Home Blog Page 164

Pakistan army fires 3 officers for failing to stop Khan supporters from attacking installations

Qaseem Hassan
-
0
Pakistan army fires 3 officers for failing to stop Khan supporters from attacking installations

Pakistan army fires 3 officers for failing to stop Khan supporters from attacking installations

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s military said Monday that it has fired three senior army officers over their failure to prevent violent attacks on public property and military installations by supporters of the country’s former prime minister.

The attacks last month came after former premier Imran Khan was arrested in a graft case. Maj. Gen. Ahmad Sharif said a top general was among those fired, and action had been taken against another 15 army officers over their “unintentional negligence” in the matter. The military did not disclose the names of the officers who were fired or disciplined, but it said some family members of retired army officers were also facing investigation.

At a televised news conference, Sharif said the military was also trying 102 civilians over their involvement in the May 9 attacks, during which the residence of a top regional commander was destroyed in Lahore.

ABOUT RIOTS : Former PAK PM Imran Khan returns home after arrest, riots

The latest development comes weeks after thousands of demonstrations from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party attacked the military’s headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, stormed an air base in Mianwali in the eastern Punjab province and torched a building housing state-run Radio Pakistan in the northwest.

The demonstrators were angered over Khan’s arrest after he was dragged from a courthouse in the capital, Islamabad, in connection with a graf case. The violence subsided only after Khan was released on an order from Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

At least 10 people were killed in clashes between Khan’s supporters and police and since then, and police have arrested more than 5,000 people in connection with the riots. Most have been freed on bail pending trial.

Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote last year by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The former cricket star has denounced what he says are more than 100 cases against him, including for corruption and “terrorism.” He says he is being politically victimised by Sharif, a charge the government denies.

In recent weeks, Khan has denounced the violence, saying he never incited his supporters. Authorities said that, so far, no decision had been made to send Khan’s case to the military court. A joint investigation team was conducting a probe into what role, if any, Khan may have had in the violence.

Despite strong opposition from domestic and international rights groups, the government is pressing ahead with the plan to try civilians involved in the attacks on military installations in military courts. The military and the government have said anyone facing such trials will get attorneys of their choice.

Khan is living in his home city of Lahore after he won protection from arrest in multiple cases, pending trial.

On Monday, he appeared before a court that granted him protection from arrest until July 6, on charges of inciting people to violence.

The military spokesman, Sharif, said the military exercised restraint last month when rioters attacked their installations. He said the attack was designed to draw a violent response from the army.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in attacks, UN says

Qaseem Hassan
-
0
Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in attacks, UN says

Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in attacks, UN says

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations said Tuesday it has documented a significant level of civilians killed and wounded in attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover — despite a stark reduction in casualties compared to previous years of war and insurgency.

According to a new report by the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, since the takeover in mid-August 2021 and until the end of May, there were 3,774 civilian casualties, including 1,095 people killed in violence in the country.

That compares with 8,820 civilian casualties — including 3,035 killed — in just 2020, according to an earlier U.N. report.

READ MORE : Myanmar: Junta bans independent news outlet The Irrawaddy

The Taliban seized the country in August 2021 while U.S. and NATO troops were in the final weeks of their withdrawal from Afghanistan after two decades of war.

According to the U.N. report, three-quarters of the attacks since the Taliban seized power were with improvised explosive devices in “populated areas, including places of worship, schools and markets,” the report said. Among those killed were 92 women and 287 children.

The statement said that the majority of the IED attacks were carried out by the region’s affiliate of the Islamic State group — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province.

However, the U.N. report said a “significant number” of the deaths resulted from attacks that were never claimed or that the U.N. mission could not attribute to any group. It did not provide the number for those fatalities.

The U.N. report also expressed concern about “the lethality of suicide attacks” since the Taliban takeover, with fewer attacks causing more civilian causalities.

It noted that the attacks were carried out amid a nationwide financial and economic crisis. With the sharp drop in donor funding since the takeover, victims are struggling to get access to “medical, financial and psychosocial support” under the current Taliban-led government, the report said.

The U.N. agency demanded an immediate halt to attacks and said it holds the Taliban government responsible for the safety of Afghans.

The Taliban said their administration took over when Afghanistan was “on the verge of collapse” and that they “managed to rescue the country and government from a crisis” by making sound decisions and through proper management.

