DAM DESTRUCTION: UKRAINE AND RUSSIA BLAME EACH OTHER

The destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine by Russian forces has led to thousands of people fleeing their homes as villages and parts of a nearby city have been flooded. Floodwaters submerged streets, homes, and caused roof damage in communities along both sides of the Dnipro River. Around 3,000 individuals have been evacuated, but approximately 41,000 residents are at risk. No confirmed deaths have been reported, but the scale of the disaster is still uncertain.

Ukraine predicts that the flood will leave hundreds of thousands without drinking water, damage agricultural land, and deprive large areas of irrigation. Rescue operations, including boat evacuations, are underway in affected areas.

Russia has declared a state of emergency in the parts of Kherson province it controls due to the risk of contamination and flooding. Over 30,000 cubic meters of water are gushing out of the reservoir every second, posing a significant threat. Ukraine expects the floodwaters to cease rising by the end of Wednesday.

The destruction of the dam is considered a war crime by Ukrainian President Zelensky, who accuses Russia of causing the catastrophe.

Russian President Putin acknowledges the environmental and humanitarian catastrophe caused by the dam's destruction.

The United Nations, the US, and Russia are involved in gathering evidence to determine responsibility for the dam's destruction.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of destroying the Kakhovka dam at the behest of the West, describing it as a "barbaric" war crime that escalated the conflict. Putin made the allegations during a call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, claiming that the destruction of the dam resulted in an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe. The Kremlin did not provide any evidence to support Putin's claim.

WILDFIRE IN CANADA CAUSES NEW YORK CITY'S AIR QUALITY TO RANK AMONG THE WORLD'S WORST

A dense smoky haze from Canadian wildfires covered parts of the eastern and northern US, leading to health warnings and advising residents to stay indoors. Health alerts were issued across several states, including New York and North Carolina. New York City experienced exceptionally poor air quality, with the smoke affecting visibility and causing a taste in the air. IQAir reported that New York's air quality was among the worst globally, far worse than its usual ranking. The smoky haze reached Oswego, New York, and gave the sky a yellowish tint throughout the day. In Canada, over 400 wildfires were burning, spreading from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, resulting in the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. The smoke affected prominent locations like Parliament Hill in Ottawa, with an orange-hued sky obscuring the sun. Several fires, particularly in Quebec, were burning out of control. Toronto briefly ranked as one of the top 10 cities with the worst air quality. Approximately 26,000 people have been evacuated in Canada due to the wildfires.

RUSSIA, CHINA FLY BOMBERS OVER PACIFIC

Moscow : Russian and Chinese long-range strategic bombers carried out joint patrols over the western Pacific Ocean but were at times accompanied by jet fighters from unidentified states, Russia said on Wednesday. Russia’s defence ministry said an air group of Tupolev Tu-95 and Chinese Xian H-6K strategic bombers carried out an 8-hour patrol, accompanied by a group of Sukhoi Su-30M, Su-35S and Shenyang J-11 fighters.

“At certain stages of the route, the strategic missilecarriers were accompanied by fighters of foreign states,” the defence ministry said, adding that the airspace of othernations was not violated. The ministry did not identify the “foreign states”. “During the joint air patrol, Russian aircraft landed and took off from an airfield in the People’s Republic of China,” it said.

The White House said on Monday recent dangerous encounters between US and Chinese forces in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea reflect a growing aggressiveness by Beijing’s military that raises the risk of an error in which “somebody gets hurt”. China said that “the measures taken bythe Chinese military are completely reasonable, legitimate, and professional and safe. ”

The deepening “no limits” partnership between the rising superpower of China and the natural resources titan of Russia is being watched by the West with some anxiety. After the West imposed the most severe sanctions in modern history on Moscow due to the war in Ukraine, President Putin said Russia is turning towards Asia — and China in particular — after centuries of looking to the West.

NEW US SPY SATELLITES TO TRACK CHINA, RUSSIA THREATS

The US Space Force is set to launch a constellation of satellites this summer to track Chinese or Russian space vehicles that can potentially disable or damage orbiting objects, the latest step in the burgeoning extra-terrestrial contest between superpowers.

Dubbed “Silent Barker,” the network would be the first of its kind to complement ground-based sensors and low-earth orbit satellites, according to the Space Force and analysts. The satellites will be placed about 35,400km above the Earth and at the same speed it rotates, known as geosynchronous orbit.

“This capability enables indications and warnings of threats” against high-value US systems and will “provide capabilities to search, detect, and track objects from spacefor timely threat detection,” the Space Force said.

