TWIN BLASTS NEAR IRANIAN GENERAL'S GRAVE CLAIM 73 LIVES

In the Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday, a tragic incident unfolded near the burial site of the late Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, resulting in the loss of 73 lives and injuring 170. State media, as reported by CNN, referred to the event as a terror attack.

The first explosion occurred 700 meters from Soleimani's grave, followed by a second blast a kilometer away as pilgrims were visiting the site. Soleimani, who was killed in a US airstrike ordered by former President Donald Trump at Baghdad International Airport four years ago, headed the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force—an elite unit overseeing Iran's overseas operations, designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US.

According to IRNA, the Deputy Governor for Political and Security noted uncertainty regarding whether the incident resulted from a gas explosion or a terrorist attack.

DETERMINED MOSSAD CHIEF PLEDGES PURSUIT OF HAMAS MEMBERS

In a firm declaration on Wednesday, the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence service, David Barnea, asserted the agency's commitment to tracking down every Hamas member involved in the October 7 attack on Israel, irrespective of their location. This vow came on the heels of the suspected Israeli strike in Beirut that resulted in the death of the deputy head of the Palestinian militant group a day earlier.

While Israel has refrained from commenting on its alleged involvement in the killing, Barnea's statements strongly hinted at its connection to the incident. Drawing a parallel to the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Massacre, he referred to Mossad agents successfully locating and eliminating a series of Palestinian militants responsible for killing Israeli athletes at that year's Olympic games.

The repercussions of this targeted killing on the ongoing conflict remain uncertain. Despite Israel eliminating several top Hamas leaders in the past, they have been swiftly replaced. The strike in Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold raises concerns that the simmering low-intensity conflict along the Lebanon border could escalate into a full-fledged war.

US WORRIES ASSASSINATION MAY HIT TALKS

The assassination of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas's top deputy in Lebanon, could temporarily hinder talks aimed at reaching an agreement for a short-term pause in the conflict. The discussions involve facilitating exchanges of hostages between Hamas in Gaza and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 20,000, prompting international mediators to propose a new ceasefire. However, both sides maintain seemingly unyielding conditions, making a durable truce distant. The Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, may be hesitant to proceed with negotiations due to increased pressure. Despite a defiant response from Hamas political leader Hussam Badran, another Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, indicated openness to talks on other issues if Israel halts its attacks.

HOUTHIS SAY ‘TARGETED’ ANOTHER CONTAINER SHIP IN THE RED SEA

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis said on Wednesday they had “targeted” a container ship bound for Israel, a day after the US Central Command said the militant group had fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles in the southern Red Sea. The Houthis’ military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the group had “targeted” the CMA CGM Tage container ship without elaborating. He also said the ship had been sent warning messages that its crew ignored. The French shipping firm CMA CGM said the ship was unharmed, and added it had been headed for Egypt, not Israel.

US EXTENDS MILITARY PRESENCE AT QATAR BASE FOR 10 YRS: REPORT

The US has reached a deal to extend its military presence at a base in Qatar for another 10 years, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The base in question is the Al Udeid Air Base, which is located in the desert southwest of Doha and hosts the largest US military facility in West Asia, the source said.

INVESTIGATORS PROBE CONFLICTING REPORTS ON FIERY TOKYO PLANE CRASH

Japanese investigators are examining the conflicting reports surrounding a near-catastrophic collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport between a coast guard plane and a Japan Airlines Airbus. Six people on the coast guard plane perished, while all 379 passengers and crew on the Airbus safely evacuated before it caught fire. The cause of the incident, a rarity in Japan's aviation history, is under investigation. Reports suggest discrepancies in air traffic control instructions. While Japan Airlines claims landing permission was granted, details remain undisclosed pending the ongoing investigation. Airbus has committed specialists to assist in the inquiry.

RUSSIA, UKRAINE ANNOUNCE LARGEST PRISONER SWAP SINCE WAR BEGAN

Ukraine and Russia said Wednesday they had exchanged over two hundred captive soldiers each, in what officials have described as the biggest prisoner swap of the war so far.

The two warring sides have carried out dozens of exchanges since Moscow invaded in February 2022, but the process stalled in the latter half of last year.

