#ministry of corporate affairs

[indizombie]

Jaipur Dialogues was founded by retired civil servant Sanjay Dixit. He is a staunch Hindutva supporter and, at times, has even voiced criticism towards the BJP for not addressing Hindu interests sufficiently. According to a September 2023 company report, that we found on the Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs website, Dixit is also a director of the Jaipur Dialogues along with Sunil Sharma, a politician surprisingly from the BJP’s main opposition party Congress. After a recent controversy over Sunil Sharma’s association with Jaipur Dialogues, which he claims to have severed last year, he was dropped as a Congress candidate.

Pooja Chaudhuri, ‘How Four Hindu Nationalist Websites Make Their Money’, Bellingcat

[taxservices123]

Tax Services

[probablyasocialecologist]

The Guardian has uncovered evidence showing how Israel has relaunched a controversial entity as part of a broader public relations campaign to target US college campuses and redefine antisemitism in US law. Seconds after a smoke alarm subsided during the hearing, Chikli assured the lawmakers that there was new money in the budget for a pushback campaign, which was separate from more traditional public relations and paid advertising content produced by the government. It included 80 programs already under way for advocacy efforts “to be done in the ‘Concert’ way”, he said. The “Concert” remark referred to a sprawling relaunch of a controversial Israeli government program initially known as Kela Shlomo, designed to carry out what Israel called “mass consciousness activities” targeted largely at the US and Europe. Concert, now known as Voices of Israel, previously worked with groups spearheading a campaign to pass so-called “anti-BDS” state laws that penalize Americans for engaging in boycotts or other non-violent protests of Israel. Its latest incarnation is part of a hardline and sometimes covert operation by the Israeli government to strike back at student protests, human rights organizations and other voices of dissent. Voices’ latest activities were conducted through non-profits and other entities that often do not disclose donor information. From October through May, Chikli has overseen at least 32m shekels, or about $8.6m, spent on government advocacy to reframe the public debate.

[...]

Haaretz and the New York Times recently revealed that Chikli’s ministry had tapped a public relations firm to secretly pressure American lawmakers. The firm used hundreds of fake accounts posting pro-Israel or anti-Muslim content on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. (The diaspora affairs ministry denied involvement in the campaign, which reportedly provided about $2m to an Israeli firm for the social media posts.) But that effort is only one of many such campaigns coordinated by the ministry, which has received limited news coverage. The ministry of diaspora affairs and its partners compile weekly reports based on tips from pro-Israel US student groups, some of which receive funding from Israeli government sources. For example, Hillel International, a co-founder of the Israel on Campus Coalition network and one of the largest Jewish campus groups in the world, has reported financial and strategic support from Mosaic United, a public benefit corporation backed by Chikli’s ministry. The longstanding partnership is now being utilized to shape the political debate over Israel’s war. In February, Hillel’s chief executive, Adam Lehman, appeared before the Knesset to discuss the strategic partnership with Mosaic and the ministry of diaspora affairs, which he said had already produced results.

24 June 2024

[beardedmrbean]

Iran's Supreme Leader released a message of support for American college students who have participated in pro-Palestine protests.

"Dear university students in the United States of America, you are standing on the right side of history," Ali Khamenei wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

His comments sparked fury on social media, with several people suggesting that having support from the authoritarian leader was not a good thing.

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X: "When you've won the Ayatollah, you've lost America."

A popular right-wing X account, End Wokeness, wrote: "Imagine telling someone 10 years ago that the Iranian Supreme Leader would be thanking a bunch of blue-haired atheists at Columbia."

Several other X accounts, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Orthodox rabbi and adjunct professor David Bashevkin, suggested that having Khamenei's support might suggest the protesters are actually on the wrong side of history.

Iranian American activist, Elica Le Bon, who often criticizes the Iranian regime as well as pro-Palestine protesters, wrote on X: "From the regime's Supreme Leader to students in the U.S. How can it be right in front of them and they still can't see it?"

In response to Hamas' October 7 attack which killed 1,200 and took 250 hostage, Israel began an aerial bombardment and ground offensive into Gaza. Nearly eight months later, Israel's campaign has flattened much of Gaza, displaced millions and killed more than 35,000 people, many of them civilians, per the health ministry.

