Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/9/24/israel-attacks-lebanon-live-global-calls-for-restraint-as-492-killed

At least six people have been confirmed dead on Japan’s Noto Peninsula after floods struck an area still recovering from a major earthquake nine months ago. Heavy rain pounded the area over the weekend, with more than 540 millimetres (21 inches) of rain recorded in the city of Wajima over 72 hours, the heaviest continuous rain since comparative data became available. The region is still recovering from a magnitude-7.5 earthquake on January 1, which toppled buildings, triggered landslides and sparked a massive fire. The Japan Times and public broadcaster NHK said six people had been killed – five in Wajima and one in nearby Suzu. At least eight people were missing or unaccounted for, according to NHK, including a 14-year-old junior high schoolgirl. Floodwater inundated emergency housing built for those who had lost their homes in the earthquake, which killed at least 374 people, according to the Ishikawa regional government. Some of the missing were workers on quake-related construction projects. Some 4,000 households were without power on Monday as a result of the rain, according to the Hokuriku Electric Power Company. More than 100 areas in the region were cut off after landslides blocked roads. Akemi Yamashita, a 54-year-old Wajima resident, told the AFP news agency she was driving on Saturday when “within only 30 minutes or so, water gushed into the street and quickly rose to half the height of my car”. “I was talking to other residents of Wajima yesterday, and they said, ‘It’s so heartbreaking to live in this city’. I got teary when I heard that,” she said, describing the earthquake and floods as “like something from a movie”. Military personnel have been sent to the area to help rescue workers after tens of thousands of residents were urged to evacuate. “This is heavy rain in the region that suffered massive damage by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. There must be many people who are very worried,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters. Heavy rain was also reported in the nearby northern prefectures of Niigata and Yamagata, threatening flooding and other damage and forcing the suspension of train services. Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/23/at-least-six-killed-in-japan-after-floods-hit-quake-stricken-noto-peninsula

“Such acts will not deter Pakistan from its commitment towards fight against terrorism,” says FO  A “remote-controlled bomb” struck a police van escorting a group of foreign envoys in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district on Sunday, resulting in martyrdom of a policeman and injuring four other cops. District Police Officer (DPO) Zahidullah Khan confirmed the explosion, stating the attack targeted a group of foreign diplomats, resulting in one officer losing his life and four others being injured. DPO Khan detailed that the affected police van was leading a convoy of 11 foreign diplomats, adding that the martyred officer was identified as Burhan and that the four wounded officers included a sub-inspector of police. Police officials informed the media that all envoys were safe after the explosion and had been shifted to Islamabad. They added that the diplomats were heading to Malam Jabba after attending an event at the Chamber of Commerce in Mingora when the explosion occurred in the suburban area of Sherabad. The police confirmed that the convoy included ambassadors from Russia, Portugal, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, and other countries. The wounded officers were transported to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) in Saidu Sharif. Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies were deployed in the area following the incident. They added that the diplomats were heading to Malam Jabba after attending an event at the Chamber of Commerce in Mingora when the explosion occurred in the suburban area of Sherabad. The police confirmed that the foreign ambassadors in the convoy included representatives from Russia, Portugal, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Iran, and other countries. “All the ambassadors remained safe in the attack and had been shifted to a safe place before their departure to Islamabad,” Deputy Inspector General of police Mohammad Ali Gandapur told Reuters. No one claimed responsibility for the attack. Condemnations pour in Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the bomb blast near a police van in Swat.  In a statement issued by the President’s House, he paid tribute to the police officer who embraced martyrdom in the attack. He also expressed condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured in the explosion. “Terrorist elements are enemies not only of the country and nation but of humanity itself,” the president said, reaffirming his commitment to continuing efforts for the complete eradication of terrorism. Denouncing the attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prayed for the elevation of ranks for the martyred policeman in Jannah, as per a statement from the PM Office. He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured in the incident. “The entire nation pays tribute to the police force’s unwavering sacrifices against terrorism. Such cowardly acts cannot shake our resolve for the complete eradication of terrorism,” said the PM. The premier also directed the relevant authorities to provide all possible medical assistance to the injured. In his message of condemnation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi decried the dastardly attack on the convoy, expressing deep regret and sorrow over the loss of life. “The sacrifices of our security forces and police in the war against terrorism will not be in vain,” he added. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in a statement condemned the bombing in Swat and has sought a report on the incident from senior police officials. “We share in the grief of the bereaved family. They will receive full financial support; they will not be left alone,” the CM said. Gandapur also extended best wishes for the swift recovery of the injured police officers. “The police have made unparalleled sacrifices while protecting the public’s life and property,” said the KP CM adding, “We salute the police officers who sacrifice their lives for the safety of the people.” Foreign Office reaction The Foreign Office, reacting to the incident, said: “Today a group of diplomats traveling to Islamabad after their trip to Malam Jabba and Swat witnessed an incident.” “An advance scout police vehicle was hit by an IED which resulted in a casualty of the police detail. All members of the diplomatic corps have returned safely to Islamabad,” it read. “Our sympathies are with the families of the shaheed policeman and three injured in the incident,” the FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said. “We honour our law enforcement authorities that remain steadfast in the face of terrorists. Such acts will not deter Pakistan from its commitment towards the fight against terrorism,” she concluded. Rise in terror attacks The nation has been reeling under rising violent attacks since the Taliban rulers returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The two most vulnerable provinces saw a sharp rise in deadly attacks last month, according to data from the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). The digital database of security incidents managed by the Islamabad-based think-tank suggested an alarming situation as the number of attacks jumped from 38 in July to 59 in August. These incidents included 29 attacks in KP, 28 in Balochistan, and two in Punjab. Meanwhile, KP witnessed 25 casualties in the 29 terrorist attacks during August. “The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Lashkar-e-Islam, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and few local Taliban groups were reportedly involved in these attacks,” the report stated. Against this backdrop, the federal cabinet in June this year approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism campaign following the Central Apex Committee’s recommendations under the National Action Plan to root out terrorism. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1232837-cop-martyred-3-wounded-in-swat-bomb-attack

