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Qatar emir: Our sovereignty is a red line

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The Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (Credit: Reuters)

by Al Jazeera

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, has said he will not bow to pressure from a group of Arab states blockading his country, calling the independence and sovereignty of the Gulf nation a “red line”.

“Our sovereignty is a red line. We don’t accept anybody interfering our sovereignty,” Sheikh Tamim told US television programme 60 Minutes.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed a land, sea and air embargo, accusing it of supporting “terrorism”. Doha has repeatedly denied the allegation.

“They don’t like our independence, the way how we are thinking, our vision for the region,” he told host Charlie Rose in a wide-ranging interview that aired on Sunday.

“We want freedom of speech for the people of the region and they’re not happy with that, and so they think that this is a threat to them.”

When people took to the streets across the Middle East and North Africa in protests that would become known as the Arab spring, Qatar “stood by the people,” Sheikh Tamim said.

“The difference between us and them during the Arab Spring is that we stood by the people. They stood by the regimes.

“I feel that we chose the right side when we stood by the people.”

‘It was a shock’
The months-long diplomatic dispute began about two weeks after a late May Arab-Islamic-American summit in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, which was attended by US President Donald Trump and representatives of 55 Arab and Muslim-dominated countries.

Among them was both the Qatari emir and the leaders of the countries that subsequently blockaded Qatar.

“It was a shock,” said Sheikh Tamim, referring to the blockade.

“A few weeks before that, we were meeting, all of us together, in one room, including President Trump,” he told CBS News’ 60 Minutes.

“We were discussing terrorism, financing terrorism, and nobody brought any concern from those countries. Nobody told me anything.”

When asked about the presence of Taliban in Qatar, Sheikh Tamim said that they were asked and allowed to set up offices in the Qatari capital of Doha at the request of the United States.

“The reason why they came here, it’s not because we asked them to come,” he told 60 Minutes.

“America asked … They wanted to have dialogue so they asked us if we can host them here and have the dialogue. So we hosted them here, this is the reason why they’re here,” added Sheikh Thamim.

“When they [blockading countries] talk about terrorism, absolutely not. We do not support terrorism.”

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna, reporting from Washington, DC, said that this was the “first public statement from the emir since this crisis began back in June.

“He made it very clear his belief that the charges by the other Gulf states and Egypt are completely baseless … and rejected out of hand the claims by the boycotting states that Qatar is backing terrorism in any form,” added Hanna.

‘We want it to end’
In the interview, the emir also said he is willing to attend US-hosted direct talks to put an and to the diplomatic crisis, but added that he has yet to hear a response to Trump’s offer to hold a meeting at his retreat in Camp David.

“We want it [the crisis] to end. But nothing is going to be above our dignity, our sovereignty,” Sheikh Tamim told 60 Minutes.

“But we want it to end, I always say that. If they going to walk one metre toward me, I’m willing to walk 10,000 miles towards them.”

On June 22, the quartet issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Qatar-based media network Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran, and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country as a prerequisite to lifting the blockade.

Doha rejected all the demands, denouncing them as attempts to infringe Qatar’s sovereignty.

During the interview, the Qatari emir reiterated that the fate of Al Jazeera, which was launched in 1996, was not up for discussion.

“We’re not going to shut down Al Jazeera,” he said.

“When you tell me to close a channel like Al Jazeera, history will write one day in 50, 60 or 70 years how it changed the whole idea of free speech in the region.”

Attempt to change Qatar leadership
The emir of Qatar also accused the blockading countries of seeking “regime change”.

It was “obvious” that the Saudi-led quartet is trying to force a change of leadership in Qatar, Sheikh Tamim said.

“History as well tells us, teaches us, they tried to do that before, in 1996 after my father became the emir.”

Sheikh Tamim became emir in 2013 at the age of 33, after his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, transferred power to him.

The 60 Minutes interview took place in Doha in early October, shortly after the emir’s return to the country after his first foreign trip since the start of the crisis.

In a major show of unity, thousands lined up the streets of Doha to welcome back Sheikh Tamim following the trips to Europe and the United General Assembly in New York, where he denounced the “unjust siege” imposed on Qatar.

When asked by Rose if he thought that the Saudi-led group had underestimated him, Sheikh Tamim replied: “I think they underestimated the Qatari people. I’m so proud of the people.”

India vs New Zealand: India register thrilling victory over Kiwis

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Kanpur: India produced a brilliant all-round performance to beat New Zealand by six runs in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) at the Green Park Stadium here on Sunday and clinch the series.

Chasing a daunting target of 338 runs, the Kiwis could only manage 331/7 in their allotted 50 overs.

