Author: Admin

by Admin 11/03/2025 Separatist militants in southwestern Pakistan claimed responsibility for an attack on a train on Tuesday morning, claiming that they had taken 182 hostages, including military personnel, and have warned that they would execute the hostages if Pakistan security forces did not withdraw from the area. The Jaffar Express, carrying approximately 400 passengers, was reportedly trapped inside a tunnel, with its driver sustaining severe injuries. According to local authorities, police, and railway officials, they did not confirm the Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLA) claims regarding the hostages. Pakistan security forces reported hearing an explosion near the tunnel and engaging in a gunfight with the militants in the mountainous terrain.  The BLA, which seeks independence for Balochistan, a province bordering Afghanistan and Iran, claimed to have killed 20 soldiers and shot down a drone. Still, the Pakistani military has yet to verify these assertions. In a statement sent to journalists and shared on Telegram, the BLA said it had safely released civilian passengers, particularly women, children, the elderly, and Baloch citizens while issuing a stark warning: “If military intervention continues, all hostages will be executed.” The attack occurred as the train traveled from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.  Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, condemned the assault and reiterated that the government would not negotiate with “beasts who fire on innocent passengers.” In response, the Balochistan government has implemented emergency measures to manage the crisis, according to spokesperson Shahid Rind, though further details were not provided. The BLA is the largest among several separatist groups that have waged an insurgency against the Pakistani government for decades, with claims that Balochistan’s vast gas and mineral resources are being exploited without any benefit for the local population. The region has been a hotspot for frequent attacks targeting government forces and the army, and Chinese government interests are linked to economic projects.

by Admin 11/3/2025 Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Tuesday, upon his return from Hong Kong at Manila’s main airport. This was followed by a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging crimes against humanity linked to his anti-drug campaign during his presidential tenure. The ex-president, who served from 2016 to 2022, initiated a controversial “war on drugs” that, according to official police records, resulted in over 6,000 deaths.  However, international human rights organizations and observation groups estimate the actual number could be as high as 30,000, encompassing many extrajudicial killings of alleged drug offenders.  In a video shared by his daughter, Veronica Duterte, the former president questioned the basis for his arrest, stating, “What is the law and what is the crime that I committed?”  The ICC’s investigation, which began in 2018, examines allegations of widespread and systematic extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s tenure.  Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC in 2019, the court maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was a member.  Human rights advocates have lauded Duterte’s arrest as a pivotal move toward accountability.  Agnès Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, remarked that the arrest is “a long-awaited and monumental step for justice for the thousands of victims and survivors of his administration’s ‘war on drugs. ”  The Philippine government has yet to clarify the subsequent legal proceedings for Duterte, including the possibility of transfer of the former president to The Hague to stand trial. 

by Admin 10/3/2025 Israel has ordered an immediate halt to electricity supply to Gaza, intensifying pressure on Hamas to release Israeli hostages, even as both sides prepare for renewed negotiations on the future of their truce. The move, announced on Sunday, comes a week after Israel blocked all humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged Gaza territory, echoing the early days of the conflict when it imposed a total “siege” on Gaza.  However, Hamas has condemned the electricity cut as “blackmail,” the same term it used when aid deliveries were halted. The initial phase of the truce ended on March 1. Still, despite sporadic violence, including an Israeli airstrike on Sunday targeting alleged militants, both sides have so far avoided a return to full-scale war. Hamas has been pushing for immediate talks on a second phase of the ceasefire, aiming for a permanent end to hostilities.  However, Israel favors extending the current phase until mid-April and has withheld aid to Gaza amid the ongoing deadlock. On Sunday, Israel escalated its pressure tactics by cutting off the territory’s electricity supply. “I have just signed the order to stop supplying electricity immediately to the Gaza Strip,” Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a video statement.  “We will use all the tools at our disposal to bring back the hostages and ensure that Hamas is no longer in Gaza the day after the war.” Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq denounced the decision, calling it “a desperate attempt to pressure our people and their resistance through cheap and unacceptable blackmail tactics.” Just days after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack triggered the war, Israel cut electricity to Gaza, only partially restoring it in mid-2024.  The territory’s only power line from Israel supports the main desalination plant, but most Gazans now rely on solar panels and fuel-powered generators to generate electricity. With hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced and living in tents, the situation is dire, particularly as night-time temperatures are forecast to drop to around 12 degrees Celsius As negotiations over the truce continue, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, raising concerns over the impact of Israel’s latest measures.

by Admin 10/3/2025 Argentina has declared three days of national mourning after devastating floods swept through some parts of the country and claimed at least 16 lives, with more victims still unaccounted for. The disaster struck on Friday when an unprecedented downpour equivalent to a year’s worth of rainfall hit Bahia Blanca, a major port city in the Buenos Aires province.  Entire neighborhoods were submerged as floodwaters rose rapidly, leaving residents scrambling for safety. Among the most harrowing reports is the disappearance of two young sisters, aged one and five, who were swept away by the floodwaters.  Provincial Security Minister Javier Alonso confirmed on Sunday that the girls had been sheltering on the roof of a van with their mother when a powerful tide tore them away from their mother. Their mother was rescued, but search efforts for the children continue. Divers are still combing the flooded areas, where water levels remain over a meter high, Alonso told Radio Mitre.  Meanwhile, Bahia Blanca Mayor Federico Susbielles reported that the disaster had caused major destruction which resulted in an estimated $400 million in infrastructure damage. In a social media post on X, Susbielles confirmed the official death toll had reached 16 but warned that the number could rise as rescue operations continue.  The flooding also left much of the surrounding coastal region without power, and at one point, authorities cut electricity in Bahia Blanca due to dangerously high water levels in the streets. President Javier Milei’s office announced the national mourning period on Sunday night, though no specific start date was provided.  In a statement, the presidency vowed that “all areas of the national government will remain dedicated to assisting the victims in this moment of sorrow for all Argentines.” The government has allocated 10 billion pesos ($9.2 million at the official exchange rate) for emergency reconstruction efforts. The tragedy has also drawn international attention, with Argentine football star Lionel Messi expressing his condolences to the victims’ families. “Much strength to all those who are having a rough time in this difficult moment,” he wrote on Instagram. Environmental officials have linked the disaster to climate change.  Andrea Dufourg, director of environmental policy for the city of Ituzaingo, described the extreme weather as “a clear example of climate change.”  She emphasized the urgent need for improved urban planning, citizen education, and effective early warning systems to mitigate future disasters. Bahia Blanca has a history of severe weather events, including a deadly storm in December 2023 that killed 13 people and caused widespread damage.