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Spotting a Bullish Opportunity in Zscaler (ZS) with OptionsPlay Strategy Center

5 Mins Read

As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve with increasing digital threats, Zscaler, Inc. (ZS) stands out as a new opportunity after lagging for most of 2024. Recent chart setups in Zscaler stock suggest ZS may be gearing up for a significant bullish trend.

In this analysis, we will break down the bullish signals and Zscaler’s financials, and then outline an optimal options strategy you can apply to capitalize on this opportunity—all identified instantly using the OptionsPlay Strategy Center within StockCharts.com. We’ve included a video illustrating this tool at the end of this article, which will help you get a better idea of how you can apply it to your options trading.

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF ZSCALER. The stock price has broken out above a significant resistance level, and its performance relative to the S&P 500 is improving.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Looking at the daily chart of ZS, there are several bullish factors:

  • Breakout Above Major Resistance. After trading below $200 since March, ZScaler’s stock price has recently completed a bottoming formation and broke out above this critical resistance level. The prolonged consolidation period below $200 formed a solid base, indicating that selling pressure has subsided with buyers gaining control.
  • Market Outperformance. Relative to the S&P 500 ($SPX), ZS’s performance has been improving, suggesting relative strength and increased investor interest in the stock.

These technical factors collectively point towards a potential continuation higher after breaking out above this key $200 resistance level.

Beyond the technicals, Zscaler’s fundamentals further strengthen the bullish thesis:

  • Robust Revenue Growth. Zscaler reported a 30% year-over-year increase in revenue, reaching $593 million.
  • Impressive Billings Increase. The company achieved a 27% growth in billings, totaling $911 million.
  • Expanding Customer Base. Zscaler now serves 567 customers with over $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR)—a 26% increase—and 3,100 customers with over $100,000 in ARR, marking a 19% growth.
  • High Gross Margin. Maintaining a non-GAAP gross margin of 81% for fiscal year 2024 showcases the company’s operational efficiency and profitability.
  • Strong Free Cash Flow. With a free cash flow margin of 27%, Zscaler demonstrates robust cash generation capabilities, providing financial flexibility for future investments and growth initiatives.

Zscaler’s strong financial performance highlights its potential for continued growth. The company’s focus on innovation and the expansion of its Zero Trust Exchange platform positions it well to capitalize on the increasing demand for cloud-based security solutions.

Options Strategy

To leverage this bullish outlook on ZS, the OptionsPlay Strategy Center suggests selling the Dec 27 $205/190 Put Vertical @ $5.60 Credit.

  • Sell. December 27 $205 Put Option at $12.15
  • Buy. December 27 $190 Put Option at $6.60

This strategy involves selling a higher strike put and buying a lower strike put, resulting in a net credit of $5.60 per share, or $560 per contract. The trade profits if ZS stays above $199.40 by the December 27, 2024 expiration date, with a 56.92% probability of success.

FIGURE 2. PUT VERTICAL RISK GRAPH. Here, you see the max reward, max risk, and other details of the trade.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Trade Details:

  • Maximum Potential Reward. $560 (the net credit received)
  • Maximum Potential Risk. $1,880 (difference in strike prices multiplied by 100 shares per contract, minus the net credit)
  • Breakeven Point. $199.40 (strike price of the sold put minus the net credit per share)

This strategy benefits from time decay and allows for profit even if the stock remains stagnant or rises moderately. It provides a favorable risk-to-reward ratio while aligning with the bullish outlook on ZS.

Real-Time Trade Ideas With OptionsPlay Strategy Center

This bullish opportunity in Zscaler was identified using the OptionsPlay Strategy Center within StockCharts.com. The platform automatically scanned the market, highlighted ZS as a strong candidate for a continuation higher, and structured the optimal options trade in real-time.

