LATEST NEWS
NEMO movement supports
Pope's words against
aggressions and
blockades
October 19th, 12:37am (Prensa Latina)
The Global Anti-Blockade of Cuba Movement - known
as NEMO - on Monday expressed its support for Pope
Francis' statements... on putting a necessary end to
unilateral aggressions and sanctions, on any nation.
The US organization, which has long been calling for the
end of the US blockade against Cuba, considers that
Pope Francis´ statements have 'the highest value
and moral significance' ...for being a guide for
about 1.4 billion Catholic faithful.
Pope Francis´ words, who is today a great world leader,
are morally essential, pristine, and respond to the
thoughts and feelings of all good men,
regardless of their confession.
In addition, NEMO praised that, in spite of being a
secular movement, among its more than 100,000
members... there are people practicing various
religions, with their own creeds and positions.
NEMO suggests that those who propose destabilization
actions, in Cuba, for the coming November... read Pope
Francis´ words... to avoid 'a terrible track for the
Cuban people.'
In a message recorded on video for participants
in the 2nd session of the 4th World Meeting of
Popular Movements, Pope Francis said 'no'
to neocolonialism, and added that
conflicts must be solved in
multilateral bodies, such
as the United Nations.
________________________
Sayyed Houthi Reiterates
Commitment to Sayyed
Nasrallah’s Al-Quds
Formula
October 18th, 8:55pm (al Manar)
The leader of Ansarullah Movement, Sayyed Abdul Malik
Badreddine Houthi, reiterated Yemen’s commitment to
the historical A-Quds formula which was announced
by the Hezbollah Secretary General, Sayyed
Hasan Nasrallah.
Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah consecrated, during his speech
on the 21st anniversary of Resistance and Liberation
Day, a new formula, “If Israel tampers with Al-Quds,
it will face a regional war.”
Delivering a speech on Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday,
Sayyed Houthi emphasized that the Yemenis will
always show solidarity with the oppressed in
the Umma, voicing full support to the
Palestinian cause.
Sayyed Houthi called on the Yemenis to stick to their
steadfastness in the face of the ongoing Saudi-led
aggression on Yemen, adding, “It is our duty
to confront the aggression”.
Ansarullah's leader felicitated the Islamic Umma on
Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday, underscoring its
commitment to the values of the Messenger.
Sayyed Houthi hailed the heavy crowds which attended
the celebrations on the Islamic occasion, underlining
that the Yemenis resort to the teachings of Prophet
Muhammad, in order to confront the Saudi-
led aggression.
In this context, Sayyed Houthi indicated... that the
normalization deals between some Arab regimes
and the Israeli enemy, abuses the Messenger,
highlighting the divine promise pertaining
to Israel’s demise.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
__________________________________
Families of Beirut Port Blast Martyrs
- Cast More Doubts on Judge Bitar
October 18th, 7:40pm (al Manar)
The spokesman of the Beirut Port blast victims’ families,
Ibrahim Hoteit, revealed that the judicial investigator,
Tarek Bitar, had said that he had enough knowledge
about the real causes of the explosion, and
the owner of the ship which brought the
ammonium nitrate into the seaport.
Hoteit called on the investigator to reveal the reports
he has, casting more doubts on his approach.
Seven martyrs and around 30 injured were reported
during the armed attack carried out by “Lebanese
Forces” gunmen on the peaceful protestors in
Tayouneh area, on Thursday, October 14th.
The protesters were demonstrating
against the politicized decisions
of Al-Bitar.
Al-Bitar had issued arrest warrants against officials as
well as military figures on an illogical basis, pushing
the defendants and observers to cast doubts on
his probe.
On August 4th, 2020, a massive blast rocked Beirut Port,
killing around 195 citizens and injuring over 6,000
others. The explosion also caused massive
destruction in the capital and
its suburbs.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
________________________________
Protesters keep rallying in front
of OSCE SMM office on Monday
October 18th, 5:01pm (DAN)
About 150 people keep rallying in front of the OSCE
SMM office in Donetsk to protest over the mission's
insufficient efforts in Donbass.
The protests began on October 15th when Donetsk
residents set up tents outside the Park Inn hotel at
the Pushkina Blvd where the mission is based,
blocking its exits, following the abduction of
an LPR officer in the JCCC, by an armed
Ukrainian reconnaissance squad in the
"grey zone" of Zolotoye settlement.
Protesters say that the SMM has relinquished its duty
to assess the incident, having endangered the entire
system of communication of the conflicting sides
and, consequently, the security situation in
the area.
"Ukraine has violated all the agreements, promised
numerous times, by abducting the JCCC officer.
There is no guarantee it won't violate them in
the future. It can result in a new escalation,"
one of the protesters, Darya Yuschenko,
of Donetsk said.
An improvised stage has been set up in front
of the hotel, where anyone can speak up.
Some participants demand that the SMM not only
acts - to liberate the captured officer - but
intensifies its monitoring efforts and
reports better on violations of
the ceasefire.
"The OSCE has long been inefficient.... I see people
from the frontline areas and the situation there is
really complicated. They feel frustrated because
of the mission's idleness. I hope.. for positive
dynamics, the SMM must expose Ukraine's
unlawful actions... because the rank-and
-file Donbass residents are hostages of
the situation," Valentina Soinikova,
of Amvrosiyevskiy region, said.
The situation is calm. DPR police
are deployed at the rally site.
__________________________
Amal Movement Calls for Arrest
of Culprits in Tayouneh Crime
October 18th, 5pm (al Manar)
Amal Movement's politburo called on Monday, after its
regular meeting.. for the arrest of the culprits in the
crime against the peaceful protesters in Tayouneh
area, stressing that the attack could have led the
country into the quagmire of sectarian strife.
In a statement, Amal Movement stressed that it will not
accept to be dragged into the internal sedition ignited
by the politicization of the investigations into Beirut
Port blast, calling for admitting the rules and
norms, of a fair probe.
