BANGKOK: Thailand’s disbanded opposition Move Forward unveiled a new leadership and political vehicle on Friday that will become the biggest party in parliament, naming it People’s Party, and promising to advance its predecessor’s progressive platform.
The anti-establishment Move Forward, which won most seats in the last election but was blocked from forming a government, was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, which ruled its plan to amend a law that shields the royal family from criticism risked undermining democracy and the constitutional monarchy.
All 143 surviving Move Forward lawmakers have joined the new party to be led by 37-year-old Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, a former executive of a cloud software company who joined Move Forward in 2019.
“We will carry on Move Forward’s ideology. The mission for me and the party is to create a government for change in 2027,” Natthaphong told a press conference.
The dissolution, which was criticized by the United States, Britain and European Union, was the latest salvo in a two-decade battle for power in Thailand that broadly pits its conservative establishment and royalist military against popularly elected parties.
Move Forward’s liberal agenda has won massive support from young and urban voters, but earned it some powerful enemies, with plans that include reforming the military and dismantling business monopolies worth billions of dollars each year.
Its bid to amend a law on royal insults was its undoing, riling influential generals and royalists with far-reaching connections, who see the monarchy as sacrosanct.
Though the court in a January ruling ordered Move Forward to drop its campaign, Natthaphong said the new party would continue the push to change the law, known as article 112, though with caution.
Thailand’s lese majeste law one of the world’s strictest of its kind, with punishments of up to 15 years for each perceived insult of the crown. The palace typically does not comment on the law.
“We have said we propose to amend article 112 to ensure that this law is not a political tool used to abuse others, but we won’t be careless,” Natthaphong said.
“I think we will continue to push for the improvement and fixing of this law, which is still problematic.”
Nattapong is a graduate in computer engineering and was Move Forward’s deputy secretary-general, working on the party’s digital policies, which were key to its election win.
The People’s Party is the third incarnation of the Future Forward, which was dissolved for a campaign financing violation in 2020, triggering nationwide anti-government protests.
The English name People’s Party was commonly used by the Khana Ratsadon, which launched a 1932 revolution that ended the country’s absolute monarchy.
Thailand’s disbanded opposition regroups under new anti-establishment party
https://arab.news/p5dww
Thailand’s disbanded opposition regroups under new anti-establishment party
- Anti-establishment Move Forward was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on Wednesday
- All 143 surviving Move Forward lawmakers have joined the new party
Cholera outbreak in Angola has claimed more than 300 lives: WHO
- Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae, often from feces. It causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps
GENEVA: Angola’s cholera outbreak has now claimed 329 lives, the World Health Organization said Saturday, warning that the risk of further transmission in the country and surrounding areas was “very high.”
Angola has been experiencing a substantial cholera outbreak since January, with a total of 8,543 cases as of March 23.
Angola struggles with high poverty rates and poor sanitation despite its oil wealth.
The WHO said the outbreak had rapidly spread to 16 out of Angola’s 21 provinces, affecting people of all age groups, with the highest burden among those under 20.
“The Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners, is managing the cholera outbreak response through case detection, deployment of rapid response teams, community engagement and a vaccination campaign,” the UN health agency said.
“Given the rapidly evolving outbreak, ongoing rainy season, and cross-border movement with neighboring countries, WHO assesses the risk of further transmission in Angola and surrounding areas as very high.”
Namibia, Angola’s southern neighbor, recorded its first case of cholera in nearly a decade, the African Union’s health agency said earlier this month. The 55-year-old woman recovered and was discharged from the hospital.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through food and water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae, often from feces.
It causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps.
Cholera can kill within hours when not attended to, though it can be treated with simple oral rehydration and antibiotics for more severe cases.
There has been a global increase in cholera cases and their geographical spread since 2021.
Between Jan. 1 and March 23 this year, a total of 93,172 cases and 1,197 deaths were reported across 24 countries, with 60 percent of the cases in Africa, the WHO said.
Niger withdraws from Lake Chad military force fighting terrorist groups
- The ensuing conflict, which has drawn in other extremist groups, has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million, causing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises
NIAMEY: Niger has withdrawn from the military coalition fighting terrorist groups in the Lake Chad region of west-central Africa, saying it will focus instead on protecting its oil operations from attacks.
