US to withdraw troops from Germany

Washington has said it was withdrawing 11,900 American soldiers from Germany in a move which President Trump described specifically to punish Germany for “not paying the bills” for the defence of Europe.

The Pentagon on Wednesday called the move to withdraw the troops "strategic" repositioning, but Trump said was to punish Berlin for its weak defense spending.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the Pentagon will be sending home about 6,400 of its military personnel in Germany, and move nearly 5,600 to other NATO countries, including Italy and Belgium.

Some could also be relocated to Poland and the Baltic countries if Washington can reach agreements with them, he said.

The move, which will cost the US government several billion dollars, will cut the presence of US military personnel in Germany to around 24,000.

Esper stressed that the action is part of his broader plan to reposition US military forces globally to better address the key threats from Russia and China.

"The repositioning of our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic and positive shift," Esper said.

"These changes will unquestionably achieve the core principles of enhancing US and NATO deterrence of Russia; strengthening NATO; reassuring allies; and, improving US strategic flexibility," he said.

But at the White House, Trump told reporters that Germany has not paid its fair share for the defense of Europe.

"We don't want to be the suckers anymore.... We're protecting Germany, so we're reducing the force because they´re not paying the bills," said the US leader.

Belgium and Italy to benefit

In moves that could begin within weeks, some US command operations currently in Germany will be moved to Belgium and Italy.

The Pentagon also will move an F-16 fighter squadron from Germany to Italy, to help protect NATO's southeastern flank near the Black Sea.

The city of Stuttgart will lose the US European Command headquarters and Special Operations Command Europe to Belgium.

Some Stryker armored assets will be rotated in southeastern Europe, while another command unit and US troops could be rotated into Poland, if Warsaw signs a cooperation agreement crafted by Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda in June.

Meanwhile, the planned relocation of 2,500 US air force personnel from Britain to Germany has been cancelled.

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US to withdraw troops from Germany

Washington has said it was withdrawing 11,900 American soldiers from Germany in a move which President Trump described specifically to punish Germany for “not paying the bills” for the defence of Europe.

The Pentagon on Wednesday called the move to withdraw the troops "strategic" repositioning, but Trump said was to punish Berlin for its weak defense spending.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the Pentagon will be sending home about 6,400 of its military personnel in Germany, and move nearly 5,600 to other NATO countries, including Italy and Belgium.

Some could also be relocated to Poland and the Baltic countries if Washington can reach agreements with them, he said.

The move, which will cost the US government several billion dollars, will cut the presence of US military personnel in Germany to around 24,000.

Esper stressed that the action is part of his broader plan to reposition US military forces globally to better address the key threats from Russia and China.

"The repositioning of our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic and positive shift," Esper said.

"These changes will unquestionably achieve the core principles of enhancing US and NATO deterrence of Russia; strengthening NATO; reassuring allies; and, improving US strategic flexibility," he said.

But at the White House, Trump told reporters that Germany has not paid its fair share for the defense of Europe.

"We don't want to be the suckers anymore.... We're protecting Germany, so we're reducing the force because they´re not paying the bills," said the US leader.

Belgium and Italy to benefit

In moves that could begin within weeks, some US command operations currently in Germany will be moved to Belgium and Italy.

The Pentagon also will move an F-16 fighter squadron from Germany to Italy, to help protect NATO's southeastern flank near the Black Sea.

The city of Stuttgart will lose the US European Command headquarters and Special Operations Command Europe to Belgium.

Some Stryker armored assets will be rotated in southeastern Europe, while another command unit and US troops could be rotated into Poland, if Warsaw signs a cooperation agreement crafted by Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda in June.

Meanwhile, the planned relocation of 2,500 US air force personnel from Britain to Germany has been cancelled.

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Turkish Parliament passes controversial social media law

The Turkish Parliament on Wednesday passed a controversial new law regulating social media to comply with any demands by the government to block or remove content.

Under the new law, social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter have to ensure they have local representatives in Turkey and to comply with court orders over the removal of certain content or face heavy fines.

The legislation targets social networks with more than a million unique visits every day and says servers with Turkish users' data must be stored locally.

If companies refuse to comply, they will face fines and restriction of bandwidth making the platform unusable.

The bill was submitted by the ruling AKP and its nationalist partner the MHP, which have a majority in the parliament, and passed after debates beginning on Tuesday and lasting into Wednesday.

After the night-long debate, the parliament went into summer recess till October.

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Tania Aidrus resigns as special assistant to PM

Tania Aidrus has resigned as special assistant to the prime minister.

