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UNSC blacklists Osama bin Laden’s son Hamza bin Laden

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Hamza bin Laden

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The UN Security Council has designated Hamza bin Laden, the son of slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, under its sanctions list, describing the terrorist, thought to be based near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, as the “most probable successor” of the group’s current leader Aiman al-Zawahiri.

The UN Security Council’s 1267 ISIS and Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee listed 29-year-old Hamza bin Laden on Thursday, the day the US announced a reward of up to $ 1 million for information about him.

Saudi Arabia also announced Friday it had revoked the citizenship of Hamza bin Laden via a royal decree in November.

A Security Council press release said al-Zawahiri has announced that the Saudi Arabia-born Hamza bin Laden is an official member of Al-Qaeda. Hamza bin Laden “has called for followers of Al-Qaeda to commit terror attacks. Is seen as the most probable successor of al-Zawahiri,” the powerful 15-member Council said.

The sanctions list subjected him to a travel ban, assets freeze and an arms embargo.

An assets freeze under the Sanctions Committee requires that all states freeze without delay the funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities.

Also Read: US Offers $1 Million reward for giving information about Osama bin Laden’s son

The travel ban entails preventing the entry into or transit by all states through their territories by designated individuals.

Under the arms embargo, all states are required to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types, spare parts, and technical advice, assistance, or training related to military activities, to designated individuals and entities.

Just hours before the UNSC Sanctions Committee designated Hamza bin Laden, the US State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program announced a reward for up to $ 1 million for information leading to his identification or location in any country, saying he is emerging as a leader in the Al-Qaeda franchise.

“Since at least August 2015, he has released audio and video messages on the Internet calling on his followers to launch attacks against the United States and its Western allies, and he has threatened attacks against the United States in revenge for the May 2011 killing of his father by US service members,” the State Department said.

Also Read: USA asks Pakistan if it used F-16 aircraft in violation of end-user agreement

In January 2017, the State Department had listed Hamza bin Laden as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, freezing all of his assets based in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons.

The designation also prohibited US persons from engaging in transactions with him.

(Inputs from media reports)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Latest Politics News

Himanta Biswa Sarma rebuts Pak’s Brahmaputra water scare, says India holds hydrological edge

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has rejected claims that China could choke Brahmaputra’s flow, asserting India’s dominance over the river’s volume through monsoon-fed systems.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly refuted concerns raised over China potentially restricting Brahmaputra river waters to India, calling the claims speculative and misleading. In response to Pakistan’s apparent alarmist statements, Sarma underscored that the bulk of the Brahmaputra’s flow originates within Indian territory, not China.

The Chief Minister took to social media on Monday to address rising anxieties fuelled by a hypothetical question — “What if China stops the Brahmaputra’s water?” According to Sarma, such a scenario is not only baseless but also rooted in fear rather than factual understanding.

India generates majority of Brahmaputra flow

Explaining the hydrological dynamics, Sarma stated that China contributes only about 30 to 35 percent of the river’s total water through glacial melt and sparse rainfall in the Tibetan plateau. In contrast, nearly 65 to 70 percent of the river’s volume is sourced from India’s monsoon rains and tributaries, particularly in the Northeast.

“The Brahmaputra doesn’t shrink at the border. It grows significantly once it enters India,” Sarma noted. Data cited by him suggests that while the river’s flow at the Indo-China border near Tuting ranges between 2,000 and 3,000 cubic metres per second, it swells to over 15,000–20,000 cubic metres per second in Assam during the monsoon.

Flood relief perspective

Sarma further pointed out that even in the unlikely situation of reduced upstream water from China, the development could paradoxically aid India. “Assam suffers severe floods every year. Less water inflow from upstream could actually reduce the displacement of thousands during the monsoon,” he remarked.

He also stressed that there has been no official indication from China about weaponising the river’s flow, calling the narrative an act of speculative fear-mongering.

