Page 243 - War Conflict
Yellow Vest protests in France enter 13th week
Yellow Vest protestors continued their demonstrations here for the 13th consecutive week on Saturday, despite continued efforts by the French government to meet the protesters' demands.The Emmanuel Macron-led government had previously scrapped the proposed hike in fuel prices, which had initially triggered the protests. Macron further introduced a string of initiatives, including increasing the minimum wage by 100 euros a month, as part of his 'economic and social emergency plan' unveiled in December last year.The protesters have continued their agitations regardless, and are now demanding a 20 per cent hike in minimum wages, equal pay for men and women, tax reform, development of public services and just environmental reforms, reports Sputnik.Saturday's protests turned gruesome when a demonstrator lost his hand after a GLI-F4 instant tear gas grenade blew up while he was holding it, right outside the National Assembly here.Protestors gathered at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on ...
Violence in Faizabad jail, 8 injured, police restore order after 6 hours
A clash between two groups of prisoners sparked a riot in Faizabad divisonal jail where at least eight inmates were held hostage and badly assaulted during the standoff that lasted six hours on Saturday, according to police sources. The violent inmates threatened to blow up cooking gas cylinders which they took from the jail kitchen and pelted stones on security personnel as reinforcements were rushed to restore order. Faizabad District Magistrate Anil Kumar Pathak said that a magisterial enquiry has been ordered into the incident. The trouble started at around 9 am when a jail functionary complained to the Superintendent about some under-trial prisoners talking on mobile phone, police said. Miffed with his action, a group of prisoners thrashed him. When some other prisoners objected to it , the group attacked them too and held them hostage. The rioters also broke CCTV cameras installed in jail as chaos reigned. Additional forces were called, which used drone cameras to take stock of
IAF arranges sorties for GATE aspirants, stranded people
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday arranged special sorties for Graduate Aptitude Test Exam (GATE) aspirants, locals residents and tourists stranded in the Kashmir Valley due to continued closure of Jammu-Srinagar highway.
Chadian army says 250 rebels captured after rebel convoy targeted
The Chadian military on Saturday said it had captured more than 250 rebels, including some top leaders, after an operation against an convoy of militants trying to cross into the country from Libya in late January that also involved French airstrikes. In a statement issued by army staff the Chadian military said the sweep would continue in the region of Ennedi, in the northwest border with Libya and Sudan, near where the armed column of rebel vehicles was brought to a halt in early February. The statement said some 250 "terrorists, including four main leaders" were detained, while more than 40 vehicles were destroyed and hundreds of weapons were seized. "Several compromising documents" were also seized," the statement added without giving further details. President Idriss Deby on Thursday said the column of rebels had been "destroyed" in a series of strikes carried out by French warplanes. Acting in conjunction with Chad's government, French Mirage 2000 jets targeted the convoy on ...
US man arrested at JFK Airport for trying to join LeT
A 29-year-old American was arrested at the JFK Airport while he was about to leave the country to join Pakistani terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which was responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
Boko Haram kills three troops in Nigeria base attack
Three soldiers were killed when Boko Haram jihadists raided a military base in northeast Nigeria, security sources said on Saturday. The attack happened at the Forward Operation Base in Ngwom village, some 14 kilometres (nearly nine miles) north of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. "Boko Haram infiltrated our base in Ngwom yesterday (Friday) at around 6:50 pm (1750 GMT) in which we lost three soldiers," a military officer in Maiduguri told AFP. A second military source said the Islamist militants left with two army vehicles and "demobilised" a mine-resistant armoured vehicle. "The terrorists also burnt two houses and a car belonging to our members in the village," added a civilian militia leader in Maiduguri. It was not immediately clear which of the two Boko Haram factions was behind the attack. Most of the attacks on troops in Borno and neighbouring Yobe state since mid-2018 have been claimed by, or blamed on, the self-styled Islamic State West Africa Province. Others, though, ...
Lt Gen Dhillon takes over as 48th Corps Commander of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps
Lt Gen Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon has taken over as the 48th Corps Commander of Army's Srinagar-based strategic 15 Corps, which mans the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, a defence spokesman said Saturday. Lt Gen Dhillon took over the command of the 15 Corps, also called the Chinar Corps, on Friday from Lt Gen A K Bhatt. "A befitting farewell was given to Lt Gen Bhatt who has moved to New Delhi as Military Secretary (MS) at the Army Headquarters," the spokesman said. He said Lt Gen Bhatt's tenure saw many successful operations neutralising the highest number of terrorists in a year over a decade. As many as 259 terrorists were eliminated and other 64 local militants neutralised through apprehensions and surrenders, he added. "This achievement assumes a greater significance in view of imposition of Non-Initiation of Combat Operations during the holy month of Ramzan, prolonged period of Amarnath Yatra for 60 days and peaceful conduct of Local Urban Bodies and Panchayat elections. Along ..
