Argentina coach Alejandro Sabello says star player Lionel Messi needs to be left in peace and one should "talk to him as little as possible" as the South American giants get set to face Germany in a friendly here on Wednesday. When asked whether the Barcelona icon had changed since being appointed captain by Sabello, he replied: "No, not at all. I see him as calm, content and happy. He needs to be left alone and to talk to him as little as possible because if he is happy and content, then that is the best thing for everyone".
Messi has been in imperious form at international level in recent matches and has scored eight goals in his last four outings, including a hat-trick during the 4-3 win over arch rivals Brazil.
Sabello has given little away in regards to his tactics for Wednesday's match but admits he will likely use two or three strikers in an attacking starting eleven.
"It depends on the overall context of the team and not just two or three players. We can play with two or three strikers but at Barcelona they use just one man up front while at Spain there was a debate whether (Fernando) Torres or (Cesc) Fabregas should play. In the end they played without an outright striker and finished champions of Europe".
Related Articles Messi's hat trick lifts Argentina over Brazil - 10-06-2012 Di Stefano leans towards Ronaldo over Messi - 24-06-2012 Barcelona win thriller thanks to Messi - 18-08-2011 Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Afghan suicide attacks kill 36: officials
Suicide bombers killed 36 people Tuesday, mostly civilians shopping for Eid celebrations, in the capital of Afghanistan's Nimroz province on the border with Iran, officials said. The attack on Zaranj city is the biggest in recent memory in the relatively peaceful province and one of the deadliest anywhere in the war-torn country this year. At least 66 people were injured.
Three suicide attackers out of an original group of 11 blew themselves up in separate areas of the city, one outside a hospital, police said.
"This was a group of 11 attackers who wanted to conduct simultaneous attacks across the city," deputy provincial police chief Mujibullah Latifi told AFP.
"Security forces killed two of the suicide attackers last night and detained three others this morning. Three managed to detonate themselves while three others were gunned down.
"We have a lot of civilian casualties because two of the attackers detonated themselves near a bazaar where many people had gathered to do shopping for Eid", the Muslim celebration at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, he said.
"We have confirmation that 21 civilians and 15 members of the security forces have been killed in these attacks and more than 66 others injured," provincial governor Abdul Karim Brahawi told AFP.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but similar attacks are usually blamed on Taliban insurgents fighting to overthrow the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.
The attack in the normally peaceful province comes after 11 Afghan policemen were killed there on Saturday when one of their colleagues, believed to be a Taliban infiltrator, opened fire on them.
That incident, in Delaram district of Nimroz, was the latest in a series of shootings in which members of the Afghan security forces have targeted local and foreign colleagues.
A day earlier, three American soldiers were shot dead by an Afghan policeman who invited them to a meal in Helmand province. Three other troops were killed by an Afghan civilian employed on a NATO base in the same province.
Green-on-blue attacks, in which Afghans turn their weapons against their foreign allies, have killed a total of 37 international soldiers this year, according to a NATO count.
But Afghan troops and police have also come under increasing pressure as they take over more responsibility for security as NATO troops prepare to leave the country.
And civilians continue to bear the brunt of the war.
The United Nations said 1,145 Afghan non-combatants lost their lives, mostly in Taliban and other insurgent attacks, between January 1 and June 30 this year. Last year, a record 3,021 civilians died.
The spread of violence to Nimroz will add to growing concerns over the country's future once some 130,000 NATO troops withdraw as planned by the end of 2014, handing responsibility for security to Afghan forces.
Western politicians keen to get their troops out of an increasingly unpopular war regularly talk up the ability of the Afghan army and police to cope on their own, but there is widespread fear of a multi-factional civil war once they leave.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Three suicide attackers out of an original group of 11 blew themselves up in separate areas of the city, one outside a hospital, police said.
"This was a group of 11 attackers who wanted to conduct simultaneous attacks across the city," deputy provincial police chief Mujibullah Latifi told AFP.
"Security forces killed two of the suicide attackers last night and detained three others this morning. Three managed to detonate themselves while three others were gunned down.
"We have a lot of civilian casualties because two of the attackers detonated themselves near a bazaar where many people had gathered to do shopping for Eid", the Muslim celebration at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, he said.
"We have confirmation that 21 civilians and 15 members of the security forces have been killed in these attacks and more than 66 others injured," provincial governor Abdul Karim Brahawi told AFP.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but similar attacks are usually blamed on Taliban insurgents fighting to overthrow the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai.
