Skip to main content

Ukraine imposes sanctions on foreign suppliers of components for Russian missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that he was imposing sanctions on some foreign manufacturers of components for Russian drones and missiles used against Ukraine. "Producing this weaponry would be impossible without critical foreign components, which the Russians continue to obtain by circumventing sanctions," Zelenskiy said on X. "We are introducing new sanctions precisely against such companies – component suppliers, as well as missile and drone manufacturers. I have signed the relevant decisions". Overnight into Saturday, Russia carried out another massive attack on Ukraine, deploying over 400 drones and nearly 40 missiles of various types. Producing this weaponry would be impossible without critical foreign components, which the Russians continue to obtain by… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 8, 2026 According to two decrees published by the Ukrainian presidency, targets of the sanctions include several Ch...
Post a Comment

US body urges action as violence against religious minorities rises in India

A US government advisory body has urged Washington to press Indian authorities to hold those responsible for attacks on religious minorities accountable, citing what it described as a recent escalation in violence by Hindu nationalist mobs targeting Christians and Muslims. In a statement issued this week, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said attacks against Christians had intensified over the past two months, with January witnessing multiple incidents across several Indian states. USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler highlighted an incident in Odisha in which Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik was allegedly assaulted by a Hindu mob while conducting Sunday prayers inside a house. According to the commission, the mob accused the pastor of forced religious conversions, dragged him outside and forced him to eat cow dung. “Such attacks further justify USCIRF’s call for the US Department of State to designate India a Country of Particular Concern,” Hartzler said, referring to a designation reserved for countries accused of severe violations of religious freedom. The commission said the Odisha incident was part of a broader pattern of harassment, vandalism and violence against religious minorities. It cited reports that in Maharashtra, the homes of four Christian families were demolished after they refused to renounce their faith. In Andhra Pradesh, a minibus carrying evangelical Christians was attacked, set on fire and its passengers beaten with cricket bats and stones. Read: US religious freedom panel calls for action against India’s RAW: report In February, a separate incident in Chhattisgarh saw a Hindu mob set fire to several Muslim homes following allegations that a man had desecrated a Hindu temple, USCIRF said. Vice Chair Asif Mahmood said allegations of forced conversion were frequently used by vigilante groups to justify violence and arbitrary detention. He expressed concern over the tightening of anti-conversion laws in several Indian states, arguing that lower evidentiary standards had increased the risk of abuse. Mahmood pointed to the recent arrest of 12 Muslim men in Uttar Pradesh for praying inside a private home, adding that in some states, individuals convicted under such laws could face life sentences. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern due to what it termed “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” violations of religious freedom. The commission has since released an issue update on religious persecution in India and held a hearing in January focusing on challenges faced by Christians. India’s government has previously rejected international criticism of its human rights record, describing such assessments as biased and an interference in internal affairs.

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/Vuka0d5
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...
Post a Comment
Read more

US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

Some 16,000 US and Philippine troops kicked off the annual joint military drills on Monday in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), local media reported. WPS is the official designation by Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The 19-day exercises, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," will involve around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 US troops, making it the largest joint military drills between the two allies conducted in decades, local English daily Manila Times reported citing the military. A total of 14 nations, including Japan and India, will take part in the drills as observers amid mounting maritime tensions in the South China Sea. Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants. Read also: China urges US to stop using Philippines as a pawn to destabilise South China Sea France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine E...
Post a Comment
Read more

US, Chinese defence chiefs hold first talks since 2022

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke via video teleconference Tuesday with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in their first engagement in more than a year, the Pentagon said. They discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and global security issues, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. "During the discussion, Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of continuing to open lines of military-to-military communication between the US and the People's Republic of China. "He also underscored the importance of respect for high seas freedom of navigation guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea, and reiterated that the United States will continue to fly, sail and operate safely and responsibly wherever international law allows," Ryder added. Read also: US, China need 'tough' conversations, Yellen tells Chinese premier Austin reiterated that the US remains committed to its One China Policy, which is guide...
Post a Comment
Read more