In the mountainous eastern region of Uganda, the Bamasaaba people are grappling with a contentious debate over the future of Imbalu, their sacred mass circumcision ritual, according to The Associated Press. The biennial ceremony, which marks the transition of boys to manhood, is facing pressure to evolve into a tourist attraction, sparking concerns about preserving its cultural integrity.

The dispute came to a head ahead of the August 3 ceremonial inauguration in Mbale town, where the Umukuuka, the tribal king, advocated for a modernized festival appealing to visitors. This decision, supported by over $120,000 in funding from the Ugandan government and a corporate sponsor, has raised eyebrows among many Bamasaaba.

"Our leadership is being hijacked by national political leaders", Wasukira Mashate, an elder and custodian of Bamasaaba cultural property, told AP. He expressed concern that the Umukuuka was sidelining clan leaders with genuine spiritual authority. "It was for our own benefit culturally, but now it is becoming a national event because the government of Uganda has captured it."

The tension was palpable at the inauguration ceremony, where an angry crowd gathered outside the totemic shrine of the clan traditionally responsible for launching Imbalu. Clan members objected to the mixed-breed bull provided for sacrifice, insisting that only a local breed would suffice to appease the gods.

"This cow is exotic. We are Bamasaaba, and he brought us a white animal," Kareem Masaba said, referring to the Umukuuka. "He has insulted us. His predecessors used to come into the shrine and participate in the rituals, but this man will not come here. He is disrespecting us."

The Umukuuka, whose real name is Jude Mudoma, defended his decision to market Imbalu as a tourist event. In an interview with AP, he cited economic hardship and commercialization as factors diluting the communal aspect of the ritual. "Everything is changing as the population expands. People may not manage to follow the cultural processes," he said. "But we are fighting through the clan system that (Imbalu) remains intact."

The mass circumcisions, set to continue until the end of 2024, are performed by traditional surgeons using knives fashioned from melted nails. Peter Gusolo, one such surgeon, emphasized the cultural significance of the practice. "We cannot bury you in the land of the Bamasaaba without (being circumcised)," he told AP. "It is a curse if you bury into the land people who are not circumcised."

Despite the controversy, some parents continue to support the tradition. Emmanuel Watundu, father of a 17-year-old initiate, described Imbalu as a life-changing event his son requested. However, he expressed concern about the carnival-like atmosphere surrounding the ceremony.

Wilson Watira, chair of the Imbalu organizing committee, defended the government's involvement as support for Bamasaaba tradition. "We only want to show the world that even when we are performing this culture, it can also attract other people," he said to AP.

As the Bamasaaba navigate the delicate balance between preserving their sacred traditions and adapting to modern pressures, the future of Imbalu remains uncertain. The ongoing debate reflects broader challenges faced by indigenous cultures worldwide in maintaining their heritage in an increasingly globalized world.

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The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on more than a dozen people and entities in Iran, Syria and Uganda, accusing them of being connected to serious human rights abuses and repressive acts.

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In Iran, the United States designated the Special Units of Iran's Law Enforcement Forces and Counter-Terror Special Forces, as well as several of their officials, and Gholamreza Soleimani, who commands Iran's hardline Basij militia. Two prisons and a prison director were also blacklisted over events that reportedly took place in them.

Iran criticized the United States for imposing new sanctions days before talks are set to resume in Vienna on rescuing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"Even amid #ViennaTalks, US cannot stop imposing sanctions against Iran," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Twitter. "Doubling down on sanctions won't create leverage – and is anything but seriousness & goodwill."

Even amid #ViennaTalks, US cannot stop imposing sanctions against Iran.

Washington fails to understand that 'maximum failure' & a diplomatic breakthrough are mutually exclusive.

Doubling down on sanctions won't create leverage—and is anything but seriousness & goodwill.

— Saeed Khatibzadeh | سعید خطیب‌زاده (@SKhatibzadeh) December 7, 2021

The talks broke off on Friday as European officials voiced dismay at sweeping demands by Iran's new, hardline government.

The seventh round of talks in Vienna is the first with delegates sent by Iran's anti-Western President Ebrahim Raisi on how to resuscitate the agreement under which Iran limited its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions.

The US Treasury Department said in a statement it was targeting repression and the undermining of democracy, designating individuals and entities tied to the violent suppression of peaceful protesters in Iran and deadly chemical weapons attacks against civilians in Syria, among others.

"Treasury will continue to defend against authoritarianism, promoting accountability for violent repression of people seeking to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms," Andrea Gacki, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, said in the statement.

The action freezes any US assets of those blacklisted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them.

Washington blacklisted two senior Syrian Air Force officers it accused of being responsible for chemical weapon attacks on civilians and three senior officers in Syria's security and intelligence apparatus, according to the statement.

Uganda's chief of military intelligence, Major General Abel Kandiho, was also hit with sanctions over alleged human rights abuses committed under his watch. The Ugandan military said earlier on Tuesday that it was disappointed by the decision, which it said had been made without due process.

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Officially, the Prime Minister's Office said Netanyahu would be meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, but according to speculations, he could also meet with other African leaders.

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"This is my fifth trip to Africa in the last three and a half years," Netanyahu told reporters as he boarded his plane. "Israel is returning to Africa, big time. Africa already returned to Israel. These are relations that are very important, in the diplomatic, economic and security areas, and many other realms."

He said that he hoped to strengthen ties with Uganda, "and I hope that at the end of today [Monday], we will have very good news for Israel."

The military censor prohibited the publication of more details about the scheduled meetings, lest they are canceled at the last minute.

Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen joined the premier's delegation, Channel 13 reported.

It should be noted that in recent years Netanyahu has worked to improve relations with African countries. He officially visited the continent three times in the past four years and maintains close ties with Kenya and Ethiopia.

Netanyahu last visited Uganda in 2016 to kick off a tour of four African countries.

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Hussein Mahmood Yassine was arrested on July 7 at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda by local intelligence officers working off information provided by the Mossad intelligence agency, the Kampala Post reported Tuesday.

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Based in Lebanon, Hezbollah is a heavily armed group sponsored by Iran. The Shiite organization has been designated as a terrorist group by several western countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Argentina and Israel, as well as Arab League member Bahrain. Some countries, such as Australia, France and Germany, only classify Hezbollah's military wing as a terrorist organization.

Yassin was reportedly arrested as he was about to board a flight to Lebanon via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, having arrived at Entebbe from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, just a few hours earlier.

Yassine, who had worked in Uganda since 2010, was reportedly tasked by Hezbollah with identifying Israeli and American targets for potential terror attacks in Africa.

His mission also included building a network of spies comprising Lebanese living in Uganda and Ugandan Muslims, particularly those who traveled to Saudi Arabia for the hajj – the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

The latter group was to become Hezbollah intelligence assets in Saudi Arabia, Iran's chief foe in the Arabian Peninsula.

The report noted that Mossad officers worked in conjunction with Uganda's defense establishment to arrest Yassine and dismantle the terrorist network he had put in place.

The Kampala Post attributed the successful collaboration to the close political and intelligence relations between Uganda and Israel, further quoting a source close to the investigation as saying this had helped Ugandan security services nip in the bud a terrorist plot of international proportions.

Washington and Jerusalem were notified of Yassine's arrest and demanded his immediate prosecution, the source said.

According to the report, Yassine was being held "incommunicado." On July 10, the Lebanese consulate in Uganda lodged an official protest with the Ugandan Foreign Ministry, claiming the arrest will deter Lebanese nationals from pursuing future business endeavors in the country.

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