South Korean military chief inspects naval readiness, calls for deterrence against North Korea

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Seoul, May 15 (IANS) South Korea’s top military officer inspected naval units and the submarine command on Thursday, urging firm naval readiness to deter any provocations by North Korea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo made the call as he boarded the ROKS Jeongjo the Great destroyer and visited the submarine force command, the Jinhae Naval Base Command and the naval special warfare flotilla based in Jinhae, some 310 kilometres southeast of Seoul, according to the JCS.Boarding the destroyer, Kim urged troops to familiarise themselves with the warship’s combat system and equipment to preemptively deter and respond to the North’s nuclear and missile threats.The 8,200-tonne Aegis destroyer, armed with an advanced missile interception platform, was delivered to the Navy in November last year and is expected to be deployed by December.While visiting the submarine force command, Kim instructed the command to maintain a firm readiness posture against the enemy’s potential provocations, Yonhap news agency reported.As part of the visit, Kim also conducted a command flight on the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, the JCS said.The Navy completed its acquisition of six P-8As last year with an aim to deploy them this year. Dubbed the “submarine killer,” the P-8A is capable of conducting an array of missions, including anti-submarine, anti-surface, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.Earlier on Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had supervised combined tactical drills of special operations, stressing that the most “crucial” task for the North’s armed forces is to make full preparations for war.The combined tactical drills of special operations and tank subunits’ joint fire strike demonstration took place the previous day.”Saying that our revolutionary armed forces are now in charge of not a few fronts, but the most important among them is the anti-imperialist class front and making full preparations for war is the most crucial task,” Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA.He also said the combat drills will help “turn the whole army into an elite ranks.”Photos carried by state media showed North Korean troops in camouflage suits operating drones. South Korea’s spy agency earlier said it detected signs of North Korean troops deployed to Russia learning drone operations and tactics from Moscow.Last month, North Korea acknowledged for the first time that it had sent troops to Russia to fight against Ukrainian forces. During a visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang last week, Kim said the North’s involvement in the war was “justifiable,” calling it an exercise of sovereign rights under a mutual defence treaty with Moscow.–IANSint/jk/dan

Russia-Ukraine conflict can be solved diplomatically, says Marco Rubio

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Istanbul, May 15 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine cannot be solved militarily.”There is no military solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This war is going to end not through a military solution, but through a diplomatic one,” said the top US diplomat as he arrived in Antalya for an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers.Rubio further stated that the US hopes that progress will soon be made in the negotiation process, noting the situation around the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict remains complicated.Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to the Kyiv authorities to resume direct talks suspended in 2022, without preconditions on Thursday in Istanbul.Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Thursday said that the Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul for talks on Ukraine and is ready for serious work.”As we have already stated, the Russian side is ready to negotiate in earnest. The Russian delegation has arrived in Istanbul and is ready for serious work,” Zakharova said, addressing a news briefing.”The Russian President proposed restarting those direct talks in Istanbul on May 15 without delay or any preliminary conditions. As the Russian President emphasised, the purpose of these talks is to, direct quote, eliminate the root causes of the conflict, to reach the establishment of a long-term lasting peace for a historical perspective,” she added.The Russian delegation, headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin. However, Putin has decided to skip the visit.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said the talks, which will be held in Istanbul, will be productive.”Marco (Rubio) is going to be going there, others are going to be going, and we’ll see if we can get it done… Very importantly, talks are being held in Turkey later this week, probably on Thursday, and they could produce some pretty good results,” he told a bilateral investment forum in Saudi Arabia, without elaborating.Addressing reporters, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that on Wednesday evening, President Putin held a meeting to discuss arrangements for talks with Ukraine, due to take place in Istanbul.”Prior to the departure of our delegation for Istanbul last evening, President Putin chaired a meeting on arrangements for upcoming talks with Ukraine,” he said.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also took to his social media on Wednesday night, stating that he would hold discussions with his team on the format of the Istanbul meeting.”Today, we held several meetings with the team regarding the format in Turkey. I am waiting to see who will come from Russia, and then I will decide which steps Ukraine should take. So far, the signals from them in the media are unconvincing,” Zelensky posted on X.–IANSint/scor/sd/

1.3 million Afghan nationals deported from Pakistan since November

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Islamabad, May 15 (IANS) As part of the ongoing campaign to deport illegal and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders from Pakistan, the government has repatriated about 1.3 million Afghan nationals since November 2023, Pakistan’s Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmed Malik said during a meeting.

