Russian attack cuts power, kill two in south Ukraine

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Schools and shops closed as residents of a northwestern Pakistani city prepared for the funeral ceremonies on Wednesday for 12 people killed in a twin suicide bombing that targeted a military base the day before.

A militant group linked with the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing in Bannu on Tuesday evening when two suicide bombers breached the wall surrounding the base. Most of the local residents were breaking their daylong fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan or praying at a nearby mosque.

After the explosions, other attackers stormed the compound and set off a firefight with the troops.

The powerful blasts tore through walls and ripped off roofs and also severely damaged the mosque. Along with the 12 killed, 30 people were also wounded in the attack, some of whom were reported to be in critical condition.

The casualty figures did not include troops. It was not immediately known how many security forces were killed or injured in the assault or the subsequent gunfight.

On Wednesday, a mechanical digger was clearing away rubble where homes used to stand, and debris-covered prayer mats lay crumpled on the mosque floor.

A day of mourning was being observed, said Bannu community elder Alam Khan, and joint funeral prayers were to be held for the victims at a sports complex in the area.

Gunshots could still be heard early on Wednesday as security forces combed through the area, looking to clear it of any militants involved in the attack.

“All education institutions are closed,” Khan said. “Most shops are also shut. Rescue workers have completed their operation by recovering the bodies of three deceased worshippers who were trapped under the collapsed roof of the mosque.”

Bannu is located in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that borders Afghanistan and several armed groups are active there. A group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban, Jaish Al-Fursan, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump reiterated his interest in acquiring Greenland in his address to Congress on Tuesday, painting a picture of prosperity and safety for the “incredible people” of the island, an autonomous territory of the kingdom of Denmark.
“We will keep you safe, we will make you rich, and together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before,” Trump said.
“It’s a very small population, a very, very large piece of land, and very, very important for military security,” he added.
Opinion polls suggest that most Greenlanders oppose joining the US, although a majority favor eventual independence from Denmark.
Even before starting his second term as president, Trump said he hoped to make Greenland a part of the United States, even though NATO ally Denmark says it is not for sale.
Greenland’s strategic location and rich mineral resources could benefit the US It lies along the shortest route from Europe to North America, vital for the US ballistic missile warning system.
“We need it really for international world security,” Trump said.
In his speech, Trump said he had a message for the people of Greenland. “We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,” Trump said.
He said his administration was “working with everybody involved” to try to get Greenland, but also added, “I think we’re going to get it, one way or the other, we’re gonna get it,” to laughter from his fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives chamber.
Trump’s interest in Greenland has invigorated that country’s independence movement, sparking calls for swift secession discussions with Denmark, its former colonial ruler.
But Greenland’s ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit party has said it will not rush an independence vote through after a March 11 general election, cautioning about possible economic and welfare implications.
“The future of Greenland is really for the people of Greenland to decide,” Denmark’s UN Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen told reporters on Monday. “Independence is possible and they have the right to self-determination.”
Lassen said Denmark agreed with the Trump administration that in the current geopolitical environment there was a need to look at further strengthening security around the Arctic and “that’s something we’ve been working together with NATO and the US on for a while.”
“We have a very close transatlantic bond with the United States. We’ve been working very closely with the US on security matters related to Greenland and the Arctic for decades,” she said.