In a response, the Taliban-led foreign ministry said that the situation has gradually improved since August 2021. “Security has been ensured across the country,” the statement said, adding that the Taliban consider the security of places of worship and holy shrines, including Shiite sites, a priority.

Despite initial promises in 2021 of a more moderate administration, the Taliban enforced harsh rules after seizing the country. They banned girls’ education after the sixth grade and barred Afghan women from public life and most work, including for nongovernmental organizations and the U.N.

The measures harked back to the previous Taliban rule of Afghanistan in the late 1990s, when they also imposed their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia. The edicts prompted an international outcry against the already ostracized Taliban, whose administration has not been officially recognized by the U.N. and the international community.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

YouTuber Devraj Patel killed in road accident, Face of viral ‘Dil Se Bura Lagta Hai’ meme

Roshan Bilung
-
0
YouTuber Devraj Patel killed in road accident, Face of viral ‘Dil Se Bura Lagta Hai’ meme

YouTuber Devraj Patel killed in road accident, Face of viral ‘Dil Se Bura Lagta Hai’ meme

Raipur (IT) – Devraj Patel, a well-known comedian and YouTuber from Chhattisgarh passed away in a tragic road accident on Monday. The accident occurred around 3:30 p.m. while Patel traveled as a pillion rider.

He was on his way back from filming a video in Nava Raipur when a truck collided with him, resulting in severe head and body injuries. 

As a result, Devraj Patel, who was riding as a pillion passenger, got trapped under the truck’s rear wheel, according to the official’s statement.

Fortunately, the bike rider, Rakesh Manhar, escaped without any injuries. He promptly called an ambulance, and Patel was immediately taken to a hospital.

READ MORE : Tollywood choreographer Rakesh Master passes away at 53

Tragically, the doctors declared him dead upon arrival. Devraj Patel, originally from Mahasamund, gained popularity for his video titled ‘Dil se bura lagta hai.’ Expressing his condolences, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel took to his official Twitter account to share an old video of Devraj Patel.

In his tweet, the Chief Minister paid tribute to the late YouTuber and wrote,

“Devraj Patel, who made his place among crores of people with ‘Dil Se Bura Lagta Hai,’ who made us all laugh, left us today. The loss of amazing talent at this young age is very sad. May God give his family and loved one’s strength to bear this loss. Om Shanti,” Mr. Baghel tweeted in Hindi.

Soon after Mr. Baghel’s tweet, fans of the YouTuber expressed their sadness on the social media platform.

Born and raised in Mahasamund, he captured the hearts of millions with his unique style and relatable content.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

World Cup Qualifiers 2023: Zimbabwe annihilate USA to record second biggest win in men’s ODIs

Mark Kenya
-
0
World Cup Qualifiers 2023: Zimbabwe annihilate USA to record second biggest win in men’s ODIs

World Cup Qualifiers 2023: Zimbabwe annihilate USA to record second biggest win in men’s ODIs

DT SPORTS (CC) – Zimbabwe showcased their dominance in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers with a resounding 304-run victory over the United States of America (USA) in their Group A encounter at the Harare Sports Club on Monday, June 26.

Having already secured a place in the Super Six stage, Zimbabwe achieved a historic milestone by recording their highest-ever total in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), amassing a formidable 408 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs. They then skittled out USA for a meagre 104 runs in just 25.1 overs.

READ MORE : Sri Lanka vs Ireland, ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2023 Highlights: SL Beat IRE By 133 Runs

The margin of victory, a massive 304 runs, is now the second-highest in men’s ODIs, coming close to India’s 317-run triumph over Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram in January 2023.

Zimbabwean captainSean Williams played a breathtaking knock, smashing a 65-ball century which he eventually converted into a career-best 174 off just 101 deliveries. His explosive knock included 21 boundaries and five sixes, setting the foundation for Zimbabwe’s mammoth total.

Williams received ample support from wicketkeeper Joylord Gumble, who contributed a valuable 78 off 103 balls, along with Sikandar Raza (48 off 27) and Ryan Burl (47 off 16), as Zimbabwe unleashed an onslaught on the USA bowling attack.

In response, the USA team struggled to find any rhythm and succumbed to the pressure exerted by the Zimbabwean bowlers.

This victory victory not only highlights Zimbabwe’s prowess in the tournament but also emphasises their determination to secure a place in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup. With their commanding performance against USA, Zimbabwe have once again demonstrated their potential as a formidable force in international cricket.

