CEP Mentions
Belfast Telegraph: Senior Tory Adviser From NI Quits Party Over Sunak’s ‘Stupid’ Decision To Leave D-Day Commemoration
“A Northern Irish man who is a leading adviser to Michael Gove has quit the Conservative party over Rishi Sunak’s “cynical” decision to leave D-Day commemorations early. Ian Acheson, who has advised the communities secretary on extremism, said the Prime Minister’s choice to leave for an election TV interview was a “colossal act of disrespect” to the war veterans at what could be the last event they attend. In his newly-published book, Screwed, Ian Acheson lifts the lid on the “appalling state” of His Majesty’s Prison Service by highlighting a catalogue of failings which he claims has caused the system to crumble into “lethal disarray”. The ex-prison officer, who’s from Enniskillen, rose through the ranks to become governor within just 10 years and was tasked with conducting an independent review of Islamism in jails in 2016. The Telegraph has reported that in his resignation letter Mr Acheson said: “It was an act of either colossal stupidity or cynical calculation.”
United States
Associated Press: Blinken Returns To Mideast As Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Proposal Hangs In Balance After Hostage Rescue
“U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the Middle East this week as a proposed Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal hangs in the balance after the dramatic rescue of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza in a major military raid and turmoil in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. With no firm response yet from Hamas to the proposal received 10 days ago, Blinken on Monday will start his eighth diplomatic mission to the region since the conflict began in October. He will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo before traveling to Israel, Jordan and Qatar. While President Joe Biden, Blinken and other U.S. officials have praised the hostage rescue, the operation resulted in the deaths of a large number of Palestinian civilians that may complicate the cease-fire push by emboldening Israel and hardening Hamas’ resolve to carry on fighting in the war it initiated with its Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.”
Reuters: Biden, Macron To Discuss Israel And Ukraine In Pomp-Filled State Visit
“Fresh from commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, French President Emmanuel Macron will host U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday for a state visit marked by pomp and a parade as well as talks on trade, Israel and Ukraine. The two men, who share a warm relationship despite past tensions over a submarine deal with Australia, will participate in a welcoming ceremony with their wives at the iconic Arc de Triomphe and a parade down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees before holding a meeting about policy issues and then attending dinner. Biden hosted Macron for a state visit at the White House in 2022. "France is ... our oldest and one of our deepest allies. And this will be an important moment to affirm that alliance and also look to the future and what we have to accomplish together," U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters earlier this week.”
Iran
Associated Press: Iran Helicopter Crash Shows Tehran’s Reliance On An Aging Fleet As Well As Its Challenges At Home
“By the time Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi boarded his window seat on a helicopter ferrying him, the foreign minister and six others, thick clouds already had begun forming around the mountaintops along the Azerbaijan-Iran border. Despite the worsening weather, the helicopter lifted off for a trip about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest to a new oil pipeline near Tabriz. Within an hour, the Bell 212 helicopter had crashed into a cloud-covered mountainside. While the cause of the May 19 crash remains unknown, the sudden death of the hard-line protégé of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei exposed the contradictions and challenges facing the country’s Shiite theocracy. The Iranian military investigators probing the crash have previously faced international criticism over their report on troops shooting down a Ukrainian airliner in 2020.”
Afghanistan
Voice Of America: UN Discusses 'Doha III' Meeting Agenda, Coordination With Taliban
“The United Nations informed Taliban leaders Friday that it is working to finalize the agenda for a crucial two-day international conference on Afghanistan, and it is aiming for it to be accepted by all sides. Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul and discussed the matter, Muttaqi’s office said in a post-meeting statement. The two sides “exchanged views on the detailed outlook and necessary coordination” for the June 30 U.N.-convened conference, which Doha, Qatar, will host. The gathering, referred to as "Doha III,” will be the third in Qatar’s capital on the subject since U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres initiated the process with special envoys on Afghanistan to promote an effective world approach to the Taliban-governed country, which is facing dire humanitarian, economic, and human rights crises.”
