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MOSCOW/KYIV: A Ukrainian drone sparked a fire at an oil refinery in southern Russia and shelling hit a Russian town close to the border for the third time in a week, damaging buildings and setting vehicles ablaze, Russian officials said on Wednesday. A day after Russia accused Ukraine of sending drones to attack buildings in Moscow, the governor of Russia’s Krasnodar region said a drone was the likely cause of a fire that broke out at the Afipsky oil refinery. The fire was soon extinguished and there were no casualties, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said on the Telegram messaging app. The Afipsky refinery is not far from the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, near another refinery that has been attacked several times this month. There was no immediate information on who launched the drone but Moscow has accused Kyiv of increased attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, while Russia has repeatedly pounded Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles. The skies over Ukraine were relatively q

SEOUL/TOKYO: A North Korean satellite launch on Wednesday ended in failure, sending the booster and payload plunging into the sea, North Korean state media said, and the South’s military said it had recovered parts of the launch vehicle. The new “Chollima-1” satellite launch rocket failed because of instability in the engine and fuel system, state news agency KCNA reported. The flight was the nuclear-armed state’s sixth satellite launch attempt, and the first since 2016. It was supposed to put North Korea’s first spy satellite in orbit. It prompted emergency alerts and brief evacuation warnings in parts of South Korea and Japan. The notices were withdrawn with no danger or damage reported. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Wednesday the military was conducting a salvage operation to recover what is believed to be parts of the space launch vehicle. The military shared pictures of debris pulled from the water, including a large cylindrical object tethered to a buoy. Geor

TEXAS: Dr Fowzia met her sister Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in Fort Worth town of the United States where she is currently detained, after the long wait of 20 years. British attorney Clive Stafford Smith accompanied Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui to meet her sister. According to JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Aafia Siddiqui is currently being detained at the infamous FMC Carswell prison. Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has been granted the right to meet her family. The senator said that Aafia’s elder sister Dr. Fowzia has met Aafia and he is next to meet the “Daughter of Nation” on Thursday. کل ڈاکٹرعافیہ سےمیری ڈاکٹرفوزیہ اورکلائیو اسٹافورڈاسمتھ سمیت جیل میں ملاقات ہوگی۔ لیکن آج ڈاکٹرفوزیہ کی ملاقات کاافسوسناک احوال سن لیجیے۔اگر چہ صورتحال تشویشناک ہے لیکن ملاقاتوں کابات چیت کاراستہ کھل گیا۔اب ضرورت اس بات کی ہےکہ عوام آوازاٹھائیں اورحکمرانوں کومجبورکرےکہ وہ فوری… — Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan | سینیٹر مشتاق احمد خان (@SenatorMushtaq) May 30, 2023 Read more: Senator Mushtaq hopes Aafia Siddiqui’s sooner retu

MINCHINABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of National Assembly (MNA) from NA 166 Muhammad Asghar Shah decided to leave the party, ARY News reported. As per details, the former MNA announced that he is leaving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as he can no longer continue his journey with them. He condemned the May 9 riots and asked to punish those who were involved in attacks on military instalments.  Read more: Another PTI leader quits party, politics Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) General Secretary Yasir Humayun Sarfaraz earlier decided to quit his party over the May 9 violence. It is pertinent to mention here that several PTI lawmakers and members have parted their ways with the party following the May 9 violence, wherein military installations including General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and Corps Commander House Lahore were attacked after the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan. May 9 events Violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister and Pa

ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had agreed on holding of elections in late September or early October, but former premier Imran Khan “rejected the government’s proposal”, ARY News reported. In a statement, the law minister said that the government held two ‘informal sessions of talks’ with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Lahore. Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the party did agree on holding of elections in late September or early October, but Imran Khan “rejected the government’s proposal and tabled another condition”. “Later, the PTI delegation told us that Imran Khan wants immediate dissolution of assemblies”, Tarar said, adding that as per the party’s delegation, the former prime minister was not agreeing on the proposal. The government’s team, he said, told PTI representatives that no option was left if their chairman wants dissolution of assemblies immediately. Meanwhile, Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the Supreme C