In near simultaneous statements, Russia and Ukraine announced they had received over 200 soldiers each following talks mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

"More than 200 of our soldiers and civilians have been returned from Russian captivity," Zelensky said on Telegram, posting a video of uniformed men celebrating.

Neither side had announced an exchange in almost five months, prompting Kyiv to accuse Moscow of deliberately blocking deals for political reasons.

"There was a long pause in the exchanges, but there was no pause in the negotiations," Zelensky said in a later message, hailing the swap as "good news".

Moscow's defence ministry said 248 of its servicemen had been returned, and that they were being provided with "medical and psychological assistance".

The UAE said the deal reflected its "strong friendly relations" with both Russia and Ukraine.

Neither side discloses how many prisoners are in their custody.

US IMAM DIES AFTER BEING SHOT OUTSIDE MOSQUE: OFFICIAL

New York: An imam who was shot on Wednesday outside a mosque near New York has died, a US official told AFP.

Police in the city of Newark, New Jersey, did not give a motive for the incident.

"Hassan Sharif was a Transportation Security Officer at Newark Liberty International Airport since 2006," said Lisa Farbstein, a spokeswoman for the United States Transportation Security Administration where Sharif worked.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and send our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues."

Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Frage had earlier confirmed "police responded to a call of a male shot" Wednesday morning.

Officers confirmed that the man was the imam, and that the incident happened outside a mosque. An investigation is underway.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, there has been an increase in Islamophobic and anti-Semitic attacks across the United States.

Images published by the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) showed police vehicles deployed outside the Masjid Muhammad-Newark mosque, a two-story yellow and green complex.

ANOTHER BLOW FOR IMRAN KHAN AS PTI LOSES CRICKET BAT AS POLL SYMBOL AGAIN

Islamabad : Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, lead by former PM Imran Khan, was dealt another blow when the Peshawar HC upheld Wednesday the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to strip the party of its cricket bat electoral symbol.

On December 22 last year, the ECP had declared PTI’s intra-party election, a legal formality, null and void, stating it had violated election laws. As a result, the ECP revoked the party’s election symbol.

PTI subsequently approached the Peshawar HC, which, on December 26, suspended the ECP’s decision till January 9 and ruled the party could retain its bat symbol. The ECP on Saturday filed a review pe tition against the HC order claiming it had overstepped its jurisdiction by suspending the commission’s order.

In a written order, the HC restored the ECP’s decision, saying its previous order was beyond its territorial jurisdiction and it had hindered the “smooth process” of the elec tion process. “The interim order of this court passed in favour of the writ petitioner/PTI is hereby recalled/vacated and consequently the ECP is directed to proceed with the election process as per its constitutional mandate ...,” it said.

PTI said it would appeal the ECP’s ruling in the SC.

IS TRYING TO GAIN FOOTHOLD IN PAK: GOVT

Pakistan, which is witnessing an influx of Tehreek-iTaliban terrorists in significant numbers in tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is also facing a threat from the Islamic State (IS) which is trying to establish a foothold in the country, the ministry of interior has said. The ministry said the IS was resorting to terrorist activities against Shias and religious minority communities to ignite sectarian strife.

AFTER POOH, EARLY MICKEY MOUSE VERSION STARS IN HORROR FILM AS COPYRIGHT ENDS

Los Angeles : After entering the public domain on Monday due to the expiration of Disney's copyright, the early version of Mickey Mouse from "Steamboat Willie" is quickly becoming the center of attention in two horror films. The first, titled "Mickey’s Mouse Trap," released its trailer on YouTube shortly after the copyright expiration. Another untitled film was announced the following day. Both projects, seemingly low-budget and campy slasher movies, follow a trend set by Winnie the Pooh, who entered the public domain in 2022 and starred in the microbudget horror film "Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey" a year later.

The "Mickey’s Mouse Trap" trailer features a comically small Mickey mask-wearing character terrorizing a group of people at an arcade. The second film, directed by Steven LaMorte, explores a late-night boat ride in New York City turning into a fight for survival when a mischievous mouse becomes a monstrous reality. With Disney's statement acknowledging the expiration of the 95-year copyright, filmmakers are navigating legal considerations to avoid infringing on Disney's rights for modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other copyrighted works.