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Israeli drone strike in West Bank kills three Palestinians, officials say

Israeli drone strike in West Bank kills three Palestinians, officials say
A Palestinian man pushes his bike amid the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli air strikes in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 24, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 25 October 2023
Reuters
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Israeli drone strike in West Bank kills three Palestinians, officials say

Israeli drone strike in West Bank kills three Palestinians, officials say
Updated 25 October 2023
Reuters
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RAMALLAH: Israeli forces on an overnight raid in the occupied West Bank came under fire by a group of Palestinians whom the military then hit with a drone, the Israeli military said on Wednesday, and Palestinian officials said three people were killed.

The military said armed Palestinians “fired and hurled explosive devices” at its forces in Jenin refugee camp, in the northern West Bank. The military then struck them with a drone, and “hits were identified,” it added.

The drone fired at least two projectiles, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency WAFA reported, citing sources in the camp.

Three people were killed and more than 20 others injured, WAFA reported, citing Wissam Bakr, director of Jenin Governmental Hospital.

The drone attack was at least the third use of Israeli air power in the West Bank since violence in the territory surged after Hamas’ Oct. 7 armed rampage in southern Israel.

Jenin refugee camp, a Palestinian militant stronghold, was the focus of a major Israeli military operation earlier this year. 

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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE among world’s safest countries: Gallup report

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE among world’s safest countries: Gallup report
Updated 7 min 8 sec ago
Arab News
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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE among world’s safest countries: Gallup report

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE among world’s safest countries: Gallup report
  • High levels of security reported in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and even Bahrain are mainly due to economic porosperity and strong rule of law
Updated 7 min 8 sec ago
Arab News

LONDON: A majority of people in the three Arab countries of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE reported feeling safe in their local areas even during late hours, according to Gallup’s latest global safety survey.

The Global Safety Report, published by the polling organization Gallup on Sep. 24, revealed that in 2023, Kuwait ranked highest in public safety, with an astounding 99 percent of respondents saying they felt safe walking alone at night in their cities or residential neighborhoods.

Similarly, respondents from Saudi Arabia and the UAE also reported high levels of safety, with 92 percent and 90 percent, respectively, feeling secure in their local areas. Bahrain lagged slightly behind, at 87 percent.

The Gallup survey targeted samples of adults aged 15 and older across 140 countries and areas.

According to the report, the high levels of security reported in the three Gulf Cooperation Council countries are primarily attributed to economic prosperity and strict law enforcement.

Kuwait also ranked highest in the Law and Order index, scoring an impressive 98 out of 100 in 2023 and maintaining its position as one of the safest countries in the world since 2019, as per Gallup’s annual safety report.

As few as 4 percent of surveyed adults in Kuwait reported experiences with assault and 1 percent with theft. However, the poll did not ask the country’s residents about their confidence in the police.

Globally, 70 percent of adults felt safe during late hours in their areas in 2023, with 74 percent of respondents from the Middle East and North Africa reporting the same about their areas.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia was ranked the safest G20 country for solo female travelers, with the western city Madinah receiving the highest rating worldwide by InsureMyTrip for the third year in a row.

Topics: Gallup safety report

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Pakistan condemns Israeli aggression against Lebanon after airstrikes kill over 500

Pakistan condemns Israeli aggression against Lebanon after airstrikes kill over 500
Updated 13 min 53 sec ago
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Pakistan condemns Israeli aggression against Lebanon after airstrikes kill over 500