ISLAMABAD: The students from Pakistan won the second and third prizes in the Network Track and third prizes in the Innovation Track at the Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023 Global Final concluded at Huawei Headquarters in Shenzhen, China. The first to be held in person since 2019, the event’s culmination was a competition between finalists in 146 teams from 36 countries, the state news agency reported. Before the Final, more than 120,000 students from more than 2000 universities in 74 countries and regions around the world took part in the ICT Competition, said a news release received here on Tuesday. The winner of the second prize in the Network Track comprised of Muhammad Faeez, Asad Anwer and Faheem Yar Khuhawar from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro and Maryam Fareed from Lahore College for Women University while the team made of Fatima Shafique from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro, Eman Yaqoob from Lahore College for Women Univers

Rawalpindi authorities have extended the imposition of Section 144 until June 4 to avoid any untoward law and order situation, ARY News reported on Tuesday. The scope of Section 144 to prohibit all kinds of public gatherings was expanded in Rawalpindi. According to the notification issued by Rawalpindi deputy commissioner, Waqar Cheema, there is a complete ban on public rallies, and gatherings in the district and the brandishing of weapons is also prohibited. The ban will remain enforced until June 4 and strict action will be taken against those found violating the orders. The ban will not be applicable to officers of LEAs, police, women and children. It may be noted that Section 144 by imposed by the Rawalpindi administration after the violent protests broke out following the arrest of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on May 9. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/5We9Zux

A highway gun attack on security forces in northern Mexico left 10 people dead on Monday, authorities said. “Civil Force personnel were attacked with bullets by subjects who were traveling aboard three armored trucks,” Nuevo Leon Public Security Secretary Gerardo Palacios wrote on Facebook. Ten criminal suspects were killed and four officers injured, he added. The attack took place along a highway between Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas states, a region hit by violence connected to organized crime. Roads between the two states have been the scenes of kidnappings, disappearances and robberies. Mexico has counted more than 340,000 killings and some 100,000 disappearances — most attributed to organized criminal gangs — since the launch of the government’s controversial anti-drug operation in 2006. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/M6PSYXA

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a call on Monday repeated Ankara’s desire to buy F-16 fighter jets from the United States, while Biden told him Washington wanted Ankara to drop its objection to Sweden’s joining NATO. The exchange took place when Biden called Erdogan to congratulate him on his victory in Turkiye’s presidential election on Sunday. “I spoke to Erdogan. I congratulated Erdogan. He still wants to work on something on the F-16s. I told him we wanted a deal with Sweden, so let’s get that done. And so we’ll be back in touch with one another,” Biden told reporters before departing the White House for Delaware. Asked if he expected any movement from Erdogan on Sweden’s NATO membership, Biden said: “I raised that issue with him. We’re going to talk more about it next week.” Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, ditching long-held policies of military non-alignment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Bids for

RAWALPINDI: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) session judge, Sardar Amjad Ishaq was shot dead over resisting a house robbery in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, ARY News reported. According to police, two dacoits entered the house of the AJK judge in the limits of Rawat police station and made the house members hostage at gunpoint. The robbers opened fire at the AJK judge over resisting the dacoity. The judge was rushed to hospital in injured condition, where he breathed his last. The police have begun the hunt for the robbers involved in the dacoity. Read more: Judge, family looted in Karachi’s Baloch Colony Earlier, in Karachi, an additional sessions judge and his family were looted in Baloch Colony area. The police said two armed men robbed Additional Sessions Judge Naved Hussain and his family of their mobile phones and other valuables at gunpoint within the jurisdiction of the Baloch Colony police station and sped away. A first information report (FIR) report was registered following the

