Incarcerated former Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan has been named in the deaths of three Pak Rangers during a protest by his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Islamabad, ARY News reported. The FIR, lodged at Ramna Police Station, accuses Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and other top PTI leaders of murder, terrorism, and other serious offences. The FIR alleges that the plan to attack the Rangers personnel was put together in Adiala Jail, where Khan had met with his party leaders, as reported by ARY News. The plan was allegedly executed by Bushra Bibi and other party workers, who incited protesters to attack the Rangers personnel. Several other senior PTI leaders have also been named in the FIR, including Omar Ayub, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Salman Akram Raja, Ali Amin Gandapur, Murad Saeed, Zulfi Bukhari, Raoof Hassan and Hammad Azhar. They are accused of conspiring to launch a deadly assault on the Rangers personnel. The incident occurred during PTI's recent protests in Islamabad on November 26, where a car driven by an unidentified driver ran over three Rangers personnel, killing them on the spot, ARY News reported. The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act. At least four Pakistan Rangers soldiers were killed in the incident, while five others including policemen were injured in the incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 December,2024 08:48 AM IST | Islamabad | ANIPakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be resuming flights to the United States after seven years of suspension, marking a significant development for the country's aviation sector, ARY News reported. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to settle pending financial obligations. According to DG CAA Nadir Shafi Dar, payments to the FAA are expected to be made shortly, paving the way for the FAA's delegation to visit Pakistan by February or March. According to ARY News, the development has increased chances that Pakistan will be reclassified to 'Category One' status with the FAA, allowing direct flights to the US to resume, as per ARY News. Notably, PIA's flights to the US were suspended in 2017, when the airline operated six flights per week between Pakistan and the US, including four to New York and two to Chicago. The Pak government is also intensifying efforts to privatise PIA through government-to-government (G2G) agreements, with a deadline set for December 31, ARY News reported on Saturday, citing sources. According to the report, both Abu Dhabi and Qatar have expressed strong interest in PIA's privatisation, creating a potential opportunity for foreign investment. Active discussions are underway with both countries to finalise the terms of the deal. To attract investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is reportedly offering substantial incentives to those looking to acquire stakes in PIA. These measures are designed to ensure a smooth transition during the privatization process, providing necessary support to potential investors, the ARY report added. In October 2024, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that the government plans to complete PIA's privatisation, along with that of three power distribution companies, by the end of the year. Initially set to conclude by October 1, the privatisation process was delayed to October 31 due to low bidder interest, ongoing legal challenges, issues with the ageing fleet, and civil aviation concerns. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 December,2024 08:44 AM IST | Islamabad | ANISix critically endangered Mekong giant catfish —one of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world —were caught and released recently in Cambodia, reviving hopes for the survival of the species. The underwater giants can grow up to 10 feet (3 metres) long and weigh up to 300 kg (661 pounds), or as heavy as a grand piano. They now are only found in Southeast Asia’s Mekong River but in the past inhabited the length of the 4,900-km-long river, all the way from its outlet in Vietnam to its northern reaches in China’s Yunnan province. The species’ population has plummeted by 80 per cent in recent decades due to rising pressures from overfishing, dams that block the migratory path the fish follow to spawn and other disruptions. Few of the millions of people who depend on the Mekong for their livelihoods have ever seen a giant catfish. To find six of the giants, which were caught and released within five days, is unprecedented. The first two were on the Tonle Sap river, a tributary of the Mekong not far from Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. They were given identification tags and released. On Tuesday, fishermen caught four more. The ish were apparently migrating from their habitats near Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 December,2024 08:41 AM IST | Hanoi | AgenciesIsrael launched airstrikes on Hamas terrorists in southern Gaza overnight after intelligence determined they were gathering at two locations to hijack humanitarian aid trucks, the Israel Defence Forces disclosed on Friday. “The terrorists operated on the humanitarian corridor in the southern Gaza Strip. The strike was intended to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip,” the army said. “All of the terrorists that were eliminated were members of Hamas and planned