Tom Thibodeau and Minnesota's erosion of promise

One would think Minnesota's first postseason appearance in 14 years would be a cause for exciting optimism. Unfortunately for Tom Thibodeau, that's not the case.

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David Wright, incomparable ambassador, earned every minute of his night

"Captain America" came back from injuries to leave the game on his terms -- as a beloved Met who prized that status above all else.

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A season for the Birds: Inside the Orioles' historically awful year

As Baltimore plays out the final weekend of the worst campaign in O's history, there's a glimmer of hope -- in the opposing dugout.

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Here's how the NFL can solve its quarterback protection mess

The NFL hasn't experienced a fundamental breakdown in how it wants roughing the passer officiated. But it does have a consistency problem.

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Why Italian football finds its way into your blood

Roma beat Lazio, but the derby doesn't end, it merely pauses. Because like the city that birthed both clubs, it is eternal, reports Wright Thompson

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Manchester United's awful week leaves Mourinho teetering on the edge

Jose Mourinho's team selection and tactics baffled, resulting in a desperate defeat to a West Ham side that was inspired by its front three.

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Mourinho should be sacked by Man United

It's time for Man United to part ways with their manager. Saturday's defeat at West Ham was yet another low but a change could salvage a desperate situation.

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Football's next challenge: efforts to ban tackle for kids

The debate over youth tackle football has become an extension of the country's polarized politics, replete with references to the nanny state and charges of corporate negligence.

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USA-Australia is the gold-medal game the World Cup deserves

No team has been able to stop Aussie Liz Cambage. Will Team USA -- behind a UConn core with a spotless record in title games -- have the answer?

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Mousasi easily stops MacDonald at Bellator 206

Gegard Mousasi dominated welterweight champion Rory MacDonald, stopping him in the second round at Bellator 206.

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Eagles overcome countless setbacks to become kings of the AFL

From Nic Naitanui's season-ending ACL tear to Andrew Gaff's brain fade, West Coast showed tremendous resilience to lift themselves off the canvas and claim a Grand Final for the ages.

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Breaking down the Charlotte starting lineup

Kurt Busch captured his fourth pole of the season, and AJ Allmendinger will start second. Take a look through the field for Sunday's Cup race.

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Here's how we would rank top issues in NASCAR

From scheduling to streaming services, here are seven critical issues that Steve Phelps needs to tackle when he takes over as NASCAR president this Monday.

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In the Urdu Class

I confuse my be with pe. He asks me to write ‘water’, I write ‘you’. Who knew they’d make them so close, Aab and Aap Both difficult to hold on to.

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31 Things I wish I knew before I got to know them…

From respecting yourself to forgiving a friend, or working on your relationships – here are 31 things every young boy or girl should be told. 1) Dignity is important. Do not ever make any compromises...

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When others suffer your choices

There are various reasons people get married. Some do so for the convention, some for love or financial security, some to combat loneliness, and some simply get married for sex. When they do, they realise...

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When others suffer your choices

There are various reasons people get married. Some do so for convention, some for love or financial security, some to combat loneliness, and some simply get married for sex. When they do, they realise after...

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If only more women in Bollywood had Tanushree Dutta’s himmat

Finally, someone has done it. Named names. Spoken up. Good for you, Tanushree Dutta! Yes. I know. Most of you must be scratching your heads and wondering, “Tanushree… WHO?” Understandable. But let’s hand it to...

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When facts are not facts, and the truth is not plane and simple

The monsoon has destroyed large patches of my garden, and I decide that it’s time to get my hands dirty and fix it up again. The maali had been insisting that he would do the...

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Poetic Licence

In the Urdu Class   I confuse my be with pe. He asks me to write ‘water’, I write ‘you’. Who knew they’d make them so close, Aab and Aap Both difficult to hold on...

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Coming full circle

“Many social evolutions and revolutions have taken place because the social structures were crumbling. There are signs that the scientific and technical structures of health are also crumbling.” – Halfdan T. Mahler, Director General of...

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Ayyappan, the spirit of the forest, is long dead

The last time I went to Sabarimala temple was 25 years ago, carrying a cumbersome tripod, to do a photo feature on the Ayyappa Bhakti cult. I boarded a KSRTC bus from Kochi to Pamba...

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Impact investments: The changing landscape of ‘purpose-driven’ finance

With the increasing consumer interest in sustainable investment and the increasing population of millennials who are socially and environmentally more aware, we are witnessing a fundamental shift in the financial investment sector that may accelerate...

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Live streaming from Supreme Court is an exciting prospect

Live streaming of Supreme Cout proceedings is an exciting prospect for me. Stuck on the desk, I have to wait for live tweets from enterprising court reporters, or the first cut news agency reports, or...

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Staying Healthy after Retirement

Keeping ourselves fit and healthy is important throughout our life. We owe this to ourselves. Fitness becomes even more important post-retirement. Those who are fit, feel better about themselves for a variety of reasons. In...

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Hapless Karun Nair caught in selection crossfire

Nair is not the first batsman to have gone through selection mismanagement in recent times, but his handling by the team management, in particular, has been baffling

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Dhawan left out of India's squad for West Indies Tests

Meanwhile, Mayank Agarwal, a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket, has received his maiden call-up in international cricket

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Bawne makes 116*, Agarwal 90 as West Indies toil hard on first day of India tour

West Indies used seven bowlers, of whom four went wicketless as Ankit Bawne smashed his third hundred in four innings after Mayank Agarwal's brisk 90

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UN: It is difficult to abide by the Dec. 10 deadline for elections in Libya

Author: 

Sun, 2018-09-30 09:26

DUBAI: UN: It is difficult to abide by the Dec. 10 deadline for elections in Libya 

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Polls open in Iraqi Kurdistan for regional election

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Reuters

ID: 

