Month: November 2024

LONDON: Pakistan’s military has firmly ruled out the possibility of negotiating or striking a deal with imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the “mass production” of attack drones, state media reported Friday, as concerns mount over the country’s deepening military cooperation with Russia.

Pyongyang first unveiled its attack drones in August, with experts saying the capability may be attributable to the country’s budding alliance with Russia.

The nuclear-armed country has ratified a landmark defence pact with Moscow and is accused of deploying thousands of troops to Russia to support its war in Ukraine, prompting South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to warn about the potential transfer of sensitive Russian military technology to North Korea.

Kim on Thursday oversaw the tests of drones designed to hit both land and sea targets, produced by North Korea’s Unmanned Aerial Technology Complex, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

“He underscored the need to build a serial production system as early as possible and go into full-scale mass production,” KCNA said.

The unmanned drones are designed to carry explosives and be deliberately crashed into enemy targets, effectively acting as guided missiles.

Thursday’s test saw the drones “precisely” hit targets after flying along predetermined paths, KCNA reported.

“The suicide attack drones to be used within different striking ranges are to perform a mission to precisely attack any enemy targets on the ground and in the sea,” the agency said.

Kim said the drones were an “easy to use… component of striking power” due to their relatively low production cost and expansive range of applications, according to KCNA.

He said the North had “recently attached importance” to developing unmanned hardware systems and to integrating them with the country’s overall military strategy.

– Russian tech? –

Experts said the drones — in images released by state media in August — looked similar to the Israeli-made “HAROP” drone, Russian-made “Lancet-3” and Israeli “HERO 30”.

North Korea may have acquired these technologies from Russia, which in turn likely obtained them from Iran — with Tehran itself suspected of accessing them through hacking or theft from Israel.

In 2022, Pyongyang sent drones across the border that Seoul’s military was unable to shoot down, saying they were too small.

This year, North Korea has been bombarding the South with trash-carrying balloons, in what it calls retaliation for activists in the South floating anti-regime propaganda missives northwards.

The North has also accused Seoul of violating its sovereignty by flying drones over its capital Pyongyang to drop propaganda leaflets.

By mentioning the “production and practical deployment of various drones”, North Korea may be hinting it could follow suit, Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP.

Pyongyang could be “suggesting the possibility of using balloons to disseminate leaflets to the South with such drones,” Yang said.

“Considering the effectiveness of drone attacks observed in the war in Ukraine, they could also be effectively utilised in the ongoing conflict there,” he added.

South Korea launched a drone operation command last year to better address the growing threat.

In October, the North amended its constitution to define South Korea as a “hostile” state, an illustration of a sharp deterioration in ties since Kim in January declared Seoul his country’s “principal enemy”.

The North has continued to carry out UN sanctions-defying ballistic missile tests, and last month blew up its roads and railways linking it to the South.

RAWALPINDI: Two soldiers including an army officer were martyred after an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on the leading vehicle during an operation in Balochistan’s Harnai district, said the military’s media wing on Thursday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces were immediately mobilised to sanitise the area on reported presence of terrorists who were planning to target innocent civilians in Harnai.

The Pakistan Army troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and resultantly killed three of them, the statement said.

“However, during the operation, an improvised explosive device exploded on the leading vehicle of security forces, resultantly, Major Muhammad Haseeb (age: 28 years, resident of district Multan), a brave officer, who was leading his troops from the front, along with Havildar Noor Ahmed (age: 38 years, resident of District Barkhan), having fought gallantly, made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat,” said the ISPR.

It further said that the security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan, and such sacrifices of the brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.

The funeral prayer for Major Muhammad Haseeb Shaheed was held at Chaklala Garrison, Rawalpindi.

Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal along with senior military and civil officials, officers, soldiers, and family members of the martyr attended the ceremony.

COAS Munir expressed that the sacrifice being made by the valiant officers and soldiers exemplify the unwavering dedication towards defending the country against the menace of terrorism. He highlighted that the nation stands in solidarity with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies in the fight against Fitna al Khawarij and all those who hold their reins.

Pakistan continues to battle militancy as terrorist activities spiked across the country, especially in KP and Balochistan, since the Taliban takeover of bordering Afghanistan.

The latest incident of terrorism came last week, when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a railway station in Quetta, killing at least 27 people and injuring over 60 others.

As per a report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), third quarter (July-September) of 2024 saw a sharp increase in fatalities of terrorist violence and counter-terrorism campaigns, with a 90% surge in violence.

