On December 31, North Korea fired three ballistic missiles toward South Korea. This was the latest missile launch by North Korea against their neighbours. Reportedly, five days before the incident, South Korea accused Pyongyang of flying five drones in South Korea’s airspace. It was the first such incident since 2017.
#BREAKING | North Korea fires ballistic missiles on New Year.
In a statement, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, South Korea, said that at around 8 AM on Saturday (local time), three short-range ballistic missiles launched from North Korea into the East Sea were detected. In 2022, North Korea reportedly test-fired over 70 ballistic and cruise missiles. Some reports have quoted experts saying that North Korea is modernising its arsenal, keeping its future dealings with the United States in mind.
On Tuesday, informing about the drones entering South Korea’s airspace, the military apologised to the public as it failed to intercept and bring down any of the five drones. All the drones tricked the warplanes and helicopters of South Korea and vanished from the South Korean radar after crossing the border. They were seen traveling as far as northern Seoul.
Reportedly, a major ruling party meeting in Pyongyang took place recently to review the past policies and discuss the future goals for 2023. The missiles were launched while these meetings were ongoing in North Korea. Some experts believe that the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would reaffirm his promise to expand the nuclear arsenal and introduce sophisticated weapons in the military on the pretext of dealing with so-called US hostility.
North Korea has not tested any nuclear weapons since 2017. In October last year, CBS News quoted US and South Korean officials saying that North Korea might test an atomic weapon soon.
A Russian citizen who had gone missing in Odisha has been traced and was detained by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Bhubaneshwar Railway Station on December 31. Glagolev Andrew, a 58-year-old resident of Moscow had gone missing after he was seen protesting against Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Bhubaneswar railway station.
The Russian citizen was holding a placard and demonstrating in front of the station against the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the placard, it was written, “I am a Russian Refugee. I am against the war. I am against Putin. I am homeless. Please help me.”
After he was photographed by passengers holding the placard, he disappeared from the spot when police reached there. This created panic among the police, as this came after the death of two Russians in Odisha state. The Railway Police launched a search for the man his photographs which had gone viral on social media.
“Some passengers clicked photos of the Russian man at the railway station. We have his photos and are trying to locate him,” said Jayadev Biswajit, the inspector in charge of GRP at Bhubaneswar station. Following the search, the Russian was spotted by the GRP at the Bhubaneshwar Railway Station later in the day, and he was detained.
The police said in a statement that the Russian citizen visited India on a tourist Visa that has now expired. He did not have money and was begging at the station for money. Reports suggest that the man was unable to communicate with the local law enforcement agencies and authorities as he did not understand English and no one could speak Russian. The GRP detained him for inquiry about the purpose of his visit to India and his problems.
The Russian citizen had a valid passport in his possession but failed to produce a valid Visa. After questioning him, GRP handed him over to the special branch. Jayadev Biswait, IIC, Government Railway Police Station, told Odisha TV, “He is a national of the Russian Federation. Andrew Glagolev, aged 58, resides in Moscow. He has been residing in Indian since 2016, and he holds a valid passport. He had a six-month visa. Subsequently, he applied for asylum in India to concerned authorities in the United Nations. The proposal is under consideration; on that ground, he resides in India.”
He added, “As informed by him, he has been in Odisha for three months, and mostly he stayed in Puri during that time. He has produced some documents. We are verifying his claims and the documents. As per the documents, his stay in India is legal. But, we cannot say anything until verifying the authenticity of the documents.”
Jayadev Biswait also said that he had found the man loitering on the platform earlier also and had verified his documents, at that time his visa was valid.
Russians died under mysterious circumstances in India
Earlier, it was reported that two Russians died under mysterious circumstances in a hotel in Odisha. One of them died allegedly of a heart attack and the second one allegedly jumped to death from his hotel room after attending the funeral of the former.
As per reports, on December 21, four Russian tourists checked into Sai International Hotel in Rayagada, Odisha. One of them, Vladimir Budanov, was found dead inside the hotel room on December 22. Reports suggest that Budanov died from a heart attack, and Pavel Antov allegedly committed suicide after attending his funeral on December 25. Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Sharma confirmed the two deaths to the news agency ANI.
Times of India quoted an unnamed CID-CB officer saying that so far, nothing suspicious was found in the deaths of Pavel Antov and his friend Vladimir Bydanov during an investigation by the crime branch. The cremated remains of the two were seized by the investigation team for forensic examination.