1538285755307827600

Sun, 2018-09-30 05:34

IRBIL/SULAIMANIA, Iraq: Kurds began voting in a parliamentary election in their semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq on Sunday, a year after a failed bid for independence.
With opposition parties weak, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) are likely to extend their almost three decades of sharing power.
Splits within the PUK present the possibility that Masoud Barzani’s KDP will take a dominant position in Kurdish politics, both in the regional capital Irbil and in the difficult formation of a federal government in Baghdad.
The PUK and the Irbil-based Barzani’s KDP together form a dynastic duopoly predicated on patronage in the regions they respectively control. But years of stagnant politics, unpaid salaries and corruption have undermined faith in politics and shrunk the turnout in recent elections.
There are 111-seats up for grabs in Sunday’s election, including 11 reserved for ethnic minorities.
But most major parties say they do not expect more than about 40 percent of the 3.85 million registered voters to go to the polls. Polls will close at 6pm. Preliminary results are expected within 72 hours.

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Iraq ‘regrets’ US closure of Basra consulateUS shuts consulate in Iraq’s Basra, blames ‘indirect fire’

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Assad regime ‘could face tough curbs if it blocks political process’

Sun, 2018-09-30 00:52

NEW YORK:  The US will pursue “a strategy of isolation,” including sanctions, with its allies if President Bashar Assad holds up a political process aimed at ending Syria’s seven-year war, said a top US diplomat for Syria.

Jim Jeffrey, the US special representative for Syria, said Washington would work with countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East to impose tough international sanctions if Assad’s regime failed to cooperate on rewriting the Syrian constitution as a prelude to elections.

“If the regime does that, we believe that then we can go after it the way we went after Iran before 2015 — with really tough international sanctions,” Jeffrey said, referring to secondary sanctions against Tehran for its nuclear program.

He added: “Even if the UN Security Council won’t pass them we will just do it through the EU, we will do it through our Asian allies, and then we will make it our business to make life as miserable as possible for that flopping cadaver of a regime and let the Russians and Iranians, who made this mess, get out of it.”

Assad’s allies Russia and Iran, as well as China, have made some investments in the country, but they cannot afford the cost of rebuilding and want other countries to share the burden.

Western countries have said they will not approve reconstruction funding for Syria, or drop sanctions, without a political settlement. US sanctions are already making it hard for foreign companies to work there.

Jeffrey has been charged by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to oversee Washington’s role in a political process as a US-led coalition cleans up the last remaining Daesh militants.

A recent agreement between Turkey and Russia that averted a Syrian regime offensive in Idlib, the last major area under rebel control, and the accidental downing of a Russian war plane by Syrian forces was an opportunity to push for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 that covers ending conflict in Syria, Jeffrey said.

The UN Security Council, which includes Russia and the US, mandated UN envoy Staffan de Mistura to get a deal on a new constitution, new elections and a reform of Syria’s governance.

Formation of a constitutional committee was agreed at a Syrian peace conference in the Russian ski resort of Sochi in January. It is up to de Mistura to decide whom to pick and he has said he will select about 50 people, including supporters of the government, the opposition and independents to participate.

The Syrian regime at first agreed to the plan, but later rejected it. Its submission of a list of names to the UN follows a meeting this month between Assad and his main backer, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has held the balance of power in Syria, both on the battlefield and in the UN-led peace talks, for the past two years. It has helped Assad occupy huge amounts of lost territory in Syria without persuading him to agree to any political reforms.

But nine rounds of talks, most of them in Geneva, have failed to bring the warring sides together to end the conflict.

Meeting on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly, foreign ministers from the US, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Britain and Saudi Arabia called on de Mistura to convene the constitutional committee and report back on progress in October.

While an offensive on Idlib was averted, Washington still worries that the Syrian regime could use chemical weapons.

President Donald Trump has twice authorized US airstrikes against regime targets as punishment for chemical weapons use.

“It is not off the table because the regime is stuck with only half the territory and population of Syria under its control, and the lowest hanging fruit is Idlib because the other areas you deal with the US directly and Turkey directly,” said Jeffrey. 

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Russia accuses West of undermining Astana peace talks, begins missile system delivery to SyriaSyria calls on US, French, Turkish forces to withdraw immediately

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Russia accuses West of undermining Astana peace talks, begins missile system delivery to Syria

Author: 

Reuters

ID: 

1538257263164009900

Sat, 2018-09-29 23:55

UNITED NATIONS: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday Moscow had started delivering the S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Syria and warned Western powers of trying to undermine UN-led efforts to end the seven-year conflict.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had said on Monday the system would be delivered to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces in two weeks despite strong Israeli and United States objections. A week previously, Moscow had accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military jet in Syria.
“The delivery started already and as President (Vladimir)Putin said, after that incident ... the measures that we will take will be devoted to ensuring 100 percent safety and security of our men,” Lavrov told a news conference at the United Nations.
Russia, along with Iran, has helped Assad recover huge amounts of lost territory in Syria without persuading him to agree to any political reforms. It has also pushed its own talks with Iran and Turkey, known as the Astana process, as UN-led peace negotiations have stalled.
Some diplomats have said the Israeli incident and a Turkish Russian deal to suspend an offensive on the last rebel-held stronghold of Idlib could provide a window to push for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2254 that covers ending conflict in Syria.
The UN Security Council, which includes Russia and the United States, has mandated UN envoy Staffan de Mistura to get a deal on a new constitution, new elections and a reform of Syria’s governance.
De Mistura’s first task is the formation of a constitutional committee to decide whom to pick. He has said he will select about 50 people, including supporters of the government, the opposition and independents to participate, but so far the Syrian government has rejected the idea.
Meeting in New York on Thursday, foreign ministers from the United States, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Britain and Saudi Arabia called on de Mistura to convene the constitutional committee and report back on progress by the end of October.
Lavrov accused the group of trying to undermine the Astana efforts and putting pressure on de Mistura so that they could impose their own resolution of the conflict, describing it as “a grave mistake.”
“This is aimed at undermining all that was done at Astana process and not the fact the Syrians decide what country they are going to live in but the architecture agreed on by foreign powers,” Lavrov said. (Reporting By John Irish and Michelle Nichols; additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed; editing by Grant McCool)

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We have almost won the war, Assad minister boasts at UN

Author: 

Sun, 2018-09-30 00:07

JEDDAH: Syria’s “battle against terrorism is almost over” after more than seven years of civil war, the Assad regime’s Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem told the UN on Saturday .

