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UK to beef up security for MPs following fatal stabbing

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The Home Office launched a review into MPs’ safety after Sir David was killed during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, five years after Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered in similar circumstances.

A court heard that 25-year-old Ali Harbi Ali, who has been charged with the Conservative MP’s murder, purportedly first plotted to kill an MP two years ago.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) alleges the murder has a terrorist connection because of its “religious and ideological” motives.

He will appear in a crown court dock for the first time on Friday after being remanded in custody.

Sir David, who was 69, had been MP for Southend West for 38 years having first entered Parliament in 1983, and leaves behind his wife Julia and their five children.

In a letter from Home Secretary Priti Patel and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to MPs, first reported by The Times newspaper, they say politicians will be “rightly concerned about their own safety and security and that of their staff” following Sir David’s killing.

Ms Patel and Sir Lindsay add that a “trained and accredited security operative” will be available to attend constituency surgeries from Friday and “urge” MPs’ to “take up this service”.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, the home secretary told the Commons that intelligence officers had upgraded the threat level for MPs to “substantial”, meaning a fresh attack is deemed likely.

Ms Patel said there had been a “change in risk” after an independent review by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) in the wake of the fatal stabbing of Sir David.

It is understood that the threat against MPs was previously deemed to be “moderate”, meaning an attack is “possible but not likely”.

The JTAC divides threat levels into five categories; low, moderate, substantial, severe and critical.

“While we do not see any information or intelligence which points to any credible, specific or imminent threat, I must update the House that the threat level facing members of this House is now deemed to be substantial,” the home secretary told MPs, adding, “This is the same level as the current national threat to the UK as a whole.”

Ms Patel stated she would ensure that security and intelligence agencies, as well as counter-terror police, would see the change “reflected in their operational posture”.

Earlier on Wednesday, police confirmed a man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence after a mock gallows was erected by a group protesting against COVID-19 vaccines.

On Tuesday, Michael Gove had to be escorted to safety by police officers after he was surrounded by protesters on Horseferry Road in Westminster.

Video footage that emerged online showed Mr Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, being spotted by demonstrators as he walked in public.

As demonstrators ran towards the Conservative MP, he was quickly encircled by police officers who led him into a nearby office building.

Mr Gove later posted on Twitter: “Thank you to the Met for their swift reaction – I’m grateful to their officers for their thoughtfulness.”

Number 10 condemned “harassment and intimidation” of the cabinet minister by anti-lockdown demonstrators as “completely unacceptable”.

Asked about the incident involving Mr Gove on Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “The harassment and intimidation of anyone going about their daily business is completely unacceptable.

“We will expect the police to take this kind of behaviour seriously,” he continued, adding, “While peaceful protest remains an important cornerstone of our democracy, threatening, intimidating or abusive language cannot be tolerated.”

The Metropolitan Police said that no arrests were made but that officers would review both video footage being shared online and their own officers’ body-worn cameras.

Poll shows just 37% approve Biden performance

By
IFP Media Wire
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With supply chain issues, lagging jobs numbers and a border crisis, among others weighing down Biden’s administration, low polling has become something of a regular occurrence, but his latest numbers show the president may be losing key support.

In a survey released Wednesday by Grinnell College, only 37% said they approved of the job Biden is doing as president, while half disapproved. His handling of specific issues caused a lack of faith as well, with only 27% approving of his handling of immigration, and just 36% approving of his job on the economy.

While Biden’s support among Democrats remains strong, his standing with Independents appears to be falling. 

“In 2020 exit polling, President Biden won independent voters by a 54% to 41% margin,” pollster J. Ann Selzer said in the Grinnell College report, adding, “If the election were held today, our poll shows former President Trump winning that group 45% to 28%. It is a massive shift in a demographic that helped carry Biden to victory less than two years ago.”

When asked whom they would vote for president if the election were held today, likely voters were split on Biden and Trump support, with 40% saying they would back each of the potential candidates. Others said they would cast their ballots for someone other than Trump or Biden. 

Biden critics have pointed to the latest disappointing poll as another sign public trust in the Democrat president is crumbling.

As some pointed out, the poll numbers are similar to the latest findings on Biden in a Quinnipiac University survey also released this week. 

In that poll, 37% said they approved of the president’s performance, while 52% disapproved. That study also found falling support with Independents, with 56% not supporting Biden’s agenda, while 28% indicated they do. Quinnipiac also found similar results in another poll earlier in the month.

In a separate Politico/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday, over 60% of Americans said the administration and Biden were at least somewhat responsible for the current inflation crisis in the US, with a majority of Independents and Republicans agreeing Biden is at fault, and 41% of Democrats also agreeing.

EU halts free trade talks with Australia again

By
IFP Media Wire
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Australian trade minister Dan Tehan stated the 12th round of talks with the EU had been postponed for the second time this month, this time until February 2022. 

