Author Archives: TARIQ ABDULLAH

AP

KYIV, May 22: Hundreds of Ukrainians marched in Kyiv on Friday, calling on the government to veto Bill No. 13646, which deals with the legal status of missing persons. Families of missing soldiers say the proposed legislation could allow courts to declare their loved ones legally dead before their fate has been confirmed, intensifying fears among relatives already living with uncertainty. Protesters insisted the law should not equate missing soldiers with confirmed fatalities and urged the government to protect families’ rights and hopes for clarity.

The demonstration comes amid deep pub-lic concern over Ukraine’s missing persons crisis. More than 90,000 people are listed in the country’s official registry of those who disappeared under special circumstances, according to the commissioner for missing persons. The database includes both military personnel and civilians, with cases dating back to 2014, when Russia first annexed Crimea and conflict began in eastern Ukraine. The registry was formally established in 2023 to consolidate fragmented records, particularly following the full-scale invasion in February 2022, which sharply increased the number of missing.

Meanwhile, the war continues to intensify across multiple fronts. Russian-installed au-thorities in occupied Luhansk said a Ukrainian drone strike on a college dormitory killed four people and injured 39, while claiming that up to 18 more may be trapped under rubble.

Ukraine did not immediately comment. Rus-sia also reported intercepting more than 200 Ukrainian drones across several regions, in-cluding Moscow and St Petersburg, in what it described as widespread overnight attacks.

Ukraine, meanwhile, said it struck Rus-sian energy infrastructure, including a refinery in Yaroslavl—reportedly hit for the fourth time this month—as part of efforts to disrupt Moscow’s war logistics and fuel sup-ply chains. Russian attacks also continued, with Ukrainian officials reporting drone and missile strikes that injured civilians in Sumy and killed one person in Kherson. The United Nations has recorded a 21% increase in veri-fied Ukrainian civilian casualties in the first part of this year compared with the same period last year.

International support for Ukraine con-tinues, with the United States approving a $108 million arms package to strengthen air defence systems, even as overall military aid has been reduced under President Donald Trump. Ukrainian forces also claim recent battlefield gains in southern regions, attrib-uted to improved domestic drone capabilities and Russian operational constraints.

At the same time, Ukrainian leaders have warned of potential new Russian operations involving Belarus, citing intelligence shared at a NATO meeting. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is attempting to draw Belarus deeper into the conflict, raising re-gional security concerns.

LONDON, may 22: An Indian-origin man, Jagjit Singh, is among five gang members jailed in the UK for a total of 84 years for their role in a large-scale drug trafficking operation. Singh, 30, from Birmingham, received a sentence of 10 years and six months after pleading guilty to involvement in importing and supplying Class A drugs, including cocaine and heroin worth millions of pounds.

The Metropolitan Police said the organised crime group smuggled drugs from mainland Europe into the UK using haulage routes and “ghost warehouses,” where consignments were secretly offloaded and redistributed. Authorities seized over 300 kg of cocaine and 60 kg of heroin during the investigation. The gang received sentences ranging from 14 to 26 years each at Kingston Crown Court. Police said the operation, uncovered through surveil-lance and coordinated raids, significantly disrupted a major drug supply network operating across London and surrounding regions.

ISLAMABAD, May 22: Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has travelled to Tehran for high-level discussions as regional diplomatic efforts intensify to end the ongoing US-Iran conflict, according to security sources.

His visit comes amid a broader push by Pakistan to mediate between Washington and Tehran and follows renewed talks involving Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Naqvi has been in Iran since Wednesday on an unannounced visit and has held multiple rounds of talks with senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Reports suggest the discussions have focused on proposals aimed at reducing tensions, improving dialogue between Iran and the US, and establishing a framework for long-term regional stability.

Field Marshal Munir is expected to meet key Iranian leaders during his visit to discuss the Iran-US negotiations, regional peace, and related strategic issues.

