Latest news with #Rasool
Shafaq News
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Ex-military spokesman joins Iraq's parliamentary race
Shafaq News – Baghdad Yehya Rasool, Iraq's former spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, announced his candidacy for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11. In a post on X, Rasool revealed on Saturday that he will contest the race in Baghdad as part of the State of Law Coalition (SLC), a prominent political bloc led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The coalition currently holds 33 out of 328 seats in Iraq's parliament. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم(الإرادة لا تُهزم حين يقودها الإيمان بالوطن)من ميادين الشرف في مواجهة الإرها....ب، إلى ميادين الخدمة العامة والبناء المدني. أعلن رسمياً ترشّحي لانتخابات مجلس النواب عن قائمة دولة القانون، بالتسلسل (٣٣) بغداد . — يحيى رسول | Yehia Rasool (@IraqiSpoxMOD) June 28, 2025
India Gazette
19-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"It feels good to be back with our family..." says Kashmiri student evacuated from Iran, hails embassy's efforts
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 19 (ANI): Saba Rasool, the Kashmiri MBBS student from Srinagar evacuated from Iran under India's Operation Sindhu, returned home on Thursday. Speaking to ANI, Rasool recounted her journey and expressed gratitude to the Indian government for the evacuation. 'I went to Iran in 2021 for MBBS...A few days back, we received a call from the Embassy, asking us to pack our necessary belongings and that we would be were in Urmia, and then we were taken to Armenia. Indian Embassy officials in Tehran accompanied us to the Armenian border. From the border, Indian Embassy officials in Armenia helped us with came out of there finally yesterday. The arrangements on the flight were very good. We were disappointed only at Delhi Airport. We had a few students from Maharashtra with us, and their representatives had come there. Hotels were booked for them and their tickets were booked for the for us, SRTC buses in poor condition were parked in emergency, we had to book our own tickets at 4 times the price because we booked tickets at just two hours before (the flight)..It feels good to be back with our family...,' she said. Earlier in the day, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed the first group of 110 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's office informed that he had taken note of the students evacuated from Iran's request regarding the quality of the buses arranged to transport them from Delhi to J-K. 'The Chief Minister has taken note of the request of the students evacuated from Iran regarding the quality of buses arranged to transport them from Delhi to J&K. The Resident Commissioner has been tasked with coordinating with the JKRTC to ensure proper deluxe buses are arranged,' the chief minister's office said in a post on X. Students who have been evacuated under Operation Sindhu from conflict-affected Iran raised issues about the buses that the J&K government is providing for them to travel to their home state. The Indian government has launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran, given the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. (ANI)
Express Tribune
16-06-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
All-women breast radiation bay construction starts
The Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), in a major step towards enhancing cancer care for women in Pakistan, has started the construction of the state-of-the-art "Bilquis Abdul Sattar Edhi Breast Radiation Bay", a facility aimed at providing international standard radiation therapy exclusively for female breast cancer patients, operated entirely by an all-women medical staff. Speaking to The Express Tribune, JPMC Executive Director, Professor Shahid Rasool, revealed that the facility is aimed at addressing both the medical and emotional needs of women suffering with breast cancer. The new radiation bay is expected to cater to 200 to 250 patients, daily, upon completion. The facility is to be equipped with two cutting-edge Helix Tomotherapy machines, which are capable of automatically adjusting during minor patient movements, ensuring precision by targeting only cancer-affected cells. This feature is especially critical during the hour-long radiation sessions when patients may inadvertently move. The new facility will use some of the most advanced global technology in cancer treatment Professor Rasool highlighted that traditional radiation therapy, particularly for left-side breast cancer, poses risks to the heart. The new machines will employ Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) technology, allowing radiation to be delivered while the patient holds a deep breath, increasing the distance between the heart and breast tissue, thereby reducing cardiac risk. Notably, the entire facility staff will be women, providing emotional and psychological comfort to patients who often undergo not only physical pain, but also intense mental stress and feelings of shame and inferiority due to the nature of their illness. "Hearing the word 'cancer' is devastating enough," Rasool noted, "but for many women, the treatment process brings feelings of vulnerability and embarrassment. Having female staff can offer some much-needed dignity and support." The facility is expected to be operational by January-February 2026.