In response to Israel's offensive, pro-Palestine protests have erupted in college campuses across the U.S., leading to thousands of students being arrested.

Iran's Supreme Leader also shared a piece of advice with American students, writing on X: "Dear university students in the US, my advice to you is to become familiar with the Quran."

Khamenei also released a longer open letter, in which he wrote that he wanted to express "empathy and solidarity" with student protesters.

"You have now formed a branch of the Resistance Front and have begun an honorable struggle in the face of your government's ruthless pressure—a government which openly supports the usurper and brutal Zionist regime," he wrote.

Khamenei also invoked antisemitic tropes about Jewish people controlling the media.

"The global Zionist elite—who owns most US and European media corporations or influences them through funding and bribery—has labeled this courageous, humane resistance movement as "terrorism," " Khamenei wrote.

Iran has long been one of Israel's greatest regional foes, and tensions have reached new highs in recent months, escalating to the point of Iran launching hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel.

The Islamic nation has also been known to support Hamas through providing training and funding.

Khamenei has repeatedly expressed support for Hamas, describing them as "defending" their home. He also met with the militant group's leader Ismail Haniyeh earlier this month during the latter's visit to Tehran.

[workersolidarity]

🇵🇸 🚨 GLOBAL PROTESTS STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS UNDER SIEGE AND BOMBARDMENT IN THE GAZA STRIP 🇵🇸

A global strike has been launched, standing in solidarity with Palestinians under siege and bombardment in the Gaza Strip on Monday morning.

With #Strike_For_Gaza currently the largest trending hashtag internationally.

The General Strike takes place just two days after the United States used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council to kill a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

In Palestine, protests swept the occupied West Bank, with Universities, banks and businesses closed and popular calls for confrontation with the occupation anywhere possible.

Public transportation was shut down on all routes while factories and plants were also closed.

In Lebanon, shops and stores were empty as the majority of the population participated in the strike, with only minimal movement through the streets of the Capital, Beirut, as well as other Lebanese cities.

After Lebanon's authorities approved participation in the General Strike, several corporations chose to close its doors in compliance, along with both public and private schools and other public administrations.

Lebanon's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates also closed its doors in Lebanon, as well as its missions abroad in accordance with the memorandum of the Council of Ministers.

In Jordan, the General Strike was observed in the capital, Amman, and in Irbid in the north, where large numbers of businesses closed and pro-Palestine banners were erected in the streets.

A noticeable decrease in city traffic and the number of students in schools was noted, reflecting the high participation levels in the strike.

In Turkey, a significant number of shops and markets have been closed in solidarity with Palestine and in rejection of Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Protests are also ongoing in parts of Africa, with video showing a protest at the U.S. Embassy in Mauritania.

Nearly 18'000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, with another 47'000 wounded, 70% of whom are women and children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

#source

#videosource1

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[masllp]

Business Setup in India by MAS LLP: Your Partner for Growth

Setting up a business in India is a lucrative opportunity due to its growing economy, diverse market, and skilled workforce. However, navigating the legal and regulatory framework can be challenging. That’s where MAS LLP steps in, offering expert assistance to help you establish your business smoothly and efficiently.

Why Choose MAS LLP for Business Setup in India? MAS LLP is a leading consultancy that specializes in business formation and compliance services. With years of experience, MAS LLP has assisted numerous entrepreneurs and companies in setting up their businesses across India. Here’s why partnering with MAS LLP is a smart choice:

Comprehensive Services MAS LLP provides a full suite of services, from company registration and legal compliance to tax advisory and financial consulting. Their team of experts ensures that every step of the business setup process is handled professionally.

Expert Knowledge of Indian Regulations India's business environment is governed by complex laws and regulations, including the Companies Act, FDI norms, and various tax laws. MAS LLP has in-depth knowledge of these regulations, ensuring that your business complies with all legal requirements from the start.

Tailored Solutions for Different Business Structures Whether you are looking to establish a private limited company, a partnership, an LLP, or a sole proprietorship, MAS LLP can help you choose the right structure based on your business goals and operational needs.

Steps to Setting Up a Business in India with MAS LLP

Business Structure Selection Choosing the right business structure is crucial for long-term success. MAS LLP provides guidance on selecting the best structure, whether it's an LLP, private limited company, or branch office.

