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3 injured in knife attack at Canadian mosque

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Three victims were injured while trying to disarm a knife-wielding man during Friday afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque.  A spokesperson for Chateauguay police told reporters that the victims received minor injuries, although one was taken to hospital.  Those injured were in their 50s, said police. They managed to restrain the suspect until police arrived.  About 100 men, women and children were inside the Centre Culturel Musulman in Chateauguay, Quebec, when administrator Richid Amane said a man acted suspiciously after entering the mosque, CTV News reported.  Several men approached the suspect and suffered cuts to their hands and one to his body. The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the largest non-profit Muslim organization in Canada, asked the community to wait for more facts before jumping to conclusions. “We are aware and greatly concerned,” NCCM wrote on X. “We are in touch with the local centre and will provide more information as it becomes available “However, we do not have information at this point to make a suggestion as to the motivation behind the incident, and we encourage our community not to speculate as the investigation continues,” it said. A suspect, 24, was arrested at the scene. Police said investigators are interrogating him. He is likely to be charged and it is expected he will appear in court Saturday.

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Blinken to head to Egypt to discuss Gaza cease-fire, hostage deal

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 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Egypt this week to attend the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue and discuss ongoing efforts to reach a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal. Blinken will depart Tuesday for Egypt, where he will co-chair the opening of the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, aiming to “strengthen the bilateral relationship and deepen economic development,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. “In addition to co-chairing the strategic dialogue, the Secretary will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss ongoing efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza that secures the release of all hostages, alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people, and helps establish broader regional security,” he added. The visit, Blinken’s 10th to the Middle East since Oct. 7 last year, comes as the US, along with Qatar and Egypt, are working to secure a cease-fire and hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas. US President Joe Biden said on May 31 that Israel presented a three-phase deal that would end hostilities in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held in the coastal enclave. The plan includes a cease-fire, a hostage-prisoner exchange, the Israeli military’s withdrawal from Gaza, a surge in aid and a permanent end to hostilities. A bridging proposal put forward by the US, Egypt and Qatar on Aug. 16 aimed to bridge the gaps over the prisoner exchange. However, critics argue that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategic border area between Gaza and Egypt, has complicated potential prisoner exchange deals with Hamas. Hamas continues to demand a full Israeli withdrawal from the enclave and the return of displaced Palestinians. While US officials say that 90% of the terms of a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal have been agreed upon, Netanyahu rejects their assessment that a deal is close. Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack last year by the Palestinian group Hamas which killed 1,139 people and led to the taking of around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, more than 41,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and nearly 94,400 injured, according to Gaza health authorities.​​​​​​​ Israel currently holds at least 9,500 Palestinian prisoners, while it estimates that 101 Israeli hostages are being held in Gaza, an unknown number of whom are believed to have been killed while in captivity.

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Man sets himself on fire in front of Israeli Consulate in Boston

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An American activist set himself on fire last week in front of the Israeli Consulate in Boston, Massachusetts to protest Israel’s “genocide in Gaza.” In a statement released to Anadolu, the Boston Police Department said the incident occurred on Sept. 11 around 8.10 p.m. local time. The man was seriously injured and taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, the statement said. Boston Emergency Medical Services (EMS) also reported that the self-immolator suffered serious burns. Police did not share details about the person’s identity or his motive for the action as an investigation into the incident is ongoing. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in New York announced that they are investigating the incident. Local media reported that the incident took place in front of the Four Seasons Hotel on the same street as the Israeli Consulate in Boston and released surveillance footage showing the man setting himself on fire after walking in front of the hotel for a while.  People close to the scene are seen rushing to extinguish the fire. An eyewitness told NBC10 Boston that he and a friend rushed to the location after hearing screams and tried to put out the fire with backpacks, describing the situation as “a deeply upsetting scene.” One of the witnesses, Jeferson Zapata, told Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra news that the man had poured gasoline on himself before setting himself on fire. Zapata said he and others tried to pour water on the burning man. The lack of statements by US officials and the lack of coverage of the issue in the national media have drawn criticism. While the authorities have not shared information about the person’s identity on the grounds that the investigation is ongoing, social media users believe there is an attempt to cover up the incident. In a video posted on social media and apparently shared from Boston, a person identifying himself as Matt Nelson said: “I’m Matt Nelson, and I’m about to engage in an extreme act of protest. We are all culpable in the ongoing (Israeli) genocide in Gaza.” “We call ourselves the greatest nation in history, yet we spend more on weapons of war than we do on educating our children, helping the homeless, ensuring all Americans have equal rights, and protecting the environment combined. We are slaves to capitalism and a military industrial complex. Most of us are too apathetic to care. “The protest I’m about to engage in is a call to our government to stop supplying Israel with the money and weapons it uses to imprison and murder innocent Palestinians, to pressure Israel to end the genocide in Gaza and to support the ICC (International Criminal Court) indictment of (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of the Israeli government. “I urge any of you who are of the same mind to call your senators and representatives and demand that they introduce and advance legislation to achieve these goals. If sitting lawmakers won’t, vote for those who will. “A democracy is supposed to serve the will of the people, not the interests of the wealthy. Take the power back. Free Palestine,” he added. Later, some local media outlets shared surveillance footage of a man setting himself on fire but did not provide any information about the identity of the person or why he committed the act. Despite Anadolu’s persistent inquiries, the Boston Police Department said the investigation was ongoing and that they would not share any further information for the time being. The Israel-based Jerusalem Post newspaper drew attention to the fact that the incident occurred on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. In February, 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell, an active-duty member of the US Air Force, set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. in protest against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