The talks were previously put off by a month from mid-October.

“The European Union have advised the Australian government that Round 12 of the FTA negotiations will now take place in February,” Tehan said in a statement to Reuters.

The European Commission, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation European Union, said it had not scheduled a resumption of trade talks in November, with no new date set for the 12th round to take place.

A mid-November round could have been awkward timing given it would have coincided with the end of global climate change talks in Scotland, with Brussels seeking greater commitments on climate action from Canberra as part of the trade deal.

Australia in September cancelled a deal with France’s Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines and will instead build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines with US and British technology, after striking a trilateral security partnership called AUKUS with those two countries.

The cancellation angered France, which accused both Australia and the United States of stabbing it in the back. Paris recalled its ambassadors from both Canberra and Washington.

In solidarity with France, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen questioned whether the bloc could strike a trade deal with Australia.

The new development comes just weeks after Tehan told Reuters he expected to finalise a free trade agreement with the EU by the end of next year.

Australia has sought to mend relations with the EU and France in recent weeks, appointing a senior aide to Prime Minister Scott Morrison as envoy to the 27-nation bloc.

The French ambassador to Australia returned this week to Canberra where he has said he intends to evaluate Australia’s stated commitment to repairing ties.

Several killed in attack on Rohingya camp in Bangladesh

By
IFP Media Wire
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The attackers shot dead some victims and stabbed others with knives, a regional police chief told the AFP news agency.

Four people were killed instantly in the attack and three others died at a hospital in the Balukhali camp, the agency reported.

Police did not say how many people were wounded.

“We arrested one attacker immediately after the incident,” Shihab Kaisar Khan, regional chief for an armed police battalion, told reporters.

The man was found with a gun, six rounds of ammunition and a knife, he added.

The killings came amid mounting tensions after Rohingya community leader Mohibullah was shot dead outside his office in the sprawling camps three weeks ago.

Following the killing, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said “arrangements will be made to increase security” at the Rohingya camps in the coastal Cox’s Bazar district.

“Manpower and logistical support of law enforcement agencies … will be provided to enhance security,” said Kamal.

The minister noted surveillance and border patrols would be stepped up to curb the entry and sale of drugs in Rohingya camps. Surveillance on the Naf River, the only transboundary river between Bangladesh and Myanmar, will be strengthened, he added.

Kamal stated construction of barbed wire fences in the camps is in the final stages and there are several watchtowers across the camps to monitor movements.

Rohingya activists say there is a mounting “climate of fear” in the camps, with some of them forced to go into hiding since Mohibullah’s killing.

Last December, Bangladesh, which hosts nearly a million Rohingya, relocated more than 20,000 refugees to Bhasan Char island. It plans to relocate an additional 80,000 people after signing an agreement with the United Nations to facilitate refugees on the remote island.

Bhasan Char is located 50km (31 miles) off Bangladesh’s southwestern coast and nearly 193km (120 miles) south of the capital, Dhaka, where the government has constructed 1,400 cluster houses, each made up of 16 rooms.

Survey: Britons wrestling with bills payment

By
IFP Media Wire
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The monthly survey by Kantar Public has showed 39% of people were finding it harder to meet their monthly budget than a year ago, up by nine percentage points from September’s poll.

Seven in 10 respondents worried that fresh food and fuel prices would rise over the next few months, Kantar said.

The share of people concerned about not being able to afford to keep their home warm during the winter months also climbed by nine points between September and October to 62%.

British utility bills rose earlier this month as a price cap on the most widely used tariffs increased by around 12%.

The country’s most widely followed measure of inflation dipped slightly to 3.1% in September but the Bank of England has said it is likely to top 4% soon. It is considering when to raise interest rates from their all-time low of 0.1%.

Kantar interviewed 1,075 people between Oct. 14 and Oct. 18.

Yemen denounces UN ceasefire call as pro-Riyadh

By
IFP Media Wire
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In a statement, the National Salvation Government’s Foreign Ministry said the Security Council did not show any positive development in its policies towards the grievances of the Yemeni people, who have been facing an illegal and unjustified war for nearly seven years.

“It is unfortunate that the Security Council continues to condemn the legitimate right of the Yemeni people to defend themselves and the sovereignty of their country, while ignoring the war crimes” committed by the Saudi-led war coalition against Yemeni civilians, read the statement, the Ansarullah movement’s official website reported.

The Foreign Ministry of the National Salvation Government, which runs the Yemeni government from the capital Sana’a, further added the coalition’s war crimes include air raids on Yemeni territory on a daily basis, in addition to a tight siege against the Yemeni people, which has deprived them of their most basic needs and legitimate rights.

In a statement on Wednesday, members of the UN Security Council called for an urgent ceasefire across Yemen and an end to the Yemeni Army’s advances toward the last stronghold of Saudi-backed mercenaries in the strategic city of Ma’rib.