The attack in the normally peaceful province comes after 11 Afghan policemen were killed there on Saturday when one of their colleagues, believed to be a Taliban infiltrator, opened fire on them.
That incident, in Delaram district of Nimroz, was the latest in a series of shootings in which members of the Afghan security forces have targeted local and foreign colleagues.
A day earlier, three American soldiers were shot dead by an Afghan policeman who invited them to a meal in Helmand province. Three other troops were killed by an Afghan civilian employed on a NATO base in the same province.
Green-on-blue attacks, in which Afghans turn their weapons against their foreign allies, have killed a total of 37 international soldiers this year, according to a NATO count.
But Afghan troops and police have also come under increasing pressure as they take over more responsibility for security as NATO troops prepare to leave the country.
And civilians continue to bear the brunt of the war.
The United Nations said 1,145 Afghan non-combatants lost their lives, mostly in Taliban and other insurgent attacks, between January 1 and June 30 this year. Last year, a record 3,021 civilians died.
The spread of violence to Nimroz will add to growing concerns over the country's future once some 130,000 NATO troops withdraw as planned by the end of 2014, handing responsibility for security to Afghan forces.
Western politicians keen to get their troops out of an increasingly unpopular war regularly talk up the ability of the Afghan army and police to cope on their own, but there is widespread fear of a multi-factional civil war once they leave.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Friday, September 20, 2013
MDP propose reinstatement if CNI verdict is coup
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) National Steering Committee on Tuesday passed to propose the reinstatement of its government if the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) decides that the transfer of power on February 7 was illegitimate. MDP Parliamentary group leader and Thoddoo constituency MP Ali Waheed presented the proposition at the party discussions which was supported by the National Steering Committee, also stated that if the CNI report mentions illegal activity, the perpetrators behind the acts must be removed from their posts and to agree to hold an early presidential election.
The recommendation also agrees to bring those responsible to justice and to conclude the legal proceedings within a month. In addition, it also stated that participation of the Commonwealth and other international parties must be allowed within every phase of the cases.
In the circumstance that the CNI decides that the transfer of power on February 7 was legal, MDP National Steering Committee by a 22 member majority decided to hold the presidential election in 2013 as stipulated under the constitution.
The committee also stated that they expect a decision to the proposition before the end of Ramadan.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
The recommendation also agrees to bring those responsible to justice and to conclude the legal proceedings within a month. In addition, it also stated that participation of the Commonwealth and other international parties must be allowed within every phase of the cases.
In the circumstance that the CNI decides that the transfer of power on February 7 was legal, MDP National Steering Committee by a 22 member majority decided to hold the presidential election in 2013 as stipulated under the constitution.
The committee also stated that they expect a decision to the proposition before the end of Ramadan.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Khedira defends Loew and players over anthem
Germany midfielder Sami Khedira on Tuesday hit back against criticism of players, including himself, who do not sing their national anthem before matches. Khedira also gave his backing to under-fire head coach Joachim Loew, insisting that he had the players' complete support despite a backlash against his tactics following their 2-1 Euro 2012 semi-final defeat to Italy.
"It (criticism of Loew) is something that has been completed over-exaggerated," he told a press conference in Frankfurt, where Germany play Argentina in a friendly on Wednesday.
"People tried to find the reasons for our defeat but we won the Euro under-21 championships with eight originally foreign players and no-one said anything, in fact the team were celebrated as heroes.
"As the coach said yesterday (Monday), it is better to sing but it doesn't determine whether someone is a good German," said the 25-year-old Real Madrid player, who has a Tunisian father and German mother.
"Someone is a good German if they speak the language and live by the customs of the country. To reduce this affair down to the national anthem and whether someone is a bad German if they don't sing is completely unfair.
"I have done this since I was 15 and I am not going to change. It is also part of my pre-match preparation. To sing the anthem or not has nothing to do with the amount of effort we give on the pitch."
As for Loew, Khedira said the man who led Germany to three consecutive semi-finals at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, had the complete backing of the players.
"We have 100 percent confidence in him. A coach shows his courage when he takes risks with his decisions and no-one can criticise him for his starting 11," he added.
"It was us, the players, who were on the pitch and not down to tactics or the composition of the team. The coach did his best and gave us the best conditions in which to prepare."
Khedira said Germany missed two "fantastic" chances against Italy but they did not take them and were made to pay.