LAHORE: Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Investigation Dr Anoosh Masood has revealed the status of women prisoners being kept in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore after the May 9 riots, ARY News reported on Monday. SSP Investigation Punjab police Dr Anoosh Masood elaborated on the status of women prisoners being kept in Kot Lakhpat Jail after the former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan levelled serious allegations of mistreatment with the female inmates.  Dr Masood detailed that 10 women prisoners are currently present in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail after May 9 riots. “I visited Kot Lakhpat Jail and talked to the arrested women to inquire about their complaints and issues.” READ: Women prisoners at Kot Lakhpat Jail being treated as per SOPs, CM told “The prisoners told me that they are not facing any issues in the jail. Women prison cells are separate from male prison cells in the jail and male officials are not allowed to enter the premises.” Yesterday, for

RAWALPINDI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) summoned former federal minister and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in National Crime Agency (NCA) £190 million Scandal or Al-Qadir Trust Case, ARY News reported on Monday. According to details, the former interior minister has been directed to appear before the anti-corruption watchdog in person tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11am. As per the NAB notice, Sheikh Rasheed was also asked to bring along all documents related to the case. Earlier on May 24, Sheikh Rasheed ‘skipped’ NAB’s appearance for a probe in National Crime Agency £190m scandal. Sheikh Rasheed was asked to appear before the NAB as a former member of Imran Khan’s cabinet which passed the decision for the settlement of £190m from the United Kingdom. Read more:  IMRAN KHAN JOINS NAB INVESTIGATION IN NCA £190M SCANDAL Sheikh Rasheed in his response denied receiving any written notice from the NAB and added the name under which he received the notice, h

SYDNEY: Asian shares and US stock futures rose on Monday, thanks to a weekend deal by US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to suspend the government’s debt ceiling, ending a protracted stalemate and providing some relief for investors. After weeks of negotiations, congressional Republican McCarthy and Biden forged an agreement late on Saturday to avert an economically destabilising default to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling until 2025. The deal will now have to passes through the narrowly divided Congress. The positive news lifted S&P 500 futures 0.2% in Asia while Nasdaq futures firmed 0.4%. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) gained 0.3%, after a 1.1% drop the previous week. Tokyo’s Nikkei (.N225) surged 1.3% to a fresh 33-year high. Moving in the opposite direction, China’s bluechips (.CSI300) eased 0.1% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index (.HSI) slipped 0.3%, weighed down by profit data for China’s industrial

SEOUL/TOKYO: Japan aims to destroy any North Korean missile that violates its territory and is making preparations to do so, its defence ministry said on Monday after North Korea told Japan of a plan to launch a satellite between May 31 and June 11. Nuclear-armed North Korea says it has completed its first military spy satellite and leader Kim Jong Un has approved final preparations for a launch to place it in orbit. Analysts say a military satellite would enhance North Korea’s surveillance capability and improve its ability to strike targets in the event of war. “We will take destructive measures against ballistic and other missiles that are confirmed to land in our territory,” Japan’s defence ministry said in a statement. The ministry said it would use its Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) or Patriot Missile PAC-3 to destroy a North Korea missile. North Korea has also undertaken a series of missile and weapons tests in recent months, including a new, solid-fuel intercontinental ballist

Boeing Co is working on a deal to sell at least 150 737 Max jetliners to Saudi Arabian startup Riyadh Air, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday. The new carrier, wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), is looking for about 300 to 400 single-aisle jets in total, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Airbus SE could also claim a part of the order, the report added. Boeing, Riyadh Air and PIF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Boeing previously won another order by state-owned airline Saudia and Riyadh Air for a combined 78 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, the fifth-largest commercial order by value in the plane maker’s history. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/MOZiauR

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif said that ‘I always wanted to make Pakistan economic power’, ARY News reported.  Addressing a public gathering in Lahore from London the former prime minister congratulated the nation on 25th Youm-e-Takbeer Day.  Nawaz Sharif said that he was offered billions of dollars and threats to stop carrying out the nuclear test, but he made Pakistan a nuclear power which is a symbol of defence and dignity of the country. He said that people started pulling his legs and the journey towards economic development was stopped. The USD value was Rs 104 in comparison to the Pakistan rupee in 2017 and now it is over 300, flour was Rs 33 per KG and now 1kg flour costs Rs 120, Nawaz Sharif added. The PML-N supremo condemned May 9 violence saying that the nation need May 28, 1998 events which is the sign of prosperity and development, not a May 9 symbol of hate and damage to the country. Read more:  Imran Khan incited youth for May 9

