International

Ukraine, using captured Russian tanks, firms up its lines

Published

4 years ago

September 20, 2022

Ukrainian servicemen stand atop a destroyed Russian tank in a retaken area near the border with Russia in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine is now deploying captured Russian tanks to solidify its gains in the northeast amid an ongoing counteroffensive, a Washington-based think tank said Tuesday, as Kyiv vowed to push further into territories occupied by Moscow.

The Institute for the Study of War, citing a Russian claim, said that Ukraine had been using left-behind Russian T-72 tanks as it tries to push into the Russian-occupied region of Luhansk.

“The initial panic of the counteroffensive led Russian troops to abandon higher-quality equipment in working order, rather than the more damaged equipment left behind by Russian forces retreating from Kyiv in April, further indicating the severity of the Russian rout,” the institute said.

Earlier this month, Ukraine launched its counteroffensive, pushing into territory around its second-largest city of Kharkiv. Videos and photos showed Ukrainian troops seizing tanks, ammunition and other weaponry left behind by Moscow in an apparently chaotic withdrawal.

In the counteroffensive’s wake, Ukrainian officials found hundreds of graves near the once-occupied city of Izium. Yevhenii Yenin, a deputy minister in Ukraine’s Internal Affairs Ministry, told a national telecast that officials exhuming the dead there found bodies “with signs of violent death.”

READ ALSO:

“There are many of them,” Yenin said. “These are broken ribs and broken heads, men with bound hands, broken jaws and severed genitalia.”

Ukrainian officials also have alleged Russian forces tortured people in occupied areas, including shocking them with radio telephones dating back to the Soviet era. Russia has repeatedly denied abusing or killing prisoners, though Ukrainian officials found mass graves around the city of Bucha after blunting a Russian offensive targeting Kyiv at the start of the war.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian push continues in the south of the country. The institute, citing the Ukrainian military, said Kyiv had destroyed ammunition depots, two command posts and an electronic warfare system.

Ukraine’s southern military command said early Tuesday its troops sank a Russian barge carrying troops and weapons across the Dnipro River near the Russian-occupied city of Nova Kakhovka. It offered no other details on the sinking of the barge in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Kherson region, which has been a major target as part of Kyiv’s ongoing counteroffensive in the country.

In other developments:

— The website of a prominent Russian mercenary group apparently was targeted by hackers. The Wagner Group’s website couldn’t be reached Tuesday morning. Late Monday, the IT Army of Ukraine, a group of hackers supporting Kyiv, posted a screenshot apparently showing the website had been replaced with images of dead Russian soldiers.

— Moscow has likely moved its Kilo-class submarines from their station on the Crimean Peninsula to southern Russia over fears about them being struck by long-range Ukrainian fire, the British military said Tuesday. In a daily intelligence briefing, the British Defense Ministry said those submarines had “almost certainly” been moved to Krasnodar Krai in mainland Russia, instead of a naval base at Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula.

“This is highly likely due to the recent change in the local security threat level in the face of increased Ukrainian long-range strike capability,” the British said. “In the last two months, the fleet headquarters and its main naval aviation airfield have been attacked.”

International

Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims

Published

7 minutes ago

November 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims

At least two people have been killed and 17 others injured after a three-storey building collapsed in Brooklyn, New York, triggering a massive rescue operation involving hundreds of emergency responders.

The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in the Flatbush neighbourhood of Brooklyn, with seven children among those affected.

According to reports by Fox News and Reuters, the building, located at 1321 Flatbush Avenue, collapsed into an adjoining construction site where excavation work was reportedly ongoing.

New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore confirmed that 19 people had been accounted for, including the two deceased victims. Four of the injured were in critical condition, while 12 were reported to be stable.

A firefighter also sustained minor injuries while participating in the rescue operation.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene shortly after receiving a distress call at about 4:01 p.m. local time.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani disclosed that firefighters arrived within a minute of receiving the emergency call and immediately commenced search-and-rescue operations.