He pledged that Syria would be free from all “illegitimate” foreign troops, again rejected international investigations that found Damascus had used chemical weapons during the conflict, and called on all refugees to return home, which he said was a priority for his government.

Bahia Mardini, founder of Syrian House, an organization that helps Syrians in the UK, told Arab News Syria’s future could not be built without accountability, and the torment of the Syrians could not be ended without the application of international law.

The Assad regime denied all the accusations that had been proved by the international community, she said. “Major powers have stressed that Bashar Assad’s regime is responsible for the use of chemical weapons and everything that happens in Syria.”

The criminals “must not escape punishment and the regime must pay for its actions,” she said. 

Syrian opposition spokesman Yahya Al-Aridi told Arab News any military solution “would not take us anywhere and not bring Syria back to life.”

“A clear push on the part of the US for finding a real solution and getting Iran and Daesh out of Syria” was required, he said. 

Meanwhile, the opposition group Jaysh Al-Izza on Saturday rejected the agreement between Russia and Turkey for a demilitarized zone in Idlib province.

 

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Syria calls on US, French, Turkish forces to withdraw immediatelyTurkey accuses US of failing to abide by deal on Syrian town

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UN sets sights on Western Sahara talks in December: diplomats

Author: 

AFP

ID: 

1538250083893499000

Sat, 2018-09-29 18:52

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations has invited Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front to talks in December on ending their decades-old conflict over Western Sahara, diplomats said Saturday.
UN envoy Horst Koehler, a former president of Germany and ex-director of the International Monetary Fund, has invited the two sides along with Algeria and Mauritania to Geneva for talks on December 4-5.
In letters sent to the four parties on Friday, the envoy requested a response by October 20, according to diplomatic sources.
Morocco and the Polisario Front fought for control of Western Sahara from 1975 to 1991.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have been deadlocked since the last round of UN-sponsored talks in 2008.
Morocco maintains that negotiations on a settlement should focus on its proposal for autonomy for Western Sahara and rejects the Polisario’s insistence on an independence referendum.
The Security Council in April approved a US-drafted resolution that urged Morocco and the Polisario to prepare for talks, setting a six-month deadline for action.
Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel told the UN General Assembly on Saturday that his government backed UN efforts to re-start talks on Western Sahara.
He stressed that a solution must uphold the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.
Morocco’s Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani told the assembly that Western Sahara was a source of instability in North Africa and accused Algeria of stoking the dispute.
The Security Council has extended the mandate of the MINURSO force in Western Sahara until October 31 and is expected to take stock of progress toward a political solution before that deadline.

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Middle-East

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Oman officials say 2 British women hit by car, killed

Author: 

Associated Press

ID: 

1538250922693554900

Sat, 2018-09-29 22:00

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Officials in Oman say two British women are dead and one British man is injured after being hit by a car in the sultanate.
The Royal Oman Police said on Twitter on Friday the crash happened in Salalah near its Haffa market. It said the driver of the car did not have a license and an investigation into the crash had begun.
Oman’s Tourism Ministry identified the victims’ nationalities. It said the British man hit was in a local hospital in a stable condition.
The officials did not name those involved in the crash. Local media reported that the crash happened Thursday.
Salalah is 860 kilometers (540 miles) southwest of Oman’s capital, Muscat. Oman sits on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula and Salalah is a popular tourist destination in the sultanate.

 

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Cyclone Mekunu intensifies, Salalah to be hardest hitSalalah to welcome Oman Air’s first Dreamliner

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Palestinians bury 7 killed in latest flare-up in Gaza Strip

Author: 

AP

ID: 

1538242930942838500

Sat, 2018-09-29 (All day)

