27 july: Banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chief Yasin Malik has fallen ill and has been shifted to a hospital from Delhi’s Tihar Jail where he was on a hunger strike for past many days.

As per the news report ,Yasin Malik has been shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi this evening by authorities after he remained on hunger strike since 22 July.

Malik has stopped eating food since 22 July alleging that his case was not being investigated properly.

“Malik have refused to eat on Friday and declared an indefinite hunger strike. Initially, the jail officials met with him and tried to convince him to end his hunger strike, but he categorically refused. From 24 July, he was on intravenous fluid,” reports said.

Malik is in custody since 2019 when NIA arrested him in a terror funding case. On May 25, he was convicted by the court after he accepted the charges levelled against him. After being convicted in one case, he is currently facing trial in the Rubaiya kidnapping case.

A 7-magnitude earthquake that shook the Philippines’ main island of Luzon on Wednesday left at least two people dead and about 30 others injured.

One person has been reported dead in Benguet province in the northern Philippines, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). At least five injuries were recorded by local officials in the province of Benguet.

A 25-year-old man was also murdered, according to Jocelyn Bernos, the governor of the province of Abra, after being pinned under a concrete slab in Bangued. According to what she said in a radio broadcast, at least 25 people had minor earthquake injuries, according to the Xinhua news agency.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), a 7-magnitude earthquake shook the northern Philippine province of Abra at 8:43 in the morning local time (0043 GMT).

The epicenter was the village of Lagangilang, and the institution first recorded the magnitude as 7.3. An amended report said that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 17 kilometers and relocated the epicenter to Tayum town.

Many regions of the main Luzon Island felt the tremor, including Metro Manila, where tall structures shook and rail service was disrupted. Numerous other provinces, including as Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Bulacan, Laguna, and Cavite, also felt it.

In the capital region, panicked employees in offices, including the presidential palace, ran out of the buildings.

Mayor of La Paz town in Abra province Joseph Bernos said the quake damaged many concrete houses, buildings and infrastructure in the province. “I received reports that there were massive damages in our province,” he told a radio interview, adding that some buildings at the University of Abra were also damaged.

In Ilocos Sur province’s Vigan City, a popular tourist destination noted for its restored Spanish colonial and Asian architecture on the west coast of Luzon island, the tremor also caused damage to century-old buildings.

The important route that connects Baguio City to Manila, also in the northern Philippines, known as Kennon Road, was reportedly blocked while the extent of the damage was being determined.

The destroyed area will be visited by Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos later on Wednesday, according to his press secretary Rose Beatrix Cruz-Angeles.

Chief PHIVOLCs Renato Solidum issued a warning that the tectonic earthquake would set off aftershocks and potentially result in harm like landslides. He exhorted the populace and the local government representatives to exercise caution.

“Make sure to inspect the buildings for cracks and watch out for landslides, especially when it rains,” he told a news conference, urging villagers to leave areas prone to landslides.

The Philippines has frequent seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”

On July 16, 1990, northern Luzon was shaken by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that caused a 125-km-long ground rupture that stretched from Aurora province to Nueva Vizcaya, killing around 1,200 people and damaged scores of buildings and houses.
(with inputs from IANS)

During the bloody armed protests, 2 BSF members of the UN Peace Keeping Contingent (MONUSCO) stationed in Butembo, Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo, died from their injuries.

Following are the places concerned with the attack:

(1) Goma – Place of armed attack. 2 Platoons of India deployed here. 2 deaths took place here.
For last 90 mins, situation peaceful.
Nepal and Morocco Army personnel have reached spot. Bodies of 2 Indians airlifted to Beni.

(2) Beni – Place has been peaceful. These are Hqrs of Indian contingent. 1 Indian BSF platoon deployed here .
Bodies of 2 Indian soldiers airlifted and brought here.

Locals in the DR of Congo had called for protests and agitation against MONUSCO. The call covered the entire week beginning on Monday.

The situation turned violent in Goma (about 350 Km South of Beni and a big MONUSCO base ) with looting and setting fire to UN property.

Both Beni and Butembo (02 BSF platoons are deployed there on detachment since 02 Jun 2022) were on high alert. Monday though passed off peacefully.

However, today the situation in Butembo turned violent. The camp of Morroco Rapid Deployment where BSF platoons are stationed was surrounded by demonstrators.

Congolese Police (PNC) and Congolese Army (FARDC) troops arrived but could not control the crowd estimated to be over 500 people.

Initially stone pelting was done by them. To contain the situation MORRDB troops fired in air and BSF troops fired tear smoke amn to disperse the crowd but they managed to breach the perimeter wall at three different places.

The crowd was repelled but they gathered again. There were reports that armed rebels had infiltrated the demonstrators. The second attack was more fierce and was accompanied by fire from small arms (automatics).

Morrocan and Indian troops fired in self defence. Sporadic firing still going on.

2 BSF personnel succumbed to fatal injuries. MORRDB also suffered one fatality and 01 IPOs sustained gun shot injury. Reinforcements of UN Force (Army component) on their way.

NEW DELHI, July 26: The Defence Ministry on July 26 approved the procurement of military equipment and weapons worth ₹28,000 crore, which included swarm drones, carbines and bulletproof jackets.
The procurement proposals were cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
“The Acceptance of Necessity [AoN] for capital acquisition proposals of the armed forces amounting to ₹28,732 crore were accorded by the DAC,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
The approval to the new procurement proposals came amid India’s over two-year-long border row with China in eastern Ladakh.
The ministry said approval to procure four lakh close quarter battle carbines was granted to combat the “current complex paradigm of conventional and hybrid warfare”.
“This is set to provide a major impetus to the small arms manufacturing industry in India and enhancing AtmaNirbharta [self-reliance] in small arms,” the ministry said.
“Considering the demand of enhanced protection against the threat of enemy snipers to our troops deployed along the Line of Control, and in close combat operations in counter-terrorism scenario, the DAC accorded AoN for bulletproof jackets with Indian Standard BIS VI level of protection,” it said. (Agencies)