A total of 722 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, while 615 others were wounded in as many as 328 incidents recorded during the period under review.

Nearly 97% of these fatalities occurred in KP and Balochistan — marking the highest percentage in a decade, and over 92% of these incidents of terror attacks and security forces’ operations were recorded in the same provinces.

In a post on X, Kennedy vowed to work to end chronic disease, clean up corruption and provide Americans with the data they need to make informed decisions, vowing to Trump he would work to “Make America Healthy Again.”

 

 

Kennedy ran for president in this year’s election as an independent before dropping out in August and endorsing Trump in exchange for a role in the Republican administration.

Kennedy, the son and nephew of two titans of Democratic politics, has frequently talked about tackling what he calls the “chronic disease epidemic” of conditions including obesity, diabetes and autism, and reducing chemicals in food.

“The safety and health of all Americans is the most important role of any administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming health crisis in this country,” Trump said in a post on social media.

 

 

Later on Thursday during a speech at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, Trump praised Kennedy, saying he would do “unbelievable” things in his new position. “We want you to come up with things and ideas and what you’ve been talking about for a long time,” Trump said, without elaborating.

The Department of Health and Human Services oversees drug regulation, public health agencies including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and health insurance for more than 140 million people including the poor, those aged 65 and older, and the disabled through Medicare and Medicaid.

HHS had a $3.09 trillion budget for fiscal year 2024, representing 22.8 per cent of the US federal budget.

Drew Altman, president of health research firm KFF, described the move as historic and said what Kennedy, if confirmed, would ultimately do in the role remains to be seen, given he has not often discussed programs like Medicaid and Medicare, which account for much of the US health budget.

“Historically, secretaries have been people with real experience and standing in national healthcare and he certainly is not that, and has views from outside the mainstream, and is a renegade appointment,” Altman said.

The appointment, which had been seen as a possibility for weeks, raised concern among some public health advocates who said Kennedy could have a negative role in Americans’ health given his power over these agencies. The Democratic Party decried the decision.

Some politicians and business groups supported the nomination, such as the National Community Pharmacists Association, which said it was encouraged by his willingness to take on corporations.

Kennedy has been a part of Trump’s transition team and has been reviewing candidate resumes for the top jobs at US health agencies.

Kennedy has suggested he would gut the 18,000-employee Food and Drug Administration — which ensures the safety of food, drugs and medical devices — and replace hundreds of employees at the National Institutes of Health.

“FDA’s war on public health is about to end,” he wrote on X in late October, adding that includes its “aggressive suppression” of psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, sunshine, and other items.

 

 

“If you work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system, I have two messages for you: 1. Preserve your records, and 2. Pack your bags,” he wrote.

In early November, he said he would recommend fluoride be removed from public water supplies, falsely claiming on X that the chemical is associated with bone fractures and cancer.

In a New York Times opinion article published in September, Kennedy criticised the popular Novo Nordisk weight loss drug Ozempic, saying, “Instead of fixing our food system and addressing the obesity crisis at its root, the author focuses on a drug that may palliate the symptom and gladden the wallets of distant Big Pharma execs.”

 

 

Dr Ashish Jha, former White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator and dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, said: “Most people don’t realise this is not about fluoride in water, or even vaccines, as important as they are. The HHS Secretary oversees Medicare. He and his appointees will decide what medicines are available to the American people.”

James Capretta, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a former White House staffer under George W. Bush, said it is not clear what impact Kennedy will have but that it will not be immediate.

“There’s lots of constraints on policy-making on the agency level, even at the secretarial level,” he said.

Shares of vaccine makers including Pfizer Inc and Moderna fell after news of Kennedy’s appointment and were down in after-hours trading by as much as 2pc.

Kennedy has been criticised for making false medical claims, including that vaccines are linked to autism. He opposed state and federal restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic and was accused of spreading misinformation about the virus.

He disputes the anti-vaccine tag, saying he wants more rigorous testing of vaccines instead. However, he chaired the Children’s Health Defence, a nonprofit organisation that focuses on anti-vaccine messaging.

In an interview in March, when he was still running for president, Kennedy said Americans who want a vaccine for themselves or their children would continue to have access to them if he were to be elected. But he said he doubted the efficacy of measles vaccines.

Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses and is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. It requires 95pc vaccine coverage to prevent outbreaks among populations. US coverage rates have fallen below that level among young children, the CDC said this month.