The deceased Russians were President Putin’s critic
As per reports, one of the Russian tourists who died in a span of 3 days was a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dubbed the ‘highest-earning elected politician’ in Russia, Antov was a multi-millionaire. He was elected PM by the main pro-Putin party, United Russia. He has been an open critic of the President for the ongoing war in Ukraine. Antov was in India with three of his friends to celebrate his 66th birthday.
The Russian Counsel General in Kolkata, Alexei Idamkin, said in a statement that Antov died after he fell out of a hotel window. He said, “We are closely following the investigation and receiving all the information from the Odisha police.”
In June this year, Antov had termed the Russia-Ukraine war as Russian ‘terror’ wounding Ukrainian civilians. He also highlighted a missile strike, following which a girl was pulled out from under the rubble. The girl’s father had died in the attack. He had said, “The mother is trying to be pulled out with a crane – she is trapped under a slab. To tell the truth, it is extremely difficult to call this anything other than terror.”
Following his remarks, he was under intense pressure, after which he withdrew his comments and apologised for the same. In a social media post, he had called his statement ‘an unfortunate misunderstanding’ and a ‘technical error’. He backed President Putin and said he always had supported him and sincerely backed the military operations.
Haryana’s sports minister and former Olympian Sandeep Singh is booked under the charges of sexual misconduct with a female junior coach. Haryana police have received a complaint from the coach who also held a press conference in the office of the opposition party Indian National Lok Dal. The coach had requestedchief minister Manohar Lal Khattar to inquire about the matter by setting up a special investigation team. On 29th December 2022, Haryana’s Director General of Police (DGP) PK Agrawal has therefore constituted a committee to investigate this matter.
According to the female coach, Sandeep Singh first noticed her at a gymnasium and then approached her over Instagram. The minister allegedly insisted on their meeting repeatedly after that, according to the coach. On July 1, 2022, Sandeep Singh allegedly made a Snapchat call and asked her to visit his official residence in Sector 7, Chandigarh, for verification of documents.
She said, “He messaged me on Instagram and said my national games certificate is pending and wanted to meet in this regard. Unfortunately, my certificate has been misplaced by my federation and I have been taking it up with the authorities concerned.”
Eventually, the lady consented to meet with the minister, but Sandeep Singh allegedly engaged in sexual misbehavior when she arrived with some documentation. She said, “Around 6.50 pm, he called me to his office and molested me. My t-shirt was torn. I managed to push him aside and ran out of the room as the door was unlocked.”
The minister has already called for an impartial investigation and rejected the accusations as false. An FIR in this regard is registered on Friday, December 31. A police source said, “In the matter of complaint made by a lady coach of Haryana against Sports Minister Haryana, a case FIR dated 31.12.2022 under Sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, 506 of the IPC has been registered at Police Station Sector 26, Chandigarh, and is being investigated.”
FIR registered against Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh (in file pic) following a complaint by a female coach accusing him of sexual harassment. A case has been registered under sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, and 506 IPC. Investigation underway: PRO, Chandigarh Police pic.twitter.com/9o8Dl9GIk7
A three-person Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been established by the Haryana government to look into the charges made against the minister. The committee includes Ms. Mamta Singh (IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Rohtak range), Mr. Sumer Pratap Singh (IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Panchkula), and Mr. Raj Kumar Kaushik (Haryana Police Services, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Panchkula). The committee is asked to inquire into the matter in depth and submit the report as early as possible.
Olympic medalist and former captain of the Indian national hockey team Sandeep Singh has been dismissing these claims, contending they were motivated. Additionally, the lady claims that Singh has harassed other female participants.
A sessions court in Mumbai sentenced a 47-year-old man to seven years in jail for raping a woman by posing as a transgender.
The convict identified as Narsimha Bichappa Shirvati drugged and raped a woman on the pretext of curing her from the influence of an ‘evil eye’. The incident dates back to April 11, 2018, when the victim went to a friend’s house. The accused who claimed to be a transgender person was also present in the house and told the victim that she is under the influence of an ‘evil eye’ and that he can help her get rid of it. The accused, then applied turmeric, lemon, and rice in his hand and then put it on the forehead of the victim. Soon after the victim felt dizzy, he took her to the bathroom where he sexually assaulted her.
As per a Hindustan Times report, the victim is a tutor who went to her student’s residence in Parel, where the accused Narsimha Bichappa Shirvati was also present.
