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The truth on Haqqani assassination; Sacrificed in the game of throne

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Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani, the Taliban Minister of Refugees and a senior member of the Haqqani network, was killed in a suicide attack in the Ministry’s building in Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul. He was the only armed Taliban minister who attended all official and unofficial meetings with a gun. Some senior officials of the former government have described the killing of Haqqani in a suicide attack as “martyrdom”, but a large number of citizens criticized these officials for expressing sympathy on his death. The citizens said that a large number of innocent Afghans were killed by the Haqqani network suicide squad which was under observation of the Khalil Haqqani in the past 20 years before they take power in 2021. They said that the families of the victims were a “little consoled” by the death of Haqqani.

At the same time, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture ordered media operating inside the country to use the word “martyrdom” in their reports instead of death. This order caused a number of media outlets to edit their already published news. A number of citizens of the country have attributed the killing Khalil Haqqani to the differences between Hibatullah Akhundzada the supreme leader of the Taliban and Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister and head of Haqqani Network, referring to the “Amir and Khalifa” game of thrones.

In the past 20 years, the Haqqani network has taken responsibility for numerous suicide attacks in Kabul and some other provinces, as a result of which hundreds of people, including women and children, have been killed and injured.

After taking control of Afghanistan, this network has proudly praised its suicide fighters many times and given land and government facilities to their families. In the latest case, a senior member of this network and the uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, known as the “head of suicide bombers”, was killed in a suicide attack.

Khalil Haqqani was killed in a suicide attack at his ministry’s headquarters and the attack took place while he was constantly armed at the most official meetings and it was said that he did not trust his bodyguards either. Hours after the attack, the Taliban group published a photo attributed to the suicide bomber on social media and said that the attacker was holding a metal rod and had told the security guards that his hand had undergone surgery. He then detonated his explosive materials during the official meeting.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Khalil Haqqani was killed in a “barbaric” ISIS attack. He called Haqqani’s death a “big loss” for the Taliban and emphasized that this event cannot weaken the strength of the Taliban government. Sirajuddin Haqqani and a number of other members of the Taliban leadership praised him. Later, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

It came as shock that Khalil Haqqnai killed by a suicide bomber

Apparently, it was not expected that someone like Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani, a famous and senior member of the Haqqani network, would become a victim of a suicide attack. Perhaps, after Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister, he was the second prominent figure in the Haqqani network. Khalil Haqqani has played an effective and unique role in the provision of Haqqani’s financial resources.

It is said that he provided financial aid to the Haqqani network through Pakistan and some countries in the south of the Persian Gulf. Now that he has been removed from the field, the Haqqanis may be in some trouble. The US had set a bounty of five million dollars for revealing his whereabouts and he was also in the blacklist of the United Nations.

While it is still early, it is also difficult to talk about the visible and hidden sides of the Haqqani assassination despite the Daesh group having already claimed responsibility for this. Considering the way the Taliban have been ruling for more than three years, the internal differences of their regime, the claim of enmity of this group with ISIS, etc., the following points can be raised:

First:

The Haqqanis are known as the main planners and agents of suicide attacks in Afghanistan. Siraj Haqqani has frequently appreciated and consoled the survivors of the suicide bombers and distributed a huge amount of money to them. His consolation went beyond this and ordered that a “memorial minaret” be built in the Garde Siri district of Paktia province for the person who blew himself up in front of the US soldiers, something that is confusing to understand.

Just a few days ago, he went to Gilan district of Ghazni and during his speech, he once again praised the suicide bombers and called the freedom of Afghanistan the result of their sacrifice. Meanwhile, the rest of the important figures of the Taliban apparently do not speak widely about the suicide bombers. Now that one of the famous Haqqanis has been the victim of a suicide attack, it is not known whether Siraj Haqqani will continue to spread the culture of suicide.

Second:

Considering the status and credibility that Khalil Haqqani had in the Taliban regime and the Haqqani network, his loss is a big psychological blow to the Haqqanis, in a situation where (according to some claims) they are trying to stand against Mullah Hebatullah, the leader of the Taliban. Since the Taliban came back to power, no one from the Haqqani family had been killed like Khalil Haqqani. Mullah Hebatullah’’ block has lost a key member – Dawood Mozmal, the former governor of Balkh.

Khalil Haqqani showed himself to be so influential that he even carried weapons during official meetings with foreign officials (both Western and non-Western) and his bodyguards protected him with unique looks. Something that maybe even Hebatullah will not do. Therefore, it is difficult and time-consuming to fill Khalil Haqqani’s vacancy in the Haqqani network.

Third:

When we think about the perpetrator of the attack, several options come to mind: ISIS which has already claimed responsibility, but we should not forget about internal disputes, family quarrels, foreign intervention, opposition forces, etc. The prevailing suspicion is based on the involvement of ISIS; A group that is skilled in suicide and perhaps learned from the Taliban. Daoud Muzamel was also assassinated by ISIS. The Taliban also attributed the attack to ISIS, but this group has not claimed responsibility so far.

