Philippines cleans up as Super Typhoon Man-yi leaves deadly trail
At least eight people are reportedly killed as sixth major storm hits the country in less than a month. Storm-weary Filipinos have started clearing fallen trees and repairing damaged houses after Super Typhoon Man-yi, the sixth major storm to hit the Philippines in less than a month, battered the country and left at least eight people dead. Man-yi significantly weakened into a severe tropical storm before making its way out about noon (04:00 GMT) on Monday. According to the disaster management agency in the northern province of Nueva Ecija, rain brought about by Man-yi triggered a landslide, killing seven people and injuring three others. In the eastern province of Camarines Norte, an elderly man was killed after his motorbike was caught in a power line during the storm. The national weather service PAGASA had warned of a “potentially catastrophic” consequence from Man-yi. But the early evacuation and less-than-expected volume of rain softened its effect. On Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos said Man-yi’s aftermath “wasn’t as bad as we feared”. Packing maximum sustained wind speeds of up to 185 km/h (115 mph) at its peak on Saturday, Man-yi slammed into the island province of Catanduanes before making a second landfall in the northern province of Aurora on Sunday afternoon. Along its path, Man-yi uprooted trees, brought down power lines, crushed wooden houses, and triggered tidal surge, landslides and flooding. In the northern province of Isabela, flooding submerged part of the city of Ilagan. Villagers clear a fallen tree caused by Typhoon Man-yi in Baler, a historic coastal town in the northern province of Aurora [Francis Malasig/EPA] Power outages across Catanduanes could last for months, provincial information officer Camille Gianan told the AFP news agency. “Most houses with light materials were flattened while some houses made of concrete had their roofs, doors and windows destroyed.” The region encompassing Camarines Norte and Catanduanes is still recovering from huge flooding that killed dozens of people in October. In the coastal town of Baler in Aurora, cleanup operations were under way to remove felled trees and debris blocking roads and waterways. “Most of the houses here are made of light materials so even now, before the inspection, we are expecting heavy damage on many houses in town,” disaster officer Neil Rojo said. On average, the Philippines gets 20 storms and typhoons every year. But since the last week of October, six have hit the country, including four this month, which the Japan Meteorological Agency said was the first time such an occurrence had been observed in November since its records began in 1951. The storms have killed at least 163 people and wiped out crops and livestock. Adblock test (Why?)
A Muslim perspective on abortion: Beyond ‘pro-choice’ and ‘pro-life’
A recent “pro-choice” billboard campaign in Chicago, designed by a progressive “reproductive health and justice” charity for Muslims, has reignited a complex conversation on abortion rights within the Muslim American community. Using social justice language of the left, the billboard has called on Muslims to align themselves with secular arguments for abortion and support “reproductive rights” fully. However, the call did not resonate with many in its target audience. Many Muslims found the position represented on the billboard failing to capture the depth of Islamic perspectives on abortion and thus unrepresentative of their world view. When I, along with other female students from the Chicago-based Muslim college Darul Qasim, wrote an open letter in response to the billboard campaign underlining its inadequacy and oversimplification of a deeply complex issue, we received an outpouring of support from the community. This was a reflection of the concerns many Muslims have over the binary framing of “pro-choice” and “pro-life” in the abortion debate. Since the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, a case that had found American women had the right to make their own reproductive choices, abortion has been a primary topic of discussion and source of division in communities across the country. As the issue further divided an already polarised nation before recent landmark elections, both sides of the debate began presenting their position as the only right and moral one. In this environment, Muslims found themselves struggling to sift through propaganda and politically charged misrepresentations of the Islamic positions on abortion. In fact, as one of the goals of Islamic law is preservation of life, Islam neither fully opposes nor unconditionally supports abortion. As is the case with other sensitive issues, Islam’s guidance on abortion is very nuanced and grounded in ethical principles and divine law. As the debate continues to dominate the US conversation, perhaps both the left and the right could benefit from attempting to learn from the Islamic perspectives on the issue, rather than trying to pull Muslims into their camp. So what exactly is the Islamic guidance on abortion? In Islam, decisions on issues like abortion are not based solely on personal autonomy or individual rights, as is the case in secular Western discourse. Instead, they are guided by Islamic teachings and rooted in a broader ethical and theological framework. Muslim jurists derive rulings on abortion from primary sources such as the Quran and Sunnah and carefully consider factors like the health of the mother and the viability of the fetus at different stages of its development. This approach, which respects both the mother’s welfare and the sanctity of unborn life, does not fit neatly within American political binaries but instead upholds a unique and comprehensive vision of justice. Thus, attempts by progressives, like the charity behind the Chicago billboard, to present their black-and-white views on abortion as representing the Islamic position are highly misguided. As pre-eminent American Muslim scholar Shaykh Amin Kholwadia recently noted, progressives often try to “hijack the mainstream Muslim narrative” on issues like abortion, even though their positions do not reflect those of the vast majority of Muslims globally or the traditional values and ethics of Islam. Muslims should reject such