FIGURE 3. APPLYING THE OPTIONSPLAY STRATEGY CENTER. ZS was identified as a stock that has potential for a continued move higher. Click the arrow to the left of the stock symbol to view the trade details.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

By subscribing to the OptionsPlay Strategy Center, you can access:

  • Automated Market Scanning. Effortlessly discover the best trading opportunities based on comprehensive technical and options strategies in real time.
  • Optimal Trade Structuring. Receive tailored options strategies that align with your market outlook and risk tolerance.
  • Time-Saving Insights. Save hours of research with actionable trade ideas delivered in real time, allowing you to make informed decisions swiftly.

Don’t let valuable trading opportunities pass you by. Subscribe to the OptionsPlay Strategy Center today and empower your trading journey with tools designed to keep you ahead of the market. Access real-time trade ideas like the one discussed in this article and find the best options trades within seconds daily. Let OptionsPlay be your partner in navigating the markets efficiently and effectively.

Learn more about the OptionsPlay Strategy Center features and how to apply them to your trading in the video below!

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In Stocks

Are the Magnificent 7 Still the Kings of Wall Street?

5 Mins Read

There’s no denying the strength that the mega-cap growth names have exerted on the equity markets in 2024. With their outsized weight in the major equity averages, and their strong performance into November 2024, the Magnificent 7 stocks in many ways reflect the investor optimism that has been much of the story of this bull market. But with these leading growth names rotating lower this week, pushing the Nasdaq 100 down 3.4% and the S&P 500 down 2.1% through Friday’s close, we need to reconsider the sustainability of the uptrend phase through year-end 2024.

To examine more effectively, we can easily group the eight stocks, which I call the “Magnificent 7 and Friends”, into three distinct buckets. Let’s review the technical configurations for these stocks, and focus on what levels could help us confirm a new market trend.

The Breakout Names, Featuring NVDA

Three of these eight leading growth names have already broken to a new all-time high in Q4, and, while Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) and Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) both deserve our attention, I think the chart of NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA) perhaps best illustrates what we’re seeing with these top performers.

These three are in confirmed uptrends, as defined by Charles Dow’s original definition of higher highs and higher lows. So the analysis here is simple: as long as that uptrend persists, the charts are in good shape. For NVDA, that means a “line in the sand” around $132, which lines up with late October swing low as well as the 50-day moving average.

During an uptrend phase, stocks will often pull back to an ascending 50-day or 10-week moving average. So, if charts like Nvidia are able to hold this key short-term trend barometer, then the uptrend remains in place. However, if these first three stocks fail to hold expected support, that could provide a key market tell as the “generals” would show signs of weakness.

The Consolidating Charts, Featuring AAPL

Three of the eight charts on this list are testing short-term resistance levels, with Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) testing the $600 level as a prime example. But we’ll focus today on Apple, Inc. (AAPL), which has spent the last four months failing to breakout above its July high around $237.

Quite simply, the chart of AAPL is at best “neutral” until and unless it can demonstrate a confirmed break above the July peak. On top of that, we can see the RSI has failed to push above the 60 level on short-term rallies. In fact, with the RSI basically rangebound between 40 and 60, this stock represents an absence of momentum and an equilibrium of buyers and sellers.

For charts like these, I’m reminded of Jesse Livermore’s famous quote, “There is time to go long, time to go short, and time to go fishing.” When the chart is not providing a clear signal to the upside or downside, it’s usually best to find opportunities elsewhere. But if three of these stocks are failing to break to new highs, that suggests limited upside for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100.

The Wild Cards, Featuring MSFT

Now the final two charts are sort of in an “other” bucket, with Tesla Inc. (TSLA) a notable outlier with its exceptionally strong upside rally post-elections, and then an equally dramatic decline over the last week. But I think Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) provides a more compelling technical configuration, given that it’s one of the only growth names on this list that is actively testing price support.

If you connect a trendline from the July peak to the September high, you’ll see that MSFT had a failed breakout above that trendline in late October, and then again earlier this week. In bullish market phases, charts like this usually follow through on breakouts. But when clear technical breakouts don’t see enough follow-through, that can often be an indication of a wider risk aversion and lack of willing buyers.