The parliamentary committee overseeing the repatriation drive was informed that the government targetted illegal Afghan nationals living in the country, allowing them the opportunity to leave voluntarily, adding that a parallel operation was launched to crackdown against those who were still present after the deadline of March 31 expired.The committee was told that a warning was issued to all illegal Afghan nationals that they would be deported after the deadline ends. Moreover, the government later on decided to also deport those Afghan nationals who were in possession of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC), thus expanding the domain of the expulsion campaign by the government.Launched in 2017, the ACC grants temporary legal status to Afghan refugees.”There are at least three million Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan. Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,” said Mukhtar Ahmed Malik.”Those Afghans who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them,” he added.On the other hand, there are thousands of Afghan families in Pakistan, who do not wish to go back to Afghanistan, and are demanding the Pakistan government to reconsider their deportation.”I was born in Pakistan, married in Pakistan, have kids in Pakistan. We do not know anything about Afghanistan. My father brought me here when I was a five-year-old. Since then, we are living here,” said Rahimullah, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan.”Now, they want us to leave. I ask them, where would we go and what would our children do there? Do they have a future there? We want to request the Pakistan government to reconsider for the sake of the future of our children,” he added.Pakistan has been home to over 2.8 million Afghan refugees for over 40 years. However, the deportation drive to expel Afghan nationals from the country began after Islamabad blamed the Afghan Taliban interim government in Kabul for cross-border terrorism supporting and supporting anti-Pakistan groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). As tensions simmered, Pakistan has made it clear that it would not host Afghan nationals in the country anymore.–IANSint/hamza/as

Bangladesh: Jagannath University students stage protest for basic necessities on campus

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Dhaka, May 15 (IANS) Students in Bangladesh’s Jagannath University have been protesting against the administration, demanding the acceptance of their three-point demand, which is focused on house allowances, budget for the university and the new campus building. On Thursday, the students blocked Kakrail intersection in Dhaka, causing traffic congestion in surrounding areas, as their protest entered its second consecutive day.The protesting students declared they would not leave the streets until their three-point demand was met, after police action and Information Advisor Mahfuj Alam’s attempt failed to move them through talks, according to local media reports.Their demands included housing allowance for 70 per cent students of the university from the next fiscal year, approving a full budget for Jagannath University for the 2025-26 fiscal year, and building a second campus for the university.In the early hours on Thursday over hundred students and some teachers, including the vice-chancellor and pro-vice chancellor, continued their sit-in in Dhaka’s Kakrail intersection near Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’ official residence Jamuna.According to local media reports, the students declared that they would not vacate the streets until their demands are met.Furthermore, on Wednesday, Information and Broadcasting Advisor Mahfuj was attacked with bottles as he tried to address the students protesting for their demands, Bangladeshi leading daily, Prothom Alo reported.”We don’t see it as a major issue because he went to the government as our representative. Compared to the police attack on students, this is nothing,” said a student in response to the incident.”We have decided that we will not leave this place under any circumstances. If any untoward incident occurs, the advisors and the government must take full responsibility,” said a protesting student, addressing a media briefing.”We’ve been here since yesterday. We will continue our protest until our demands are met,” said another student.Meanwhile, a large number of law enforcement officials, including the police and the Border Guard Battalion (BGB), are on high alert, with barricades being placed in front of the protesters.Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, over 50 people were injured as police intercepted a long march of university teachers and students towards the chief advisor’s official residence, Jamuna, marching for their three-point demand.The police fired tear gas, lobbed sound grenades, and used water cannons to disperse the protesters, local media reported.In a separate development, protests raged at Dhaka University as a group of students under the banner of “Students Against Terrorism” brought out a torch procession on the campus Wednesday night, protesting the murder of fellow student Shahriar Alam Shammo.”In the last 9 months, we have seen three bodies. One was Tofazzal, another was hanging from a tree, and the latest one was last night — a student of Dhaka University. The DU VC must take responsibility for these murders. We reject the condolence expressed by the DU administration,” Bangladeshi media outlet UNB reported, quoting a protesting student as saying.–IANSint/scor/sd/