Seven martyrs and around 30 injured were reported
during the armed attack carried out by “Lebanese
Forces” gunmen on the peaceful protestors in
Tayouneh area on Thursday, October 14th.
The protesters were demonstrating
against the politicized decisions
of Al-Bitar.
Al-Bitar had issued arrest warrants against officials, as
well as military figures, on an illogical basis, pushing
the defendants, and observers, to cast doubts on
his probe.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
______________________________
Russia to suspend direct
diplomatic ties with NATO
from November with US-led
bloc’s Moscow mission
ordered to close
– FM Lavrov
October 18th, 3:11pm (RT)
Moscow has announced that it will completely suspend
the operations of its mission to NATO, two weeks after
the US-led bloc expelled eight Russian diplomats, for
alleged 'undisclosed espionage' at its Brussels HQ.
Speaking on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov, also revealed that the NATO information
bureau in Moscow will be forced to shut down
as part of the retaliatory measures.
Earlier this month, NATO officials decided to slash the
size of the permanent Russian delegation to the bloc,
revoking the credentials of eight envoys, in
response to what it called “suspected
malign Russian activities.”
Following NATO's decision, Foreign Ministry spokes-
woman, Maria Zakharova, warned that Moscow
would work on a response.
Now, if the US-led bloc wants to talk to Russia,
it must deal with the embassy in Belgium,
Lavrov said.
“As a result of purposeful steps by NATO, we do not
have the right conditions for elementary diplomatic
activities,” he told TASS news agency.
“In response to NATO's actions, we are suspending
the work of our permanent mission, including the
work of our chief military representative.”
“The NATO International Secretariat
has already been notified.”
“If NATO members have any urgent matters, they can
contact our ambassador in Belgium, who ensures
bilateral relations between Russia and the
Kingdom of Belgium,” the minister said.
________________________________
Ukrainian opposition leader
rejects Zelensky suggestion
to escape prosecution, and
leave for Moscow, denying
he is a Russian citizen
October 18th, 3:04pm (RT)
The leader of Ukraine’s largest opposition party,
Viktor Medvedchuk... says he does not have
Russian citizenship and will not leave the
country... despite facing a criminal
prosecution in Kiev, on charges
he has slammed as “political.”
On Monday, Medvedchuk, leader of the Opposition
Platform - For Life party, turned down the offer
from the country’s President, Volodymyr
Zelensky.... to trade the politician
currently under house arrest...
for “real heroes & citizens”
being held abroad.
“I did not have and do not have, any other citizenship,
except Ukrainian,” he blasted. “I am a citizen of
Ukraine and I will be one, despite the illegal,
criminal pressure -- that is being exercised
against me by the authorities today. And
I consider the fabrication of criminal
cases exclusively as illegal criminal
prosecution & political repression”
Medvedchuk wrote, on his
party’s website.
“I am confident in my innocence and will fight for the
restoration of justice and the rule of law, as well as
for bringing to justice all those who are involved in
the criminal organization of politically motivated
criminal prosecutions.. and bringing me illegal
charges,” he continued.
Zelensky said on ICTV on Sunday, that such an
exchange would be possible... if the Ukrainian
politician was eligible for support from the
Kremlin, but no offers for a deal have
been received from Moscow.
“If, for example, Russia confirmed that Mr. Medvedchuk
has Russian citizenship, well, it is quite possible,”
adding that if Russia were to confirm, “or at least
hint”... Ukraine “would gladly... consider the
possibility of exchanging Mr Medvedchuk
for real heroes and citizens of Ukraine.”
Last week, a Kiev court prolonged the opposition leader’s
house arrest, after new criminal charges were filed,
accusing the politician of aiding ‘terrorism’ in the
country’s war-torn east. According to the Kiev
authorities, Medvedchuk conspired with
Moscow, to disrupt coal supplies to
Ukraine from South Africa in 2014 .
He created obstacles, the court said, to the conclusion
ofthe South African contract “using the powers of the
National Bank and law enforcement agencies.” He
then, allegedly, facilitated coal supplies from the
self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s
Republics. Both of these regions are still
at war with Kiev. Because of this, he is
accused of “treason” and “aiding
terrorism.”
In Medvedchuk’s latest statement, the parliamentarian
insisted that he would keep up the fight in Ukraine to
try and clear his name from allegations made against
him. “I will continue my political struggle, defending
the ideological principles of our party’s program, --
Opposition Platform - For Life,” he said, “despite
the illegal and criminal actions that the
authorities exercise. And it will be a
struggle to the bitter end - which I
will wage in accordance with my
main life principle - do what you
must, and what will be will be.”
___________________________
CSTO drills kick
off in Tajikistan
October 18th, 2:21pm (Prensa Latina)
Collective Security Treaty Organization collective
forces (CSTO), composed of former Soviet
countries, launched a series of military
exercises... as part of the Combat
Brotherhood drill in Tajikistan.
A total of four thousand soldiers and more than 500
vehicles will participate in the exercises... named
Echelon 2021, Search 2021 and Interaction 2021
that integrate the practices that will be carried
out in 2 polygons in the country, according
to the press service of the organization.
It was explained that Echelon 2021 will train the
military in providing material and technical
support when preparing and conducting
a joint operation, while Search 2021
will have the personnel drilling
in reconnaissance tasks.
In the case of the Interaction 2021 joint exercise... the
troops... will focus on locating possible border armed
conflicts and on ways to repel attempts by terrorists
to penetrate the territory of a CSTO member state.
The head of the CSTO Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colonel
General Anatoli Sídorov, announced that the
Combat Brotherhood exercise will involve
more than five thousand soldiers, 700
units of war matériel, including more
than 650 armoured vehicles, 20
aircraft, over 20 helicopters
and 15 UAVs.
The military bloc, made up of Russia, Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, reported in
September on the carrying out of the drills: given
the danger posed by an overflowing of the
Afghan conflict out of the country's
borders and the presence of
terrorist movements in
its territory.