KHAN YOUNIS: Thousands of Gazans on Saturday thronged the funerals of seven people killed by Israeli troops during mass protests the previous day, chanting anti-Israel and anti-US slogans and calling for revenge.
The coastal strip’s ruling Hamas group, meanwhile, dispatched a delegation to Egypt in a desperate new attempt to ease a crippling blockade on the Palestinian territory.
Friday’s violence was the deadliest day of protests in nearly four months. Among the dead was an 11-year-old boy, believed to be the youngest of 144 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire during the protests. Another boy, a 14-year-old, was also among the seven killed.
The Hamas-orchestrated protests were launched last March in large part to press for an end to the blockade, imposed by Israel and Egypt after the Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. The blockade has ravaged Gaza’s economy, and with Egyptian-mediated cease-fire efforts deadlocked, Hamas has vowed to step up the protests.
Responding to calls by Hamas, thousands of Gazans participated in Friday’s protests, burning tires and using the billowing thick smoke as a screen to hurl rocks and firebombs toward Israeli forces on the other side of the fence.
At one location in east Gaza City, where four of the seven were killed, hundreds of protesters breached the fence. Amateur videos showed them kneeling down and kissing the ground on the Israeli side as gunfire could be heard. Others posed on the fence, urging protesters to follow. The protesters were seen cutting through the fence and damaging it.
It’s unclear how long they managed to stay on the Israeli side of the fence.
The Israeli army said the protesters damaged security infrastructure and threw more than 100 explosives. No soldiers were hurt. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 90 people were wounded by live fire, and seven killed.
About 1,000 mourners attended the funeral of the 11-year-old victim, Nasser Musabeh, whose body was wrapped in a white shroud and carried on an orange stretcher. In an ancient Islamic custom, bundles of basil were thrown on the coffin.
Nasser was the brother of Duaa Musabeh, an 18-year-old volunteer paramedic who attends the weekly protests in the southern town of Khan Younis to treat the wounded. She said she would take her brother with her each week, ordering him to stay back in a safer space, about 300 meters (yards) from the fence where crowds typically gather.
Believing he was in a safe area, she approached the fence to help evacuate wounded protesters. But when she returned after dark, her brother was missing. As she frantically searched for him, a man showed her a picture of a dead boy released by a nearby hospital that was trying to identify him. Nasser had been shot in the head.
“I did not believe it. I felt unable to move an inch, I fell on the ground,” she murmured slowly.
According to Al-Mezan, a Gaza-based human rights group, Nasser is the youngest person killed by Israeli army gunfire in the protests. Another 11-year-old boy was killed earlier this month under unclear circumstances, by a blunt object.
Israel says it is defending its border and the military released videos showing protesters hurling flaming tires and cutting the border fence with wire cutters.
“Hamas is responsible for the violence riots and their consequences,” the army said.
But Israel has come under heavy international criticism for what many say is excessive use of force and the high death toll among unarmed protesters.
The top UN humanitarian official in the region, Jamie McGoldrick, said Saturday that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life, urging both sides to ensure children are not the target of violence or put at risk.
The 11-year blockade has made conditions increasingly dire in Gaza. Unemployment has risen to over 50 percent, residents receive just a few hours of electricity each day and with minor exceptions, Gazans cannot travel abroad.
Egypt, a frequent mediator between Israel and Hamas, has hosted several months of talks aimed at forging a cease-fire that would ease the blockade. But those talks appear to have made little progress, putting heavy pressure on Hamas as it deals with an increasingly frustrated public.
Hamas has blamed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who governs part of the West Bank and who has demanded Hamas return control of Gaza to him, of thwarting the efforts. The deadlock also has complicated US President Donald Trump’s promised Middle East peace plan. The White House has not said when it will release the plan, which has little chance of success as long as Gaza remains in turmoil.
Earlier this month, Hamas began accelerating the protests, holding them nearly on a daily basis in an attempt to draw attention to the plight of Gazans. Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman, said Saturday that the marches “will continue to diversify and expand until breaking the siege.”
At a speech in the United Nations on Thursday, Abbas threatened more measures to force Hamas into surrendering control of Gaza. Hamas fears this may include more pay cuts to former Palestinian Authority employees in the territory and reductions in services to Gaza, making it further difficult for Hamas to rule the strip.
But on Saturday, Hamas sent four senior officials to Egypt for a renewed round of discussions.
Hussam Badran, a politburo member of the group, said the officials, whom he did not identify, will work on “lifting the suffering on our people in Gaza as an urgent mission.”

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Hamas urges Palestinian president to lift Gaza ‘sanctions’

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Syria calls on US, French, Turkish forces to withdraw immediately

Sat, 2018-09-29 17:39

UNITED NATIONS: Syria’s foreign minister on Saturday denounced US, French and Turkish forces operating in his country as “occupying forces” and demanded that they leave immediately.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moualem also called on Syrian refugees to come home, even though the country’s war is now in its eighth year.
Al-Moualem, who also serves as deputy prime minister, said the foreign forces were on Syrian soil illegally, under the pretext of fighting terrorism, and “will be dealt with accordingly.”
“They must withdraw immediately and without any conditions,” he told the assembly.
Al-Moualem insisted that the “war on terror is almost over” in Syria, where more than 360,000 people have died since 2011, with millions more uprooted from their homes.
He said Damascus would continue “fighting this sacred battle until we purge all Syrian territories” of both terror groups and “any illegal foreign presence.”
The United States has some 2,000 troops in Syria, mainly training and advising both Kurdish forces and Syrian Arabs opposed to President Bashar Assad.
France has more than 1,000 troops on the ground in the war-wracked country.
On the issue of refugees, Al-Moualem said the conditions were fine for them to return, and he blamed “some western countries” for “spreading irrational fears” that prompted refugees to stay away.
“We have called upon the international community and humanitarian organizations to facilitate these returns,” he said. “They are politicizing what should be a purely humanitarian issue.”
The United States and the European Union have warned that there will be no reconstruction aid for Syria until there is a political agreement between Assad and the opposition to end the war.
UN diplomats say a recent agreement between Russia and Turkey to set up a buffer zone in the last major rebel stronghold of Idlib has created an opportunity to press ahead with political talks.
The Russian-Turkish deal averted a large-scale assault by Russian-backed Syrian forces on the province, where three million people live.
Al-Moualem however stressed that the agreement had “clear deadlines” and expressed hope that military action will target militants including fighters from the Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, who “will be eradicated.”
UN envoy Staffan de Mistura is hoping to soon convene the first meetings of a new committee comprised of government and opposition members to draft a post-war constitution for Syria and pave the way to elections.
Al-Moualem laid out conditions for the Syrian government’s participation in the committee, saying the panel’s work should be restricted “to reviewing the articles of the current constitution,” and warned against interference.
Al-Moualem told the UN General Assembly that Damascus was ready for the voluntary return of refugees who fled during the more than seven-year conflict.
“We welcome any assistance with reconstruction from those countries that were not part of the aggression on Syria,” he said. “The countries that offer only conditional assistance or continue to support terrorism, they are neither invited nor welcome to help.”
Al-Moualem told the world that his country’s “battle against terrorism is almost over” after more than seven years of civil war, vowing the Syrian government will free the country from all “illegitimate” foreign troops. 
He vehemently restated denials that Damascus has used chemical weapons during the war — although international investigators have found otherwise — and he called on all refugees to return home, saying that is a priority for Damascus.
“Today, the situation on the ground is more stable and secure, thanks to combatting terrorism,” he said. “All conditions are now present for the voluntary return of refugees.”
Idlib has been a relative refuge for people displaced by violence in other parts of the country, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said a full-scale battle for Idlib could unleash “a humanitarian nightmare” surpassing the misery already seen during the war.
“We fully condemn the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances,” Al-Moallem said. He said countries have lobbed “ready-made accusations” at Syria without what he described as any investigation or evidence.
The issue has been a flashpoint at the UN Security Council, with the US and Western countries denouncing Assad over chemical attacks and Russia rejecting the investigators’ findings. The US has twice carried out its own airstrikes in response to the chemical attacks.

