Russia violated arms treaty by testing cruise missile, says US
Washington, July 29
Russia has violated the landmark 1987 nuclear missile treaty by testing a new ground-launched cruise missile, the US has said, describing it as a "very serious matter".



US President Ronald Reagan (R) with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev after signing the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty to eliminate intermediate-range missiles, in Washington in this December 8, 1987. AP/PTI

Karzai’s cousin killed in Afghan suicide attack
Kabul, July 29
President Hamid Karzai's powerful cousin, a close ally of presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani, was killed on Tuesday in a suicide bomb attack at his home, the governor's office in the southern province of Kandahar said.

44 killed in Ukraine govt offensive
Kiev, July 29
Ukrainian government troops over the past 24 hours heavily bombarded two key rebel cities under siege in eastern Ukraine, Gorlovka and Donetsk, killing 44 civilians and forcing government offices to be evacuated.

China defends presence in PoK
Beijing, July 29
China on Tuesday defended the presence of its personnel in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying they were not targeted against any country but are only involved in "cooperative activities" to improve the livelihood of local people.

Dozens killed in Xinjiang terror attack 
Beijing, July 29
Dozens of civilians were killed or wounded in a major terror attack by knife-wielding extremists in China’s restive Xinjiang province, the police said today.

Gaza/Jerusalem, July 29
Israel knocked out Gaza's only power plant, flattened the home of its Islamist Hamas political leader and pounded dozens of other high-profile targets in the enclave on Tuesday, with no end in sight to more than three weeks of conflict.

Health officials said at least 79 Palestinians were killed in some of heaviest bombardments from air, sea and land since the Israeli offensive began in response to Hamas rocket fire.

The Israeli assault intensified following the deaths of 10 Israeli soldiers in cross-border attacks on Monday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of a long conflict ahead.

Thick black smoke rose from blazing fuel tanks at the power station that supplies up to two-thirds of Gaza's energy needs.

The local energy authority said initial damage assessments suggested the plant could be out of action for a year.

Electricity was cut to the city of Gaza and many other parts of the Hamas-dominated territory after what officials said was Israeli tank shelling of the tanks containing some 3 million cubic litres of diesel fuel.

"The power plant is finished," said its director, Mohammed al-Sharif. An Israeli military spokeswoman had no immediate comment and said she was checking the report.

Gaza City municipality said damage to the station could halt many of the area's water pumps, and it urged residents to ration water consumption. Gazans who have had a few hours electricity a day since the conflict began now face months without power.

A number of rockets were fired from Gaza toward southern and central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area. At least one was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system. No casualties or damage were reported.

Outside pressure has been building on Netanyahu to rein in his forces. Both U.S. President Barack Obama and the U.N.

Security Council have called for an immediate ceasefire to allow relief to reach Gaza's 1.8 million Palestinians, followed by negotiations on a more durable end to hostilities. — Reuters

The Pakistan army is poised for a major reshuffle at the top as at least five senior Generals will retire in October this year. This will be one of the major reshuffles in the army’s top brass in recent years.

Those who are set to retire in October this year include Corps Commander Peshawar Lt General Khalid Rabbani, Corps Commander Mangla Lt General Tariq Khan, Corps Commander Karachi Lt General Sajjad Ghani and Corps Commander Gujranwala Lt General Salim Nawaz. All will doff their uniform on October 1.

But the retirement of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt General Zaheerul Islam, also due in October, is being seen as the most crucial development.

One security official dispelled speculation about any differences between the ISI chief and the government triggered by the absence of Lt General Zaheerul Islam from recent meetings with the political leadership.

He pointed out that Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam might have skipped the meetings in line with his strategy to keep a low profile due to the ongoing ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ military operation in North Waziristan Agency.

The retirement of the DG ISI would no doubt test the skills of the Prime Minister, who has the authority to appoint the spy chief, although it appears difficult to think the federal government will take a decision without the army chief’s consent.

Washington, July 29
Russia has violated the landmark 1987 nuclear missile treaty by testing a new ground-launched cruise missile, the US has said, describing it as a "very serious matter".

President Barack Obama yesterday wrote a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, in this regard.