German football officials have also expressed their faith in Loew, who has been in charge since 2006 and is set to lead the Mannschaft for the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, where they play Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
"It (criticism of Loew) is something that has been completed over-exaggerated," he told a press conference in Frankfurt, where Germany play Argentina in a friendly on Wednesday.
"People tried to find the reasons for our defeat but we won the Euro under-21 championships with eight originally foreign players and no-one said anything, in fact the team were celebrated as heroes.
"As the coach said yesterday (Monday), it is better to sing but it doesn't determine whether someone is a good German," said the 25-year-old Real Madrid player, who has a Tunisian father and German mother.
"Someone is a good German if they speak the language and live by the customs of the country. To reduce this affair down to the national anthem and whether someone is a bad German if they don't sing is completely unfair.
"I have done this since I was 15 and I am not going to change. It is also part of my pre-match preparation. To sing the anthem or not has nothing to do with the amount of effort we give on the pitch."
As for Loew, Khedira said the man who led Germany to three consecutive semi-finals at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, had the complete backing of the players.
"We have 100 percent confidence in him. A coach shows his courage when he takes risks with his decisions and no-one can criticise him for his starting 11," he added.
"It was us, the players, who were on the pitch and not down to tactics or the composition of the team. The coach did his best and gave us the best conditions in which to prepare."
Khedira said Germany missed two "fantastic" chances against Italy but they did not take them and were made to pay.
German football officials have also expressed their faith in Loew, who has been in charge since 2006 and is set to lead the Mannschaft for the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, where they play Sweden, Ireland, Austria, Faroe Islands and Kazakhstan.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Bin Hammam vows to fight latest FIFA ban
Qatar's Mohamed bin Hammam has insisted he will clear his name after FIFA's ethics committee opened investigation proceedings against him. The former Asian Football Confederation president was handed a lifetime ban from football last year after being found guilty of bribery by a FIFA ethics committee panel during his campaign for the presidency of the sport's world governing body.
However, bin Hammam's ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on July 19 after his appeal was upheld on grounds of insufficient evidence.
He was provisionally suspended by FIFA's ethics committee following the CAS ruling before the body opened formal investigation proceedings against him last Friday.
Bin Hammam has pledged to clear his name, telling the BBC: "My legal team has filed an immediate response to the actions of the AFC and FIFA in relation to my latest politically-motivated ban.
"I will announce further steps very shortly to challenge this clear abuse of power and process at the hand of FIFA."
The 63-year-old, who spearheaded Qatar's successful bid to win the 2022 World Cup, has always described his punishment as politically motivated retribution for his attempt to unseat FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Bin Hammam was found guilty by FIFA's ethics committee last year of paying bribes to Caribbean Football Union officials at a meeting in Trinidad while campaigning against Blatter.
Jack Warner, who quit as FIFA vice-president after the scandal broke, told officials gifts of 40,000 US dollars each and totalling around one million US dollars had come from Bin Hammam.
The Qatari was subject to a 30-day temporary suspension by the AFC, which was extended worldwide by FIFA on July 26.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
However, bin Hammam's ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on July 19 after his appeal was upheld on grounds of insufficient evidence.
He was provisionally suspended by FIFA's ethics committee following the CAS ruling before the body opened formal investigation proceedings against him last Friday.
Bin Hammam has pledged to clear his name, telling the BBC: "My legal team has filed an immediate response to the actions of the AFC and FIFA in relation to my latest politically-motivated ban.
"I will announce further steps very shortly to challenge this clear abuse of power and process at the hand of FIFA."
The 63-year-old, who spearheaded Qatar's successful bid to win the 2022 World Cup, has always described his punishment as politically motivated retribution for his attempt to unseat FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Bin Hammam was found guilty by FIFA's ethics committee last year of paying bribes to Caribbean Football Union officials at a meeting in Trinidad while campaigning against Blatter.
Jack Warner, who quit as FIFA vice-president after the scandal broke, told officials gifts of 40,000 US dollars each and totalling around one million US dollars had come from Bin Hammam.
The Qatari was subject to a 30-day temporary suspension by the AFC, which was extended worldwide by FIFA on July 26.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Afghan meeting with jailed Taliban leader denied
The Afghan embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday denied reports that Afghan government representatives had met with a key Taliban commander imprisoned in Pakistan to discuss peace negotiations. "No such meeting has taken place. We completely deny any meeting between Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Afghan officials," Zardasht Shams, spokesman for the Afghan embassy in Islamabad, told AFP.
