Opinion (2025)

17/12/2024

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed in a bomb explosion in Moscow on December 17, 2024. The device, concealed within an electric scooter, detonated near his residence, also claiming the life of his assistant.
THE GUARDIAN

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has claimed responsibility for the attack, labeling Kirillov a legitimate target due to his alleged involvement in deploying prohibited chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces.
BBC

Russian authorities are treating the incident as a terrorist act, with the Investigative Committee launching a criminal investigation into the deaths.
THE GUARDIAN

This event marks one of the most significant targeted attacks on a Russian military official since the onset of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It underscores the ongoing tensions and the reach of Ukrainian operations within Russian territory.
FINANCIAL TIMES

14/12/2024

The opposition-led National Assembly on Saturday approved a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection tied to his botched declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, making him the third South Korean leader to be suspended from his duties by the parliament.

With the impeachment resolution delivered to Yoon at 7:24 p.m., he was suspended from office immediately. The Constitutional Court will decide whether to reinstate or formally oust him following a deliberation process that could take up to 180 days. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is to serve as the acting leader of the country in the meantime.

Han ordered Cabinet members to ensure that the result of Saturday's vote does not "make the public anxious or lead to disorders in society," according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat and the Office for Government Policy Coordination. He ordered Vice Defense Minister and acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho to put the armed forces on alert to prevent "any breaches in the national defense and the public security" and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to “prevent North Korea from making any reckless moves and maintain a solid security posture based on the US-ROK alliance.”

The acting president convened an emergency Cabinet meeting at 8 p.m. and asked all public officials to remain in their posts. It is crucial for South Korea "to prove to the international society" that it is a country that can "operate normally under the solid principles of democracy and the rule of law.

14/12/2024

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been suspended from his duties following a parliamentary impeachment vote. This move was triggered by his controversial declaration of martial law earlier in December, which he justified as a response to "anti-state forces" but was quickly overturned by lawmakers. Allegations that Yoon attempted to use intelligence agencies against political opponents further fueled tensions. His suspension will remain in effect while the Constitutional Court deliberates on whether to permanently remove him from office—a process that could take weeks

13/12/2024

Srinagar, Dec 13: A day after plain areas in Kashmir received the season’s first snowfall, the minimum temperatures dropped across the valley on Friday, with the weather department predicting a cold wave at many places over the next four days, officials said.

The night temperatures decreased across the valley, after the snowfall in the higher reaches and some plains of Kashmir, the meteorological department said.Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital, Srinagar, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2 degrees Celsius, down from minus 0.5 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said.

They said that Gulmarg, a tourist destination in north Kashmir popular for skiing, was the coldest resort in the valley, with the mercury plunging to minus 9.6 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 5.2 degrees Celsius the night before.
Pahalgam, the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir, experienced its coldest night of the season at minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, a significant drop from minus 4.6 degrees Celsius recorded the previous night, the weather department said.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, registered a low of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius, and Kokernag in south Kashmir logged minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, it added.
The higher reaches, including popular tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Sonamarg, Tangmarg, Gurez, and Zojila axis received light to moderate snowfall on Thursday, the officials said. As per Kashmir Weather, Zojila recorded minus 28 degree Celsius.

13/12/2024

SLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench on Friday gave the military courts conditional permission to announce verdicts in cases against 85 civilians — allegedly involved in the May 9, 2023, riots.

In its order on the hearing of the appeals against civilians' military trial, the constitutional bench said judgements of military courts would be conditional to the top court verdict on the cases pending before it.The suspects eligible for clemency should be granted it and released, while those who cannot be released should be transferred to prisons after being sentenced," the constitutional bench said.

The seven-member constitutional bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard the appeals. The bench also included Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan.

Announcing a short verdict on permission for the military courts to announce verdicts in the cases, the SC has adjourned hearing of the case till after the winter vacations.

The apex court also hinted at hearing the case pertaining to 26th Constitutional Amendment in the second week of January.

Justice Aminuddin said they wanted to announce verdict about special courts soon.

11/12/2024

This came the same day as a special police unit attempted to raid the presidential office, but their efforts led to a standoff with security services for three hours.

The political crisis in Asia’s fourth largest economy is deepening as Yoon, who survived an impeachment vote last weekend but has lost the support of some in his party and top government officials, refuses to resign.

The opposition will make another attempt to impeach Yoon this Saturday.

The president and his top lieutenants are coming under intense scrutiny for their ill-fated effort to seize power by imposing martial law, ostensibly to thwart “antistate” activities by the opposition, which controls the National Assembly.Yoon’s former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, who was detained on Sunday and formally arrested Wednesday, attempted to take his own life in the detention center, Shin Yong-hae, head of the South Korean Correctional Service, told lawmakers Wednesday. He survived and has since been moved to a hospital.