The accused threatened the victim not to reveal anything to anyone otherwise she will die a slow death and will also not be able to conceive. As per the report, the student saw the victim and the accused coming out of the bathroom and questioned the victim who told that the accused was not transgender but a man, who sexually assaulted her.
A week later, when the victim saw the accused standing outside her house, she called her husband and the accused was nabbed.
During the hearing of the case, Sessions Court judge AB Sharma noted that the victim was threatened by the accused that she will not able to have children and will die a slow death when she tried to rescue herself.
Judge Sharma also observed that the accused created an impression and fear in the mind of the victim about her death due to the influence of ‘evil eye’. For doing so he used some ingredients such as oil, lemon, rice, and turmeric.
As per the report, the additional sessions court judge said that the accused taking benefit of the victim’s faith committed oral penetration with her.
In his defence, the accused cited the delay in lodging the FIR. The victim’s counsel submitted that the victim was married just a year before and feared that her marital life would be ruined. To this, Judge Sharma said, “Admittedly, the female in Indian society are reluctant to disclose such unfortunate incidents that happened to them, to their family, fearing that it would spoil their relationship.”
Reportedly, the accused had also alleged that the student to whose residence the victim visited had an affair with him and that the two had a fight. After their fight, she had conspired to frame him and lodged a false case.
The accused, however, failed to prove why would the victim submit false evidence against him. The court noted that the accused was a stranger to the student as well as the victim.
Separately, the accused has been sentenced to 1 year in jail under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman Evil and Aghori Practices & Black Magic Act.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday announced that his government will on Republic Day honour the driver and operator of Haryana Roadways, who saved the life of star cricketer Rishabh Pant who met with an accident recently.
Talking to ANI, Dhami said, “Uttarakhand government will honour the driver and the operator of Haryana Roadways, who saved the life of cricketer Rishabh Pant on 26 January.” He added, “The driver and operator risked their lives to save the life of Rishabh Pant. The Cricketer’s car rolled a couple of times in front of their eyes (after hitting a divider and going up in flames on the Delhi-Dehradun highway). The Haryana Roadways’ staff proved their mettle as they tackled the emergency situation.”
Rishabh Pant is undergoing treatment at a Uttarakhand hospital.
On December 30 around 5.30 am, Pant met with a serious accident while returning from Delhi to Roorkee to surprise his mother as his car collided with the divider on the Narsan border of Roorkee near Hammadpur Jhal on Friday.
The 25-year-old was alone in the car and suffered injuries on his back, forehead and leg.
According to photographs from the site, the car was burnt badly and Pant was at the wheel when he met with the accident. Haridwar SP (Rural) Swapan Kishore said on Friday that Pant was admitted to the Max Hospital in Dehradun.
The cricketer narrowly escaped death after his high-end vehicle smashed into a road barrier. Pant escaped the near-fatal accident with burn injuries among others that will require plastic surgeries and he could be airlifted to Delhi if required, DDCA official has said. According to reports, he had dozed off on the wheel.
It was earlier reported that bus driver, Sushil Kumar, and conductor, Paramjeet, spotted an uncontrolled car ram over the divider near Gurukul Narsan.
They ran towards the car to help the passenger,” said Panipat Bus Depot general manager K Jangra after Haryana government honoured them on December 30 for their service to humanity.
“As we dragged him (Rishabh Pant) out, the car caught fire and burned down within 5-7 seconds. He had major injuries on his back. We enquired about his personal information and that is when he said he is an Indian team cricketer,” bus staff Paramjeet who rescued Cricketer Rishabh Pant said.
Dr Sushil Nagar of the Saksham Hospital, where Pant was admitted, told ANI earlier: “When he was admitted here, he was critical. But our team responded with quick treatment. We also did his X-Rays, there were no bone injuries rather a ligament injury in his right knee, which will become more clear after MRI reports.”
Nagar also said: “There were two open wounds on his forehead and abrasions on his waist. There was nothing life-threatening. He was conscious and talking well. I asked him why he was driving at that point of time early morning. He said that he was going to pay a surprise visit to his mother.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Amidst rumours of foul play in the death of two Russian citizens in the Rayagada district of Odisha, the State Crime Branch has intensified its probe into the case.
The deceased were identified as Vladimir Bidenov (61) and Pavel Antov (65). As part of the investigation process, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) seized the bones and other remnants of the two men from the crematorium and sent them for forensic examination.
