Iranian bill labels U.S. forces terrorists
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill labeling U.S. forces in the Middle East as terrorists, a day after the U.S. terrorism designation for Iran's Revolutionary Guard formally took effect, state TV reported.
Defense Minister Gen. Amir Hatami introduced the bill authorizing the government to act firmly in response to "terrorist actions" by U.S. forces. It demands that authorities use "legal, political and diplomatic" measures to neutralize the American move, without elaborating.
The U.S. move aims at "thwarting Iran's influence" and shows that America's long-standing sanctions against Iran have become ineffective, Hatami told lawmakers.
The TV report said 204 lawmakers supported the bill, out of 207 present at the session in the 290-seat chamber. Two lawmakers voted against the bill, and one abstained.
However, it remains unclear how the bill's passage in parliament would affect the Guard's activities in the Persian Gulf, where the U.S. Navy has in the past accused Iranian patrol boats of harassing American warships.
Israeli court orders activist deported
JERUSALEM -- An Israeli court ordered the deportation of Human Rights Watch's local director on Tuesday, telling him to leave the country within two weeks.
The Jerusalem District Court rejected an appeal by Omar Shakir to remain in the country, citing his ongoing support of boycotts of Israel during his time in the country.
Israel enacted a law in 2017 barring entry to any foreigner who "knowingly issues a public call for boycotting Israel." Tuesday's ruling was the first time the law was applied to someone already residing in the country.
Shakir, a U.S. citizen, has worked as the New York-based group's director for Israel and the Palestinian territories since October 2016.
Israel's interior minister ordered Shakir's deportation in May, calling him a "boycott activist."
Human Rights Watch said neither the organization nor Shakir promotes Israel boycotts, but it has called for companies to cease operations in West Bank settlements because they "inherently benefit from and contribute to serious violations of international humanitarian law."
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.
Won't yield to China, Taiwan leader says
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Chinese attempts at military coercion only strengthen Taiwan's resolve to defend itself, the president of the self-governing island republic said Tuesday.
Tsai Ing-wen's comments followed what Taiwan's Defense Ministry called a major foray by Chinese military planes into airspace just south of the island Monday, as well as by warships in the surrounding waters.
That included bombers, fighter jets, and early-warning and control aircraft.
Tsai said at a security forum in Taipei that China's actions "threaten Taiwan and other like-minded countries in the region."
"As president, I want to tell you that Taiwan is not intimidated. These actions only serve to strengthen our resolve. Our military forces have the capacity, determination and commitment to defend Taiwan and not allow coercion to dictate our own future," Tsai said.
China's ruling Communist Party considers Taiwan to be Chinese territory but has never governed the island, which split from the mainland amid civil war in 1949.
Beijing cut ties with Tsai's government after her 2016 election and has been stepping up military threats and efforts to isolate Taipei diplomatically.
Militants, officer die in Pakistani raid
PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- Pakistani security forces raided a militant hideout in the northwestern city of Peshawar on Tuesday, triggering an 18-hour shootout in which a police officer and all five suspected militants at the site were killed, officials said.
Police and commando units surrounded the house in Peshawar on Monday night, asking the suspects inside to surrender. Instead, they opened fire on the security forces, setting off clashes, said Shaukat Yousafzai, a government spokesman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Police said the suspects also threw grenades, which killed the officer.
The operation lasted 18 hours. Security forces found explosives in the basement of the house but no additional suspects. According to Yousafzai, the suspects had been living in the house for the past two weeks, plotting to target government and security forces.
He added that the authorities were trying to determine the identities and nationalities of the slain militants.
Peshawar is the provincial capital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has been the scene of dozens of militant attacks in recent years.
A Section on 04/17/2019