____________________________
Treacherous Atrocities of
Criminal Samir Geagea
in Brief
October 18th, 1:12pm (al Manar)
When the Lebanese Forces snipers were ordered
by their leader, Samir Geagea, to open fire at
peaceful protesters in Tayouneh area, on
Thursday, October 14th, they carried out
the deadly plan.. which reflects a long
history of criminality.
A long report would not be enough to highlight all
Geagea's atrocities, so we will provide just a
brief reminder of his despicable history.
Geagea assassinated the former prime minister, Rashid
Karami, son of late President, Suleiman Franjieh, with
his wife and daughter, the politician Dani Chamoun
with his wife and kids, Monsignor Albert Khraish,
a considerable number of the Army officers,
and a large number of innocent civilians.
It is worth noting that Geagea used to carry out his crimes
in treacherous manners -- that he used to reassure the
victim, before the murder, in order to surprise him...
and attempted to conceal the corpse in a remote
location, to let the accusations be thrown on
other suspects.
7 martyrs and around 30 injured were reported
during the armed attack, carried out by the
Geagea “Lebanese Forces” gunmen... on
peaceful protestors in Tayouneh area,
on Thursday, October 14th.
The protesters were demonstrating against
the politicized decisions of Al-Bitar.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
______________________________
Syrian Nationalist Party calls:
to dissolve Lebanese Forces
October 18th, 12:55pm (Prensa Latina)
The Syrian Nationalist Party of Lebanon calls for
the dissolution of the Lebanese Forces, which
are responsible for risky practices for the
country's stability, according to a
communique, reproduced on
Monday, on the pan-Arab
channel, Al Mayadeen.
Referring to the shooting in the Beirut locality of
Tayouneh.. in which seven citizens were killed
and dozens were wounded, the note explains:
that the intention, was to resume the armed
struggle and the internal division.
And, it adds... to place Lebanon under the West's
supervision and attract international intervention.
The text calls on the corresponding authorities to
dissolve the faction and prevent the stirring up of
the sectarian anger that has been present since
the 1975-1990 civil war.
The document also repudiates the official and
political delay to try Samir Geagea, the
mastermind of the Tayouneh crime,
who is implementing a project
of chaos for the nation.
____________________________
China Denies Testing Nuclear-
Capable Hypersonic Missile....
Says It Was Space Vehicle Trial
October 18th, 12:36pm (Sputnik)
The Financial Times, earlier, reported that the test of the
alleged hypersonic glider vehicle by China this summer
"caught the US government by surprise" as it
purportedly demonstrated the great
progress achieved by Beijing
in this area.
China did not carry out a test of hypersonic weapons -- but
instead carried out a trial of a spacecraft, China's Foreign
Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, has stated. Zhao Lijian
added that it was a "routine test" for reusable space
rocket technology.
The US company SpaceX successfully tested similar
technology with the goal of reducing the costs of
space travel and of sending cargo into orbit.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman,
Beijing also hopes that the technology tested this
summer will "provide a cheap and convenient
method for humans to peacefully travel to
and from space".
The FT claimed the test took place in August, but
Zhao Lijian insists it actually happened in July.
The newspaper claimed that the weapon missed its
designated target by about two-dozen miles, but
nonetheless demonstrated the "astounding
progress" that Beijing has made, in
developing hypersonic armaments,
which are 'believed to be' more
capable of penetrating ground
missile defences, than the
regular ballistic missiles.
The FT pointed at the possibility of the alleged Chinese
hypersonic missile flying over the South Pole before
hitting US territory. Washington has purportedly
concentrated its radar and air defence
capabilities on its northern borders,
expecting a potential missile
strike to come from the
direction of the
North Pole.
The US first started testing hypersonic missile technologies
at the end of the 20th century, but abandoned them after
seeing poor results. It has revived research into this
technology in recent years.. in light of the progress
made in the field by Russian and Chinese defence
industries. The two countries have boasted of
developing the working prototypes of hyper-
sonic armaments, with Russia reporting
about the start of deployments in its
armed forces. In addition, North
Korea also reported testing its
first hypersonic missile, on
September the 30th.
_________________________________
China May Boost Accuracy of Its
Hypersonic Weapons Via AI
Technology, Report Says
October 18th, 12:35pm (Sputnik)
Chinese PLA researchers are reportedly seeking to
improve the accuracy of the country's hypersonic
delivery systems via artificial intelligence,
according to the South China
Morning Post.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on
Monday refuted a report by the Financial Times...
...saying that the country conducted a hypersonic
missile test in August. First, it was not a missile
but a space vehicle; second, the trials took
place in July, Zhao specified.
Earlier, FT dropped a bombshell by claiming that China
had tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon.
According to the report, the Chinese military
launched a rocket carrying a hypersonic
glide vehicle that circled the Earth
through low-orbit space before
cruising towards its target.
Beijing's recent statement does not mean, however, that
China's hypersonic missile research has not been
going at full throttle. On October 14th, Stephen
Chen, the South China Morning Post's Beijing
-based senior reporter who investigates
major research projects in China...
reported that People's Liberation
Army scientists are seeking to
step up the accuracy of
hypersonic weapons
via the usage of AI.
Chen quoted a research paper by Xian Yong and Li
Bangjie, from the Rocket Force Engineering
University's College of War Support, who
proposed giving the weapon more
decision-making power.
This could step up the weapon's overall positioning
accuracy "by one to two orders of magnitude",
according to the researchers. Given that a
hypersonic carrier, has to travel 'up to'
thousands of miles to deliver its load
while making complex manoeuvres
during the flight, this depends on
how precisely it can determine
its position.
Yet, the weapon's built-in inertial sensors are typically
subjected to physical disturbances - during assembly,
transport, and routine maintenance, argued Xian and
Li. In addition, powering the hypersonic weapon up
may cause further deviations from its factory
settings --- and subsequently affect its
precision capabilities, according
to the study.
