CEP Mentions
The Telegraph: Starmer Wants An ‘Activist State’ – The Risks Are Obvious
“... But the UK’s prisons crisis goes back far further than that. The prisons expert Ian Acheson says Sir Tony Blair was a misplaced enthusiast for “lock ’em up” and policies have lurched from one failed initiative to another. Lord Blunkett’s 2005 policy of indeterminate Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences – abandoned in 2012 – is still affecting 2,800 prisoners even though the former Home Secretary has himself said he regrets the way the policy was implemented. “We were surprised by how the judges interpreted it,” he told me. Twelve years on, and the problem of thousands of people languishing in jail with no prospect of release (one person has served 12 years for stealing a mobile phone) remains unresolved. Chris Grayling’s shambolic reorganisation of the probation service in 2014 was so ill-thought through it was abandoned again, still by the Tories. Theresa May’s “Prison Estate Transformation Programme” of 2016 promised 10,000 new jail places by 2020. A National Audit Office report of that year revealed it delivered 206.”
The Irish Times: ‘It’s Going To Be A Power Struggle’: The Irish Right-Wing Extremists Preparing For Violence
“Last month, a group of right-wing extremists, from Ireland, the US and continental Europe gathered online for a three-hour discussion on how to stop immigration into Ireland, by force or otherwise. These virtual meetings have become an almost daily ritual for the disparate group. Sometimes the meetings attract dozens of attendees but the conversation is usually dominated by a handful of voices. One of those voices belongs to the organiser of the meetings, a Tipperary man aged in his late 20s. During the meet on June 18th, he had a dark warning for the others. […] This appeal to angry keyboard warriors has yielded startling results worldwide. Extremism researchers have been taken aback by the growth of the active club movement. According to a recent report from the Counter Extremism Project, since its establishment in 2021, the network has grown to 104 known cells worldwide.”
United States
Fox News: Trump Shooter Thomas Crooks Was Likely ‘Acting Out A Fantasy’: Extremism Expert
“An expert in extremism and terrorism said that Thomas Matthew Crooks' assassination attempt on former President Trump was likely not politically motivated – instead, the 20-year-old was likely "acting out a fantasy," and seeking a target that would bring him "attention and fame." Jytte Klausen, a political science professor at Brandeis University, has studied terrorist networks and violent extremism for two decades, putting together a methodology for forensic biographies of perpetrators and radicalization trajectories. She is currently writing a book called "How to Become a Terrorist" that dives into incels, homegrown Islamists, neo-Nazis and other groups. "He wanted to become somebody – he wanted to make a mark," Klausen posited about Crooks, who unleashed the attack on Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. "He appears not to have been particularly politically motivated, I think, based on what we know about his search history… there's no sense he wanted to effect the election."”
Iraq
Bloomberg: Blackout-Hit Iraq Begins Importing Turkish Power With New Line
“An electricity-transmission line between Turkey and Iraq that’s been planned for 20 years began operating, potentially helping the oil-producing Arab nation tackle grueling power outages. The 115-kilometer (71-mile) line connects to a power station west of Mosul and will supply 300 megawatts to the northern provinces of Nineveh, Salahuddin and Kirkuk, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s office said Sunday in a statement. The project, delayed since 2004, is part of Iraq’s strategy to connect to neighboring grids and “integrate into the regional energy system, allowing for diversity and exchange under various peak load conditions,” it said. Even with its vast oil reserves, OPEC member Iraq remains heavily reliant on electricity and gas imports to keep its grid running, especially in summer when demand for cooling peaks. Neighboring Iran is a major supplier. The government has repeatedly said it needs to diversify its sources and has explored options with nearby countries.”
Pakistan
Voice Of America: Pakistan Demands Germany Prosecute Consulate Attackers
“Pakistan has condemned Germany's "failure" to safeguard its consulate in Frankfurt from being stormed and vandalized Saturday by dozens of protesters reportedly carrying Afghanistan's national flag. In a Sunday statement issued in Islamabad, the foreign ministry, without naming any specific nationality, described the assailants as “a gang of extremists” and decried the security breach of the consular mission, saying it endangered the lives of its staff. “We are conveying our strong protest to the German government,” the ministry said. It urged Germany to take "immediate measures to fulfill its responsibility” under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations to ensure the security of the Pakistani diplomatic missions and staff in the country. Social media video from Saturday’s incident shows scores of people holding the tricolor Afghan national flag and jumping the fence to get into the consulate building in Frankfurt, with one of them taking down Pakistan’s flag.”
