie Sanders, they’ve, “, ”, Darwin Segers, Mack, Malcolm X's, Garrett Nelson, Jim Farley, Joe White, Ben Klayman, Eric Cox, Bianca Flowers, David Shepardson, Matthew Lewis, Diane Craft Organizations: United Auto Workers, Ford Motor Michigan, REUTERS, Detroit, Ford Motor, General Motors, Detroit Three, Wall, UAW, GM, CFRA, Teamsters, United Parcel Service, UPS, Hollywood, Company, Ford, CNBC, Thomson Locations: Wayne , Michigan, U.S, Detroit, Hollywood, Chicago, Washington

The Friday walkout would start with targeted strikes designed to "create confusion," among automakers, Fain said, leaving the door open for last-minute agreements. Referring to Biblical scripture, Fain asked union members: "Are you willing to have faith and move that mountain? On Wednesday, he told UAW members they must fight for a better contract "by any means necessary" - one of Malcolm X's most quoted phrases. That six-week strike cost GM $3.6 billion and stressed the finances of UAW members. Like the Hollywood unions, the UAW members at the Detroit Three face threats from new technology that a richer contract will not resolve.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Malcolm X, they’ve, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Malcolm X's, Joe White, Ben Klayman, Bianca Flowers, David Shepardson, Matthew Lewis, Diane Craft Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, automakers, General Motors, Ford, Stellantis, UAW, Wall, Detroit, GM, Teamsters, United Parcel Service, UPS, Hollywood, Thomson Locations: Hollywood, Detroit, Chicago, Washington

☆ Iraq jails police for failing to halt torching of Swedish embassy after Koran burning
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An Iraqi demonstrator holds the Koran during a protest near the Green Zone against the burning of a copy of the Koran and the Iraqi flag in the Swedish capital Stockholm, in Baghdad, Iraq July 22, 2023. REUTERS/Khalid Al-Mousily/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBAGHDAD, Sept 13 (Reuters) - An Iraqi court sentenced 18 police officers to prison after they were found guilty of failing to prevent protesters from setting fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in July over a planned Koran burning in Stockholm. It says the officers were convicted of "abstaining from their duties to protect the Swedish embassy and to stop the persons who stormed and set fire to it". Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in July and set it on fire over a planned Koran burning in Stockholm. Anti-Islam protesters, one of whom is an Iraqi immigrant to Sweden who burned the Koran outside a Stockholm mosque in June, had applied for and received permission from Swedish police to burn the Koran outside the Iraqi embassy.

Persons: Khalid Al, Ahmed Rasheed, Timour, Nick Macfie Organizations: Green, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Iraqi, Swedish, Stockholm, Baghdad, Iraq, Rights BAGHDAD, Sweden

[1/2] Lab-grown chicken from GOOD Meat is grilled by Chef Daniel Lugo at Jose Andres's China Chilcano, in Washington, U.S., July 13, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 11 (Reuters) - Lab-grown meat can be labeled kosher and halal as long as its cells are derived in methods compliant with religious standards, according to two panels of experts commissioned by the nascent industry. "It’s another marker around making cultivated meat a real solution," said Josh Tetrick, CEO of GOOD Meat. More than 12 million people in the United States eat kosher products and 8 million eat halal products, according to the OU and Islamic Services of America, a halal certification agency. Regulators cleared cultivated chicken for U.S. consumption earlier this year and it has since been served at some high-end restaurants.

Persons: Chef Daniel Lugo, Leah Millis, Josh Tetrick, Tetrick, SuperMeat, Ido Savir, Leah Douglas, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, GOOD, Companies, Orthodox Union, OU, Islamic Services of America, Thomson Locations: Jose, China, Washington , U.S, United States, Singapore

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights chief called on Monday for an “urgent reversal” of military takeovers and return to civilian rule in countries in Africa where coups have driven out elected leaders in recent years as he assailed a multitude of crises across the globe. Volker Türk's comments set the early tone for the U.N.'s top human rights body as he opened its fall session against the backdrop of conflicts and crises — including the plights of migrants from Myanmar to Mali and Mexico. “The unconstitutional changes in government that we have seen in the Sahel are not the solution,” Türk said. Türk also expressed his concern about a proposed bill in Iran that would impose severe penalties for violations of the country's strictly enforced law on women's mandatory headscarf, or hijab. His remarks came just days before the first anniversary of the Sept. 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained by Iran's morality police allegedly over violating the dress code, and the nationwide protests that were sparked by her death.