Pakistan condemns Israeli aggression against Lebanon after airstrikes kill over 500
  • The Israeli military carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah on Monday which Lebanese authorities said killed 558 people
  • Pakistan calls on international community to take urgent steps to hold Israel to account for ‘alarming adventurism’ in region
Updated 13 min 53 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday condemned Israel’s latest military actions against Lebanon, its foreign office said, a day after Israeli airstrikes killed more than 500 people.
After nearly 12 months of war against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza on its southern border, Israel is shifting its focus to the northern frontier, where Hezbollah has been firing rockets into Israel in support of Hamas.
The Israeli military carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah on Monday which Lebanese authorities said killed 558 people, including 50 children and 94 women. A further 1,835 were wounded, they said, and tens of thousands more have fled for safety.
“This act of aggression against the Republic of Lebanon is a grave violation of the UN Charter and international law,” Pakistan’ foreign office said in a statement. “It is a dangerous escalation that has further endangered peace and security in an already volatile region.”
The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has raised fears that the United States, Israel’s close ally, and regional power Iran, which has proxies across the Middle East — Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis and armed groups in Iraq — will be sucked into a wider war.
Hezbollah last week suffered heavy losses when thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by its members exploded in the worst security breach in its history.
Pakistan stood in solidarity with the people of Lebanon and for their right to live in peace and security, the foreign office said, reaffirming Islamabad’s full support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We call upon the international community to take urgent steps to hold Israel to account for its alarming adventurism in the region and its acts of aggression and genocide,” it added.

Topics: Lebanon Israel

Pakistan election regulator indecisive over allocation of reserved seats to ex-PM Khan party

Pakistan election regulator indecisive over allocation of reserved seats to ex-PM Khan party
Updated 48 min 16 sec ago
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Pakistan election regulator indecisive over allocation of reserved seats to ex-PM Khan party

Pakistan election regulator indecisive over allocation of reserved seats to ex-PM Khan party
  • In its detailed verdict, the top court observed election commission’s denial of recognition to Khan’s party infringed upon electorate’s rights
  • Legal experts urge the election commission to ‘side with the constitution’ and implement the ruling to allocate reserved seats to the PTI party
Updated 48 min 16 sec ago
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s election regulator has yet to decide about the allocation of reserved seats to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, ana election official said on Tuesday, despite the issuance of a detailed judgment by the Supreme Court on the subject.
The Supreme Court on July 12 declared Khan’s PTI party eligible for allocation of reserved parliamentary seats, months after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) forced the PTI candidates to contest the February 8 national election as independents. The ECP took the decision after the PTI lost its election symbol in the wake of a prolonged legal battle for not holding proper intra-party polls. Subsequently, the election body refused reserved seats to the PTI on technical grounds, saying they were only meant for political parties and not for independent candidates.
The Supreme Court overturned the ECP’s decision and said it had misconstrued an earlier verdict relating to election symbols by depriving the PTI of reserved seats. Instead of giving the seats to the party, however, the election body filed a petition to seek guidance on the matter and questioned the validity of the party’s organizational structure under the circumstances. The detailed judgment by the Supreme Court clarified that a party’s constitutional right to participate in elections was not impacted by the absence of an electoral symbol.
“The ECP held a sixth meeting at its headquarters in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss the matter that remained inconclusive,” an ECP official told Arab News on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to media. “The ECP will have another meeting tomorrow [Wednesday] to reach a conclusion over the allocation of the reserved seats.”
The official said the ECP was consulting its legal team on the detailed judgment of the Supreme Court and the Elections Act that the ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, amended to bar independent lawmakers from joining a political party after a stipulated period. The National Assembly speaker and the Punjab Assembly have written separate letters to the ECP urging it to follow the parliamentary law over the Supreme Court ruling on the reserved seats.
“It is a complex issue and that’s why the election commission is taking into consideration all possible aspects of the constitution, laws and the court ruling before deciding on the matter,” the official said.
Legal experts have urged the election regulator to “side with the constitution” instead of the ruling coalition and implement the Supreme Court’s majority verdict that ordered allocation of reserved seats to the PTI in the National Assembly and all four provincial assemblies.
Justice (retired) Nasira Iqbal said the election regulator should have implemented the court’s short order shortly after it was announced on July 12 to avert speculations and conspiracies on the matter.
“The election commission is setting dangerous precedents by trying to frustrate the Supreme Court rulings through different delaying tactics,” she told Arab News. “The election commission should side with the constitution instead of trying to become a party in this matter.”
“The ruling coalition has taken a position over the constitutional matter and they want the fulfilment of their desire by getting the reserved seats,” Amanullah Kanrani, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, told Arab News.
He urged the ECP to follow the constitution and allocate the reserved seats to the PTI as per the court ruling. “We expect the ECP to act independently and follow the constitution to avert a new crisis,” Kanrani added.
Speaking about possible consequences for the ECP if it failed to implement the majority judgment, Kanrani said the top court bench could initiate contempt proceedings against the chief election commissioner and other members.

