SYDNEY: Australia has foiled an Islamist-inspired “terrorist plot” to bring down an airplane with an improvised explosive, authorities said Sunday, after four people were arrested in raids across Sydney.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the plot appeared to be “elaborate” rather than planned by a lone wolf, as security was beefed up at major domestic and international airports across the nation.
“I can report last night that there has been a major joint counter-terrorism operation to disrupt a terrorist plot to bring down an airplane,” Turnbull told reporters.
“The threat of terrorism is very real. The disruption operation, the efforts overnight have been very effective but there’s more work to do.”
Officials did not specify if the alleged plot involved a domestic or international flight, but Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported that a local route had been the objective.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin described the plot as “Islamic-inspired,” saying four men had been arrested in a series of raids across Sydney on Saturday.
“We do believe it is Islamic-inspired terrorism. Exactly what is behind this is something we need to investigate fully,” he said.
Colvin added that local authorities had received “credible information from partner agencies” about the claims but would not elaborate further or state if the men were on any watch list.
“In recent days, law enforcement has become aware of information that suggested some people in Sydney were planning to commit a terrorist attack using an IED (improvised explosive device),” he told reporters.
He added that several items “of great interest to police” had been seized in the raids but police did not yet have a great deal of information on the specific attack, the location, date or time. He said the investigation was expected to be “very long and protracted.”
“However, we’re investigating information indicating the aviation industry was potentially a target of that attack.”
Colvin would not provide further details, but the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said police found items that could be used to make a homemade bomb in one of the raided homes Saturday.
Authorities believed they planned to smuggle the device onto a plane to blow it up, the ABC added.
Four men were arrested Saturday after armed police stormed homes in at least four neighborhoods, though their names and ages have not been released and they have not been charged by police.
The Seven Network reported 40 riot squad officers moved on a terraced house in the inner city suburb of Surry Hills, as TV footage showed a man with a bandage on his head being led away by authorities, draped in a blanket.
Sections of surrounding roads remained cordoned off on Sunday as forensic officers and investigators wrapped up and removed items from the house.
Airline passengers have meanwhile been asked to arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international routes, and to limit their baggage.
“Australia has very strong safeguards in place at its airports; these changes are about making them even stronger,” Australian carrier Qantas said.
Airline Virgin Australia stressed that the additional airport security measures were just “precautionary” and passengers “should not be concerned.”
Turnbull said the national terror alert level, which was raised on September 2014 amid rising concerns over attacks by individuals inspired by organizations such as Daesh, would remain at probable.
Canberra has introduced new national security laws since then, while counter-terrorism police have also made a string of arrests.
A total of 12 attacks, before the latest announcement, have been prevented in the past few years, while 70 people have been charged, Justice Minister Michael Keenan said.
“The primary threat to Australia still remains lone actors, but there’s still the ability for people to have sophisticated plots and sophisticated attacks still remain a real threat,” he told reporters Sunday.
The prime minister added that the alleged plan appeared to be “more in that category of an elaborate plot.”
Several terror attacks have taken place in Australia in recent years, including a Sydney cafe siege in 2014 that saw two hostages killed.
Australia foils ‘terror plot’ to bring down airplane
Australia foils ‘terror plot’ to bring down airplane
Mosque attack in Nigeria leaves 8 people dead, as police say the motive was a family dispute
- Four children were among the injured worshippers
- The incident caused panic in Kano, northern Nigeria’s largest state, where periodic religion-related unrest has occurred over the years
ABUJA: At least eight worshippers were killed and 16 others injured early Wednesday morning after a man attacked a mosque with a locally made explosive in northern Nigeria’s Kano state, resulting in a fire outbreak, the police said.
The suspect, a 38-year-old local resident, confessed that he attacked the mosque in Kano’s remote Gadan village “purely in hostility following (a) prolonged family disagreement,” police spokesman Abdullahi Haruna said in a statement on Wednesday.
Eight of those injured died later in a hospital, Haruna later told local Channels Television on Thursday. Four children were among the injured worshippers, although it was not clear if any of the children died.
