Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
Israeli forces have carried out a fierce airstrike on the Nusairat camp in the central Gaza Strip |
2025-05-24 |
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
IDF says airstrikes last night in Gaza City targeted currency exchange company funding Hamas, PIJ [IsraelTimes] An Israeli airstrike last night in Gaza City targeted the offices of a currency exchange company, which the IDF says was funding the military wings of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. “Al-Cairo” had changed its name from “Dubai” in 2022, after the company was declared by the defense minister to be “aiding terror organizations due to its involvement in transferring funds to such groups,” the military says. The IDF says the offices targeted last night were used in recent years to funnel millions of dollars to Hamas and Islamic Jihad for the terror groups’ military activity. “Throughout the war, the workers of the currency exchange office continued to aid and fund the activity of Hamas terrorists and transferred millions of dollars to operatives of Hamas’s military wing for military activity purposes, thereby enabling the continuation of Hamas’s terror activity,” the IDF says. In August 2024, the IDF says it killed one of the employees of the company, Tahseen Al-Nadiyya, over his involvement in funding Hamas. One rocket from Gaza intercepted by Israeli air defenses — IDF [IsraelTimes] One rocket launched from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel a short while ago was intercepted by air defenses, the military says. Sirens had sounded in the border community of Mefalsim. There are no reports of injuries or damage. |
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Africa Horn |
Sudanese Armed Forces Completely Liberate Capital Province of Khartoum from RSF Rebels |
2025-05-21 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] The Sudanese armed forces have completely liberated the capital province of Khartoum from rebels from the Rapid Reaction Forces (RRF). This was reported by the Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansı. "The Sudanese army announced the liberation of the capital province of Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Reaction Forces," the agency said in a statement. As the agency writes, citing a statement by military spokesman Nabil Abdullah, the Sudanese Armed Forces continue to suppress the militia in the south and west of Omdurman and continue to clear the Salha region, south of Omdurman, and its environs. ![]() As reported by Regnum News Agency, a turning point was noted in the civil war in Sudan at the end of March - after two years of trench warfare, government forces began to push back the rebel troops along the entire front line. The Sudanese authorities announced the complete liberation of the country's capital Khartoum from the rebel formations of the SRF and the return of several large military bases and arsenals under their control. In response, the rebels intensified fighting in the south and west of Sudan and announced the formation of a government in the captured territories. The civil war in Sudan has been ongoing since 2023. During this time, more than 20,000 people have died, and more than 14 million have been displaced - with a total population of 50 million people. Related: Khartoum: 2025-05-20 Sudan demands explanation following aggressive Emirati treatment of consular staff in Dubai Khartoum: 2025-05-12 Sudan Accuses Puntland of Facilitating Military Support to RSF via Bosaso Airport Khartoum: 2025-04-09 Khartoum airport after liberation Related: Rapid Reaction Forces: 2024-10-22 The moment a cargo plane carrying Russians crashed in Sudan was caught on video Rapid Reaction Forces: 2023-05-02 Russian Embassy in Khartoum evacuated more than 200 people from Sudan Rapid Reaction Forces: 2023-04-24 Biden says US embassy evacuation in Sudan has been completed |
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Africa Horn |
Sudan demands explanation following aggressive Emirati treatment of consular staff in Dubai |
2025-05-20 |
[HODHODYEMENNEWS.NET] Sudan![]() has demanded the United Arab Emirates to explain its decision to expel Sudanese consular staff from its consulate general in Dubai, stating that this constitutes a violation of the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations. This move comes amid a new escalation in the dispute between the two countries, following Khartoum's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi. These developments come amid rising tensions between the two sides, which began with drone attacks on vital areas in Port Sudan in early May. Port Sudan has been the temporary seat of the Sudanese government since the outbreak of conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023. Khartoum accuses Abu Dhabi of providing military support to the Rapid Support Forces, including supplying them with weapons used in the attacks. The Sudanese Foreign Ministry issued a statement indicating that Emirati authorities recently expelled most members of the Sudanese consular mission in Dubai without providing clear reasons. The statement indicated that the expelled diplomats were detained for eight hours at Dubai Airport after completing travel procedures, during which their smartphones and electronic devices were arbitrarily searched. The statement described these actions as a flagrant violation of the Vienna Conventions, which guarantee the protection and immunity of diplomats. |