As the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier progresses, Zimbabwe will be eager to carry forward their winning momentum into the Super Six stage.

Top 5 ODI wins in men’s cricket (by runs):

  • 317 runs – India vs Sri Lanka at Thiruvananthapuram, 2023
  • 304 runs – Zimbabwe vs USA at Harare, 2023
  • 290 runs – New Zealand vs Ireland at Aberdeen, 2008
  • 275 runs – Australia vs Afghanistan at Perth, 2015
  • 272 runs – South Africa vs Zimbabwe at Benoni, 2010

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

 

ideaForge IPO: GMP, subscription status and what experts suggest on the issue

Andy Sengiah
-
0
ideaForge IPO: GMP, subscription status and what experts suggest on the issue

ideaForge IPO: GMP, subscription status and what experts suggest on the issue

DT BUSINESS (MINT)- The ₹567 crore initial public offering of ideaForge, the country’s leading drone manufacturer, opened for subscription on Monday, June 26. The issue, which has a price band of ₹638-672, will close for subscription on June 29.

Subscription status: The issue received a strong response and was oversubscribed by the first day of the bidding itself. By 12:45 PM on Day one of bidding, ideaForge Technology IPO was subscribed 1.21 times. The company has received bids for 56,29,470 shares against 46,48,870 shares on offer, according to data from the BSE.

The portion for retail investors garnered the most bids. It was subscribed 4.81 times while the part reserved for employees was subscribed 3.46 times. Meanwhile, the non-institutional investors’ (NII) quota was subscribed 1.21 times, however, no qualified institutional buyers’ (QIB) bid for the issue was seen so far.

READ MORE : Perodua launches affordable Axia E model, Cheapest car in Malaysia

GMP: The company’s shares witnessed a strong premium of ₹490 in the grey market on Monday, indicating a strong demand for the IPO.

However, one must note that grey market premium is only an indicator of how the company’s shares are performing in the unlisted market and can change quickly.

About the IPO: The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares of up to ₹240 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to 48.6 lakh shares by selling shareholders. The fresh issue portion from the offer has been reduced to this current amount from ₹300 after the firm raised ₹60 crore by offloading 8.92 lakh shares to institutional investors in a pre-IPO placement round.

Important dates: The date of allotment of units is likely to be 4 July and the issue is expected to list on the bourses on 7 July.

Anchor investment: The firm has raised ₹254 crore in the anchor round, which saw participation from marquee investors including Nomura, Invesco, HSBC, ICICI Pru MF, Mirae Asset MF, HDFC MF, and Goldman Sachs among others.

Reservation: About 75 percent of the net offer is reserved for the QIB portion, 15 percent for non-institutional investors, and 10 percent is set aside for retail investors.

Objective: The proceeds from its fresh issuance to the tune of ₹50 crore will be utilised for repayment of certain indebtedness availed by the company, ₹135 crore towards funding working capital requirements, ₹40 crore for investment in product development and general corporate purposes.

What do experts say?

Motilal Oswal: Subscribe

“We like IFL given its complex/wide product portfolio, presence in niche space, strong client relationship and high entry barriers. The issue is valued at 5x P/BV (peers avg: ~8x) on a post-issue basis, which is fairly valued. We believe IFL could benefit from government impetus on the defence space as well as rising enterprise demand. Hence we recommend Subscribe. Further, given the current buoyant market and high interest for defence stocks, the issue could see listing gains as well,” explained MOSL.

It also noted that ideaForge has one of the industry’s leading product portfolios with a dual presence in both civil and defence applications. IFL’s revenue jumped >5x over FY21-23 to ₹190 crore, while PAT turned positive in the last two years, with FY23 profit at ₹32 crore, it informed. Further, the brokerage added that given the current buoyant market and high interest in defence stocks, the issue could see listing gains as well.

Marwari Financial Services: Subscribe

“Considering the FY23 Annualized EPS of ₹7.68 on a post-issue basis, the company is going to list at a P/E of 87.54x with a market cap of ₹2,800 crore. whereas its peers namely MTAR technology, Data patterns and Astra microwave products are trading at a P/E of 58.52x, 84.95x, and 52.27x. We assign Subscribe rating to this IPO as the company is the pioneer and the pre-eminent market leader in the Indian UAS industry, with a first-mover advantage and strong relationships with a diverse customer base. Also, it is available at a reasonable valuation considering the future growth potential of the company.”