To fix this problem, Xian and Li's team, proposed replacing
the factory settings with AI technology. The AI would start
working, once the weapon is launched and "write" the
weapon's software "on the fly". It would calculate the
missile's position, using the signal from the GPS or
the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System... and
compare it with the results generated by
the on-board sensors. By using this
data, the AI will create a unique
positioning algorithm for the
weapon's flight control
programme.
"An AI-based system could keep a hypersonic weapon on
course with an accuracy of about 10 metres (32 feet)",
Stephen Chen wrote, citing the researchers. "In one
simulated flight, the AI-generated algorithm under-
went thousands of rounds of evolution during the
initial stage of flight on a 10-year-old Intel Xeon
CPU. The final version was obtained in about
20 seconds".
The SCMP reporter remarked that while the speed of
the processors used in China's hypersonic military
programme is classified, their performance is
said to be increasing steadily.
Several years ago, the Chinese media also discussed
the development of 'a family' of cruise missiles, with
artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. On September
21st, 2016, The Diplomat examined these reports
arguing that the Chinese sources provide no
insight into the specific nature of the
autonomous technology.
At that time, The Diplomat expressed scepticism
about the use of AI technology in cruise
missiles, admitting, however... that AI
"is considered indispensable in the
development of new-age naval
weapons, in particular...
hypersonic missiles".
"After China's recent high-speed (over Mach 10), 'extreme
manoeuvre' hypersonic tests, it is amply clear that future
combat missions will require a human-machine interface
on an unprecedented scale", the media outlet suggested.
In 2020, the Washington-based Brookings Institution issued
a review emphasising "significant investments in robotics,
swarming, and other applications of artificial intelligence
(AI) and machine learning (ML)" in China's PLA.
The report noted that the PLA's official dictionary
included a definition of an "AI weapon" as early
as in 2011.
However, China's military AI programmes remain
top secret, prompting the authors of the report..
to acknowledge that "the PLA's trajectory in
the development and potential employment
of AI/ML-enabled & autonomous weapons
systems remains uncertain" ..while "the
maturity of these capabilities... cannot
be assessed with high confidence, at
this point".
________________________________
Lebanese Forces Massacre in
Tayouneh Tops Agenda of
Israeli Cabinet Session
October 18th, 12:23pm (al Manar)
The Israeli prime minister, Naftali Bennett, started
the cabinet session, by highlighting the massacre
committed by the 'Lebanese Forces' against
the peaceful protesters in Tayouneh area,
considering that it reflects a certain
dissatisfaction with “Hezbollah's
control of Lebanon”.
It was remarkable how Bennett disregarded all the issues
which are a matter of concern with respect to ‘Israel’ and
let the Lebanese Forces massacre top the agenda of his
cabinet session.
Bennett’s remarks reflect a dangerous Israeli tendency to
utilize the Lebanese Forces criminality and involvement
in internal strife, which may be the Zionist alternative,
in the face of the Hezbollah Resistance.
Seven martyrs and around 30 injured were reported during
the armed attack carried out by the “Lebanese Forces”
gunmen on the peaceful protestors in Tayouneh area,
on Thursday October the 14th. The protesters were
demonstrating against the politicized decisions
of Al-Bitar.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
__________________________
Donetsk Mechanical Plant
damaged in Ukrainian shelling
October 18th, 12:22pm (DAN)
Donetsk Mechanical Plant was hit by 12 shell hits
this morning... as Ukrainian forces attacked the
area, Donetsk mayor Alexey Kulemzin wrote
on his Telegram channel.
"Twelve hits have been recorded at Vesyolyi AV. 76 -
Donetsk Mechanical Plant. The object is being
examined right now."
The shelling also left a number of households
damaged at Severodvinskaya street.
_______________________________
Kiev forces violate ceasefire
once in 24 hours
October 18th, 12:17pm (DAN)
Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire once over
the past 24 hours, the DPR mission to the Joint
Centre for Control and Coordination
(JCCC) said.
Verkhnetoretskoye outside Yasinovataya
came under small arms fire.
A transformer substation has been damaged,
leaving customers in Verkhnetoretskoye
and Krasnyi Partizan without power.
No casualties have been reported.
_____________________________
Syria Sides Agree to Draft
New Constitution: UN Envoy
October 18th, 10:25am (al Manar)
The United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Syria said
on Sunday, the government and the foreign-backed
opposition co-chairs of the Syrian Constitutional
Committee, agreed to draft a new constitution.
“UN Special Envoy for #Syria @GeirOPedersen says
ahead week-long Geneva talks of the Syrian
Constitutional Committee: “The two co-
chairs now agree that we will not only
prepare for constitutional reform but
we will prepare, and start drafting,
constitutional reform,” Stephanie
Nebehay, senior Reuters reporter
in Geneva said, on her
Twitter account.
Comprising 45 representatives of Syria's government,
opposition, and civil society, the drafting committee
has a mandate to map out a new basic law, leading
to UN-supervised elections, Reuters reported.
Special Envoy, Geir Pederson, said the Syrian co-chairs
agreed to “prepare and start drafting constitutional
reform” after meeting for the first time, ahead
of week-long discussions.
As the sixth round in two years – the first since January
for the drafting committee – the talks will cover “clear
principles,” Pederson said, according to Reuters.
Source: Reuters
_______________________________
‘Israel’ Expects Up to 2,500 Rockets
Fired Daily, in Case of War with
Hezbollah: Officer
October 18th, 10:20am (al Manar)
A senior Israeli military officer said that the occupation
army expects to face up to 2,500 missiles a day, from
Lebanon’s Hezbollah Resistance group.
In an interview with AFP earlier this week, Uri Gordin,
chief of the so-called Israeli Home Front Command,
said that, in the last Israeli war on Gaza, in May,
cities like Tel Aviv and Ashdod saw the
“highest number of fire towards
them, in the history
of Israel.”
