WORLD
China's latest H-20 stealth bomber maybe unable to breach US island defences in Indo-Pacific
There are two main reasons why the Chinese H-20 project should be taken seriously. First, Beijing's new bomber is expected to have target range of 8,500 kilometres, according to Pentagon's "China Military Power Report" of 2019. The bomber's reach can be further extended, in case it is refuelled in mid-air. If that happens, the plane would be able to fly beyond the first island chain, enabling the bomber to target the Philippines, Japan, Guam and Australia.
Gwadar rights leader threatens long march to Quetta over enforced disappearances of Baloch people
Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club, the popular leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) emphasised that one of the main demands of the Baloch people was the release of Baloch missing persons. The issue of enforced disappearances or people kidnapped by Pakistani security forces, is an emotive issue among the Baloch community.
The brutal murder of Pastor William Siraj in Pakistan
Two attackers on a motorcycle opened fire on the car as the clerics drove home from church, killing Pastor William Siraj and wounding another. The gruesome killing is yet another incident of atrocities faced by the minority communities in Pakistan, where Christians have suffered brutalities like abduction, killings and have been convicted of blasphemy, facing death sentence.
Too early to talk about end of Covid pandemic, says WHO
"Definitely, we cannot say that this is the end of the pandemic. This is far too early. This virus has surprised us greatly more than once - for example, the Delta virus. But yes, this is a cause for optimism. But, we should not relax," Kluge told TASS news agency in an interview. However, the current wave of infections with the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus will be strong but brief, he said.
Kremlin concerned over Washington's 'unpredictable' sanctions policy
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that Moscow's concerns were justified by "Washington's unpredictable sanctions behavior," which continues in the international arena, Xinhua news agency reported, citing local media reports. "There are plans aimed at hedging risks and minimizing the consequences of such unpredictable actions," Peskov said when asked if Russia was preparing for a possible ban on transactions in US dollars.
Death toll from heavy rains in Brazil's Sao Paulo rises to 28
The bodies of two brothers, both minors, and an elderly man were found by firefighters in the municipality of Franco da Rocha in the Sao Paulo Metropolitan Region, in an area buried by a landslide, Xinhua news agency reported. The Sao Paulo Fire Department said at least seven people were still missing in Franco da Rocha and in the municipality of Jau.
Putin discusses Moscow's security concerns with Johnson
Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the Ukrainian crisis and Moscow's security proposals with the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a telephone conversation. Both leaders exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine, with Putin drawing attention to Kiev's non-compliance with the 2015 Minsk accords, Xinhua news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying.
US to deploy additional 3,000 troops to Europe amid Ukraine tensions
The deployment includes 1,000 troops currently based in Germany to be repositioned to Romania and another 2,000 troops to be sent from the US to Germany and Poland, John Kirby, the Defense Department's spokesman, was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
"These are not permanent moves. They are moves designed to respond to the current security environment."
Security situation in Pakistan remains grim
According to statistics released by Islamabad-based think-tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the number of violent attacks in January 2022 decreased to 24 from 28 the previous month, although the rate of deaths and injuries increased by 15 per cent and 37 per cent, respectively, as compared to December 2021.
Covid death toll in US reaches highest level: Report
The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 75,316,209 and 890,528 respectively, according to Johns Hopkins University data. However, it showed that this week the country's Covid death toll rose 39 per cent over the past two weeks, CNBC reported. The number of deaths from Covid rose to an average of more than 2,400 fatalities per day over the previous seven days as of Monday, the data showed.
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