Axis Capital: Not Rated

While the brokerage has not rated the issue, it noted that ideaForge is the pioneer and the pre-eminent market leader in the Indian UAS market, with a market share of approximately 50 percent in fiscal 2022.

“Their promoters built their 1st quadrotor drone in 2004. They started their operations in 2007 and with a first-mover advantage, they are among the 1st few companies in India to enter the UAV market. Their in-house capabilities to design, develop, engineer and manufacture have enabled them to develop better products basis evolving demands of their customers, thereby enhancing customer experience with their products. Their ability to build a fully integrated system and having control over the full stack differentiates them from other players in the market. They are driven by a self-propagating flywheel, whereby as a result of their leadership position and their 1st mover advantage, they have been able to create a better user experience based on customers insights and with continuous technology improvements,” it said.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Ruoning Yin wins Women’s PGA Championship, becomes 2nd woman from China with a major title

Marietta Reformado
-
0
Ruoning Yin wins Women’s PGA Championship, becomes 2nd woman from China with a major title

Ruoning Yin wins Women’s PGA Championship, becomes 2nd woman from China with a major title

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (AP) — Becoming the second woman from China to win a major championship left Ruoning Yin in awe, even an hour after being handed the Women’s PGA Championship trophy at Baltusrol.

“When I was walking to this tent, I just said: ‘Oh, wow, major winner!’ It’s amazing. It’s just unreal,” Yin said Sunday.

Yin made a birdie putt from about 10 feet on the final hole to beat Yuka Saso by one stroke. The 20-year-old closed with a 4-under 67 to finish at 8-under 276 and take a place in Chinese sports history next to Shanshan Feng.

“I would say she’s definitely the goal that I’m chasing,” Yin said. “But I think she is the person who inspired me the most.”

Feng, now national golf coach in China, won 23 events worldwide, including 10 on the LPGA Tour.

READ MORE : Sri Lanka vs Ireland, ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2023 Highlights: SL Beat IRE By 133 Runs

Yin wasn’t even playing golf when Feng won this event — then known as the LPGA Championship — in 2012. She was 9 years old and didn’t take up the game for another 18 months. Her main sport was basketball and she idolized Stephen Curry, but her shorter stature led her to turn to golf.

Ruoning Yin wins Women’s PGA Championship, becomes 2nd woman from China with a major title
By TOM CANAVAN
today
Ruoning Yin, of China, holds the trophy after winning the Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Springfield, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
1 of 20
Ruoning Yin, of China, holds the trophy after winning the Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament, Sunday, June 25, 2023, in Springfield, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (AP) — Becoming the second woman from China to win a major championship left Ruoning Yin in awe, even an hour after being handed the Women’s PGA Championship trophy at Baltusrol.

“When I was walking to this tent, I just said: ‘Oh, wow, major winner!’ It’s amazing. It’s just unreal,” Yin said Sunday.

Yin made a birdie putt from about 10 feet on the final hole to beat Yuka Saso by one stroke. The 20-year-old closed with a 4-under 67 to finish at 8-under 276 and take a place in Chinese sports history next to Shanshan Feng.

“I would say she’s definitely the goal that I’m chasing,” Yin said. “But I think she is the person who inspired me the most.”

Feng, now national golf coach in China, won 23 events worldwide, including 10 on the LPGA Tour.

Yin wasn’t even playing golf when Feng won this event — then known as the LPGA Championship — in 2012. She was 9 years old and didn’t take up the game for another 18 months. Her main sport was basketball and she idolized Stephen Curry, but her shorter stature led her to turn to golf.

ADVERTISEMENT

GOLF
Keegan Bradley wins Travelers Championship, breaks tournament record by 1 shot
Yin wins Women’s PGA at Baltusrol, Bradley wins home game at Travelers
Padraig Harrington wins back-to-back at Dick’s Sporting Goods Open with a big finish
Thriston Lawrence wins in Munich for 4th European tour title
Yin has really turned it on the past two years. She picked up her first LPGA Tour win earlier this year in Los Angeles and now is the third player to win twice this season, joining Lilia Vu and world No. 1 Jin Young Ko. This came with a $1.5 million paycheck.

Yin earned it with her fourth birdie on a bogey-free day.

After Saso made birdie ahead of her on the par-5 18th hole to move into a tie for the lead, Yin found the rough with her tee shot, then hit her third shot into an ideal spot and curled in the right-to-left breaking putt, pumping her fist after it dropped.