“We saw a pace of more than 400 rockets fired towards
Israel, on a daily basis,” Gordin is quoted in the report
as saying, referring to Palestinian Resistance groups.
“Israel does not want to go to war with Hezbollah, but in
case it happens, we are looking at between 1,500 and
2,500 rockets fired daily towards Israel,” the Israeli
officer added.
The Israeli Home Front Command is tasked with
preparing the Zionist entity in the event of a
threat, conflict, or disaster. According to
Gordin, the unit was chastised for its
response, during the July War,
in 2006.
Source: Agencies
____________________________________
Red line: Ukraine joining NATO would
be ‘worst-case scenario’ for Moscow
...response would involve ‘active
measures,’ says Kremlin
by Jonny Tickle
October 18th, 9:36am (RT)
The accession of Ukraine to NATO is a “worst-
case scenario” that would cross a “red line”
for Moscow’s interests and, if Kiev were
accepted as a member, Russia will
be forced to take measures... to
protect its national security.
That is, according to Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov,
who told Parisian TV channel France 5 about the threat
Moscow perceives from the US-led bloc, while also
noting that Russia wishes to be a part of a
prosperous Europe.
“Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be the worst-case
scenario,” Peskov told the French journalists, for a
program called ‘Vladimir Putin: Master of
the Game’.
“This is a scenario that goes beyond the red lines of
Russia’s national interests. This is a scenario that
could force Russia to take active measures to
ensure its own security,” he explained.
Peskov also responded to accusations that the movement
of Russian troops near the country’s frontier with Ukraine
was a threat to the West.
“Of course, we can understand your feelings. But we prefer
that you Europeans become better informed,” the Kremlin
spokesman explained.
“Because, before the Russian troops were moved to that
region, there were large NATO exercises held near the
Russian border. Everyone talks about the
concentration of Russian troops all the
time, but nobody talks about the
concentration of NATO troops.”
Peskov also batted away suggestions that Russia is
interested in a “divided Europe” ..and called for the
European Union to have its own independent army
and defense system, outside of the US-led bloc.
“It is not clear whether Americans will stay in Europe
and continue to defend Europeans... against those
‘terrible Russians’,” he noted.
_______________________________
Top Iranian Commander
Pursuing Arms Purchases
from Russia in Moscow Trip
October 18th, 9:32am (al Manar)
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major
General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, said he
will be discussing arms purchases from
Russia during his visit to Moscow, as
a decade-long UN arms embargo
on Iran, terminated last year.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Moscow
on Sunday, Major General Baqeri said the new
Iranian administration attaches special
importance to the East and
Eastern countries.
He highlighted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
(SCO)’s move to accept Iran’s full membership in the
Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance,
after the inauguration of the new administration.
The top Iranian commander emphasized that the
armed forces of Iran and Russia will strengthen
their military cooperation.
Baqeri said Iran has signed agreements with Russia
on arms purchases after the ending of a UN arms
embargo on Tehran, which would be discussed
during the current visit. “We have cooperation
with Russia’s Armed Forces and bilateral
cooperation has been improved in
recent years.”
Heading a high-ranking military delegation... Baqeri
travelled to Moscow at the official invitation of the
Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation,
and General of the Army, Sergei Shoygu.
The expansion of defense and military cooperation...
the fight against terrorism, and leading regional and
international developments, are among the issues
on the agenda of the talks between the Iranian
and Russian officials, Press TV reported.
Source: Iranian Agencies
_______________________
Yemeni forces liberate large
territories in Shabwah, Ma’rib
during major offensive
October 17th, 5:44pm (PressTV)
Yemeni army troops and fighters from the allied Popular
Committees have managed to liberate 3,200 square
kilometres of land and inflicted heavy losses on
Saudi-led militants during the latest advances
in Yemen’s strategic provinces of
Shabwah and Ma’rib.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital Sana’a on
Sunday afternoon, Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed
Forces Brigadier, General Yahya Saree, revealed
the details of ‘Operation Rabi’ al-Nasr’ (Spring
of Victory), and said that the large-scale
offensive, successfully achieved
its goals.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces could liberate Usaylan, Bayhan
and Ain districts, in Shabwah province... in addition to
the districts of al-Abdiyah and Harib in [neighbouring]
Ma’rib province --- during the operation. They could
also reclaim large swathes of territory in al-Jubah
and Jabal Murad districts [in Ma’rib],” he said.
Saree said hundreds of mercenaries fighting for the regime
in Riyadh were killed, wounded and captured, during the
operation. The spokesman for Yemen's Armed Forces
highlighted... that scores of al-Qaeda and Daesh
terrorists are among the latest casualties, and
that large amounts of ammunition were
recovered from the Saudi-led
Takfiri militants, as well.
The Yemeni military official further praised the important role
that Ma’rib and Shabwah tribes played in the liberation of
their districts from the grip of the Saudi-led alliance,
calling on the mercenaries to leave the ranks of
the coalition of aggression.
Saree concluded that the Yemeni Armed Forces will
continue to honour their duties, until the complete
cessation of the Saudi-led aggression, a removal
of the brutal all-out blockade and restoration
of the Yemeni nation’s freedom
and independence.
On Friday, a high-ranking member of Yemen’s Ansarullah
resistance movement said the military operations by
army troops and fighters from Popular Committees,
will continue, until Saudi forces and their Takfiri
mercenaries fully withdraw from the
Arab country.
“Ma’rib... is a Yemeni province. Our military operations,
God willing, will continue until the last foreign soldier,
who has occupied our soil, is either expelled or
killed,” Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a top member
of Ansarullah’s political bureau, wrote in a
post published on his Twitter page.
Yemeni armed forces and the Popular Committees
have grown steadily in strength against the
Saudi-led invaders, and left Riyadh and its
allies bogged down in the country.