A source close to Mullah Baradar's family told AFP that Afghan delegates were not given access to Baradar in jail but family members had passed him a message from the Afghan government on reconciliation.
Baradar, a powerful Taliban military chief who has been described as the insurgents' second in command was arrested in 2010 in Pakistan.
At the time, the Afghan government and the former UN envoy to Afghanistan said his detention had adversely affected efforts to talk to the insurgents in a bid to end the decade-long Afghan war.
Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar, a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, on Monday said Afghan government officials and members of the Afghan embassy in Pakistan held secret talks with Baradar in prison two months ago.
A Pakistani security official confirmed Monday an official delegation from Afghanistan had made an initial contact with Baradar two months ago, but the Pakistani government later denied a meeting.
"The news reports about a meeting between Afghan officials and Mullah Baradar are baseless and incorrect," said the Pakistani interior ministry in a short statement issued late Monday.
President Karzai has long sought to negotiate with the Taliban but the Islamist militia has in public refused to deal with his administration, branding it an American puppet.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
A source close to Mullah Baradar's family told AFP that Afghan delegates were not given access to Baradar in jail but family members had passed him a message from the Afghan government on reconciliation.
Baradar, a powerful Taliban military chief who has been described as the insurgents' second in command was arrested in 2010 in Pakistan.
At the time, the Afghan government and the former UN envoy to Afghanistan said his detention had adversely affected efforts to talk to the insurgents in a bid to end the decade-long Afghan war.
Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar, a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, on Monday said Afghan government officials and members of the Afghan embassy in Pakistan held secret talks with Baradar in prison two months ago.
A Pakistani security official confirmed Monday an official delegation from Afghanistan had made an initial contact with Baradar two months ago, but the Pakistani government later denied a meeting.
"The news reports about a meeting between Afghan officials and Mullah Baradar are baseless and incorrect," said the Pakistani interior ministry in a short statement issued late Monday.
President Karzai has long sought to negotiate with the Taliban but the Islamist militia has in public refused to deal with his administration, branding it an American puppet.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Ribery, Benzema face trial over underage escort
French international footballers Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema are to face trial for allegedly soliciting an underage prostitute, judicial sources said on Tuesday. The footballers are among eight people that investigating magistrate Andre Dando has sent for trial as well as the Zaman Cafe on Paris' Champs Elysees where the meetings with Zahia Dehar took place.
Some of the defendants will be prosecuted for "aggravated pimping", according to judicial papers.
Paris prosecutors had in 2011 requested that the case against the two French football stars be dropped on the grounds that they did not know that Dehar was aged under 18.
Dehar, now 20, told police she was paid for sex with Ribery in 2009 and Benzema in 2008 when she was aged 16. She claimed that both players were not aware that she was under age.
The affair broke during 2010 and tarnished the image of the France football team just weeks ahead of the World Cup in South Africa.
Ribery, 29, plays for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and 24-year-old Benzema with Primera Liga giants Real Madrid.
Both face a possible three years in prison or a 45,000 euro fine.
Ribery and Benzema have been named in France coach Didier Deschamps' squad for the friendly game against Uruguay in the northern city of Le Havre on Wednesday.
But Deschamps refused to comment on the situation, calling it "a delicate subject".
"I won't be commenting on it as it has a private dimension. It's in the court's hands. It will not change my demands about players' behaviour on and off the pitch with respect to the French team," he told reporters.
"I am concentrating on the essentials so tomorrow (Wednesday) we see a France team that wants to go forward and wants to win."
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Some of the defendants will be prosecuted for "aggravated pimping", according to judicial papers.
Paris prosecutors had in 2011 requested that the case against the two French football stars be dropped on the grounds that they did not know that Dehar was aged under 18.
Dehar, now 20, told police she was paid for sex with Ribery in 2009 and Benzema in 2008 when she was aged 16. She claimed that both players were not aware that she was under age.
The affair broke during 2010 and tarnished the image of the France football team just weeks ahead of the World Cup in South Africa.
Ribery, 29, plays for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and 24-year-old Benzema with Primera Liga giants Real Madrid.
Both face a possible three years in prison or a 45,000 euro fine.
Ribery and Benzema have been named in France coach Didier Deschamps' squad for the friendly game against Uruguay in the northern city of Le Havre on Wednesday.
But Deschamps refused to comment on the situation, calling it "a delicate subject".