“The members of the Security Council demanded an immediate nationwide ceasefire, in accordance with resolution 2565 (2021), and called for the resolution of differences through inclusive dialogue and the rejection of violence to achieve political goals,” Security Council President Martin Kimani noted.

Kimani added the council’s members stressed the need for de-escalation by all, including an “immediate end to the Houthi (Ansarullah movement) escalation in Ma’rib,” hinting at recent ground gains in Ma’rib by the forces of the Sana’a government.

Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a war coalition against Yemen to overthrow the popular Ansarullah movement and reinstall the ousted, Riyadh-friendly regime of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in Sana’a.

The prolonged war, accompanied by an economic siege, has failed to reach its goals, killing hundreds of thousands of Yemeni people while throwing the poorest Middle Eastern country into what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

According to the latest estimate by UNICEF, the protracted war on Yemen has killed or maimed at least 10,000 children, which is equivalent to four children every day.

The Ansarullah movement has frequently asserted that it will not back down from defending Yemen against the Saudi-led coalition until the war and siege on Yemen end.

Yemeni Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Ezzi reiterated the position, saying a political solution in Yemen will not be reached before the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention ends.

“Foreign intervention is a significant obstacle in the path to reaching a Yemeni-Yemeni political solution,” al-Ezzi stated via Twitter on Thursday.

He noted that the international community turning a blind eye to foreign intervention in Yemen is one of the most important reasons behind the prolongation of the war.

“I rule out the chance or possibility for an [intra]-Yemeni political solution before the non-Yemeni party is put aside,” he continued.

A member of the negotiating team of the Yemeni National Salvation Government also said the Security Council, contrary to its mission to maintain world peace, proved that its positions are influenced by power and money.

Addressing the Council, Abdul Malik al-Ajri said, “Your statement will not prevent us from defending ourselves and Yemen and responding to the aggressor.”

“You should know that Yemeni people’s blood is not a commodity for investment,” al-Ajri added.

Exhibition of Vintage Cars Opens in Tehran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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On display are cars such as a gold-plated limousine, a Rolls-Royce 40/50 or Silver Ghost belonging to former Iranian king Ahmad Shah Qajar (1898-1930), a bulletproof Phantom 4, a royal carriage belonging to another former Iranian king Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896) and other rare vehicles.

Part of the exhibit is dedicated to super-sport cars, including Lamborghini Miura and Lamborghini Countach, the Ferrari 500 Superfast, a Bizzarrini and several Porsches.

Some of the cars on show have been restored and renovated.

Iranian Provincial Governor Slapped in Face by Assailant

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

 

Zeinolabedin Khorram was delivering a speech on the podium when one of the participants stepped up, hit Khorram in the face and pushed him. 

The governor maintained his composure and refused to show any reaction. Then security guards intervened and the atmosphere of the meeting returned to normality.

The assailant is identified by his surname as “Alizadeh,” and a staff member of the Armed Forces, who is said to have slapped Khrram and pushed him due to personal grudge.

Later, the provincial governor said he had no complaint about him.

“I don’t know him … I regard him as an enemy, but I will forgive him,” said Khorram.

Iranian Couple Make Symbolic Biking Journey to Protect Caspian Seal

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

They arrived in the city of Bandar Torkaman in Golestan province on Saturday and were welcomed by local officials.

“The Symbolic move was aimed at drawing the attention of people, especially those living on the Caspian coast, to help protect the Caspian seal,” said Navid Bani Assadi.

“My wife and I began our ride on bicycle in Rasht six days ago,” he added.

The biker noted that he and his wife met locals on the way and promoted environmental teachings to protect the Caspian seal.

The Caspian seal is rare species of seals that only lives in the Caspian Sea and rivers flowing into it.

Uzbekistan opposes US military deployment in the country

By
IFP Media Wire
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Uzbekistan has no intention of deploying a US military contingent in its territory, but it will be prepared to exchange intelligence data with Washington as part of the fight against terrorism, Kamilov told Russian media in an interview.

“I would reaffirm once more that this question [about the deployment of US troops] is not on the agenda. It is not being discussed. Nor has it been raised. As for cooperation with any country, regardless of whether it will be the United States or any other, we are prepared to cooperate and to go ahead with interaction in preventing terrorism within the framework of international practice, international law and the international conventions, treaties and agreements we are signatories to,” he added.

Kamilov stated Uzbekistan had nothing against exchanging information with foreign intelligence services for preventing terrorist attacks. But the specifics of this process are to be taken into account so as to prevent the disclosure of valuable sources of information, he stressed.

Kamilov pointed out that “in the course of many serious meetings” the United States was told that Uzbekistan would not tolerate the deployment of US troops in its territory.

“The reality as it is, there is no need for this,” he continued, noting, “Even when we discuss with the United States the issue of the struggle with terrorism, we have in mind exclusively the international practice of interaction in efforts to eradicate this evil.”

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