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/9/23/israels-war-on-gaza-live-israel-reportedly-planning-north-gaza-siege

Taiwan’s crucial tech industry has been unwittingly drawn into Middle East politics after revelations that thousands of exploding pagers used to kill members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group were manufactured using the branding of a Taiwanese firm. Taiwanese tech company Gold Apollo on Wednesday denied that it had manufactured the AR-924 model pagers that exploded en masse in Lebanon, saying they had been made by a European company named BAC through a licensing deal. “According to the agreement, we authorise BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in specific regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC,” Gold Apollo said in a statement. “We only provide brand trademark authorization and have no involvement in the design manufacturing of this product,” the company added. Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs said it had no record of direct exports of the devices to Lebanon and that the pagers may have been modified after manufacturing. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York Times and Reuters news agency, citing unnamed officials, reported that Israeli authorities had placed small amounts of explosive material in the pagers before the detonations. Analysts in Taiwan expressed doubt that the Taiwanese government or Gold Apollo would have willingly participated in the apparent attack, which Lebanese authorities say killed nine people and wounded more than 2,700 others. Still, the incident draws unwelcome attention to Taiwan and its globally renowned tech industry, which produces the lion’s share of semiconductors used to power practically all electronics worldwide. Jhy-Chern Liu, a professor at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, said he was “shocked” at the news and that people on the island were concerned. “Even though Taiwan has been very close to the US in all aspects, I do not believe that any companies in Taiwan would be involved in a deadly plot like this, considering that Taiwan is an open society and a full democracy. Any hint of ideas like this is simply impossible and unthinkable,” Liu told Al Jazeera. “I do not think the Gold Apollo company would be so unprofessional or stupid to be involved …,” Liu added. While Taiwan is unlikely to have been directly involved, the incident nonetheless raises uncomfortable questions for Taiwan’s tech industry going forward, given its importance for global supply chains, said Yachi Chiang, a professor in tech law at National Taiwan Ocean University. “This incident will be a huge, critical lesson for the industry,” Chiang told Al Jazeera. “The Taiwan tech industry used to think they are only manufacturers of hardware, so they have nothing to do with politics, they are doing their own business. But not any more.” The revelations have also brought the fallout of the war in Gaza to Taiwan’s front door. Taiwan typically keeps its distance from global conflicts and geopolitical controversies except in cases involving China, whose government in Beijing claims the self-governing island as a province. Since the war in Gaza began in October, Taipei has stayed largely silent on the number of Palestinian deaths, although it did condemn Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. Taiwan does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, which, like most countries, does not officially recognise Taipei, but they both have close ties with the US. While Taipei is one of the most diplomatically isolated governments in the world with just 12 formal allies, it punches above its weight in global influence thanks, in part, to its powerful tech industry. The island is home to TSMC, which manufactures about 90 percent of the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips, which make up the backbone of Taiwan’s export-dominated economy. About two-thirds of Taiwan’s exports, which account for about 70 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), are classified as machinery and electronics, ranging from advanced iPhone chips to small components like the screws used in car engines. Besides cutting-edge tech, Taiwan’s factories also produce more antiquated technology such as pagers, which run on less advanced chips than smartphones. Taiwan’s economy is also dominated by small and medium enterprises such as Gold Apollo, which was founded in 1995 and specialises in pagers and small wireless communication devices used by restaurants and hotels. Chiang said the incident in Lebanon highlighted the need for Taiwanese tech companies to pay more attention to their supply chains, even as Taipei has signed onto initiatives like the US-led Clean Network to keep Chinese tech out of Western telecom infrastructure. Advertisement “You may recall the United States, they advocated for the Clean Network, clean infrastructure – this is because in each of the links of this whole supply chain, it could be the weakest link, but we don’t know which link that might be,” she said. “That’s why it’s necessary to have a whole clean network and whole clean infrastructure – you can see the necessity here.” In Taiwan, where the public is used to China’s threats to “reunify” with the island by force if deemed necessary, Tuesday’s attack also prompted questions about the island’s security. Some Taiwanese netizens wondered if pagers could be used in a similar attack by Chinese tech companies in the future. “What we should worry about is that the other side of the Taiwan Strait will follow the same pattern and attack us,” one user wrote on the popular Reddit-like message board PTT. Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/9/18/taiwan-dragged-into-middle-east-politics-after-deadly-pager-blasts