"I won't be commenting on it as it has a private dimension. It's in the court's hands. It will not change my demands about players' behaviour on and off the pitch with respect to the French team," he told reporters.
"I am concentrating on the essentials so tomorrow (Wednesday) we see a France team that wants to go forward and wants to win."
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Thursday, April 18, 2013
World Muslim body to suspend Syria
An emergency summit of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) began late Tuesday with a proposal to suspend conflict-wracked Syria, a move strongly opposed by Iran. A draft final statement obtained by AFP said the summit "approves the suspension of Syria's membership," a measure recommended by a preparatory ministerial meeting held Monday in the western Saudi city of Jeddah.
The move would further isolate President Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime, after Syria was suspended from the Arab League last year over its brutal crackdown on an Arab Spring-inspired revolt launched in March 2011.
The OIC represents 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, and its suspension of Syria would heap pressure on Assad, who has characterized the uprising as a plot by Western and rival powers to overthrow his Iran-allied regime.
Saudi King Abdullah -- who initially proposed the suspension of Syria -- is presiding over the meeting held in Mecca, the holiest Islamic city.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose country has openly criticised the push to suspend Syria, is attending the extraordinary meeting and was expected to strongly oppose the move to suspend Damascus.
The draft statement says Syria should be suspended over "the obstinacy of the Syrian authorities in following the military option" to solve the crisis and the failure of a UN-Arab League peace plan brokered by Kofi Annan.
It demands that Assad's regime "immediately end all acts of violence" while defending Syria's "unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity."
Tensions have been simmering for months between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite-dominated Iran as Syria has emerged as another arena for the longtime rivalry between the two regional heavyweights.
Saudi Arabia, which hosts the OIC's headquarters in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, has openly called for arming Syrian rebels.
Tehran meanwhile accuses Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey of arming and financing the mainly Sunni rebels against Assad, who leads a regime dominated by members of his Alawite sect, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam.
Iran is the Syrian regime's biggest regional ally and has pledged its full support for Assad, though it denies US and rebel accusations that it is providing his regime with arms and fighters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday criticised the move to suspend Syria's membership of the OIC, saying it would not resolve the conflict and was not in line with the group's charter.
"We have to look for other ways, means and mechanisms for resolving conflicts and crises," he said, calling for a "Syrian-Syrian solution" reached through negotiations between the government and the rebels.
But foreign ministers meeting ahead of the summit agreed to suspend Syria "based on consensus with an absolute majority" and forwarded the decision to heads of state for final approval, OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said.
Sources close to the meeting said that only Iran and Algeria were against the recommendation. Syria had no representative at the meeting.
Mohammed Ahmed Taieb, a top Saudi foreign ministry official, told AFP that some delegates believed the body should go further by demanding that Assad step down and "preparing for a post-Assad transition period."
Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem hailed the move to suspend as "a strong message to the Syrian regime on the importance of listening to the will of the people and their demands for freedom, justice and dignity."
The United States said that special envoy to the OIC Rashad Hussain would take part in the summit as an observer and meet with delegates on the sidelines.
The State Department said his attendance demonstrates Washington's commitment to "bring additional pressure to bear on the Assad regime."
The 17-month conflict in Syria has killed more than 21,000 people, according to rights groups.
In addition to the Syrian crisis, the OIC was also to discuss the Arab-Israeli conflict, the violence against the Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar and the unrest in Mali.
The meeting has added significance as it is being held on the 26th night of the fasting month of Ramadan, the night Muslims believe the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims flooded Mecca on Tuesday as prayers went on until the early morning hours.
Security forces were massively deployed across the city as one of them held a banner at the entrance of the Grand Mosque reading: "The Grand Mosque is full, please pray outside to ensure your own safety."
Saeed al-Khathami, a member of the security forces, put the numbers of worshippers on Tuesday night at around "four or five million people."
Outside the mosque, streets crammed up with tens of thousands who lined up to pray in the open as beggars sat along the pavements hopefully eyeing passers-by willing to give away some money in return for Allah's reward.
"On this holy night, God fulfills all our prayers," said one 36-year-old woman who came from Egypt to perform the minor pilgrimage. "I prayed for Egypt's glory and victory for all Muslims, especially those in Syria."
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
The move would further isolate President Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime, after Syria was suspended from the Arab League last year over its brutal crackdown on an Arab Spring-inspired revolt launched in March 2011.