Pakistan’s reaction and India’s water sovereignty

Taking a sharp dig at Pakistan, Sarma said that a country which has long profited from the Indus Waters Treaty is now showing signs of panic as India asserts its water rights.

“The Brahmaputra is not under the mercy of any single nation. Its force lies in our geography, our monsoon and the strength of our civilization,” he concluded.

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India-US trade pact likely soon as both sides near consensus

India and the US are close to finalising a major trade agreement that could double their trade volume by 2030.

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trump modi

India and the United States are close to finalising a much-anticipated trade agreement, according to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Speaking at a strategic forum, Lutnick stated that both nations have reached common ground on a deal that benefits both economies, with negotiations entering their final phase in New Delhi this week.

“You should expect a deal between the United States and India in the not too distant future because I think we found a place that really works for both countries,” Lutnick remarked at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

He noted that India may receive more favourable terms by being among the early entrants in the series of trade pacts the US is planning. “Earlier countries get a better deal, that’s the way it is,” Lutnick said, emphasising India’s proactive approach to secure its position ahead of others.

India sees mutual benefit

Echoing the optimism, India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed that discussions were progressing with a clear focus on mutual benefits. While in France, Goyal stated that both countries were committed to ensuring preferential market access for each other’s businesses.

“We are working towards the bilateral trade agreement,” Goyal said, underlining that the government is actively pushing for the deal’s conclusion.

Deal to strengthen trade ties

Initially announced in February by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, the trade agreement is structured to span multiple sectors. The first phase of the pact is targeted for completion between September and October 2025. A key objective of the agreement is to boost bilateral trade from the current USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030.

A US delegation is currently stationed in New Delhi to accelerate discussions on an interim agreement, expected to be finalised by the end of June. India is also advocating for a complete removal of the 26% tariff imposed on its exports to the US during Trump’s tenure.

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Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web shakes Russia, sends strong message to Trump

Ukraine executes its most far-reaching drone strike under Operation Spider Web, targeting Russian airbases and sending a firm message to Trump and Moscow.

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Ukraine operation Spider web

In a significant escalation of its military tactics, Ukraine has launched its most ambitious drone offensive deep inside Russian territory, targeting multiple military airfields in what it has named Operation Spider Web. The strikes, confirmed by Kyiv as its “most long-range operation,” caught Moscow off guard and served as both a strategic and symbolic move — not just against Russia, but also aimed at the United States.

Zelenskyy claps back at Trump’s Oval Office remark

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to social media after the strike, calling the operation an “absolutely brilliant result” and notably adding it was “a result achieved solely by Ukraine.” These words were a pointed rebuttal to former US President Donald Trump’s March statement in Washington, where he told Zelenskyy: “Without us, you don’t have any cards.”

The contrast was made even starker when a Ukrainian publication posted an image of Zelenskyy depicted as a card king holding swords and surrounded by drones — a play on Trump’s earlier “no cards” comment.

Inside Ukraine’s most audacious drone operation

According to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), the operation was meticulously planned over 18 months. Drones were smuggled into Russia, hidden in trucks parked near key airbases. When triggered remotely, the trucks’ cabin roofs opened, launching FPV drones that struck strategic Russian aircraft such as the Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers, as well as A-50 radar aircraft.

Russian regions hit included Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur. While Russia has acknowledged some aircraft were damaged and “caught fire,” the full extent of losses remains unclear.

Ukraine’s timing: A tactical edge before peace talks

These drone strikes come just as Russian and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Istanbul to explore possible peace negotiations. Kyiv’s show of technological capability and battlefield resolve appears to be a strategic maneuver aimed at strengthening its position ahead of the diplomatic engagement.

Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s stance, stating: “We continue to propose a full and unconditional ceasefire,” adding that Ukraine’s plan is “logical and realistic.” He also pointed out that the Russian side has yet to formally share their peace proposal with any party involved in the discussions.

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