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
Syria Finds Investor for Tartus Port After Rejecting Agreement with Russia |
2025-05-17 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. “The memorandum implies comprehensive investments in the development, management and operation of a multi-purpose terminal in the port of Tartus, which will improve the port’s efficiency,” RIA Novosti reported on May 16. It also noted that the Syrian Border Guard and DP World will cooperate to establish industrial zones, free economic zones, dry ports and transit terminals in strategic areas of Syria. As reported by the Regnum news agency, armed opposition groups entered Damascus in December 2024. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad resigned and flew to Russia with his family, where they were granted political asylum. Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Bogdanov said that Moscow expects to maintain military bases in Syria, as they play an important role in the fight against international terrorism. In January 2025, Tartus Customs Director Riyad Judi announced that the new Syrian authorities had terminated the contract for the modernization of the port, signed with a Russian company in 2019, and annulled all agreements. The contract was concluded for 49 years. It envisaged investments in the port in the amount of $500 million and the transfer of its management to the Russian side. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in April that Russia was interested in establishing relations with the new Syrian authorities. Moscow also maintains contacts with all players in the region. Related: Tartus: 2025-04-18 Kremlin has declared its interest in establishing ties with the Syrian authorities Tartus: 2025-04-17 Syria thwarts coup d'etat plotted by former army officers Tartus: 2025-04-16 Syria's Alawites still face targeted attacks a month after brutal counteroffensive Related: DP World 08/15/2019 Al-Shabab militants kill 50 soldiers in attack on Somalia military base DP World 07/31/2019 Gargash: NYT Somalia recording proves Doha’s ties to terrorism DP World 03/15/2018 Somalia: Somaliland Admin Assembly Denounces Somalia's Parliament Decision |
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Arabia |
Uzbek crimes in the Emirates threaten crisis in relations between countries |
2025-05-01 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov [REGNUM] A mass brawl between people from Uzbekistan in Dubai (UAE) in mid-April escalated into a political and diplomatic scandal. |
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
Invested the treasury in hotels. Investments in Antalya did not save the Syrian militant | |
2025-04-30 | |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov [REGNUM] Recently, Issama Buidani, the leader of the Syrian group Jaysh al-Islam,
![]() By the time of his arrest, the field commander had already retired and was trying to start a new life as a Turkish citizen and philanthropist. However, the change of name and citizenship did not save him from falling under the surveillance of French law enforcement. CHANGE OF OWNER For much of the time since its formation in 2013, Jaysh al-Islam has been under the secret "care" of Saudi Arabia. Riyadh invested heavily in arming and training the militants and even hired dozens of Pakistani instructors to teach them mine-making and ammunition manufacturing. Thanks to Saudi aid, the rebels were able to acquire several tanks and heavy artillery, as well as dozens of upgraded sniper rifles. The well-equipped group not only served as the spearhead of resistance against government forces, but was also used to contain proxy groups sponsored by Turkey. However, Saudi support ended after the 2017 ouster of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, whose people had been directing operations in Syria through the National Council for Political and Security Affairs. His successor, Mohammed bin Salman, chose to distance himself from dubious groups and placed his bets on supporting the legitimate government. Left without an external sponsor – and furthermore pressed by government forces – supporters of Jaysh al-Islam began a gradual drift towards Turkey and Qatar and by 2018 were positioning themselves as members of a united “pro-Turkish front.” True, relations with yesterday's rivals (and now allies) remained strained. Jaysh al-Islam was unable to establish contact with most of the forces of the pro-Turkish proxy network, and also entered into conflict with one of its "poles" - the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* (HTS*) group. There were constant clashes between them until the offensive on Damascus began in 2024. FEATURED IN THE REPORTS With the establishment of a transitional government led by former HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, Jaysh al-Islam found itself out of work. Its representatives did not get into high offices, but found themselves under the close attention of the "new security forces." Especially after the wave of ethnic and religious cleansing and pogroms that swept across the country in the first months after the change of power. And although many of al-Sharaa’s former allies “distinguished themselves” in this direction, it was representatives of Jaysh al-Islam who appeared in reports on major Western television channels. In addition, by that time the group already had a trail of mass murders and reprisals against foreign (mainly French) citizens, which made it a target of interest for the EU intelligence services. In light of this, most of the group's functionaries preferred to lie low, so as not to fall into the hands of Interpol and not to become a bargaining chip in the struggle for spheres of influence in the new Syria. