NORTH KOREA’S KIM ARRIVES IN RUSSIA TO MEET WITH PUTIN

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. This marks his first foreign trip since the pandemic. Kim's visit has raised concerns about a potential arms deal between North Korea and Russia that could support Moscow's actions in Ukraine. While the meeting's location remains unspecified, Putin is attending the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, near the North Korean border. Experts suggest that Russia may seek artillery shells and antitank missiles from North Korea in exchange for advanced satellite and nuclear-powered submarine technology. The White House has warned of consequences if North Korea supplies Russia with weaponry for the conflict in Ukraine. Despite these warnings, Kim embarked on his journey to Russia. The two leaders are expected to discuss sensitive military cooperation areas. Kim is accompanied by top military officials, indicating a focus on potential military cooperation during the summit.

UKRAINE LAUNCHES MISSILE ATTACK ON CRIMEA, RUSSIA SAYS

Russia says Ukraine has launched 10 missiles and three unmanned boats in an attack on the home of its Black Sea fleet in Crimea.

The attack caused a large fire at a Sevastopol shipyard which left 24 people injured, Russia said.

Moscow-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev claimed most of the weapons were intercepted.

Russia said two of its ships were damaged as a result of hits by cruise missiles.

A photo shared by Mr Razvozhayev on Telegram shows flames engulfing what appears to be a vessel at a port as he stands speaking into his phone.

It is thought to be in an area where ships were undergoing repairs but it is unclear if any vessels in dry dock, including a submarine, have been damaged.

Images circulating on social media, which the BBC has yet to verify, show several large explosions in the area.

The fact that some missiles got through Russia's air defences and appear to have done substantial damage will be of real concern in Moscow.

Seven of the missiles were downed and all three unmanned boats were destroyed, the country's defence ministry claimed. Ukraine has not yet commented on the Crimea attack.

5K DEAD, 10K MISSING IN LIBYA FLOODS

In Libya, over 5,000 people have been killed, and over 10,000 are missing due to torrential rains causing two dams to burst near Derna. This disaster has devastated the city and caused entire neighborhoods to be washed into the sea. Libya, a nation already divided by war, was unprepared for the storm named Daniel, which severely affected its coastline. The country's infrastructure had deteriorated due to years of political chaos and was further complicated by its two rival governments. In Derna alone, 5,200 people have died, and 20,000 are displaced. The death toll is expected to rise as thousands remain missing. The flooding has caused significant damage, making it challenging to access the affected areas. Multiple cities, including Benghazi, were also affected. International aid efforts are underway, but Libya's ongoing issues, including political division, economic instability, corruption, environmental degradation, and poor infrastructure, all contributed to this catastrophe following the dam collapses. This disaster comes shortly after an earthquake in Morocco claimed over 2,900 lives.

HOUSE PANEL OPENS IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO BIDEN OVER FAMILY BIZ

Washington : US Speaker Kevin McCarthy has directed top congressional Republicans to initiate an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, bypassing GOP divisions and seeking to appease far-right lawmakers amid a spending dispute. McCarthy assigned three committees - Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means - to conduct the inquiry, with the aim of uncovering evidence of financial misconduct or corruption by the president and his family. This move represents a significant shift in McCarthy's strategy, as he previously indicated that he believed the full House should vote on whether to proceed with an impeachment inquiry. McCarthy's decision not to seek such a vote acknowledges divisions among Republicans and the lack of evidence tying Hunter Biden's business dealings to his father or alleging high crimes and misdemeanors. McCarthy accused President Biden of lying about his knowledge of his son's business activities and raised questions about the family's overseas earnings. If an impeachment inquiry is approved, House investigators would subpoena bank records related to the president and his family. Democrats have been preparing their defense of the president, emphasizing that the existing evidence does not implicate President Biden in any wrongdoing.