With Microsoft in particular, it’s all about the $406 level, which represents a 38.2% retracement of the 2023-24 uptrend phase. There have been numerous tests of this support level over the last three months, and a break below this level could indicate a larger theme of distribution in the equity markets. Bear phases are always marked by stocks being unable to hold key price support!

For a deeper dive into these three charts, along with the rest of the Magnificent 7 and Friends, head on over to my YouTube channel!

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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In Stocks

Biotechs Fall Apart with Dark Cross Neutral Signal

3 Mins Read

(This is an excerpt from the subscriber-only DP Weekly Wrap for Friday)

On Friday, the Biotechnology ETF (IBB) 20-day EMA crossed down through the 50-day EMA (Dark Cross) and above the 200-day EMA, generating an IT Trend Model NEUTRAL Signal. IBB recently switched to a BUY Signal on Friday November 8, and we said at the time, “IBB is approaching the top of a four-month trading range (resistance), so this BUY Signal doesn’t look very juicy at this time.” This emphasizes why we consider Trend Model signals to be information flags, not action commands. Always check the chart.

Part of the reason Biotechs fell apart was the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the Health and Human Services department. He is known to be anti-COVID vaccines and just generally not a fan of chemicals for the body. This doesn’t necessarily bode well for this industry.

Participation has been plummeting as more and more stocks lose support at key moving averages. This drop below the 200-day EMA is perilous and, given the negative indicators, the decline isn’t likely over yet. The PMO is dropping below the zero line on a Crossover SELL Signal and Stochastics are below 20, signaling extreme weakness. Support is arriving around 130.00, but it doesn’t look good.

The weekly chart shows the breakdown from the rising wedge formation, which is the normal resolution from this formation. The weekly PMO is tumbling lower. Support on the weekly chart is around 123.00. That would be a painful decline added to this already deep decline.

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Technical Analysis is a windsock, not a crystal ball. –Carl Swenlin

(c) Copyright 2024 DecisionPoint.com

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

DecisionPoint is not a registered investment advisor. Investment and trading decisions are solely your responsibility. DecisionPoint newsletters, blogs or website materials should NOT be interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security or to take any specific action.

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Tech Stocks Plunge: What This Means for Investors

5 Mins Read

“The economy is not sending any signals that we need to be in a hurry to lower rates.” These words from Chairman Powell impacted the stock market much more than this week’s inflation data.

The stock market started selling off on Thursday afternoon and continued to do so Friday, with the broader stock market indexes closing lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) closed down by 0.70%, the S&P 500 lower by 1.32%, and the Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ) lower by 2.2%.

It’s also options expiration Friday, which generally means increased volatility. The Cboe Volatility Index ($VIX) gained 12.79% on Friday, closing at 16.14. That’s a big jump from earlier in the week.

Nasdaq’s Fierce Selloff

The Nasdaq experienced the biggest drop of the three indexes. The chip makers got smoked. Applied Materials (AMAT), the largest US chipmaker, was down 8.76% on a disappointing revenue forecast. Nvidia (NVDA) was down over 3%, Micron Technology (MU) was down almost 3%, and Intel (INTC) fell 1.70%.

The daily chart of the VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) gives a clear picture of the semiconductor industry.

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF THE VANECK VECTORS SEMICONDUCTOR ETF (SMH). The sharp selloff in semiconductor stocks resulted in a technical weakness in the chart of SMH. It’s close to a support level, while its SCTR score, MACD, and relative strength with respect to the S&P 500 weaken.Chart source: StockChartsACP. For educational purposes.

Although SMH is still within the sideways range (grey rectangle), it’s very close to the bottom of the range, which aligns with the 200-day simple moving average (SMA). The StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) score is at a low 29, the moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) indicates a lack of momentum, and SMH is not outperforming the S&P 500 like it once did.

Looks like investors are rotating away from semiconductors, either taking profits or investing in other asset classes — but which ones? It’s certainly not healthcare stocks, which also got pounded on Friday. Perhaps cryptocurrencies. However, there’s more brewing beneath the surface.