Topics: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Election Commission of Pakistan

Pakistan’s army chief vows support for police during South Waziristan visit

Pakistan’s army chief vows support for police during South Waziristan visit
Updated 24 September 2024
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Pakistan’s army chief vows support for police during South Waziristan visit

Pakistan’s army chief vows support for police during South Waziristan visit
  • General Asim Munir received a briefing on security situation and development initiatives in the region
  • He applauded the ‘pivotal role’ of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s residents in helping maintain the area’s peace
Updated 24 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir applauded the role of security forces and law enforcement agencies during his visit to Wana in South Waziristan district on Tuesday, saying the army would provide technical assistance to the province’s police for capacity building.
Militant factions operating in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, where South Waziristan is located, have targeted the police in recent months, leading to protests by law enforcement personnel against these killings.
The area’s security has mostly been dominated by the army, which has been fighting proscribed militant factions like Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban for about two decades, with the police seeking greater government support to empower them to deal with extremist violence.
The army chief received a comprehensive briefing on the prevailing security situation, ongoing counterterrorism operations and development initiatives in the northwestern region.
“COAS paid heartfelt tribute to the security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) who have made ultimate sacrifices in the line of duty,” the army media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement. “He emphasized that Pakistan Army will continue to provide steadfast support and technical assistance to LEAs, particularly KPK Police, to enhance their capacity.”
The army chief acknowledged the “pivotal role” of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in maintaining peace and advancing various projects under the South Waziristan Integrated Development Plan.
He also expressed gratitude for the support of tribal elders in Wana who helped combat militancy and provided unwavering backing to the army.

Topics: General Asim Munir

Saudi Arabia joins anti-corruption meeting in Beijing

Saudi Arabia joins anti-corruption meeting in Beijing
Updated 24 September 2024
Arab News
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Saudi Arabia joins anti-corruption meeting in Beijing

Saudi Arabia joins anti-corruption meeting in Beijing
  • Mazin Al-Kahmous thanked China for hosting the event, highlighting the network’s efforts to tackle evolving corruption crimes
  • Al-Kahmous emphasized Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enhancing cooperation against transnational corruption, pursuing corrupt individuals, and tracking illicit funds
Updated 24 September 2024
Arab News

RIYADH: A Saudi delegation led by Mazin Al-Kahmous, president of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, is participating in the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities plenary meeting in Beijing, China, from Sept. 24 to 27.

At the meeting, Al-Kahmous thanked China for hosting the event, highlighting the network’s efforts to tackle evolving corruption crimes, including money laundering and the illicit use of virtual currency.

He emphasized Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enhancing cooperation against transnational corruption, pursuing corrupt individuals, and tracking illicit funds.

Al-Kahmous noted the authority’s benefits from the GlobE Network in collaborating with counterparts and exchanging information on suspected entities.

The GlobE Network, launched by Saudi Arabia during the 2020 G20 Summit, was officially adopted by the UN on Dec. 17, 2021, at the ninth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption in Egypt.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the Kingdom’s role in establishing the network during the 2021 UN General Assembly special session against corruption.

Spain was appointed chair of the network’s steering committee, with Saudi Arabia serving as vice chair.

Over the past three years, 219 anti-corruption agencies and international organizations from more than 120 countries have joined the network, evidence of the initiative’s success.

Topics: Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) Mazin Al-Kahmous China

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