The incident caused panic in Kano, northern Nigeria’s largest state, where periodic religion-related unrest has occurred over the years, sometimes resulting in violence.
The suspect invaded the mosque with “a locally prepared bomb and exploded it,” local police chief Umar Sanda told reporters. “It has nothing to do with terrorism.”
Footage broadcast by the local TVC station showed charred walls and burned furniture in the mosque, the main place of worship for Gadan village in Muslim-dominated Kano state.
Local media also reported the worshippers were locked inside the mosque, making it difficult for them to escape.
“Some children ran for their lives with fire all over them. We had to put water to quench it,” Hussaini Adamu, a resident, told TVC.
The police cordoned off the scene while the injured were rushed to a hospital in the state capital.
“The disagreement (was) over sharing of inheritance of which those that (the attacker) alleged to have cheated on him were in the mosque at that moment and he did that for his voice to be heard,” the police statement said.
What to expect as new, guitar-playing PM takes helm in Singapore
- Lawrence Wong went viral for his guitar cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’ in March
- Best chapters of our Singapore story lie ahead, new PM said in inaugural speech
SINGAPORE: As Singapore gets a new prime minister for the first time in 20 years, experts have told Arab News what to expect from the city-state’s fourth leader, Lawrence Wong, who came to the fore with his handling of the successful COVID-19 response.
Wong was inaugurated on Wednesday evening, taking over the reins from Lee Hsien Loong, son of the founding father of modern Singapore Lee Kuan Yew.
The 51-year-old began his career as an economist at the trade ministry with a US educational background, before moving up to occupy some of the biggest jobs in Singapore’s bureaucracy, including the Energy Market Authority and Lee’s principal private secretary.
The civil servant-turned-politician was catapulted into the spotlight in 2020, when he coordinated Singapore’s successful fight against COVID-19. He has also garnered public support by showcasing his guitar skills online, including a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” that went viral in March.
“Lawrence Wong has been in charge with the COVID-19 pandemic, and he did very well. Singapore did very well by and large; that was something that the international community noticed,” said James M. Dorsey, a senior fellow at the Nanyang Technological University.
Compared with Lee, Wong will still have to work on his global exposure, but should be able to capitalize on the enduring image of Singapore’s “serious stability,” Dorsey added.
“As we watch the process of build-up toward the transition, we will have greater confidence in Lawrence Wong. And simply the confidence in the way Singapore does things, working in Wong’s favor.”
Southeast Asia analyst Adib Zalkapli is expecting Wong to continue the policies of his predecessor, who oversaw the country’s economic growth into an international financial hub and top tourist destination, more than doubling the island’s gross domestic product per capita.
“It’s a well-planned change of leadership that will ensure continuity. We are unlikely to see major policy changes in the short to medium term,” he told Arab News, adding that the same approach will likely apply on matters related to foreign policy.
Bridget Welsh, an honorary research associate at the Asia Research Institute in the University of Nottingham Malaysia, is also expecting continuity.
“Essentially status quo. Arguably, there will be more engagement, as issues remain complex in the region, and the new leadership will want to establish or deepen his own personal ties in the region,” Welsh said.
But so far, little is known about the policies Wong is likely to adopt, said Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore.
“Lawrence Wong has said that he will bring continuity, make tough decisions, and is pro-Singapore. What these mean in practice is not yet known. Wong has not so far stated what his policy direction and vision is, why it is important, and why Singaporeans need to support it,” he said.
The new prime minister arrives at a particularly challenging time in geopolitics, a departure from a period of “stable external environment” that worked in Singapore’s favor.
“Intensifying US-PRC (People’s Republic of China) competition, internal circulation, on-shoring, friend-shoring, trade barriers, as well as data and technology in all the developed economies challenge Singapore’s business model,” Chong said.
“Wong has yet to articulate a plan on how he intends to deal with these challenges, even though he concedes their seriousness.”
In his first speech as prime minister, Wong paid tribute to his predecessors, but said that the country’s new leadership would adopt a style that “differs” from that of previous generations.
“We will lead in our own way. We will continue to think boldly and to think far. We know that there is still much more to do,” he said. “The best chapters of our Singapore story lie ahead.”