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Syria, North Korea to have their say at UN gatheringSyria says trade crossing with Jordan to open next month

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22 die from drinking contaminated alcohol in Iran

Author: 

AFP

ID: 

1538226968161001800

Sat, 2018-09-29 12:38

TEHRAN: At least 22 people have died in Iran in three separate incidents of poisoning by adulterated bootleg alcohol, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Saturday.
Despite tough penalties in force for alcohol consumption since the Islamic revolution of 1979, the consumption of smuggled or bootleg liquor remains widespread.
Cheap moonshine is sometimes adulterated with toxic methanol in place of ethanol, the alcohol found in properly distilled spirits.
The largest number of deaths was reported in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, where 16 people died according to ISNA.
“The number of people hospitalized due to alcohol poisoning has reached 168 so far,” it quoted provincial medical school spokeswoman Fatemeh Norouzian as saying.
“Sixteen of them unfortunately lost their lives and eight are in critical condition.”
Bandar Abbas police chief, Esmail Mashayekh, told ISNA that a married couple had been arrested on suspicion of producing the liquor while the suspected distributor was also detained.
ISNA reported three deaths in a separate incident in the northern province of Alborz.
“Twenty-five people have been poisoned in the last 72 hours, three of whom have already died,” it quoted provincial emergency medical services chief Mehrdad Babayi as saying.
Babayi said 17 people remained in hospital, some of whom were not out of danger.
In North Khorasan province in the northeast, 25 people were treated for poisoning in the past 10 days of whom three died, police chief Alireza Mazaheri told the official IRNA news agency.
Khorasan police raided an underground distillery suspected of producing the adulterated liquor and made 31 arrests on Friday night, IRNA reported.
Those who break Iran’s alcohol laws can be fined, lashed or jailed.
Only members of state-recognized religious minorities have the right to produce or purchase alcoholic drinks.

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US pushes forward with plan for anti-Iran Arab allianceIran arrests city council member for supporting Bahais

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‘Small Foot’ review: Big step for entertainment

Just as we have sat around campfires (real and digital) listening to tales of the yeti, imagine if cute little yetis were sitting around a campfire ge

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‘Lilli’ review: Violence that breaks no new ground

Mindless bloodshed, thin plot are the film’s undoing

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Why Arvind Swami went from '90s heartthrob' to Varadan in 'Chekka Chivantha Vaanam'

Arvind Swami declares he finds it liberating to play the bad guy and discusses how Mani Ratnam referenced ‘the bull’ for his character Varadan

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Advertisement: StandardAero

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Upcoming Events

Oct. 2-4—Business & General Aviation Conference (BGA), Paradise Valley (Scottsdale), Arizona, www.aviationweek.com/events

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Appointments

Pete Mendez has joined Aviation Maintenance Professionals as vice president of sales.

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FEAM Aero Adding Hangar, Creating 100 Jobs For Mechanics

FEAM Aero has broken ground on a new 103,000-sq.-ft., $19 million hangar at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

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Sanders Capital Acquires Hangars

Sanders Capital has acquired three corporate hangars with 49,160 sq. ft. at the Bessemer Municipal Airport in Bessemer, Alabama.

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Flying Colours Completes Third 120-Month Check On Global Aircraft

Flying Colours Corp. has completed its third 120-month heavy maintenance check on a Bombardier Global airframe.

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Duncan Expanding AOG Services

Duncan Aviation has increased its aircraft-on-ground service options and added a satellite avionics shop in Bedford, Massachusetts and upgraded its Austin, Texas, facility.

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AOPA's Rusty Pilots Program Now Available Online

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Rusty Pilots Program is now available free online to AOPA members.

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True Blue Power, Voyageur Adds STC For Emergency Power For Bombardier DHC-8s

True Blue Power and Voyageur Aerotech have received a Supplemental Type Certificate from Transport Canada Civil Aviation.

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Sky Valet Adds Ibiza Airport Facilities

Sky Valet has opened new facilities in the business aviation terminal at Ibiza Airport off the coast of Spain after an extensive renovation.

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Tamarack Adds Customer Referral Program

Tamarack Aerospace Group has introduced a new customer referral program in which sales leads submitted through its website can be eligible for a $2,000 referral bonus.

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ATP Flight School Takes Delivery Of 100th Archer Trainer

Piper Aircraft has delivered the 100th single-engine, piston-powered Piper Archer training aircraft to ATP Flight School.

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Bell 505 Enters Service

Bell’s 505 Jet Ranger X has entered service.

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National Aircraft Resale Association Changes Names

The National Aircraft Resale Association is now the International Aircraft Dealers Association.

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Advertise With The Weekly Of Business Aviation

For information about placing Classified Advertising in BA's Marketplace Section, please contact Miguel Ornelas at 1 (661) 480-7000.

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Airworthiness Directives

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Leonardo S.p.A. (Leonardo) Model AW189 helicopters.

