Zelenskyy asks EU for more weapons

BRUSSELS, FEB 9 (AP): Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy on Thursday addressed the European Parliament as he seeks more military aid, saying Ukraine and the European Union are fighting together against Russia — in his words “the most anti-European force” in the world.

Zelenskyy received standing ovations before, during and after his speech to European lawmakers. He held up an EU flag after his address and the entire legislature stood in sombre silence as the Ukrainian national anthem and then European anthem “Ode to Joy” were played.

“Europe will always be, and remain Europe as long as we are together and as long as we take care of our Europe, as we take care of the European way of life,” he said.

Zelenskyy added that Russia wants to destroy the European way of life, but “we will not allow that.”

Before Zelenskyy spoke, European Parliament President Roberta

Metsola said allies should consider “quickly, as a next step, providing long range systems” and fighter jets to Ukraine. Metsola said the response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine “must be proportional to the threat, and the threat is existential.” Zelenskyy’s highprofile pursuit of more Western military aid came as evidence mounted that Russia’s anticipated offensive around the anniversary of the invasion is starting to take shape.

The Kremlin’s forces “have regained the initiative in Ukraine and have begun their next major offensive” in the eastern Luhansk region, most of which is occupied by Russia, the Institute for the Study of War, said in its latest assessment.

“Russian forces are gradually beginning an offensive, but its success is not inherent or predetermined,” the US-based think tank said.

Zelenskyy is wrapping up a whirlwind tour of his major European backers, already heading home with heaps of goodwill, promises of more military aid and, as hardware goes, France’s highest medal of honour.

Zelenskyy arrived at the European Union’s legislature in Brussels on Thursday. The Ukrainian anthem was played at the protocol entrance, followed by the European anthem.

The bloc’s 27 leaders were hoping to impress on the president that the powerful bloc is steadfast in its support of embattled Ukraine as Russia is feared to be making moves for a new offensive around the February 24 one-year anniversary of the war.

Flying in from Paris with President Emmanuel Macron, who honoured him with the Grand Cross of France’s Legion of Honor, Zelenskyy will be stepping up from a half-dozen video addresses to the EU leaders over the past year to use his impressive aura and oratory skills in person to make sure that nothing stalls in Europe’s unwavering backing.

“The European Union will stand by Ukraine with steadfast support for as long as it takes,” said the latest draft of the summit conclusions seen by The Associated Press.

Earthquake stuns Syria’s Aleppo even after war’s horrors

BEIRUT, FEB 9 (AP): For years, the people of Aleppo bore the brunt of bombardment and fighting when their city, once Syria’s largest and most cosmopolitan, was among the civil war’s fiercest battle zones. Even that didn’t prepare them for the new devastation and terror wreaked by this week’s earthquake.

The natural disaster piled on many humanmade ones, multiplying the suffering in Aleppo and Syria more broadly.

Fighting largely halted in Aleppo in 2016, but only a small number of the numerous damaged and destroyed buildings had been rebuilt. The population has also more recently struggled with Syria’s economic downslide, which has sent food prices soaring and residents thrown into poverty. The shock of the quake is all too much.

Hovig Shehrian said that during the worst of the war in Aleppo, in 2014, he and his parents fled their

Beijing calls US claims over balloons ‘information warfare’

BEIJING, FEB 9 (AP): China on Thursday said US accusations that a downed Chinese balloon was part of an extensive surveillance programme amount to “information warfare against China.”

The Pentagon on Wednesday said the Chinese balloon shot down off the South Carolina coast Saturday was part of a programme involving a number of such airships that China has been operating for “several years.”

At Thursday’s daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning re - peated China’s insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had accidentally blown off course and that the US had “overreacted” by shooting it down.

“It is irresponsible,” Mao said at a daily briefing. The latest accusations “may be part of the US side’s information warfare against China.”

US officials have dismissed China’s claims and agents from the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are cataloguing debris recovered from the ocean and transporting it for

MOSCOW, FEB 9 (AP): Russia-US relations are in a state of “unprecedented crisis” without any sign of improvement, a senior Russian diplomat said Thursday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov argued that the White House’s emphasis on increasing weapons supplies to Ukraine to ensure Russia’s defeat leaves no room for diplomacy.

