Page 364 - War Conflict
Russia says possible US new sanctions on Moscow over chemical weapons 'illegal'
Moscow considers any potential new sanctions related to chemical weapons imposed by the US on Russia to be illegal and will respond accordingly once they are announced, Russian officials have said.
Modi shares pictures of celebrating Diwali with soldiers with Netanyahu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday shared glimpses of his Uttarakhand visit to celebrate Diwali with soldiers with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu had conveyed Diwali greetings to Modi Tuesday. In reply, the prime minister had said he would celebrate the day with soldiers and share pictures of the same Wednesday evening. "Dear PM @netanyahu, as promised yesterday, here are some glimpses of how I celebrated Diwali. "I went to the magnificent state of Uttarakhand, where I paid a surprise visit to our brave troops in Harsil, followed by prayers at Kedarnath, one of the holiest places in India," the Modi said in a tweet. Responding to Netanyahu's Diwali greetings, Modi had said Tuesday, "Every year, I visit our border areas and surprise our troops. This year too, will spend Diwali with our brave troops. Spending time with them is special.
Sitharaman celebrates Diwali with troops in Arunachal
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday celebrated Diwali with soldiers and their families at Hyulong in Arunachal Pradesh.
Troops from Saudi-led coalition take Yemen port neighbourhood
Yemeni military officials and witnesses on both sides of the Hodeida front line say the US-backed, Saudi-led coalition has pounded Houthi rebel positions with airstrikes and a ground assault and now controls a major road leading into the key port city. They say an Emirati-trained force known as the Giants, backed by Apache attack helicopters, secured Wednesday an urban area along 50th Street, which leads to the city's key port facilities some 5 kilometers (3 miles) away. Speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals or lack of authorisation to brief journalists, they say the Iran-backed Shiite rebels had been firing mainly from elevated and rooftop sniper positions, and have now resorted to burning tires to obscure the gunships' view. Most civilians have fled the area, they added.
Russia marks anniversary of 1941 military parade
Thousands of troops in World War II uniform have marched across Moscow's Red Square in a re-enactment of a historic wartime parade. On November 7, 1941, Red Army soldiers marched directly to the front line during the Battle of Moscow to repel the invading Nazi forces closing in on the Soviet capital. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Wednesday the 1941 parade was "a symbol of courage and faith," paving way for "the first difficult step toward victory over the Nazis." The re-enactment featured about 5,000 troops in period uniforms, vintage T-34 tanks and other WW II weapons. During Soviet times, annual military parades were held on November 7 to commemorate the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. The holiday was abolished in 2005, but many older Russians still celebrate it.
Egypt court sentences 8 to death for attacking troops
An Egyptian military court has sentenced eight men to death in absentia for their alleged involvement in deadly militant attacks on troops. The court in Ismailia issued life sentences Wednesday to 32 defendants and sentenced another two to 15 years in prison on terror-related charges linked to the killing of at least 14 soldiers. The court acquitted another two defendants. Military prosecutors had accused the defendants of belonging to the Islamic State group and plotting attacks against security forces. The verdict can be appealed. Under Egyptian law, anyone convicted in absentia is granted a retrial once apprehended. Egypt has been battling Islamic State militants in the Sinai Peninsula since 2014. The extremist group has carried out attacks across the country, mainly targeting security forces and minority Christians.
Novelty buckle sparks fear at major Spanish railway stations
A novelty belt buckle designed in the style of a hand grenade prompted Spanish police to evacuate passengers from major railway stations in Barcelona and in Madrid on Wednesday after the suspicious object was detected inside a luggage item by security scanners, authorities said.
Spain police evacuate stations in Madrid, Barcelona
Spanish police evacuated passengers from a major railway station in Madrid and from two high-speed trains in Barcelona on Wednesday following security alerts that proved to be false alarms, authorities said.
PM Modi shares Diwali celebrations details with Netanyahu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday shared the details about his Diwali celebrations with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.Taking to his official Twitter handle, Prime Minister Modi said, "Dear PM @netanyahu, as promised yesterday, here are some glimpses of how I celebrated Diwali."He further stated, "I went to the magnificent state of Uttarakhand, where I paid a surprise visit to our brave troops in Harsil, followed by prayers at Kedarnath, one of the holiest places in India."Last night, Netanyahu extended his Diwali greetings to Prime Minister Modi and sought the name of the city where the latter will celebrate the festival."On behalf of the people of Israel, I would like to wish my dear friend @narendramodi and the people of India a joyous Diwali. May this luminous festival of lights bring you happiness and prosperity. Reply to this tweet with the name of the city where you're celebrating!" Netanyahu had tweeted.In his initial response, Prime Minister Modi said, ...
Sitharaman, Rijiju take stock of Army-Police clash issue in Arunachal
Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Kiren Rijiju Wednesday took stock of the situation arising out of clashes between Army and Arunachal Pradesh Police personnel here. Some soldiers had allegedly vandalised the Bomdila police station and assaulted police personnel and civilians last week. "The Defence Minister (Sitharaman) and I looked into the ongoing conflict between the army and state police personnel. I appeal everyone not to treat it as army versus police and civil administration issue," Rijiju, the Union minister of state for home, told PTI. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said the unfortunate incident that happened at Bomdila on November 2 should be settled amicably through proper understanding. "Both the army and the police are serving the nation with utmost dedication. An incident can't be allowed to tarnish the image of the great institutions," he said. Both Sitharaman and Rijiju also met members of the civil society as part of confidence building ...
Australian juvenile prison ablaze in mass breakout attempt
A juvenile detention facility in Australia has been set ablaze during an attempted mass breakout, police said on Wednesday.
