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Tehran, May 1 (IANS) Iran has executed a "high-ranking spy" of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, the media reported.

The executed, identified as Mohsen Langarneshin, was convicted of providing field and technical support for Mossad's operations in Iran, including the assassination of Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a member of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, in Tehran in May 2022, the Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary report said on Wednesday.

Langarneshin, who was hanged on Wednesday morning, provided Mossad with extensive "logistical, technical and operational support" for two years, starting in 2020, the judiciary said via its official news agency, Mizan.

It added that he was executed following the completion of the legal and judicial processes, Xinhua news agency reported.

One of the key accusations against Langarneshin was his involvement in the May 2022 killing of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) colonel, Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, who was shot dead by two motorcyclists on his way home in Tehran.

It listed some of the convict's "criminal actions" as providing logistical, technical and operational support for an attack on an industrial centre affiliated to the Iranian Defence Ministry in the central province of Isfahan, purchasing communications tools for Mossad agents, buying vehicles and equipping them with operational instruments, transferring money from Israeli officers to operational agents inside Iran, and renting safe houses in some Iranian provinces.

Mizan reported that Langarneshin bought a motorcycle to track Khodaei's movements, relayed the information to Mossad and was present during the killing.

Additionally, he was accused of supporting an attack on an industrial site in Isfahan, affiliated with Iran's Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics.

According to the report, Langarneshin had confessed to all the "crimes" he had been charged with.

Iran cited "extensive intelligence and technical evidence" linking Langarneshin to these operations, and said he "fully confessed" to his involvement.

Caught in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has executed numerous individuals over their alleged links to Mossad, particularly those accused of sabotage and assassination efforts aimed at undermining its nuclear programme.

In December 2023, three men and a woman were executed for their alleged links to Mossad.

Langarneshin's execution comes amid renewed US-Iran nuclear talks, which Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israel of attempting to derail.

A fourth round of Oman-mediated negotiations between Washington and Tehran is scheduled for Saturday in Rome, according to Tehran.

--IANS

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Cairo, May 1 (IANS) Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit has called for heightened international and regional efforts to end the ongoing conflict in Sudan and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas.

In a meeting in Cairo with UN Secretary-General's envoy to Sudan Ramtane Lamamra on Wednesday, he stressed the pan-Arab body's "firm stance backing the Sudanese people and legitimate aspirations to security, peace, and sustainable development".

He stressed the importance of preserving Sudan's unity, both in terms of people and territory, safeguarding national institutions, preventing foreign interference, and launching an inclusive political process that represents all Sudanese factions.

For his part, Lamamra reviewed a UN action plan for the coming period and the challenges that impeded the diplomatic efforts, Xinhua news agency reported.

He emphasised the need for coordination between the AL and the UN to enhance the effectiveness of global initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis.

The two sides also discussed the latest political and field developments in Sudan, and efforts to achieve peace and end war, the AL said in a statement.

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The International Organisation for Migration estimates that the conflict has displaced more than 15 million people, both within Sudan and abroad.

Aboul Gheit emphasised the importance of supporting any initiative to find a solution for the Sudanese state, while speaking during a meeting in Cairo with a delegation of the Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces — known as Taqaddum — led by former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Hamdok presented a plan for achieving a ceasefire and political process through an inclusive Sudanese dialogue to protect Sudan, save lives, and maintain progress.

He expressed gratitude to the Secretary-General for the initiative taken on March 5 calling the various Sudanese parties in the conflict and urging a truce during Ramadan.

The head of the Arab League had already called on the warring parties to reach a ceasefire agreement before the holy month.

--IANS

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Islamabad, April 29 (IANS) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday termed the Pahalgam terror attack as disturbing & tragic and also condoled the victims and their families.

“Loss of human life in the Pahalgam incident is deeply disturbing and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” said the incarcerated former Prime Minister during a discussion with the lawyers in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

He alleged that when the “False Flag Palwama Operation” incident happened, Pakistan offered to extend all-out cooperation to India, but India failed to produce any concrete evidence.