The ex-Google executive in a post on Twitter said she was resigning “in the greater public interest”.

“Criticism levied towards the state as a consequence of my citizenship status is clouding the purpose of Digital Pakistan. In the greater public interest, I have submitted my resignation from the SAPM role. I will continue to serve my country and the PM’s vision to my best ability,” Aidrus tweeted.

 

Criticism levied towards the state as a consequence of my citizenship status is clouding the purpose of Digital Pakistan. In the greater public interest, I have submitted my resignation from the SAPM role. I will continue to serve my country and the PM’s vision to my best ability pic.twitter.com/BWBvBvO6uz

— Tania Aidrus (@taidrus) July 29, 2020

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Turkish Parliament passes controversial social media law

The Turkish Parliament on Wednesday passed a controversial new law regulating social media to comply with any demands by the government to block or remove content.

Under the new law, social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter have to ensure they have local representatives in Turkey and to comply with court orders over the removal of certain content or face heavy fines.

The legislation targets social networks with more than a million unique visits every day and says servers with Turkish users' data must be stored locally.

If companies refuse to comply, they will face fines and restriction of bandwidth making the platform unusable.

The bill was submitted by the ruling AKP and its nationalist partner the MHP, which have a majority in the parliament, and passed after debates beginning on Tuesday and lasting into Wednesday.

After the night-long debate, the parliament went into summer recess till October.

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Hajj: All you need to know about this year's pilgrimage

The five-day annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, today as the kingdom strives to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the kingdom.

This year's Hajj will see the number of pilgrims drastically reduced — to 10,000 from last year's 2.5 million.

The kingdom has put strict safety protocols in place with a mandatory quarantine that began on Tuesday.

Read on to discover what the Hajj experience will be like for pilgrims this year:

Who will perform Hajj?

Saudi authorities initially said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom would be permitted for Hajj but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed to take part.

Some 70% of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the kingdom, while the rest will be Saudi citizens.

The media ministry said non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process.

It is not known how many applied.

Safety protocols 

Those selected to take part in this year's Hajj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine on Tuesday as they began trickling into Makkah at the weekend.

State media showed health workers sanitising their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.

Workers, clutching brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Hajj authorities have cordoned the Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection.

They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims, who will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing.

"There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but it is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic," Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, Saudi Arabia's director of public security, told reporters on Monday.

All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in Makkah and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the kingdom nears 270,000 — one of the largest outbreaks in the Middle East.

They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the ihram, the seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a Hajj ministry programme document.

Past disruptions

Conflicts, sieges and pandemics have disrupted or forced the cancellation of the annual pilgrimage down the years from at least the eighth century.

According to AFP, it is believed that the Hajj was last completely cancelled in 1798, when Napoleon's invasion of the region made it unsafe for pilgrims to travel to Makkah.

TRT World reports, however, that the spread of the plague in 1814 in the Hejaz region lead to 8,000 deaths and the pilgrimage was cancelled that year as well.

Reactions by applicants

The Hajj ministry has fielded a deluge of anguished queries on Twitter from rejected applicants.

But Hajj Minister Mohammad Benten insisted the process was transparent, telling the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television that "health determinants" formed the basis of selection.

"I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval," Emirati pilgrim Abdullah Al-Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry.

"It is an indescribable feeling... especially since it is my first pilgrimage."

Despite the pandemic, many pilgrims consider it is safer to participate in this year's ritual without the usual colossal crowds.

Even in a regular year, the Hajj leaves pilgrims exposed to a host of viral illnesses.

 

 

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Current opposition is 'most responsible' one in Pakistan's history: Shahbaz Sharif

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said the present opposition is the most responsible in the history of the country.

Shehbaz made these remarks during a video conference with British High Commissioner to Pakistan Christian Turner where the two discussed various issues of mutual interest.

Speaking about the current political atmosphere in the country, Shehbaz said the present opposition was the most responsible one in the country’s history and was playing a constructive role.

“The welfare of the people should be the government’s top priority. The current economic challenges are worrisome but the opposition will continue to fulfill its constitutional responsibility,” the PML-N leader remarked.

Shehbaz added that his party [PML-N] successfully defeated the monster of terrorism, solved the energy crisis. “This is the time to move forward, not confront one another,” he said.

Turner praised Shehbaz's performance and said that the Department for International Development (DFID) and British assistance projects were completed [during PML-N's tenure].

He added that despite the coronavirus pandemic, the UK is committed about its development programmes in Pakistan and would continue to work towards common development goals.

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