The Yield Rally

The economy is still strong—retail sales data shows that consumers continue to spend, which is pushing Treasury yields higher. The 10-year US Treasury Yield Index ($TNX) closed at 4.43% (see daily chart below). TNX has been trending higher since mid-September and since the end of September has been trading above its 20-day SMA.

FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF THE 10-YEAR US TREASURY YIELD. Treasury yields have been on a relentless yield since September. A stronger US economy would keep yields higher.Chart source: StockChartsACP. For educational purposes.

Fed Chairman Powell and Boston Fed President Susan Collins’ comments lowered the probability of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut in the December FOMC meeting. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the probability is now 58.2%. It was close to 70% on Thursday, before Powell’s speech.

The relentless yield rally may have been one reason the Tech sector sold off. Higher yields don’t benefit growth stocks.

Dollar’s Roaring Rally

One asset class that is gaining ground is the US dollar. When the words “Dollar sets 52-week high” appear in my predefined alerts dashboard panel, it’s something to analyze. The US dollar ($USD) has been in a relatively steep rally since October (see chart below). With a strong US economy and the Fed indicating a more neutral stance in their policy decisions, the dollar could continue to strengthen.

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF THE US DOLLAR. The dollar has been in a roaring rally since October. A strong US economy supports a strong dollar.Chart source: StockChartsACP. For educational purposes.

At the Close

With the exception of the Dow, the other broader indexes have fallen to the lows of November 6, the day after the US presidential election. The broad-based selloff could continue into early next week. There’s not much economic data for next week, but Nvidia will announce earnings after the close on Wednesday. That should shake up the chip stocks.

If you have cash on the sidelines, there could be some “buy the dip” opportunities. However, because there are some dynamics between stocks, yields, and the US dollar, the three charts should be monitored to identify signs of a reversal. When you’re confident of a reversal, jump on board.

If you want to be notified of new articles published in the ChartWatchers blog, sign up on this page.

End-of-Week Wrap-Up

  • S&P 500 down 2.08% for the week, at 5870.62, Dow Jones Industrial Average down 1.24% for the week at 43,444.99; Nasdaq Composite down 3.15% for the week at 18,680.12
  • $VIX up 8.03%% for the week, closing at 16.14
  • Best performing sector for the week: Financials
  • Worst performing sector for the week: Health Care
  • Top 5 Large Cap SCTR stocks: Applovin Corp. (APP); Palantir Technologies (PLTR); Summit Therapeutics (SMMT); MicroStrategy Inc. (MSTR); Redditt Inc. (RDDT)

On the Radar Next Week

  • October Housing Starts
  • November Michigan Consumer Sentiment
  • Fed speeches
  • Nvidia earnings

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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In World news

Russians focus on Musk as they assess incoming Trump administration

3 Mins Read

As US President-elect Donald Trump continues to make heads turn with nominations for key roles in his incoming administration, Russians are trying to understand the appointments and what impacts they might have for Moscow.

Russian state TV has spent the last few days using their slickly produced talk shows to tell the Russian people what they should make of the incoming administration – in particular what it might mean for Russians and the war in Ukraine.

Evgeny Popov, a well-known face on Russian state TV and Duma representative used his show, co-hosted with his wife, to tear into Mike Waltz, Donald Trump’s pick for his national security adviser.

Waltz has previously expressed reservations about continued congressional support for Ukraine, and is a proponent of a peace plan for Ukraine – but has not ruled out applying pressure on Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin to force him to the table. Waltz also described Russia as “a gas station with nukes” in an interview with NPR on November 4.

Popov was quick to point out the potential threat to Moscow, “(Waltz) at the Republican convention proposed deploying more American drones in the Black Sea and bragged about how Trump threatened to bomb, as he put it, ‘Putin’s Kremlin.’ That is what’s called the Russophobic Dream Team or the American dream team.”