“As I predicted in 2019, the same is happening again after the Pahalgam incident. Instead of introspection and investigation, Modi Sarkar is again placing the blame on Pakistan,” he said.

He further added that being a country of 1.5 billion people, India needs to act responsibly instead of messing with a region already known as “nuclear flashpoint.”

“Peace is our priority, but it should not be mistaken for cowardice. Pakistan has got all the capabilities to give a befitting response to any Indian misadventure, as My Government, backed by the whole nation, did in 2019. I have always emphasised the importance of the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, as guaranteed by United Nations resolutions,” he said.

The former Prime Minister further alleged that India, led by RSS ideology, is a “grave threat”, not only to the region but beyond it.

“Indian oppression in Kashmir, intensified after the illegal abrogation of Article 370, has further fueled the Kashmiri people’s desire for freedom,” he alleged.

Talking about the internal factions inside Pakistan, the former Prime Minister said that, sadly, his nation has been divided by an “illegitimate government” imposed through fraudulent Form-47 results.

“And yet, ironically, Narendra Modi’s aggression has united the people of Pakistan in one voice against Indian hostility. While we reject this fake regime, we stand firmly as one Pakistani nation and strongly condemn Modi's war-mongering and his dangerous ambitions that threaten regional peace,” he said.

The former Prime Minister further addressed the polarisation of his nation following deep resentment against the country’s army.

“Needless to say, to win the war against an external enemy, the nation must first be united. It is high time to put a halt to all actions that are further polarising the nation. The state’s excessive focus on political victimisation at this critical time is deepening internal divisions and undermining the nation’s collective ability to confront external threats,” he said.

Imran Khan also targeted Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for their alleged timid stand against the neighbouring country.

“It is naive to expect any strong stance from self-serving figures like Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari. They will never speak out against India because their illegal wealth and business interests lie abroad. They profit from foreign investments, and to protect those financial interests, they remain silent in the face of foreign aggression and baseless allegations against Pakistan. Their fear is simple: that Indian lobbies might freeze their offshore assets if they dare to speak the truth,” said the former Pakistan Prime Minister.

--IANS

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United Nations, April 29 (IANS) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the importance of pursuing justice in the Pahalgam terrorist attack while speaking with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shebaz Sharif, his Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.

“The Secretary-General also expressed his deep concern at rising tensions between India and Pakistan and underscored the need to avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences,” he said.

Dujarric said the world cannot afford a confrontation between India and Pakistan, which would be catastrophic for those two countries and for the world as a whole.

“Guterres has been very clear that he wants to see both sides move towards a de-escalation,” he said,

He said that the Secretary-General noted the importance of pursuing justice and accountability for these attacks through lawful means while reiterating his strong condemnation of the terrorist attack.

Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.

Dujarric added that Guterres offered his good offices to support de-escalation efforts.

However, India has rejected offers of third-party involvement in disputes between the two neighbours as their leaders had declared in the 1972 Simla Agreement to treat them as bilateral matters.

Dujarric added, “Secretary General's good officers are always available should both sides agree to it.”

--IANS

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Beirut, April 29 (IANS) Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed on Tuesday Lebanon's commitment to ending the Israeli occupation of all Lebanese territory and called for intensified diplomatic efforts to halt ongoing violations.

"Lebanon seeks to put an end to all such breaches and fully reclaim its land," he said, according to the official National News Agency.

Salam condemned the recent attack on Beirut's southern suburbs and other Israeli aggressions, describing them as "a breach of the cessation of hostilities arrangements." He stressed the urgency of "activating a monitoring mechanism to stop these violations."

In a meeting with a delegation from the Press Syndicate, the prime minister reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to the existing agreement and called on Israel to do the same.