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Nearly 60% of Muslims students in New York bullied at school

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 A recent study on Friday revealed that nearly 60% of Muslim students in New York have experienced bullying at school by their peers, especially after Israel’s onslaught in the Gaza Strip. The survey “Feeling The Hate In Our Schools” was conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in New York, and revealed that “58.2% reported being bullied at school by another student because they were Muslim.” “Almost half (44.7%) of students who wear a hijab reported their hijab was tugged, pulled, or offensively touched by another student rarely, sometimes, often, or very often,” the findings said. The survey also revealed that “64% of students have witnessed a Muslim student at school being bullied by another student,” and nearly 65% of students have seen “their school make offensive comments or posts about Islam or Muslims online.” According to the survey, many students (43.6%) did not feel it was necessary to report them, believing it would not make a difference. The survey noted that “74.6% of students said that they did not report to an adult at their school about being bullied by another student for being Muslim.” The CAIR report also included a special note on Palestine, highlighting a surge in “anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian sentiment within the fabric of New York City” when the conflict in Gaza escalated in October 2023. “In 2023 alone, CAIR-NY received 555 requests for legal assistance, with 43% directly linked to Palestinian solidarity, highlighting the urgency of this issue,” it added. It further stated that 32% of students reported school silencing for voicing opinions on Palestine, while 13% faced unwanted attention from staff, 11% from authorities, 10% experienced online harassment or doxing, and 9.5% reported social isolation. The report was based on a survey of 500 Muslim students, 91.7% of whom attend public schools, 4.6% attend charter schools, and 3.8% attend non-Islamic private schools.

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Palestinian photographer wins top prize at Visa pour l’image

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Palestinian photographer Loay Ayyoub won the top prize Sunday at the Visa pour l’image festival in Perpignan, France, one of the world’s most prestigious photojournalism competitions. Ayyoub was awarded for his powerful photograph depicting the human suffering in Gaza. In his acceptance speech, delivered via video conference, he dedicated the award to “all journalists and Palestinians who have been killed while carrying out their duties in Gaza.” His reference to the Palestinian group Hamas as the “resistance movement of Palestine” during his speech drew a reaction from Perpignan’s far-right mayor, Louis Aliot, who called for the award to be rescinded. However, the festival’s organizers rejected Aliot’s demand.  Jean-Francois Leroy, the director of the Visa pour l’image festival, defended the jury’s decision in an interview with Spain’s EFE news agency. “Our jury consists of international photo editors and experts. Whether I agree with them or not, I have always respected their decisions,” he said. Leroy also highlighted the challenges faced by foreign media in Gaza, noting that Israel has restricted their work, leaving local journalists as the primary source of information from the conflict zone.

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Thousands protest in Israel to demand hostage swap deal with Hamas

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in Thousands of demonstrators protested Tuesday in cities across central Israel, including Tel Aviv, to demand a hostage exchange deal with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. Protesters blocked Begin Road in Tel Aviv and chanted slogans: “Whoever abandoned them (the hostages) should bring them back,” and “Netanyahu abandoned them and is unfit to govern,” as well as “We want them alive, not in coffins.”  Fighting broke out between police and protesters on Begin Road, with police arresting several demonstrators, the newspaper reported. Another large demonstration took place in Rehovot, near Tel Aviv, where about 1,000 people gathered to support the family of Nimrod Cohen, a soldier held captive in the Gaza Strip. Protesters demanded his release. hundreds in Herzliya gathered near the home of Knesset member Yuli Edelstein, who chairs the Knesset’s Security and Defense Committee. Protesters also gathered at the Ra’anana Junction on Route 4, where drivers stopped to show solidarity, according to Yedioth Ahronoth. The protests escalated following the Israeli army’s announcement about the recovery of six dead captives from Gaza. Israel saw mass protests blaming the government for not bringing them home alive through a prisoner swap deal with Palestinian factions. Israel estimates that more than 100 hostages are being held by Hamas in Gaza, some of whom are believed to have been already killed. The US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying for month to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire deal and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’s demands to stop the war. Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza following an attack on Oct. 7 by Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. The onslaught has resulted in more than 40,800 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and nearly 94,300 injuries, according to local health authorities. An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins. Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6. qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

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Algerian fuel tanker arrives in energy-starved Lebanon

