Supporters Rally in Ghazni Over ICC’s Request for Arrest of Two Taliban Leaders GHAZNI: On January 26, 2025, approximately 200 Taliban supporters gathered in the central Afghan city of Ghazni to protest the International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders. This protest followed the announcement on Thursday that ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan had sought arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani over the persecution of women. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the government has imposed numerous restrictions on women and girls, which…
Author: Web Desk
Former U.S. President’s Decision Puts 40,000 Afghan Refugees’ Hopes of Resettlement in Jeopardy ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: Since taking office as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump has made drastic decisions, including pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), and implementing strict immigration measures — including halting visa processing for Afghans awaiting resettlement in the U.S. “It was really a horrible moment for us. We have been waiting for almost three years, and now there is no hope,” lamented 20-year-old Syed Hasib Ullah, whose application for resettlement in the U.S. is still in…
Missiles Travel 1,500km and Hit Targets Between 7,507 and 7,511 Seconds PYONGYANG: North Korea conducted a strategic cruise missile test on Saturday, with the report released by state media KCNA on Sunday. According to the report, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test, which was described as a test-fire of an “important weapon system.” The underwater-to-surface strategic cruise missiles traveled 1,500 kilometers and flew between 7,507 and 7,511 seconds before hitting their targets, KCNA reported. In a separate KCNA report, North Korea’s foreign ministry vowed the “toughest counteraction” against the United States as long as Washington “refuses” Pyongyang’s…
Initial Probe Suggests Deaths Not Caused by Infection but by Toxin SRINAGAR: Indian authorities in Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have launched an investigation into a mysterious disease that has claimed the lives of 17 people, local media reports said on Saturday. The deaths, including those of 13 children, occurred in the remote village of Badhaal in IIOJK’s Rajouri area since early December. The village was declared a containment zone earlier this week with around 230 people quarantined, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported. All of the fatalities had damage to the brain and nervous system, said…
Yoon Faces Impeachment Trial and Pressure for Swift Indictment SEOUL: A Seoul court on Saturday rejected a second request to extend the detention of impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed attempt to declare martial law, putting additional pressure on prosecutors to quickly indict him. Yoon was arrested last week on insurrection charges, becoming the first sitting South Korean head of state to be detained in a criminal probe. His December 3 martial law decree lasted only about six hours before it was voted down by lawmakers, but it plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.…
Says AfD Wants “More Self-Determination for Germany” HALLE: US tech billionaire Elon Musk delivered a video address to a campaign rally of Germany’s anti-immigration AfD party on Saturday, marking his latest show of support ahead of the country’s elections next month. Musk told a crowd of thousands of AfD supporters in the eastern city of Halle that their party was “the best hope for the future of Germany.” Musk has attracted criticism from some mainstream leaders, who have accused him of interfering in European politics, particularly with his comments on his social media platform X about politicians in countries like…
Gathering Evidence from Countries like Pakistan LONDON: The Joint Committee on Human Rights in the UK has launched a new inquiry into transnational repression to gather evidence from groups and individuals in various countries, including Pakistan, where human rights abuses are prevalent. The committee explained that there is no single accepted definition of transnational repression in the UK, but it generally refers to instances where a state intimidates, harasses, or uses violence against individuals in another country. The inquiry aims to explore how such repression affects the human rights of individuals living in the UK and whether adequate support and…
Dismissals Raise Legal Concerns US President Donald Trump dismissed 17 independent inspectors general across multiple federal agencies on Friday, eliminating critical oversight roles and paving the way to replace them with loyalists. These dismissals appear to violate federal law, which mandates the president to notify both houses of Congress 30 days in advance of such actions. The dismissed inspectors were responsible for audits and investigations into allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse of power. Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the move as a “purge” of independent watchdogs, arguing that it undermines checks on presidential power and could lead to widespread corruption.…
Pause Risks Disrupting Billions in Life-Saving Assistance The US has issued a broad freeze on foreign aid, ordering a review of aid distribution to ensure alignment with President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. This decision halts existing assistance programs and pauses new aid, risking disruption of billions in aid, including critical health, education, and civil society projects. The United States is the largest global aid donor, disbursing $72 billion in assistance in 2023. Despite this freeze, some countries, such as Egypt, have been granted waivers for military financing. However, critics argue that the pause will have severe humanitarian consequences, especially in…
9th Edition of Multinational Peace Exercise from February 7 to 11 The Pakistan Navy is set to host AMAN-25, the 9th edition of the multinational Aman (peace) exercise, from February 7 to 11. A key feature of this year’s exercise will be the AMAN Dialogue, where chiefs of naval forces, heads of coast guards, and senior leaders from around the world will convene to discuss regional maritime security and devise joint strategies to counter evolving maritime threats. Around 60 countries will participate in AMAN-25, contributing ships, aircraft, Special Operations Forces (SOF), Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, marines, and observers. The…