Death toll from tropical disease outbreak in northern Australia rises to 31

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Sydney, May 15 (IANS) The death toll from an outbreak of a tropical disease linked to heavy rainfall and flooding in northern Australia has increased to 31.According to the latest data from the health department in Queensland reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday, 31 people have died from melioidosis in the state in 2025.It said that one person, from the coastal city of Townsville in tropical northern Queensland, died from melioidosis in the past week.In the same period, there were four new reported cases; one in Townsville and three in the city of Cairns, further north. It takes the total number of reported cases in Queensland in 2025 to 221, an increase of 163 compared to the same point in 2024.Townsville, Cairns and surrounding areas received record-breaking rainfall in February that caused widespread devastating flooding, Xinhua news agency reported.Steven Donohue, director of the Townsville Public Health Unit, told the ABC that cases have slowed down significantly since the weather dried up and authorities believe the outbreak is “probably over.””It is a pretty nasty disease, particularly when it happens to the sick and elderly. Deaths are not uncommon,” he said.Queensland Health previously advised people to be alert for symptoms, including a cough, fever and difficulty breathing, and to wear protective footwear, gloves and a mask when coming into contact with muddy water or soil and when using a hose or high-pressure cleaner.Melioidosis is a rare tropical disease caused by bacteria commonly found in soil and water in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. After heavy rainfall it becomes airborne.Melioidosis has a wide range of signs and symptoms. You usually develop symptoms of melioidosis within 1 to 4 weeks after you’ve been exposed to it. Some cases have developed symptoms months or years after exposure. The disease can affect one body system or affect the entire body. Because of these factors, melioidosis is hard to diagnose and may be mistaken for other diseases.Sometimes the illness is just in one area (localised), and it may look like an ulcer or skin sore. You might have a fever, swelling, and muscle aches.–IANSint/jk/rad

South Korea: DP’s Lee rallies in liberal stronghold; PPP’s Kim apologises for martial law decree

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Seoul, May 15 (IANS) South Korean Democratic Party (DP) candidate, Lee Jae-myung, held a campaign rally in South Jeolla Province on Thursday, while People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim Moon-soo apologised for the failed martial law bid by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, with less than three weeks to go before the presidential election.Lee, Kim and Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party have formed a three-way race for the June 3 presidential vote to pick a successor to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted over his failed martial law bid. So far, the DP’s Lee has maintained a comfortable lead in opinion polls.A National Barometer Survey conducted this week showed that Lee of the DP was leading Kim with 49 per cent support against Kim’s 27 per cent, with the minor party’s Lee in third with 7 per cent.South Jeolla Province is considered a stronghold for the DP, and Kim of the PPP, which remains at odds over Yoon’s ouster, issued his second public apology for Yoon’s failed martial law bid.In Seoul, Kim said he “sincerely” apologised for Yoon’s martial law debacle, in an apparent move to broaden his support base as he struggled to catch up with the DP candidate.Lee of the DP kicked off the fourth day of his official campaign by holding live YouTube talks with the youth at Hwagae Market in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, to address concerns related to employment, housing and child care.Lee then travelled to the cities of Gwangyang, Yeosu and Suncheon, and is set to visit Mokpo in Jeolla Province, commonly known as Honam, a traditional support base of the liberal DP, to appeal to voters.In a Facebook post, Lee also expressed his “sincere” gratitude to teachers and acknowledged their dedication in guiding students in commemoration of Teacher’s Day, which fell on Thursday.Kim of the PPP, on the other hand, focussed on the Seoul Metropolitan Area the same day, starting off with a breakfast meeting on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and corporate strategies at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business.During the meeting, Kim pledged to amend the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which penalises employers and corporations for fatal accidents in public places.”If I become the decision-maker, I will make sure that this harmful law no longer disturbs you,” Kim said.Kim then visited Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul to greet commuters.He also held a luncheon meeting with Joseph Yun, acting US ambassador to South Korea, at the US Ambassador’s residence in central Seoul.The two sides are likely to have discussed various bilateral issues, including US tariffs and security under US President Donald Trump’s second administration, Yonhap news agency reported.Kim’s emphasis on economic and foreign policy issues reflects his strategy to appeal to voters in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, who tend to be less influenced by regional sentiment and are more sensitive to policies.Kim campaigned in Daegu, Busan and other parts of the Yeongnam region in the country’s southeast earlier this week to rally support from conservative voters before returning to Seoul.–IANSint/jk/rad

