Russia says hundreds of Ukrainians surrender at Azovstal, Kyiv urges swap

Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers who held off Russian fighters at the besieged Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol have surrendered, Moscow said Tuesday, as Kyiv called for an immediate prisoner swap.

The strategic port city fell to Russian forces last month, but a relentless Ukrainian military unit held out in the maze of tunnels under the plant, hailed as heroes and celebrated for stalling Moscow s invasion.

On Tuesday, 265 of them were taken into Russian captivity, including 51 who were heavily wounded, the Russian defence ministry said.

The ministry, which published images showing soldiers on stretchers, said the injured were transported to a hospital in the eastern Donetsk region controlled by pro-Kremlin rebels.

The defence ministry in Kyiv said it was hoping for an "exchange procedure... to repatriate these Ukrainian heroes as quickly as possible".

The government would do "everything necessary" to rescue the undisclosed number of personnel still holed up in the Soviet-era bunkers, the ministry said, but admitted there was no military option available.

The fate of the captured Ukrainians was unclear Tuesday, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refusing to say whether they would be treated as criminals or prisoners of war.

President Vladimir Putin "guaranteed that they would be treated according to the relevant international laws," Peskov said.

Trust between the two sides is in short supply, with Kyiv saying negotiations on ending the three-month conflict were on hold, blaming Moscow for a refusal to compromise.

Russian forces stand accused of committing war crimes during a conflict that has left thousands dead and forced millions to flee their homes.

These include the summary killing of civilians in places like Bucha, a small town outside of Kyiv, where AFP reporters witnessed bodies abandoned in the streets by retreating Russian invaders.

The International Criminal Court said Tuesday it was deploying its largest-ever field team to Ukraine, with 42 investigators, forensic experts and support staff being sent into the field to gather evidence of alleged crimes.

And the US State Department also announced it was creating a special unit to research, document and publicise Russian war crimes.

The Conflict Observatory will "capture, analyse, and make widely available evidence of Russia-perpetrated war crimes and other atrocities in Ukraine," the department said.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/Pgy0rRw

Maulana Fazlur Rehman called Asif Zardari to discuss economic crisis

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday called on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Accordinf to sources, Maulana Fazlur Rehman reached Zardari House in Islamabad to discuss current political situation in the country with former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Sources further said that the two leaders also discussed electoral reforms and overcoming the current economic crisis faced by the country during the meeting.

It is pertinent to mention here that Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Asif Ali Zardari had earlier attended the coalition parties held to discuss the situation appeared after the apex court’s decision regarding the interpretation of Article 63A. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

It was decided in the meeting that immediate legal opinion should be taken on the decision of the Supreme Court and electoral reforms for the next elections should be completed soon.

The allies suggested that the economic team should take immediate steps to stabilize the value of the rupee and finalize the IMF program for the betterment of the economy.

Coalition leaders also pledged to support the government s tough decisions to improve the economy.

It was discussed in the meeting that they are ready to deal with the possible political crisis in Punjab after the apex court verdict.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/b6wET79

Main accused, accomplice killed in Karachi Saddar blast

Main accused involved in Karachi Saddar bomb blast along with his accomplice has been killed in encounter with intelligence agencies and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel in Karachi in the wee hours of Wednesda.

According to details, intelligence agencies and CTD conducted a joint operation in Maripur area of Karachi during which terrorists present in the area opened fire. The law enforcement agencies returned the fire due to which two terrorists were killed.

According to CTD spokesperson, the killed terrorists were identified as Allah Dino and Nawab and belonged to a banned organization. The spokesperson also informed that two other terrorists managed to escape from the scene.

It is worth mentioning here that one person was killed and 13 other were injured in the powerful bomb blast in Karachi’s Saddar on Thursday in which 2.5-kilogram explosive material was under as per the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) findings.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/DH3s5iw

Pakistan reports 66 COVID-19 cases, no death in 24 hours

Pakistan has reported no death in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has risen to 1,529,469. The nationwide tally of fatalities stands at 30,378 on Wednesday.

According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 66 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across the country in the past 24 hours.

Pakistan has conducted 16,306 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 66 persons were tested positive for the disease. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0.40 percent.

from Latest Pakistan News - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/xgOCHau

Pakistan reports 66 COVID-19 cases, no death in 24 hours

Pakistan has reported no death in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has risen to 1,529,469. The nationwide tally of fatalities stands at 30,378 on Wednesday.

According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 66 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across the country in the past 24 hours.

Pakistan has conducted 16,306 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 66 persons were tested positive for the disease. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0.40 percent.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/xgOCHau

Pakistan reports 52 COVID-19 cases, two deaths in 24 hours

Pakistan has reported two deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus as the number of positive cases has risen to 1,529,403. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped 30,378 on Tuesday.

According to the latest figures by the National Institute of Health (NIH), at least 52 persons were tested positive for COVID-19 across the country in the past 24 hours.

Read more: Four new COVID-19 cases reports in Balochistan in last 24 hours

Pakistan has conducted 14,238 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 52 persons were tested positive for the disease. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0.37 percent.

from latest-news - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/SWRn47H

PM Shehbaz summons federal cabinet meeting to discuss economic situation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned the federal cabinet meeting to be held today (Tuesday) in Islamabad to discuss economic and political situation in the country.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the federal cabinet meeting to be held at the Prime Minister’s office at 10:30am. The cabinet will discuss a five-point agenda during the meeting.

According to sources, a directory report on retirement will be presented in the cabinet meeting while the meeting will give approval to the issuance of honorary note on the 75th anniversary of Pakistan.

The cabinet will be briefed on the situation of imports, exports and trade balance in the country. Sources further informed that the cabinet will also review software export and IT growth rate.

The cabinet will also ratify the decisions of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

from Latest Pakistan News - SUCH TV https://ift.tt/uEhIgeP