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India cannot suppress the sentiments of Aazadi in Kashmir

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

“Repeat a lie often enough and people will believe it.” Joseph GoebbelsThe fallacious statement made by the most celebrated Indian diplomat, Dr. Jaishankar, minister of external affairs, during SCO meeting in Goa on May 5, 2023, that “Jammu-Kashmir Was, Is And Will Always Be India's Integral Part,” deserves some clarification. It also needs to be supplemented by some observations from the Kashmiri perspective, writes World Kashmir Awareness Forum Secretary General Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai. First, the assertion makes a mockery of the United Nations Charter and International Law. Dr. Jaishankar knows it well that his erroneous outburst regarding Kashmir violates the United Nations Security Council resolutions which were agreed upon by both India and Pakistan. Indian official position was articulated by Sir Goplaswamy Ayyangar, Indian delegate to the United Nations at the Security Council on January 15, 1948 that “the question of the future status of Kashmir, whether she should withdraw fro...

Video captures crash at end of high-speed pursuit in Palmdale

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

Video captured the dramatic end of a high-speed pursuit Sunday in Palmdale.  It is unclear why the pursuit was initiated, but authorities with California Highway Patrol told KTLA that the chase began in San Bernardino County. The suspect, driving a black Audi, can be seen in the video attempting to avoid a spike strip thrown in the roadway by CHP. The driver veers off the road, quickly loses control of the vehicle and slams into the back of an innocent motorist in a Toyota Rav4 near the intersection of 50th Street East and Avenue N. The hood of the Audi can be seen in the footage flying up and blocking the driver’s view. Both the Audi and the Rav4 travel several more feet before coming to a stop. Video captured the moment a pursuit suspect lost control of his vehicle in Palmdale and crashed into another motorist on May 14, 2023. (Don Luis Meza)A passenger in the pursuit vehicle is then seen getting out of the vehicle, raising his hands and dropping to his knees as CHP offi...

China condena a cadena perpetua a un ciudadano estadounidense acusado de espionaje

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

(CNN) — Un ciudadano estadounidense de 78 años fue condenado a cadena perpetua por un tribunal chino acusado de espionaje.John Shing-Wan Leung, también residente permanente en Hong Kong, fue declarado culpable de espionaje y condenado a cadena perpetua este lunes por el Tribunal Popular Intermedio de la ciudad oriental de Suzhou, según un comunicado publicado en la cuenta de redes sociales del tribunal.Leung fue detenido el 15 de abril de 2021 por las autoridades de seguridad del Estado en Suzhou, provincia de Jiangsu, según el breve comunicado, que no ofrecía detalles sobre los cargos que se le imputaban.El tribunal también confiscó bienes personales por valor de 500.000 yuanes (US$ 71.797), añadió el comunicado.China expande su ya amplia ley de contraespionaje. Expertos dicen que las empresas extranjeras deberían estar preocupadasLas autoridades chinas y los medios de comunicación estatales no han revelado anteriormente ninguna información sobre la detención de Leung ni sobr...

El ciclón Mocha azota la costa de Bangladesh y Myanmar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

(CNN) — El ciclón Mocha azotó este domingo la costa entre Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) y el municipio de Kyaukpyu (Myanmar), convirtiéndose en uno de los más fuertes registrados en el país, según la Oficina de Coordinación de Asuntos Humanitarios (OCHA) de la ONU en Myanmar.A lo largo del domingo se registraron lluvias torrenciales, marejadas y fuertes vientos en todas las zonas afectadas, con inundaciones en las zonas bajas de Rakhine, sobre todo en Sittwe, la capital del estado, y sus alrededores, según la actualización de la OCHA en Myanmar del domingo.El ciclón Mocha se fortalece en India y se dirige hacia el campo de refugiados más grande del mundoVientos extremadamente fuertes derribaron tendidos eléctricos, arrancado árboles y dañado y destruido casas, dijo la OCHA en Myanmar. Las comunicaciones con las zonas afectadas son limitadas tras los graves daños sufridos por las torres de telecomunicaciones, según la OCHA.Miles de personas pasaron el domingo refugiadas en cen...