The Citizen
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Here's why Rasool won't be able to help ANC reclaim the Western Cape
Political analysts say Rasool's extensive experience may not be enough to bolster the ANC's campaign ahead of the upcoming elections. ANC, SACP and Cosatu members welcome former South African Ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool at the Cape Town International Airport on 23 March 2025 in Cape Town. Picture: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Theo Jeptha The Western Cape is a lost cause to the ANC, whether or not South Africa's former ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, comes to its rescue. Political analysts argue that Rasool could not gain ground for the ANC when he was previously the provincial leader in the province. They added that it will be more difficult now because many Western Cape voters, particularly coloureds, have found new and more attractive political homes. The Western Cape, which has been dominated by the DA for 16 years, has become a formidable challenge for the ANC. Can Rasool rescue the ANC? The analysts believe that even Rasool's potential involvement, with his extensive experience, diplomatic prowess, and his role as the province's former leader, may not be enough to bolster the party's campaign efforts in the upcoming elections. The landscape is increasingly challenging now with new dynamics. The ANC faces an uphill battle to reclaim ground that has slipped from its grasp since the DA ousted it in 2009. ALSO READ: Mapaila says SACP to contest 2026 elections as standalone party, Ramaphosa warns against the move Independent political analyst, Goodenough Mashego, gives the ANC no chance of reclaiming the Western Cape. Asked if Rasool could rescue the party now that he had returned after his controversial exit as the country's envoy in Washington, Mashego said: 'The return of Rasool is not going to get them the votes. The ANC used to own the coloured votes in the Western Cape because of Alan Boesak and others, but it has since lost those votes to other parties. 'It would be unwise of the ANC to impose a coloured leader merely to win an election. Many coloured people had permanently abandoned the ANC and joined other parties, old and new. 'I think the Western Cape is a lost cause for the ANC, I don't think Rasool is going to salvage them,' he said. Mashego said the ANC lost the plot when it put black African leaders instead of coloured ones in the forefront after those leaders toppled Rasool as the ANC provincial chairperson. He said Rasool's exit left a vacuum that would be difficult for anyone to fill. He said many of the ANC's coloured voters were disgruntled after Rasool's removal and joined other parties, such as the DA, Independent Democrats, Patriotic Alliance and other coloured-inclined parties. ANC recovery 'highly unlikely' This view was shared by political economy analyst Daniel Silke, who said it's too late for the ANC to even imagine retaking the Western Cape. 'It's a very long haul for the ANC to claw back any semblance of hope that it can get close to a majority in the Western Cape. Western Cape voters have systematically left the ANC in previous elections, with the last election being its lowest performance for the party to date. I think the ANC's recovery, ultimately, to a position of threatening the DA is highly unlikely,' Silke said. He added that the ANC brand had been severely dented, both in the Western Cape and nationwide. The province itself has an additional dynamic that complicates the ANC position. The DA, the Patriotic Alliance and other smaller parties have 'provided potential ANC voters with other choices and perhaps more attractive choices as well'. ALSO READ: A fight for survival: Next political moves will be crucial ahead of 2026 elections Mashego said the ANC has lost ground in the province since Boesak's days in the Western Cape, and the party is unlikely to recover soon. If Rasool were to return as the face of the ANC in the province, he would have no choice but to carry the coloured race card in an attempt to attract voters, but that could tarnish his image and damage his legacy. 'Rasool is a coloured person, but I don't think he is capable of really building very strong structures of the ANC that can contest the DA and other coloured parties,' Mashego said. Rasool better suited to national politics He suggested that Rasool should be deployed at the national level, perhaps at the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, where his experience as a former ambassador would be better used. According to Silke, Rasool was not universally liked within the Western Cape ANC during his reign as provincial leader and premier. Instead, the ANC became divided and polarised around him. 'So, in terms of being a unifying candidate, it's not a given that he can achieve that. I think we are in for fragmented politics in the Western Cape – the DA clearly remains the ascendant power in the Western Cape. However, I think for the ANC it's a hard slog and an unlikely slog to think that it could get back into the seat of power unless it is part of a much broader coalition following a surprise decline for the DA, but I don't necessarily see that happening in any dramatic form in the near future,' he said. NOW READ: WATCH: 'I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity,' says expelled Rasool