The OIC represents 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, and its suspension of Syria would heap pressure on Assad, who has characterized the uprising as a plot by Western and rival powers to overthrow his Iran-allied regime.
Saudi King Abdullah -- who initially proposed the suspension of Syria -- is presiding over the meeting held in Mecca, the holiest Islamic city.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose country has openly criticised the push to suspend Syria, is attending the extraordinary meeting and was expected to strongly oppose the move to suspend Damascus.
The draft statement says Syria should be suspended over "the obstinacy of the Syrian authorities in following the military option" to solve the crisis and the failure of a UN-Arab League peace plan brokered by Kofi Annan.
It demands that Assad's regime "immediately end all acts of violence" while defending Syria's "unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity."
Tensions have been simmering for months between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite-dominated Iran as Syria has emerged as another arena for the longtime rivalry between the two regional heavyweights.
Saudi Arabia, which hosts the OIC's headquarters in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, has openly called for arming Syrian rebels.
Tehran meanwhile accuses Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey of arming and financing the mainly Sunni rebels against Assad, who leads a regime dominated by members of his Alawite sect, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam.
Iran is the Syrian regime's biggest regional ally and has pledged its full support for Assad, though it denies US and rebel accusations that it is providing his regime with arms and fighters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday criticised the move to suspend Syria's membership of the OIC, saying it would not resolve the conflict and was not in line with the group's charter.
"We have to look for other ways, means and mechanisms for resolving conflicts and crises," he said, calling for a "Syrian-Syrian solution" reached through negotiations between the government and the rebels.
But foreign ministers meeting ahead of the summit agreed to suspend Syria "based on consensus with an absolute majority" and forwarded the decision to heads of state for final approval, OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said.
Sources close to the meeting said that only Iran and Algeria were against the recommendation. Syria had no representative at the meeting.
Mohammed Ahmed Taieb, a top Saudi foreign ministry official, told AFP that some delegates believed the body should go further by demanding that Assad step down and "preparing for a post-Assad transition period."
Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem hailed the move to suspend as "a strong message to the Syrian regime on the importance of listening to the will of the people and their demands for freedom, justice and dignity."
The United States said that special envoy to the OIC Rashad Hussain would take part in the summit as an observer and meet with delegates on the sidelines.
The State Department said his attendance demonstrates Washington's commitment to "bring additional pressure to bear on the Assad regime."
The 17-month conflict in Syria has killed more than 21,000 people, according to rights groups.
In addition to the Syrian crisis, the OIC was also to discuss the Arab-Israeli conflict, the violence against the Muslim Rohingya minority in Myanmar and the unrest in Mali.
The meeting has added significance as it is being held on the 26th night of the fasting month of Ramadan, the night Muslims believe the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims flooded Mecca on Tuesday as prayers went on until the early morning hours.
Security forces were massively deployed across the city as one of them held a banner at the entrance of the Grand Mosque reading: "The Grand Mosque is full, please pray outside to ensure your own safety."
Saeed al-Khathami, a member of the security forces, put the numbers of worshippers on Tuesday night at around "four or five million people."
Outside the mosque, streets crammed up with tens of thousands who lined up to pray in the open as beggars sat along the pavements hopefully eyeing passers-by willing to give away some money in return for Allah's reward.
"On this holy night, God fulfills all our prayers," said one 36-year-old woman who came from Egypt to perform the minor pilgrimage. "I prayed for Egypt's glory and victory for all Muslims, especially those in Syria."
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Political leaders fail to turn up for sit-down
As the sit-down among the parties to facilitate a stable environment in order to recommence the presently suspended Parliament was called for, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had stressed that Ahmed Mujthaba, moderator of the All Party Roadmap Talks had failed. Hence at the time, the members called for a high level sit down of ‘influential’ politicians who can bring about a change. However as the discussions began today, the opposite was observed. Leaders of all the parties were not present.
As the discussions began at the President’s Office this morning, Jumhooree Party (JP) leader and Parliamentary group leader of the party Gasim Ibrahim participated from JP, the only member of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Parliamentary group and Party deputy President, Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed participated on behalf of DQP while all other party representatives were of the Parliamentary group deputy leader level.
Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Deen participated in the discussions as a representative from President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik. Some participants of the discussions criticized the Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid as he had proposed the sit-down, but had not attended the discussions held this morning.