Five killed in eastern Ukraine conflict
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine said Saturday that four of their fighters had been killed by Kiev's forces, while Ukraine announced the death of one of its soldiers. The toll in the last 24 hours was the highest since the latest fragile ceasefire entered force in the war-torn region on December 29. The conflict between the Ukrainian government and breakaway Moscow-backed rebels began in 2014 after Moscow annexed Crimea and has already claimed some 13,000 lives. Senior rebel representative Eduard Basurin told AFP that four fighters were killed by Ukrainian forces on Friday in the south of the Donetsk region. He said no civilians were injured. Dmytro Gutsulyak, press secretary of Ukraine's defence ministry, said at a briefing on Saturday that "one of our troops was killed" on Friday as rebels carried out nine "provocative shellings" of Ukrainian positions.
UN chief sees 'wind of hope' in African peace deals, elections
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Saturday that a slew of peaceful elections and truces in Africa were signs of a "wind of hope" on the continent. He was speaking on the sidelines of an African Union summit in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, where heads of state from 55 member nations will meet from Sunday. "This is a moment in which a wind of hope is blowing across Africa. We have seen reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, we have seen peace agreements... in South Sudan and CAR (Central African Republic)", said Guterres. "We're working together to see if we can move the same direction in Libya. We have seen elections in Madagascar, DRC and Mali that people were forecasting will lead to tragedy and violence and in the end took place in a peaceful context," he added. Ethiopia and Eritrea last year ended a two-decade long cold war, while South Sudan is trying to implement the latest in a long line of peace deals to end a bloody five-year conflict. The Central
Palestinian arrested over killing of Israeli: police
A Palestinian suspected of having killed a young Israeli woman has been arrested in a raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah, an Israeli police spokesman said on Saturday. The body of Ori Ansbaher, 19, was found on Thursday evening in the south of Jerusalem, and she was buried on Friday in the Israeli settlement of Tekoa. The suspect comes from the flashpoint city of Hebron in the south of the occupied West Bank, police said. All other details of the woman's killing remain the subject of an Israeli gag order. Previous Israeli statements about her murder came only from top diplomats and politicians. Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, accused the UN Security Council of staying silent in the face of what he charged was the complicity of the Palestinian Authority (PA) of president Mahmud Abbas in such attacks. "The PA maintains its policy of paying salaries for terrorists and educating its youth with incitement, and a 19-year-old girl was brutally murdered in ...
Separatist shutdown paralyses life in Kashmir Valley
A separatist-called shutdown con Saturday in the Kashmir Valley to mark the sixth death anniversary of Parliament-attack mastermind Afzal Guru, has paralysed life across the region.
Pakistan freed Taliban co-founder at US request: Envoy
Pakistan released Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar at US' request to help expedite the Afghan peace talks, Washington's special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said.
US seeking peace agreement in Afghanistan: Khalilzad
The United States is seeking a peace agreement and not an agreement to withdraw its troops from war-ravaged Afghanistan, the Trump Administration has said. Weeks after initiating direct talks with the Taliban, wherein the two agreed on a framework of peace agreement, Trump Administration's point person Friday told a Washington audience that these were just a few steps in the direction of peaceful resolution of the conflict in Afghanistan and that they have a long way to go. And this cannot be achieved without the help of regional players, in particular Pakistan, Special US Representative Zalmay Khalilzad said in his maiden public appearance before a Washington audience some six months after he was entrusted with this task by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "My overall goal is, at the direction of the president of the secretary of state, not to seek out withdrawal agreement, but the peace agreement. Because peace agreement can allow withdrawal. It is not just the withdrawal ...
Greece approves NATO protocol on Macedonia's accession
The Greek Parliament approved NATO's protocol for Macedonia's accession to the military pact here on Friday, following a landmark name-change deal last week.Macedonia's renaming to "The Republic of North Macedonia" was the name issue between Greece and Macedonia, that had kept the Balkan country from joining both the NATO and the European Union (EU), reports Al Jazeera."Today's vote closes the most important round of obligations involving Greece," Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was quoted as saying before the vote in the Parliament."I'd like to welcome North Macedonia, a country friendly to Greece, a country that must be an ally in efforts to establish security, stability and peace in the region.""History will judge us. I feel we have carried out our patriotic duty," Tsipras added.NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg presided over Wednesday's ceremony a NATO's headquarters, where Macedonia was invited to join the pact. Macedonia's Foreign Minister, Nikola Dimitrov, signed ...
