Hamza Bin Laden 'killed in air strike'



International Desk, Barta24.com
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The United States believes that Hamza bin Laden, a son of slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and himself a notable figure in the militant group, is dead, a US official said on Wednesday.

The US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, provided no further details, including when Hamza died or where.

President Donald Trump earlier on Wednesday declined to comment after NBC News first reported the US assessment. Asked if he had intelligence that bin Laden’s son had been killed, Trump told reporters: “I don’t want to comment on it.”

Separately, the White House declined comment on whether any announcement was imminent.

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Hamza, believed to be about 30 years old, was at his father’s side in Afghanistan before the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and spent time with him in Pakistan after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan pushed much of al Qaeda’s senior leadership there, according to the Brookings Institution.

Osama bin Laden was killed by US special forces who raided his compound in Pakistan in 2011. Hamza was thought to be under house arrest in Iran at the time, and documents recovered from the compound indicated that aides had been trying to reunite him with his father.

The New York Times reported that the United States had a role in the operation that led to Hamza’s death, which it said took place in the past two years. Reuters could not immediately verify those details.

Still, the US government's conclusion appears to be a recent one. In February, the State Department said it was offering here a reward of up to $1 million (822,571.36 pounds) for information leading "to the identification or location in any country" of Hamza, calling him a key al Qaeda leader.

Introduced by al Qaeda’s chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in an audio message in 2015, Hamza provided a younger voice for the group whose aging leaders have struggled to inspire militants around the world galvanized by Islamic State, according to analysts.

Hamza has called for acts of terrorism in Western capitals and threatened to take revenge against the United States for his father’s killing, the US State Department said in 2017 when it designated him as a global terrorist.

He also threatened to target Americans abroad and urged tribal groups in Saudi Arabia to unite with Yemen’s al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to fight against Saudi Arabia, it said.

Source: Reuters

   

Turkey stopped trade with Israel over the Gaza issue



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Turkey has stopped all trade with the illegal occupier Israel due to the Gaza war.

The British media BBC reported on Thursday (May 2) about the Turkish Ministry of Commerce.

The trade embargo will remain in effect until Israel allows uninterrupted and adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza, the Turkish trade ministry said.

According to the BBC, the trade between Israel and Turkey is about 7 billion US dollars in 2023.

Israel's foreign minister accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of treating him like a dictator in announcing the trade freeze.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on social media that Erdogan is violating international trade agreements by ignoring the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen.

Israel's foreign minister has instructed government agencies to import goods from other countries and produce goods locally as an alternative to Turkey's trade freeze.

He wrote, I have directed the IMF Director General to immediately start working with the concerned parties to find trade options with Turkey. I also asked him for local production and import of products from other countries. Israel will emerge as a powerful and formidable economy. They lose we win.

In 1949, Turkey was the first Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel. But relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent times.

In 2010, Turkey cut diplomatic ties with Israel after ten pro-Palestinian Turkish activists were killed in clashes with Israeli commandos.

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Americans have right to protest, not violence: Biden



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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US President Joe Biden has said that Americans have the right to protest, but not the right to spread violence.

The US president made this comment at a press conference at the White House on Thursday (May 02) amid growing political pressure on anti-Israel protests and clashes at universities in the United States over the Gaza issue.

Biden said that everyone has the right to protest, but no one has the right to cause chaos.

Recently, pro-Palestinians have been protesting in various universities in the United States. A few university protests were dispersed by the police. Hundreds of students have been arrested. Many are criticizing the initiative of the Biden administration to deal with the situation. He was available for comment through a spokesperson until Thursday.

Biden, who is hoping to be re-elected next November, made very cautious comments. While rejecting anti-Semitism in his comments, he supported the right of young people to protest. He has taken such a stand to avoid political damage in the long run.

Both sides have valid points, Biden said. Peaceful dissent is important in a democracy. But violence will not be tolerated.

Biden said that everyone has the right to protest, but no one has the right to cause chaos.

He said, destruction of property is not a peaceful protest. It is against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing class cancellations – none of these are peaceful protests.

The US president said the US is not an authoritarian state that will silence critics. But discipline must be maintained.

Anti-Israel protests began two weeks ago at Columbia University. Later it spread to other universities in America. At least 30 universities currently have anti-Israel protests.

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Netanyahu in fear of ICC arrest



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Israel's attack on Gaza did not stop. The death procession is increasing every day under the orders of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli army is not paying attention to the ongoing movement around the world. On the other hand, Tel Aviv is listening to the calls of pro-Palestinian world leaders.

Killing, torture and destruction are being carried out indiscriminately in violation of international law. The blockaded area is being gradually completed, including women and children. On the other hand, the world is not able to do anything about such activities in Israel.

But now it is known that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue an arrest warrant against the Prime Minister of Israel.

This is what the country's local media reported on Saturday (April 27). According to The New Arab, citing unnamed sources, Maariv newspaper reported that Netanyahu is under stress and panic over the threat of an ICC arrest warrant.

Not only Netanyahu, but also some of his prominent officials may receive this arrest notice, according to reports in the Israeli media.

According to Israeli media reports, the names of the country's Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi will be included in the list. Senior government officials held an emergency meeting in Tel Aviv this week to discuss that possibility.

In the meantime, Netanyahu has spoken on the phone with international friends, especially US President Joe Biden, to prevent the arrest warrant. It is not clear when an arrest warrant may be issued, and it is not standard for courts to disclose such information.

But fears of an arrest warrant against Netanyahu were first aired on Thursday by British-pro-Israel commentator Douglas Murray in an opinion piece in the US tabloid New York Post.

A warrant could be issued within days, Murray wrote. Netanyahu will not immediately face trial. But it would be a major blow to the prime minister on the world stage and put pressure on Israel's allies and ICC members to act.

Earlier in an interview on Friday, Netanyahu wrote, "Israel's natural and self-defense rights are undermined, and this country will not accept any such efforts by the ICC under my leadership." Threats to seize military officers of the Middle East's only democracy and the world's only Jewish state are outrageous. We will never bow down to it.'

Senior Israeli officials are said to be concerned about what such a warrant would mean for military operations against Hamas in Gaza.

Israel's Channel 13 broadcaster quoted officials as saying they believed the tribunal would target policy makers rather than junior soldiers.

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20 soldiers were killed in an explosion at an army base in Cambodia



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An ammunition explosion at a military base on Cambodia's western border has killed 20 soldiers. Prime Minister Hun Manet said the explosion happened on Saturday afternoon.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Facebook that the explosion occurred at a military base in Kampong Speu province in western Cambodia.

He said, we are deeply shocked by this. However, the cause of the explosion is not yet known.

Expressing his condolences to the families of the slain soldiers, he said that the funeral expenses of the deceased would be paid.

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