Company Registration MAS LLP will help you with the process of registering your business with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). This includes obtaining a Director Identification Number (DIN), Digital Signature Certificate (DSC), and filing the required documents for incorporation.

Tax Registration Once your business is registered, MAS LLP assists in obtaining necessary tax registrations such as GST, PAN, and TAN, ensuring your company is compliant with India’s tax laws.

Legal Compliance Keeping up with regulatory requirements is essential for any business. MAS LLP provides ongoing legal compliance support, including annual filings, audit reports, and statutory compliance.

Banking and Financial Setup MAS LLP also assists with setting up business bank accounts, payment gateways, and financial structuring, helping you manage your financial operations efficiently.

Why Set Up a Business in India? India is a growing economy with a young, dynamic workforce and a vibrant consumer market. By setting up your business here, you tap into a diverse and large customer base, benefit from government incentives for startups, and gain access to various sectors like IT, manufacturing, and retail.

Additionally, India offers excellent opportunities for foreign investors with simplified FDI policies. With MAS LLP by your side, you can navigate the challenges of setting up a business in India with ease and focus on what really matters—growing your business.

Conclusion MAS LLP is your go-to partner for setting up a business in India. Their expertise in regulatory compliance, business formation, and financial consulting ensures that you can establish your business smoothly and start operating without any legal or financial hurdles.

Whether you are a local entrepreneur or a foreign investor, MAS LLP offers tailored solutions to meet your unique business needs. Get in touch with MAS LLP today and take the first step towards establishing a successful business in India!

[scbhagat]

Company Incorporation Consultants in Delhi by SC Bhagat & Co.

Starting a new business in Delhi can be a rewarding venture, but it also comes with its own set of legal and administrative challenges. One of the critical steps in building your business is the incorporation process, which requires careful attention to various regulations. This is where professional assistance from SC Bhagat & Co., a leading company incorporation consultant in Delhi, becomes invaluable.

Why Choose Professional Company Incorporation Consultants? Incorporating a company involves several legal procedures, such as:

Selecting the correct business structure Filing the necessary paperwork with regulatory authorities Complying with tax laws Obtaining approvals and licenses The process can be complex and time-consuming for new entrepreneurs. SC Bhagat & Co. helps streamline this procedure, ensuring compliance with all legal requirements while minimizing delays.

Services Offered by SC Bhagat & Co. As one of the top company incorporation consultants in Delhi, SC Bhagat & Co. offers a range of services that cater to startups, small businesses, and large corporations. These include:

Business Structure Advisory Choosing the right business structure is crucial for long-term success. The firm provides guidance on various business entities, including:

Private Limited Company Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) One Person Company (OPC) Public Limited Company SC Bhagat & Co. ensures that you opt for the structure best suited to your business goals and tax advantages.

Registration Services From company name reservation to filing of incorporation documents, SC Bhagat & Co. handles the entire registration process. They assist with:

Drafting Memorandum and Articles of Association (MOA/AOA) Digital signature certificates (DSC) Director Identification Number (DIN) Filing with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Their comprehensive approach makes the process seamless and efficient.

Compliance and Taxation Support Once incorporated, companies are required to meet various compliance standards, including:

GST registration and filing Annual financial statements Regulatory audits SC Bhagat & Co. offers ongoing support to ensure your business stays compliant with both state and central laws, thus avoiding penalties and legal hurdles.

Legal Advisory and Licensing Navigating the legal landscape in India can be tricky. SC Bhagat & Co. also provides assistance in obtaining the necessary business licenses and permissions, such as:

Trade license Import-export code (IEC) Professional tax registration Why SC Bhagat & Co. Stands Out With years of experience in the field, SC Bhagat & Co. has become synonymous with trust and expertise in company incorporation consulting in Delhi. Here’s why they stand out:

Expert Team: Their team consists of highly qualified professionals, including chartered accountants and legal experts. Personalized Service: They tailor their services according to the specific needs of your business. Quick Turnaround: Their efficient processes ensure timely incorporation and compliance. Post-Incorporation Support: Even after your company is set up, SC Bhagat & Co. provides continuous support for your legal and financial needs. Conclusion Incorporating a company is a significant step in the journey of entrepreneurship. With the expert guidance of SC Bhagat & Co., you can rest assured that all legal and regulatory requirements will be handled efficiently, allowing you to focus on growing your business. If you're looking for reliable company incorporation consultants in Delhi, SC Bhagat & Co. should be your first choice.