to violently hijack humanitarian aid trucks and transfer them to Hamas in support of continuing terrorist activity, preventing them from reaching Gazan civilians, as was done in previous cases.” A Palestinian man carrying a child walks past a destroyed building in the Nuseirat refugee in the central Gaza Strip. Pics/AFP The IDF stressed that no delivery trucks were struck and that the humanitarian corridor remains open for aid deliveries. Since mid-November, Hamas and criminal gangs associated with the terror group stepped up their stealing of deliveries of food, water, medicine and other humanitarian supplies. At one point, 85 per cent of all trucks entering the Strip were hijacked. Israeli planes hit Hezb terrorists The IDF reported that an Israel Air Force aircraft attacked earlier today a number of terrorists from the terrorist organisation Hezbollah who were operating in southern Lebanon and posed a threat to the residents of Israel, violating the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 December,2024 08:37 AM IST | Tel Aviv | AgenciesRussia on Friday launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine, involving dozens of cruise missiles and drones, the latest such strike aimed at crippling the country’s electricity system. The Russian military targeted the Ukrainian power grid, energy minister Herman Halushchenko wrote on his Facebook page. “The enemy continues its terror,” he said. Halushchenko said energy workers do everything necessary to “minimise negative consequences for the energy system,” promising to release more details on damages once the security situation allows it. Ukraine’s air force reported multiple strike drones launched at Ukraine overnight followed by swarms of cruise missiles in the country’s air space. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
14 December,2024 08:35 AM IST | Kyiv | AgenciesPassengers of Indigo Flight 6E18 (Istanbul to Mumbai) was delayed leaving passengers stranded at Istanbul Airport for over 15 hours, sources said. The passengers were informed of a technical difficulty for the flight getting delayed, sources added. "Due to technical issues, IndiGo flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Istanbul experienced delays. This led to cascading delays in the return sectors. All necessary steps were taken to ensure customers were apprised, and they were provided with refreshments and accommodation, where possible. We regret the inconvenience caused to customers and appreciate their understanding and patience," an official statement from IndiGo airlines stated. The aircraft finally took off after the huge delay. Arshan Kawasia, relative of a passenger on the flight currently stationed in Istanbul informed midday over phone, “The passengers are stranded in Istanbul for over 16 hours now (as of 1:25 PM IST). They have just started the boarding process and the flight is expected to take off around 12:15 Istanbul time (2:45 PM IST). approximately 400 passengers are stranded here.” He also shared a photograph of the stranded passengers at Istanbul Airport. According to an another passenger, “the airline informed us that there is a technical issue with the aircraft which is why the flight has been delayed.” The aircraft in question is a twin jet Boeing 777-300ER (B77W). Anand Chandrashekhar, a passenger stranded at Istanbul posted on x, “IndiGO 6E18 from Istanbul to Mumbai isn’t just a flight, it’s a life lesson in patience, endurance and questioning all your life choices. Guess they’re waiting for the Wright Brothers to come personally and fix the plane #6EternalSuffering.” Later replying to the same post, the passenger also posted another sarcastic comment stating, “Breaking News: IndiGO 6E18 from Istanbul to Mumbai has officially been promoted to a staycation package. Who needs a flight when you can enjoy 2 days of waiting lounge vibes? 6E18 Istanbul to Mumbai has achieved a new milestone: redefining ‘non-stop flight’ as ‘non-start flight. Guess they really want the passengers to experience Istanbul's Hospitality. #6EternalDelay.” Before boarding the flight, Anand Chandrashekar again posted a sarcastic update which started, “IndiGO 6E18 from Istanbul to Mumbai: Now boarding on IndiGo standard time, where ‘on time’ means ‘someday, maybe.’ Did you outsource your flight time schedule to a sundial?” Another passenger Harsh from his X handle posted, “Stuck at IST airport because @IndiGO6E chose to drip feed the delay of flight 6E18 over 15+ hours (3 hours, 11 hours, 2 hours) instead of informing us of the full delay upfront. This staggering of delays is not inconvenient; it is manipulative. Passengers deserve full transparency. And respect! #IndigoDelayTactics #PassengerRights @MoCA_India @PMOIndia @MpRammohannaidu.” According to information received from Istanbul airport sources which was also confirmed by Mumbai ATC sources, the flight took off at around 12:20 PM Istanbul time (2:50 PM IST) Indigo in its statement issued on Friday said, “We are aware of the delays on the IndiGo flight connections to Istanbul. We accord the highest priority towards customer convenience and our teams are available at all contact points to assist customers. IndiGo apologises for the inconvenience caused to the customers.” Sources from the airline disclosed, “those with a visa were provided hotel accommodation, meanwhile, those without a visa were provided lounge access, food coupons, and other facilities.”