Colin Munro (75), skipper Kane Williamson (64) and Tom Latham (65) were the major contributors for New Zealand.

For India, pacer Jasprit Bumrah scalped three wickets and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took two.

India have clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1. The visitors had won the series opener in Mumbai by six wickets before the Indians won the second match by the same margin in Pune to draw level, reports IANS.

India captain Virat Kohli was declared the man of the series for scoring 263 runs in the three matches. He has notched up two centuries in this series. This was the first day-night match at this venue. The Kiwis were off to a flying start with openers Martin Guptill and Munro going after the Indian bowlers.

Bumrah struck the first blow for India when a miscued shot by Guptill saw Dinesh Karthik latch on to the catch at mid-off.

It was the 50th ODI wicket for Bumrah, who is the second fastest Indian bowler to reach the landmark, completing the feat in 28 matches. Former pacer Ajit Agarkar holds the record at 23 matches.

Munro and Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson then put together a partnership of 109 runs to put the visitors on a firm footing. Chahal broke the partnership when Munro was bowled after failing to read the turn.

Munro, who was the highest scorer for the visitors, hit seven boundaries and three sixes during his 62-ball stay in the middle.

Chahal claimed his second wicket four overs later, sending Williamson back to the pavilion. The Kiwis however, stayed firmly on course with Latham and Ross Taylor adding 79 runs between them off 76 deliveries.

But the dismissals of Taylor and Henry Nicholls broke the visitors’ momentum as the hosts made a strong comeback.

Latham was run out following a horrible mix-up with Colin de Grandhomme in the very next over while Bumrah accounted for Mitchell Santner with two balls remaining.

With the Kiwis needing 11 runs to win off the last ball, a desperate slog by Tim Southee only earned a boundary at the mid-wicket fence as the Indians celebrated.

Earlier, brilliant performances from opener Rohit Sharma and Kohli helped India post a daunting 337/6 after being asked to bat first.

Rohit was the top scorer for India with 147 runs while Kohli slammed 113 to cross the milestone of 9,000 ODI runs.

Rohit struck his 15th century in ODIs, the fifth of this year and the first against New Zealand. Kohli slammed his 32nd ton and the fifth against the visitors to help India score the highest total in 15 ODIs here.

The previous was 303 by South Africa against India in 2015.

It was also Kohli’s sixth century in 2017, the most by a captain in a year, beating five by Sourav Ganguly (2000), Australia’s Ricky Ponting (2003, 2007), South Africa’s Graeme Smith (2005) and AB de Villiers (2015).

For New Zealand, pacer Southee, Milne and spinner Santner scalped two wickets each.

Brief scores: India 337/6 (Rohit Sharma 147, Virat Kohli 113; Mitchell Santner 2/58) against New Zealand 331/7 (Colin Munro 75, Kane Williamson 64, Tom Latham 65; Yuzvendra Chahal 2/47).

(Agencies)

Man detained over ‘bomb threat’ on Jet flight

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Ahmedabad: The city police has detained a passenger of a Mumbai-Delhi Jet Airways flight which was forced to make an emergency landing at the Ahmedabad airport today after a note stating that there were hijackers and a bomb on board was found in the washroom, a police officer said.

The passenger, identified as Birju Salla, a jeweller hailing from Rajula town in Gujarat’s Amreli district, was taken into custody based on suspicion after the plane landed here, he said.

Salla, who now lives in Mumbai, had in the past too done such a mischief with the airline out of some grudge, the police official said.

Earlier, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said the person responsible for the security threat on the Mumbai-Delhi Jet Airways flight had been identified and should be immediately put on the no-fly list.

“Salla was detained by police after preliminary investigation. He was on board the flight which made an emergency landing this morning. It was revealed that Salla had put the threat letter in the plane’s washroom. We will take necessary action against him,” the official said.

“This is the second time when Salla did such a mischief with Jet Airways. A few months ago, he tried to harass the airline using some other trick. It seems that Salla has some grudge against the airline,” he said.

He was being questioned by senior police officials at an undisclosed location.

Flight 9W 339, which had taken off from Mumbai at 2.55 am with 115 passengers and seven crew members, landed without incident at Ahmedabad around 3.45 am. The Boeing 737-900 plane was parked at a remote bay and all 122 safely deplaned, a Jet Airways spokesperson said.

The printed note, in Urdu and English, said the flight had 12 hijackers on board and a bomb in the cargo area and should be flown straight to PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir).

Giving details of what had happened, Ahmedabad Airport Director Manoj Gangal said the flight was allowed to make an emergency landing on the pilot’s request.