[zvaigzdelasas]

[VOA is US State Media]

The Taliban may have achieved a diplomatic win in an agreement to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan[...]

“The three sides reaffirmed their resolve to fully harness Afghanistan’s potential as a hub for regional connectivity," said a joint statement released in May following a meeting of officials representing the three countries in Islamabad. The countries restated their commitment "to further the trilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and to jointly extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan.”[...]

The $62 billion CPEC connectivity project is a flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative[...]

[A Brookings Senior Fellow] said China continues its narrative “that the West is to blame for the humanitarian crisis [in Afghanistan, and] that the West should not be holding [the] money of the central bank of Afghanistan.”[...]

“[B]y seizing Afghanistan’s overseas assets and imposing unilateral sanctions, the U.S., which created the Afghan issue in the first place, is the biggest external factor that hinders substantive improvement in the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in April.[...]

The ministry’s position paper on Afghanistan stated that China would “do its best” to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development. In recent months, Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in Afghanistan[...]

Last week, in a meeting with Taliban officials in Kabul, officials of Fan China Afghan Mining Processing and Trading Co. announced an investment of $350 million in various sectors ranging from construction to health to energy in Afghanistan, according to the Bakhtar News Agency, Afghanistan’s state news agency.

In January, the Taliban signed a contract with CAPEIC to extract oil in the north of the country by investing $150 million annually.

China has also shown interest in the development and operation of mines in Afghanistan. A Chinese company, Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), signed a contract with the then-Afghan government in 2008 to extract copper from Mes Aynak in Logar province. But that work has not started yet. Last month, the Taliban’s mining and petroleum minister, Shahabuddin Delawar, urged MCC to begin “practical” work on the development and operation of the mine.

12 Jul 23

[maurvishadvisors]

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[dailyanarchistposts]

The Storm Approaches

“We are the birds of the coming storm.” –August Spies

This year, May Day took place in the context of France celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the uprising of May 1968. This event had a massive impact on the collective imagination—not only in France, but also worldwide, as evidenced by the slogans, artwork, and images of rioters throwing cobblestones it summons to mind. The so-called “revolution of 1968” saw massive demonstrations, general strikes, wildcat strikes, and occupations of universities and factories throughout France. Initiated by Parisian students, the revolt spread to working class milieux and then to many other demographics. What began as a local struggle became a national upheaval. According to historians, May 1968 represented a new form of cultural and social movement that emerged outside of traditional parties and trade unions. This movement challenged consumer society by critiquing its ideology of productivity and profit, but it also questioned the authoritarian political model of the time and put the notions of individuality and personal subjectivity at the center of the struggle.

From traditional leftist activists to career politicians and reactionaries of all stripes, everyone has something to say about May ’68. The struggles of May 1968 became yet another component of the society of the spectacle. Since the beginning of 2018, the French government, politicians of every party, the corporate media, and the Ministry of Cultural affairs have all been commemorating this long-past social and cultural upheaval that supposedly marked a turning point in French history. The museum exhibitions serve to fix the possibility of revolutionary change in a long-concluded past, but they are not even the worst part. For example, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a former student activist who became the self-proclaimed heir of the revolution of May ’68, took up a career in journalism and politics and finally came to support President Macron and his neoliberal policies. We can appreciate the irony of the situation and the hypocrisy of the French government as it actively strives to suppress any contemporary form of experimentation—see, for example, the recent evictions at la ZAD and of several occupied universities.

In response to this political farce, some radicals published a call announcing that “instead of commemorating May 1968, we could try organizing a beautiful month of May 2018.” You can read translations of this call here. The authors invited people to converge in Paris in order to dethrone the myth of May 1968 and precipitate the fall of Macron and his government. This can only be understood in the context of the social, economic, and political situation in France today. As some have argued, the growing anger against President Macron and his reforms could become a serious threat for the government. For months now, railroad workers, airplane company employees, civil servants, students, professors, postal employees, hospital employees, and many others have been out on strike or protesting government policies. If all of these groups joined forces against the authorities, the impact would be considerable.