Voice Of America: Pakistan Calls Israel's Netanyahu A 'Terrorist'
“Under pressure from right wing protesters, Pakistan’s government declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a terrorist Friday, demanding the leader be brought to justice for alleged war crimes against Palestinians. The statement by Rana Sanaullah, adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on political and public affairs, was part of a deal with a religious political party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or TLP, to end its days-long sit-in on a key road outside the capital. “Netanyahu is a terrorist and a perpetrator of war crimes,” said Sanaullah, acceding to a key TLP demand. The adviser sat flanked by TLP leaders and Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar at a press conference in Islamabad. Thousands of TLP supporters rallied near the capital last Saturday to condemn Israeli strikes in Gaza. They demanded the government declare Netanyahu a terrorist, boycott Israeli products and send aid to Palestinians.”
Yemen
Reuters: UKMTO Reports Two Attacks Northwest Of Yemen's Mokha, Minor Damage To Vessel
“The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday it had received a report of two attacks on a vessel 64 nautical miles (118.5 km) northwest of Yemen's Mokha, causing slight damage. It said the captain of the vessel reported attacks by an Uncrewed Aerial System, which exploded close to the vessel and by an Uncrewed Surface Vessel, which also exploded nearby. A maritime security source told Reuters that the vessel, which has been identified as a Liberia-flagged container ship was attacked by a skiff and drones. After the attack it kept maneuvering at maximum speed to escape as it was waiting support from a warship. The captain has "subsequently reported further UAS sightings," adding that "both the vessel and the crew are safe," UKMTO said. It earlier reported another attack that occurred 83 nautical miles southeast of Yemen's Aden late on Friday, in which a Singapore-flagged vessel was damaged by a Houthi strike. That incident was still under investigation, UKMTO said.”
The New York Times: Houthis Launch Deadly Drone Strike On Tel Aviv, Evading Israel’s Defenses
“In a rare breach of Israel’s multilayered air-defense system, a drone fired by the Houthi militia in Yemen slammed into an apartment building near the United States Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv early Friday, killing at least one person and wounding eight others. Pentagon officials expressed doubt that the drone had specifically targeted the U.S. building, an attack that analysts assessed had possibly been an attempt by the Houthis to strike anywhere they could in Tel Aviv. The Houthis, an Iranian-backed militia that has been attacking ships in the Red Sea, claimed responsibility for the strike on the city of 450,000 people. The Israeli military’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said the country’s defense systems had apparently picked up the presence of the drone but had failed to register it as a threat. No air-raid sirens warned residents before the drone crashed into the building, causing an explosion that jolted people from their sleep, shattered windows and left shrapnel scattered on the streets.”
ABC: Yemen Houthis Damage Cargo Ship In Gulf Of Aden As It Steps Up Attacks, Say They 'Will Not Stop' Unless Siege Of Palestinian People Is Lifted
“Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed to have hit and damaged a Singapore-flagged container ship with two missiles, as they escalate attacks on global shipping over Israel's war in Gaza. The overnight assault on the Lobivia cargo ship came as the Iran-aligned Houthis also claimed responsibility for a long-range aerial drone strike in central Tel Aviv, hours after an explosion near the US consulate, that killed one man and wounded four others. Military spokesman of Yemen's Houthi militants Yahya Sare'e in a television speech said the group launched the Lobivia strikes on Friday local time, adding the assault also included drones. "The naval, the missile, and the unmanned air forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces, with the help of Allah Almighty, carried out a specific and joint military operation in the Gulf of Aden, targeting the ship (Lobivia) with a number of ballistic missiles and drones," they said. The manager of Lobivia did not immediately comment.”