Persons: Volker Türk's, ” Türk, ”, Türk, —, Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Amini Organizations: GENEVA, Human Rights, Kremlin Locations: Africa, Myanmar, Mali, Mexico, Sahel, North Africa, Burkina Faso, Niger, Haiti, Beirut, U.S, China, Xinjiang, Iran

☆ Dozens of civilians among 64 killed in attacks in Mali
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Teele Rebane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Two separate attacks by suspected al-Qaeda-linked militants in restive northeastern Mali Thursday killed 64 people including dozens of civilians, the country’s transitional government said. The attacks targeted a passenger boat on the Niger River near Timbuktu and an army base in Bamba, in the northern Gao region, killing 49 civilians and 15 soldiers, according to the interim government’s statement. The attacks were claimed by Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM), a militant group associated with al Qaeda, the government said. The Sahara-Sahel region, of which Mali is a part, has seen an escalation of violence in recent years as an Islamic insurgency brews near the borders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The United Nations in June said “endless” violence was being unleashed on civilians in northeastern Mali by the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group and its affiliates.

Persons: ” Organizations: CNN, Mali Thursday, Malian Army, Support Group, Islam, The United Nations, Islamic, UN Locations: restive, Mali, Niger, Timbuktu, Bamba, Gao, Rharous Cercle, al Qaeda, Burkina Faso

After the coup, the United States paused certain foreign assistance programs for Niger and military training has been on hold. "The leaders of this attempted coup are putting Niger's security at risk, creating a potential vacuum that terrorist groups or other malign groups may exploit," the official said. The United States has been pressing for a diplomatic resolution of the crisis that erupted on July 26 when Niger military officers seized power, deposed President Mohamed Bazoum and placed him under house arrest. Military juntas have come to power through coups in Mali and Burkina Faso - both neighbors of Niger - in recent years. But so far, Paris has rejected calls by the coup leaders to withdraw their 1,500 troops.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mohamed Bazoum, Kathleen FitzGibbon, Nusrat al, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Jonathan Oatis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Pentagon, Reuters, American, Air Base, Islamic State, Troops, United, Niger, Thomson Locations: Niger, U.S, Niamey, Agadez, West, al Qaeda, United, Washington, United States, State, Mali, Burkina Faso, France, Paris

FILE PHOTO-Former Indonesian education minister Anies Baswedan talks to reporters after voting in the Jakarta governor election in Jakarta, Indonesia April 19, 2017. REUTERS/Beawiharta/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan on Saturday named the chairman of Indonesia's largest Islamic party as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election, a move aimed at boosting his popularity in this Muslim majority country. His vice presidential pick, Muhaimin Iskandar, leads the National Awakening Party (PKB), which has strong ties with Indonesia's biggest Islamic organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), that boasts 40 million members. Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, a senior member of Prabowo's Gerindra party, said the announcement "automatically ended the political cooperation of Gerindra and PKB" but added his party respected Muhaimin's decision. Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; editing by Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Anies Baswedan, Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, Ganjar Pranowo, Prabowo Subianto, Joko, Muhaimin Iskandar, Prabowo, Anies, Djayadi Hanan, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Muhaimin, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, Prabowo's, Ananda Teresia, Gayatri Suroyo, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Former Jakarta Governor, Saturday, Central Java, Defence, National Awakening Party, Indonesia's, Ulama, PKB, NU, Anies, Thomson Locations: Indonesian, Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, Surabaya, East Java

☆ A Saudi-Israel deal could dramatically reshape the Middle East — but don't expect it anytime soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Saudi Arabia doesn't recognize Israel as a state and has refused to do so since the latter's independence in 1948. A deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia could dramatically reshape the geopolitics of the Middle East. Saudi Arabia wants military promisesAnother big challenge is what Saudi Arabia is demanding of Washington. But even if a security guarantee and more advanced weapons access demands are met, U.S. backing for a Saudi nuclear program is likely more challenging. Any deal on this is also complicated by the fact that Saudi Arabia has its own natural supplies of uranium and intends to mine them itself.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Louiza Vradi, Israel –, Saudi Arabia doesn't, Mahmoud Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amir Cohen, Biden, Sanam Vakil, Netanyahu, Mustafa Hassona, Hussein Ibish, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Vakil, Mohammed bin Salman, Fayez Nureldine, Ryan Bohl, Rane Organizations: Wall Street Journal, Palestinian Authority, Biden, Palmachim Air Force Base, Reuters, Saudi, Chatham House, CNBC, Bloomberg, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Gulf States Institute, United Nations, Saudi Crown, Nurphoto, Republicans, Artillery, Defense, Afp, U.S, government's, United Arab Emirates, Middle East Locations: Saudi, Athens, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Riyadh, Rishon Lezion, U.S, East, North Africa, Palestine, Mecca, Medina, Gaza City, West Bank, Nablus, Gaza, Washington, Beit Lahia, Yemen