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NAA Selects 2018 Award Recipients

William Garvey, editor-in-chief of Aviation Week’s Business & Commercial Aviation Magazine; Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream Aerospace; and John and Martha King, founders of King Schools; have been selected as recipients of the 2018 Wesley L. McDonald Distinguished Statesman of Aviation Award.

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Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, October 1, 2018

Volume 266, Issue 1

Publication Info

Cover Date: 

Mon, 2018-10-01

Volume: 

266

Number: 

1

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Aviation Daily, October 1, 2018

Volume 414, Issue 1

Publication Info

Cover Date: 

Mon, 2018-10-01

Volume: 

414

Number: 

1

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The Weekly of Business Aviation, October 1, 2018

Volume 103, Issue 40

Publication Info

Cover Date: 

Mon, 2018-10-01

Volume: 

103

Number: 

40

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Aviation Week & Space Technology, October 1, 2018

October 1, 2018 Volume 180 Issue 39

Publication Info

Cover Date: 

Mon, 2018-10-01

Volume: 

180

Number: 

39

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LeoLabs Sharpens Its Eye On LEO Debris

To be located in New Zealand, orbit-debris-mapping startup LeoLab’s latest ground radar will track objects down to 2 cm in size.

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Russia Confirms S-300 Deliveries to Syria Have Begun

Steve Trimble

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has confirmed that S-300 surface-to-air missile systems have begun arriving in Syria, adding a new layer of complexity to an already fraught situation in the region. 

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T-X Price Check

View the T-X Price Check chart in PDF format.

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Former Head Of USAF Big Safari Dies

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Bill Grimes, the former director of the service’s secretive Big Safari special mission aircraft shop, has died.

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SpeedNews Defense & Space

BOEING has $198.9m U.S. Army contract for Chinook H-47 forward and aft rotor blades and associated containers.

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Royal Navy Resumes Carrier Ops With F-35B Trials on Queen Elizabeth II

An F-35B flown by British pilots completed the first landing and take-off aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 25, becoming the first fixed-wing aircraft to operate on a Royal Navy carrier at sea in eight years. 

The landings, announced by the UK Ministry of Defense three days later, begin 11 weeks of flight trials off the U.S. coast for the Queen Elizabeth II, to include the shipborne rolling vertical landing maneuver tailored for the Royal Navy warship. 

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Kerala Blasters beat Atletico de Kolkata 2-0 in ISL 5 opener

In front of 41,202 spectators, ATK lacked vision like their last season while KBFC, under former England goalkeeper David James, were able to make the most of their chances.

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American Airlines Fuel Cost 2017/2018

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Harry Kane brace against Huddersfield sends Tottenham Hotspur to fourth

Harry Kane scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur moved into fourth place in the Premier League with a 2-0 win at bottom club Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

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Manchester City cruise as Aguero and Sterling strike in 2-1 win over Brighton

A stunning Sergio Aguero goal capped Manchester City`s 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion as Pep Guardiola`s champions served further notice that they will again be the side to beat in the Premier League this season.

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Global Jet Fuel Prices As of September 27, 2018

View the Global Jet Fuel Prices As of September 27, 2018 chart in PDF format.

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19-time World Champion Pankaj Advani settles for bronze in Asian 10-red Snooker

Nineteen-time World Champion Pankaj Advani had to settle for a bronze in the after a 5-0 loss to Ireland’s Brendan O’Donoghue in the semifinals on Saturday. 

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India's Abhishek Verma wins bronze at Archery World Cup Final

Indian compound archer Abhishek Verma beat Korea’s Kim Jongho to clinch a bronze medal in the Archery World Cup final in Turkey. 

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Jose Mourinho's woes multiply as Manchester United flop again at West Ham

Manchester United`s troubled season hit a new low on Saturday as Jose Mourinho saw his gamble on introducing a new tactical system backfire with an insipid 3-1 defeat to West Ham United in the Premier League.

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Rs 1,700-cr fraud: Telecom equipment firm raided

Central Bureau of Investigation and Banking Fraud and Securities Cell sleuths conducted searches on Thursday and Friday in the city in connection with Rs 1,700 crore Punjab National Bank loan fraud case wherein three promoters a city-based telecom equipment manufacturing company, VMC Systems, are named as accused.

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My goal was better than Mohamed Salah’s: Cristiano Ronaldo on goal of the year award

Juventus Football Club star Cristiano Ronaldo claimed that his bicycle kick was better than Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah’s edge of the box strike, which won the FIFA Puskas Award. 

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Bridge plan hits furniture mall hurdle in Hyd

Another steel bridge proposed on Road No 3, Banjara Hills, at Nagarjuna Circle has hit a roadblock now. A private property (furniture mall) located adjacent to the graveyard towards Nagarjuna Circle has become a major hurdle for the steel bridge to take off, forcing the authorities to redesign the bridge plan now.

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EPL: Jose Mourinho's woes multiply as Manchester United flop again at West Ham

Manchester United`s current tally of 10 points equals the club`s worst return after the first seven matches of any season in the Premier League era

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Asia Cup: Twitter abuzz as Indian fans hail spirited Bangladesh

The spirit of the game clearly prevailed over the rivalry surrounding the two sides as Indian fans took to Twitter to congratulate their neighbours 

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Learnt to be calm from MS Dhoni, reveals stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma

India’s stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma has said that he can absorb the pressure and remain calm like former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. 

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Will be ready for captaincy when opportunity comes: Rohit Sharma

Rohit made it clear that his philosophy of leadership is to help players shed insecurities while playing for the country

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Jadeja has proved himself with impressive performances in Asia Cup, says Rohit

Ravindra Jadeja's last game came against the West Indies at Sabina Park on July 6, 2017

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BCCI awaits Virat Kohli's injury update, Bumrah-Bhuvneshwar to be rested for West Indies series

The Indian national selection committee await for an update on skipper Virat Kohli’s wrist injury before announcing India’s squad for the upcoming two-Test series against West Indies. 