________________________________
British propaganda campaign
incited the mass slaughter of
communists in Indonesia in
the 1960s, declassified
papers reveal
October 17th, 4:33pm (RT)
British spies played a part in the mass murder of
Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) members
in the 1960s, urging locals, including army
generals, to “cut out” the “communist
cancer,” declassified papers
have revealed.
The Indonesian Army’s brutal clampdown on the PKI
in 1965 and 1966, is considered to be one of the
worst mass murders of the 20th century.
Between 500,000 and three million
supporters of the Communist
Party were slaughtered,
according to various
estimations.
Declassified Foreign Office documents, recently
released by Britain’s National Archives... and
seen by The Guardian newspaper, indicate
that the UK isn’t without fault, in those
shocking events.
The British Foreign Office had always denied the
country’s involvement in the brutal clampdown
on those blamed of communist links
in Indonesia.
But it turns out, London focused its propaganda
machine on the founding Indonesian President
Sukarno and his communist backers, over the
leader’s stern opposition to the Federation of
Malaya, which the UK thought, should unite
its former colonies in the region.
Tensions between the PKI and the Indonesian military
had been mounting since the early 1960s, with the
president struggling to balance the rival forces.
The army-sponsored massacre of communists began
after a failed coup attempt by the supporters of
Sukarno, within the army ranks, on October
1st, in 1965.
Several months before that... a team of specialists from
the Foreign Office’s Information Research Department
(IRD) had already been deployed in Singapore, to
produce black propaganda to undermine
Sukarno’s rule, according to
The Guardian.
The failed coup, only made it easier for the propagandists
to influence their intended audience, which included anti
-communist politicians and Indonesian army generals.
The propaganda was shared through an Indonesian-
language newsletter, which was said to have been
the work of Indonesian immigrants, but was
actually issued by British ''specialists'' in
Singapore. Within a year, some 28,000
copies of the ''newsletter' had been
published. The UK, also, funded a
radio station, which Malaysians
had been broadcasting
into Indonesia.
Shortly after the massacre of the communists by the
military began, the British-produced ''newsletter''
...called for --- “the PKI and all communist
organisations” to “be eliminated.”
It claimed that Indonesia will remain in peril “as long
as the communist leaders are at large and their
rank and file are allowed to go unpunished.”
“Procrastination and half-hearted measures can only
lead to… our ultimate and complete destruction,”
the authors of the pamphlet warned their readers.
The killings allegedly intensified across the Indonesian
archipelago in the weeks following the publication of
the newsletter, with The Guardian insisting that
“there can be little doubt that British diplomats
became aware of what was happening.” The
UK spies in the region, had all the means
to intercept Indonesian government
communications and to monitor
the movement of its military,
according to the paper.
One of the newsletters, released during the clampdown
on the communists, had praised “the fighting services
and the police” --- for “doing an excellent job.”
The British propagandists compared the PKI to Adolf
Hitler, and Genghis Khan, in the pamphlet, and
insisted that “the work started by the army
must be carried on and intensified.”
Moreover, a letter from Norman Reddaway, one of the
leading propagandists working in Singapore, to the
British ambassador in Jakarta.. revealed the UK’s
strategy “to conceal the fact that the butcheries
have taken place with the encouragement of
the generals.”
He wrote, that such an approach should’ve been taken,
in the hope that the generals would “do us better than
the old gang.”
The Foreign Office experts and Indonesian generals
were “singing in harmony,” Reddaway insisted,
in another declassified document. He also...
celebrated British propaganda, for being
able to abolish Sukarno’s opposition to
the Federation of Malaya project at
“minimal cost” and within just
half-a-year.
What Reddaway described as “the old gang” was
completely crushed by the bloody events of the
mid-1960s. President Sukarno, was arrested in
1967 and died 3 years later under house arrest.
He was overthrown by General Suharto, who had been
leading the Indonesian Army. Suharto then ruled
Indonesia until 1998, enjoying political and
economic support from the West.
Transparency International (TI) labeled him - the most
corrupt politician in modern history in 2004, claiming
that he embezzled between $15 billion and $35
billion, during his time in office.
Documents that were declassified in the US in 2017
revealed that Washington, also, not only had
“detailed knowledge” of the massacre of
communists in Indonesia, but provided
“active support” for those actions.
A Yale University study described the slaughter ordered
by Suharto, as an “absolutely essential cleaning out” -
detailing the killing of from “50 to 100 PKI members”
every night, by civilian anti-communist groups,
with the “blessing” of the military.
_________________________________
Israel murdered head
of Golan office in Syria
October 17th, 3:15pm (Prensa Latina)
The Syrian government, on Sunday, announced the death
of Director of the Golan Affairs Office, Madhat al-Saleh,
who was assassinated in Quneitra province, located
67 kms southwest of this capital.
Soldiers of the Israeli army shot al-Saleh from the occupied
town of Majdal Shams, while he was on his way home
in the Ain al-Tineh area, near the border with the
occupied Golan, Syrian TV channel Ikhbariya
TV reported.
The presidency of Syria's Council of Ministers issued
a statement: in which, it strongly condemned this
assassination, and described it as criminal
and cowardly.
These acts of terrorism will fuel the Syrian people's
determination of continuing resisting the enemy
--- until the liberation of the entire occupied
Syrian Golan, according to the statement.
Al-Saleh had been arrested by Israel's occupation
forces -- several times -- on charges of being a
member of the resistance, and was released
in 1997... after spending 12 years in Israeli
prisons. Then, he moved to Syria's side.
In May, an Apache helicopter from the
Israeli army fired two missiles against
a house in Quneitra province... and
killed one of the resistance leaders.
The government condemned those actions,
deplored the silence of the United States,
and ratified their legitimate right --- to
defend Syrian territories' integrity
and sovereignty --- by all
legitimate means.
________________________________
Russia slams Houthi movement’s
attacks against Saudi Arabia
- official
October 17th, 2:15pm (TASS)
Russia strongly condemns the attacks carried out by the
Houthi movement (Ansar Allah) against Saudi Arabia,
the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on
International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky,
told TASS on Sunday.