The post-mortem reports revealed that Vladimir Bidenov died due to cardiac arrest while Pavel Antov died due to excessive bleeding caused by an accident. Meanwhile, two other Russian citizens, who were accompanying the deceased, are now being interrogated.
According to the CID, the two Russians will remain in detention until the completion of the investigation. As part of the probe, the tour guide of the Russians, namely, Jitendra Singh, is also being questioned.
One Russian citizen, named Andrew Glagolev, who was spotted near Bhubaneswar railway station was also detained by the investigation agency. “The team is collecting evidence. We are analysing from all angles and will carry forward the investigation accordingly,” remarked Crime Branch DSP, Saroj Kant Mohant.
The Background of the Case
The death of ‘Putin critic’ Pavel Antov and his friend Vladimir Bidenov in Odisha’s Rayagada town has sparked rumours of foul play. The duo checked into Rayagada Sai International Hotel on December 21, 2022, along with and two other Russian nationals (Pan Senko and Turvo).
One of them, Vladimir Bidenov, was found dead inside the hotel room on December 22. Reports suggest that he died from a heart attack, and Pavel Antov allegedly committed suicide after attending his funeral on December 25.
Later, the local authorities contacted the respective family members and proceeded to cremate them in Rayagada itself as per instructions from the family members. Antov was estranged from his close family members following his divorce from both his wives and used to stay alone in Russia.
With Covid cases surging and the Chinese government rolling back the ‘Zero covid policy’, several countries have started imposing restrictions on travellers arriving from China.
This comes after China announced on December 25, 2022, that it will no longer publish daily figures of Covid cases and deaths in the country. The National Health Commission (NHC) admitted that tracking the extent of the pandemic outbreak in the country has become “impossible” since mandatory testing was discontinued.
Since China refuses to provide comprehensive data on the pandemic situation in the country, countries are forced to impose certain rules and restrictions on Chinese passengers.
So far several countries have imposed restrictions such as mandatory negative cover test reports on passengers from China.
United States: On December 28, 2022, announced that it will require COVID-19 tests for travellers from China from January 5 onwards. All air passengers aged two and above will be required to undergo a negative test no later than two days before departure from China, Hong Kong, or Macau. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans should reconsider travelling to China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
(Image via US State Department website)
India: On December 29, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that from January 1st, 2023 onwards, passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. Prior to their departure, they will be required to upload their cover negative report on the Air Suvidha portal.
RT-PCR test has been made mandatory for flyers coming from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand from 1st January 2023. They will have to upload their reports on the Air Suvidha portal before travel.
United Kingdom: In a press release issued by the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care on December 30, 2022, passengers arriving from China to England beginning January 5 will be required to show a negative Covid pre-departure test (PDT) taken no more than two days before departure.
France: Travelers from China will be required to submit a negative Covid test report less than 48 hours prior to departure. From January 1, France will also conduct random Covid testing on some Chinese travellers upon arrival.
Canada: On Saturday, December 31, 2022, the Canadian government announced to put impose certain temporary health measures for air travellers entering Canada from China.
From January 5, all passengers two years of age and older arriving on flights departing from China, Hong Kong, or Macao will be required to show the airline confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test result obtained no more than two days before their departure.
Italy:For all travellers arriving from China, Italy was the first nation in Europe to order COVID-19 antigen swabs and virus sequencing. Malpensa, Milan’s main airport, had already begun testing passengers arriving from Beijing and Shanghai. According to media reports, 50% of travellers arriving from China in recent weeks tested positive at Milan airport.
Spain: On December 30, 2022, Spain’s Health Minister Carolina Darias said that Spain will require travellers from China to provide a negative COVID-19 test or proof of complete vaccination.
? España implementará los controles en aeropuertos, exigiendo a los viajeros procedentes de China una prueba negativa COVID19 o pauta completa de vacunación.
✔️A nivel europeo, se impulsará la revisión de la recomendación para pedir Certificado COVID a estos viajeros. pic.twitter.com/Sm4Ug0wLr8
Israel: Aryeh Deri, Israel’s Health Minister, announced on Friday new COVID-19 testing requirements for travellers from China. Israeli airlines have been instructed not to allow non-Israelis to take flights from China unless they can provide a negative PCR test.