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO EXPEL One of the leaders of Jaysh al-Islam, Issam Buydani, suddenly showed up in Turkey some time ago, already under the name Issam Beydatiuglu. With local citizenship and the status of a philanthropist. According to Turkish publications, the former jihadist received his passport for investments in local resorts, spending at least 400 thousand dollars on these purposes. A number of observers believe that Buidani, in one way or another, “poured” part of the “treasury” of “Jaysh al-Islam,” which amounted to tens of millions of dollars, into the country’s economy. The news of the appearance of such a peculiar benefactor caused indignation among a part of Turkish society. Turhan Çomez, a representative of the opposition Good Party of Balikesire, said that flirting with terrorists will not lead to anything good, and their investments only damage Turkey's image. Some of Chomez's supporters went even further and launched an information campaign against Buidani on social media. In their publications, they accused him of committing serious crimes in his homeland and called him a “field philanthropist,” hinting at his rebel past and the not entirely legal origin of the money he invested. However, the opposition's information campaign had zero effect in practice. Buidani was not stripped of his Turkish citizenship and remained free. Even a request to Interpol initiated by France did not help: Turkish security officials considered their colleagues’ arguments about Budayni’s participation in mass murders and extrajudicial executions in Syria “insufficiently substantiated” and dragged out a bureaucratic game that was expected to take more than one month. THE FRENCH CONNECTION However, Buidani was unable to escape justice - a few days after the uproar, he moved to the UAE, where he was detained by Dubai authorities at the request of France. The Emirates' decision to detain Bouydani and hand him over to the French was part of a larger law enforcement effort. Paris is preparing for a major trial aimed at investigating war crimes during the Syrian civil war, while trying to identify and arrest every dubious warlord it can get its hands on. And the leadership of Jaysh al-Islam, whose hands were stained with the blood of citizens of the Fifth Republic, was among the first to come under attack. Just a day after Buidani’s arrest, Islam Alloush, who occupied a fairly high position in the group’s hierarchy in the mid-2010s, was arrested in Marseille, France. New arrests of yesterday's jihadists on the territory of third countries cannot be ruled out. Official Damascus did not comment on the detention of the leader of Jaysh al-Islam, but it is highly likely that it assessed it positively. The UAE essentially freed the transitional government from the need to deal with its long-standing enemy on its own. The ordinary militants remaining in Syria after the arrest of the “heavyweights” Buidani and Alloush are unlikely to decide to flee abroad (so as not to attract unnecessary attention from French law enforcement), which means they will be ready to fulfill any demands of the new authorities - if only they do not extradite them. Türkiye also did not object, achieving several goals thanks to the arrest of the leader of Jaysh al-Islam. On the one hand, it formally fulfilled its obligations to the field commander by granting him citizenship of the country, and on the other hand, it got rid of a dubious partner with the help of others. Guarantees of Buidani's future freedom were probably not included in the deal. | |
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India-Pakistan |
India uncovers major drug-terror network linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba |
2025-04-25 |
[KhaamaPress] Indian authorities uncovered a drug trafficking network smuggling heroin to fund Lashkar-e-Taiba![]() Army of the Pure,an Ahl-e-Hadith terror organization founded by Hafiz Saeed. LeT masquerades behind the Jamaat-ud-Dawa facade within Pakistain and periodically blows things up and kills people in India. Despite the fact that it is banned, always an interesting concept in Pakistain, the organization remains an blatant tool and perhaps an arm of the ISI...> Indian security authorities have uncovered a large-scale drug trafficking network with alleged links to terrorism, seizing nearly 2,988 kilograms of heroin smuggled from Afghanistan to the Mundra Port in Gujarat ...where rioting seems to be a traditional passtime... . Officials report that the operation was part of a broader effort to fund Death Eater activities. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced on Wednesday, April 23, that the proceeds from the seized heroin were intended to finance terrorist operations carried out by the group Lashkar-e-Taiba. The agency emphasized the cross-border dimensions of the case, describing it as a "narco-terrorism" network. According to the NIA, the drugs entered India through Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, disguised as shipments of unprocessed stones and coal. Authorities said forged import documents were used to conceal the true nature of the cargo. A protected witness revealed that Latif Rather, a now-deceased member of "The Resistance® Front" — a Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliate — had coordinated with Afghan and Pak traffickers to channel funds for arms purchases. His involvement is seen as a key link between narcotics trade and krazed killer financing. In a troubling development, the NIA also reported that a key witness in the case — a retired customs officer — was found dead under suspicious circumstances after expressing willingness to cooperate with Sherlocks. His death has raised concerns about the safety of informants in high-profile terror-linked cases. Officials said that at least six similar consignments are believed to have entered India through the same network. Twelve suspects, including individuals from Iran, Pakistain, Afghanistan, and Dubai, are currently under investigation or being pursued by authorities. This case highlights growing concerns over the use of drug trafficking to finance terrorism in South Asia. Indian officials have called for greater regional cooperation and tighter port surveillance to prevent similar operations. Security analysts warn that narco-terrorism poses a serious threat to national and regional stability, urging international collaboration to dismantle such transnational criminal networks. |
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Government Corruption | ||
Russia asks UAE to confiscate five apartments in Dubai from former traffic police inspector | ||
2025-04-16 | ||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has sent a request to the United Arab Emirates to seize five apartments in Dubai belonging to a former Moscow traffic police inspector. This was reported on April 15 by Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov. He arrived in Abu Dhabi on a visit, where he met with the head of the UAE Accountability Office, Humaid Obaid Abushib, and asked that the issue be taken under control. "At the last meeting, I shared our experience of confiscating property for the benefit of the state, the legality of the sources of acquisition of which was not confirmed by officials. We filed one of such lawsuits against a former Russian policeman who owns five apartments in Dubai," Krasnov was quoted on the Telegram channel of the Prosecutor General's Office. The head of the Russian department reported that the total cost of these apartments exceeds 3 million dirhams (about 68 million rubles at the exchange rate).
The Prosecutor General's Office clarified that the request concerns former traffic police inspector Sergei Kuznetsov. In December 2022, the Lefortovo District Court granted the agency's claim to transfer his property to the state. As reported by the Regnum news agency, in December 2022, the court ordered the confiscation of Kuznetsov's property worth 129 million rubles, as well as more than 50 million rubles in cash. It was established that he and his relatives acquired more than 20 real estate properties and one car, and also kept large sums of money in bank safe deposit boxes. None of those questioned could explain where they got the money for expensive purchases.
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Olde Tyme Religion |
Iraq arrests 48 for ‘witchcraft and sorcery’ in crackdown on fraud, human-trafficking |
2025-04-10 |
I don’t see where human trafficking comes into it, but the international trade does not appear to be involved. [Rudaw] Iraq’s interior ministry announced on Tuesday the arrest of 48 individuals, both men and women, across several provinces for engaging in "witchcraft and sorcery," in a campaign that saw the direct backing of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council.![]() The campaign targeted locations in Baghdad and other provinces "where witchcraft and sorcery were practiced in Baghdad and other provinces" the ministry said, adding that "those arrested were involved in human trafficking, exploiting victims through fraudulent and deceptive means," and "practicing sorcery while claiming to offer spiritual healing or solutions to family problems." The operation was conducted with the direct support of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, which "emphasized the importance of combating these dangerous phenomena, as they intersect with human trafficking crimes and pose a direct threat to social peace, ethical values, and the rule of law." Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were involved in extortion, deception, and psychological and physical exploitation of victims, particularly women and kiddies, in blatant violation of human rights ...