13 December,2024 08:59 PM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariAn Israeli airstrike hit the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 25 Palestinians and wounding dozens more, Palestinian medics said, just hours after President Joe Biden's national security adviser raised hopes about a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza. Officials at two hospitals in the Gaza Strip, al-Awda Hospital in the north and al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, reported they received a combined total of 25 bodies from an Israeli strike on a multi-storey residential building in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp. Palestinian medics also reported that over 40 people, most of them children, were receiving treatment at the two hospitals. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the deadly strike. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 December,2024 11:57 AM IST | Deir al-Balah | PTIA court in the port city of Chittagong on Thursday recorded a petition moved by a senior Supreme Court lawyer for Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das' bail, however, the judge did not allow the early hearing. Rabindra Ghosh, a Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist, presented the petition in the court and the judge kept his application "on record" but did not allow an early hearing. "The senior lawyer Rabindra Ghosh used the authorised power with the signature of Chinmoy Krishna Das on the basis of Supreme Court Bar document. But the judge asked a requirement of Chittagong Bar confirmation," Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, President of Chittagong Bar Association, told ANI over the phone. "Advocate Ghosh could not show any documents of the Chittagong Bar, so the Judge kept his application on record and did not allow an early date of hearing. He maintained the scheduled hearing date of January 2", Chowdhury added. Chinmoy's lawyer Rabindra Ghosh expressed disappointment and said that he is considering to move the bail prayer to the High Court with the documents. "I am very disheartened. I have been coming from Dhaka for the last three days and applying with repeated attempts. The Judge took my application on his table. He could have heard it. It fell into some conspiracy," Rabindra Ghosh, told ANI over phone. "We are considering to move the bail prayer to the High Court with the documents," he added. On Wednesday too, the court has rejected the plea for the early bail hearing. The court dismissed the petition, stating that Chinmoy Krishna Das, the spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaron Jote, did not authorise power to the lawyer who submitted the plea. Chinmoy Krishna Das, also a former priest of ISKCON, was arrested by police from Dhaka Airport on November 25 on a charge of sedition. On November 26, a court in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong rejected his bail prayer and ordered him to be sent to prison. His followers laid in front of his prison van and blocked it. Police cleared after clashes with the protesters. A lawyer named Saiful Islam Alif was killed during the clashes. On December 3, Chittagong court had fixed January 2 for bail hearing as the prosecution submitted a time petition and there was no lawyer to represent Chinmoy. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 December,2024 11:53 AM IST | Bangladesh | ANIUS President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration on January 20, according to his spokesperson. "This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors too," the incoming White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitte told Fox News in an interview on Thursday. "We saw this in the first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around the world. He is willing to talk to anyone. He will always put America's interest first," she said. Leavitt, however, did not say if the invitation had been accepted by the Chinese president. The White House preferred not to comment on the merit of the invitation. "It is going to be up to President-elect Trump to decide who's going to sit with him there at that inauguration, who's going to be there," John Kirby from the White House told reporters. "We have worked really hard on this most consequential of bilateral relationships. The president met with Xi Jinping a number of times, including recently. And as you get ready to turn over things to the Trump team, we're turning over a US-China relationship that is in better shape than the one we found it in. That doesn't mean that we don't have disagreements," Kirby said. "We do and we will and I'm sure they will too, but we're working hard on this relationship and we'll do that right to the end," he said. Responding to a question, Kirby said it was not his place to pass judgment on the invitations to the inauguration. "That's really for the Trump transition team' (The relationship) is without doubt the single most consequential bilateral relationship that the United States has in the world. And it is a relationship that is both fraught with peril and with opportunity," he said. "When we get ready to turn over to the Trump team, we will make sure they are fully informed about everything President Biden has done, and he has done a lot, to get this relationship on a more stable footing and it will be up to them to determine how and to what degree they want to carry that forward," Kirby said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 December,2024 11:49 AM IST | Washington | PTIThe Biden Administration expects bipartisan support for the India-US relationship to continue during the next Trump Administration, the White House has said. "...