But across the studio floor, Olga Skabeeva, Popov’s wife, was a little more welcoming of the pick of former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Gabbard had been “clear on the reason for Russia’s special operation in Ukraine,” Skabeeva said, praising Gabbard’s criticism of US support for Kyiv.

Elena, who was walking with her daughter, said of Musk: “Everything he’s done is very interesting, and the fact that he has such ideas is also, in principle, good for development in general.”

The tech tycoon’s status as a super-rich maverick who purchased X, formerly Twitter, and who wants to put civilians into space, means he’s more familiar to Russians than nominees for other prominent posts.

Asked about how they viewed the incoming administration and future relations between old adversaries, people were a little more divided.

Vladimir Kostyukevich, however, said that Trump makes a good impression as a politician, citing his age and apparent energy – a barb perhaps at outgoing President Joe Biden.

Elena said, “I don’t know how Donald Trump can resolve this. But I would really like this to be resolved as soon as possible and resolved in the most peaceful way possible, through negotiations, and not through the actions that are happening now.”

Tatiyana meanwhile hoped for peace and spoke warmly of Ukraine, a reminder of the bonds that tie the two nations together.

“It’s a good question. Ukraine is our brotherly nation. It has always been so. And despite the fact that relations are so complicated now, we still love Ukraine as before, they are our brothers, our relatives,” she said.

And Kostyukevich hoped for even more. “I don’t know if Trump will stick to his line. But I hope, that there will be a good agreement between Russia and Ukraine. And in general, to stop all this madness that’s happening in the world, well, in Israel, Palestine and Ukraine-Russia,” he said.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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10 killed in fire at Spanish nursing home

2 Mins Read

At least 10 people died and others were injured in a blaze at a nursing home near Zaragoza, Spain, before firefighters managed to extinguish the flames, local authorities said Friday.

The alarm was raised early Friday morning in Villafranca de Ebro, about 28 kilometers (18 miles) from the northeastern city.

Two people remained in critical condition, officials said. At least 10 people died in a blaze at a nursing home in Zaragoza, Spain, before firefighters managed to extinguish it, local authorities reported on Friday.

The cause of the fire was not yet known, local media reported.

Local media said 82 people had been living in the nursing home, which focused on treating people with dementia and mental health issues.

Volga Ramírez, mayor of Villafranca de Ebro, told reporters outside the center on Friday morning that intense smoke from the blaze was likely responsible for the deaths.

“It is due to smoke inhalation,” Ramírez said, “not because they were burned.”

Jorge Azcón, head of the regional government of Aragon, which includes Villafranca de Ebro, confirmed the deaths and said on X, formerly Twitter, that all government events in the region were cancelled for the day.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also expressed his shock.

The fire took place just weeks after after flash floods in the Spanish region of Valencia killed more than 200 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The floods were the worst natural disaster in Spain’s recent history.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Protesters storm parliament in breakaway Georgia region of Abkhazia over Russia deal

3 Mins Read

Protesters stormed the parliament of the Russian-backed breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia on Friday and opposition politicians demanded the resignation of the self-styled president over an unpopular investment agreement with Moscow.

Protesters used a truck to smash through the metal gates surrounding the parliament in the capital Sukhumi. Video from the scene then showed people climbing through windows after prying off metal bars and chanting in the corridors.

Eshsou Kakalia, an opposition leader and former deputy prosecutor general, said the parliament building was under the control of the protesters.

“We will now seek the resignation of the current president of Abkhazia,” he was quoted by Russia’s Interfax news agency as saying. Protesters also broke into the presidential administration offices located in the same building as the parliament.

Emergency services said at least eight people were taken to hospital.

The presidential administration said in a statement that authorities were preparing to withdraw the investment agreement with Russia that some Abkhaz fear will price them out of the property market.

Russia recognised Abkhazia and another breakaway region, South Ossetia, as independent states in 2008 after Russian troops repelled a Georgian attempt to retake South Ossetia in a five-day war.

Most of the world recognises Abkhazia as part of Georgia, from which it broke away during wars in the early 1990s, but Russian money has poured into the lush sub-tropical territory where Soviet-era spa resorts cling to the Black Sea coast.