attempts, as many did in Chicago, because the Muslim position on an issue like abortion should be rooted firmly in Islam’s universal and timeless principles, and not on political trends in the West. For instance, the language of “reproductive rights” used by the pro-abortion rights movement frames the conversation on abortion as one that should be centred on personal freedom. However, Islamic ethics take a different approach. The body in Islam is considered a trust (amanah) from Allah with its care and usage governed by divine guidance rather than individual discretion. Thus, the choices we make concerning our bodies should consider our accountability before God rather than just our personal preferences, desires and rights. This principle illustrates why Muslims should look beyond the limitations of the “pro-choice” vs “pro-life” debate and take a more holistic and faith-centred approach to the issue of abortion. Rather than viewing abortion merely as a matter of individual rights, we should understand it as an issue embedded within a sacred ethical framework, one that should be handled by considering the rights of the mother and the unborn child as well as accountability in the hereafter. While some American Muslim organisations may seek to confine Islamic perspectives within secular dogma to fit in with their progressive political allies, it is essential that Muslim Americans look beyond this politically driven rhetoric. We must turn to knowledgeable scholars to guide us on ethical questions around women’s health, ensuring our perspectives are grounded in Islamic knowledge. As Kholwadia explains, with 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, the values of Islam extend far beyond America’s borders and political climate. Our scholars have provided us with a wealth of knowledge on reproductive ethics. They have outlined the goals of Islamic law, when abortion becomes permissible, and the steps a family should take if they find themselves faced with difficult pregnancy decisions. These rulings – derived from divine sources and legal analysis – offer a framework that is deeply compassionate and centred on the welfare of both the mother and unborn child. There is nothing to be gained from reframing this vast knowledge within the “reproductive rights” rhetoric based in a belief in the supremacy of individual freedoms. When discussing sensitive issues like abortion, American Muslims must honour our robust tradition and uphold the sanctity of our bodies, which have been given to us by God. We must approach such issues with a perspective that reflects the timeless and compassionate principles of Islam. Rather than accepting progressive or other perspectives rooted in Western discourse and realities, we must reaffirm our commitment to an ethical and spiritually conscious approach to life’s most complex questions. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance. Adblock test (Why?)
Bangladesh’s Yunus seeks time, says election roadmap after reforms
Bangladesh‘s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has appealed for the nation’s “patience”, pledging that general elections would be held after electoral and institutional reforms were completed in a televised address marking 100 days in office. “I promise that we will hold the much-anticipated election once the necessary and essential reforms are complete,” said Yunus, who was tasked with leading the transitional government following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. The 84-year-old leader vowed that an election commission would be formed “within a few days”, but did not provide a specific timeline for elections, citing the need for significant electoral and constitutional reforms. “I request your patience until then. We aim to build an electoral system that will endure for decades. For this, we need some time.” The country’s only Nobel Laureate, who is renowned for his pioneering work in microfinance, Yunus has been tasked with rebuilding democratic institutions after Hasina’s 15-year tenure. Yunus was appointed “chief adviser” on August 9, following student-led protests that ended Hasina’s authoritarian rule. Accountability The deadly protests began in July after college students demanded the abolition of a controversial quota system in government jobs that they said favoured supporters of the governing party. Though Bangladesh’s top court scrapped the quota, the protests soon morphed into a wider call for the removal of Hasina’s “autocratic” regime, marked by allegations of widespread rights violations. The government’s response was one of the bloodiest chapters in Bangladesh’s history as security forces beat the protesters, and fired tear gas and live ammunition on peaceful demonstrators, killing more than 1,000 people in three weeks and arresting thousands of others. Yunus on Sunday said about 1,500 people were killed in the weeks of protests that brought down the Hasina government, adding that as many as 3,500 may have been forcibly abducted during her 15-year rule. Yunus vowed to investigate all human rights violations, including alleged enforced disappearances while Hasina was in power. The interim leader said his administration will seek the extradition of the ousted prime minister from India, where she has been in exile since fleeing the student-led mass uprising in August. “We will seek the return of the fallen autocrat Sheikh Hasina from India,” Yunus said. “I have already discussed the issue with Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan.” An arrest warrant has been issued for Hasina, 77, who fled to India via helicopter as demonstrators stormed her residence. She faces charges of “massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity” and has been summoned to appear in court in Dhaka. The extradition request could strain relations with India, a key regional ally that maintained close ties with Hasina throughout her tenure. “We should be able to resolve it amicably between India and Bangladesh,” Yunus told Al Jazeera in an interview on the sidelines of the November 11-22 COP29 United Nations Climate Change Conference. “We draw attention to the Indian authorities that you are hosting her, that’s fine, but please make sure she doesn’t create problems for us.”