South Korea: South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced on Friday that those arriving from China will be required to provide a negative PCR test within 48 hours of departure or a rapid antigen test within 24 hours, followed by a PCR test after arrival. This will come to effect from January 2nd.
Malaysia: On Friday, Malaysia announced that it would screen all incoming travellers for fever and test wastewater on flights arriving from China, as tourists from that country begin arriving next month despite an increase in COVID-19 cases there.
Japan: Japan: Japan has decided to restrict flights from China, Hong Kong, and Macau to two airports in Tokyo, as well as Osaka and Nagoya. The restrictions will come to effect from January 21.
Taiwan: Taiwan will begin testing arrivals from China for COVID-19 on January 1. According to the country’s Central Epidemic Command Center, all passengers arriving on direct flights from China, as well as via boat at two offshore islands, will be subjected to PCR tests upon arrival.
Australia: Two days after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that Australia is not changing its rules regarding allowing travellers from China into the country. The Australian government has taken a U-turn on Saturday and said that travellers from China, Hong Kong, and Macao must present negative COVID-19 test results. The requirements will apply to all air travellers aged two and up from the three countries beginning on January 5, 2023
It is pertinent to mention that World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed grave concern about reports of severe cases in China, following the country’s withdrawal of its “zero-COVID” policy.
In a series of tweets on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged China to provide more detailed information about the pandemic situation.
In the absence of comprehensive information from #China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations. #COVID19
“In the absence of comprehensive information from China, it is understandable that countries around the world are acting in ways that they believe may protect their populations,” the WHO Director-General tweeted.
We remain concerned about the evolving situation and we continue encouraging #China to track the #COVID19 virus and vaccinate the highest risk people. We continue to offer our support for clinical care and protecting its health system.
On December 28, it was reported that the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg issued a map that contained information on the areas where people could safely park their cars on New Year’s Eve to save them from getting burnt by the hooligans. The reason behind issuing a list of safe places is that every year in France, hundreds of cars are burnt on New Year’s Eve. Despite the deadly Covid-19 wave in France last year, 874 cars were reportedly burnt on a single night. However, unofficial reports claimed over 1,000 cars were burnt.
Map issued by Eurometropolis showing safe places to park cars. Source: Twitter (Translated using Google Translation Service on Twitter)
Investigative Journalist Amy Mek said in a tweet, “Make Your Predictions! France’s traditional ‘burning of the infidel’s cars” on New Year’s Eve is starting to take place. Last year, 1,000+ vehicles were set on fire on the night of December 31. Will France’s cultural enrichers break last year’s record?”
Happy New Year from Sharia France!
Strasbourg even released a map instructing people where they could hide their cars on New Year’s Eve.
The city is implemented a major plan for guarded parking lots and parking bans on compromised “enriched” streets. pic.twitter.com/rNYdlQhkX7
In a follow-up tweet, she shared the map issued by the Eurometropolis and said, “Happy New Year from Sharia France! Strasbourg even released a map instructing people where they could hide their cars on New Year’s Eve. The city is implemented a major plan for guarded parking lots and parking bans on compromised “enriched” streets.”
The history of burning cars on New Year’s Eve in France
For decades, on New Year’s Eve, while the residents stay inside their homes, hooligans take to the roads in France and set hundreds of cars on fire. There have been recurrent incidents of car burning in France over the years, and it has taken the shape of an annual event. The level of vandalism reached the point that the authorities have reduced publicising these events to avoid competition in different areas. Reports suggest that in 2019, 1,457 cars were burnt, while 1,290 cars were set ablaze in 2018.
Going further back, in 2014, 1,067 cars were reported burnt down. The vandalism and car burning incidents find their roots in Strasbourg, adjoining the France border with Germany, in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the tradition reached its peak.
As per reports, media coverage of the incidents encourages the youth from rival housing estates to indulge in similar incidents to grab the attention of the media. According to the then government official Patrice Magnier, there was a direct correlation between the increase in car burning incidents and ‘media focus.’ The police officials and local government bodies failed to curtail the practice, thereby leading to a new peak between 2005-2009.
2005 riots and a precedent for car burning
In the infamous riots of October 2005, more than 8000 vehicles were burned by the rioters. The perpetrators reportedly included individuals of African and Arab heritage. The riots were triggered following the death of two teenagers in the suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois in Paris that lasted about three weeks. The riots involved setting buildings ablaze and frequent confrontations of rioters with the police, thereby forcing the French government to declare a state of Emergency.