11/12/2024

Asylum seekers will be housed in disused care homes and student digs under a Home Office plan to find 800 new accommodation sites and cut a bill that has risen to £8m a day.

Home Office sources have confirmed to the Guardian that the fundamental changes to asylum accommodation are under way in a bid to save millions spent every day on hotel accommodation.

About 35,000 asylum seekers are accommodated in hotels – a reduction from a high last year of more than 50,000 people. In 2023–24, the Home Office spent approximately £4.7bn on asylum support, of which about £3.1bn was spent on hotels.

The previous government hoped mass accommodation sites such as former military bases and the Bibby Stockholm barge moored in Portland, Dorset, would save taxpayers money and remove the optics of asylum seekers leading a life of luxury in hotels.But at a meeting of the cross-party public accounts committee (PAC) on Monday, Home Office bosses admitted that mass accommodation sites on former military bases have not worked as well as the government had hoped.

Reports by the financial watchdog National Audit Office (NAO) found that sites such as the Bibby Stockholm barge, which has now been decanted, do not represent good value for money. The Home Office is still using hundreds of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers, which can cost about £150 a night.

The new plan is to roll out 800 new accommodation sites that are neither former military bases nor hotels and include care homes and vacant student accommodation.

11/12/2024

In Damascus, many shops have reopened as life in the Syrian capital begins to stabilize after years of conflict and economic hardship. This development comes amid a general shift in the region, with Syria gradually re-establishing diplomatic ties and economic activities resuming in certain areas. Residents have reported a sense of relief, with a noticeable reduction in the presence of security forces and an improved sense of normalcy in daily life. However, challenges persist, including economic struggles and political uncertainty across the country

11/12/2024

Speaking to the media outside the Parliament House, Khawaja Asif said that Faiz Hameed was foremost among those who brought former Prime Minister Imran Khan to power. Their partnership began before the 2018 elections and remained intact on May 9. If evidence emerges, the situation may take different directions.

Khawaja Asif noted that in the 2018 elections, PTI received substantial facilitation, with Faiz Hameed playing a role in the Senate Chairman and other elections. He asserted that time will reveal how political opponents were oppressed and looted. He also mentioned that many civilians were tried under military courts during the PTI government, asking why PTI leaders do not address the martyrdom of security personnel.

He added that during the PTI era, opponents were imprisoned, fake cases were fabricated against them and their families, and corruption took place with a major business tycoon involving PTI's founder and his wife.

Earlier, in Parliament, Khawaja Asif commented that there were differences within PTI, with various statements being made. He noted that Bushra Bibi claimed her people had abandoned her, yet she was with them when PTI members fled D Chowk.

11/12/2024

China has expanded military drills around Taiwan aimed at drawing "a red line" for the next US president, Taipei authorities said on Wednesday, branding Beijing a "troublemaker".
Beijing's biggest maritime drills in years involve about 60 warships and 30 coast guard vessels deployed from near the southern islands of Japan to the South China Sea, a senior national security official told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
China has also ramped up military aircraft activity closer to Taiwan, with 100 sorties detected over the past two days, figures from the island's defence ministry show.
There has been no public announcement by Beijing's army or Chinese state media about increased military activity in the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, South China Sea or Western Pacific Ocean.
However, a recent Pacific tour by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te that included two stops in US territory drew fury from Beijing, which claims the democratic island as part of China's territory.

10/12/2024

Syrian rebels have reportedly uncovered around 40 bodies showing signs of severe torture in a hospital morgue near Damascus. The remains, found in body bags with names or numbers, are believed to belong to detainees from Assad regime prisons like Saydnaya. Activists suspect they were transferred to Harasta Hospital before being buried in mass graves. Rebel leaders plan to identify officials involved in such abuses and seek accountability during the ongoing transitional period after toppling the Assad regime

10/12/2024

The Pakistan cricket team is all set to begin its T20 series against South Africa on Tuesday (today) in Durban. Ahead of the first match, the players have been sharpening their skills in batting, bowling, and fielding during a practice session in Durban to ensure they are fully prepared for the challenge.

South Africa and Pakistan have been facing each other in T20Is from the earliest days of the format and their first game took place in February 2007, a few months before the African nation hosted the inaugural ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

In total, the teams have played 22 T20 matches with nearly even results. Pakistan hold a slight edge with 12 wins, while the Proteas have won 10.

The runners-up of the last two ICC Men's T20 World Cups, South Africa in 2024 and Pakistan in 2022, have both seen their T20 fortunes drop in recent bilateral T20 series.

South Africa were at the receiving end of a 3-1 thrashing against world champions India at home and while Pakistan managed to beat Zimbabwe 2-1, they were handed a 3-0 drubbing in Australia in November.

The hosts will be led by stand-in skipper Heinrich Klaasen as Aiden Markram has been rested for the Test leg of Pakistan's tour of South Africa. The hosts have named a number of new players for the T20 series while Pakistan will also be fielding quite a few young payers in the series.

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