The announcement comes amid rising tensions between the four countries bordering Lake Chad since a 2023 coup by Niger’s military.
In a bulletin read on state TV, the army said the operation under the Multinational Joint Task Force, active since 2015, would now be called “Nalewa Dole” following Niger’s withdrawal.
The move “reflects a stated intent to reinforce security for oil sites,” the bulletin stated, without further elaboration.
The four countries that surround Lake Chad — Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria — have been battling insurgencies since 2009, after a spate of violent campaigns by the Boko Haram group in Nigeria’s northeast spilled into its neighbous.
The ensuing conflict, which has drawn in other extremist groups, has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million, causing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
But since the July 2023 coup, Niger’s military junta has accused Nigeria of supporting foreign forces in a bid to destabilize it, which Abuja denies.
Oil infrastructure in southeast Niger meanwhile, in particular a pipeline leading from the landlocked country to Benin, regularly face attacks by armed groups.
The governor of Niger’s Diffa region, General Ibrahim Bagadoma, said at a regional summit in February that “The problem is that some are making efforts, while others are undermining them. We must present a united front and end foreign regional interferences.”
Late last year, Chad had threatened to withdraw from the Joint Task Force after an attack killed around 40 of its soldiers, citing an “absence of mutualized efforts.”
US carries out strike against Daesh in Somalia
- Somalia is prepared to offer the US exclusive control of strategic air bases and ports, its president said in a letter to President Donald Trump, as seen by Reuters
WASHINGTON: The US military carried out an airstrike against Daesh in the Puntland region of Somalia, killing several Daesh operatives, Africa Command said.
In a statement, the European-based command said the latest raid was conducted in coordination with the Somali government and hit “multiple Daesh-Somalia targets.”
Daesh’s Somalia operation is relatively small compared to the Al Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab, but it has been gaining strength in semi-autonomous Puntland.
“The airstrike occurred southeast of Bosasso, Puntland, in Northeastern Somalia,” the AFRICOM statement said.
“AFRICOM’s initial assessment is that multiple Daesh-Somalia operatives were killed and no civilians were harmed,” it said.
The latest strike follows a similar operation two days earlier that AFRICOM said complemented “a larger counterterrorism initiative” under way in Somalia. And it follows US strikes in February, which Puntland authorities said had killed “key figures” in Daesh, without giving further details.
Somalia is prepared to offer the US exclusive control of strategic air bases and ports, its president said in a letter to President Donald Trump, as seen by Reuters.
In the March 16 letter, authenticated by a regional diplomat, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the assets included air bases in Balidogle and Berbera and the ports of Berbera and Bosaso.
The offer could give the US a firmer military presence in the Horn of Africa region as it looks to counter the threat from militants in Somalia and across the region.
“These strategically positioned assets provide an opportunity to bolster American engagement in the region, ensuring uninterrupted military and logistical access while preventing external competitors from establishing a presence in this critical corridor,” the letter said.
Berbera is in the breakaway Somaliland region, meaning the port and air base offer would put the government there and Somalia on a collision course.
“The US gave up this corrupted regime called Somalia. The US is now ready to deal with Somaliland, who has shown the world to be a peaceful, stable, and democratic nation,” said Abdirahman Dahir Aden, Somaliland’s foreign minister.
“The US is not stupid. They know who they need to deal with when it comes to Berbera port,” he added.
Somalia opposes any move to recognize Somaliland as an independent nation.
Balidogle is about 90 km northwest of the capital, Mogadishu, while Bosaso is in the semi-autonomous state of Puntland.
Somalia’s foreign affairs and information ministers did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
MWL chief calls for unity during Albania’s Eid sermon
- Al-Issa urges Muslims to uphold Islam’s reputation
RIYADH: Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, visited Albania at the invitation of President Bajram Begaj.
During his visit, he delivered the Eid Al-Fitr sermon at the Great Mosque of Tirana, the largest in Albania and the Balkans.
A large crowd attended, including prominent scholars like Sheikh Boyar Spahiu, chairman of the Islamic Sheikhdom and grand mufti of Albania.
Al-Issa began with heartfelt Eid greetings, calling it a time of joy and divine grace, as well as an opportunity to embrace Islamic values and faith-based brotherhood.
He stressed that Eid strengthens bonds of forgiveness, unity, and friendship, extending beyond Muslims to all humanity.