Iranian state media confirmed his arrival, while Pakistan’s Foreign Office neither confirmed nor denied reports of the high-level delegation, describing the matter as part of ongoing diplomatic engagements with neighbouring countries.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that Pakistani officials were actively involved in shuttle diplomacy, noting that progress had been made in talks but cautioning that “other options” remain available if negotiations fail. Pakistan, however, clarified that Rubio’s comments referred to Naqvi’s ongoing visit.

Pakistan’s role in mediation has included facilitating earlier communication between Iran and the United States. A previous ceasefire was reportedly brokered with Pakistani involvement, followed by inconclusive negotiations to convert it into a permanent agreement.

The ceasefire has since been extended, though deadlines and conditions remain fluid, with shifting positions from US President Donald Trump.

Diplomatic activity has intensified following renewed threats from Washington and warnings from Iran. Trump recently suggested military action could resume if a deal is not reached soon, while Iranian officials have warned that renewed conflict would have severe regional consequences. The Revolutionary Guards also issued warnings of a wider escalation if Iran is attacked again.

Despite ongoing efforts by Pakistan and other regional actors, significant gaps remain between the US and Iran over nuclear restrictions, security guarantees, and regional stability. Talks continue, but no final agreement has been reached, and tensions in the region remain high. (PTI)</

(IANS)

KABUL, May 22: Six people were killed and 11 others injured after strong winds, thunderstorms and flooding hit Afghanistan’s Kandahar, Herat, Ghor and Takhar provinces overnight, according to local media and the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA). Officials said the severe weather destroyed roads, wells, farmland, trees and hundreds of solar panels. Around 20 homes were completely destroyed and 10 others partially damaged.

Residents reported widespread damage, including collapsed electricity poles and power outages, and called for urgent government assistance. ANDMA said storms, lightning and floods were responsible for the casualties.

Since late March, Afghanistan has seen repeated natural disasters, killing 250 people and affecting thousands of families, with ongoing humanitarian relief efforts in flood-hit regions.

Author: AP

GENEVA, May 22: The head of the World Health Organisation says the Ebola outbreak in Congo is “spreading rapidly” and now poses a “very high” risk at the national level. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom said Friday the UN health agency was revising upward to “very high” its assessment of the risk within Congo, which had previously been deemed as high. The risk remains high for regional spread and low at global levels, he told reporters The WHO chief noted that 82 cases have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with seven confirmed deaths, “but we know the epidemic in DRC is much larger.” He said there are now almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths. The situation in neighbouring Uganda is “stable” with two cases confirmed in people who had travelled from Congo, with one death. (AP)

WASHINGTON, May 22: House Republicans postponed a planned vote on a war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority over the US war with Iran after failing to secure enough votes to block it. The Democratic-backed measure had gained momentum, forcing GOP leaders to delay the vote.

A related Senate resolution also advanced, exposing growing divisions within the Republican Party over Trump’s conduct of the conflict. Some Republicans have broken ranks, arguing the administration may have exceeded limits under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires congressional approval for extended military action.

The White House says the law no longer applies due to a ceasefire and ongoing negotiations. Tensions in Congress are rising as the Iran conflict disrupts global shipping and drives up US fuel prices, intensifying debate over constitutional limits on presidential authority to wage war. (AP)

(AP) TEL AVIV, May 22: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that talks with Iran had made “slight progress,” though he cautioned against overstatement and stressed that negotiations were still ongoing with no clear outcome yet.

His comments came amid growing uncertainty over whether a diplomatic agreement will be reached or if renewed conflict could follow.

The talks take place against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s shifting approach to Iran.

Trump recently said he was holding off on a military strike due to “serious negotiations,” but has repeatedly set and then withdrawn deadlines for Iran to reach a deal.

He has warned for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could collapse if Tehran fails to agree to US demands.