“I actually kind of felt that I was going to make it, and I made it,” said Yin, who hit a tournament-best 66 greens in regulation and 48 of 56 fairways. “It’s a very weird feeling.”

Rose Zhang, who won in her professional debut three weeks ago, also in New Jersey, made a charge with a final-round 67 and finished in a tie for eighth, three shots back.

Saso, the U.S. Women’s Open champion in 2021, shot 66. The championship had a mid-round delay of nearly two hours because of severe weather, and Yin made three of her birdies after the re-start.

Saso, from Japan, thought she had blown her chance to win when she missed a 10-foot birdie attempt to tie the lead at No. 17. She got up-and-down from a greenside bunker to birdie the final hole.

“After missing the birdie on 17, I just wished that I wouldn’t hit my drive in the water on 18,” she said. “But glad I didn’t. Hit a good shot, and second shot hit it in the left bunker. It was not an easy bunker shot, but it was manageable, and I was able to manage it pretty good.”

Xiyu Lin, who either led or shared the lead during most of her back nine, found the water with her drive on the 18th and made bogey to shoot 67 and finish two shots back alongside Carlota Ciganda (64), Anna Nordqvist (65), Megan Khang (67) and Stephanie Meadow (70).

“Unfortunately I didn’t hit a good tee shot on the last hole,” said the 27-year-old Lin, who is winless on the LPGA Tour but came in ranked No. 14 in the world. “But it could have happened any other hole. I think overall I gave myself good chances. It’s still a really good Sunday to have a lot to take away from.”

Lin, also from China, rents a house in Florida to Yin and has joked that she is going to raise the rent.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Wagner group Updates : Russia’s defense minister seen in first video since mercenary revolt as uncertainty swirls

Roshan Bilung
-
0
Wagner group Updates : Russia’s defense minister seen in first video since mercenary revolt as uncertainty swirls

Wagner group Updates : Russia’s defense minister seen in first video since mercenary revolt as uncertainty swirls

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made his first public appearance since a mercenary uprising demanded his ouster, inspecting troops in Ukraine in a video released Monday aimed at projecting a sense of order after the country’s most serious political crisis in decades.

But uncertainty still swirled about his fate, that of rebellion leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his private army, the impact on the war in Ukraine and even the political future of President Vladimir Putin.

A feud between Wagner Group leader Prigozhin and Russia’s military brass that has festered throughout the war erupted into a mutiny that saw the mercenaries leave Ukraine to seize a military headquarters in a southern Russian city and march seemingly unopposed on Moscow, before turning around after less than 24 hours on Saturday.

The Kremlin said it had made a deal that Prigozhin will move to Belarus and receive an amnesty, along with his soldiers. Yet on Monday, Russian media reported a criminal probe against him continued, and his whereabouts were unknown.

READ MORE : Wagner Group’s Revolt in Russia Ends After Deal Struck. What is International Response

In a return to at least superficial normality, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced an end to the “counterterrorism regime” imposed on the capital Saturday, when troops and armored vehicles set up checkpoints on the outskirts and authorities tore up roads leading into the city.

The Defense Ministry video of Shoigu — the first shown since the uprising that demanded his ouster — came as Russian media speculated that he and other military leaders have lost Putin’s confidence and could be replaced.

Shoigu was shown in a helicopter and then meeting with officers at a military headquarters in Ukraine. The video was widely broadcast on Russian media, including state-controlled television. It was unclear when it was shot.

General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov, also a main target of Prigozhin’s ire, has not appeared in public.

It was unclear what would ultimately happen to Prigozhin and his forces under the deal purportedly brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that Putin has given his word that Prigozhin will be allowed to go to Belarus.

The RIA Novosti state news agency cited unidentified sources in the Prosecutor General’s office as saying the criminal case against Prigozhin hasn’t been closed, despite earlier Kremlin statements. The Interfax news agency carried a similar report.

Should the case continue, Prigozhin’s presence in Belarus — a staunch Kremlin ally — would offer little protection against arrest and extradition.

Prigozhin appeared nonchalant in some of the last video taken during the rebellion. As a convoy carrying him in an SUV drove out of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don after its brief occupation Saturday, he was asked how he viewed the result of his revolt, according to footage posted on Russian social media.

“It’s normal, we have cheered everyone up,” the mercenary chief responded.

