Human Rights

28 May 2020; AFP: The US military withdrawal from Afghanistan is considerably ahead of schedule, an official told AFP on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump reiterated calls for the Pentagon to bring troops home.

The developments came as questions loomed over the next phase of Afghanistan's long war following a historic, three-day ceasefire that led to a major drop in civilian casualties.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — In the decentralized American system, the COVID-19 pandemic is draining public finances in many cities and states, and without help from the federal government, experts say the consequences will be lasting and the recovery slower.

“There cannot be a national recovery if the state and local governments are not funded,” New York’s Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States said it was ending waivers in its sanctions for nations that remain in the Iran nuclear accord, bringing the deal further to the verge of collapse.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he was responding to Iran’s “brinkmanship” of nuclear steps, which have been aimed at pressuring the United States to remove sanctions as called for by the 2015 accord.

“These escalatory actions are unacceptable and I cannot justify renewing the waiver,” Pompeo said in a statement.

WASHINGTON, May 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Congress voted to open the way to sanctions against Chinese officials over the mass incarceration of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities.

The House of Representatives voted 413-1 to back the final version of the Uighur Human Rights Act, which has already angered Beijing.

President Donald Trump can sign or veto the bill, but Congress easily has the votes to override him if he rejects it.

AMMAN, May 28 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan warned, on Wednesday, that the Israeli annexation of occupied Palestinian territories is a breach of international law and will undermine regional peace.

The remarks were made by Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ayman Safadi, during a phone call with THE United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, on Wednesday.

27 May 2020; MEMO: Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging Israel into a “civil war” to save himself and to escape personal problems.

“To get rid of personal troubles and to distract from problems he is responsible for, such as high unemployment and the like, he is inciting the public against itself,” Lieberman told Kan radio in an interview.

27 May 2020; MEMO: Israeli occupation forces yesterday announced the destruction of ten wells in the town of Az-Zawiya, west of Salfit in the north of the West Bank.

The Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) quoted local sources as saying that occupation forces handed over demolition notices to owners of the water wells in the western region of the town.

TEHRAN, May 27 (NNN-TASNIM) – The Permanent Secretariat of the International Conference on Supporting Palestinian Intifada (Uprising), at the Iranian Parliament, strongly condemned the Israeli regime’s plan to annex major parts of the occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank.

26 May 2020; MEMO: Turkey’s president on Sunday reiterated his country’s support for Palestine as the Muslim world celebrates Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

“We will not allow the Palestinian lands to be offered to anyone else,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video message on Twitter addressed to US Muslims.

Bhadohi (UP), May 25 (PTI) A case has been registered against an office bearer of the Rashtriya Brahmin Yuvjan Sabha for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Facebook, police said on Monday.

Acting on a complaint, Ambrish Tiwari, who is the district president of the outfit in Bhadohi, was booked on Sunday, Koirauna police station incharge Sanjay Rai said.

Efforts are on to nab Tiwari and raids are being conducted. The complaint was filed by Aadya Prasad Yadav, a resident of Azamgarh, the officer said.