“I don’t see any prospect for a productive political and diplomatic process,” Ryabkov said at a briefing. “We have a very deep and unprecedented crisis in Russia-US relations. The Biden administration has driven them into a deadlock.”

Ryabkov warned that the US and its allies must carefully assess the risks stemming from supplying increasingly powerful Western weapons to Ukraine.

“The Americans need to thoroughly and deeply weigh the risks linked to their unabashedly cavalier course,” he said.

Ryabkov noted that Moscow doesn’t trust Western statements about selfimposed restrictions on a

Sergei Ryabkov

range of weapons supplied to Ukraine in order to avoid escalation, adding that such assurances in the past have served as cover for a steady expansion of the assortment of arms deliveries.

“We don’t see any sign of reason in any of the NATO and EU members’ capitals,” Ryabkov said. “What they are doing isn’t going to strengthen their security.”

He rejected the US argument that Russia’s refusal to allow the resumption of inspections of its nuclear facilities represents a breach of the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact between the two countries.

The New START treaty, signed in 2010 by President Barack Obama and

Kim Jong Un’s daughter appears at military parade; sparks succession talk

SEOUL, FEB 9 (AGENCIES): North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a grand night time parade organised by the country’s military, where it showcased its largest number of intercontinental ballistic missiles. ABC News reported that the parade was held at Kim Il-Sung Square, in central Pyongyang, with over 30,000 soldiers participating. But the centre of attention was Kim’s daughter, which ABC News said is nine-year-old Kim Ju Ae, reports world news. The girl has been spotted in several important military related events since November last year, raising speculations that she may be the future of Pyongyang’s leadership.

“Kim Jong Un seems to be taking advantage of the international attention from the public whenever he brings his daughter to military photo ops,” Professor Park Won-gon of Ewha Womans University, told

ABC News. “She also has a symbolic significance as the next generation, as Kim Jong Un has been referring to its ICBM Hwasong-17 as a source of well-being and happiness of the next generation.” further processing. When similar balloons passed over US territory on four occasions during the Trump and Biden administrations, the US did not immediately identify them as Chinese surveillance balloons, said Brig Gen

Ju Ae even inspected a guard of honour alongside her father. The photos were also beamed live by state television during the broadcast of the military parade. For years, North Korean state media never mentioned Kim’s children, although Seoul’s spy agency has said he has three with his wife. They are believed to be aged around 13, 10 and six.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers. The agreement envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance.

Just days before the treaty was due to expire in February 2021, Russia and the United States agreed to extend it for another five years.

Russia and the US have suspended mutual inspections under New START since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Moscow last fall refused to allow their resumption, raising uncertainty about the pact’s future. The US State Department last week said that Russia’s refusal to allow the inspections “prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control.” It noted that nothing prevents Russian inspectors from conducting inspections of the US facilities.

Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary. But he said “subsequent intelligence analysis” allowed the US to confirm they were part of a Chinese spying effort and learn “a lot more” about the programme.

“I can assure you this was not for civilian purposes ... We are 100 per cent clear about that,” Ryder said.

Top administration officials were briefing members of Congress on the Chinese balloon surveillance program in classified sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.

COLOMBO, FEB 9 (PTI): President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday said Sri Lanka was in the final stages of negotiations with the IMF on the muchawaited USD 2.9 billion bailout package that could help the debt-trapped island nation recover from the unprecedented economic crisis. Wickremesinghe also said that his government was having “direct discussions” with Beijing to restructure the country’s debts with China. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September last year approved Sri Lanka the USD 2.9 billion bailout package for over 4 years pending the island nation’s ability to restructure its debt with creditors -- both bilateral and sovereign bond holders.

By the end of June 2022, Sri Lanka owed nearly USD 40 billion to bilateral, multilateral and commercial loans, according to the figures released by the Sri Lankan Treasury. With assurances from creditors, the USD 2.9 billion facility could get the IMF board approval in March, officials said.

Office Of the KACHARIGAON (PHEVIMA) VILLAGE COUNCIL

Dimapur - 797112 : Nagaland.

ORD. No. eStD 02-02-1939 : Lt c.R. PAWSeY, D.c. NAGA hiLLS.