Salam revealed that Lebanon is actively engaging with influential international actors to apply diplomatic pressure, Xinhua news agency reported. "We are in ongoing communication with the Americans, the French, and other key Arab and European countries to escalate these efforts," he said.

He also highlighted the government's focus on addressing citizens' needs. "We are committed to staying close to the people and addressing their security and livelihood concerns, especially by improving economic and living conditions."

He further noted that the Lebanese government has launched a reconstruction plan, starting with infrastructure. "We've completed damage assessments and are now mobilizing resources," he said. "Negotiations with the World Bank have already secured 325 million US dollars, and we're working to increase that amount."

Salam also emphasised the need to strengthen the Lebanese army amid mounting responsibilities. "We must reinforce army ranks through additional recruitment, particularly with deployments expanding in the south and along the northeastern border," he said, adding that support is also needed for security forces operating in critical facilities, including the port and airport.

--IANS

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Tehran, April 29 (IANS) Governor of the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan Mohammad Ashouri Taziani refuted on Tuesday the hypothesis that an act of sabotage was behind a deadly blast at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran.

He made the remarks while elaborating on the likely causes of the explosion that occurred on Saturday and its subsequent fire, in which at least 70 people were killed and over 1,200 others injured, the official news agency IRNA reported.

Ahsouri Taziani said some foreign media raised the speculation that the incident had probably been the result of an act of sabotage, but preliminary investigations showed that the sabotage hypothesis failed to be of "sufficient strength."

He added that according to a statement by the provincial crisis management headquarters, a failure to properly observe safety and passive defense measures had been among the main causes of the incident.

On Monday, Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni identified "certain negligence" as one of the reasons behind the deadly explosion, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the fire at Shahid Rajaee Port has been completely contained, while the rescue and relief operations were still ongoing, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported citing the provincial governor.

On Monday, Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni identified "certain negligence" as one of the reasons behind the deadly explosion in the provincial capital Bandar Abbas, where this port, the country's largest maritime hub, is located.

He made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV, elaborating on the ongoing investigations to determine the cause of the incident.

Momeni said that during an earlier meeting held in Bandar Abbas to discuss the explosion's cause, several individuals whose negligence had been confirmed were summoned. He noted that a failure to observe safety regulations and passive defence measures properly contributed to the disaster, urging the relevant authorities and investigative committee to accelerate efforts to determine the full cause accurately.

Following the deadly blast, Hossein Sajedinia, head of Iran's National Disaster Management Organisation, told the IRIB on Sunday that some of the containers at the port contained flammable materials, such as pitch, and some others carried chemicals.

Despite the incident, the port's wharfs have resumed operations and cargo handling, according to the official news agency IRNA.

--IANS

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Yangon, April 29 (IANS) The death toll from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has risen to 3,770 as of April 28, the state-owned daily The Mirror reported on Tuesday.

In addition, 5,106 people were injured and 106 people were reported missing, Xinhua news agency reported.

Myanmar has experienced a total of 157 aftershocks following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28.

The aftershocks ranged from magnitude 2.8 to 7.5, the department said.

More than 200,000 people have been displaced after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, according to the country's National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC).

At the committee's third meeting of the year, held on Friday in Nay Pyi Taw, NDMC Chairman Vice Senior General Soe Win said the earthquake caused widespread destruction across 10 regions and states, including Nay Pyi Taw, Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, Magway, and Shan.

The earthquake destroyed or damaged over 63,000 homes, 6,700 schools, 5,400 monasteries, 5,300 pagodas, and hundreds of other religious buildings, hospitals, bridges, roads, and dams, he said.

International medical teams, including 337 foreign personnel, have set up temporary hospitals in the worst-affected areas and are providing care alongside local health workers.

Following a request for international assistance by the Myanmar government, 2,095 rescue workers from 26 countries and regions have arrived in Myanmar, bringing over 3,800 tonnes of relief supplies using 147 planes, seven ships, and 23 vehicles, he added.