☆ Here's what's next for bitcoin ETFs after a court ruled in favor of Grayscale over the SEC
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A federal appeals court struck down the SEC's order denying the conversion of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) into an exchange traded fund. The decision does not guarantee that investors will be able to freely trade a bitcoin ETF anytime soon, however. Another impact could be for the bitcoin futures ETFs that are already on the market, led by the $940 million ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) . Those funds could see outflows if investors choose the spot bitcoin products instead. Consider Valkyrie's attempt to change its bitcoin futures product into a broader crypto fund that also holds ether futures.

Persons: Jeremy Senderowicz, Vedder Price, Senderowicz, Terrence Yang, Swan, Yang, Cathie Wood, Islam, bitcoin Organizations: Securities, Exchange, SEC, Appeals, U.S, Supreme, CNBC, Ark Invest, Bloomberg News, BlackRock, Marathon

☆ Afghan women once worked in this popular national park. Now they’re not even allowed to visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Afghanistan’s Band-e-Amir National Park was known for having employed the country’s first-ever female park rangers. Now, women won’t even be allowed to visit, let alone work there, as the Taliban deepens its repressive rule over the country. Heather Barr, associate director of the women’s rights at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement Monday that the ban shows how “the walls are closing in on women” within Afghanistan. Since re-taking control of the country in August 2021, amid the United States’ chaotic, controversial withdrawal, the Taliban has rolled back decades of progress on human rights. In Afghanistan, “there is no such thing as women’s freedom anymore,” Mahbouba Seraj, an Afghan women’s rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, said earlier this month.

Persons: CNN —, won’t, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, Heather Barr, ”, Mahbouba, they’re, Richard Bennett, Dorothy Estrada, Tanck Organizations: CNN, Amir, USAID, United Nations Development, Human Rights, UN Locations: Bamiyan, ”, Afghanistan, States, “, Afghan

New Delhi CNN —Police in India are investigating a teacher after a video of her encouraging students to slap their 7-year-old classmate, who is Muslim, sparked widespread outrage in the country. The video of the incident, which took place in the Muzaffarnagar district in northern Uttar Pradesh state, shows the boy fearfully standing in front of his classmates as the teacher calls on students to hit him. Muzaffarnagar’s superintendent of police, Satyanarayan Prajapat, on Friday said the teacher told students to hit the boy “for not remembering his times tables.”The teacher also referenced the boy’s religion, according to Prajapat. District officials have also ordered the school to shut, according to CNN affiliate CNN News-18. Uttar Pradesh, where the incident took place, is India’s largest state of about 200 million.

Persons: wails, Satyanarayan, ”, Bharatiya Janata Party’s, Rahul Gandhi, ” Gandhi, Narendra Modi, old’s, “, I’d, Deepankar Basu, Yogi Adityanath Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN — Police, Mohammedan, Police, CNN, Bharatiya Janata, Twitter, BJP, Free, Compulsory, CNN News Locations: New Delhi, India, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, United States

CNN —France will ban schoolchildren from wearing abayas ahead of the upcoming academic year, the government has said, the latest in a series of contentious restrictions in the country on clothing associated with Muslims. French Education Minister Gabriel Attal said the long, robe-like garments often worn by Muslim women wouldn’t be permitted in the nation’s schools from the new term, which starts in September. Last year lawmakers backed a ban on wearing the hijab and other “conspicuous religious symbols” in sports competitions. France’s earlier ban on the niqab – full-face veils worn by some Muslim women – violated the human rights of those who wore it, the United Nations Human Rights Committee said in 2018. Muslim women are pictured in a shopping mall in Nanterre, France, in July.

Persons: Gabriel Attal, wouldn’t, ”, ” Attal, Danièle, Jean, Luc Mélenchon, ” Mélenchon, –, Romuald Meigneux, Sarah Alouane, Attal Organizations: CNN, French, “, TF1, United Nations Human Rights, & State Locations: France, Republic, Nanterre

☆ Canadian Olympian Paul dies in car crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam perform in the senior dance free program at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Ottawa January 11, 2014. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 27 (Reuters) - Former Olympic figure skater Alexandra Paul has died at the age of 31, Skate Canada said in a statement. Paul, who represented Canada at the Sochi 2014 Games and finished 18th in the ice dance competition, died in a car crash on Tuesday, Canadian media reported. "It is with a heavy heart that Skate Canada announces the sudden passing of a cherished member of our skating community, Alexandra Paul," Skate Canada said in a statement earlier this week. Paul won a silver medal at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in 2010 and retired from competitive skating in 2016.