. ‘Monumental’ challenge Yunus has been talking to political parties including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Hasina’s main rival, which has sought an election in two to three months. The party believes it will form the next government as Hasina’s Awami League party and its allies face a political debacle following her ouster. “As we move forward, we need to complete a lot of work,” Yunus said in his speech. “The train will reach its final station depending on how quickly we can lay down the railway tracks, and this will happen through consensus among the political parties.” In his interview with Al Jazeera, Yunus acknowledged the challenges ahead. “Bangladesh is deep in corruption because of the system that we had for the past 15 years – mismanagement, misgovernance, the destruction of our institutions,” he said, adding that rebuilding the system “point by point, sector by sector” will be a “big task”. International Crisis Group analyst Thomas Kean has called the challenge facing Yunus “monumental”, warning that “cracks are emerging in the fragile alliance” that pushed him into power. “For now, Yunus and his colleagues have widespread support, but popular expectations are double-edged”, Kean’s think tank said in a report on Thursday. “If the interim administration falters in making reforms, the outcome is likely to be an early election with little progress; in the worst-case scenario, the military could assume power.” Adblock test (Why?)
Is there any way to stop the war in Sudan?
The fighting is estimated to have killed tens of thousands of civilians. Nineteen months into the war in Sudan, the scale of the impact on civilians is becoming clearer. One recent study says at least 61,000 people have been killed in Khartoum State alone. And there could be tens of thousands more when Darfur and the rest of the country are added in. The fighting has caused the largest human displacement in the world. The warring parties haven’t shown any interest in diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict. However, the United Nations Security Council is to discuss another resolution demanding an end to hostilities. But will that serve any purpose? Presenter: Bernard Smith Guests: Kholood Khair – Founding director of the Sudanese think tank Confluence Advisory and a prominent civil society advocate for Sudan Nathaniel Raymond – Executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health Alex de Waal – Executive director of the World Peace Foundation and recognised as one of the foremost experts on the Horn of Africa Adblock test (Why?)
Pope Francis urges inquiry into Gaza genocide allegations
Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, tackling the issue for the first time in excerpts from an upcoming book. “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts published on Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa. “We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added. The book, by Hernan Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the pope, is entitled Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims towards a Better World. It will be released on Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 yearlong jubilee, which is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate. The Argentine pontiff has frequently deplored the number of victims of Israel’s war in Gaza, where the death toll stands at 43,846 people, most of them civilians, according to the territory’s Ministry of Health. But his call for a probe marks the first time he has publicly used the term “genocide”, albeit without endorsing its use, in the context of the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. Israel’s embassy to the Vatican responded later on Sunday with a post on X, quoting its Ambassador Yaron Sideman. “There was a genocidal massacre on 7 October 2023 of Israeli citizens, and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defence against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens,” said the statement. “Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish State.” But campaigners and Palestinian supporters have dubbed the Israeli offensive as a “war of vengeance” that has left the Gaza Strip in ruins. Stepping up criticism The war in Gaza has triggered several legal cases at international courts in The Hague involving requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. On Thursday, a United Nations Special Committee judged Israel’s conduct of warfare in Gaza “consistent with the characteristics of genocide”, accusing the country of “using starvation as a method of war”. Its conclusions have already been condemned by Israel’s key backer, the United States. South Africa brought a genocide case before the International Court of Justice with the support of several countries, including Turkey, Spain and Mexico. In January, the judges at the court ordered Israel to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts. The court has not yet ruled on the core of the case – whether genocide has occurred in Gaza. Pope Francis, leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church, is usually careful not to take sides in international conflicts, and to stress de-escalation. But he has stepped up his criticism of Israel’s conduct in its war against Palestinians. In September, he decried the killings of Palestinian children in Israeli strikes in Gaza. He also sharply criticised Israel’s air strikes in Lebanon as going “beyond morality”. Francis has not previously described the situation in Gaza as a genocide in public. But last year, he was at the centre of a messy dispute after a meeting with a group of Palestinians at the Vatican, who insisted he had used the word with them in private, while the Vatican said he had not. Francis has also frequently called for the return of the Israeli captives taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Of the 251 people taken that day, 97 are still held in the Palestinian territory, including 34 the Israeli army says are dead. On Thursday, the pontiff received 16 former captives who were freed after months of detention in Gaza. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump “bad” for climate change but all not lost if …
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Adair Turner on how a Trump administration is expected to push back on climate action, but says there are other options.