Before the uprising, Prigozhin had blasted Shoigu and Gerasimov with expletive-ridden insults for months, attacking them for failing to provide his troops with enough ammunition during the fight for the Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, the war’s longest and bloodiest battle.

Prigozhin’s rift with the military dates back for years, to the Russian military intervention in Syria, where Wagner forces also were active.

Putin stood back from the feud and Shoigu and Gerasimov remained mum, possibly reflecting uncertainty about the president’s support. Observers said that by failing to end the feud, Putin had encouraged Prigozhin to raise the stakes dramatically.

Alex Younger, former head of Britain’s MI6 intelligence agency, said it appeared that “neither side was in control” during the rebellion.

Andrei Kartapolov, the head of the defense affairs committee in the lower house of Russia’s parliament, said lawmakers were set to consider a bill that would regulate the activities of private military companies.

In remarks published Sunday, Kartapolov said it makes sense to continue use Wagner troops, calling the company “the most capable unit in Russia.”

He noted that it’s unclear whether Wagner would remain as a single company or what it would be called, saying some troops could be offered contracts with the Defense Ministry.

U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders of several of Ukraine’s European allies discussed events in Russia over the weekend, but Western officials have been muted in their public comments.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg “the events over the weekend are an internal Russian matter.”

Speaking in Vilnius, Lithuania, he said the crisis was “yet another demonstration of the big strategic mistake that President Putin made with his illegal annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine.”

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, speaking to reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, said the revolt showed that the war is “cracking Russia’s political system.”

“The monster that Putin created with Wagner, the monster is biting him now,” Borrell said. “The monster is acting against his creator.”

___

Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels and Jill Lawless in London contributed.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Denmark to start the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s

Kyung An
-
0
Denmark to start the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s

Denmark to start the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s government said Monday that the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 jets has started and the retirement of Scandinavian country’s fleet of aging U.S. fighters has been moved up two years.

The replacement fighters, F-35s, will be operative by 2025, acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said. Initially, the switch was planned for 2027.

Lund Poulsen said that NATO-member Denmark “has taken the step of starting a training and further education effort for the Ukrainian pilots.”

“We will also consider whether we should make a concrete donation to Ukraine of the Danish F-16 fighters, and how many there should be,” he said.

Ukrainian pilots must spend six to eight months of training before a possible donation of Danish F-16 aircraft can become a reality, Lund Poulsen told Danish broadcaster DR.

READ MORE : Denmark plans $2.6 bln more for Ukraine, Zelensky praises ‘major contribution’

“This does not mean that you cannot make a decision beforehand. But (the F-16 planes) will be in Denmark until 2024,” Lund Poulsen said.

Denmark has ordered 27 F-35A fighter jets, which will replace the more than 40-year-old F-16s, of which Denmark has 30 operative planes. The switch to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter jets is taking place from late 2023 to the end of 2025.

Ukraine has long asked for Western fighter jets to help it resist the full-scale Russian invasion, which began in February 2022. Initially reluctant, the U.S. and other NATO countries recently agreed to allow Ukrainian pilots to receive training to on F-16 fighters, though none has yet committed to hand over any planes.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

 

Suspected militants from Somalia kill 5 people in Kenya border village

Mark Kenya
-
0
Suspected militants from Somalia kill 5 people in Kenya border village

Suspected militants from Somalia kill 5 people in Kenya border village

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Five people have been killed in a Kenyan border village, fueling concerns that such attacks are increasing after a decline.

The weekend attack raises the death toll over the last month to more than 30 people — including soldiers, police reservists and civilians.

In Saturday’s attack in the coastal Lamu county, four of the victims had their throats slit and one was shot at close range, according to local police.

The officials said about 30 attackers also torched houses in the village and stole food.

The village borders Witu Forest, where al-Shabab militants have created hideouts and held abductees.

READ MORE : At least 41 killed in rebel attack on Ugandan school near Congo border

Lamu County has been attacked two other times in the last two weeks, with both incidents targeting Kenya Defense Forces running a security operation in the area and leaving four of them dead.

In Kenya’s north, Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties have seen several attacks this month in which more than 10 people – including soldiers, police reservists and civilians – have died.

Al-Shabab has in the past targeted Kenya, but a coordinated operation at the border and inside neighboring Somalia had led to fewer attacks until recently.

Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday suggested that the country’s troops might stay in Somalia into next month, past the date of withdrawal.

“We are very clear and we are going to send a very powerful message to al-Shabab, that they are not going to reverse the gains that we have made in the last couple of years,” he said during a France 24 interview in Paris.