Outrage grows in India over UN staffer killed by Israeli forces in Gaza
- Army veteran Waibhav Anil Kale was working for UN Department of Safety and Security
- More than 190 UN staff killed since beginning of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza last year
NEW DELHI: The killing of an Indian army veteran serving as a UN staffer in Gaza has stirred outrage in India and calls for the government to hold Israel accountable, with activists calling New Delhi’s reaction ‘inadequate.’
Col. Waibhav Anil Kale, a former peacekeeper, was on duty with the UN Department of Safety and Security when his UN-marked vehicle was hit on Monday en route to the European Hospital in Rafah by what the international organization said was Israeli tank fire.
The Indian government’s response was a condolence statement issued on Wednesday by the Ministry of External Affairs, saying it was “deeply saddened by the death” and “in touch with relevant authorities” regarding an investigation.
The statement did not issue a condemnation, unlike in July 2022, when two Indian peacekeepers were killed in an attack on a UN Organization Stabilization Mission base in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At that time, India’s foreign minister said the perpetrators “must be held accountable and brought to justice” and convened a special meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the attack.
Talmiz Ahmad, former Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said the government’s response was “grossly inadequate” given what he called the “calculated killing” of an Indian army officer and UN staffer.
“The Indian government can hold Israel accountable. India is a sponsor of a resolution related to the protection of the UN personnel,” he told Arab News.
“This particular killing of a UN officer is a targeted killing because it was very obvious to Israelis that this was a UN vehicle, and it was on an official UN mission. A tank deliberately targeted this vehicle.”
New Delhi had always been sensitive to assaults on UN personnel given that it is one of the largest contributors to the organization’s peacekeepers.
The reaction to Kale’s killing was insufficient, according to Kavita Krishnan, a women’s rights activist.
“If a person is a UN employee, he is entitled to protection,” she said. “The Indian government should specifically hold Israel accountable for this killing. They cannot treat it just as a casualty of war or a collateral damage.”
“IT’S NOT A DEATH”
Since October last year, Israel’s deadly siege and bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 35,000 people, wounded 70,000, and left most of the enclave’s population starving and with no access to medical, food and water supplies.
The UN estimates that more than 190 of its staff members have also been killed in the ongoing onslaught. Kale was the first international UN employee to be killed.
“It’s condemnable that India does not name the fact of assassination. It’s not death. He did not die of illness. He was killed by Israel,” said Apoorvanand Jha, a public intellectual and professor at the University of Delhi.
“Israel kills people who are involved in the health services ... kills journalists, aid workers and kills workers involved in the peacekeeping forces. So, it does it knowingly. It is not a collateral damage. Israel does it knowingly — this is what has been recorded many times. Israel needs to be held accountable for all the individual crimes of assassinations and the collective crimes, mass deaths.”
From a legal point of view, the killing of UN personnel is against norms and customs of international law and international humanitarian law.
“New Delhi should tell Tel Aviv that it should respect international law,” said Anwar Sadat, a senior assistant professor at the Indian Society of International Law.
“The Indian government should issue a diplomatic demarche to the Israeli government.”
Since the beginning of its invasion of Gaza, Israel has revoked work permits for tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers and sought to facilitate their replacement with manpower from South Asia.
In November, the Indian government signed a three-year agreement with Tel Aviv on the “temporary employment” of workers in the construction and caregiving sector.
“If this is the statement that the Indian government can bring for an official who works with the UN, imagine what if it happens with any of the workers. No one is going to speak,” said N. Sai Balaji, assistant professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
“This seriously compromises India’s super-power ambitions, it seriously compromises India’s own foreign policy.”
NGOs warn Elon Musk of ‘collective punishment’ if Starlink in Sudan is shut down
- People and organizations rely on ‘unofficial’ Starlink connection for lifeline services
- Coalition of 94 humanitarian, human rights groups call for warring factions to repair damaged communication infrastructure
LONDON: Starlink’s chief Elon Musk has been urged not to shut down the satellite internet service in Sudan, as doing so could “collectively punish” millions of Sudanese.