Secretary of State John Kerry also spoke with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, a day earlier on Sunday.

"The US has determined that the Russian Federation is in violation of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty," a senior administration official said.

"More specifically, the 2014 Compliance Report includes a determination that the Russian Federation is in violation of its INF Treaty obligations not to possess, produce, or flight-test a ground-launched cruise missile with a range capability of 500 to 5,500 kilometres, or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The issue was first reported by the New York Times.

Signed by the then President Ronald Reagan with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, the INF Treaty prohibits the development, testing, possession, and deployment of INF-range (500- to 5,500-kilometre) ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles.

The landmark treaty has been lauded often as an example of successful arms control because it eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons. "This violation is a very serious matter which we have attempted to address with Russia for some time now, the official said adding that the US is committed to the viability of the INF Treaty. We encourage Russia to return to compliance with its obligations under the treaty," the official said.

The Obama administration has kept the Congress and top American allies informed of this matter, the official noted.

"The INF Treaty serves the mutual security interests of the parties, not only the US and Russia, but also the 11 other successor states of the former Soviet Union, which are also States Parties to the Treaty and bound by its obligations," the official said. — PTI 

Kabul, July 29
President Hamid Karzai's powerful cousin, a close ally of presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani, was killed on Tuesday in a suicide bomb attack at his home, the governor's office in the southern province of Kandahar said.

Hashmat Karzai was hosting an event for the Eid al-Fitr holiday at his home in the province when a man posing as a guest set off hidden explosives as Karzai greeted him, the governor's office said.

The attack comes as the country is caught in a political deadlock over a disputed election to replace Hamid Karzai as president.

A spokesman for the provincial governor said the bomber had been well dressed. "His style was very modern, everything was new, and when he came to talk with Hashmat Khalil and wish him a happy Eid, he blew himself up," the spokesman said. There was no claim of responsibility.

Ghani, a former finance minister, and his rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, say the vote was marred by fraud, and the United Nations has sent a team of observers to oversee an audit of the ballot. The new president had been due to be sworn in next month.

Ghani, a former World Bank official, condemned the killing of his adviser. "(We) condemn this act, of the enemies of AFG, in the strongest terms," Ghani wrote on Twitter. No one else was killed and security agents were investigating, the governor's office said.

The two candidates agreed to an audit of all the vote's cast in a second round run-off after US Secretary of State John Kerry brokered a deal, but the process is moving slowly, bogged down by frequent disagreements. — Reuters

Beijing, July 29
China on Tuesday defended the presence of its personnel in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying they were not targeted against any country but are only involved in "cooperative activities" to improve the livelihood of local people.

Reacting to Defence Minister Arun Jaitley's comments in Parliament that India has conveyed its concerns to China about the presence of Chinese personnel in PoK, the foreign ministry said Kashmir issue was a left over from history and it should be resolved between India and Pakistan. "China's relevant cooperative activities in Pakistan administered Kashmir are focused on local peoples' livelihood and not targeted at any third party," it said. — PTI

Beijing, July 29
Dozens of civilians were killed or wounded in a major terror attack by knife-wielding extremists in China’s restive Xinjiang province, the police said today.

A gang armed with knives attacked a police station and government offices in Elixku Township in Shache County, Kashgar Prefecture. Some of the attackers then moved on to the nearby Huangdi Township, attacking civilians and smashing vehicles as they passed.

Dozens of Uighur and Han civilians were killed or injured in yesterday’s attack, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Police officers at the scene shot dead dozens of members of the knife-wielding gang.

Thirty one cars were vandalised, including six which were set on fire.

Initial investigation showed that it was a premeditated terror attack, the report said.

Xinjiang, home to Uighur Muslims, is in turmoil over the increasing settlements of Han Chinese from other parts of the country. The violence has now spread to other parts of China.

Uighurs are a Turkic-speaking Muslims with ethnic fraternity in Turkey, bordering Syria. Beijing accuses Al-Qaida backed East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which had bases in Pakistan’s tribal areas, for the unrest in the region.

Chinese security forces launched an-year-long crackdown against the militants after a spate of bomb attacks in Urumqi, provincial capital of Xinjiang which border PoK. — PTI