Lebanon
Reuters: Israel Strikes Hezbollah Ammunition Depot In South Lebanon, Sources Say
“Israeli strikes late on Saturday targeted a depot storing ammunition belonging to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, three security sources told Reuters. The strikes on the town of Adloun, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Lebanon's border with Israel, set off a string of loud explosions heard by witnesses across the south of Lebanon. At least four civilians in Adloun were wounded in the strikes, a medical source and a security source told Reuters. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The strikes on South Lebanon were on the same day that Israeli fighter jets struck Houthi military targets in the area of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, which Hezbollah said will mark a "new and dangerous phase" in the region.
Israel launched the strikes on Yemen a day after a drone launched by the Iranian-backed Houthis hit Israel's economic hub Tel Aviv. Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military offensive in Gaza.”
Associated Press: Israel Shoots Down A Missile Fired From Yemen Hours After A Deadly Israeli Strike On Houthi Rebels
“The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen early Sunday, hours after Israeli warplanes struck several Houthi targets in the Arabian Peninsula country. The Israeli airstrikes — in response to a deadly Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv — were the first time Israel is known to have responded to repeated Houthi attacks throughout its nine-month war against Hamas. The burst of violence between the distant enemies has threatened to open a new front as Israel battles a series of Iranian proxies across the region. The Israeli army late Saturday confirmed the airstrikes in the western Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, a Houthi stronghold and crucial entry point for aid and other supplies. It said the strikes, carried out by dozens of aircraft, including U.S.-made F-15 and F-35 warplanes, were a response to hundreds of Houthi attacks. The Health Ministry in Yemen said the Israeli strikes killed six people and wounded 83 others, many with severe burns from a major fire.”
Middle East
Reuters: Fighting In Southern Gaza, Israeli Strikes Hit Central Areas
“Israeli forces battled Palestinian fighters in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Sunday, striking areas in the centre of the coastal enclave where thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes have been seeking shelter. Residents in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, said fierce battles, opens new tab raged between Hamas-led fighters and Israeli forces, especially in the centre and in western areas where tanks had advanced in the previous two days. The armed wings of the Islamic Jihad and Hamas Islamist militant groups said fighters confronted Israeli forces with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs. The Israeli military said its soldiers had killed a group of fighters who were moving towards them, and destroyed ammunition, tunnel shafts and infrastructure in Tel al-Sultan, in the eastern part of the city. A ceasefire effort led by Qatar and Egypt and backed by the United States has so far failed because of disagreements between the combatants, who blame each other for the impasse.”
Associated Press: Israel Orders Evacuation Of Part Of Gaza Humanitarian Zone
“The Israeli military on Monday ordered the evacuation of part of an area in the Gaza Strip it has designated a humanitarian zone. The military said it is planning to begin an operation against Hamas militants who have embedded themselves in the area and used it to launch rockets toward Israel. The area includes the eastern part of the Muwasi humanitarian zone, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip. Many Palestinians have been uprooted multiple times in search of safety during Israeli’s punishing air and ground campaign. Earlier this month, Israel said it estimates at least a million Palestinians are now in the humanitarian zone it declared. The zone covers a stretch of about 14 kilometers (8.6 miles) along the Mediterranean. Much of that area is now blanketed with tent camps that lack sanitation and medical facilities and have limited access to aid, U.N. and humanitarian groups say. Families live in the midst of mountains of trash and streams contaminated by sewage.”
Associated Press: Israel’s Netanyahu Walks Political Tightrope On Washington Trip Following Biden’s Exit From Race
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for Washington on Monday, leaving behind a brutal war to make a politically precarious speech before the U.S. Congress at a time of great uncertainty following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. With efforts ongoing to bring about a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, rising concerns about the war spreading to Lebanon and Yemen, and the U.S. in the midst of a dizzying election campaign, Netanyahu’s speech has the potential to cause disarray on both sides of the ocean. The risks only increased with Biden’s decision Sunday to drop out of the race for president, especially since the choice of a replacement Democratic nominee — and the potential next American leader — are still up in the air. Before stepping on the plane, Netanyahu said he would emphasize the theme of Israel’s bipartisanship in his speech and said Israel would remain America’s key ally in the Middle East “regardless who the American people choose as their next president.””