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Saudi Arabia, US agree to cooperate on intellectual property rights

Author: 

Sun, 2018-09-30 01:44

JEDDAH: The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and the US Patent and Trademark Office signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the field of intellectual property rights, and to exchange experiences and visits by specialists.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the 58th General Assembly of the Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva.

It was signed by Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al-Swailem, executive chairman of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, and by Andrei Lancu, undersecretary of commerce for intellectual property and director of the US Patent and Trademark Office.

The MoU aims to facilitate the processing, examination and registration of applications for patents, industrial designs and trademarks. It also aims to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two nations.

Earlier, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property signed a MoU with the South Korean Intellectual Property Office to cooperate in the protection of intellectual property rights.

This is done through the exchange of information on the policies, strategies and plans related to automation systems, as well as the development of the licensing program for intellectual property agents of the authority.

 

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intellectual property rights

World Intellectual Property Organization

Saudi Arabia participates in World Intellectual Property Organization general assemblySaudi Arabian intellectual property authority launches online facility

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FaceOf: Maj. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz, Royal Saudi Air Forces commander

Sun, 2018-09-30 01:01

JEEDAH: Maj. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz has been commander of the Royal Saudi Air Forces (RSAF) since February 2018. 

He held several posts in the military, including the commandership of King Abdul Aziz Air Base in Dhahran, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. 

He has also been an operations center director, zone commander, and flight officer.

Maj. Gen. Turki holds a bachelor’s degree in aerial sciences. He has also participated in regional and international conferences and forums. 

He has received several medals and pendants including the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the 30-Year Military Service Pendant, and other medals for security, military management, leadership and military appreciation.

Recently, Maj. Gen. Turki announced that Saudi forces are ready to begin joint military exercises in Tunisia next week, as part of the annual Ministry of Defense training plans for the armed forces. 

The exercises are meant to strengthen relations and cooperation between the Royal Saudi Air Force and the Tunisian Air Force, and refine the skills of air crews. 

These exercises will offer a chance to exchange experiences in the fields of technical supply and support, improve combat skills to enhance joint performance, and train air crews to carry out operations in different environments. 

These are the first joint exercises of their kind between Saudi Arabian and Tunisian air forces. They will last for two weeks and lead to improvements in coordination and planning at strategic, operational and tactical levels.

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Royal Saudi Air Force

Maj. Gen. Turki bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz

FaceOf: Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Ruwais, governor of Saudi Communications and Information Technology CommissionFaceOf: Dr. Fahd Al-Shathri, deputy governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary AgencyFaceOf: Nicholas Naples, CEO of Saudi Public Investment Fund’s Amaala projectFaceOf: Homam Hashem, CEO of Saudi Arabia's Kafalah Fund

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Saudi high speed train announces details of schedule

Author: 

sarah glubb

ID: 

1538253749903778500

Sat, 2018-09-29 23:35

JEDDAH: Makkah’s local authority has announced the details of the Haramain High Speed Railway’s first journey.
The first journey will take place on Oct. 4, 2018, and tickets can be purchased online.
The high speed train will run between Makkah and Madinah, eight times a day in both directions, and this will increase to 12 journeys from the beginning of 2019.
Trains will run on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and will run every 60 minutes.
The Haramain High Speed Railway will have five stops, including Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic City, and Madinah.
King Salman launched the Haramain High Speed Railway, the biggest electric speed train project in the Middle East, at Jeddah’s Al-Sulaymaniyah station on Tuesday.
The inauguration ceremony concluded with the king taking the train from Jeddah to Madinah.

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Two holy sites

King Salman to inaugurate Saudi Arabia’s Haramain high-speed railwayHaramain railway between holy cities ready for inauguration soon

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Deal signed to raise breast cancer awareness across KSA

Author: 

ARAB NEWS

ID: 

1538248817403413700

Sat, 2018-09-29 22:19

JEDDAH: Princess Haifa Al-Faisal, chairwoman of the Zahra Breast Cancer Association, signed a cooperation agreement with Houston Methodist Hospital in the US, to raise awareness about breast cancer and train Saudi doctors and specialists at the hospital.
The agreement signed recently in Texas with the hospital’s CEO, was the result of concern of the association, to raise awareness among women in the Kingdom about breast cancer, through awareness campaigns the association launches each October, encouraging women to participate in early diagnosis.
In this same context, the Zahra association held a meeting with Samar Dijani, deputy head of the international patients’ department at Houston Methodist Hospital.
Dijani is currently visiting the Kingdom to attend the launch of the annual October campaign, under the title “Do Not Ignore Any Symptoms,” and to showcase some of the hospital’s experiences in breast cancer awareness and treatment.
She indicated that women in the Kingdom have become more aware of the disease and receive support from their families, which has contributed to improving patients’ conditions.

Dijani also stressed the need to raise awareness about early diagnosis, especially for women over the age of 40, who should receive screening mammograms. She added that the US Government is supporting research on successful cancer treatment, and the search for new discoveries continues.

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Saudi Arabia

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Saudi university team treats breast cancer patient with intraoperative electron radiation therapy for first time in Arab worldChild cancer hospital investigation sends shockwaves through Egypt

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Saudi Islamic Ministry takes part in G-20 Interfaith Forum

Author: 

ARAB NEWS

ID: 

1538248786003411600

Sat, 2018-09-29 22:19

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, represented by the Knowledge Exchange Program, took part in the Interfaith Forum in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The fifth annual event in a series of G-20 Interfaith Forums was organized under the theme of “Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development: Religious Contributions for a Dignified Future.”
Dr. Abdullah Al-Luhaidan, adviser to the minister of Islamic affairs and supervisor of the program, said: “The Council of Senior Scholars in the Kingdom stressed that Islam casts off violence, extremism, terrorism, and hate speech, and calls for tolerance, compassion, and coexistence between people of different religions.”
Moreover, he pointed out that the ministry has developed the knowledge exchange program with the aim of communicating with universities, academic and scientific centers and followers of other religions, to introduce them to the true message of Islam, which is promoting peace and coexistence.
“The relationship existing between the religious and institutions in the Kingdom is a model of a relation based on cooperation toward finding Islamic solutions to the problems of this age,” he said.