(There has) been strong bipartisan support for growing this bilateral relationship. I would expect that, that will continue," White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters at a news conference here on Thursday. Outgoing President Joe Biden, he said, is very proud of how America's bilateral relationship with India has transformed during his administration. "I mean, we have elevated the Indo-Pacific QUAD. I don't know how many meetings he's had now inside the QUAD and bilaterally with the prime minister (Narendra Modi of India). There's an awful lot in our relationship that has improved military to military, communication ¿ people to people ties, economic ties," Kirby said in response to a question. On what are Biden's expectations from the coming administration on QUAD and other IMEC, Kirby said, "It's going to be up to them to determine how they leverage the Indo-Pacific QUAD." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
13 December,2024 11:45 AM IST | Washington | PTIFrench President Emmanuel Macron is set to announce the new prime minister on Friday morning, following the resignation of Prime Minister Michel Barnier last week. According to ANI reports, the Elysee presidential palace confirmed that the statement regarding the appointment will be made public on Friday morning after Macron returned early from a trip to Poland. Barnier resigned after only three months in office, making his tenure the shortest in modern French history. This unexpected departure came after Barnier's government was toppled by a no-confidence vote in the French parliament. On December 5, while addressing the nation from the Elysee Palace, Macron assured the French public that he would continue his five-year mandate despite the political turbulence. In his speech, Macron emphasised the importance of ensuring the continuity of the French state and the proper functioning of its institutions, despite recent setbacks. “The mandate you democratically entrusted to me is a five-year mandate, and I will exercise it fully until its end. My responsibility is to ensure the continuity of the State, the proper functioning of our institutions, the independence of our country, and the protection of all of you,” Macron stated. He also highlighted his commitment to leading the country through various challenges, including social unrest, the Covid-19 pandemic, the return of war in Europe, inflation, and other national trials. "I have been doing this from the beginning, by your side, through social crises, the Covid-19 epidemic, the return of war, inflation, and so many trials that we have shared," Macron added. As per ANI reports, Macron vowed to appoint a new prime minister within days. The frontrunner for the role is believed to be François Bayrou, a centrist and close ally of Macron. However, Bayrou’s potential appointment has sparked controversy, especially among those on the left who fear his leadership would mean the continuation of Macron’s policies. Additionally, Bayrou is not well-liked by certain figures on the right, including former President Nicolas Sarkozy. Other possible candidates for the prime ministerial role include former Socialist Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, current Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, and former Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. The political instability in France has caused concern among the public, with polls showing that over two-thirds of the population favour a political compromise over another government overhaul. The resignation of Barnier and the subsequent vote of no confidence have left France in a state of political flux. The 331 members of the 577-seat lower house of parliament voted to remove Barnier's centrist minority government, leading to further uncertainty in a country already grappling with a growing budget deficit. This marked the first time in over six decades that a government had been ousted through a no-confidence vote. As per ANI, the vote was triggered by opposition parties from both the far-left and far-right after Barnier used special powers to push through budget measures without parliamentary approval. (With inputs from ANI)
13 December,2024 08:12 AM IST | FranceADVERTISEMENT