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday that Pakistan will overcome the economic crisis with or without the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While talking to a private news channel, Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan will not default with or without the IMF. He added that foreign powers are surprised that Pakistan does not default so far. He claimed that former prime minister Imran Khan had destroyed the national economy after coming into power. He added that Imran Khan’s government got a $100 billion market from the previous PML-N government but it was destroyed and Pakistan had nearly defaulted. READ: Ishaq Dar says ‘Pakistan to not make tough decisions on IMF’s demand anymore’ Dar said that IMF asked Pakistan to arrange $6 billion and a technical deal was signed to arrange $3 billion before and after the loan programme. He added that IMF MD had also confirmed that Pakistan will not default. “We will try to avoid putting financial burden on common people in the next bu

Turkiye’s incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory in presidential runoff polls. Addressing his supporters in Istanbul, Erdogan said that the Turkish nation is the winner in the second round of the presidential election and all 85 million of the nation’s citizens won. With this victory, the door of the “Century of Türkiye” has opened, he emphasized. His speech came after results showed him leading with 52.10 percent of the vote with 98.2 percent of the ballots counted. Opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu received 47.88 percent. “Your will has become Türkiye’s unbending, stainless power at the ballot box,” Erdogan added. More than 60 million people were registered to vote, including 4.9 million first-time voters. A total of 191,885 ballot boxes were set up for voters in the country. Earlier today, Turks began voting in a presidential runoff that could see Tayyip Erdogan extend his rule into a third decade and persist with Turkiye’s increasingly authoritari

ISLAMABAD: An earthquake of magnitude 6 earthquake jolted twin cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, adjoining areas and several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, ARY News reported on Sunday. Local residents out of fear and panic ran out of their homes to open space in the wee hours of Sunday morning after temblor jolted the area. The earthquake tremors were also felt in Swat, Peshawar, Buttgram, Upper Dir, Swabi, Mardan, Kohat districts and adjoining areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to National Seismic Monitoring Centre in Islamabad, tremors were also felt at Lower Dir, Buner, Mohmand and Charsadda districts of KP. The National Seismic Monitoring Centre said that the intensity of the earthquake was recorded at magnitude six on the Richter scale and the epicentre was in the border area of Afghan-Tajikistan at a depth of 223 kilometers. According to reports, tremors were also felt at Murree, Chiniot, Phalya, Malikwal, Zafarwal, Shakargarh, Jalalpur Bhattian, Sara-e-Alamgi

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which caters to 300,000 commuters in the provincial capital on a daily basis, is at risk of closure over a shortage of funds. The Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) authorities in a letter penned to the KP caretaker government have demanded of the government to pay the last three months’ dues worth Rs450 million for the continuation of the service. The North-South Travels (Pvt) Limited, and East-West Transport (Pvt) Limited, drew the government’s attention to the issue of the non-payment of dues. It adds that it could deprive more than 300,000 people of transportation services, affecting their livelihood and domestic activities. Read more: NAB initiates probe into alleged corruption in BRT Peshawar The letter says that the government is bound to release payment against monthly invoices within each month. The non-payment of Rs 450 million is causing a severe financial burden and if the same continues, it is afraid that the operation

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden and top congressional Republican Kevin McCarthy reached a tentative deal to suspend the federal government’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling on Saturday evening, ending a months-long stalemate. However, the deal was announced without any celebration, in terms that reflected the bitter tenor of the negotiations and the difficult path it has to pass through Congress before the United States runs out of money to pay its debts in early June. “I just got off the phone with the president a bit ago. After he wasted time and refused to negotiate for months, we’ve come to an agreement in principle that is worthy of the American people,” McCarthy tweeted. Biden called the deal “an important step forward” in a statement, saying: “The agreement represents a compromise, which means not everyone gets what they want. That’s the responsibility of governing.” The deal would suspend the debt limit through January of 2025, while capping spending in the 2024 and 2025 bu

