An attempted drone attack on the Russian capital, Moscow, occurred on Sunday. Russian air defense systems claimed to have shot down 11 Ukrainian drones within an hour. Following this, all four of Moscow’s international airports were temporarily closed for security reasons. The Russian Civil Aviation Agency stated that Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Zhukovsky, and Sheremetyevo airports were temporarily closed, with flights suspended until further notice. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on social media that air defenses intercepted another drone heading toward Moscow. This brings the total number of downed drones to 11. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is about to complete four years. Russia alleges that Ukraine launches drone attacks on various regions of the country, especially the capital, Moscow. Russia, meanwhile, is also continuously carrying out missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. Other major international news… Canadian PhD scholar missing in Lahore, Pakistan; police file kidnapping case. Canadian citizen and PhD student Hamza Ahmed Khan has gone missing in Lahore, Pakistan. He arrived in Pakistan on February 13th to conduct research on anti-imperialist politics. On the night of February 19th, he booked a ride from his home in the Defence Housing Authority, but never returned. Based on a complaint from his friend, Yusuf Rashid, police have filed a kidnapping case against unknown individuals. Police say they are investigating the matter from all angles, including whether his research work is connected to the incident. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed serious concern over the incident and demanded immediate action from the government. Political activists and organizations have also demanded an investigation, linking it to academic freedom. Police are currently examining CCTV footage and other technical evidence. Officials say the true cause of his disappearance will only be clear after the investigation. The US Ambassador stated that Israel has a right to the entire Middle East; Islamic countries issued a statement condemning it. A statement by US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has sparked a new debate in the Middle East. During an interview, he stated that Israel has control over many parts of the Middle East. It would be appropriate if Israel took control of the entire Middle East. According to a CNN report, this statement is being considered contrary to US foreign policy. Several Middle Eastern countries issued a joint statement condemning it. Several countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, called it dangerous and provocative. Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan also protested. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated that this statement violates international law and history. President Donald Trump has previously stated that he will not allow the annexation of the West Bank (Palestinian territory) by Israel. Experts believe such statements could further escalate the situation in an already tense region. Indian YouTuber claims he was denied entry into South Korea and detained for 38 hours.
Indian YouTuber Sachin Awasthi has claimed that he was denied entry and detained for 38 hours on Jeju Island, South Korea. He alleged that he was held in a detention center without explanation, where he was not allowed to use his phone, and food and water were limited. According to Awasthi, officials pressured him to book an expensive return ticket, which cost him nearly 10 times more than normal. He also claimed that he faced strict surveillance during transit in China. Although Awasthi stated that immigration decisions are the prerogative of the respective country, he should not have been treated like a criminal. Currently, there has been no official response from South Korean or Chinese authorities on this matter. New York City is facing a 2-foot snowfall alert, Mayor Mamdani urges residents to stay indoors. A 2-foot snowfall alert has been issued in New York City. According to the National Weather Service, a powerful winter storm beginning Sunday morning could dump 12 to 20 inches of snow on the city, with some areas seeing up to 24 inches. Winds up to 60 mph are expected during the storm. Visibility will be extremely low, making travel dangerous. Flooding is also expected in coastal areas. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has urged people to stay indoors and off the roads. The city administration has prepared to deploy thousands of snowplows, 700 salt spreaders, and over 1,000 emergency personnel. Instructions have been given to keep sidewalks at least 4 feet wide. Snowfall is expected to be heaviest on Sunday night and may continue until Monday morning. The administration has stated that a final decision regarding school reopening will be made after reviewing the situation. The Hong Kong government will buy back 1,700 burned flats from fire victims, offering cash or new flats in exchange. Three months after the devastating fire in Hong Kong in November 2025, the government has announced a rehabilitation plan. Approximately 1,700 flat owners in seven buildings in Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po will be given the option of purchasing ownership rights or exchanging flats. The fire, which broke out on November 26, 2025, killed 168 people. Thousands were left homeless and living in temporary shelters after the tragedy. The government is currently providing financial assistance for rent. This entire process will cost approximately 6.8 billion Hong Kong dollars (approximately ₹7892 crore). Of this, ₹4 billion will come from public funds, and the remaining from relief funds. The government will purchase ownership rights from flat owners in cash. Affected residents can purchase new flats under a government policy. Those who wish to avoid paying large sums can exchange their flats directly. Contact with owners will begin in March, and those who choose the exchange plan will be able to choose their new homes from September. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong stated that there is no reasonable and cost-effective way to repair the buildings. The administration favors demolishing all seven buildings and will not renovate the site. Parks or community facilities could be built there. According to Wong, if the government does not intervene, flat owners will not find buyers in the market, and their years of investment could be lost. He explained that 74% of those surveyed expressed a willingness to sell their rights to the government, while 9% wanted to rebuild on the same site, which could take up to ten years. Research: Hindus are the most educated religious group in the US: 70% have a bachelor’s degree, Jews are second. Hindus are the most educated religious community in the US. According to the Pew Research Center’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS), 70% of Hindus have a bachelor’s degree or higher. According to this study, after Hindus, 65% of Jews have a bachelor’s degree or higher. This figure is significantly higher than the average for adults across the US, where only 35% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The report was released on February 19th. Other religious groups also have above-average education levels. More than 40% of adults in the Muslim, Buddhist, and Orthodox Christian communities have at least a bachelor’s degree. Mainline Protestant Christians also have higher levels of education than the national average. Meanwhile, the percentage of college graduates among members of Evangelical Protestant, Catholic, and historically Black Protestant churches is lower than the national average. The survey, conducted from July 17, 2023, to March 4, 2024, involved a total of 36,908 American adults. This study is important in understanding the relationship between religion, education, and social life in the United States. According to Pew, these educational gaps are largely due to immigration and demographic patterns. Many Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist communities arrived in the United States through higher education or skilled worker programs, leading to a higher proportion of highly educated populations in these communities. A 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal, but no damage reported. A 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal’s Koshi province on Sunday morning. According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center, the epicenter of the earthquake, recorded at 7:31 a.m., was in the Ritak area of Sankhuwasabha district, located about 475 kilometers east of the capital, Kathmandu. Tremors were also felt in the Taplejung and Bhojpur districts. However, there were no immediate reports of any casualties or property damage. Earlier, on January 11th, a 3.9 magnitude earthquake was recorded near the Bansar area of Lamjung district. Nepal ranks 11th among the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. Earthquakes are frequent here due to the activity of tectonic plates in the Himalayan region. Pakistan’s airstrike on Afghanistan kills 16: all from one family; Pakistan claims seven TTP camps targeted. The Pakistani army carried out airstrikes in the border areas of Afghanistan early Sunday. According to Al-Jazeera, the Pakistani army claimed that seven camps and hideouts belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State were targeted. The Pakistani government described it as a retaliatory strike following recent suicide attacks. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a statement saying it was an intelligence-based operation. Pakistan stated, “We have strong evidence that the attacks were carried out by a network operating from Afghan soil.” According to Afghan media outlet Tolo News, the attack targeted a house in Nangarhar, burying 23 members of a single family under the rubble. Only four people have been rescued so far. The family was asleep at the time of the attack, so they didn’t have a chance to escape. Read the full story… Trump raises global tariffs to 15% in 24 hours: Yesterday, the US Supreme Court struck down the tariffs, after an angry Trump imposed a 10% tariff.
US President Donald Trump announced a global tariff increase from 10% to 15%. He made this announcement in a post on Truth Social on Saturday. Previously, Trump had announced a 10% tariff on all countries in a press conference on Friday night. In fact, the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s tariffs on countries worldwide on Friday. The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 majority ruling, ruled that Trump lacked the authority to invoke the IEEPA. This authority is not vested in the President, but only in Parliament. Angered by this, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on countries worldwide using a new law (Section 122). Under this law, a maximum tariff of 15% can be imposed. However, this tariff will only be in effect for 150 days. If it is to be extended, Congressional approval will be required. Read the full story…