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
'SA should know leverage with US and act on it' Rasool says
Rasool said SA should also review whether the 49 Afrikaners should keep their citizenship. US President Donald Trump meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2025 amid tensions over Washington's resettlement of white Afrikaners that the US president claims are the victims of 'genocide'. Photo; AFP Former SA ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool says South Africa should know what leverage it has on the US, act on it, and stay out of unnecessary discussions with America. In April Trump slapped a universal 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the US and additional reciprocal tariffs for several countries, including 30% for South Africa. 'They have got some bad things going on in South Africa. You know, we are paying them billions of dollars, and we cut the funding because a lot of bad things are happening in South Africa. They don't want to report it,' Trump said. Trump tariffs However, Trump later announced that all tariffs on Washington's 'worst offenders' list would be walked back to the standard 10% rate applied globally – except for China. By strategically pivoting inward to further leverage its domestic market, vigorously supporting technological advancement, diligently managing its intricate financial system and proactively diversifying its global economic engagements, China demonstrably adapted and reinforced its long-term economic trajectory in a complex global environment, defying Trump. WATCH Ebrahim Rasool speaking about leverage Former Ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool says South Africa should know its leverage with the U.S., act on it, and stay out of unnecessary discussions with America. Rasool adds that the country should also review whether the 49 Afrikaners should keep their… May 27, 2025 ALSO READ: WATCH: 'Dim the lights' — Ramaphosa pokes fun at Trump meeting China approach Rasool said South Africa should take the 'Chinese approach' and know what leverage it can use against the US. 'We should take the Chinese approach, know what our leverage is. In this case, the president was very aware that critical minerals would be our leverage, the thriving 600 US companies in South Africa is our leverage, the 20 South African companies that employ US citizens in the United States can be our leverage. 'China has taught us to know your leverage, act on the leverage and then absorb the punishment and stay out of unnecessary discussions with the United States,' Rasool said. Rasool added that the country should also review whether the 59 Afrikaners who have gone to to the US as refugees should keep their citizenship. 'If Afrikaners insist on making a false defamatory case against South Africa, if they accept US citizenship, we should have a serious debate about what is the status of those who accepted that. 'Do they have the right of return, even to visit their family here, and do they have the right to dual citizenship.' ALSO READ: Piers Morgan slams Ramaphosa for defending 'Kill the Boer' chant [VIDEO] Afrikaner refugees The 59 Afrikaners granted refugee status by Trump departed from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg earlier this month on a private charter flight for the United States. Some in the group, which included young children, appeared to be in a jovial mood, while others were reserved as they headed for their new home. President Cyril Ramaphosa said at the time the Afrikaners who had flown to the US as 'refugees' had committed a 'cowardly act' and were clearly unhappy with efforts to redress the inequities of the apartheid past. 'It's a sad moment for them. They may be feeling excited that they left the country, that they've got somebody like President (Donald) Trump,' Ramaphosa said at an impromptu press briefing at the annual Nampo harvest festival near the Free State town of Bothaville. Ramaphosa ambush Last week, with a line of reporters in the room, Trump ambushed Ramaphosa by playing a video of EFF leader Julius Malema – startling those present with footage he believed supported his claims of an alleged white genocide against farmers. Despite the unsubstantiated claims made by Trump about genocide in South Africa, Ramaphosa said the meeting with Trump was fruitful. After his private lunch meeting with Trump, Ramaphosa told the media there was 'doubt in Trump's head about genocide in SA'. Rasool returned to South Africa in March after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expelled him and stripped him of his diplomatic privileges. ALSO READ: Trump changes tune and 'agrees' to participate in G20 Summit, Ramaphosa says
