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Riot police fired tear gas, flash grenades and used batons to disperse demonstrators in Russia’s Bashkortostan region after a local activist was sentenced on Wednesday to four years in prison. Videos showed supporters of Fail Alsynov clashing with police near the court where he had been convicted of inciting ethnic hatred, according to Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti. Bashkortostan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs called the demonstrations an “unauthorized rally” and said police have begun investigating “mass unrest,” in a post on Telegram. Some 20 people have been detained by police, according to OVD-Info, an independent Russian protest monitoring group. CNN cannot independently verify this number, but Russia has routinely carried out mass arrests at protests. Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside a public building in the remote town of Baymak, with some waving the blue, white and green flag of Bashkortostan region, which neighbors Kazakhstan. Protesters were heard to cry “shame” at police officers as they tried to disperse the crowds with tear gas. RusNews/Reuters Protesters could be heard chanting “Freedom,” in a video posted on public Telegram channels and shared by OVD-Info. In another, protesters were seen throwing snowballs at police holding riot shields. Chants of “shame” could be heard after police fired tear gas. Some social media accounts are reporting that internet connection was restricted in the area of the gathering. Alsynov spoke at a rally in spring 2023 against the mining of a mountain considered to be sacred to the Bashkir people, a Turkic ethnic group concentrated in Bashkortostan and closely related to the Tatars. The protests in Bashkortostan have become some of the most significant in Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago. Source:https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/17/europe/russia-riot-police-protest-bashkortostan-intl/index.html

Pakistan’s air force has launched retaliatory air strikes on Iran, allegedly targeting fighters’ positions. Iranian state media says the attack killed at least nine people. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry described their attack as “a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes”. The strikes in Sistan-Baluchestan province follow Iran’s attack on Tuesday on Pakistani soil that killed two children in the southwestern Balochistan province. Pakistan stock market takes a hit Abid Hussain Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE) fell by 1,000 points this morning following news of strikes on Iran. However, the PSE rebounded later in the day, gaining back nearly 650 points at close. Pakistan was on the brink of default last year before it managed to secure an agreement with the International Monetary Fund for $3 billion. In the past six months, it has shown gradual improvement in its economic indicators, including inflation – which fell from a high of 38 percent to 29 percent. Click Pakistan will ‘not compromise’ on security: President Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi says his country fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states while expecting the same treatment from other nations. “Pakistan would not compromise on its national security and territorial integrity and would take all necessary measures to defend its soil,” Alvi said in a statement published by his office on X. Alvi added that Pakistan and Iran were “brotherly countries”, and should resolve their issues through “dialogue and mutual consultation”. Click here to share on social media Taliban calls for ‘regional stability’ The Taliban government has called the attacks in Pakistan and Iran “alarming”, calling for both sides to exercise restraint. “In light of the region’s newfound peace and stability after protracted imposed wars and instability, both sides should direct efforts towards further strengthening regional stability and resolving disputes through diplomatic channels and dialogue,” the Taliban government’s foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on X. Why did Pakistan and Iran allow space for these ‘militant groups’? Pakistan’s former human rights minister has described the country’s response as “swift and proportionate” but questioned the presence of “militant groups” on either side of the border. “Response swift & proportionate. Full spectrum deterrence reasserted militarily – meeting the threat at a level of our choosing & prevailing,” Mazari posted on X. “But one of the many disturbing questions arising is why both supposedly friendly ‘brotherly’ Muslim countries, with deep historical & social ties, allowed space creation for these militant groups in each other’s territories?” Turkey calls for calm Iran and Pakistan do not want to escalate tensions in the region, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan has said after holding calls with officials from both sides. Speaking at a news conference in Jordan, Fidan said Turkey recommended that the sides do not escalate further and that calm should be restored as soon as possible. Click here to share on social media Former Pakistan foreign minister says Iran attacks ‘irrational’ Hina Rabbani Khar has described Iran’s attack on Pakistan as “shocking”, adding that the region could not afford another escalation. “They were irrational, illegal and escalatory. It seems whoever authorised it had not thought through,” she said on X. “Pakistan has repeatedly conveyed its concerns about terrorist hideouts in Iran. However, Pakistan preferred to rely on diplomatic solutions and create mechanisms where both countries could address each others concerns within