Pakistan: Baloch women decry rocket attack on civilian home in Balochistan

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Quetta, May 14 (IANS) The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) on Wednesday strongly condemned a rocket attack on the residence of a civilian, Jangiyan Baloch, in the Balicha area of Tump Tehsil in Balochistan. The forum alleged that locally active armed groups, termed as “death squads”, allegedly operating under the payroll of law enforcement agencies of Pakistan, carried out the attack a few days ago, injuring three members of Jangiyan Baloch’s family — his son Nawaz Jangiyan, daughter-in-law Ayesha Mulla Raza, and wife Modho Naik Bakht.The forum stated that the death squad members are given free rein to distort the societal stability of the Baloch and are involved in every sort of evil, including targetted killings, attacks, and enforced disappearances of civilians in the province of Balochistan.”We, the BWF, denounce the ugly attack of rocket launchers on the home of a civilian, Jangiyan Baloch, in district Kech’s Balicha in the strongest possible terms and deem it an attack on the societal order and organisation of the Baloch,” said the statement.”The attackers are commonly and openly functioning under the payroll of the law enforcement agencies who are given a free hand to distort the societal stability of the Baloch. We want to clarify it that Tump region has been one of the most affected areas where the death squad members are given a free hand to involve themselves in every sort of evil, including targetted killings, attacks and enforced disappearances of the civilians,” the statement added.Highlighting the atrocities, the forum stated that this group also terms themselves the “laws and the violators” openly and are held accountable for nothing because they have the backing of law enforcement agencies. “It has given birth to the state of lawlessness in the region, infringing the fundamental rights of the citizens,” read a statement issued by the forum.Condemning the act, BWF demanded an end to such illegal privileges of the local militias or the “death squads”, permanent culmination of human rights violations in Tump in particular, Balochistan in general, an impartial inquiry on the case of attack on Jangiyan’s home and accountability for the culprits as per law, and medical and financial assistance to the grieving family.–IANSint/scor/as

Russia expects to address major issues in upcoming talks with Ukraine

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Moscow, May 14 (IANS) Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Wednesday that the Russian delegation is expected to address political and technical issues during the upcoming talks with Ukraine in Turkey on Thursday.
“The delegation needs to address both political and, I’d say, a billion of technical issues. So the composition of the delegation will be determined based on that,” the official said, addressing a reporter of a Russian Television network.Ushakov further mentioned that Moscow’s proposal is to resume the 2022 talks that were suspended by the Ukrainian side at the urging of Western colleagues and partners. He however, did not answer whether he himself is a part of the Russian delegation.Speaking to reporters in the Kremlin in the early hours of May 11, Putin proposed to the Kyiv authorities to resume direct talks suspended in 2022, without preconditions.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other US officials will be present at Thursday’s Istanbul talks on Ukraine.“Marco [Rubio] is going to be going there, others are going to be going, and we’ll see if we can get it done,” he said while addressing a bilateral investment forum in Saudi Arabia.“Very importantly, talks are being held in Turkey later this week, probably on Thursday, and they could produce some pretty good results,” the US leader said, without elaborating.A White House spokesperson also told reporters that Rubio will be accompanied by the US President’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg.Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov on Tuesday said that Russia and the United States continue to maintain contact on Ukraine, but are not coordinating on the upcoming Istanbul talks.“The Americans are well aware of our position. We remain in contact. However, this is not the word (coordination) to use in this particular case,” Russian state-run news agency TASS quoted the minister as saying.President Putin proposed to launch the dialogue with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul. He further recalled that Russia had declared ceasefires more than once, but all of them, including the latest three-day truce on account of the Victory Day celebration were violated by the Kyiv regime.On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday expressed willingness to hold discussions with his Russian counterpart Putin, to end the ongoing conflict between both nations. The statement came shortly after President Trump called on Ukraine to immediately agree to the negotiations proposed by the Russian leader. Before that, Zelensky conditioned talks with Moscow on a 30-day ceasefire.–IANSint/scor/as