Iran-Israel tensions: US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet 'holds ground' ahead of F-22 Raptor deployment in Middle East

 

Iran-Israel tensions: US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet 'holds ground' ahead of F-22 Raptor deployment in Middle East

As part of the Pentagon's efforts to protect American troops and help defend Israel against possible attacks by Iran and its proxies, a dozen F/A-18 fighter jets from the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt flew to a military base in the Middle East, a US. . the official told the media.

According to the official, the F/A-18 and an E-2D Hawkeye surveillance aircraft took off from the carrier in the Gulf of Oman on August 5 and arrived at an unidentified military base in the area.

The development comes after reports suggested that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln had gone to the Middle East to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which has been sailing in the region for some time.

Preparing for an attack, the US also said it was deploying additional naval warplanes, naval cruisers and destroyers that could shoot down incoming ballistic missiles. However, it is intriguing that the naval fighters are stationed at a land base, given that the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) already has fighter jets such as the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Warthogs. in the area. Additionally, the deployment of naval fighters comes as a dozen F-22 Raptors are said to be en route to the Middle East. These Raptors are said to be stationed at the same base where the Super Hornets are stationed, indicating that their deployment is likely to be temporary.

The official told the media that how long the plane will stay together at the base is unknown. It may depend on what happens in the next few days.

F/A-18 Super Hornets have already been deployed in the region to shoot down missiles fired by Houthi militias based in Yemen following Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza. The Super Hornets have also carried out numerous strikes against the Houthis alongside their British counterparts. In January, for example, F/A-18s from the USS Eisenhower and other ships shot down two anti-ship cruise missiles, a Houthi ballistic missile and 18 drones during a firefight. According to reports, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, now heading to the Middle East, is carrying EA-18 Growlers, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, F-35C Joint Strike Fighters, E-2D Hawkeye . reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft, MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopters, and C-2 Greyhound delivery aircraft.

The deployments come after President Joe Biden pledged last week "further US defensive military deployments" in the region, which was welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The United States is preparing for Iran to carry out its threat of retaliation for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas in Tehran, attributed to Israel. (U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd) Austin ordered adjustments to the U.S. military posture aimed at improving the protection of U.S. forces, increasing defense support for Israel, and ensuring U.S. readiness to respond to different emergency situations," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Following the deaths of former Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut last week, there have been concerns that Iran's retaliation could spark a wider regional conflict beyond Israel's war against to Hamas. Israel is suspected of being behind the two killings after months of bloody attacks in Gaza that have left nearly 40,000 Palestinians dead. Israel has also been embroiled in tensions with Iran and its ally in Lebanon, Hezbollah. This has led to speculation about the possibility of a regional war involving Iran and its proxies on one side and Israel and its Western allies on the other. Iranian officials have made it clear that they will get back. Nasser Kanaani, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the only way to ensure regional security is to "punish the aggressor and create a deterrent against the adventurism of the Zionist regime."

Trump thanks Kamala Harris for choosing a "smarter version of myself" as his running mate

 

Trump thanks Kamala Harris for choosing a "smarter version of myself" as his running mate

Donald Trump seems to have mixed feelings about Tim Walz, the new Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. The Republican leader called the choice "shocking" and "very insulting to everyone who wants security." He also thought Walz was a "smarter version" of Harris, who wanted to help America "go straight to communist."

"There's never been a ticket like this. It's a ticket that wants this country to turn communist immediately, if not sooner. "We don't want security, we don't want anything. "He is very interested in transgender people, he thinks that something transgender is great. And [Walz] is not where the country is in anything," he insisted on Fox and Friends.

The former US president told the show's hosts that Walz was a "smarter version of himself" and perhaps "bigger than Bernie Sanders." He first thanked Harris on social media for choosing him.

Meanwhile, Democrat Barack Obama shared a message of support for Walz, praising her experience and values. "Governor Walz not only has the experience to be vice president, he has the values ​​and integrity to make us proud. And as we saw last night, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz make a great team. Now, let's do it all what we can - volunteer, donate, organize - between now and November to help them get elected," he organized.