the framework of international law and UN charter.” Pakistan recalled its ambassador from Tehran after denouncing the attack and barred Iran’s envoy to Islamabad from returning. Click Pakistan-based BLF says no fighters killed in attack The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), an armed group operating in Pakistan, says it “has no hideouts in Iran” and none of “our Saramchar [fighters] was martyred in the recent attacks by Pakistan”. As we reported earlier, the Pakistan army said “hideouts used by terrorist organisations namely Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front were successfully struck” on Thursday morning. The BLF has conducted frequent attacks on Pakistani forces as well as on projects operating under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/18/pakistan-iran-attacks-live-at-least-7-killed-near-irans-southeast-border

An air strike in Rafah – an Israeli-designated “safe zone” – kills 16 people, including children, who were sheltering in a home. A shipment of medical supplies for Israeli captives and Palestinians in need is being distributed as part of a deal brokered by Qatar and France. US missiles rain down on sites used by Yemen’s Houthis after the armed group targeted an American Navy vessel and “scored a direct hit”. At least 24,448 people killed and 61,504 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attack stands at 1,139. UN chief meets released Israeli captives in Davos The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has met released Israeli captives for the first time at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to Israeli media. The i24 News report said Guterres met with Nili Margalit and Moran Stella Yanai as well as Noam Perry, the daughter of Haim Perry, who is still held in Gaza. He also met with representatives from the Hostage and Missing People’s Families’ headquarters. Guterres said that he called for the immediate release of all the captives, the report said. ‘All patients have a right to treatment’: Red Crescent Mahmoud Alsaadi – who leads ambulance operations for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank – says Israeli raids and movement restrictions make it impossible to provide timely care for injured and sick Palestinians. This not only impacts Palestinians wounded in Israeli attacks, he said, but others facing unrelated medical emergencies. “We do not only transport the injured and those wounded by bullets,” said Alsaadi. “There are many humanitarian cases and we receive calls from citizens with medical conditions — kidney patients, heart patients, or cancer patients. All of these cases require transportation to hospitals.” Because of lengthy Israeli inspections of Red Crescent ambulances and “harassment of medical staff”, patients in need of urgent hospital treatment may be held up for more than an hour, putting their lives in jeopardy, he said. More than 300 Palestinian sports clubs call for Israel Olympic Games ban More than 300 Palestinian sports clubs and dozens of major Palestinian civil society organisations are calling for a ban on Israel from the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. The International Olympic Committee should “apply its principles and fulfil its obligations by banning Israel from the next Olympic Games to be held in Paris in July 2024, until it ends its grave violations of international law, particularly its system of apartheid and its ongoing genocide in Gaza”, they said. The Palestinian clubs include men’s and women’s football, basketball and volleyball teams, and those whose players have been killed by Israeli fire. Last month, Israeli forces killed the Palestinian Olympic football team coach, Captain Hani al-Masdar. Israel’s bombings also destroyed the office of the Palestinian Olympic Committee in Gaza. Click here to share on social media ‘Endless chaos and growing despair’: UNRWA chief After making his fourth trip to Gaza since the war broke out, the head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees says the enclave has sunk even “further into despair” and renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire. “Everyone I met had a personal story of fear, death, loss, trauma to share,” said UNRWA Commissioner Philippe Lazzarini. “The people of Gaza have moved from the sheer shock of losing everything – in some cases every member of their family – to a debilitating struggle to stay alive and protect their loved ones. “This has gone on for far too long. There are no winners in these wars. There is endless chaos and growing despair. I call once again for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to bring some respite.” The genocide must stop, Turkey’s FM says Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan issued a call to “stop the genocide” in the Gaza Strip. “It is absolutely unacceptable for Israel to justify its attacks [on Gaza] for security reasons,” he said. Speaking at a news conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in Amman, Hakan also said the Palestinians have the right to establish an independent state. In November, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to Tel Aviv, citing Israel’s refusal to accept a ceasefire, “continuing attacks against civilians”, and denying free entry to humanitarian aid. It was the culmination of a sharp dive in ties since October 7. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara, Turkey [File: Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters] Click Israel should allow displaced Gaza residents to return home: Jordan Israel should allow displaced Palestinians in Gaza to return to their homes, says Jordan’s foreign minister. Ayman Safadi was speaking at a news conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan. “With regard to the current priorities, they are clear: ending the aggression in Gaza, letting in sufficient permanent humanitarian aid to all parts of the Strip, south and north, stopping the destruction, and working immediately for the return of displaced Gazans to their areas and homes,” Safadi said. Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/18/israels-war-on-gaza-live-medicine-arrives-for-captives-palestinians

Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned an Iranian airstrike inside its borders that killed two children, calling it an “unprovoked violation of its airspace” and warning of retaliation. Iran said it used “precision missile and drone strikes,” to destroy two strongholds of the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl, known in Iran as Jaish al-Dhulm, in the Koh-e-Sabz area of Pakistan’s southwest Balochistan province, according to Iran’s state-aligned Tasnim news agency. The attack comes after Iran launched missiles in northern Iraq and Syria Monday, in the latest escalation of hostilities in the Middle East where Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza risks spiraling into a wider regional conflict. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the attack on its territory killed “two innocent children” and warned Iran of “serious consequences.” It described the airstrike as an “unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran … inside Pakistani territory.” “It is even more concerning that this illegal act has taken place despite the existence of several channels of communication between Pakistan and Iran,” the ministry said. Following the strike, nuclear-armed Pakistan lodged a “strong protest” with a senior official in Iran’s Foreign Ministry in the Iranian capital Tehran and called on the Iranian charge d’affairs, saying the “responsibility for the consequences will lie squarely with Iran.” Iran launches missile strikes in northern Iraq and Syria, claims to destroy Israeli spy base The Jaish al-Adl militant group late Tuesday said Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had used six attack drones and a number of rockets to destroy two houses where the children and wives of its fighters lived. Authorities in Balochistan province told CNN two girls had died and at least four people were injured. The girls, aged eight and 12, were killed in houses that were damaged in the attack in the village of Koh-e-Sabz in Kulag, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Panjgur district, on Tuesday evening, according to the district’s deputy commissioner Mumtaz Khetran. Khetran also said a mosque near the homes was targeted and hit in the strikes. Koh-e-Sabz — about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Pakistan’s border with Iran — is known to be the home of Jaish-ul-Adl’s former second-in-command Mullah Hashim, who was killed in clashes with Iranian forces in Sarawan, an Iranian region adjacent to Panjgur, in 2018. Last month, Iran accused Jaish al-Adl militants of storming a police station in the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan, which resulted in the deaths of 11 Iranian police officers, according to Tasnim. Jaish al-Adl, or Army of Justice, is a separatist militant group that operates on both sides of the border and has previously claimed responsibility for attacks against Iranian targets. Its stated goal is the independence of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province. The strikes in Pakistan came a day after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched ballistic missiles, targeting what it claimed was a spy base for Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad in Erbil, northern Iraq, and at “anti-Iran terror groups” in Syria. Iran said the strikes in Iraq were in response to what it said were Israeli attacks that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard commanders, and claimed targets in Syria were involved in the recent dual bombings in the city of Kerman during a memorial for the slain Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani that left scores dead and wounded. It defended the strikes as a “precise and targeted” operation to deter security threats, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in a statement on Tuesday. Iran’s attacks will further raise fears that Israel’s war in Gaza could widen into a full-scale war in the Middle East with grave humanitarian, political and economic consequences. The attacks in Iraq and Syria were condemned by the United States as “reckless” and imprecise, while the United Nations said, “security concerns must be addressed through dialogue, not strikes.” Iraq said it submitted a complaint to the UN Security Council and the UN on Tuesday. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said there are no Mossad-affiliated centers operating in Erbil in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Concerns of an escalating war Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza in response to Hamas’ October 7 terror attacks has killed more than 24,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, and wrought widespread devastation, as civilians live with the threat of imminent death – either by an airstrike, starvation or disease. The conflict has escalated hostilities across the region, with Iran’s allies and proxies – the so-called axis of resistance – launching attacks on Israeli forces and its allies. On Tuesday, the US military launched new strikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen, targeting anti-ship ballistic missiles controlled by the Iran-backed rebel group, a defense official told CNN. A few hours later, the Houthis launched a missile into