Some consider the internal conflicts of the Taliban to be the cause of terror, and in this context, Sirajuddin Haqqani’s statements against Hebatullah are cited. It is also mentioned in the references of western newspapers and institutions that “Sirajuddin and Hebatuallah” seem to be at odds with each other. Of course, in recent days, the Sirajuddin criticized Hebatullah more than ever before.

Since the Haqqani network is a complex and secretive organization, it is possible that those inside this organization may have provided a platform for assassination. The role of foreign intelligence also comes to mind, but it does not seem justified. It cannot be attributed to the opposing forces of the Taliban either because while they don’t have the ability, they also avoid doing it.

Fourth:

The Taliban’s claim about providing national security in Afghanistan has once again turned into a hoax. The Taliban have repeatedly claimed that the war is over, that national security is ensured, and that the migrants should return to Afghanistan and continue their lives. Of course, by making this claim, they have also received concessions from the world. Now, the assassination of a Taliban minister, even with high security arrangements, revealed that this group is not even able to provide security for someone who was carrying an American M4 weapon in an official meeting with foreign women. Of course, this is not the first time that the Taliban’s claims are wrong.

Fifth:

The assassination series is likely to continue. It is not known whether the next victim is from the Haqqani bloc or Hebatullah. Whatever and whoever it is, the result is the deepening of the Taliban’s internal discord and the world’s disbelief in what this group calls the provision of national security.

Of course, repression and suffocation will intensify more than in the past, because they suspect more citizens. It is possible that the Taliban officials will end their demonstration meetings with the people and refrain from traveling to the provinces. Anyway, the truth of Haqqani’s assassination and its consequences will be revealed more in the following weeks and months.

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Chinese Politburo signals cautious confidence as Beijing pivots toward targeted tech support

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03/08/2026

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The mid-year meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Politburo has long served as a critical evaluation point for Beijing. The session provides the central government with an opportunity to review developments from the first half of the year and steer the country toward a more realistic economic course in the months ahead.

The latest statement from the top leadership signals cautious confidence. The release indicates that policymakers are favoring a stable, targeted approach over the broad-based stimulus measures that characterized previous years. As China manages its economic transition, the post-Covid era of aggressive spending has clearly drawn to a close. In its place, a strategic and structural approach has taken hold, prioritizing resilience and stability over short-term capital injections.

According to the outcomes of the Politburo meeting, the policy orientation will continue to target specific sectors. Financial support will be directed away from the property market and toward high-tech emerging industries such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors. In the real estate sector, the objective remains stabilizing market confidence and keeping debt risks under control.

Infrastructure investment is likewise being reshaped around the concept of “new infrastructure.” The focus is no longer solely on concrete and physical structures; smart power grids, information technology networks, and data infrastructure have taken precedence.

This approach signifies an investment in future competitiveness rather than simply pumping capital into the economy’s more stagnant sectors. Serving as a new driver of growth, digital infrastructure fulfills a dual purpose: supporting domestic demand in the short term while safeguarding technological competitiveness over the long term.

Finally, Beijing is signaling a more conciliatory posture in international trade. The Chinese leadership aims to establish a more balanced trade framework to mitigate concerns voiced by trade partners such as the European Union over what has been termed “China Shock 2.0.”

As the administration prepares for critical leadership changes next year, its primary focus will remain on stability across both economic and social spheres.

China continues to strike a balance between realistic growth targets and systemic restructuring, maintaining policy leeway to absorb potential external shocks. Beijing’s economic strategy reflects a pragmatic assessment of both domestic and international challenges.

Struggling with weak demand, the domestic economy is not yet in a position to anchor national growth independently. Expansion continues to rely heavily on a record trade surplus alongside the impressive export performance of high-tech and clean energy sectors. However, this reliance has drawn pushback from several trading partners.

To stimulate domestic economic activity and ease trade tensions, Beijing unveiled its first standalone five-year plan focused on consumption. Released in July by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce, the plan targets an increase in retail sales to 60 trillion yuan (approximately $8.9 trillion) by 2030. This represents an increase of roughly 20% compared to 2025 levels.

To improve profit margins for small businesses, regulatory authorities are tackling the issue of “involution”—described as excessive internal competition—by curbing platform monopolies and preventing destructive price wars. While these structural adjustments may take longer to yield results, they are viewed as a more sustainable and effective alternative to direct cash handouts.

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Chinese chipmaker profits surge 2,500% on explosive AI computing demand

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6 days ago

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28/07/2026

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Major Chinese microchip manufacturers saw their profits surge by 2,579.5% in the first half of 2026, driven by unprecedented demand for artificial intelligence and computing capacity.

Data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, cited by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), underscored the industry’s sharp upward trajectory.

Yu Weining, senior statistician at China’s National Bureau of Statistics, explained that this surge is directly connected to the accelerating integration of artificial intelligence across various sectors.

Yu noted that this process has increased the need for computing capacity. The demand for computational processes also lifted profits across the entire electronics industry by 97% year-on-year.

