ISLAMABAD // The Pakistani Taliban yesterday warned the nation's military that it had set up a "suicide bombers squad" to target troops if an offensive is launched in a tribal area bordering Afghanistan.
In an email message sent to the media, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella militant group, said it had received "an exclusive intelligence report" about the offensive in North Waziristan from its "sources" in the army.
Ehsanullah Ehsan, a TTP spokesman, outlined details of the regiments and units and the possible commander of the campaign, said to be scheduled for launch on August 26, lasting for one month.
"TTP has also prepared itself for resistance. We have set up a suicide bombers squad to welcome (the) army," said Mr Ehsan. "We will defeat our enemy, whom is defending secular, unIslamic system of Pakistan, by punching them back hard [God willing]."
Military officials were not immediately available to comment.
On August 3, The Wall Street Journal reported Pakistani and US officials were considering joint counter-terrorism campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan against Haqqanis and Taliban fighters.
The report said the campaigns would mark an upturn in cooperation between the countries after more than a year of rancorous relations, since the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
Pakistani officials later denied any agreement with Washington for an operation and said "routine" actions on each side of the border "should not be mistaken for 'joint operations'".
Washington has long demanded Pakistan act against the Haqqanis, which the US accused of attacking the US embassy in Kabul last September and acting like the "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence.
Pakistan has in turn demanded Afghan and US forces do more to stop Pakistani Taliban militants crossing the border to attack its forces. Pakistan says 35,000 of its people, including more than 3,000 soldiers, have been killed as a result of terrorism since the September 11 attacks in 2001 and the US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
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RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
Florida: The critical Sunshine State
Though mostly conservative, Florida is usually always “close” in presidential elections. In most elections, the candidate that wins the Sunshine State almost always wins the election, as evidenced in 2016 when Trump took Florida, a state which has not had a democratic governor since 1991.
Joe Biden’s campaign has spent $100 million there to turn things around, understandable given the state’s crucial 29 electoral votes.
In 2016, Mr Trump’s democratic rival Hillary Clinton paid frequent visits to Florida though analysts concluded that she failed to appeal towards middle-class voters, whom Barack Obama won over in the previous election.