Russian money

Abkhazian lawmakers had been set to vote on Friday on the ratification of an investment agreement signed in October in Moscow by Russian Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov and his Abkhazian counterpart, Kristina Ozgan.

Abkhazian opposition leaders say the agreement with Moscow, which would allow for investment projects by Russian legal entities, would price locals out of the property market by allowing far more Russian money to flow in.

The opposition said in a statement that the protesters’ actions were not against Russian-Abkhazian relations.

“Abkhazian society had only one demand: to protect the interests of our citizens and our business, but neither the president nor the parliament have heard the voice of the people until today”, Interfax cited the statement as saying.

Earlier this week Abkhazia’s self-styled president, Aslan Bzhania, held an emergency security council meeting after protesters blocked a key highway and rallied in central Sukhumi to demand the release of four activists.

The activists, who were subsequently freed, had been detained for opposing the passage of a law regulating the construction industry which references the Russian-Abkhazian agreement.

In 2014, demonstrators stormed the presidential headquarters, forcing then-leader Alexander Ankvab to flee. He later resigned over accusations of corruption and misrule.

Opposition leader Raul Khadzhimba, elected following the unrest in 2014, was himself forced to step down in 2020 after street protests over disputed election results.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Lebanon ceasefire talks intensify as Hezbollah considers new US-Israeli proposal

2 Mins Read

The proposal, which Johnson outlined to Lebanon’s Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri – who is close to Hezbollah – is the first to be submitted by the US and Israel since a temporary ceasefire was negotiated in late September. Those efforts were upended when Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a major bombing attack in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The Lebanese government is “optimistic” that Hezbollah will agree to the terms of the agreement, and authorities expect to submit an official response to the latest proposal next Monday, the first official said. “Diplomatic efforts are on fire now,” the source said.

The proposal aims to achieve a 60-day cessation of hostilities and is being portrayed as the basis of a lasting ceasefire, according to the official, adding that terms lie within the parameters of UN Resolution 1701 which ended the Lebanon-Israel war of 2006. The resolution stipulates that the only armed groups in the area south of Lebanon’s Litani River should be the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping forces.

“The points mainly focus on the mechanism of implementation and on the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces in implementing 1701in the south of the Litani River,” the official said, adding that it also deals with smuggling routes through the country’s international borders.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Iranian anti-regime activist who died by suicide buried in Tehran

3 Mins Read

Warning: This story contains descriptions of self-harm that some readers might find distressing

Iranian activist Kianoosh Sanjari, who died by suicide this week in protest at political imprisonments by the regime, was buried Friday in the capital Tehran.

Sanjari took his own life Wednesday at the age of 42, jumping off a building in downtown Tehran, according to other activists and state media, after threatening to kill himself if four activists detained by the Islamic Republic were not released.

“I will end my life in protest against the dictatorship of (Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah) Khamenei and his partners,” Sanjari had written earlier Wednesday on X, demanding the release of Fatemeh Sepehari, Nasreen Shakrami, Toomaj Salehi and Arsham Rezaei by 7 p.m local time that day.

“No one should be imprisoned for expressing their opinions. Protest is the right of every Iranian citizen,” he wrote in a separate post on Wednesday.

At around 7.20 p.m. local time, Sanjari posted a photo from atop a high structure, with the caption: “7 PM, Hafez Bridge, Charsou.” Charsou Bazaar is a commercial building in downtown Tehran.

“My life will end after this tweet… I wish that one day Iranians wake up and overcome slavery.”

‘Kianoosh is lost’

Hossein Ronaghi, an Iranian human rights activist, confirmed Sanjari’s death Thursday and urged people to attend his funeral Friday.

“It is time to act… as Iranians, we should attend his burial with enthusiasm and respect, to honor this noble and tortured individual,” Ronaghi wrote on X.

The activist warned authorities against disrupting the burial through heightened security. “No one has the right to disrupt the burial, create a security atmosphere, or show any disrespect to this ceremony,” he wrote.