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Saudi Arabia

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interfaith dialogue

Interfaith coexistence on agenda at Moscow meetingInterfaith dialogue ‘vital to curb extremism,’ says Islamic researcher

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Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian agency delivers 185 tons food to Yemeni district

Author: 

ARAB NEWS

ID: 

1538248751823410400

Sat, 2018-09-29 22:18

JEDDAH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) delivered 185 tons of food to Al-Azariq district in Yemen’s Dhale governorate.
Distribution started upon arrival and will continue in the coming days throughout the district, in cooperation with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
This is part of KSRelief’s assistance to the Yemeni people, and follows directives by the king and crown prince to ease their suffering. Al-Azariq is experiencing a humanitarian crisis due to severe drought.
On Friday, the center distributed 2,500 food baskets in the governorate of Marib, benefiting 15,000 people.
The distribution comes within the framework of humanitarian projects provided by the Kingdom for the Yemeni people.
KSRelief’s projects are designed to help reduce the damage caused to the millions of Yemenis who have suffered at the hands of the Houthi militias for more than three years.
Earlier, Abdullah Al-Moallem, head of the health and environmental aid department of KSRelief, said: “There were more than 4 million women and children suffering under severe humanitarian conditions because of the Houthi militias’ violations of human rights laws.”

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Saudi Arabia

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King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief)

KSRelief denounces ‘biased’ report on human rights in YemenKSRelief entertains children, orphans’ families in Yemen

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King Salman discusses regional developments, oil market with Trump during phone call

Author: 

daniel fountain

ID: 

1538251371973602100

Sat, 2018-09-29 23:07

RIYADH: King Salman received a phone call from President Donald Trump of the US on Saturday.
During the meeting, they discussed relations between the two countries and means of developing them.
They also discussed developments in the Middle East region and the world.
They also discussed efforts to maintain the supply and stability of the oil market as well as ensuring the growth of the global economy.

Main category: 

Saudi Arabia

King Salman urges 24-hour opening of Quba Mosque to be consideredKing Salman inaugurates Saudi Arabia’s Haramain railway

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Saudi female students in Adelaide celebrate National Day in public

Author: 

Zaynab Khojji

ID: 

1538241050562670600

Sat, 2018-09-29 20:06

ADELAIDE: In the capital city of South Australia, Saudi students have chosen to spread the knowledge about their country with flowers and chocolate.
A group of female Saudi students decided to introduce their country the way they see it. Eighty-eight balloons representing the Kingdom’s National Day were distributed to the children in the heart of Adelaide, along with flowers, chocolate and flyers about the history of Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Hesham Khadawardi, the Saudi cultural attaché in Australia, said: “Saudi women are indispensable contributors to national development, They proudly announce their role supporting and serving the success and advancement of their country. The energy of Saudi contemporary advancement by necessity attracts the synergy of all young ambitious Saudis, both women and men.”
Following the great relationship between the two countries, the UAE cultural attaché in Canberra has contributed to support this celebration. UAE students have participated in the celebrations and the Emirate flag was held up along with the Saudi flag, representing the long and strong bonds between the two nations.

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Saudi Arabia

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saudi national day 2018

ADELAIDE

Saudi embassy in Pakistan hosts National Day receptionAfghanistan, Saudi Arabia display unity, closeness on Kingdom’s National Day 

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Saudi Arabia, allies slam ‘biased’ UN resolution on Yemen

Sat, 2018-09-29 13:15

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia and key allies have denounced as “biased” a resolution that renewed a UN-backed investigation of alleged war crimes in Yemen.
The condemnation was issued in a joint statement released by the Yemen government, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. It comes after the UN Human Rights Council voted to extend an international probe of alleged war crimes committed in Yemen. “We are left with a resolution which is biased, and which clearly contradicts the clear mandate laid out by the UN Security Council,” said the joint statement. Rights council members voted in favor of the resolution in Geneva on Friday by 21 to 8, with 18 abstentions. Saudi Arabia and its allies bemoaned what they said was the council’s “failure to achieve consensus.” “In particular, we are disappointed that certain member states failed to consider the real and legitimate concerns of those states who are most affected by the situation in Yemen,” their joint statement said.
The resolution showed “disregard for Yemen’s sovereign right to give its consent to cooperate with international resolutions that deal directly with the human rights situation on its own territory,” it added. On the eve of the vote, the Yemeni government had announced it was ending its cooperation with the UN human rights mission, accusing it of bias in an August report on alleged war crimes. The report accused both government forces and the Houthi militia of violations of international law.
Earlier, Arab Coalition spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki criticized the inaccuracy of the information in the report.
The report “failed to mention Iran’s role in Yemen, and the countless violations perpetrated by the Houthis, both against the Yemeni people and against Saudi Arabia,” Al-Maliki said.
The Houthis have fired more than 200 missiles at Saudi Arabia since it intervened in Yemen in March 2015.
The coalition accuses Iran of smuggling the missiles through the rebel-held Red Sea port of Hodeida, the entry point for UN aid for millions of civilians.

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Saudi Arabia

Tags: 

Yemen

Houthis

Saudi Arabia

United Nations

United Arab Emirates

Bahrain

Egypt

Yemeni army kills Houthi militia commanders, several militants in Hodeidah and Saada provincesYemen activist once held by Houthis slams UN peace drive as ‘naive’

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