Kenya is among countries in the region that have contributed troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

Kenyan Interior Minister Kindiki Kithure has assured residents of their safety, citing a budgetary allocation in the upcoming new financial year to purchase advanced security equipment.

Defense Minister Aden Duale last week warned locals in Garissa County against aiding and working with militants.

More security personnel have been deployed to the border areas to enhance security.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

Thousands of North Koreans march in anti-US rallies as country marks Korean War anniversary

Um Kwang Ho
-
0
Thousands of North Koreans march in anti-US rallies as country marks Korean War anniversary

Thousands of North Koreans march in anti-US rallies as country marks Korean War anniversary

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Tens of thousands of North Koreans marched in anti-U.S. rallies over the weekend, pledging “merciless” revenge against “U.S. imperialists,” as the country marked the 73rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War, state media said Monday.

More than 120,000 people participated in Sunday’s mass rallies in the nation’s capital, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

While the 1950-53 conflict was triggered by a North Korean surprise attack, the demonstrators mobilized in Pyongyang promoted their government’s version of events and accused the United States of provoking the war and leaving Koreans with “wounds … that can never be healed.”

Meanwhile in South Korea, a North Korean defector-turned-activist said he flew balloons carrying some 200,000 anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets and COVID-19 medical supplies across the border Sunday night, continuing his yearslong campaigns that have often triggered angry responses from the North.

READ MORE : North Korea launches 2 ballistic missiles toward sea in protest of US-South Korea military drills

Photos sent by Park Sang-hak showed a placard with a picture of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a message that highlighted how his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, was responsible for starting the Korean War. The North has not commented on Park’s latest ballooning stint.

North Korea is extremely sensitive about any outside attempt to undermine Kim’s leadership and weaken his absolute control over the country’s 26 million people.

At the rallies Sunday, North Koreans also expressed pride in Kim’s expanding nuclear weapons and missile programs, insisting their country now has the “strongest absolute weapon to punish the U.S. imperialists and the war deterrence for self-defense which no enemy dare provoke.”

Photos published by the North’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed a stadium packed with likely tens of thousands of people in COVID-19 masks, raising their fists in the air and holding signs that read: “Let’s eradicate U.S. imperialist invaders” and “The entire U.S. mainland is within our striking range.”

The rallies came amid heightened tensions in the region, as the pace of North Korean weapons demonstrations and the United States’ joint military exercises with South Korea have both intensified in a cycle of tit-for-tat.

In their latest telephone discussion over North Korea, the U.S. and South Korean nuclear envoys accused Pyongyang of distorting history by repeating old claims that the United States caused the Korean War, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said.

The South Korean official, Kim Gunn, and President Joe Biden’s special representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, also noted how Pyongyang in likewise manner was blaming Washington and its Asian allies for recent tensions triggered by its intensified weapons tests and verbal threats of nuclear conflict. They vowed tighter diplomatic and security cooperation between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo to cope with the threat, the South Korean ministry said.

Since the start of 2022, North Korea has test-fired around 100 missiles of various ranges as Kim attempts to display a dual ability to conduct nuclear strikes on both the U.S. mainland and South Korea. The North is also speeding up efforts to launch its first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit, following a failed first attempt in May.

There are signs that North Korea is planning a huge military parade in Pyongyang where it would likely showcase its new military hardware.

Recent commercial satellite images have shown troop and vehicle movements and the building of structures suggestive of preparations for a parade, likely for the July 27 anniversary of the Korean War armistice agreement.

Lee Sung Joon, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a briefing that the South’s military was closely analyzing the North’s presumed parade preparations but did not provide specific details.

At a military parade in February, Kim and his daughter took center stage and his military rolled out what appeared to be a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, which was likely the same system the country flight-tested for the first time in April. If perfected, the weapon would give Kim a more mobile and harder-to-detect weapon to target the continental United States.

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |

1...163164165...205Page 164 of 205

Explore

Countries

Crime & War

More

Others

Follow us

© DT Broadcasting Pvt Ltd formerly known as Diplomat Times Pvt Ltd Registered No: U60200DL2024PTC426518 , Diplomat Times International Co. LTD. (Thailand) Registered No: 0105566195031 | PT Diplomat Times International Broadcasting (Indonesia) 4023120636101176 | Trade Mark 4791109 | All Rights Reserved