The bomb disposal squad and the local police conducted a thorough search but found no explosive substance, said Sardarnagar police station inspector H B Zala.

(Agencies)

Najeeb’s missing case: Court allows CBI’s plea

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New Delhi: A Delhi court today allowed the CBI’s plea seeking advancing of hearing on its application on polygraph test on nine students in connection with JNU student Najeeb Ahmed who has been missing for over a year now.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal posted the matter for November 10 and sought the response of nine students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on the central probe agency’s application.

Najeeb, a first-year MSc Biotechnology student, has been missing from the Mahi Mandavi hostel in JNU since October 16, 2016.

The CBI, in its plea, had sought early hearing on its application seeking consent of nine students for a lie detection test regarding the disappearance of Najeeb in October last year.

The CBI had on October 16 approached the court seeking early hearing of its plea seeking consent of the suspect students for a polygraph test.

The application was moved by the agency on the direction of the Delhi High Court for an early hearing of the plea, which has been adjourned to January 24, 2018.

27-year-old Najeeb went missing after a scuffle at his JNU hostel allegedly with ABVP activists. The RSS students wing has denied any involvement in his disappearance.

A Delhi court had on May 3 quashed a police order summoning nine JNU students for recording their consent or denial for lie-detector test in the case after it noted a defect in the notice sent by the investigating officer to the students.

On May 16, the high court handed over probe of the case to the CBI.

The nine students, who are suspects in the case, had approached a magisterial court challenging the notice sent to them by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police seeking their presence before the magistrate for recording of their statement.

The notice was sent after the Delhi High Court had asked the police to explore other avenues of probe as all other leads had not yielded any result.

(Agencies)

100 year old woman raped in UP, dies

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Meerut: A 100-year-old woman died on Monday after being unwell and allegedly being raped by a drunk youth in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh.

Police said that the victim, who was unwell, lived in Jaani village with her brother. The police told that the youth was drunk when he allegedly raped the 100-year-old woman.

The youth has been identified as Ankit Punia. He was trying to escape when her cries were heard by her brother and neighbours who overpowered Punia and handed him over to police.

Police officials said since the woman had died, relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) would be added in the case against the youth. Punia claimed he was innocent and had not committed any crime.

(Agencies)

SC orders Kerala Police, Hadiya’s father to produce her in court on November 27

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the father of Hadiya, a 24-year-old Hindu woman from Kerala who converted to Islam, to present her in court on November 27 to ascertain her views on her marriage to a Muslim man, Shafin Jahan.

The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra also said that it would ascertain her views in the open court, as it did not accept that she be questioned by the judges in-camera.

Hadiya alias Akhila had converted to Islam last year and married Shafin Jahan.

The apex court was on Monday hearing Jahan’s plea against the Kerala High Court order of May, annulling her marriage.

Het father had appealed for in-camera proceedings, but the Supreme Court declined his request.

The marriage had been challenged in the High Court by Hadiya’s father, who also alleged that her husband had links with terror group IS.

Jahan had also pleaded before the Supreme Court to cancel the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into their marriage. The NIA probe was ordered by the apex court.

(IANS)

Kolkata film institute students continue relay hunger strike

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Picture: Oinam Anand

Kolkata: A relay hunger strike launched by agitating students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) here continued for the second day on Monday over demands of “immediate and unconditional revocation” of rustication of 14 female students.

Besides the revocation, other demands include ending hostel segregation and for academic reforms.

On Monday, seven volunteers who had kicked-off the strike late on Saturday, relayed the protest to seven others.

Expulsion of the girl students allegedly over “hostel segregation” after they refused to vacate the old hostel rooms and shift to a new girls’ hostel on the campus, triggered protests among the students fraternity since October 17.

The impasse between institute’s students and authorities has not been resolved since then.

The protesting students contend they had agreed to accept the hostel segregation but the authorities refused to revoke the expulsion order “unconditionally.”

However, if the demands are not met by Monday evening, the students have threatened to go an indefinite hunger strike.

Director Debamitra Mitra has said unconditional reversal of expulsion is not a possibility and it would set a bad precedent.

(IANS)

SC to set up Constitution bench to hear pleas against Aadhaar

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New Delhi: A constitution bench would be set up to hear a clutch of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing various services and government welfare schemes, the Supreme Court today said.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said the larger bench would commence hearing on these petitions in the last week of November this year.

Earlier today, the apex court questioned the West Bengal government for filing a plea challenging the Centre’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of various social welfare schemes while asking how a state can challenge the mandate of Parliament.

It also asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to file the plea as an individual.