Two days before May Day, the Police Prefecture of Paris published a press statement in which Michel Delpuech, the Police Commissioner, announced that he would receive the trade union leaders and other organizers of the demonstration to warn them about the potential for public disorder that threatened the smooth functioning of the march. Amid typical redundant gibberish, the communiqué stated that:

“During the traditional May Day demonstration, activists of protest groups belonging to extremist movements are planning to violently attack law enforcement and capitalist symbols. […] Thus, in the continuity of May 1, 2017, and accentuated by the 50-year anniversary of the events of May ’68, activists want to take advantage of this demonstration to engage in multiple attacks and destruction against street furniture, banks, real estate or insurance agencies, car dealerships… and violently attack police forces. It appears that incendiary devices could be used.”

In view of this threat, the Prefecture deployed some 1500 policemen and gendarmes in order to insure order during the march. Regarding the risks of violence, the communiqué added that:

With such statements, the authorities sought to set the tone for May Day in advance. Anyone who wished to do anything to express discontent beyond marching passively would face uncompromising repression. The Police Prefecture of Paris also sought to increase its control over the May Day demonstration by imposing a shorter route than usual. Instead of the classic route linking Place de la République to Place de la Nation, the 2018 march was only authorized a two-mile walk between Place de la Bastille and Place d’Italie, a route that seemed to offer fewer potential targets for rioters. It was obvious that authorities hoped to lead us into a trap.

In response, some radicals of the “cortège de tête” (“the leading procession”) published their own communiqué on May Day morning. Regarding the threats and injunctions made against them, they answered:

“We, members of the leading procession, announce for May 1 that we are going on renewable strike concerning the role assigned to us by authorities in the demonstration. We are making the call to retaliate by invading the Latin Quarter as soon as the demonstration has been dissolved.”

Joking aside, many of us were determined to break the spell of May ’68 once and for all by invading the streets of Paris for May Day and letting our dreams, inventiveness, and rage speak for themselves.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Lula says he tried to avoid Africa being "taken hostage" by China

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Tuesday said Brazil developed close relationships with Africa during his previous terms as president (2003-2010) so the continent would not be “taken hostage” by China. The statement was a very rare dig by Lula at the country’s main trading partner.

“We took Embrapa to Ghana,” the president said at the graduation ceremony of Brazil’s newest diplomats at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. An office of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) in Ghana was created in 2007, during Lula’s second term. Lula also mentioned the Open University in Mozambique, a joint remote learning initiative to train Mozambican teachers.

“Brazil had to play a very strong role to not allow Africa to continue being held hostage by colonizers or by very strong intervention from China, which was seeking places to buy the food they needed so much,” Lula said to the audience of young diplomats.​

Continue reading.

[unhonestlymirror]

It became known that Lizaveta, the daughter of the deputy of the House of Representatives, former press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ex-Ambassador of Belarus to Turkey Andrei Savinykh, has been living and working in Great Britain for quite some time, which official Minsk considers an "unfriendly country". At the same time, her father is actively demonizing the West in the eyes of Belaruthian society. The publication "Lyusterka" tried to find out from him whether there is no contradiction in this.

Performer Vladislav Bohan drew attention to the fact that the 34-year-old daughter of Andrei Savinykh Lizaveta lives and works in Great Britain. After analyzing the Facebook accounts of Andrei Savinykh and his wife, he found their daughter Lizaveta in social networks. Her LinkedIn account lists her places of study (Geneva) and work (London).

In the profile of Lizaveta Savinykh on the LinkedIn social network, it is indicated that from September 2022 to the present, the girl works as a manager for the development of solutions in the field of combating money laundering at the British financial and technical corporation Quantexa. So far, she has worked for 11 years at the largest bank in terms of assets and market capitalization, HSBC.

In addition, a certain Elizabeth Savinykh, who has British citizenship, is listed as the director of Canabel Limited, which deals with real estate in the British city of Leeds. According to the British government service and information gov.uk, this firm is engaged in buying, selling, renting and managing own and rented real estate. However, this company looks strange, because it does not have a separate website or active social networks.