Somalia
Garowe Online: Soldiers Stage Mutiny In Somalia's Capital
“A section of Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers staged a mutiny in a key military base within Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, in the latest incident which portrays cracks within the national force that is running the war against al-Shabaab. According to reports, the officers staged a mutiny at Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy within Mogadishu on Sunday, citing instructions from the Ministry of Defense to bring their weapons to the frontlines. In a video, which has since gone viral, the officers were seen making noise within the barracks while firing randomly on air. They openly accused the Ministry of Defence of what they called 'gross misconduct and incompetence'. The disgruntled soldiers said they had been ordered to ask for weapons from their relatives and respective clans before taking them to the frontlines. Until this morning, the government and SNA leadership have yet to comment on the matter. Furthermore, it is not yet clear whether the move is intended to reduce caches of weapons often seized by insurgents after overrunning frontline bases in the country.”
France
Associated Press: With AI, Jets, And Police Squadrons, Paris Is Securing The Olympics – And Worrying Critics
“A year ago, the head of the Paris Olympics boldly declared that France’s capital would be “ the safest place in the world " when the Games open this Friday. Tony Estanguet’s confident forecast looks less far-fetched now with squadrons of police patrolling Paris’ streets, fighter jets and soldiers primed to scramble, and imposing metal-fence security barriers erected like an iron curtain on both sides of the River Seine that will star in the opening show. France’s vast police and military operation is in large part because the July 26-Aug. 11 Games face unprecedented security challenges. The city has repeatedly suffered deadly extremist attacks and international tensions are high because of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.”
Germany
CNN: German Citizen Sentenced To Death In Belarus, Charged With Terrorism, Mercenary Activities
“A German citizen has been sentenced to death in Belarus after being charged with terrorism and mercenary activities, according to a Belarusian human rights group. The group Human Rights Center “Viasna” said the German national is a 29-year-old German Red Cross employee named Rico Krieger. According to his LinkedIn profile, he worked as an emergency medical technician for the German Red Cross and as an armed security officer for the US Embassy in Berlin. Krieger was sentenced in the Minsk Regional Court on June 24, Viasna said on its website on Friday. Krieger was charged under six articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus, according to Viasna, including “mercenary activity,” “agent activity,” an “act of terrorism,” the “creation of an extremist formation,” “intentional disrepair of a vehicle or communication lines,” and “illegal actions in relation to firearms, ammunition and explosives.” Viasna also reported that Krieger was found guilty of “arranging an explosion in order to influence decision-making by authorities, intimidate the population, [and] destabilize public order.””
Southeast Asia
Associated Press: UAE Orders A Trial Of Bangladeshi Nationals Arrested For Protesting Their Home Government
“Authorities in the United Arab Emirates ordered an investigation and an expedited trial of Bangladeshi nationals arrested for protesting against their home government across the Gulf country, state media reported. The protests in the UAE followed weeks of protests in Bangladesh by demonstrators protesting a quota system that reserved up to 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. The country’s top court on Sunday scaled back on the controversial system, in a partial victory for student protesters. The UAE’s attorney general’s office indicted Saturday the Bangladeshis on several charges, including “gathering in a public place and protesting against their home government with the intent to incite unrest,” obstructing law enforcement, causing harm to others and damaging property, according to the state-owned Emirates News Agency, WAM. “Based on the preliminary investigation results, the Public Prosecution has ordered their pretrial detention pending further investigations,” WAM reported.”
India
The New Indian Express: Gunfight In J&K’s Rajouri After Militants Attack VDC Member’s House
“A gunfight is going on between militants and army men after militants attacked the house of Village Defence Committee (VDC) member in a remote village in border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Jammu-based defence spokesman said terrorists fired upon the house of a VDC member at village Gunda in Rajouri at 3.10 am. He said immediately after the militant attack, army men posted in the nearby camp rushed to the spot and engaged militants in a gunfire. The gunfight was going on when reports last poured in, the spokesman said. A soldier has been injured in the encounter and he has been hospitalized. Additional troops have been rushed to the village to lay siege and prevent militants, whose exact number is not known, from escaping from the area. The government has revived Village Defence Committees (VDCs) under the name of “Village Defence Groups) after the surge in militant violence in the Jammu region. The VDG members are being trained by police and army men in handling weapons.”
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