Trail of destruction as Typhoon Man-yi lashes the Philippines
A powerful typhoon has wrecked houses, caused towering tidal surges and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to emergency shelters as it cut across the northern Philippines in the sixth major storm to hit the country in less than a month. Typhoon Man-yi slammed into the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Saturday night with sustained winds of up to 195km/h (125mph) and gusts of up to 240km/h (149mph). The country’s weather agency warned of a “potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation” in provinces along its path. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the typhoon, which was forecast to blow northwestwards on Sunday across northern Luzon, the archipelago’s most populous region. The capital region of metropolitan Manila would likely be spared from a direct hit but was placed, along with outlying regions, under storm alerts and warned of dangerous coastal storm surges. The entire province of Catanduanes had no power after the typhoon knocked down trees and electricity posts, and disaster-response teams were checking how many more houses were damaged in addition to those affected by previous storms, he said. More than 750,000 people took refuge in emergency shelters, including churches and a shopping mall, due to Man-yi and two previous storms mostly in the northern Philippines, civil defence official Cesar Idio and other provincial officials said. The rare number of back-to-back storms and typhoons that lashed Luzon in just three weeks has killed more than 160 people, affected nine million and caused such extensive damage to residential communities, infrastructure and farmlands that the Philippines may have to import more rice, a staple food for most Filipinos. In an emergency meeting as Man-yi approached, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr asked his cabinet and provincial officials to brace for “the worst-case scenario”. The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year. It is often hit by earthquakes and has more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Adblock test (Why?)
Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic – UFC 309: MMA heavyweight championship fight
Jon Jones has cemented his position as arguably the greatest mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter of all time by pulling off a stunning knockout of Stipe Miocic to retain his heavyweight belt at the UFC 309 fight night. The 37-year-old American looked fully in control throughout the main event at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, preventing his opponent from leveraging his boxing skills and finishing with a brutal heel to the body that left Miocic on the canvas clutching his ribs. “That body shot man, no matter how tough you are, the liver’s the liver,” a jubilant Jones said in the cage following his victory. In the aftermath, 42-year-old former champion Miocic said he was retiring from the sport. “I’m done,” Miocic said. “I’m hanging ’em up.” Widely considered the best fighter in the world, Jones (28 wins, 1 loss, 1 no contest) was the aggressor from the start and took Miocic down with a superbly timed trip and trapped him before raining down elbows as he dominated the rest of the round. Keen not to get taken down again, Miocic was hesitant as he tried to manage the distance, but Jones was able to measure strikes to the body from his southpaw stance to keep Miocic on the back foot. Croatian-American Miocic enjoyed some success early in the third round, but once again Jones was able to work out the puzzle, connecting with a couple of punches late in the round before his creative rotating kick ended the bout. British heavyweight Tom Aspinall looms as the next challenger for Jones. Aspinall won a fight for the interim heavyweight title in November 2023. UFC CEO Dana White had promised Aspinall, who chatted with Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, would challenge the winner of the main event in a unification bout. UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones (R) fights challenger Stipe Miocic [Kena Betancur/AFP] Trump, Musk in attendance With Donald Trump in the audience, Jones imitated the United States president-elect’s campaign trail dance as he celebrated. In the co-main event, Brazil’s Charles Oliveira defeated Michael Chandler by unanimous decision to put his name back in contention for a crack at the lightweight title he was stripped of for missing weight in May 2022. Jones posed and played to the crowd on top of the octagon in front of Trump, Elon Musk, picked by Trump to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, and Robert Kennedy Jr, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in his incoming administration. Trump walked out to a rousing ovation in front of 20,200 fans just before the start of the pay-per-view card and seemed to bask in the thrill of the fighters that throughout the night gave him props — including Jones. “I want to give a big, big thank you to President Donald Trump [for] being here tonight,” Jones said to a roaring ovation that bled into a “USA! USA!” chant. “I’m proud to be a great American champion,” Jones said. US President-elect Donald Trump (L) and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk watch the fight [Kena Betancur/AFP] Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler In a lightweight bout that made every fan, from Kid Rock to Jordan Knight to Anthony Kiedis, go wild at the finish in the fifth round, Charles Oliveira beat Michael Chandler via unanimous decision. The fight was a rematch of their May 2021 fight when Charles Oliveira topped Chandler to win the lightweight title. Oliveira staked his claim to another title fight with the win. The fifth round was about as good as it gets inside the octagon highlighted by Chandler dropping Oliveira twice on his back. The 38-year-old Chandler stepped inside the cage for the first time in two years, in large part because he waited for a fight that never materialised with Conor McGregor. “We’ve been wondering where you’ve been, Conor,” Chandler bellowed in the cage. “Come back and beat me if you can.” Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler grapple on the ground in a lightweight fight [Sarah Stier/Getty Images via AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