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty... and dignity. FIIA affirmed that this campaign is "part of the national strategy to combat human trafficking," stressing that "the effective coordination with [Iraq’s] Supreme Judicial Council contributed to accelerating judicial procedures and bringing the perpetrators to justice." Under Iraq’s Penal Code, witchcraft and sorcery are addressed under fraud Article 456, which punishes anyone who profits from fraudulent practices, including exploiting people's beliefs in magic for financial gain, with penalties of up to five years in prison. Civil society organizations in Iraq have long warned about the growing prevalence of witchcraft and sorcery in the country. Many Iraqis seek these services, which, they argue, contribute to social and security issues. A 2012 Pew Research Center survey found that belief in witchcraft exists among a substantial number of Moslems in the Middle East and North Africa. In Iraq, 55 percent of Moslems surveyed said they believed in witchcraft, evil eye as well as supernatural beings. Of note, in Islam, the majority view considers witchcraft sacrilegious, as it may involve associating others with God, a concept known in Arabic as ’Shirk.’ The latter is regarded as the gravest sin in Islamic theology, as it undermines the fundamental belief in the oneness of God. Related: Witchcraft 12/09/2024 Gang Massacre Claims 110 Lives In Cite Soleil Witchcraft 03/20/2024 'Witchcraft-using' female beggar arrested in Dubai Witchcraft 01/19/2024 Gakaevs have reconciled with the family of the accused in the murder of the mullah Related: Sorcery 08/13/2024 A person practicing magic and sorcery arrested north of Hillah Sorcery 03/13/2024 'Magician' arrested at Dubai airport, weird items recovered Sorcery 10/04/2023 Taliban Vice Ministry: Nearly 200 Jadogar (Sorcerers, Witches) Detained |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Iran enlisted drug trafficker in failed plot to kill Azerbaijan rabbi — report |
2025-04-06 |
[israelTimes] Washington Post says Rabbi Shenor Segal was target of Iranian plot, had $200,000 placed on his head; Segal says he only learned of matter through media, still feels safe Iran ![]() spontaneouslytaking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militiasto extend the regime's influence. The word Iranis a cognate form of Aryan.The abbreviation IRGCis the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA).The term Supreme Guideis a the modern version form of either Duceor Führeror maybe both. They hate recruited a Georgian narco to assassinate an Azerbaijani rabbi as part of a plot that was foiled in January, according to a report published Saturday morning. The Washington Post said the scheme was launched last fall when Iran’s Quds Force, the overseas arms of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, met with Agil Aslanov, a prominent drug kingpin from Georgia, recruiting him to facilitate the liquidation. The Quds Force reportedly promised the would-be hitman $200,000 for killing Rabbi Shenor Segal and attacking an education center. The newspaper said Aslanov recruited an Azerbaijani local and began surveilling the rabbi. The plot was discovered by Azerbaijan’s security services, and Aslanov and the local accomplice were arrested in January, the report added, citing unnamed security officials from the Middle East and Western countries. The two were charged with conspiring to commit a terrorist act. Azerbaijan’s state security service said in a statement that Aslanov "worked to collect information about a member of a religious community, and sent the location of his residence and workplace to a representative of a foreign special service agency via the appropriate mobile phone application." The statement did not name Segal as the target, but his identity was widely reported in the local press. In response, Segal told The Washington Post that he’d only learned about the plot after it was reported in the media. He added that he still feels safe in Azerbaijan, despite the Iranian attempt to have him killed. "We live here peacefully. I walk on the streets here, and there is no fear," Segal said. Segal is not the first rabbi to be targeted in recent months, as Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a Chabad rabbi based in the United Arab Emirates, was kidnapped and murdered late last year as part of a reported plot to transport him to Oman and keep him hostage there. After the plan went awry, Kogan was murdered and his body was discovered days after he was reported missing. The UAE is holding three people over the murder — Olimpi Toirovich, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim and Azizbek Kamlovich — all of them Uzbek nationals who were arrested in ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire... . The three were handed death sentence ...the barbaric practice of sentencing a murderer to be punished for as long as his/her/its victim is dead... s last week for their roles in the kidnapping and murder. There were some reports that Iran was involved in that attack too, though according to Kan, Israeli officials believe that Kogan’s killing was not necessarily carried out on behalf of Tehran. Iran is known to have targeted Israeli and Jewish targets around the world over the years as part of its efforts against the Jewish state. In January, the Israeli National Security Council revealed that Iranian proxies attempted to lure an Israeli businessman to Dubai under the pretext of an interview. In recent months, Israel has also uncovered a significant number of plots of Iranian proxies recruiting Israelis online to carry out espionage against Israeli figures and facilities. Since September 2024, Israeli authorities have announced arrests in many cases involving individuals or cells