Vaccines have saved over 154m lives in the 20th century — the equivalent of six lives every minute of every year for the past 50 years, said Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert from the University of Minnesota.

“Immunisation has continued to be the single greatest contributor of any health intervention to ensuring that babies not only see their first birthdays, but they continue leading healthy lives into adulthood,” he said.

ISLAMABAD: The six-member constitutional bench on Thursday began hearing the cases, pending in the Supreme Court for years, in Court Room No 3.

The cause list for November 14 and 15 states that about 34 cases would be heard by the six-member constitutional bench led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan.

This marks the first hearing of the new bench, created under the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

Eighteen of these cases will be heard by the bench today and the remaining 16 will be heard on Friday (tomorrow).

Apart from Justice Amin, the constitutional bench comprises Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

In view of the unavailability of Justice Ayesha A Malik on November 14 and 15, a relevant committee had decided that a bench comprising all available judges shall be constituted to proceed with cases on these dates.

The bench will hear environment-related cases including the one that has been pending with the Supreme Court since 1993 as well.

A review petition against the dismissal of a case challenging the nomination of Justice Qazi Faez Isa as chief justice of the Balochistan High Court, filed by Riaz Hanif Rai Advocate, is also being heard by the bench.

The bench will also take up a plea seeking a rescheduling of the 2024 elections as it was prayed before the court that the elections should be held between February and March.

Similarly, the constitutional bench will also take up cases related to pleas seeking disqualification of lawmakers, possessing business and assets abroad besides taking up cases related to pleas seeking a ban on government servants for contracting marriages with foreign nationals as well as suo motu a case taken up by former chief justice Isa regarding use of Conventional Centre, Islamabad for private purposes.

In today’s hearing, Justice Mazhar stated that all environmental matters would be overseen, while Justice Musarrat Hilali emphasised that housing societies are being constructed everywhere in the country.

The Supreme Court noted that a letter had been received regarding plans to convert Islamabad into an industrial zone. Justice Mandokhel pointed out that environmental pollution is a nationwide issue, not limited to Islamabad, and highlighted that vehicle smoke is a major cause of pollution.

He also questioned whether efforts are being made to reduce this smoke.

During the hearing, Justice Naeem Akhtar expressed concern about the destruction of fields and farms due to housing societies and stressed that farmers need protection.

He further remarked that while nature has provided fertile land, it is being destroyed. He questioned what actions are being taken for future generations.

Justice Mandokhel remarked that the state of Punjab is evident, and that Islamabad had similar conditions just a few days ago. Justice Mazhar asked why the Environment Protection Authority is not fulfilling its role, noting that the issue has been ongoing since 1993 and needs to be resolved.

He also pointed out that the entire country is facing serious environmental challenges.

Justice Mandokhel mentioned that something being mixed into petrol is contributing to pollution. Justice Hilali raised concerns about the proliferation of poultry farms and marble factories in Mansehra, as well as the pollution affecting some of Swat’s beautiful locations.

Justice Mazhar questioned the need for institutions if the court itself has to oversee the matter.

Further, Justice Hilali pointed out that no construction can take place without the Environmental Agency’s approval, yet housing societies continue to spread despite the agency’s presence.

She also highlighted the problem of marble factories being located next to school buildings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Justice Hilali noted that officers of the Environmental Agency in Islamabad rarely leave their offices, and that smog has become a significant issue.

Justice Mandokhel asked about the causes of smog and how it can be eliminated. The Director General of the Environmental Agency reported that important actions had been taken following court orders.

Justice Afghan remarked that housing societies are replacing farms, with Lahore’s pollution now reaching Sheikhupura. He noted that Islamabad is also facing an overabundance of housing societies, which are destroying fertile land.

Justice Afghan questioned why flats are not being promoted instead of housing societies, adding that farming is being destroyed, and the environment is worsening.

The constitutional bench then requested reports from all provinces regarding measures to combat environmental pollution and postponed the hearing for three weeks at the request of the Additional Attorney General.

The court also sought information on actions taken to eliminate pollution and consolidated all related cases.

Meanwhile, the bench also dismissed the case related to narcotics on the grounds that it had become ineffective.

Similarly, the petition challenging the appointment of Qazi Jan Mohammad was also dismissed due to its ineffectiveness.

In another case, the court disposed of the petition against the appointment of Muhammad Sohail as the Director General of the Malir Development Authority.

Moreover, the review petition filed against former top judge Qazi Faez Isa’s appointment as Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court was also dismissed.