The Harris-Walz campaign made its joint debut at a rally in Philadelphia Tuesday night as Democrats seek to consolidate the "blue wall" states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The US vice president has already signaled that she will also run in the Sun Belt states that seem increasingly out of reach for President Joe Biden. His rise in the party and the fervor he created across racial and generational divisions forced the editors of both parties to redraw the battle lines of the campaign.

Waqf (Amendment) Bill to be introduced in Lok Sabha today: What are the proposed changes

 The Waqf Boards currently control 8.7 lakh properties covering 9.4 lakh hectares across India with an estimated value of Rs 1.2 lakh crore. The BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to introduce the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday to amend the Waqf Act, 1995 and amend the powers of the Waqf Board. The opposition parties vehemently opposed the bill and demanded that it be sent to the standing committee of the Parliament for consideration after its introduction.

It is possible that the Center will agree to refer the bill, which some Muslim organizations also oppose, to a parliamentary committee. The sources said that some parties, which supported the government's agenda, expressed reservations about the proposed legislation. What does the Waqf (Amendment) Bill propose?

The bill seeks to amend the law governing Waqf boards across the country and aims to represent Muslim women and non-Muslims in these bodies.    One of the major changes involves the introduction of the District Collector as an arbiter to determine whether it is a waqf property or public land. The bill proposes to replace the term "Waqf" with "Unified Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development of Waqf" and allows the collector to investigate and report on the status of the property, which can cancel previous decisions by the court Waqf. In addition, the project seeks to remove the concept of "waqf by use", which previously allowed the property to be considered waqf based only on its use, which now requires a formal deed of waqf for registration. Other changes include removing the requirement that the CEO of a Waqf board be from the Muslim community and introducing stricter auditing and reporting requirements. The project also emphasizes the preservation of digital records and proposes greater representation of women in Waqf boards, with the aim of improving transparency and inclusiveness in the management of Waqf properties. The amendment project has been in the works for the past few years, as the government has met with various stakeholders, including community members, eminent jurists and jurists.

Several prominent Dargah leaders met Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday to offer their support to the legislation.

Other key changes proposed by the Center include:

• Central Waqf Board and State Waqf Boards must have two women on their boards.

• The term Waqf should be clearly defined as a person who practices Islam for at least five years and owns such property.

• The bill also details the mutation process, in accordance with tax laws, before any property is registered as waqf property. The heritage of women must be protected and guaranteed.

• Registration of Waqf properties should be done through a central portal and database.

• The Bill proposes to reduce the annual contribution payable to the Council for 'mutawalli' of any Waqf having a net annual income of at least Rs 5,000 from seven to five percent.

• The structure of the court can be restructured with two members, in addition to the provision of appeal against the order of the court to the Supreme Court within a specific period of 90 days.

• Only practicing Muslims will be allowed to donate their property to the Waqf Board or Council. Also, only the legal owner can make this decision.

• The money received from the Waqf Board should be used for the welfare of widows, divorcees and orphans. These measures should be implemented in the manner suggested by the government.

What is Waqf?

Waqf refers to property dedicated exclusively to religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law. The Waqf Boards currently control 8.7 lakh properties covering 9.4 lakh hectares across India with an estimated value of Rs 1.2 lakh crore. This makes it the third largest employer in India after the Armed Forces and the Indian Railways. The Waqf Act, 1995 was enacted to regulate "auqaf" (property given and notified as Waqf) by a "wakif" (the person who dedicates the property). The legislation was last amended in 2013.

What is a waqf board? It is a legal entity capable of acquiring, holding and transferring property. Each state has a Waqf Board headed by a chairman, consisting of appointees of the state government, Muslim legislators, parliamentarians, members of the state bar, Muslim scholars and mutawali (managers) of waqfs whose annual income is Rs 1 lakh and above.

The voices of the opposition

The center faced strong protests from the opposition and Waqf councils across the country. The Tamil Nadu Council chief called the changes a ploy to "weaken" and "destabilize" these organizations. The All India Muslim Personal Law Council said no change in the law "will be tolerated". AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Center wanted to take away the autonomy of the Waqf Board by interfering in its functions.