US hopes to reach peace deal with Taliban before July elections
U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, on Friday (local time) hoped that the Taliban reaches a peace agreement with the United States before the Afghan Presidential elections slated to be held on July 20."It would be better for Afghanistan if we could get a peace agreement before the election," The Hill quoted Khalilzad as saying."If there is no progress on the peace track, elections will take place, and we are doing what we can to support the preparations for credible elections," he added.Despite the long-delayed election schedule, the US envoy said that negotiations between the US and the Taliban can make significant progress in achieving the deal."I understand that peace processes are not a straight line. There could be setbacks," he noted."Between now and July, there is sufficient time, I believe, where we could reach an agreement. But at least if we have significant progress, that will have a good impact with regard to the future and ...
Greece backs Macedonia's NATO bid, completing name deal
Greek lawmakers have approved Macedonia's NATO accession bid, putting the final touches on a historic deal to end a 27-year name row between the two countries. A majority of 153 lawmakers supported the legislation, while 140 voted against. "Today's vote closes the most important round of obligations involving Greece," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told parliament ahead of the vote on Friday. "I'd like to welcome North Macedonia, a country friendly to Greece, a country that must be an ally in efforts to establish security, stability and peace in the region. "History will judge us. I feel we have carried out our patriotic duty," Tsipras said. The ratification was part of a deal signed in June to change Macedonia's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, and lift Greek objections to its EU and NATO membership bids. Tsipras on Friday said the deal had "upgraded" Greece's international standing. Skopje must adopt the new name "in the public discourse, in addition to all street signs and ..
Two Palestinian teens killed by Israeli fire in border clashes: Gaza ministry
Two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli fire on Friday during clashes along the Gaza border, the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said. Hassan Shalabi, 14, was killed by "live fire to the chest east of Khan Yunis" during protests along the frontier with Israel in the southern Gaza Strip, the ministry said. It announced the death of 18-year-old Hamza Ishtawi shortly after, saying he was shot in the neck during similar clashes east of Gaza City. Another 17 Palestinians were shot and wounded at different protest sites along the border, the ministry added. The Israeli army declined to comment on the deaths, but said 8,200 "rioters and demonstrators" had been protesting along the frontier. "They are hurling rocks at (Israeli) troops and towards the security fence, as well as a number of explosive devices that did not cross the fence," a spokesman said, adding that they had heard grenade explosions. Israeli troops "responded with riot dispersal means and fired according to .
China denies 'ridiculous' spying allegations by Lithuania
China on Friday denied what it termed "ridiculous" allegations of spying levelled by Lithuania as the Baltic eurozone state joined other western nations in expressing concerns about Chinese telecoms giant Huawei. The company has raised suspicions in the west for its close ties to the Chinese government and generated fears the company may be a tool of China's international espionage capabilities. "It is absurd and ridiculous for the Lithuanian intelligence and security services to rely on conjecture and imagination to make unfounded distortions," the Chinese embassy said in a statement. It said it was "shocked and surprised" by the "totally unacceptable" statements made by Lithuanian intelligence, insisting that "China does not pose any security threat to Lithuania". Earlier this week, two Lithuanian intelligence agencies condemned China for an "increasingly aggressive" spy campaign which it said included "attempts to recruit Lithuanian citizens". Darius Jauniskis, head of Lithuania's .
15 al-Shabab extremists killed in US airstrikes in Somalia
The United States military says targeted airstrikes against suspected extremists in Somalia have killed 15 fighters. A US Africa Command statement says the airstrikes occurred in the vicinity of Gandarshe, Lower Shabelle region, on Wednesday and in the vicinity of Bariire in the same region on Thursday. The airstrikes killed 11 and four people, respectively, after Somali troops engaged the extremists. The statement says no civilians were harmed. These are the latest in a dramatic uptick in US airstrikes in the Horn of Africa nation since President Donald Trump took office. The al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabab extremist group once controlled large swathes of Somalia. African Union forces have succeeded in pushing it from major cities. Al-Shabab, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa, continues with attacks in Somalia and neighbouring Kenya.
Sudan's doctors union says 57 killed in recent protests
Sudan's Doctors Syndicate says the government crackdown on protests has left at least 57 dead, including three who died of torture, since they began in mid-December. In a statement issued on Friday, the union said that the death toll is expected to climb because of the serious condition of some wounded protesters. It also noted the excessive use of tear gas in the crackdown, including in residential areas, and inside homes and hospitals. Additionally, it expressed its alarm at security forces using the "inconceivably barbaric tactic" of running over protesters while breaking up demonstrations, according to the statement. A total of 28 doctors have been detained, and one doctor was shot dead for treating wounded protesters, it added. The statemen cames one day after a chief investigator concluded that an iconic protester Ahmed al-Khair was beaten to death while in custody.