IT’S US VS GOOGLE IN ANTITRUST TRIAL

Washington : The US Department of Justice has accused Google of exploiting its dominance in the internet search market to stifle competition and innovation, marking the start of the largest US antitrust trial in 25 years. Over the next 10 weeks, federal and state attorneys will aim to demonstrate that Google manipulated the market by making its search engine the default choice on various platforms and devices. US District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to issue a ruling early next year, potentially leading to another trial to determine corrective actions. Google and Alphabet Inc. executives, including CEO Sundar Pichai, may testify during the trial. The lawsuit, filed almost three years ago, alleges that Google pays billions to maintain its default search engine status on devices like iPhones and browsers like Safari and Firefox, creating an unfair advantage that stifles competition. The Justice Department contends that Google's actions have led to a feedback loop that strengthens its market dominance. Google's attorney countered that consumers can easily switch search engines if dissatisfied, and the company's popularity is due to the quality of its services. The case is reminiscent of the 1998 lawsuit against Microsoft for forcing computer makers to include Internet Explorer with the Windows operating system.

UPHOLDING BENAZIR COUP CONVICTIONS, PAK SC THROWS OUT EX-ARMY DUO’S PLEA

Islamabad : Pakistan’s Supreme Court dismissed on Tuesday pleas by two former army officers against convictions for plotting to overthrow the Benazir Bhuttoled government in 1995 and upheld their sentences. Colonels Mohammad Azad Minhas and Inayat Ullah Khan were arrested in September 1995 along with scores of others in the failed coup, sacked and sentenced to four years in 1996, with their properties confiscated.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar said in his order that the two former officers were rightly dealt with under the Army Act, and their argument that the action against them was malafide had “no legal justification”. He also observed that the two had moved court after over 27 years, could not give “sufficient reason as to why they remained silent” for so long and pointed out that on this score alone, their “petitions are liable to be dismissed”.

Thirty-eight army officers were charged for plotting to storm a corps commanders meeting in 1995 at the Army’s General Headquarters. It was claimed that they had planned to assassinate Bhutto, top cabinet ministers and the military brass to bring about a “corruptionfree government in Pakistan”. But the army brass sniffed the plot and suppressed the coup.

UN RIGHTS CHIEF SLAMS TALIBAN’S SYSTEMATIC ASSUALT ON FREEDOM

WASHINGTON: The Taliban have waged a systematic assault on the freedom of Afghanistan's people, including women and girls experiencing “immeasurably cruel” oppression, the UN human rights chief said. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that human rights are in a state of collapse in Afghanistan.

PUTIN CALLS TRUMP LEGAL CASES ‘POLITICALLY MOTIVATED PERSECUTION’

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin described legal proceedings against former U.S. President Donald Trump as “politically motivated persecution”. “As for the persecution of Trump, for us, in the current environment, it’s good because it shows the rottenness of the American system,” Putin said at an economic forum.

IRAN ACKNOWLEDGES DETENTION OF SWEDE

Iran’s judiciary confirmed on Tuesday that it was holding a Swedish national, saying he had “committed crimes” in the Islamic republic.

Last week, the European Union said Swedish diplomat Johan Floderus, a 33-year-old who works for the bloc, had been detained in Iran for more than 500 days.

He said an investigation into the case “is being finalised” and will be sent to the relevant court “in the coming days”.

The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said last week that the bloc had been pushing “relentlessly” for the Swede’s release.

CIPHER CASE: HC RESERVES VERDICT ON IMRAN PLEA

Islamabad : A Pakistani HC on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a petition filed by former PM Imran Khan, challenging the decision to conduct his trial in the cipher case at Attock jail, reports Omer Farooq Khan. Imran was sent to jail on August 5 following his conviction in the Toshakhana case. His 3-year sentence was suspended by the Islamabad HC, but a special court constituted for his trial under the Official Secrets Act in the cipher case directed the jail authorities to keep him in “judiciallockup”.

SWISS CHURCHES MARRED BY SEXUAL ABUSE CASES

A sweeping, year-long study of sex abuse by Catholic priests and others in Switzerland published on Tuesday has turned up more than 1,000 cases since the mid-20th century.

With few exceptions, those accused of wrongdoing were all male. Nearly three-fourths of the documents examined showed the sexual abuse involved minors.

The report, commissioned by the Swiss Conference of Bishops, offers a deep look at sexual abuse and harassment that has confounded the Catholic Church across the globe.

Among other findings, over half — 56% — of the cases of sexual abuse involved men or boys.