Page 551 - War Conflict
S Korean team visits N Korea's Kaesong to prepare for liaison office
A 17-member South Korean team visited the North Korean border town of Kaesong to repair their liaison office.According to the unification ministry, the two Koreas agreed to open a liaison office for better communication.The group, which included ministry officials and staff of Hyundai Asan, entered the western border town around 10 a.m., the Yonhap news agency reported.The team plans to travel to Kaesong again on Wednesday.The two Koreas decided to open the liaison office at an early date in anticipation of increased cross-border exchanges.The opening of the liaison office is seen as a first step towards implementing promises both leaders made in their summit talks in April and May.In April, North and South Korea agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending a 65-year-old long war between them.
3 killed at Swedish cafe shooting
At least three people have been killed in a shooting at an Internet cafe in the Swedish city of Malmo, police said.
2 die of 6 men wounded in southern Sweden drive-by shooting
Swedish police say two of the six men who were injured in a drive-by shooting in the centre of Sweden's third-largest city, have died. Police in Malmo said today that the men - aged 18 and 29 - died overnight. Witnesses told Swedish media that the men were shot as they left an internet cafe in the southeastern part of the southern Swedish city on Monday evening. Police said a dozen shots were fired but no arrests have been made and they are looking for a dark vehicle. Feuds between criminal gangs fighting over territory have become more common in major Swedish cities in recent years. The shots caused bystanders to scream but police quickly said there was no reason for the public to worry.
IBM builds AI that can debate with humans
IBM has built a new AI-based system called Project Debater which, as the name suggests, can debate skillfully and present arguments without bias.During its demonstration, Project Debater engaged in a battle of words against human debaters Noa Ovadia and Dan Zafrir on topics given straight at the event, Engadget reported.Now what makes it interesting is that the AI is not only capable of spewing facts from what it has been already fed previously in the form of raw data, but takes into account the opponents' arguments and understands the context of the statements said.The future goal for Project Debater is to make it an unbiased machine and help companies make unbiased decisions.
Afghan official says Taliban assault kills 4 Afghan official
An Afghan official says at least four security forces were killed when Taliban fighters targeted army and local police checkpoints in northern Kunduz province. Nematullah Temori, spokesman for the provincial governor, says six other security personnel were wounded in the attack this morning in Dashti Archi district. He added that seven of the insurgents were killed and five others wounded in the battle. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Kunduz, but Taliban are active in Kunduz and have repeatedly claimed attacks against Afghan security forces there. The attack happened after the Eid holiday cease-fire. The government had offered to extend the cease-fire for another 10 days, but the Taliban announced Sunday that they would resume their attacks.
Helmand Peace Convoy reaches Kabul
After having walked for 38 days to reach Kabul, the members of the Helmand Peace Convoy finally reached Afghanistan's capital around 8 am on Monday.The activists covered over 700km and entered the city through Company area, as per Tolo News.Wearing blue sashes, they chanted slogans like "stop the war" and "we want peace".Around 11 a.m. they reached Abdul Rahman Khan mosque in the city center. Following this they visited the Eid Gah mosque near Ghazi stadium in Pul-e-Mahmoud area.The group will put forward a four-point proposal to the Afghan government, including the resumption of peace talks between the government and the Taliban, an extension of the ceasefire, implementation of a law agreed to by government and the Taliban and withdrawal of foreign troops.On May 12, the peace convoy started its journey from Lashkargah city, Helmand. The members of this peace convoy walked across the country with the aim of spreading messages of peace.The convoy includes people ranging from 17 to 65 ..
Russia may have upgraded nuclear bunker: Report
Russia may have significantly upgraded a nuclear weapons storage bunker in Kaliningrad, a Russian territory between Poland and the Baltics, as tensions between Moscow and the West continue to rise, according to a new report.
Trump orders creation of 'Space Force'
US President Donald Trump has ordered the creation of a "Space Force", saying it would be "separate but equal" from the Air Force, the media reported.
6-day fighting devastates Yemen port, coalition seeks Houthis' pullback
Arab coalition forces on Monday continued air, sea and ground bombardment on Iranian-allied Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.
Americans own 40 percent of world's firearms: study
Americans make up only four percent of the global population but they own 40 percent of the world's firearms, a new study said today. There are more than one billion firearms in the world but 85 percent of those are in the hands of civilians, with the remainder held by law enforcement and the military, according to the Small Arms Survey. The survey, produced by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, says it bases its estimates based on multiple sources, including civilian firearms registration data from 133 countries and territories and survey results in 56 countries. Of the 857 million guns owned by civilians, 393 million are in the United States - more than all of the firearms held by ordinary citizens in the other top 25 countries combined. "The biggest force pushing up gun ownership around the world is civilian ownership in the United States," said Aaron Karp, one of the authors of the report which compiles new data from the last ten ...
Trump directs Pentagon to create 'Space Force'
President Donald Trump today directed the Pentagon to start a process for creating "Space Force" as the sixth branch of US armed forces aimed at ensuring American dominance in space. "I'm hereby directing the Department of Defence and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a space force as the sixth branch of the armed forces. That's a big statement, Trump said in his address to the National Space Council, an advisory body led by Vice President Mike Pence. When it comes to defending America, it is not enough to merely have an American presence in space. We must have American dominance in space, he said. Trump said that the US will have the Air Force and the Space Force, separate but equal. "It is going to be something so important...But that's the importance that we give it. We're going to have the Space Force, he said. Trump has previously supported the idea of creating a sixth branch of the armed forces, adding to the US Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy and ..