"We firmly condemn the Houthi movement’s attacks against
Saudi Arabia. They flagrantly violate the international law
and pose a threat, not only to the country’s security, but
also to the stability of the entire region," Slutsky noted.
According to the Russian lawmaker, the ongoing attacks "do
not contribute to the peace process settlement in Yemen led
by the UN. We support the Arabian coalition’s endeavours
to protect civilians and infrastructure from hostile
attacks," Slutsky stated.
On October 9th, the Houthi movement staged a drone attack
on the King Abdullah international airport in the Saudi city
of Jizan, in which ten people were hurt. In this regard, the
Russian foreign ministry said that Moscow called on all
parties to the Yemeni conflict, to refrain from armed
confrontation and shift to inclusive talks under
the UN auspices.
Since August 2014, the standoff between the state forces
and the Houthi movement, has been continuing in Yemen.
The clashes further escalated after the coalition, led by
Saudi Arabia, invaded the country in March 2015. The
long-lasting conflict, has resulted in the largest
humanitarian crisis all around the world.
According to the UN, over 24 million Yemenis, which
is roughly 80% of the country's population, require
humanitarian assistance, while the number of
internally displaced persons... exceeds
three million.
(Rhondda Records editor adds: I thought long and
hard about publishing this TASS news item - as it
exposes Russia -- a country I love -- to charges
of, if not stupidity, then ultimately, a betrayal
of the brave people of Yemen, but decided
to publish - as this shocking contribution
by Slutsky, needs to be at least queried:
......as its motivation may be sincere -
all calls for peace via the UN can be -
but either TASS or Slutsky or Russia's
highest official leaders, must clarify
why they are, seemingly, backing
a one-sided collusion: with this
merciless bombing & starving
of Yemen by the Saudis and
the US and UK's elite
...apparently, being
totally ignored.)
____________________________
Beirut Sniper Identified as
Employee of US Embassy
October 17th, 1:35pm (FNA)
A senior Lebanese journalist identified a US embassy
employee as one of the snipers who opened fire at
supporters of Hezbollah and Amal movements,
who were marching peacefully towards the
Palace of Justice in Central Beirut.
In a post on his twitter account on Friday, Hosein Mortada
released a photo' of Shukri Abu Saab... a member of the
Lebanese security forces and a US embassy employee,
and stated he had been one of the snipers involved
in the recent deaths in Beirut, presstv reported.
On Thursday, at least seven people were killed and 60 others
injured after unknown gunmen attacked Hezbollah and Amal
supporters as they passed through Beirut’s Teyouneh
traffic circle dividing Christian and Shia Muslim
neighbourhoods.
The demonstrators had taken to the streets of
the Lebanese capital, to protest against the
politicization of a judicial investigation
into the 2020 port blast that
devastated swathes of
Beirut, and left over
200 people dead.
The violence was the worst in more than a decade
and stirred memories of Lebanon's ruinous
1975-90 civil war.
In a statement, Hezbollah and Amal announced armed
groups affiliated with Samir Geagea's Christian
Lebanese Forces (LF) Party fired at the
protesters from rooftops, aiming at
their heads --- in an attempt to
drag the country into new
sectarian strife.
Speaking at the funeral of victims of Thursday’s shootings,
senior Hezbollah leader, Hashem Safieddine, said what
happened in Beirut "was part of measures managed
by the US embassy in Lebanon, and funded by
some Arab parties".
Lebanon has been mired since late 2019 in a deep financial
crisis, which has pushed more than half the nearly 7 million
population into poverty. The dire situation was worsened,
by more than a year... without a fully functioning
government in the Mediterranean country.
The US exacerbated the crisis by imposing a siege on
Lebanon, in a bid to force the formation of a Western
-friendly administration there.
_______________________________
Top Commander: Iran, Pakistan,
Agree to Hold Joint Naval Drills
October 17th, 12:57pm (FNA)
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major
General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, announced
that Iran and Pakistan... have agreed to work
towards the establishment of full security
along their common borders and to
improve military cooperation by
holding joint naval drills.
"Iran and Pakistan have agreed to improve security
along common borders and have made great
efforts to create border barriers, control
border traffic, fight drugs smuggling
and human trafficking and combat
other factors causing insecurity
at borders," General Baqeri said.
“Today - fortunately - the common border between
the two countries is much safer than in the past,”
the top commander added.
General Baqeri recalled that the two neighbouring
states have enjoyed military cooperation in
recent years, and said, "During this visit,
good agreements were reached...
including on holding joint naval
drills, whether in Pakistan’s
waters or in the southern
waters of the Islamic
Republic of Iran,
in the future."
He noted that Pakistan would attend joint maritime
exercises by Iran, Russia and China, which have
been held since two years ago.
In a relevant development on Thursday, General
Baqeri and Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff,
Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi,
in a meeting in Islamabad, reviewed
ways to further expand relations
and cooperation between the
two countries’ navies.
General Baqeri and Admiral Amjad Niazi exchanged
views on issues of mutual interest, the latest state
of fraternal relations between Iran and Pakistan
...including the level of cooperation between
the two countries' navies.
The two sides discussed maritime security in the
region, and a wide range of other security
developments.
Over the past days, General Baqeri held meetings and
consultations with the Pakistani political and military
leaders. He met with Army Chief, General Qamar
Javed Bajwa, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff Committee, General Nadeem Reza, &
the Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan.
In these meetings, the latest situation of the relations
between the two countries in the military, security,
strategic dimensions, and strategies for the
development of these relations
were reviewed.
Also, important issues related to the development
of security on the common borders of Iran and
Pakistan, regional peace and stability, the
Islamic world, and, especially, the need
for consensus to return peace and
security in Afghanistan, were
discussed.
_________________________
Iranian Parliament Speaker:
US, Allies, Seeking to Cause
Civil War in West Asian Region
October 17th, 10:50am (FNA)
Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf,
condemned the trans-regional forces for violating
security in the region, saying that the US is
seeking to push the regional states into
war to deprive them of lasting peace
and economic prosperity.