Zelenskyy to meet Sunak in surprise London trip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

LONDON — Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with Rishi Sunak in London for “substantive negotiations” Monday, the Ukrainian president said as he arrived in the U.K. capital for a surprise visit.As part of the latest stop in a European tour that has seen Zelenskyy take meetings with leaders in Berlin, Rome and Paris, he will meet with the U.K. prime minister at his Chequers country retreat later Monday. The flurry of diplomatic visits comes as Kyiv attempts to shore up support among Western allies, ahead of a widely expected counteroffensive to help liberate Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine’s east. Both France and Berlin committed more military aid packages during Zelenskyy’s visits over the weekend. “Today — London. The U.K. is a leader when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air,” Zelenskyy tweeted.“I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations,” he a...

Erdoğan leads the way into 2nd-round clash as rival disappoints in Turkish election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

ISTANBUL — A singing, grinning President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told supporters he was ready to fight a second round in Turkey’s election on May 28, sensing he had the momentum to beat his rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who undershot expectations in Sunday’s first round. With 99 percent of ballot boxes opened, Turkey’s Supreme Election Council said on Monday that Erdoğan had won 49.4 percent of the vote, only narrowly shy of the 50 percent needed for an outright win. Kılıçdaroğlu had secured 44.96 percent, disappointing a poll consensus that he had a narrow lead. A veteran electoral campaigner, a grandstanding Erdoğan appeared on a balcony of his AK party headquarters in Ankara with a microphone singing: “We love you so much” to the crowd and praising them for the “feast of democracy” they had just served up. Dismissing the opposition’s claims of foul play, he even predicted the final trickle of results from Sunday’s poll...

Zelenskyy visits UK on European tour seeking military aid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

LONDON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting Britain on Monday, as the staunch ally of Ukraine prepares to give more military aid in an effort to change the course of the war.The U.K. government confirmed Zelenskyy’s arrival early Monday and said he would meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. It is the fourth European country Zelenskky has visited in the past few days. He made an unannounced visit to Paris on Sunday evening to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, after trips to Germany and Italy, where he met those countries’ leaders and Pope Francis.A message posted Monday on Zelenskyy’s official Telegram Channel said: “Today — London. The UK is leading the way when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air. This cooperation will continue today. I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations.”Sunak’s office confirmed the two leaders would meet at Chequers. th...

As Erdogan’s votes dip, Turkey appears headed to a runoff presidential race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s presidential elections appeared to be heading toward a second-round runoff on Monday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country with a firm grip for 20 years, leading over his chief challenger, but falling short of the votes needed for an outright win.With votes of Turkish citizens living abroad still being counted, results from the state-run Anadolu news agency showed Erdogan had 49.3% of the votes, with his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu garnering 45%.Erdogan, 69, told supporters in the early hours of Monday that he could still win. He said, however, that he would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28.The vote was being closely watched to see if the strategically located NATO country — which has a coast on the Black Sea to the north, and neighbors Iran, Iraq and Syria to the south — remains under the control of the increasingly authoritarian president or can embark on a more democratic course that w...

China’s Ukraine envoy due to start Europe trip

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese envoy was preparing Monday to visit Ukraine and Russia, but there appeared to be little chance of a breakthrough to end the 15-month-long invasion.Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government says it is neutral and wants to play a role as mediator, but has given Moscow political support. Beijing released a proposed peace plan in February, but that was largely dismissed by Ukraine’s allies, who insist Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces must withdraw.Li Hui, a former ambassador to Moscow, also will visit Poland, France and Germany, according to the foreign ministry. It gave no other schedule details.Political analysts see little hope for a peace agreement because neither Ukraine nor Russia is ready to stop fighting. They say by sending an envoy, China appears to be trying to neutralize criticism of its friendship with Putin and to split European allies away from Washington.Xi spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone in April, se...

France's Sarkozy should stand trial for alleged Libyan campaign says PNF

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:54 GMT

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy should stand trial on charges of corruption and illegal financing of an election campaign related to alleged Libyan funding of his successful 2007 presidential bid, France's financial prosecutor (PNF) said.Prosecutors have investigated allegations that former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi sent Sarkozy’s election campaign millions of euros in cash, allegations that were first made by one of the sons of the late autocrat.The PNF said Sarkozy was one of 13 individuals who should be tried, citing charges against him of "concealment of laundering public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime punishable by 10 years in jail".Sarkozy has always denied the accusations. Neither his aides nor his lawyers responded to a request for comment."There’s not even the smallest inkling of proof," the former president said in an interview in 2018, adding that the allegations had made his life...