Profits of major Chinese industrial enterprises with an annual revenue exceeding 20 million yuan ($2.9 million) rose 18.7% in the first six months of the year, reaching 4 trillion yuan.

In the first half of 2025, before the global data center construction process had begun, industrial profits had dropped by 1.8% to 3.4 trillion yuan, while profit growth in the electronics sector remained at 3.5%.

The SCMP reported that the global AI boom has generated explosive demand for high-performance computing systems and memory chips, causing a structural pivot in China’s industrial landscape.

Data showed that integrated circuit production in the first half of the year grew by 23% year-on-year to reach approximately 280 billion units.

This figure means that the country produced an average of more than 1.5 billion chips per day.

The profit growth is also corroborated by forecasts from China’s leading chipmakers. Shenzhen Longsys Electronics, one of the largest memory module manufacturers, expects its profits to increase by more than 600-fold in the first half of the year.

Flash memory maker GigaDevice projects that its net profit will surge by approximately 1,099% year-on-year due to supply shortages and rising product prices.

Chinese companies in the AI chip segment are also demonstrating strong profit growth, albeit at a more moderate pace compared to the memory market.

Hygon Information Technology, which develops central processing units and computing units for artificial intelligence, projects that its profits will rise by up to 52.3%.

CXMT hits record high on Shanghai Stock Exchange

Shares of Chinese chipmaker CXMT gained more than 500% on their first day of trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on July 27, jumping from 8.66 yuan to 55 yuan.

As a result of this sharp surge in its shares, CXMT’s market valuation reached 3.65 trillion yuan ($539 billion), making the company China’s most valuable publicly traded firm.

At the peak of the rally—even though quoted prices underwent a slight correction toward the close of the trading day—CXMT surpassed Tencent, which was trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of $514 billion.

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Massive student movement over exam leaks forces resignation of India’s education minister

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1 week ago

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27/07/2026

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Indian public examination reform proposals follow education minister’s resignation after nationwide youth protests

India’s federal government introduced legislation in parliament on Monday to amend the law governing public examinations, days after the “Cockroach” movement forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following nationwide youth protests.

The bill incorporates enhanced sanctions, including longer prison sentences and higher fines for those found responsible for exam leaks and irregularities.

The demonstrations are widely viewed as the most significant youth-led challenge faced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he took office in 2014.

What triggered the protests?

Nearly 2 million students took the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), an undergraduate medical entrance examination, in May. The federal National Testing Agency cancelled the exam on May 12 following allegations that question papers had been leaked. The examination was re-administered on June 21.

Young people took to the streets to protest against examination fraud, youth unemployment, and a perceived lack of future prospects.

According to a BBC report, the unemployment rate among university and college graduates aged 15 to 25 in the country stands at a critically high level of 40%. The addition of corruption in public examinations to existing economic strain broke the patience of the youth.

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Public Party (CJP) movement, led the protests.

The movement derived its name from remarks made in May by Supreme Court Judge Surya Kant, who used the terms “cockroach” and “parasite” in a derogatory reference to unemployed youth and protesters. Young demonstrators adopted the insult as a symbol and named their movement after it.

How the movement unfolded

Young protesters organized street demonstrations demanding the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan. Dipke, who initiated the movement in New Delhi, subsequently organized protests in other parts of the country.

Sonam Wangchuk, one of the protesters, began a hunger strike at the demonstration site in support of the movement. As his physical condition deteriorated, authorities forcibly transferred him to a hospital.

The reaction to Wangchuk’s forcible removal from the protest site caused crowds at the venue to expand rapidly.

Tens of thousands of protesters faced tear gas and baton charges by police while attempting to march on parliament. Some demonstrators engaged in clashes with law enforcement officers.

CJP leaders held talks with ministers from the Modi government, who requested time to evaluate the protesters’ demands internally.

Modi called for unity among lawmakers in the ruling coalition to implement strict measures against exam paper leaks, punish those responsible, and establish a secure, leak-proof system.

Opposition representatives led by Rahul Gandhi staged a sit-in at the entrance of Modi’s official residence demanding Pradhan’s resignation. They were briefly detained by police before being released.

Opposition lawmakers supporting the student protesters disrupted proceedings in parliament. Demonstrations expanded to other regions of the country, including the financial hub of Mumbai.

In his first direct statement regarding the protests, published in a post on X, Modi announced that special courts would be established to prosecute individuals involved in exam paper leaks. Protesters rejected the proposal.

Movement leaders held a second round of talks with the government after Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike.

Following those discussions, the government requested time until the afternoon of the following day to respond to the demand for Pradhan’s resignation.

Education Minister Pradhan subsequently announced his resignation, stating that he was stepping down in light of the situation at the protest site and across the country, as well as to prevent “external forces” from exploiting the environment.

On July 26, Modi announced the creation of a task force headed by technology entrepreneur Nandan Nilekani to overhaul the country’s examination system.

On Monday, July 27, the government presented a bill to parliament proposing amendments to the law governing public examinations. The legislation introduces stiffer penalties for offenders, including extended prison terms and increased monetary fines.

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