international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea, hitting the M/V Zografia, a Maltese flagged bulk carrier, the official said. The strikes are at least the third round of attacks the US military has launched against the Houthis’ infrastructure since last Thursday, when American and British conducted a joint operation that targeted command and control nodes and weapons depots used by the Houthis to launch missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. US troops in Iraq and Syria have also repeatedly come under rocket and drone attacks from Tehran’s proxies. Last week, the US carried out a strike in Baghdad that killed a leader from an Iran-backed proxy group that Washington blamed for attacks against US personnel in the region. And fighting has intensified between Israel and the powerful Iran-backed group Hezbollah, across the Lebanon border. On Sunday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed to press on with confrontations with Israeli forces on the Lebanon border until the end of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Source:https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/17/middleeast/iran-missile-attack-pakistan-intl-hnk/index.html

At least 23 Palestinians killed in Khan Younis as Israeli attacks levelled dozens of residential homes and damaged the Nasser and Al-Amal hospitals. UN rights experts say “every single person in Gaza is hungry” as Israel continues to bomb, besiege and block aid to the territory. Qatar says it has brokered a deal to bring medicines and other aid into Gaza in exchange for the provision of medicine to Israeli captives held in the enclave. The White House says the US has been involved in “serious” talks on captives in Doha. At least 24,285 people killed and over 61,154 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attack stands at 1,139. Death toll from Israeli drone strike on Tulkarem goes up to four The death from the Israeli drone strike on Tulkarem that we reported on earlier has gone up to four. The Palestinian Red Crescent says it has recovered the bodies of four people killed inside the camp. The aid group also reported that Israeli forces initially blocked its ambulances from reaching those targeted. At least 85 Palestinians detained in latest West Bank raids Israeli forces have detained at least 85 Palestinians in the latest round of raids across the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Wafa news agency. It added that 40 of those were Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who were working in the West Bank. Nearly 6,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been taken into custody by Israel since October 7. Many Palestinians detained by Israel are held for months or years without charge, under a system of “administrative detention” that rights groups have slammed as a violation of international law. Click here to share on social media Photos: Aftermath of Israeli strikes on homes in Rafah Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is worsening with 85% of it 2.3 million people having fled their homes [Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images] At least 168 people in Gaza were killed in overnight Israeli bombing [Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images] The UN says Gaza faces widespread famine and disease [Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images] Click here to share on social media More on Israeli attack on Balata refugee camp As we reported earlier, the Israeli army launched a strike on a car in Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, saying it killed the “head of terrorist infrastructure” at Balata refugee camp. People at the camp, however, told Al Jazeera that at least three people were believed to have been killed in the drone attack. “There are others who think that it could potentially be more,” said Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Jamjoom, reporting from Ramallah. We will bring you more details on this shortly. Meanwhile, Jamjoom noted that the Israeli army has been conducting on average about 40 raids across the West Bank daily since the start of the war in Gaza. “Residents tell us that there’s an intensified number of raids targeting resistance fighters. The people believe that the Israeli army is going into these areas and destroying more infrastructure because they want to use that as a way to turn local populations against the armed resistance fighters,” he said. “But every time we go to these areas, people tell us that they don’t think these tactics used by the Israeli army will ultimately work.” Click here to share on social media Another Israeli drone strike hits Tulkarem The attack has killed two Palestinians in the Tulkarem refugee camp, occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Wafa news agency. The attack comes after hours of violent raids in the city and after an earlier Israeli drone attack killed three Palestinians in the Balata refugee camp near Nablus. Click here to share on social media Ministry: 163 killed in Gaza in last 24 hours Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed 163 people and injured 350 more in 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Numerous victims are still trapped under the wreckage and cannot be reached by rescuers, the ministry said in a post on Telegram. The latest attacks bring the overall toll in Gaza to 24,448 killed and 61,504 wounded since October 7. Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/17/israels-war-on-gaza-live-brutality-of-gaza-crisis-unprecedented-un