"The BJP has opposed these Waqf boards and properties from the beginning and they have a Hindutva agenda. Now, if you make changes in the creation and composition of the Waqf Board, there will be administrative chaos, a loss of the 'autonomy of the Waqf Board and if the government's control increases over the Waqf Board, then the independence of the Waqf will be affected,' he said.

Congress MP Gourav Gogoi and Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay are among the opposition members who have demanded that the bill be sent to Parliament's standing committee for consideration after its introduction.

Asif Merchant, a Pakistani arrested for a plot to kill Donald Trump

Asif Merchant, a Pakistani arrested for a plot to kill Donald Trump

 

Who is Asif Merchant, a Pakistani arrested for a plot to kill Donald Trump?

The United States has accused a Pakistani man, believed to have ties to Iran, of trying to assassinate American politicians. Federal prosecutors say Asif Merchant, 46, orchestrated a plot to kill an unidentified politician or US government official on US soil.

The case prompted the US government to increase security for former US President Donald Trump and other officials. Although the criminal complaint does not explicitly name Trump, several sources told reporters that one of the intended targets of the alleged plot was Trump.

Who is Asif Merchant?

Asif Merchant, also known as "Asif Raza Merchant", is a 46-year-old Pakistani national. He has two wives, one in Pakistan and one in Iran, and children in both countries. According to his travel records, Asif frequently traveled to Iran, Syria and Iraq, the US Department of Justice said.

How Asif conspired

Court documents say the plot included several elements: stealing documents or USB drives from a target's home, planning protests and killing a politician or government official.

Asif Merchant invented code names for each plot element: "T-shirt" for the protests, "flannel shirt" for the theft of the documents, "fleece jacket" for the murder, and "Thread Dye" for their meetings.

To lure the first caller, who informed the authorities, Merchant told him that he had an uncle in the "yarn dye" business in Pakistan and he could do business with him. To carry out his plans, Asif Merchant hired people he thought were assassins, but who were actually secret agents. He asked a government source he believed to be a hitman to explain how the "target" would die in different scenarios.

How his plan failed

Asif Merchant's plan failed because he tried to recruit FBI agents for the murder.

He was arrested on July 12 as he was preparing to board a plane to leave the country.

In mid-June, Merchant met with the people he believed to be murdered. They were undercover American law enforcement agents in New York.

He told them he wanted them to steal documents, stage demonstrations at political events and kill a "political figure".

The plot should have been carried out after he left the country and they told him who was the target in the last week of August or the first week of September, Merchant told the agents. The merchant arranged the payment of $5,000 in cash as an advance for the assassination services and successfully made this payment on June 21.

After this transaction, he planned to leave the country on July 12, 2024, the day before the assassination of Donald Trump. However, law enforcement intervened and arrested him before he could leave, the court document says.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/Q0peW8n
August 07, 2024 at 03:28PM

Kamala Harris officially announces Tim Walz as her running mate, netizens say "it's a gift for Trump"

Kamala Harris officially announces Tim Walz as her running mate, netizens say "it's a gift for Trump"

 

Kamala Harris officially announces Tim Walz as her running mate, netizens say "it's a gift for Trump"

Vice President Kamala Harris has officially announced that she has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Vice President Kamala Harris has officially announced that she has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Harris made the announcement in an X-rated tweet shortly after CNN reported she had chosen Walz, according to sources. "Happy to announce that I have asked @Tim_Walz to be my running mate," Harris wrote in his post. She added: "It's great to have him on the team. Now we're going to work." Harris added a link where people can donate to the Harris-Walz campaign. CNN's John King previously reported that Harris may have chosen Walz as ’ and his running mate because of his “comfort level,” among other factors, and also because he thinks Walz would be a “good governance partner.” “We're in such uncharted territory at the end of the campaign , with Donald Trump's VP pick having a tougher showing. And so, if you saw, the governor "Walz impressed everyone," King said.

