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Israeli occupier attacks threaten historic Christian presence in West Bank town

In Taybeh, one of the few Palestinian communities with a Christian majority in the occupied West Bank, fears are growing that Israeli occupier attacks on farmland and property could push more families to emigrate, threatening the town’s demographic character and historic Christian presence. Local officials and clergy warned of the impact of rising violence by Israeli occupiers, which has coincided with worsening living and economic conditions in the town. Taybeh, east of Ramallah, is one of the few Palestinian towns in the West Bank that still has a Christian majority, according to church and local accounts. Residents say the town’s Christian roots go back thousands of years. Residents say the attacks have deepened fears in the town, even as they stress their determination to remain on their land. Also Read: Pakistan raises red flag over illegal settlements in West Bank, calls for Israel accountability In recent years, Israeli occupiers have established several ill...

Four killed as army helicopter crashes into market in Iran

Two military pilots and two market vendors were killed on Tuesday morning when an army helicopter crashed into a fruit market in central Iran, according to state media reports cited by Al Jazeera and Anadolu. The crash occurred in Dorcheh, a town in Isfahan province that hosts a major army airbase. State media said the incident was likely caused by a technical fault, though investigations are ongoing. Footage aired by state television showed the wreckage at the scene and emergency responders extinguishing flames. Read More: What does Trump want in Iran? In a statement, the Army Aviation Training Centre identified the deceased pilots as Colonel Hamed Sarvazad and his co-pilot, Major Mojtaba Kiani. Two merchants working at their stalls in the market were also killed after the helicopter crashed and caught fire. The army said the cause of the crash remains under investigation. Local judiciary chief Asadollah Jafari confirmed that a case has been opened and investigators have been dispatched. The incident comes less than a week after an Iranian Air Force fighter jet — reportedly an ageing US-built F-4 — crashed during a late-night training mission in Hamadan province. State media said one pilot was killed while the other survived after ejecting. That crash was also attributed to a likely technical fault, pending investigation. Iran has struggled to modernise its ageing military and civilian aircraft fleets due to decades of sanctions imposed by the US and its allies. Read More: Trump questions why Iran is not 'capitulating' Tuesday’s crash occurred amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington ahead of a new round of nuclear talks scheduled to take place in Geneva on Thursday. Iranian officials have said the country will not “bow down” to US pressure, as Washington increases its military presence in the region. In recent weeks, the US has deployed advanced fighter jets to regional bases and positioned two aircraft carrier strike groups nearby, warning it could take military action if no agreement is reached over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes. Tehran has ruled out negotiations over its missile programme but has indicated it may be open to an agreement guaranteeing that it will not pursue nuclear weapons.

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