"The West Asian region is in a very sensitive situation
today. Some complicated plans are underway... to
involve the countries of the region in civil wars,"
the Iranian Parliament speaker said, while
addressing the Sunday session of
the parliament.
"Creating disputes between the countries of the region is
on the agenda of the United States and its allies ---- to
prevent economic cooperation and the establishment
of lasting peace... throughout the region," he added.
Qalibaf underlined that the occurrence of tragic events
...such as the killing of innocent people at the Bibi
Fatima Mosque in Kandahar... the armed and
illegal riots in Lebanon.. the divisiveness in
Iraq and the false and divisive statements
made by some regional leaders in the
past week... have revealed these
conspiracies, more than before.
He reiterated that the Islamic Republic wants to maintain
stability and security throughout the region, and said
that Iran considers the will of the people in every
country, as the determining factor: to settle
disputes, as well as thwart conspiracies.
The Iranian parliament speaker also said... that any actions
that violate security throughout the region are condemned,
adding that all countries must work to establish lasting
peace and stability and increase economic relations
in the region.
In a relevant development on Thursday... Iran's Ambassador
to the European Union, Gholamhossein Dehqani, underlined
that the US and other member-states of the NATO military
alliance --- should shoulder their responsibility for the
negative consequences of their invasion
of Afghanistan.
Dehqani made the remarks addressing a virtual
meeting of the International Centre for
Migration Policy Development.
The Iranian ambassador referred to the reasons behind
the current crisis in Afghanistan and said that Iran has
always suffered from the crises in its neighbours.
"The invasion of Afghanistan, by NATO, destroyed the
social structure & lifestyle in the country: and those
who invaded, must take responsibility for their
malign role in Afghanistan," he underlined.
The Iranian envoy, meantime, said that, while the invaders
systematically evade their humanitarian responsibilities
and shut their borders to Afghan refugees --- mere
rhetoric won’t help solve the crisis in Afghanistan.
Referring to the flow of Afghan refugees, Dehqani
said it shouldn't be taken for granted, that only
neighbouring countries must host
Afghan migrants.
The Iranian ambassador reiterated that the international
community should prevent Afghan people from leaving
their country, by providing them with effective help.
_______________________________
Yemen: Call for Ma’rib respite
exposes US collusion with
Daesh, al-Qaeda
October 17th, 9:27am (PressTV)
Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement has dismissed
the US State Department’s call for a halt to fighting in
the country’s oil-rich Ma’rib province --- stating that
the intention behind the request, is an evil one.
“The US demand is roundly condemned. It exhibits how
the Americans are in close connection with al-Qaeda
and Daesh militants, who suffered a heavy defeat in
the al-Abdiyah district of Ma’rib province,”
Mohammed Abdulsalam, Ansarullah’s
spokesman, wrote in a series of
posts on his Twitter page,
on Saturday night.
“As Yemeni forces are closing in on last bastions of
Saudi-led militia forces as well as Daesh and al-
Qaeda operatives, Americans are crying foul
and claiming they seek peace. This is while
they are the enemy of peace & tranquility
in Yemen, and worldwide.”
The remarks came shortly after US State Department
spokesman Ned Price issued a statement, calling on
Yemeni army soldiers and fighters from the allied
Popular Committees to stop their offensive in
Ma’rib province, and to ensure the opening
of a safe passage for what Washington
claimed to be “life-saving aid and
the wounded.”
'Hundreds of pro-Hadi militants killed on Mar’ib outskirts'
Yemeni military sources said hundreds of Saudi-sponsored
militants loyal to former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur
Hadi have been killed and wounded over the past few
days, as Yemeni army troops and their allies
continue to make significant advances in
Ma’rib province.
The sources told Yemen News Portal website that the Saudi
mercenaries sustained heavy losses during clashes with
Yemeni army forces and Popular Committees fighters
on the outskirts of the provincial capital city
of Ma’rib.
They added that a number of high-profile militant
commanders, including Awad Nakir, the leader
of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islah party in the
al-Abdiyah district, were among the
latest casualties.
On Saturday, the World Food Programme called
for immediate action by the international
community to end hunger in Yemen.
_________________________________
Librated Captive Al-Saleh
Martyred - by shots of
Israeli Enemy
October 16th, 6:13pm (al Manar)
The freed prisoner, Midhat Saleh al-Saleh, embraced
martyrdom, when the Zionist forces targeted him
in occupied Golan.
SANA mentioned that Al-Saleh was martyred as Israeli
enemy’s soldiers opened fire at him, while he was
returning home, in Ein al-Tina town, near the
occupied town of Majdal Shams.
Source: SANA
______________________________
Taliban say special forces
to provide security for
Shia mosques
October 16th, 2:55pm (PressTV)
The Taliban say their forces will be tasked with
providing security at Shia mosques in the
southern city of Kandahar, in the wake
of a “brutal attack” on Friday prayers
which killed at least 60 worshippers.
The head of Kandahar’s police, Maulvi Mehmood,
said on Saturday that Shia mosques had so far
been guarded by local volunteer forces, with
special permission to carry weapons. But,
after the Friday attack on the Bibi Fatima
mosque, the Taliban would take charge
of its protection.
“Unfortunately, they could not protect this area and
in future we will assign special security guards for
the protection of mosques and Madrasas,”
Mehmood said. He made the remarks
as hundreds of people gathered on
Saturday, to bury the victims of
the Friday bomb attack.
According to religious authorities, the toll from the
bombing had reached 60. Health officials say the
casualties could rise further, as “some of the
wounded are in a critical condition and we
are trying to transfer them to Kabul.”
The massacre came just a week after another Shia
mosque in Afghanistan’s northern city of Kunduz,
was targeted in a bombing during Friday prayers,
leaving at least 150 people dead and over 200
others injured.