ISLAMABAD: Youm-e-Takbeer is being observed on Sunday with national zeal and fervour to commemorate the historic nuclear tests at Chaghi, Balochistan, in 1998.  On this day, Pakistan became the seventh nuclear power of the world with a demonstration of nuclear capabilities and the first in the Muslim world after conducting nuclear tests at Chaghai in Balochistan on 28th May 1998 as a response to India’s nuclear bomb tests on 11th and 13th May of the same year at Pokhran in the Rajasthan state of India. The successful tests made Pakistan’s defense invincible. Special prayers were offered in the morning for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan, the supremacy of the constitution, and the eradication of terrorism. Read more:  Youm-e-Takbeer: Shehbaz lauds Nawaz’s ‘decisive’ leadership PM vows to turn Pakistan into economic power Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his message on Youm-e-Takbeer said the nation would have to move ahead with the same spirit to attain economic sovereign

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has asserted that steps are being taken to ensure public relief in the upcoming budget 2022-23, ARY News reported. The prime minister made these remarks during a meeting with Minister of State (MoS) for Finance Aisha Ghous Pasha in Lahore. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz was appreciative of the economic team’s efforts to stabilize the economy regardless of all the difficulties. “We have brought the economy out of difficult situation to stability,” he claimed. The premier recalled that a big relief package was given to the flood victims in the wake of unprecedented floods in the country. He said steps were being taken to ensure that the benefit of reduction in petroleum prices reaches the common man. Read More:  Secretary finance replaced ahead of Budget 2023-24 On the occasion, the Minister of State briefed the Prime Minister about the progress on the next budget, public relief and overall economic situation of the country. Earlier i

HYDERABAD: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday foiled a major terrorist attack in Hyderabad and arrested a suspected terrorist reportedly associated with outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ARY News reported. In a statement, the CTD said it carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) at Makki Shah Road in Hyderabad and arrested a suspected terrorist – identified as Taj alias Khalid alias Hafiz Pathan. The spokesperson, in the statement, said that the raiding team also received hand grenades and detonator rod from the possession of the arrested accused. “The accused used to prepare people for terrorism by inciting them”, the CTD said, adding that the suspected was also involved in the attack on Frontier Corps (FC) in Dogar Orakzai in 2012. “The terrorist was involved in the 2013 attack on an army check post in Ghiljo Orakzai”, the spokesperson added. Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested 12 alleged terr

KARACHI: The head of the Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PML-F), Pir Pagara issued a statement on Saturday expressing support for the Pakistan Army and condemn the May 9 incident, ARY News reported. According to the details, Pir Sibghatullah Rashdi stated that the armed forces of Pakistan are a symbol of the country’s security and stability, and every patriotic Pakistani stands shoulder to shoulder with their armed forces. “Pakistan Army has rendered remarkable services in safeguarding the nation, defending it, and providing exemplary assistance during earthquakes and other natural disasters,” Pir Pagara said. READ: ALI ZAIDI QUITS PTI, POLITICS OVER MAY 9 MAYHEM “We sleep peacefully at night because of our armed forces. This brave army, whose officers and soldiers have never cared for their own lives for the sake of the beloved homeland,” He added. Pir Pagara mentioned that the army has played a commendable role in eliminating terrorism from the country. Protests It is pert

President Joe Biden said Friday that Democratic and Republican negotiators were on the verge of resolving a debt ceiling standoff, as the deadline for a potentially catastrophic US default was pushed back to June 5. “It’s very close and I’m optimistic,” Biden told reporters at the White House. “I’m hopeful we’ll know by tonight whether we’re going to be able to have a deal.” Although there was no indication of an imminent public announcement, it was the strongest sign yet that the drama in Washington might end, allowing the government to borrow and avoid a default that would likely trigger a recession and send shockwaves through the global economy. Earlier, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the dreaded X-date, when the government runs out of money unless it can borrow, will now be June 5, not June 1. Yellen, however, warned that the deadline extension does not change the urgency. “Waiting until the last minute to suspend or increase the debt limit can cause serious harm to busi