Strategic Affairs Archives - Page 294 of 303

16 Dec

Ukraine’s Kherson without power after heavy Russian shelling

Kiev, Dec 16 (IANS) The entire central Ukrainian city of Kherson was left without electricity after heavy Russian shelling targeted critical infrastructure and also resulting in two deaths, authorities said. Kherson, one of the first major cities to fall to Russia since the early days of the invasion, was recaptured by Ukraine last month, dealing a major setback to Moscow. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the city was shelled more than 16 times on Thursday and Kherson's Governor Yaroslav Yanushevich confirmed that the city is completely without power following the shelling in Kherson's port district. "At the first opportunity, the power…

16 Dec

N.Korea claims successful test of new strategic weapon

Seoul, Dec 16 (IANS) North Korea has successfully conducted a test to verify the "high-thrust solid-fuel motor" features in developing another "new-type of strategic weapon system", Pyongyang's state media said on Friday. "An important institute under the Academy of Defence Science succeeded in the static firing test of high-thrust solid-fuel motor with a thrust of 140tf, the first of its kind in the country, at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground on the morning of December 15," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guided the test, expressing the expectation that "another…

14 Dec

Shehbaz decries ‘callous IMF’ amid flood devastation

Islamabad, Dec 14 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decried a "callous IMF", saying that the global lender had put shackles on the country because of which the governments efforts for rehabilitation of flood victims and providing relief to the masses had become a huge challenge. The premier said that the government was facing many difficulties and challenges, reports The Express Tribune. "On the one hand, the government is burdened by the economic destruction caused by the previous government and the resulting inflation, while there are the strict conditions of the IMF (International Monetary Fund)," he said, adding: "We need…

14 Dec

United Airlines places largest 787 Dreamliner order in Boeing history

Washington, Dec 14 (IANS) Boeing announced that United Airlines has ordered 100 787 airplanes, with the option to purchase 100 more. The deal is the largest 787 Dreamliner order in Boeing's history, reports Xinhua news agency. United Airlines is also purchasing 100 737 MAX jets, exercising 44 existing options and placing 56 new orders. The airline's current orders for Boeing jets have surpassed 530, including more than 430 737 MAX airplanes. "With this investment in its future fleet, the 737 MAX and 787 will help United accelerate its fleet modernization and global growth strategy," said Stan Deal, president and CEO of…

14 Dec

Guterres calls for de-escalating tensions along India-China border

United Nations, Dec 13 (IANS) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for de-escalating the India-China border tensions after reports of army clashes in Arunachal Pradesh. His spokesperson Stephane Guterres said: "We call for de-escalation to ensure that the tensions along the border in that area do not grow." India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that on Friday a physical scuffle took place between the armies of the two countries in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. Both sides suffered minor injuries and Indian troops turned back China's incursion, he said. The two nations' troops commanders…

14 Dec

Acute food and energy crisis in Gilgit Baltistan

Islamabad, Dec 14 (IANS) The situation in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) on the issue of wheat and electricity shortage has been very disturbing for the region and its people. With the winter setting in, serious food and electricity shortages have led to strong criticism against the government in GB and the PTI leadership which heads the government there. Bitterness and frustration in the population has grown over the years with growing instances of challenges they are having to face in the given circumstances. While the present situation has blown into an intra-political conflict between the political parties, with the PPP and other…

13 Dec

Nuclear power returns to favour in Finland

Helsinki, Dec 13 (IANS) Heading into the winter months, people in Finland appear to be overwhelmingly supportive of the government's energy efficiency measures and according to a recent survey, their attitude has also changed markedly towards nuclear power. The rise in electricity prices has prompted Finns to reconsider their approach to the energy challenge, the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA) think tank said in a statement. In its autumn 2022 Values and Attitudes survey, the EVA looked at the public's approach to different forms of electricity generation, reports Xinhua news agency. It found social acceptance of solar energy to be…

12 Dec

Afghan security forces kill 2 IS militants

Jalalabad, Dec 12 (IANS) Security forces have stormed a hideout of the Islamic State (IS) outfit in Afghanistan's Jalalabad city, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, killing two and arrested another, said a statement of the provincial department for information and culture released on Monday. The operation carried out by personnel of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) or the country's counter-spy agency in the Police District 4 of Jalalabad city late Sunday killed the two insurgents and arrested another, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statement. Security forces also discovered and seized a quantity of arms and ammunition including an…

12 Dec

S.Korea, China resume dialogue on economic, trade cooperation

Seoul, Dec 12 (IANS) South Korea and China held a business dialogue on Monday involving business leaders, and former and incumbent government officials, following November's summit between the leaders of the two countries. Increasing high-level talks and 1.5-track public-private dialogue platforms were among the areas South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on during their first summit in Bali in November, which took place on the sidelines of a Group of 20 meeting. The business dialogue, co-hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the Beijing-based think tank China Center for International Economic Exchanges…

12 Dec

Palestine slams US pressure on UN over updating companies operating in Israeli settlements

Ramallah, Dec 12 (IANS) Palestine has slammed the US move to pressure the UN not to update its list of companies operating in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki told "Voice of Palestine" that "the Palestinian leadership rejects any US pressure on the UN and its operating institutions". He added that his Ministry is working to arrange a meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, Xinhua news agency reported. His remark came after US State Department Spokesman Vedant Patel said on Friday that Washington "continued to oppose any action to update…