Taliban-led violence during recent Afghan polls leaves record high numbers of civilians dead : UN
The Taliban's campaign of violence and intimidation during last month's parliamentary elections in Afghanistan was the deadliest for civilians in years, a report by the United Nations mission in the country has said. The report titled 2018 Elections Violence', issued Tuesday, shows that on October 20 and over the following days when delayed polling took place, the UN recorded 435 civilian casualties 56 killed and 379 injured. Almost nine in 10 casualties happened on October 20 itself, making it the election day with the highest number of civilians killed and injured since the UN began its systematic documentation of civilian casualties in 2009. Shortly before the polling centres opened on that day, the Taliban stated on Twitter that all election sites in the country would be under attack, cautioning citizens not to get involved in the elections process. Following the opening of the polling centres, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) began receiving reports of attacks ...
India, Pakistan troops exchange Diwali sweets at Wagah Border
The troops at the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers on Wednesday exchanged sweets at the Wagah Border in Punjab on the occasion of Diwali.As a goodwill gesture, the BSF and Pakistani Rangers exchange pleasantries with each other every year on the national and religious festivals of the two countries, like Republic Day, Independence Day, Eid and Diwali, despite cross-border tensions.Earlier, the two sides had exchanged sweets on the occasion of Eid al-Adha and India's 72nd Independence Day.However, there was no exchange of greetings on Republic Day this year due to rising incidents of ceasefire violations and border tension.The tradition of exchanging sweets had briefly come to halt in 2016 in the wake of an attack on Indian Amry camp in Uri.
Ulfa's Anup Chetia dismisses Paresh Baruah death claims
The United Liberation Front of Asom's (Ulfa) pro-talk faction's General Secretary, Anup Chetia on Wednesday dismissed media reports that said Paresh Baruah, the commander-in-chief of the rebel group's anti-talk faction, has died.
Taliban attacks kill 8 police in western Farah province
An Afghan official says the Taliban have killed eight police and wounded three others in new attacks on security posts in western Farah province. An insurgent attack on an Afghan border base in Pusht Koh in Farah on Monday killed 20 troops while 20 others were abducted. A member of the provincial council, Dadullah Qani, says the latest attack on Tuesday night triggered an hourslong battle in which the Taliban were beaten back. A resurgent Taliban now hold nearly half of Afghanistan and carry out near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces, inflicting heavy casualties. The Taliban view the US-backed government in Kabul as a dysfunctional Western puppet and have refused repeated offers to negotiate with it.
Uttarakhand: PM Modi rings in Diwali with Indian Army, ITBP troops
On the occasion of Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday celebrated the festival with jawans of the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel at Harsil village in Uttarakhand.Greeting the jawans on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that their devotion to duty in the remote icy heights is enhancing the strength of the nation and securing the future and the dreams of 125 crore Indians.He added that Diwali is the festival of lights and spreads the light of goodness and dispels fear. He also noted that the jawans, through their commitment and discipline, are helping to spread a sense of security and fearlessness among the people.The Prime Minister recalled that he has been visiting soldiers on Diwali ever since he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. He also spoke of his interactions with the jawans of the ITBP years ago when he was part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.The Prime Minister said India is taking great strides forward in the defence sector. He ..
Cameroon's leader sworn in for 7th term amid rising unrest
Cameroon's President Paul Biya, sub-Saharan Africa's oldest leader, was inaugurated Tuesday for his seventh term in office amid rising separatist unrest. The 85-year-old Biya, who has been in power since 1982, was sworn in days after separatists allegedly kidnapped dozens of students and an American missionary was fatally shot as soldiers and separatists exchanged gunfire. Biya asked all the fighters opposing his government to drop their guns, threatening further military action. He said he would work to ensure that peace returns to Cameroon. Opposition parties have demonstrated against Biya's re-election, and violence has increased in the country's English-speaking North West and South West regions, where the armed separatists are fighting for an independent English-speaking state. Late Sunday, 79 students and three staff members were abducted from a school near the northwestern regional capital of Bamenda. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the kidnappings and called ...
16 Nigeria troops missing after Boko Haram attack
At least 16 Nigerian soldiers are missing following clashes with Boko Haram jihadists in the Lake Chad area, military and militia sources told AFP on Tuesday. The incident began when gunmen in several trucks attacked a military base and a local market in the town of Kukawa late on Monday, briefly forcing troops out of the base. "Our soldiers engaged the terrorists in a fierce battle following the attack," a military officer told AFP from Maiduguri, the regional capital which lies about 180 kilometres to the south. "So far, 16 soldiers are missing but search teams are combing the general area to locate them," said the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity. There were no immediate reports of casualties on either side but a civilian militia group confirmed that 16 soldiers were missing and also said one civilian had been killed in the crossfire. The attack came hours after Boko Haram jihadists attacked soldiers in Kumshe village near the border with Cameroon. Last month two ...
UNESCO tracks inquiries into journalist killings
The UN's culture and education watchdog said Tuesday it had created a database for tracking investigations into the murders of journalists around the world as calls rise for authorities to be held accountable for attacks on the press. UNESCO said its observatory, which tracks nearly 1,300 killings going back to 1993, went live last Friday to coincide with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Most recently the murder of the Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi at Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul, which Turkey claims was on the orders of the government led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has drawn widespread condemnation. "These deaths provide a tragic demonstration of the risks many journalists face in the line of duty," the Paris-based body said, noting that in 89 per cent of cases the killers go unpunished. It said more than 80 deaths have been reported so far this year, representing one journalist or other media employee killed every four days. Often ...
Death of Avni: Remove Mugantiwar as minister, Maneka writes to Maharashtra CM
Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urging him to remove Forests and Environment Minister Sudhir Mugantiwar from the position.