In an appeal to the American billionaire, nearly 100 humanitarian, civil society, human rights organizations and members of the #KeepItOn coalition have highlighted the critical role Starlink plays as a lifeline for on-the-ground organizations operating in the war-torn African country. They warn that interrupting the service could have fatal consequences.
“Any shutdown of telecommunication services is a violation of human rights and may be considered to be a collective punishment that will not only isolate individuals from their support networks but also exacerbate the already dire economic situation facing millions,” said the coalition, which includes Save the Children, Islamic Relief Worldwide and Action Against Hunger, among others.
The statement added: “The potential shutdown of Starlink would have a disproportionate impact on civilians and the aid organisations who are trying to reach them.”
Sudan has been grappling with a widespread telecommunications blackout for several months, severely limiting emergency and humanitarian services and access to basic transactions such as cash transfers from abroad.
Starlink, which can operate across borders thanks to its satellite service, announced earlier this month that it would cease its services in Sudan by restricting roaming in jurisdictions where it is not licensed.
If confirmed, this decision risks provoking a permanent nationwide telecommunications shutdown, similar to the one in February 2024 that left almost 30 million Sudanese without access to the internet or telephone calls for more than a month.
The situation is further exacerbated by the damage and destruction of communication infrastructure, targeted by both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese military.
The coalition, which relies on expensive and scarce satellite internet in areas where formal telecommunications are not functioning, has also urged the warring factions to repair the infrastructure.
SpaceX’s Starlink has been under pressure to maintain its connection since conflict broke out in Sudan in April 2023.
In August, a hacking group called Anonymous Sudan took X offline in more than a dozen countries to pressure Elon Musk into formally opening Starlink in Sudan.
In recent months, the company has been at the center of a public debate over its role in connecting war-torn areas worldwide.
Earlier in May, Bloomberg reported that SpaceX was close to finalizing a deal with the Yemeni government to provide satellite internet to the country in what experts described as a “victory” over the Houthi rebels.
In September 2023, several media outlets reported that Elon Musk denied a Ukrainian request to extend Starlink’s coverage to Crimea during a surprise attack.
Although this was later clarified as an erroneous claim that Musk “turned off” Starlink coverage in Crimea, it raised concerns about the service’s role during conflicts.
Pakistan disaster authority urges caution as heat wave expected in May and June
- NDMA says temperatures likely to go up to 45 degrees in Sindh and Punjab provinces in May and June
- Alerts issued for Umerkot, Tharparkar, Tando Allayar, Matiari, Sanghar, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan
KARACHI: A heatwave is expected to hit the Pakistani provinces of Sindh and Punjab in May and June, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Thursday, advising citizens in high-risk districts to take precautions.
Increased exposure to heat, and more heatwaves, have been identified as one of the key impacts of climate change in Pakistan, with people experiencing extreme heat and seeing some of the highest temperatures in the world in recent years. The South Asian country of more than 241 million, one of the ten most vulnerable nations to climate change impacts, has also recently witnessed untimely downpours, flash floods and droughts.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NDMA listed Umerkot, Tharparkar, Tando Allayar, Matiari and Sanghar in Sindh and the Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan districts in Punjab as at risk from heat waves.
“Temperatures could surge to 40 degrees Celsius from May 15-30,” the statement said. “Similarly, temperatures could rise to 45 degrees Celsius in June.”
Climate change-induced extreme heat impacts human health in multiple ways. Direct effects of exposure to extreme heat and heatwaves can include heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and hyperthermia. It can make certain chronic conditions worse, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular disease and diabetes-related conditions, and can also result in acute incidents, such as hospitalizations due to strokes or renal disease.
According to the Global Climate Risk Index, nearly 10,000 Pakistanis have died while the country has suffered economic losses worth $3.8 billion due to climate change impacts between 1999 and 2018. A deadly heatwave that hit Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi, the capital of Sindh, claimed 120 lives in 2015.
In 2022, torrential monsoon rains triggered the most devastating floods in Pakistan’s history, killing around 1,700 people and affecting over 33 million, a staggering number close to the population of Canada. Millions of homes, tens of thousands of schools and thousands of kilometers of roads and railways are yet to be rebuilt.