Pakistan
Voice Of America: Roadside Bomb In Northwestern Pakistan Kills 7 Soldiers
“Pakistani authorities said Sunday that a bomb blast targeted a military convoy in a militancy-hit northwestern region, killing at least seven soldiers. The bombing in Lucky Marwat district was followed by a militant gunfire attack, and an army captain was among the slain soldiers, a security official told VOA on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The Pakistani military’s media wing later released a formal statement confirming the deadly ambush, saying an improvised explosive device exploded near one of the convoy vehicles. “Sanitization of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists present in the area, and perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice,” the military stated. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing. Lucky Marwat and surrounding districts of the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, have routinely witnessed insurgent bomb attacks and guerrilla raids against military and police forces in recent years.”
Yemen
Associated Press: Missile Attacks By Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Strike 2 Ships In The Gulf Of Aden, US Military Says
“Missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck two ships in the Gulf of Aden, authorities said Sunday, the latest assaults on shipping in the region. One anti-ship ballistic cruise missile hit the Antigua- and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship Norderney forward station late Saturday, starting a fire that those on board put out, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. It added that a second anti-ship cruise missile also hit the Norderney. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center similarly reported the attack and fire in the same area off Aden, saying “damage control is underway.” Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack in a prerecorded video message Sunday, saying the vessel had been targeted with both missiles and drones. Tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Norderney was still in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday afternoon.”
BBC: UN Confirms 11 Staff Detained By Houthis In Yemen
“The employees were taken in various parts of the conflict-torn country, in what appears to be a co-ordinated crackdown. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the world body was pursuing all available channels to secure their safe and unconditional release as rapidly as possible. The armed group sees itself as part of an Iranian-led "axis of resistance" against Israel, the US and the wider West, and has declared its support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have been targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, triggering retaliatory air strikes by the US and its allies. Several employees of other international organisations were also detained, reports quoting officials from Yemen's internationally recognised government said. Phones and computers were seized during the raids on the workers' homes and offices, which come after months of Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.”
Reuters: Yemen's Houthis Say They Targeted Two Vessels In The Red Sea
“Yemen's Houthis on Friday said they targeted two vessels in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, but there was no independent confirmation of the purported attacks. The group targeted the Elbella and AAL GENOA vessels with "a number of drones and ballistic and naval missiles", the Iran-aligned group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised speech. Saree did not specify the date on which the strikes were carried out. Reuters did not receive any reports of incidents in the Red Sea on Friday. Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, manager of the Malta-flagged Elbella container ship, declined comment. Reuters was not immediately able to reach the owner or manager for the Cyprus-flagged AAL Genoa general cargo vessel. Separately, the U.S. Central Command said on Friday that Houthis launched in the past 24 hours four anti-ship ballistic missiles over the Red Sea, but there were no injuries or damage.”
Lebanon
Reuters: Hezbollah Says It Fired Falaq 2 Rockets At Israel For First Time
“Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Saturday it had fired a salvo of Falaq 2 rockets at a military command centre in northern Israel. A security source told Reuters it was the first time the group had used this type of rocket, after firing the Falaq 1 on dozens of previous occasions.”
Qatar
The Wall Street Journal: Biden Enlisted Qatar And Egypt To Pressure Hamas. It Backfired.
“Qatar and Egypt have told Hamas leaders in recent days that they face possible arrest, freezing of their assets, sanctions and expulsion from their haven in Doha if they don’t agree to a cease-fire with Israel, officials familiar with the talks said. The threats were made at the behest of the Biden administration, which is searching for a way to cajole a U.S.-designated terrorist group into striking a deal that the president needs amid a political maelstrom over the war. It had the opposite of the desired effect. On Thursday, after the threats were made, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the group’s political bureau in exile in Qatar, said he wouldn’t agree on a deal that doesn’t meet the group’s conditions. Bearing a message from the group’s most important leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, Haniyeh said the current proposal—broached by President Biden himself in a news conference a week ago—is unacceptable for Hamas because, in the group’s eyes, it doesn’t guarantee an end to the war.”