At the same time, everywhere it is shown that Lizaveta Savinykh was born in December 1988, and this information coincides with the information about the date of birth of the deputy's daughter, which "Lyusterka" received from the association of former security forces Belpol.

The "Lyusterka" journalist called Andrey Savinykh and asked if the information that his daughter is a citizen of Great Britain and works in companies in this country is true, but he refused to talk. The journalists also did not receive an answer from Lizaveta Savinykh herself.

"Lyusterka" received an answer only from the company Quantexa, which was asked if they were aware that the daughter of a Belarusian deputy and a former official works for them. And also, are they afraid that this will leak some information to Belarus that will help the authorities to circumvent sanctions.

"Quantexa has strict hiring rules and training programs that ensure that all members of our team will meet high standards of ethical behaviour," -- Quantexa's response. — Our company has reliable and effective controls that ensure safe and reliable management of any confidential information — technical, strategic, personal — in accordance with our contractual and regulatory requirements."

[beardedmrbean]

German political figures have reacted angrily to a report that Russia had plotted to kill the head of Germany's biggest arms company Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger.

The CNN report said US officials had told their counterparts in Berlin earlier this year and security around him was stepped up.

Germany's interior ministry refused to comment but Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock appeared to confirm the details.

"In view of latest reports on Rheinmetall, this is what we have actually been communicating more and more clearly in recent months," she told reporters at the Nato summit in Washington. "Russia is waging a hybrid war of aggression."

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations. "It's all presented in the style of another fake story, so such reports cannot be taken seriously."

Rheinmetall avoided commenting on issues of "corporate security", but Mr Papperger is now being described as the most highly protected figure in Germany's economy. He told the Financial Times that German authorities had imposed a "great deal of security around my person".

The company is one of the world's biggest producers of ammunition and has become key to supplying Ukraine with arms, armoured vehicles and other military equipment.

Rheinmetall recently opened a tank repair plant in western Ukraine. Last month, it signed an agreement with Ukraine to expand co-operation in the coming years, including a joint venture to produce artillery shells.

Mr Papperger said at the time his company wanted to hand over the first Lynx infantry fighting vehicles later this year and to start producing them in Ukraine soon.

Although Chancellor Olaf Scholz avoided commenting on the reported assassination plot directly, he said it was well known that Germany was exposed to a variety of Russian threats and was paying close attention to them.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said "we are taking very seriously the significantly heightened threat of Russian aggression".

Earlier this week, a senior Nato official told the BBC that Russia was "engaging in aggressive covert operations across Europe – involving sabotage, arson and assassination plots – aimed at weakening public support for Ukraine".

The German foreign minister said the Baltic states had already highlighted the various methods deployed by Russia's Vladimir Putin in his war on Ukraine. As well as sabotage, she spoke of cyberattacks and disrupting GPS signals so that Baltic flights could no longer land in neighbouring countries.

"We have seen that there have been attacks on factories, and that again underlines that, together, we as Europeans must protect ourselves as best we can and not be naive," Ms Baerbock told reporters.

In early May, a building complex owned by the Diehl Metall firm went up in flames in south-west Berlin. Although a technical fault was blamed for the fire, sabotage has not been ruled out. Suspicious fires have also been reported in Poland and Lithuania.

Last April, Mr Papperger's garden house was set alight at Hermannsburg in northern Germany, although there has been no evidence of a Russian link.

The fire was quickly brought under control and a rambling, anonymous confession purportedly from leftist militants appeared on activist network Indymedia.

The reported plot against such a high-profile German CEO has prompted widespread alarm.

Leading conservative figure Roderich Kiesewetter said the chancellor should come clean with the German population about how great the threat from Russia really was. German intelligence needed to be boosted to the level of neighbouring countries, he said.

"We must take it very seriously and also prepare ourselves accordingly," he told public broadcaster ZDF.

Michael Roth, who chairs Germany's foreign affairs committee told Bild newspaper that Vladimir Putin was waging a "war of extermination not only against Ukraine, but against its supporters and our values".

The head of the defence committee, Marcus Faber, added his condemnation, saying if information about Russian intelligence involvement came to light, then "the expulsion of diplomats must follow and, if necessary, international arrest warrants must be issued".