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Monday launched ballistic missiles at what it said was a spy base for Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad in northern Iraq, and at “anti-Iran terror groups” in Syria, in the latest escalation of hostilities that further risks spiraling into a wider regional conflict. The strikes were condemned by the United States as “reckless” and imprecise. Iranian forces said the midnight missile strike in Iraq destroyed “one of the main espionage headquarters” of Israel in Erbil, capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, in response to what they said were Israeli attacks that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard commanders and members of the Iranian resistance front. “This headquarters has been the center for developing espionage operations and planning terrorist acts” in the region and Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement Monday. CNN has reached out to Israel’s Prime Minister’s office for comment on the IRGC’s claim. The IRGC also said it struck several locations in Erbil and claimed to target “sites of Iranian opposition groups.” At least four civilians were killed and six others injured in the attack, according to a statement early Tuesday by the Security Council of the Kurdistan region. A large villa belonging to a well-known Kurdish businessman was also destroyed, according to a CNN journalist in the region. There were unconfirmed reports of casualties at the residential property though it is not known if the building was an intended target. “This blatant violation undermines the sovereignty of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq,” the Security Council said in its statement, which accused Iran of employing baseless pretexts to attack Erbil, a historically stable region that it said had never posed a threat to any party. Also on Monday, the IRGC said it fired ballistic missiles at bases of “anti-Iran terror groups in occupied territories of Syria.” It claimed the targets were involved in the recent dual bombings in the city of Kerman during a memorial for the slain Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani that left scores dead and wounded. ISIS claimed responsibility for the deadly twin blasts near Soleimani’s burial site, in what was the deadliest attack in Iran since its 1979 revolution. In its statement, the IRGC said it “identified and destroyed a number of key terror commanders and elements, especially Daesh (ISIS), in the occupied territories of Syria by firing a number of ballistic missiles.” A US official said Monday initial indications of Iran’s missile attacks showed “this was a reckless and imprecise set of strikes.” “We have seen the reports, and we tracked the missiles, which impacted in northern Iraq and northern Syria. No US personnel or facilities were targeted,” the official said. Authorities and others gather near the site where missiles hit near the US consulate in Erbil, Iraq, on January 15, 2024. Rudaw TV/AP “Iran is claiming this is in response to the terrorist attacks in Kerman, Iran, and Rask, Iran, with a focus on ISIS. We will continue to assess the situation.” An unnamed US State Department spokesperson told CNN the strikes did not damage the “US Consulate Erbil or the New Consulate Compound under construction.” “No American personnel were injured,” they said. Kurdistan region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani called on “our partners in the international community not to remain silent in the face of repeated attacks against the people of Kurdistan.” “Earlier this evening, Erbil was once again attacked by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Sadly, during tonight’s unjustifiable attack, several civilians have been martyred and wounded,” Barzani said in a statement. “I condemn this cowardly attack on the people of the Kurdistan region in the strongest terms.” Concerns of an escalating war Iran’s attacks will further raise fears that Israel’s war in Gaza could widen into a full-scale war in the Middle East with grave humanitarian, political and economic consequences. Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza in response to Hamas’ October 7 terror attacks has killed more than 24,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, and wrought widespread devastation, as civilians live with the threat of imminent death – either by an airstrike, starvation or disease. The UN emergency relief chief said the war has brought famine to Gaza “with such incredible speed,” and South Africa has brought allegations of genocide at the United Nations’ top court – claims strenuously denied by Israel. The conflict has escalated hostilities across the region, with Iran’s allies and proxies – the so-called axis of resistance – launching attacks on Israeli forces and its allies. US forces last week sank three boats belonging to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, and the US and UK launched strikes against Houthi targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen aimed at halting a series of attacks on commercial shipping. A wider war doesn’t suit Iran, even as it benefits from rising tensions On Monday, a Houthi missile hit a US-owned cargo ship in the Red Sea, marking what appears to be the first time the militants have successfully struck a US-owned or operated ship. Last week, the US carried out a strike in Baghdad that killed a leader from an Iran-backed proxy group that Washington blamed for attacks against US personnel in the region. US troops in Iraq and Syria have repeatedly come under rocket and drone attacks from Tehran’s proxies. Fighting has intensified between Israel and the powerful Iran-backed group Hezbollah, across the Lebanon border. On Sunday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed to press on with confrontations with Israeli forces on the Lebanon border until the end of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Last week, a senior Hezbollah commander was killed in an Israeli drone strike on his car in southern Lebanon, a Lebanese security source told CNN. Wissam Tawil is the most senior member of the Shiite militant group to be killed in an Israeli strike since Hezbollah and Israel began trading fire across the Lebanese-Israeli border on October 8. Israel is also suspected of carrying out an attack on high-ranking Hamas leader, Saleh Al-Arouri, in Beirut, sparking fury among Hezbollah leaders who control the area where he was killed. Source:https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/16/middleeast/iran-missiles-kurdistan-syria-israel-intl-hnk/index.html