Authorities are inspecting damaged buildings using a colour-coded system -- blue, orange, and red -- to assess structural damage and guide repairs.

Temporary housing, including bashas and modular shelters, is being built for displaced staff and residents, while plans are underway to reconstruct homes using earthquake-resistant designs based on soil testing and fault-line assessments.

Under 'Operation Brahma', India was the first responder to the earthquake-hit Myanmar and has provided relief supplies of over 750 MT including essential medicines, food grain, ready-to-eat meals, tents, blankets, gensets, rapidly deployable surgical and medical shelters, water sanitation and hygiene services, drinking water, essential clothing, prefabricated office/residential structures, etc.

--IANS

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Warsaw, April 28 (IANS) Polskie Elektrownie Jadrowe (PEJ), the state-owned company responsible for overseeing the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant, signed a new Engineering Development Agreement (EDA) on Monday with the American consortium Westinghouse-Bechtel to advance the next phase of the project.

The EDA, which replaces the previous Engineering Service Contract that expired in April, covers detailed design work, the securing of administrative approvals, and the advancement of geological surveys at the Choczewo site in northern Poland.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who attended the signing ceremony alongside US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, noted that key terms of the new agreement were renegotiated across 16 areas to strengthen investment security, Xinhua news agency reported.

"This initial investment has been secured through a new and improved agreement," Tusk said after the meeting.

He added that the deal had been renegotiated under his government -- which came into power in late 2023, after the nuclear plans had been announced -- so that it was more beneficial to Poland.

"Thanks to modifications across 16 areas, this investment is becoming more secure, and the guarantees provide us with a sense of safety for this investment," Tusk said.

The EDA sets the framework for continued cooperation between PEJ and the consortium following the expiry of the current Engineering Service Contract.

It covers design work, securing administrative decisions, licenses and permits, as well as additional geological studies at the project site in Lubiatowo-Kopalino, northern Poland.

The two sides are also preparing to sign a construction contract, pending the European Commission's approval of a 60 billion zloty (€14 billion) government financing package earmarked for PEJ.

"I believe that this will also mark the beginning of many years of collaboration in this area between Poland and the US, and we will build more such nuclear reactors, both in Poland and in other countries across Europe, as we possess the appropriate skills, which Polish workers will gain through cooperation with American partners," US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.

PEJ, the project investor and future operator, plans to use Westinghouse AP1000 reactor technology.

Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin in 2028, with the first reactor expected to become operational by 2035 and full integration into the national power grid planned for 2036.

--IANS

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Tehran, April 28 (IANS) The death toll from a huge blast and the subsequent fire at Shahid Rajaee Port in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan on Saturday has reached 65, with more than 1,200 others injured, media reported on Monday, citing the provincial governor.

The fire has been completely contained, while the rescue and relief operations were still ongoing, Mohammad Ashouri Taziani told semi-official Mehr news agency.

Earlier on Monday, Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni identified "certain negligence" as one of the reasons behind the deadly explosion in the provincial capital Bandar Abbas, where this port, the country's largest maritime hub, is located.

He made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV, elaborating on the ongoing investigations to determine the cause of the incident.

Momeni said that during an earlier meeting held in Bandar Abbas to discuss the explosion's cause, several individuals whose negligence had been confirmed were summoned, Xinhua news agency reported.

He noted that a failure to observe safety regulations and passive defence measures properly contributed to the disaster, urging the relevant authorities and investigative committee to accelerate efforts to determine the full cause accurately.

"Shortcomings in regards to not respecting security protocols have been identified and some of the individuals at fault have been summoned," Momeni said, according to state media.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday ordered an investigation to "uncover any negligence or intent" behind the incident, an indication that authorities are not ruling out sabotage.

The incident occurred as Iran began a third round of nuclear talks with the US in Oman, but there was no indication of a link between the two events.

Iran's Infrastructure Communications Company said on Monday that a large cyber attack against the country's infrastructure had been repelled a day after the blast, without providing more detail.