“Parliamentary group leaders of the so called big parties, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and MDP were absent. Their sincerity is in question here. The discussion was agreed to be held here (President’s Office) upon request from the Parliament Speaker. However, we did not see the Parliament Speaker either. But we know that he is concerned with the issue as the Parliament has been suspended. Hence I question the Speaker’s sincerity.†Gasim told reporters after the discussions.
Gasim added that he had participated in the sit-down upon invitation to the Parliamentary group leaders of the political parties. He had also called for the immediate resignation of the Speaker earlier today.
MDP Parliamentary group deputy leader MP Ali Waheed who had represented the party at the sit-down this morning had told Haveeru earlier that the present political strife in the country can be resolved with the assistance and cooperation of Parliamentary group leaders and "leading" political figures.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
As the discussions began at the President’s Office this morning, Jumhooree Party (JP) leader and Parliamentary group leader of the party Gasim Ibrahim participated from JP, the only member of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Parliamentary group and Party deputy President, Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed participated on behalf of DQP while all other party representatives were of the Parliamentary group deputy leader level.
Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Deen participated in the discussions as a representative from President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik. Some participants of the discussions criticized the Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid as he had proposed the sit-down, but had not attended the discussions held this morning.
“Parliamentary group leaders of the so called big parties, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and MDP were absent. Their sincerity is in question here. The discussion was agreed to be held here (President’s Office) upon request from the Parliament Speaker. However, we did not see the Parliament Speaker either. But we know that he is concerned with the issue as the Parliament has been suspended. Hence I question the Speaker’s sincerity.†Gasim told reporters after the discussions.
Gasim added that he had participated in the sit-down upon invitation to the Parliamentary group leaders of the political parties. He had also called for the immediate resignation of the Speaker earlier today.
MDP Parliamentary group deputy leader MP Ali Waheed who had represented the party at the sit-down this morning had told Haveeru earlier that the present political strife in the country can be resolved with the assistance and cooperation of Parliamentary group leaders and "leading" political figures.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 0 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment Loading comments... Please wait
Friday, January 25, 2013
MTCC to litigate Male City Council for damages
Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) on Tuesday has said that it will litigate the Male City Council for spreading baseless rumors which had cost the shareholders of the company. In a press statement MTCC revealed that it had got a lot of reception as the company announced the development project of number 405 lot near the Villimale ferry terminal and that the MVR213.6 million project had come to a halt as the city council had spread rumors.
The statement detailed that the company does not believe that it has to pay the land rent of MVR2.6 million which the city council had ordered the company to pay as land rent.
It also stated that even if the city council had warned that they will be forced to seek another company to provide ferry services if MTCC raises prices, the city council does not have the authority to relieve MTCC from providing the ferry service.
In response to a letter sent to MTCC by the city council stating that ferry services are not being provided in the best manner, the company stated that the services offered by the company is in accordance to the agreement made between MTCC and the government and that the company would continue to provide the service with respect to the agreement.
Although the city council had accused MTCC of not striving to improve its services, MTCC stressed that the company had worked hard to improve the quality of the services. It stated that MTCC had brought modifications to its vessels and had also acquired vessels to their fleet.
The statement noted that the company had not increased its prices, even as the prices of goods and services had hiked within the period since the company started providing the service and that it had been utilizing the land area allocated to the company by the government as subsidy to generate finances.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
The statement detailed that the company does not believe that it has to pay the land rent of MVR2.6 million which the city council had ordered the company to pay as land rent.
It also stated that even if the city council had warned that they will be forced to seek another company to provide ferry services if MTCC raises prices, the city council does not have the authority to relieve MTCC from providing the ferry service.
In response to a letter sent to MTCC by the city council stating that ferry services are not being provided in the best manner, the company stated that the services offered by the company is in accordance to the agreement made between MTCC and the government and that the company would continue to provide the service with respect to the agreement.
Although the city council had accused MTCC of not striving to improve its services, MTCC stressed that the company had worked hard to improve the quality of the services. It stated that MTCC had brought modifications to its vessels and had also acquired vessels to their fleet.
The statement noted that the company had not increased its prices, even as the prices of goods and services had hiked within the period since the company started providing the service and that it had been utilizing the land area allocated to the company by the government as subsidy to generate finances.
Tweet Bookmark Print Badge the Comments! Give badges to the best comments you see! You will get four badges a day 1 Comments To have full access to the interactive features available in Haveeru Online please register or sign in. or Post a Comment More Loading comments... Please wait
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)