Persons: Alexandra Paul, Mitchell Islam, Chris Wattie, Paul, Aadi Nair, Ed Osmond Organizations: REUTERS, Skate, Canada, Thomson Locations: Ottawa, Skate Canada, Canada, Sochi, Bengaluru

☆ Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia's grand plan to future-proof its oil-based economy. Experts say it's a huge risk.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia's grand plan to transform its economy and reduce its reliance on oil. The centerpiece of Vision 2030 is Neom, which includes a $1 trillion megacity known as The Line. But time is ticking: Seven years after announcing Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has reached the midway point of its timeline, with just seven years left to the finish line. That said, much of this is being financed by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's powerful sovereign wealth fund, which manages assets worth about $700 billion. NeomA key factor that could determine this project's success involves Saudi Arabia's changing appeal to the West.

Persons: Saud, who's, Simon Mabon, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, McKinsey —, —, Gerald Feierstein, Barack Obama, Feierstein, Richard Callis, Prince Mohammed, Yasir Othman al, Mabon, Prince Mohammed's, there's, Muslimi, they're Organizations: Foreign Policy Center, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Saudi Crown, McKinsey, Middle East Institute, Public Investment Fund, Saudi, SoftBank's Vision, Newcastle United soccer, Newcastle United FC, Saudi Aramco, International Monetary Fund, Chatham House, Neom, United, Bloomberg, Amnesty International Locations: Saudi, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, London, NEOM, Bandar, Yemen, Ukraine, Riyadh, Jeddah, they're, United Arab Emirates, Neom

☆ France to ban Muslim abaya dress in state schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Newly appointed French Education Minister Gabriel Attal arrives to attend the weekly cabinet meeting, after a government reshuffle, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 21, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 27 (Reuters) - France will ban children from wearing the abaya, the loose-fitting, full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in state-run schools, its education minister said on Sunday ahead of the back-to-school season. France, which has enforced a strict ban on religious signs in state schools since 19th century laws removed any traditional Catholic influence from public education, has struggled to update guidelines to deal with a growing Muslim minority. In 2004, it banned headscarves in schools and passed a ban on full face veils in public in 2010, angering some in its five million-strong Muslim community. "I have decided that the abaya could no longer be worn in schools," Education Minister Gabriel Attal said in an interview with TV channel TF1.

Persons: Gabriel Attal, Gonzalo Fuentes, shouldn't, Michel Rose, Giles Elgood Organizations: French Education, REUTERS, Rights, TF1, Thomson Locations: Paris, France

CNN —One year after catastrophic floods devastated swathes of Pakistan, some 4 million children in the South Asian nation remain without access to safe water, the United Nations children’s agency has warned. “Vulnerable children living in flood-affected areas have endured a horrific year,” Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan, said in the statement. “The climate-related disaster deepened pre-existing inequities for children and families in affected districts,” UNICEF said in the statement. Children pick vegetables from water at a flooded market after heavy rainfall in Lahore on June 26, 2023. Fadil from UNICEF said the agency has called on the government of Pakistan and its partners to “increase and sustain investment in basic social services for children and families.”He added: “We cannot forget the children of Pakistan.

Persons: ” Abdullah Fadil, “, Asim Hafeez, Dera Allah Yar, Fida Hussain, Imran Khan, Khan, ”, Stephen Innes, Arif Ali, Fadil Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UNICEF, UNICEF Representative, Bloomberg, Getty, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Capital Economics, Analysts Locations: Pakistan, Karachi Division, Sindh province, Pakistan’s, Dera, Jaffarabad district, Balochistan, AFP, Asia, Lahore, South Asia, Afghanistan, India

☆ Malaysia PM vows to recover Goldman Sachs 1MDB settlement, warns of possible lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesMalaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to recover the money Malaysians are owed from the 1MDB money laundering scandal, and says he hasn't ruled out the possibility of a lawsuit against Goldman Sachs. Anwar said Malaysian agencies were still in talks with Goldman Sachs, though ongoing discussions are "a bit complex." Asked to comment on Anwar's interview, Goldman Sachs referred CNBC to its second quarter earnings statement. It remains to be seen what would come out of the standoff between Malaysia and Goldman Sachs. "No one can deny the fact that Goldman Sachs was used, and partly used the authorities," Anwar said in his interview.

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