Recently, a nine-judge Constitution bench had held that the Right ot Privacy was a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. Several petitioners challenging the validity of Aadhaar had raised the issue that the scheme was violative of privacy rights.

Senior advocates Gopal Subramanium and Shyam Divan, appearing for those opposing the Aadhaar scheme, had sought urgent hearing on the petitions.

The Centre had on October 25 told the apex court that the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to avail the benefits of the government schemes has been extended till March 31 next year for those who do not have the 12-digit biometric identification number and were willing to have it.

The petitioners had termed the linking of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) number with bank accounts and mobile numbers as illegal and unconstitutional and strongly objected to the CBSE’s move to make it mandatory for students to appear for exams.

Divan, appearing for some of the petitioners, had earlier contended that final hearing in the main Aadhaar matter, which is pending before the apex court, was necessary as the government “cannot compel” citizens to link their Aadhaar with either bank accounts or mobile numbers.

(PTI)

Haider al-Abadi halts operation in northern Iraq

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Iraq’s Kurds face a new security crisis after the defeat of ISIL [Ahmad al-Rubaye/Getty Images]

by Al Jazeera

Iraq’s prime minister has ordered a temporary halt to a military operation in the country’s north aimed at wresting back territory held by Kurdish security forces.

In a statement on Friday, Haider al-Abadi ordered government forces to suspend their operations for 24 hours to enable the deployment of other forces in coordination with Kurdish forces in the disputed areas and along the country’s borders.

The suspension of the movement of troops will allow a technical team from the two sides to jointly work for the deployment, al-Abadi said.

“This is aimed at preventing a showdown and bloodshed between people of the same country.”

Al-Abadi’s decision came a day after government forces and Kurdish forces clashed near the northern city of Mosul.

Last week, Iraqi forces retook the oil-rich region of Kirkuk, which had been held by the Kurds since the Iraqi army fled from advancing ISIL fighters in 2014.

The show of force came after the secession referendum of September 25, in which 92 percent of Kurds supported independence from Iraq, prompting tension between the two sides.

Ceasefire claim retracted
Earlier on Friday, the US-led coalition battling ISIL, (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS), said Iraqi and Kurdish forces must focus on dialogue and reducing internal tensions in order to combat a larger enemy.

“We are encouraging dialogue. We’re trying to get the tensions down and to refocus our efforts on defeating ISIS,” Colonel Ryan Dillon, coalition spokesperson, told Rudaw, a news agency in the Iraqi Kurdish region, in a video interview.

“What we are encouraging is dialogue and trying to get the right people to the table.”

Dillon said in the interview that there was a “ceasefire” between Iraqi and Kurdish forces, but he later retracted those remarks, noting on Twitter that while both parties had been talking, it was “not an official ‘ceasefire'”.

The primary goal is to prevent the resurgence of ISIL, Dillon said.

“They thrive on instability and discord between groups, and we cannot let them resurface. We’ve got to cut the head off of that snake and prevent them from coming back,” he said.

India outclass Singapore in women’s Asia Cup hockey opener

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(AFP)

Kakamigahara: India got off to a roaring start, thrashing Singapore 10-0 in their opening clash of the womens Asia Cup 2017 here on Saturday.

It was goals by Navneet Kaur (3′ and 41′), Rani (15′ and 18′), Lalremsiami (18′), Deep Grace Ekka (25′), Navjot Kaur (30′ and 50′), Gurjit Kaur (41′) and Sonika (45′) that ensured India notched up the winning points in their opening match in Pool A.

India began with a positive intent, attacking Singapore’s circle and constantly finding an opportunity to score. The effort worked as the team won back-to-back penalty corners in the first quarter.

Though the first PC was saved by Singapore goalkeeper Felissa Lai, it hardly dented India’s spirit as they were precise in their counter. It was Navneet and Rani’s goals in the third and 15th minute that gave India a 2-0 lead in the first quarter.

India continued their good run in the second quarter, adding four more goals to their lead via Lalremsiami, Rani, Deep Grace Ekka and Navjot to go into the 10-minute half-time break with an imposing 6-0 lead.

After Grace scored off a PC in the 25th minute, dragflicker Gurjit Kaur was fierce in her strike to score India’s seventh goal through a PC in the 41st minute.

India stayed resolute as they continued to put pressure on Singapore defence pumping two more goals in the third quarter through Navneet and Sonika in the 41st and 45th minute respectively.

The final 15 minutes saw India win back-to-back PCs. But the Singapore defence averted conceding further goals, before a quick-thinking Navjot scored a field goal in the 50th minute to earn her team a 10-0 lead.

Earlier in the day, China beat Malaysia 5-4 in a closely fought encounter.

(IANS)

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