Middle East
Associated Press: UN Food Agency Pauses Its Aid Work At US Pier In Gaza Over Security Concerns, In Latest Setback
“The director of the U.N. World Food Program said Sunday the program has “paused” its distribution of humanitarian aid from an American-built pier off Gaza, saying she was “concerned about the safety of our people” after what had been one of the deadliest days of the war there. Saturday saw both an Israeli military assault that freed four hostages but left 274 Palestinians and one Israeli commando dead, and, Cindy McCain said, two of WFP’s warehouses in Gaza had been “rocketed” and a staffer injured. Sunday’s U.N. announcement of the pause appears the latest setback for the U.S. sea route, set up to try to bring more aid to Gaza’s starving people. The U.S. Agency for International Development described the pause as a step to allow for a security review by the humanitarian community in Gaza. USAID works with the World Food Program and their humanitarian partners in Gaza to distribute food and other aid coming from the U.S.-operated pier.”
Reuters: Hamas Official Urges US To Pressure Israel To End Gaza War
“A senior Hamas official urged the United States on Monday to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza, ahead of the planned visit on Monday by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the region to push forward ceasefire efforts. Blinken is set to visit Egypt and Israel on Monday. He also aims to ensure the war does not expand into Lebanon. "We call upon the U.S. administration to put pressure on the occupation to stop the war on Gaza and the Hamas movement is ready to deal positively with any initiative that secures an end to the war," senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said. In his eighth visit to the region since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, triggering the bloodiest episode in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Blinken is also set to travel to Jordan and Qatar this week.”
Africa
Associated Press: Sudan’s Notorious Paramilitary Group Loots A Darfur Hospital, Aid Group Says
“The notorious Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group, fighting Sudan’s military for over a year, fired shots and looted a health facility in the western region of Darfur, forcing its closure, an international aid group said. The RSF, attacked the South Hospital in al-Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur province on Sunday, opening fire on medical staff and patients, Doctors Without Borders said in a statement. This came as the group intensified its offensive to try and wrest control of the city, the military’s last stronghold in the sprawling Darfur region. Two weeks of fighting last month in and around al-Fasher has killed more than 120 people. Meanwhile, the military has allied itself with rebel groups and formed a joint force to retain control of the city, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people have taken shelter since the conflict began.”
BBC: Dozens Killed By Suspected DR Congo Rebels In Spate Of Attacks
“At least 45 civilians have been killed in a spate of attacks over the past week across the Democratic Republic of Congo's troubled North Kivu province. Decades of fighting between armed groups over lucrative gold and mineral deposits has devastated the region, forcing millions from their homes. The Congolese government has not confirmed who was responsible for this week's killings, but multiple local sources say Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were to blame. The attackers targeted several villages in the region surrounding the city of Beni, to which many people have since fled. Reports suggest that the worst-hit district was Mamove, where a number of homes were also torched and motorbikes were stolen. "The [death] toll could rise as the search continues, the population is fleeing and heading towards supposedly secure areas," Leon Siviwe, an administrative leader in Beni, told the AFP news agency on Wednesday.”
United Kingdom
Associated Press: Appeals Court Upholds Conviction Of British National Linked To Islamic State
“A federal appeals court upheld the conviction Friday of a British national for his role in a hostage-taking scheme by the Islamic State group that took roughly two dozen Westerners captive a decade ago. El Shafee Elsheikh was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2022 in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. His jury trial established that he was one he was one of the notorious “Beatles,” captors nicknamed for their accents and known for torturing and beating prisoners. Elsheikh appealed his conviction. He argued that confessions he gave in media interviews after his capture in 2018 should have been tossed out of court. He alleged that the Kurdish-led Syrian Defense Forces tortured him and forced him to conduct the interviews. Elsheikh’s lawyers also argued that FBI interviews of him while he was in foreign custody violated his constitutional rights.”
France
Reuters: France, US Intensify Efforts To Prevent Middle East Explosion, Macron Says
“France and the United States will work harder to prevent a broader escalation in the Middle East with a key priority to calm the situation between Israel and Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday. "We are redoubling efforts together to avoid a regional explosion, particularly in Lebanon," Macron said in a joint statement with Joe Biden during the U.S. President's state visit to France. Macron added that the sides were working on "advancing parameters" to reduce tensions and end an institutional vacuum in Lebanon. France and the United States have in recent months worked to try to defuse tensions with Paris submitting written proposals to both sides aimed at stopping worsening exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah on the border. The United States has also worked on the issue, but diplomats have said there have been problems in coordinating efforts.”