[theivorybilledwoodpecker]

When Zahra Wafa thinks about what it took to put her daughters through school, her face hardens. She remembers the days she and her husband ate only bread to afford their children’s education, how it had all seemed worth it to give them a chance at a future beyond Nawa Foladi, a village in central Afghanistan with a single dirt track, hand-pumped wells and no electricity. Then Wafa remembers the new reality under the Taliban, and her voice falters at the thought that it might all have been for nothing. “We worked hard, spent so much money on this and they’re so intelligent. And now they’re supposed to just sit at home?” she said. “Every time I think about it I get a headache.” A year after the precipitous fall of the U.S.-backed republic and the Islamic militants’ ascension to power, Wafa and her daughters, like so many women and girls across Afghanistan, are grappling with the Taliban’s hard-line vision for the country and its plan to turn back the clock not only on their education but their very presence in public life. The group claims it has no interest in restoring its 1990s regime, when girls were banned from school and almost all jobs, and endured corporal punishment for violations such as not wearing a burqa in public. Yet every few months, new decrees are issued about which careers women may have, how far they may travel without a male guardian and what they may wear outside the home. One edict said the most devout women would not leave the house at all, unless there’s need. Earlier this month, the Afghan Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice — which occupies the building that once housed the Women’s Affairs Ministry — ordered women to be banned from entering amusement parks. A few days later, it banned them from gyms and hammams, public baths that were already segregated by sex. Secondary schooling has been an especially sore point. In the fall of last year, authorities allowed Afghan girls to enroll in primary schools and universities and promised to resume secondary education at the start of the new school year March 23. But that day, as high school girls streamed into classrooms, officials reversed course and postponed classes indefinitely until “a comprehensive plan has been prepared according to sharia and Afghan culture.” Last month, they allowed female students who were in 12th grade before the republic’s collapse to take the university placement exam known as the Kankor — but blocked off majors they deemed inappropriate for young women to pursue, including economics, engineering, journalism and veterinary medicine. .... Wafa now contemplates the loss of all that. Her eldest, 20-year-old Meena Ibrahimi, had finished 12th grade before the Taliban takeover; she planned to study law and aspired to become a member of parliament or a diplomat representing Afghanistan at the United Nations. “Of course none of that will happen now,” Ibrahimi said. She had waited for more than a year to take the Kankor, but didn’t bother applying for law or anything else not related to medicine, one of the few fields open to women under the Taliban. “The Taliban don’t care about the constitution or women’s rights. If the situation continues, those who study law won’t be employed,” she said. At least she wasn’t in limbo like her sister Zainab. A 16-year-old 10th grader, Zainab hoped to be a doctor, an achievable dream if it were possible to finish her secondary schooling. But with those schools shuttered, Ibrahimi’s class will be the last cohort of Afghan girls and young women to enter university. “The first time the Taliban took over, it was my mother who had to bear the consequences. Now, 20 years later, we’re suffering the same thing,” Ibrahimi said, glancing at Wafa, who looked at the floor, a tight frown on her face and tears slowly filling her eyes.

[mariacallous]

Ukraine is bracing for a grisly Russian offensive in the Donbas. Moscow has concentrated hundreds of thousands of troops in the country’s east, using brute-force tactics and human waves in a bid to chip away at the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defenses. 

Amid a recent surge in fighting, many military analysts believe the long-awaited Russian offensive is already underway and is expected to accelerate as the first anniversary of the invasion approaches. 

“Something is brewing in the east,” said Jonatan Vseviov, secretary-general of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “More and more Russian soldiers are arriving on the front,” he said. 

Ukrainian officials estimate that Russian forces inside the country have surpassed the 300,000 mark following a recent mobilization effort that began in September of last year. Military analysts believe the figure may be slightly lower, but even more conservative estimates of Russia’s presence in Ukraine are significantly higher than the invading force that Russian President Vladimir Putin used to invade the country last February—and this time, they are highly concentrated in eastern Ukraine. 

“We expect in the next 10 days a new, huge invasion,” a Ukrainian military official, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk about intelligence matters, told Foreign Policy. Over the weekend, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that he expects a surge in Russian operations around the upcoming anniversary of the invasion on Feb. 24. 