The Silent Barker is scheduled for launch after July on board an Atlas V booster operated by the Boeing Co. -Lockheed Martin Corp. ’s United Launch Alliance, the NRO said. The launch date will be announced 30 days in advance on Facebook and Twitter. Silent Barker is a response to efforts by China and Russia to develop system capable of being launched into orbit and taking out other satellites.

NATO TO PUT UP BIGGEST AIR DEPLOYMENT EXERCISE

Germany is preparing to host the biggest air deployment exercise in NATO’s history, a show of force intended to impress allies and potential adversaries, German and American officials said on Wednesday.

The Air Defender 23 exercise starting on June 12 till June 23 will see 10,000 participants and 250 aircraft from 25 nations respond to a simulated attack on a NATO member country. The U.S. alone is sending 2,000 U.S. Air National Guard personnel and about 100 aircraft to take part in the drill.

Authorities have said the drill will cause some disruption to civilian flights in Europe during the period.

PAK. ECONOMY TO GROW BY 2%: WORLD BANK

The World Bank has projected Pakistan’s economy to grow by 2% in the next fiscal year, much lower than the 3.5% target set by the country’s top economic body, saying the effects of the August 2022 floods, policy uncertainty and limited foreign exchange resources have depressed activity. The conflicting estimates by the World Bank and the National Economic Council came on Tuesday, reported the Dawn newspaper.

IMRAN NAMED IN ‘ABETTING’ LAWYER’S DRIVE-BY MURDER

Quetta : Pakistani police on Wednesday formally named former PM Imran Khan in connection with the murder by unknown gunmen of a lawyer seeking sedition proceedings against him.

Police registered an “abetment to murder” case against Khan, who faces dozens of charges since his ouster last year. Provincial government spokesman Babar Khan said Khan could face formal charges if and when the case goes to trial.

Abdur Razaq, the murdered lawyer, had filed a petition seeking sedition proceedings against Khan for dissolving his government. Razaq was on his way to court when gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed him, police said. Razaq’s son told police his father had been killed with the “abetment of the former PM”, according to a police report filed by him.

U.S. SECRETARY BEGINS SAUDI ARABIA VISIT BY MEETING THE CROWN PRINCE

JEDDAH: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his Saudi Arabia visit on Wednesday, by meeting the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and committing to advance stability, security and prosperity across the West Asia, while deepening cooperation, especially in clean energy technology fields.

2 DEAD, 5 INJURED IN FIRING AT U.S. HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION CEREMONY

RICHMOND: Two people were killed and five injured in a firing outside a downtown theatre in Richmond, Virginia in U.S. on Tuesday, where a high school graduation ceremony had just ended. Richmond Police chief said that a 19-year-old suspect who tried to escape has been arrested and will be charged with second-degree murder.

KUWAIT VOTES IN OPPOSITION-LED PARLIAMENT, ELECTS ONE WOMAN

KUWAIT CITY: Opposition lawmakers have won a majority in Kuwait’s Parliament with only one woman elected, after the results of the Gulf state’s seventh general election came out on Wednesday. Speaking on Tuesday, Janan Bushehri, the Parliament’s sole female member, said she expected to “move ahead on outstanding issues”.

FLORIDA CONFIRMS SENDING MIGRANT FLIGHTS TO CALIFORNIA

The state of Florida on Tuesday acknowledged a role in sending two flights of migrants to California, saying all of them travelled voluntarily. California officials have reported two such flights arriving without warning in Sacramento in recent days, and said the migrants carried documents indicating their transportation involved the state of Florida. The migrants apparently were moved from Texas to New Mexico and then flown to Sacramento. In a similar incident last year, Florida governor Ron DeSantis arranged to transport dozens of migrants to the Massachusetts vacation island of Martha’s Vineyard as part of a campaign by Republican governors in Texas and Florida to shift some of the immigration burden to Democratic-run cities. California governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, suggested on Monday that DeSantis may be subject to kidnapping charges tied to the flights.

NYC SUES HYUNDAI, KIA AFTER FLAW CAUSES SOCIAL MEDIA FUELLED THEFTS

New York City has filed a lawsuit against Hyundai and Kia, claiming that a flaw in certain car models made them highly susceptible to theft, leading to a wave of car thefts fueled by social media. The lawsuit alleges that Hyundai and Kia failed to adopt immobilizer technology, which prevents the engine from starting without the key present. The New York City police reported a significant increase in stolen Hyundai and Kia vehicles, and the city is seeking compensation for economic losses and abatement of the public nuisance. Hyundai has stated its commitment to product quality, while Kia has not yet responded to the lawsuit. In a separate development, Hyundai and Kia recently reached a settlement in a class-action lawsuit related to vehicle thefts, offering cash compensation and software upgrades to affected customers.