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller has reiterated Washington’s “longstanding policy” denying support to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme through “sanctions and other tools” in its bid ensure its own national security. Miller, in a a press briefing on Tuesday, said it is committed to protect its financial system from being used by “proliferators”. Responding to a query regarding the recently imposed sanctions — considered “biased and politically motivated” by Islamabad, as per the journalist — the spokesperson acknowledged Pakistan’s position as a long-term partner of the US, but also emphasised on the disagreements between Islamabad and Washington. “… and when we have disagreements, we won’t hesitate to act on those to protect America’s interests,” he said, emphasising on the country’s policy to deny support to Pakistan’s missile programme. “… we will continue to use our sanctions and other – our other tools to ensure our national security cannot be – cannot be impacted, and that the US financial system cannot be used by proliferators,” said Miller. The statement comes days after the US imposed sanctions. Washington had similarly targeted three China-based companies with sanctions in October 2023 for supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan. The Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry, according to Miller’s statement last week, had worked with Pakistan to procure equipment for testing rocket motors for the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel systems and potentially for larger systems. The sanctions also targeted China-based firms Hubei Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Co, Universal Enterprise, and Xi’an Longde Technology Development Co, alongside Pakistan-based Innovative Equipment and a Chinese national, for knowingly transferring equipment under missile technology restrictions, said Miller. In the briefing, the spokesperson also addressed a question pertaining to the “real reasons and concerns” that triggered the sanctions imposed on a Chinese research institute and several companies involved in supplying Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme. “So the United States is committed to strengthening the international nonproliferation regime by taking action against networks supporting activities of proliferation concern,” said the spokesperson. He added that the executive order action that was taken last week follows Washington October 2023 and April 2024 designation of six Chinese entities and one Belarusian entity that have worked to supply Pakistan’s missile programme as well as the listing of numerous Pakistani and third-country entities on the Department of Commerce Entity List for decades. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1231452-pakistan-s-ballistic-missile-programme-sanctions-part-of-longstanding-us-policy

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/9/18/israels-war-on-gaza-live-thousands-injured-in-lebanon-pager-explosions

The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board’s (IWMB) rescue centre has said that the condition of an injured female leopard, rescued from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), has deteriorated recently. The news of the injured leopard’s critical condition comes after doctors at the Islamabad Wildlife Rescue Center (IWRC) found four bullet wounds in the leopard’s body in an X-ray report. The doctors have managed to remove one bullet from the wild cat’s wounds while two remain stuck near the leopard’s spine and one near the chest. The injured leopard was rescued from a water channel in AJK’s Haveli area by wildlife guards from the Azad Kashmir Wildlife Department from on September 7. It was then handed her over to the IWMB for treatment at the board’s rescue center, called the Islamabad Wildlife Rescue Center (IWRC). At the time of the leopard’s rescue, the animal was unable to stand or move its hindlegs despite exhibiting no visible external wounds or bleeding, leading the team to suspect severe internal injuries. The rescue team had managed to secure the startled animal by placing a rope around its neck and then safely encaging it in a net. The rescue team was forced to use traditional methods to rescue the animal due to a lack of specialised equipment, such as a dart gun. Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1229637-rescued-injured-female-leopards-condition-deteriorates-in-islamabad

Severe flooding in northeastern Nigeria has killed at least 30 people and affected more than one million others, the authorities have said. The collapse of the Alau dam on the Ngadda river in Borno State on Tuesday caused some of the state’s worst flooding since the same dam collapsed 30 years ago, and prompted residents to flee their homes. The state government said on Wednesday that the dam was at capacity due to unusually high rains. Officials expected the death toll to rise. The current flooding comes nearly two years after Nigeria’s worst flooding in a decade killed more than 600 people across the country. Ezekiel Manzo, spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency, on Wednesday put the death toll at 30. “One million people have been affected so far,” said an aide for Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, adding that as efforts to document displaced people begin, that number could rise to nearly two million. The swirling waters partially destroyed a local zoo and several animals escaped. Mary Mamza, a Maiduguri resident, said people were afraid to leave their homes after an escaped crocodile was killed near her home. West Africa has experienced some of its worst flooding in decades. More than 2.3 million people have been affected so far this year, which is a threefold increase from last year, according to the United Nations. African nations are losing up to 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) every year as they bear a heavier burden than the rest of the world from climate change, a new report said on Monday after one of the continent’s hottest years on record. The World Meteorological Organization said many African nations are spending up to 9 percent of their budgets for climate adaptation policies. Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/9/12/floods-in-northeastern-nigeria-affect-1-million-people

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/9/12/israels-war-on-gaza-live-women-children-blown-to-pieces-in-school-raid