Trumps orders Pentagon to create US 'space force'
President Donald Trump today ordered the Pentagon to create a new US "space force," which would become the sixth branch of the American military and would ensure "American dominance" in space. "I'm hereby directing the Department of Defense and Pentagon to immediately begin the process necessary to establish a space force as the sixth branch of the armed forces," Trump said. "We are going to have the Air Force, and we are going to have the space force, separate but equal," he added. "When it comes to defending America it is not enough to merely have an American presence in space, we must have American dominance in space." Details about the role and timing of the space force were not immediately clear. Trump's comments came at the start of the third meeting of the National Space Council, an advisory body led by Vice President Mike Pence. Trump also announced he would sign a directive on space traffic management, aimed at monitoring objects in orbit so as to avoid collisions and debris .
2 killed, 5 injured in accident in UP
At least two persons were killed and five others injured when their jeep overturned here, police said today. They said that the incident took place late last night under the Bairia police station. The deceased have been identified as Vinod Yadav (27) and Surendra Yadav (30). The injured have been hospitalised, police said.
Will have discussions with allies before expansion: BJP
Allies will be taken into confidence before the proposed expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet, a senior BJP minister today said. "Names of the new ministers will be finalised after holding talks with our allies," finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has returned from the foreign tour and he has decided to go ahead with the cabinet expansion. So expansion is in the offing," Mungantiwar said. Though he didn't name the Shiv Sena, his statement about holding talks with "allies" could be seen as intended to placate the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. While Thackeray has said on several occasions that the Sena would fight all future elections on its own, BJP leaders have stated that they would like to keep the alliance intact in the coming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The number of ministers in Maharashtra can not exceed 42 (as per the constitutional upper limit of 15 per cent of the number of MLAs) and the current strength of the state
Anti-naxal operations on TN-Kerala border
Anti-naxal search operations are being conducted at Anaikatti on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border near here following information about movement of a few ultras in the jungle area, police said today. The armed anti-naxal squad from Kerala, with the help of Tamil Nadu police, was carrying out vehicle checks and searches in and Anaikatti, 30 kms from here, they said. Intelligence reports had said the naxals were hiding in the forest area adjoining Tamil Nadu, police said.
Gunmen fire at petrol pump employee, loot Rs 10 lakh
Three motorcycle borne gunmen today fired and injured a petrol pump employee before looting Rs 10 lakh from him in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, police said. The incident occurred at Bhawanipur area when the petrol pump employee was going on a motorcycle to deposit Rs 10 lakh at a nationalised bank branch. The gunmen fired and injured him, and fled with a bag containing the cash. The injured man has been admitted to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital here and he is stated to be out of danger, police said. Raids are being conducted to capture the culprits.
Rajnath to attend Yoga Day celebrations in Lucknow
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will attend the International Yoga Day celebrations in Lucknow on Thursday, where around 2,000 central armed police forces (CAPFs) personnel will participate. Various other activities are being planned by the CAPFs and the Delhi Police for the June 21 event. On the occasion of fourth International Yoga Day, 2,000 CAPFs personnel will take part in the function which will be held at Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in this event, a statement issued by the home ministry today said. In Lucknow, 2,000 CAPFs personnel (SSB/CRPF/ITBP) will participate in yoga demonstration in which the Rajnath Singh will participate, it said. The Delhi Police is also organising various activities on yoga day. A dedicated yoga cell has been set up by the Delhi Police, which is relentlessly educating personnel about the importance of yoga in working atmosphere. The cell has organised 967 yoga related ...
Outgoing UN rights chief commends Lanka
Outgoing UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein today commended Sri Lanka for cooperating with the UN system, following a period of fraught ties with the UNHRC over the country's rights record. Hussein was speaking at the 38th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva where he presented his last global update. He praised Sri Lanka for allowing at least five visits by UN rights officials in the last five years. I note and commend the following states which have hosted at least five visits by thematic mandates in the last five years: Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Chile, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ukraine, the UK and the US, he said. Sri Lanka has extended more cooperation to the UNHRC under Hussein's tenure. The country had received condemnation during Hussein's predecessor Navi Pillay's term as UNHRC chief for not cooperating with the UN rights body after it passed three successive .
Civilian killed in protests in Kashmir
A civilian protester was killed and seven others were injured on Monday during clashes between a stone-pelting mob and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police sources said.
US-backed Syria rebels seize Captagon in IS drug bust: coalition
Syrian rebels backed by the US-led coalition have seized a massive drug stash worth around USD 1.4 million during operations against the Islamic State group, the alliance said today. Maghawir al-Thawra, a rebel faction trained by both the United States and Jordan, captured and destroyed the narcotics on May 31 in southeast Syria, the coalition said in a statement. The drugs were estimated to have a black market value of around USD 1.4 million (1.2 million euros). "The cache included more than 300,000 pills of Captagon, an illegal drug frequently trafficked and used by Daesh members," it said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. They were seized during Maghawir al-Thawra's operations surrounding the Al-Tanf base, which lies along Syria's border with Jordan. Captagon is classified by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime as an "amphetamine-type stimulant" and usually blends amphetamines, caffeine and other substances. It is often referred to as the "jihadist" drug, as fighters who take it say ..