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An Algerian tanker loaded with 30,000 tons of fuel arrived at the port of Tripoli in northern Lebanon on Tuesday, marking the first installment of aid from Algeria to help restart power plants that have been shut down for about 10 days.
Currently, Lebanon relies on private generators to provide electricity for public institutions and homes.
Sonatrach, Algeria’s state-owned oil company, said in a statement: “Our fuel-laden ship is preparing to offload at Tripoli Port in Lebanon.”
“In accordance with the directive of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to support Lebanon with energy and help it overcome its current crisis, Sonatrach announces the arrival of a fuel shipment to Tripoli Port in Lebanon which departed from Skikda oil port on August 22,” the statement added.
Sonatrach said that this initial shipment consists of 30,000 tons of fuel, intended to restart power generation plants and restore electricity in Lebanon.
On Aug. 17, Electricité du Liban (EDL), a state-owned electricity company, announced a nationwide power outage in Lebanon following a complete shutdown of all power stations.
The next day, the North African country announced that it would immediately supply Lebanon with fuel to help the country overcome the electricity outage.
The power outage has affected essential facilities, including Rafic Hariri International Airport, Beirut Port, prisons, wastewater treatment plants, and drinking water pumping stations, EDL said.
Two years ago, the frequency of power outages in Lebanon significantly increased as the country faced a severe financial crisis, leaving it unable to secure the foreign currency needed to import fuel.Previously, Lebanon’s electricity production ranged between 1,600 and 2,000 megawatts daily, but fuel shortages in recent years have gradually reduced production to unprecedentedly low levels.


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Egypt, Greece discuss strengthening military cooperation

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Egypt’s Minister of Defense and Military Production, General Abdel Meguid Sakr, and Chief of Staff General Ahmed Khalifa held talks Thursday in Cairo with the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis. According to a statement by the Egyptian military, Saqr met with Choupis and his accompanying delegation, who are currently visiting Egypt. However, the visit’s duration and agenda were not specified. The discussions focused on “military cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries across various fields, supporting efforts to enhance security and stability in the region.” In a separate meeting, the Chiefs of Staff of the Egyptian and Greek armies discussed “several issues of mutual interest, in light of strengthening military relations between the Egyptian and Greek armed forces,” the statement added. Khalifa expressed his appreciation for the deep partnership between the Egyptian and Greek armed forces, highlighting the importance of coordinating efforts and exchanging expertise between the two nations’ militaries. According to the Egyptian statement, Choupis emphasized Greece’s commitment to deepening military ties with Egypt, expressing his hope for increased cooperation in the future. .The meetings were attended by several senior military officials from both countries, the statement added.

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Israeli army orders evacuation in central Gaza Strip

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The Israeli army issued fresh evacuation orders on Saturday for residents in several areas of the central Gaza Strip. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee announced that residents of Blocks 2232-2240 in the Maghazi area and the neighborhoods of Salah El-Din, El-Farouk and El-Amal in central Gaza Strip are required to evacuate. The army claims that these areas are “dangerous combat zones” due to alleged “Hamas operations.” On Friday, the Israeli army issued new evacuation orders for residents in several areas of central and southern Gaza Strip, which have been previously designated as “humanitarian safe zones.” Previously, some of these areas, such as Al-Mawasi, had been designated as “humanitarian safe zones” for displaced Palestinians amid the ongoing Israeli offensive on Gaza. According to the international humanitarian organization Oxfam, over 1.7 million displaced Palestinians are currently residing in the Al-Mawasi area and its surroundings, which constitutes less than one-fifth of Gaza’s territory. On Tuesday, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) reported that approximately 84% of Gaza’s territory has been under evacuation orders since Oct. 7. Israel’s continued onslaught on Gaza has drawn international condemnation for violating a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire. The ongoing war has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths and has left vast areas of Gaza in ruins, exacerbated by a severe blockade of food, clean water, and medicine. Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

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French authorities in New Caledonia extend curfew until Aug. 26

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French authorities in New Caledonia extended a curfew until Aug. 26 as the death toll from recent riots rose to 11. The High Commissioner of New Caledonia said in a statement that it has eased restrictions on the sale of alcohol, allowing take-away purchases under strict limits from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8. However, the delivery of alcohol remains banned and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. is in place until Aug. 26. Restrictions on firearms and the transportation of fuel in portable containers have also been extended until Aug. 26, with exemptions for municipal services and certain professionals. The statement also said there have been a total of 2,459 arrests across the territory to date, with 1,331 occurring in police jurisdictions and 1,128 in gendarmerie zones. The High Commissioner condemned an arson attempt at a church in Poindimie and attacks on motorists in Poya. The Pacific archipelago has been engulfed in unrest since mid-May, triggered by a proposed bill to review electoral rules. The changes would have allowed French nationals who have lived on the island for at least 10 years to vote in local elections. But local residents, particularly the indigenous Kanak population, feared that the changes would dilute their voting power. In response to the escalating violence, France declared a state of emergency and deployed additional forces to assist local authorities in restoring order. On June 12, French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the controversial electoral reform plan.

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