As Russian forces contended with steep losses in the first months of the war, the Kremlin announced a partial mobilization effort in the fall to bring in about 300,000 new troops. Despite the chaotic nature of the recruitment drive and the lack of training afforded to new recruits, the mobilization effort appears to have been a crude success by deploying enough troops to stall Ukraine’s advance—albeit with devastating losses for Russian forces. U.S. and Western officials now estimate that close to 200,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in battle, the New York Times reported last week. 

The new recruits are significantly less well-equipped and trained than Moscow’s initial invading force dispatched over the borders in February of last year. In many instances, recruits have been used to perform human-wave attacks, a tactic popular with the Soviet Red Army, moving across open ground while coming under heavy fire from Ukrainian forces, said Dara Massicot, a Russian military analyst with the Rand Corporation. 

Russia’s brute assaults, while not the most sophisticated, have taken a toll on the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which now has to contend with a much denser Russian presence. “A lot of those ingredients that were present that allowed successful Ukrainian counteroffensives up in Kharkiv, those ingredients are no longer present. The lines are thicker. They’ve mined them. They’ve dug in,” Massicot said. 

Russia has also begun arming up and digging in for a coming offensive. The Ukrainian military estimates that Russia already has 1,800 tanks, 3,950 armored vehicles, 2,700 artillery systems, 810 Soviet-era multiple-rocket-launch systems such as Grad and Smerch, 400 fighter jets, and 300 helicopters ready for the new wave of attacks, the official said. The Pentagon has described Russian troops that have already been rushed to the battlefield to plug up defensive holes as “ill-equipped, ill-trained, [and] rushed,” according to a senior U.S. military official. 

Some European officials believe that Russia’s mobilization never truly stopped after the September call-ups by the Kremlin. “Mobilization has not ended,” Vseviov said. “Mobilization is now continuing in Russia, but continuing quietly. They’re not making a fuss about it because of domestic considerations.”

Karolina Hird, a Russia analyst with the Institute for the Study Of War, said there has been a continued trickle of reports that suggest mobilization efforts are quietly continuing. “We’re seeing continued reports of people getting mobilization summonses or, for example, employers, enterprises, getting lists of employees that they need to send to the military registration office.” 

The Pentagon believes that the Kremlin has begun sending in tens of thousands of troops to replace losses suffered from ongoing battles in the Donbas towns of Bakhmut and Soledar, but Kyiv believes that Putin could go even further, drafting more new troops around the Feb. 24 anniversary of the full-scale invasion. 

“It’s much bigger than what took place in the first wave,” the Ukrainian military official said. “They don’t pay attention to any casualties or losses on the [battlefield].” 

While there are no signs that Putin is backing down from his overall goal of seizing Ukraine in full, analysts and Ukrainian officials expect the brewing offensive to focus on eastern Ukraine amid a surge in fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 

“It seems to me that there probably has been some Kremlin guidance handed down to [Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery] Gerasimov. I think that includes, if they can, proceeding to the boundaries of Donetsk and Luhansk,” Massicot said, referring to two of the four Ukrainian regions the Kremlin pretended to annex in September. 

But the fear that even poorly trained Russian units could overwhelm Ukrainian lines with human wave-style attacks has led to more urgent calls for Western weapons from Kyiv, despite nearly $9 billion in U.S. military aid pledges to Ukraine since December—almost 50 percent larger than Kyiv’s entire yearly prewar defense budget. 

Yet some of the key weapons put forward by the United States to withstand the Russian salvo of bullets and bodies—such as Patriot missile defense systems, Bradley armored fighting vehicles, and Abrams main battle tanks—might not get into the country until March or April, at the earliest. And ground-launched small-diameter bombs might not get to Kyiv for up to nine months. 

While Moscow was already showing signs of stepping up its efforts in the Donbas, many analysts believe the Russian military is seeking to advance as much as possible before the arrival of that new slate of Western military equipment.

“I don’t know how we’re going to withstand this counteroffensive. It’s going to be extremely difficult,” said Sasha Ustinova, a Ukrainian lawmaker. “We don’t have enough rounds, or I mean—anything. The tanks are going to be later. Everything is going to be later. By the time they send us Abrams, we will already have seen how the Russian counteroffensive goes.”