AcKNOWLeDGeMeNt

The Village Council of Kacharigaon (Phevima) Village and the Village Development Board extend our gratefulness to Shri. Moatoshi Longkumer, Hon'ble MLA 2 Dmr II Assembly Constituency for Constructing Cement Concrete Road in our village main approach road under LADP 2022-23.

The Village Council and VDB acknowledge his good works and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

Sd/- Sd/Secretary Chairman home in a front-line area because of the shelling and sniper fire. For years, they moved from neighborhood to neighborhood to avoid the fighting.

“It was part of our daily routine. Whenever we heard a sound, we left, we knew who to call and what to do,” the 24-year-old said. “But … we didn’t know what to do with the earthquake. I was worried we were going to die.”

Monday’s pre-dawn 7.8-magnitude quake, cen- tered about 70 miles (112 kilometers) away in Turkey, jolted Aleppans awake and sent them fleeing into the street under a cold winter rain. Dozens of buildings across the city collapsed. More than 360 people were killed in the city and hundreds of others were injured. Workers were still digging three days later through the rubble, looking for the dead and the survivors. Across southern Turkey and northern Syria, more than 11,000 were killed.

CBC 03110/12/0013/2223

Declaration

I, Shri. PANGJUNG JAMIR intend to contest in the upcoming General Election to be held on 27.02.2023 from 21st Tuli A/C from the National Party named as Bharatiya Janata Party. My fellow Brothers and Sisters of Nagaland, I do hereby declare a fact that the National Investigation Agency has registered against me a case being case no. RC 1/16 and has filed a charge sheet against me under section 39 and 40 of Unlawful Activities Prevention ACT, 1967 before the learned Special Judge, NIA Dimapur since I am innocent and a victim of circumstances, I have challenged the entire case before the Hon’ble High Court at Kohima and the Hon’ble High Court after hearing me was pleased to stay the proceedings against me initiated by National Investigation Agency vide order dated 06.08.2018. DB-182/23

Public Information

As the NPF party has not fielded a candidate for the upcoming 14 NLA general election in the 27 Mokokchung Town AC, we the undersigned NPF party members have unanimously decided to fully and unconditionally support the NDPP candidate and incumbent MLA from 27 Mokokchung Town AC Shri. Metsubo Jamir.

1. Sanglipong - President 27 Mokokchung Town AC

2. Nganshi Pongen - General Secretary 27 Mokokchung Town AC

3. Temsükaba - Vice President 27 Mokokchung Town AC

4. Sashiwati - Vice President Mokokchung Division

5. Bendangzulu - General Secretary Mokokchung Division

6. Alichang - Secretary Youth Wing Mokokchung Division

7. Lanuangshi - President Aongza Unit

8. Lanuyanger - General Secretary Aongza Unit

9. Yimyangluba - Vice President Youth Wing 27 Mokokchung Town AC

10. Yimkummeren - Vice President Youth Wing

11. Limakumzuk - Member

12. Imjungmeren - Member

13. Chujangmeren - Member DC -138/23

Office Of the 26 Aonglenden Mandal

BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY headquarters: Mokoklchung – 798601

Letter Of Resignation

We the supporters of Shri. Toshipokba Longkumer. The BJP Aonglenden Constituency of various frontal organizations hereby tender our resignation to support Toshipokba Longkumer the son of soil who loves the people of 26 Aonglenden and Naga as a whole. He was denied the BJP ticket despite our relentless effort and his support through thick and thin accumulating the favourism and membership to strengthen the party and set up a nominal candidate for the Mokokchung district.

It is with a heavy heart that we tender our resignation because we love the party and we performed the best among the Mokokchung Constituencies but the voice of the Karyakartas were not heard and delivered.

Following are the names of the Members (244) who resigned from BJP 26 Aonglenden Mandal: i. From Mandal Office led by Vice-President and General Secretary 32 members resigned. ii. From ST Morcha led by President and General Secretary 30 members resigned. iii. From Yuva Morcha led by President and General Secretary 28 members resigned. iv. From Kisan Morcha led by President 14 members resigned. v. From Mahila led by General Secretary 9 members resigned. vi. From Minority Morcha led by President and General Secretary 30 members resigned. vii. From booth level committee 111 members resigned. viii.From IT Cell 2 members resigned. ix. From Shakti Kendras 4 members resigned. x. From Ex-Servicemen 1 members resigned.