Media bias, inaccuracy and the violence in Amsterdam
What one night of violence revealed about the western media’s failings on Israel and Palestine. In the wake of an ugly eruption of violence on the streets of Amsterdam, the media coverage of the story has been put under the microscope with editors scrambling to revise headlines, rework narratives, and reframe video content. Contributors: Dana Mills – Writer, Local Call and +972 MagazineMarc Owen Jones – Associate professor, Northwestern University QatarJames North – Editor-at-large, MondoweissSamira Mohyeddin – Founder, On The Line Media On our radar Incoming president Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk – one of his most vocal supporters – to co-lead the brand new Department of Government Efficiency. Meenakshi Ravi looks at Musk’s new role and how he could use his influence to get favourable government treatment for his companies. The Headline Fixer Throughout Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, critics have been tearing apart the media coverage – especially by news outlets in the United States. Feature blurb: Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has shone an often-unflattering spotlight on media coverage by mainstream US news outlets. Such failings jump out at us because they often come in the form of headlines. Historian Assal Rad explains the mission she has undertaken to “fix” misleading headlines. Featuring: Assal Rad – Author of State of Resistance: Politics, Culture and Identity in Modern Iran Adblock test (Why?)
G7 backs Ukraine as Zelenskyy says he wants to end war next year
Ukraine president says Kyiv will do everything possible so the war with Russia ends in 2025 ‘through diplomatic means’. Leaders of the G7 alliance have reaffirmed support for Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he wants to end the war through talks next year. The Ukrainian president said in a radio interview aired on Saturday that his side will do everything possible so that the war with Russia ends in 2025 “through diplomatic means”. The previous day he said that the re-election of Donald Trump as United States president means that the war will likely end “sooner” than it otherwise would have. Trump has said he wants to end the war immediately and Vice President-elect JD Vance has suggested that a Trump administration could favour letting Russia keep land it has seized on the battlefield, but Zelenskyy said he “didn’t hear anything that goes against our position” when he spoke with Trump earlier this month. For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow will only accept an agreement if it sees Kyiv surrender the Ukrainian territory it has lost during the war. The Russian leader told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday during their first direct conversation in almost two years that an agreement would also need to address the “root causes” of the conflict, which include NATO expansion. As all sides prepare for the impacts of a Trump presidency on the war, the G7 affirmed its “support of Kyiv as the thousandth day of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine approaches”. “Russia remains the sole obstacle to just and lasting peace. The G7 confirms its commitment to imposing severe costs on Russia through sanctions, export controls and other effective measures,” the leaders of the group said in a statement. The intergovernmental group consists of the US, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Canada. Italy currently holds the rotating presidency until the end of the year. In advance of Trump’s inauguration in January, Ukraine has been scrambling to secure more Western weapons and funding as the president-elect has heavily criticised US spending on aiding Ukraine. The outgoing administration of President Joe Biden has pledged to strengthen its support for Kyiv in its remaining time in power. Russian advances Zelenskyy also conceded that the situation in eastern Ukraine was difficult and Russian forces were making advances. Moscow’s forces are bearing down on Kurakhove, which has a thermal power plant and is only seven kilometres (four miles) from Pokrovsk, a large town that, for much of the war, has been one of Ukraine’s logistical linchpins. On the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, Russia is now advancing at the fastest rate since the war’s earliest days in 2022. North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to the Russian region of Kursk to help Moscow fight off a Ukrainian incursion that started in August. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that air defences downed 15 drones in Kursk, along with multiple other attacking aircraft in several other regions. Adblock test (Why?)