Rubio spoke ahead of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden, where allies are expected to discuss potential post-war roles in securing key maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite describing “a little bit of movement,” he acknowledged that no substantive breakthrough had been achieved.

The situation has been complicated by inconsistent signals from Washington. Trump has at times indicated openness to diplomacy, while also authorising or threatening military strikes.

Reports suggest he recently called off attacks at the request of regional allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, though tensions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have reportedly increased as a result. Netanyahu is said to be frustrated with Trump’s engagement in negotiations.

Diplomatic efforts continue in parallel across the region. Pakistan has reportedly conducted high-level visits to Tehran in an attempt to reduce tensions, while also coordinating broader peace discussions involving China.

Despite these efforts, major disagreements remain unresolved. The status of the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical issue, with conflicting claims over maritime security and blockades affecting commercial shipping.

The US and Israel insist Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon, while Trump seeks limits on Iran’s nuclear programme, including restrictions on highly enriched uranium. Iran maintains that its nuclear activities are strictly for peaceful purposes.

Meanwhile, reports from unnamed officials suggest regional escalation during the conflict, including alleged strikes by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Iran.

These actions, if confirmed, underscore the broader regional dimension of the conflict and the fragility of ongoing ceasefire efforts.

HELSINGBORG (SWEDEN), May 22: NATO allies and defence officials have expressed confusion and concern after US President Donald Trump announced he would send 5,000 additional US troops to Poland, shortly after ordering the withdrawal of a similar number of troops from Europe.

The conflicting signals have left allies uncertain about the direction of US military policy in Europe.

Earlier, the Trump administration had indicated a reduction of around 5,000 troops from Europe, including confirming that about 4,000 US service members would no longer deploy to Poland.

The move also included halting the deployment of US personnel trained to operate long-range missile systems in Germany.

These decisions had raised concerns among NATO members, particularly those on the alliance’s eastern flank near Russia and Ukraine, who rely heavily on US military presence for deterrence.

However, in a post on Truth Social, Trump reversed course, stating he would send “an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” citing his strong relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki.

The abrupt shift surprised allies who had been preparing for a possible reduction in US forces and reassessing their own defence responsibilities.

At a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden, reactions ranged from confusion to cautious acceptance.

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard described the situation as “confusing,” while officials from the Netherlands, Norway, and Latvia said they viewed the changes as part of an ongoing reassessment rather than a clear policy shift.

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze suggested there was “no change of posture for now,” reflecting uncertainty about long-term US intentions.

US defence officials also admitted they were unclear about the implications of the announcement, noting they had already spent weeks responding to earlier withdrawal plans. Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed concerns, saying the US regularly reviews troop deployments as part of its global military commitments.

The situation has been further complicated by internal NATO procedures and US requirements that maintain roughly 76,000 troops in Europe unless allies are consulted.

About 80,000 US troops are currently stationed across the continent, meaning a reduction of 5,000 could potentially fall below established thresholds.

Some European officials, including Poland’s foreign minister Radek Sikorski, welcomed Trump’s latest announcement, saying it would maintain American troop presence in Poland.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also welcomed the development, emphasizing that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security while NATO coordination continues.

Despite these reassurances, the mixed messaging has highlighted ongoing uncertainty about US strategic priorities in Europe, particularly amid tensions involving Russia, Ukraine, and broader transatlantic relations. (AP)

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©2023 by King Features Syndicate, Inc. World rights reserved.

THE MAGICIAN

WE WANT CLOSE-UPS! SPLASH AROUND, LOTHAR! MAKE IT LOOK REAL!

UH– IT ALL HAPPENED DURING A STORM, I.E.

PRECISELY WHY THE FAN IS HERE! ON-SCREEN, IT’LL LOOK LIKE A TROPICAL CYCLONE!

AT THIS MOMENT– FAR AWAY–

I HAVE THE ANSWER TO MANDRAKE’S QUESTION! BACK TO THE SKULL CAVE, HERO!

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