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police Tuesday foiled two attacks in the Lakki Marwat district — one on a police station and another at a check post, Geo News reported citing police. An attack was thwarted at the Peezo police station in the district, as per the police, during which the terrorists opened fire and threw hand grenades. The police retaliated, forcing the assailants to escape the site. There was no casualty reported, according to the police. Following retaliatory fire by the police personnel, the assailants escaped, the police said, adding that there was no casualty. Meanwhile, an attempt to attack the 15 Police post at the Gundi Chowk was also thwarted in the morning, the police added. For the past few years, KP has yet again seen an alarming surge in terror attacks with several major attacks leaving the province riddled with terrorism and violence, particularly since the Taliban-led administration took over Afghanistan in 2021. The law and order situation has worsened in several parts of KP, especially southern districts, with an increase in attacks on police, security forces and civilians. In the past few months, some political figures and gatherings have also been targeted by terrorists in certain parts of the province, while security personnel including the military and police have also been attacked. Senior police officials have said that the situation had improved in other parts of the province while efforts were being made to improve law and order in the southern districts of KP. As the country moves towards a crucial general election, set to take place on February 8, the military has been busy conducting operations against terror outfits and terrorists, particularly in KP. Last week, four terrorists were killed by security forces in two operations in the province during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted in Mir Ali, North Waziristan district. It should be noted that the year 2023 saw as many as 586 terror attacks with 17% claimed by banned terror outfits such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Daesh, and others. Meanwhile, security forces conducted 197 operations against outlaws leaving 537-545 of them dead. Source:https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1148376-two-terror-attacks-in-lakki-marwat-foiled-by-police

A family home is blown up in an Israeli strike in Rafah killing an entire family of 12, including kids, as hundreds of Palestinians die and are wounded in overnight bombing. Citing “atrocities by the Zionist regime”, Iran vows to continue attacks after a series of missile attacks in Iraq and Syria. UN agencies appeal for “faster, safer” aid access to Gaza as the population faces famine and the rapid spread of disease. At least 24,285 people killed and more than 61,154 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attack stands at 1,139. Health ministry: Gaza death toll rises to 24,285 The number of Palestinians killed since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7 has risen to 24,285, the health ministry says. At least 61,154 others have been injured. According to the ministry, Israeli forces committed “15 massacres against families” in the Gaza Strip, killing 158 and injuring 320 others during the past 24 hours. Click here to share on social media Iraq summons its envoy in Tehran for consultations The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iraq has summoned its ambassador to Tehran back to Baghdad in response to Iran’s attacks on northern Erbil. The ambassador, Naseer Abdul Mohsen, has been summoned “for the purpose of consultations against the backdrop of the recent Iranian attacks on Erbil, which led to the fall of a number of martyrs and wounded”, it said. Iran’s foreign ministry had earlier said it respects Iraq’s territorial integrity, but would not hesitate to use its “legitimate and legal right” to act against those that threaten its national security. Click here to share on social media Advertisement AD 25m ago  (09:55 GMT) Israel putting ‘big impediments’ to Gaza aid: Jordan Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s foreign minister, says Israel is placing many hurdles to the entry of aid into Gaza that were worsening the dire situation of its residents. In comments made during a news conference with his Australian counterpart, Safadi said these obstacles resulted in only 10 percent of the total needs of more than two million Palestinians in Gaza under siege being covered. Click here to share on social media Qatari FM: No peace without ‘a real’ two-state solution Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed Abdulrahman Al Thani delivered a speech at Davos in Switzerland, saying “there is no magic formula to return to what was before October 7 without a real solution – the two-state solution”. He also said: Ending the war, releasing Palestinian hostages and prisoners, as well as the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank must be quickly addressed. Israel’s occupation of the West Bank is as bad as its invasion of Gaza, and there is no real reaction from the international community to resolve it. There are politicians who believe the situation in Gaza can be ignored, and the global response to the war is extremely disappointing to nations of the Middle East. Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani [Salim Matrmkot/AFP] Click here to share on social media Iran attack: Two dozen missiles launched from 3 locations The Revolutionary Guard released a video detailing scenes minutes after its attacks on Iraq and Syria. Amirali Hajizadeh, chief commander of the aerospace division of the elite force, directs the launches in footage released by the IRGC-linked Fars news website. Hajizadeh says the attack on a “Zionist base” in northern Iraq was carried out using four ballistic missiles launched from Kermanshah and seven from East Azerbaijan, both provinces bordering Iraq. Four missiles were launched from Khuzestan, also bordering Iraq, to hit an ISIL-linked target in Syria’s Idlib province. In the video, Hajizadeh says nine more missiles will target a second armed group within hours in Syria. The missile launch on Syria was the Guard’s longest ever. The missile used was identified as a Kheibar Shekan, a longer-range variant of the Fateh-110 solid-propellant ballistic missile unveiled in February 2022. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visits ballistic missile launch sites last August [Handout/Iran’s Presidency/West Asia News Agency via Reuters] Click here to share on social media Another 35 Palestinians detained in latest West Bank raids According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli forces arrested: 16 people in Hebron Six, including two former prisoners, in Jenin Two in Qalqilya 11, including one minor, in Ramallah In total, Israel has detained more than 5,800 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 7. Source:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/1/16/israels-war-on-gaza-live-at-least-132-killed-in-gaza-in-last-24-hours Click here to share on social media

Islamabad’s first anti-rape crisis cell (ARCC) was established at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Monday to provide timely response and expedite justice for victims of sexual violence. The cell was set up by the ministries of health and law and justice with support from the UK government, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Legal Aid Society. According to a press release issued by the law ministry, the inauguration of the ARCC came as a part of the implementation of the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021, which necessitated the establishment of anti-rape cells across districts to provide survivors with access to multiple services including the registration of first information reports (FIR), collection of evidence and a medical examination within six hours. “Survivors of sexual violence suffer tremendously from physical impacts emotional trauma and even social stigmatization. Therefore, confidential and quick medico-legal services must be available to help them receive justice and hope,” it said. “This ARCC will be helpful in addressing the critical issues of gender-based violence,” the press release quoted Raja Naeem Akbar, secretary of the law ministry, as saying. “We are working, through the Special Committee on Anti-Rape Law and National Commission on Rights of Child, with all provinces to ensure that similar Anti-Rape Crisis Cells are established and are fully functional across Pakistan to ensure timely and effective assistance to survivors of rape,” he added. Meanwhile, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination Secretary Iftikhar Ali Shallwani noted that the need for a 24/7 helpline or app was suggested as a means for survivors to access the services provided, particularly in light of the stigma attached to speaking up about rape. He also emphasised the need for self-defence training for girls in schools. Ayesha Raza Farooq, the chairperson for the Special Committee on Anti-Rape Law and National Commission on Rights of Child, stated that the government’s goal was to allow every citizen, especially women, to claim public spaces and travel on public routes without any fear of sexual violence. Separately, UNFPA representative Dr Luay Shabaneh termed rape “an ugly crime” and a crisis that warranted a “collective response”. “I hope this Anti-Rape Crises Cell will be the first building brick based on the Sexual Violence Response Framework and will be expanded throughout the country,” he said. Speaking at the inauguration, Pims Executive Director Dr Rana Imran Sikandar asserted that rape cases would be addressed through a holistic approach and with respect, care and confidentiality throughout the medical examination. According to a report published by Sahil — a non-profit organisation — last year, 12 children on average were subjected to sexual abuse every day in Pakistan from January to June 2023. It stated that in 2023, the total number of abuse victims was 2,227, of which more than half (54 per cent) were girls. The number of boys abused had risen to 1,020. Meanwhile, a policy brief released by the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on March 8, 2023, said that around 63,000 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) had been reported in Pakistan over the past three years. The NCHR, quoting Ministry of Human Rights data, said 80pc of these cases were related to domestic violence, while some 47pc pertained to domestic rape, wherein married women experienced sexual abuse. The data was based on reported cases; the actual number is feared to be much higher. Source:https://www.dawn.com/news/1806051/islamabads-first-anti-rape-crisis-cell-set-up-at-pims