While 879 vehicles were gutted in fire in 2007, the numbers shot up to 1147 by 2009. Arson cases were much higher in Paris-area housing projects (422 cars burnt) compared to well-policed Parisian intra-muros (12 cars burnt). It was observed that racially tense and poor neighbourhoods in Strasbourg, Lille, Toulouse and Nantes had witnessed higher instances of vehicle arson.
Arson as a way of French dissent
Car burning has now evolved to represent France’s way of ‘protest’. It has been observed that most people involved in arson are poor and often justify their actions as ‘defiance’ for lack of economic opportunities. Besides, such incidents are easy ways to pick up confrontations with law enforcement authorities and make quick bucks through insurance. Besides New Year’s eve, such incidents are also witnessed during France’s National holiday on July 14 (also called Bastille Day).
“While annual figures may fluctuate, they’ve generally swelled since the late 1970s, when French suburban youths first started burning cars as a way to get the attention of society, the media and politicians,” reported Time Magazine. It further added, “Later, the practice became an ambush tactic to draw law and fire authorities to the scene — where gangs then attack them. Now the act works as a manner of daily protest against alienation, discrimination and the indifference of more affluent French society.”
On Saturday (December 31), the Islamist terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) challenged the sovereignty of the Pakistani State and declared the formation of its new parallel government for the country.
TTP has now announced its own Cabinet of Ministers, ranging from Defence to Education. Reportedly, the terror organisation has ministries for political affairs, fatwas, Intelligence, and even construction.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (#TTP) announces its government with full cabinet. Directly challanging Pakistan’s sovereignty, TTP announced its new appointments dividing the outfit into various ministries, such as defence, judiciary, information, political affairs, economic affairs.
Moreover, TTP has divided areas in its loose control into two zones – North (includes Peshawar, Malakand, Mardan, and Gilgit-Baltistan) and South (includes Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, and Kohat)
Reportedly, the Ministry of Defence of the TTP is now led by a US-designated terrorist, Mufti Muzahim. The terror outfit also has a squadron of suicide bombers called the ‘Special Istishadi Force.’
According to Pakistan’s ‘real’ Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists have a numerical strength of 7,000 to 10,000 in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and are accompanied by an additional 25,000 family members.
“The biggest reason for this is the failure of [the] Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Counter Terrorism Department […] It is their job to stop it,” Rana Sanaullah told Dawn News, adding that they are bolstered by the success of the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
“The KP government needs to inform the federal government about the law and order in the province — the counter-terrorism department is in perils and the police are demoralised — and ask what help the Centre can extend and it is ready to assist them,” he had said.
“We held two meetings in Islamabad where the chief minister was invited but the latter didn’t show up as he was planning to mount on the capital [for a long march] and was not allowed by party chief Imran Khan,” Sanaullah further emphasised.
TTP attacked defense establishments in Pakistan 148 times
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with its supporters has attacked defense establishments in Pakistan 148 times within a year. And the success of the Taliban in Afghanistan has given these terror attacks by TTP a boost. But the central government seems reluctant to take action against them, Khaama Press reported.
The TTP in 2021 has conducted hundreds of terror attacks on the police and even on the army headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Quetta in the Balochistan region. The Khaama Press article quoted unconfirmed reports which said that other militant groups have joined forces with the TTP to expand their terrorist operation in tribal areas of the country.
The air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘good’ category for 1,096 hours in 2022, as against 827 hours in 2021, according to the India Meteorological Department.
In the calendar year 2022, the particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) remained in the ‘severe’ category for 204 hours which is about 2.3 per cent of total time, as compared with 628 hours, which is 7.2 per cent of total time, in 2021. According to IMD, Good category hours increased simultaneously whereas Severe category hours declined in 2022 in terms of PM2.5.
The average concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 in 2022 declined compared to 2021. The department said the concentration of PM2.5 declined by about 7 per cent in 2022.
The principal agency said the concentration of PM2.5 during the polluted months — November, December, January, and February — declined in 2022 compared to 2021.
The IMD said it was a better 2022 compared to 2021 in overall AQI.
On the first day of 2023 on Sunday morning, the Delhi AQI was 252, whereas on Saturday morning, the last day of 2022, smog engulfed the national capital pushing the overall air quality to ‘very poor’ category with an overall Air Quality Index of 369.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