"It's a gift for Trump!" »

In Harris's post above, users criticized him for his choice. "You chose the most radical left possible! THANK YOU! You just made it even easier for us to fight. Walz is a gold mine of headlines and topics of discussion for us," wrote one user. "It's a gift for Trump!" THANK YOU,” one user joked, while another said: “You just gave Donald Trump the election. Thank you, Silver Throat!

via Blogger https://ift.tt/HoeEgKI
August 07, 2024 at 03:21PM

Asif Merchant, a Pakistani arrested for a plot to kill Donald Trump

 

Who is Asif Merchant, a Pakistani arrested for a plot to kill Donald Trump?

The United States has accused a Pakistani man, believed to have ties to Iran, of trying to assassinate American politicians. Federal prosecutors say Asif Merchant, 46, orchestrated a plot to kill an unidentified politician or US government official on US soil.

The case prompted the US government to increase security for former US President Donald Trump and other officials. Although the criminal complaint does not explicitly name Trump, several sources told reporters that one of the intended targets of the alleged plot was Trump.

Who is Asif Merchant?

Asif Merchant, also known as "Asif Raza Merchant", is a 46-year-old Pakistani national. He has two wives, one in Pakistan and one in Iran, and children in both countries. According to his travel records, Asif frequently traveled to Iran, Syria and Iraq, the US Department of Justice said.

How Asif conspired

Court documents say the plot included several elements: stealing documents or USB drives from a target's home, planning protests and killing a politician or government official.

Asif Merchant invented code names for each plot element: "T-shirt" for the protests, "flannel shirt" for the theft of the documents, "fleece jacket" for the murder, and "Thread Dye" for their meetings.

To lure the first caller, who informed the authorities, Merchant told him that he had an uncle in the "yarn dye" business in Pakistan and he could do business with him. To carry out his plans, Asif Merchant hired people he thought were assassins, but who were actually secret agents. He asked a government source he believed to be a hitman to explain how the "target" would die in different scenarios.

How his plan failed

Asif Merchant's plan failed because he tried to recruit FBI agents for the murder.

He was arrested on July 12 as he was preparing to board a plane to leave the country.

In mid-June, Merchant met with the people he believed to be murdered. They were undercover American law enforcement agents in New York.

He told them he wanted them to steal documents, stage demonstrations at political events and kill a "political figure".

The plot should have been carried out after he left the country and they told him who was the target in the last week of August or the first week of September, Merchant told the agents. The merchant arranged the payment of $5,000 in cash as an advance for the assassination services and successfully made this payment on June 21.

After this transaction, he planned to leave the country on July 12, 2024, the day before the assassination of Donald Trump. However, law enforcement intervened and arrested him before he could leave, the court document says.

Kamala Harris officially announces Tim Walz as her running mate, netizens say "it's a gift for Trump"

 

Kamala Harris officially announces Tim Walz as her running mate, netizens say "it's a gift for Trump"

Vice President Kamala Harris has officially announced that she has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Vice President Kamala Harris has officially announced that she has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Harris made the announcement in an X-rated tweet shortly after CNN reported she had chosen Walz, according to sources. "Happy to announce that I have asked @Tim_Walz to be my running mate," Harris wrote in his post. She added: "It's great to have him on the team. Now we're going to work." Harris added a link where people can donate to the Harris-Walz campaign. CNN's John King previously reported that Harris may have chosen Walz as ’ and his running mate because of his “comfort level,” among other factors, and also because he thinks Walz would be a “good governance partner.” “We're in such uncharted territory at the end of the campaign , with Donald Trump's VP pick having a tougher showing. And so, if you saw, the governor "Walz impressed everyone," King said.

"It's a gift for Trump!" »

In Harris's post above, users criticized him for his choice. "You chose the most radical left possible! THANK YOU! You just made it even easier for us to fight. Walz is a gold mine of headlines and topics of discussion for us," wrote one user. "It's a gift for Trump!" THANK YOU,” one user joked, while another said: “You just gave Donald Trump the election. Thank you, Silver Throat!