Focusing on the Qur’an’s virtues, he described it as “a guide to what is most upright,” leading believers in faith, worship, and conduct.
Al-Issa also reflected on the Prophet Muhammad’s role in spreading Islam with justice and high moral values. Despite attempts to undermine the faith, nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide continue to practice it with pride, he noted.
Al-Issa urged the crowd to uphold Islam’s reputation, stating that true pride lies in actions. He emphasized that Muslims must be good ambassadors of Islam, embodying its core principles and high values, regardless of circumstances or provocations.
Praising Albania’s social harmony, he described Albanians as a model of faith, coexistence, and peace, noting that their commitment to forgiveness and morality strengthens both their nation and the global community.
He highlighted the family as society’s foundation, calling it every nation’s hope and safety net. He also stressed the vital role of Muslim women in nurturing children and instilling correct religious beliefs.
Customer preferences shifting toward pret fashion affect tailoring businesses
- Customer preferences shifting toward pret fashion affect tailoring businesses
- Women say they prefer pret for its convenience, affordability and accessibility over custom tailoring
ISLAMABAD: With a measuring tape draped around his neck, Muhammad Shafiq cut through a piece of fabric, expertly following the yellow chalk markings he had made according to the exact size of a client.
Each year, the demand for custom-made clothing skyrockets in the run-up to the Muslim festivals of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, with tailoring shops in Islamabad and other cities in Pakistan bustling with women eager to get their dresses made in time.
The exercise requires long shopping trips to malls and bazaars to buy cloth in various fabrics and prints, or ordering them online, and then giving them to tailors to fashion into outfits per customized measurements and styles.
But in the past few years, many tailoring businesses have had to contend with a growing preference for ready-to-wear fashion, chosen for its convenience, affordability, and accessibility, allowing women and men alike to easily find stylish and fashionable garments without the need for custom tailoring or extensive shopping trips.
“It’s not that there is no work at all but earlier we would have advance bookings almost a month before Eid,” Shafiq, 53, who has been a tailor for four decades, told Arab News at his cramped shop in the Pakistani capital earlier this month.
“But now it’s down to about 10 days (of advanced bookings). Many people don’t have the time to get clothes stitched and opt for boutique-made, ready-to-wear outfits.”
Convenience
Ready-to-wear clothing is widely available at Pakistani stores, department stores, and online platforms, making it easier to find and purchase. Pret collections also often reflect current fashion trends, allowing consumers to stay up to date with the latest styles. And instead of scheduling fittings and waiting for custom-made garments, consumers can simply try on and buy ready-to-wear pieces on the go.
Arslan Haider, a designer and store manager, said boutiques and designer brands were certainly reshaping fashion preferences on holidays like Eid.
“During events like Eid, the market sees a surge in business and new fashion trends emerge in stores, which helps businesses flourish,” Haider told Arab News.
But tailoring is still a cheaper option in some cases, he said, and the older generation, more concerned with the perfect fitting, preferred bespoke clothing while younger people were more inclined toward pret.
“Stitched clothes come with stylish designs and they eliminate the need for multiple visits to tailors to provide measurements and other accessories,” Haider said, adding that convenience was a serious consideration for many customers.
“Unstitched clothes require at least seven to eight days with a tailor, and there’s always a risk of error. With stitched clothing, customers get a standardized product, whether they buy online or from a store,” he said.
Farida Qureshi, a UK-based customer visiting Pakistan for Eid, said she preferred ready-to-wear fashion because it saved time and effort. Getting an outfit stitched, on the other hand, did not just require buying the cloth and visiting the tailor, but also purchasing matching accessories such as lace, beads and buttons, which was a time-consuming task.
“Finding everything in one place, ready-made is far easier than visiting different shops and then waiting for a tailor,” Qureshi said.
But there are still those who want the personalized touch of a tailor on their Eid dresses.
“I do buy ready-made clothes, but I often face size issues,” Qureshi said. “With my tailor, I get exactly what I want.”
Which is why business still thrives for many tailors like Shafiq, who work up to 16 hours a day during Ramadan to complete Eid orders.
“Some people want a perfect fit, something that ready-made clothes can’t always provide,” he said.
“I have customers who have been coming to me for years because they know I already have their measurements and can tailor their Eid clothes exactly to their liking.”