Associated Press: A Russian-Ukrainian Man Is Suspected Of Plotting A Terrorist Bombing In France
“A Russian-Ukrainian citizen was given preliminary terrorism charges Friday in France and accused of plotting a bombing, prosecutors said. The 26-year-old man was detained in a hotel north of Paris on Monday, and investigators are searching for possible accomplices, the national counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said in a statement. The arrest came the day before U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in France, and three days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in France. Both were in the country for commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings and meetings with the French president. It was unclear whether the alleged plot was linked to the the war in Ukraine. Relations between Russia and France have become increasingly tense in recent months over the conflict. Prosecutors said the suspect suffered serious burn injuries after an explosive device detonated in his hotel room, and was treated for his injuries before being handed over to France’s domestic intelligence agency for questioning.”
Europe
Associated Press: Pope Francis Appeals For Urgent Humanitarian Aid For Gaza And Backs Cease-Fire Proposals
“Pope Francis called Sunday for humanitarian aid to urgently reach Palestinians in Gaza and for Israel and Hamas to immediately accept proposals for a cease-fire and release of hostages. During his Sunday noon blessing, Francis also thanked Jordan, which this week will host an international humanitarian aid conference for Palestinians. “I encourage the international community to act urgently, with all means, to come to the aid of the people of Gaza, worn out by the war,” he said. “Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need, and no one can impede it.” He recalled that Saturday marked the 10-year anniversary of a peace prayer he hosted in the Vatican gardens, attended by then-Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. “This meeting showed that shaking hands is possible, and that to make peace, you need courage — much more courage than to make war,” he said.”
Southeast Asia
The Times Of India: Terrorist Attack On Pilgrims In J&K's Reasi: What We Know So Far
“In a tragic incident, at least ten pilgrims lost their lives, and more than 30 sustained injuries when their bus veered off the road and fell into a gorge after being ambushed by terrorists near Teryath village in J&K's Reasi district on Sunday. Here is what we know so far about the terrorist attack: Attack on pilgrims The bus was on its way back from the Shiv Khori cave shrine to Katra, a town famous for the Vaishno Devi temple, traveling along a link road of NH144A that passes through dense forests and hilly terrain. Residents and authorities carried out rescue efforts, while security forces, including police, Army, and CRPF personnel, launched a search operation to apprehend the attackers. The area, situated 100km northwest of Jammu, has been sealed off. According to Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma, the terrorists were waiting for the bus. The driver was hit by gunfire, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. Bullet shells were discovered from the site.”
The Times Of India: Suspected Militants Ambush Manipur CM's Advance Security Convoy, One Injured
“Suspected militants on Monday ambushed security convoy of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in Kangpokpi district. According to the police, one securrity oersonnel was injured when the convoy was on its way to violence-hit Jiribam district. Multiple gunshots were directed at the chief minister's convoy, prompting a retaliation from the security forces.The shoout is still ongoing near Kotlen village along a section of National Highway-53. "CM Biren Singh, who is yet to reach Imphal from Delhi, was planning to visit Jiribam to take stock of the situation in the district," an official told This comes days after two police outposts, a forest beat office and at least 70 houses were torched in Jiribam district by the suspected militants. SP Cachar district, Numal Mahatta said, “We have heightened security along the bordering areas following the violence that erupted in Manipur's Jiribam area 4 days ago. We have deployed security personnel and special commando forces and they are patrolling all the bordering areas.”
Associated Press: India Investigates Attack By Suspected Militants In Kashmir That Killed 9 On Hindu Pilgrimage
“India is investigating an attack in which suspected militants fired at a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing nine and injuring 33, officials said Monday. The attack caused the vehicle to fall into a deep gorge Sunday in Jammu province’s Reasi district. The bus was carrying pilgrims to the base camp of the famed Hindu temple Mata Vaishno Devi. A team from the National Investigation Agency has reached the site of the attack, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. Security forces also were trying to track down those suspected to be responsible. Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Gov. Manoj Sinha announced compensation of $11,975 each for families of those killed, as well as nearly $600 to those who were injured. Federal minister Amit Shah said Sunday he was in touch with Sinha and the local administration was providing speedy medical attention. “The culprits of this dastardly attack will not be spared and will face the wrath of the law,” he posted on social media platform X.”
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