“I swear by Kianoosh’s blood, if any disturbance is caused by security forces or any obstacles are put in the way of people’s presence, I will make you regret it,” Ronaghi said.

Abdollah Momeni, another Iranian activist, said that when he saw Sanjar’s post, he rushed to meet him, only to find “a white sheet thrown” over his body by Hafez Bridge.

“Unfortunately, Kianoosh is lost,” Momeni wrote on X Wednesday.

On Thursday, the state news agency ISNA reported that a judicial case had been opened by the prosecutor’s office in Tehran regarding Sanjari’s suicide. ISNA, citing the Tehran prosecutor’s office, suggested that Sanjari had a history of mental health issues, for which they said he had been hospitalized and given prescription medication.

Repeated detentions

A vocal critic of the Iranian regime, Sanjari was arrested several times between 1999 and 2007, when he was finally released with a bail bond of over $100,000, Amnesty International said. He was accused of “acting against state security” and “propaganda against the system,” according to the human rights organization. Sanjari spent time in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, which is known for its long record of human rights abuses.

He left Iran shortly after his release but returned in 2016, when he was arrested again and sentenced to 11 years in prison, according to the IranWire activist outlet. In 2021, he left for the US but later returned to Iran, IranWire said.

Between 2009 and 2013, Sanjari worked for the Persian Service of the US government-funded broadcaster Voice of America in Washington, DC.

VOA’s Persian Service said on Thursday it “expressed shock and grief at the suicide of a former colleague, Kianoosh Sanjari, who jumped to his death from a building in Tehran on Wednesday in protest against Iran’s authoritarian rulers.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Israel’s war conduct in Gaza ‘consistent with the characteristics of genocide,’ UN Special Committee finds

3 Mins Read

Israel’s war conduct in Gaza “is consistent with the characteristics of genocide,” including mass civilian casualties and using starvation as a weapon, according to a new United Nations Special Committee report released Thursday.

“Through its siege over Gaza, obstruction of humanitarian aid, alongside targeted attacks and killing of civilians and aid workers, despite repeated UN appeals, binding orders from the International Court of Justice and resolutions of the Security Council, Israel is intentionally causing death, starvation and serious injury, using starvation as a method of war and inflicting collective punishment on the Palestinian population,” the UN committee said in a press release.

“The Israeli military’s use of AI-assisted targeting, with minimal human oversight, combined with heavy bombs, underscores Israel’s disregard of its obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants and take adequate safeguards to prevent civilian deaths,” the committee said.

The UN committee added that Israeli officials have publicly supported policies to destroy “vital water, sanitation and food systems” in Gaza as well as prevent access to fuel.

Israel earlier this year rejected what it called the “grossly distorted” accusation of genocide leveled against it by South Africa, arguing in the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) that its war was fought in self-defense and that it was targeting Hamas rather than Palestinians, following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terror attacks in Israel.

The UN Special Committee is composed of three UN member states, including Malaysia, Senegal and Sri Lanka.

The UN report comes after the US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report detailing Israel’s forced mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza in a deliberate and systematic campaign that amounts to a war crime and a crime against humanity.

In a response to the HRW report on Thursday, the Israeli military said it is “committed to international law and operates accordingly,” and that it issues evacuation orders to protect civilians from combat.

Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza after weeks of intense Israeli military operations in recent weeks have told described a chronic lack of food and people dying of hunger, as aid agencies warn that the area is on the brink of famine.

But after a US deadline for Israel to improve getting humanitarian aid into Gaza expired this week, the Biden administration assessed that Israel is not blocking aid and so is not violating US law governing foreign military assistance. The State Department said that while changes were needed, progress had been made, so there would be no disruption to US arms supplies.

But the US view is a stark contrast with the bleak picture on the ground, where much of the aid that reaches Gaza is not being distributed.

The accounts of desperate civilians echo the World Health Organization’s warning last Friday of “a strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas within the northern Gaza Strip.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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