suspected of spying or plotting attacks on behalf of Iran. In some, Tehran tried to trick Israelis online into carrying out missions for it. In other cases, individuals are alleged to have knowingly operated on Tehran’s behalf for money. Related: Azerbaijan: 2025-04-05 Iran prepares mass finger amputation of 'thieves' in brutal sharia punishment Azerbaijan: 2025-03-28 'Third Force': The Spy Who Revealed Israel's Secrets Was Azerbaijani Azerbaijan: 2025-03-25 Netivot resident, 65, indicted after spying for Iran in exchange for $41,000 Related: Quds Force: 2025-04-02 Iran's IRGC Quds Force commander Gen. Esmail Qaani is confirmed safe in Israel Quds Force: 2025-03-30 Trump needs to hit Iran where it hurts: Tehran, not Yemen - opinion Quds Force: 2025-03-30 With Palestinian flags and ‘Death to Israel’ signs, protesters join Quds Day march in Tehran |
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-Lurid Crime Tales- |
Authorities investigate after Thai women held prisoner on human egg surrogacy farm |
2025-04-06 |
[Jpost] Authorities are investigating a human trafficking ring which saw Thai women held prisoner in Georgia and their ovum harvested, according to international media reports. The three women were transported from Thailand under the guise of being surrogate mothers, according to ABC News. One woman spoke to a press conference in Thailand in February, where she explained that she responded to a social media advertisement offering 25,000 baht (approx. NIS 2,711) a month and accommodation in exchange for surrogacy. JOURNEYING TO THE TRAFFICKING FARM The woman alleged she was trafficked by two Chinese nationals through Dubai and Armenia. Her passport was also allegedly confiscated from her, and she recounted that she was told she risked being arrested if she returned to Thailand. "They took us to a house where there were 60 to 70 Thai women. The women there told us there was no (surrogacy) contracts or parents," she said. "[The women] would be injected to get treatment, anaesthetised, and their eggs would be extracted with a machine. After we got this information and it was not the same as the advertisement, we got scared, we tried to contact people back home. The woman added that she acted sick to avoid having her ovum harvested. The women who refused to give up their ovum were required to pay a ransom of up to 70,000 baht to secure their release, according to National Thailand. While the three women have now returned to Thailand, the Pavena Hongsakul Foundation for Children and Women warned that around 100 women remain prisoners. The foundation has also demanded that Thai authorities engage with China to crack down on the trafficking ring, National Thailand. Georgia's interior ministry confirmed four foreign nationals had been questioned as part of the investigation. |
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Arabia |
UAE reportedly sentences 3 Uzbek nationals to death over killing of Chabad rabbi |
2025-03-31 |
[IsraelTimes] Abu Dhabi yet to officially confirm ruling against those who kidnapped, murdered Rabbi Zvi Kogan in November last year; friend of victim calls decision ‘historic’ Three men accused of killing Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the United Arab Emirates last year have been sentenced to death, Israeli sources in the Gulf state told Hebrew-language media Sunday. Definitely devout Moslems, possibly government of Iran proxies. There was no official confirmation from the UAE.Kogan’s friend, Tzvi Grinhaim, told Channel 12 news that the decision is "historic." Kogan, a 28-year-old UAE-based rabbi with Israeli and Moldovan citizenship, went missing in Dubai in November 2024, and his body was found a few days later in the Emirati city of Al Ain, which borders Oman. The UAE is holding three suspects over the murder — Olimpi Toirovich, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim and Azizbek Kamlovich — all of them Uzbek nationals who were arrested in ![]() In December, The Wall Street Journal reported that the killers had kidnapped Kogan and planned to take him to neighboring Oman. The report said the three suspects were driving the rabbi toward the border until their plan was somehow disrupted. Kogan worked to expand Jewish life in the UAE following the historic Abraham Accords that forged diplomatic relations between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi, including ensuring the wide availability of kosher food and opening the first Jewish education center in the country. He was buried in November at Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives cemetery. Kogan’s wife, Rivky, joined him at the posting after their wedding in 2022. She is the niece of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who was murdered along with his wife in a terror attack at the Nariman Chabad House in Mumbai in 2008. According to Kan, Israeli officials believed that Kogan’s killing was not necessarily carried out on behalf of Iran, but that it was a terror attack. Related: Rabbi Zvi Kogan 12/01/2024 National Security Council warns of planned attacks on Israelis and Jews in Thailand Rabbi Zvi Kogan 11/28/2024 Iran to expel 2.5 million undocumented Afghan migrants by year-end Rabbi Zvi Kogan 11/27/2024 Under the Sheikhs' Noses: Why Uzbek Killers Killed a Chabad Rabbi in the Emirates |
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