Poor storage of chemicals in containers is suspected of having caused the explosion.

A spokesperson for the crisis management organisation said on Saturday that earlier warnings had highlighted potential safety risks at the port.

Iran's Defence Ministry dismissed on Sunday international media reports suggesting the blast may be linked to the mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles.

Following the deadly blast, Hossein Sajedinia, head of Iran's National Disaster Management Organisation, told the IRIB on Sunday that some of the containers at the port contained flammable materials, such as pitch, and some others carried chemicals.

Despite the incident, the port's wharfs have resumed operations and cargo handling, according to the official news agency IRNA.

--IANS

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Ottawa, April 28 (IANS) Canadians began voting on Monday in the vital election under the shadow of US President Donald Trump’s tariff war and warnings of annexation.

The standings of the ruling Liberal Party, which ousted former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have zoomed dramatically after Trump’s threats and are now ahead of the Conservative Party by just under 3 per cent in aggregate of polls.

The government-subsidised Canada Broadcasting Corporation's consolidation of polls showed Liberals with 42.8 per cent to Conservatives' 39.2 per cent, and the New Democrats' (NDP) 8.1 per cent.

Liberal had trailed the Conservatives by 23 per cent at Trump’s inauguration in January when Trudeau was still in power.

Despite the slender lead in polls, projections of seats in the 338-member House of Commons give Liberals a comfortable lead of 180 seats over the Conservatives' 125.

Of Canada’s more than 28 million registered voters, 7.3 million had already voted in early voting by last Monday.

The first results are expected to trickle in on Monday night – Tuesday in India – as polling stations begin reporting the counting of the paper ballots at the individual stations.

Importantly, the NDP, led by Jagmeet Singh, who is allegedly a Khalistan sympathiser, is facing a near wipeout with projections of less than 10 seats.

In the last parliament, Singh wielded disproportionate influence with 24 seats, which helped Trudeau stay in power even though, with 152 seats Liberals lacked a majority.

In January, the NDP had a support of 17.4 per cent, which dwindled to 8.1 per cent as Trump polarised the electorate, sending Singh to irrelevance.

Relations between India and Canada frayed under Trudeau, who was himself soft on Khalistanis and was influenced by Singh.

Mark Carney, who was elected by the Liberals to replace Trudeau, will continue as prime minister if the projections hold and his party wins.

He has indicated that he is for resetting relations with India.

“It’s an incredibly important relationship, the Canada-India relationship, on many levels”, Carney said over the weekend, emphasising the economy.

“At this point, where the world economy but also the global system has been shaken, is being reshaped, countries like Canada, like India, specifically can play an outsize role in building an open, shared economy, shared ideas, a shared relationship,” he said.

Carney is a technocrat who headed the national banks of both Canada and Britain, helping steer both countries through difficult economic times, and is considered the best leader to face up to Trump’s tariff threats.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre rode high in the last days of a discredited Trudeau and appeared set to become prime minister, but his policies that mirrored Trump’s in some ways backfired when the US president raised tariffs on many Canadian imports and wanted to annexe the northern neighbour.

Poilievre blamed Trudeau for the worsening relations with India.

"He is so incompetent and unprofessional that now we are in major disputes with almost every major power in the world, and that includes India", he said.

During the campaign, an attempt was made to malign Poilievre by alleging that India interfered in the 2022 Conservative Party's internal elections to favour him.

He dismissed the allegations made by an unnamed source in a newspaper, saying, “Let’s be honest, I won the leadership fair and square."

He said that even his political competitors "have publicly testified under oath" that he won the party election fairly.

Canada338, an outlet that tracks polls and makes projections, said that Liberals will get 186 seats to Conservatives’ 124 and NDP’s 9.

Canada Broadcasting Corporation projected 189 seats for Liberals, 125 for Conservatives, and five for the NDP.

--IANS

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