More than 250 firefighters and emergency medical personnel were deployed to the scene as rescue teams worked through the rubble in search of possible survivors.

READ ALSO:

Search dogs, drones and specialised equipment were also deployed, while officials warned that the unstable condition of the wreckage could make the operation last several days.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that additional people could still be trapped beneath the debris.

Reacting to the tragedy, Mayor Mamdani expressed sadness over the loss of lives and appealed to residents to remember the victims and their families in their prayers.

Speaking during an evening briefing, the mayor said he was heartbroken by the incident and called for prayers for those who lost their lives, their grieving families and the injured.

He also commended firefighters and other emergency personnel for their efforts in rescuing victims under dangerous conditions.

Mamdani had earlier urged residents to stay away from the affected area to allow emergency workers to carry out their operations without obstruction.

Officials from New York City’s Department of Buildings confirmed that excavation work was ongoing at the adjoining construction site when the collapse occurred.

The department disclosed that inspectors had been deployed to assess the structural stability of nearby buildings and assist with recovery operations.

Authorities have yet to establish the exact cause of the collapse, while investigations are ongoing.

The New York Police Department also announced traffic restrictions around the affected area, urging motorists and residents to avoid the vicinity.

Two Killed, 17 Injured as Building Collapses in Brooklyn, Seven Children Among Victims

International

Iran Accuses US of Threatening Nuclear Scientists With $20m Reward

Published

20 hours ago

November 11, 2026

Trends Admin

Iran Accuses US of Threatening Nuclear Scientists With $20m Reward

Iran has called on the United Nations (UN) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to condemn a United States offer of up to $20 million for information about Iran’s nuclear programme, describing the initiative as a threat to its nuclear facilities, scientists and national security.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the demand in a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the President of the UN Security Council and IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi.

In the letter, Araghchi described the American announcement as unacceptable and urged the three international officials to condemn it explicitly and unequivocally.

The United States, through the State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme, announced on November 6 that it was offering up to $20 million, alongside possible relocation, to anyone providing information about Iran’s nuclear programme.

The offer covers information relating to Iranian nuclear facilities, equipment, associated personnel, members of the scientific community and the movement of such individuals or materials.

The announcement was subsequently publicised by the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

Araghchi accused Washington of encouraging clandestine intelligence gathering against Iran, warning that the initiative could expose nuclear scientists and technical personnel to assassination, sabotage and other security threats.

READ ALSO:

He argued that seeking confidential information about nuclear installations under IAEA safeguards could undermine the credibility, independence and integrity of the international agency’s monitoring system.

According to the Iranian foreign minister, it would be unreasonable to expect normal implementation of nuclear safeguards when facilities, personnel and sensitive information were allegedly exposed to threats of attacks and sabotage.

Araghchi also invoked Article IV of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which recognises the right of countries to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with their international obligations.

He urged the UN Secretary-General and Security Council to draw the international community’s attention to what he described as the implications of the American initiative for global peace and security.

The Iranian government also asked the IAEA chief to take measures to protect confidential information obtained during nuclear inspections from disclosure, misuse or exploitation for intelligence purposes.

Araghchi further requested that Grossi bring the matter before the IAEA Board of Governors and consider appropriate institutional measures to address the concerns raised by Tehran.

The dispute comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear activities, sanctions and the ongoing military confrontation involving the United States and Israel.

The US government has maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a major security objective, while Tehran has consistently insisted that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes.

The latest $20 million reward offer has added another dimension to the disagreement, with Iran arguing that the initiative threatens its sovereignty and the safety of personnel working in its nuclear sector.

Iran Accuses US of Threatening Nuclear Scientists With $20m Reward

International

US Lawmakers to Hold Fresh Hearing on Nigeria’s Insecurity, Christian Killings

Published

24 hours ago

November 11, 2026

Trends Admin

US Lawmakers to Hold Fresh Hearing on Nigeria’s Insecurity, Christian Killings

The United States Congress is set to hold another congressional hearing on Nigeria’s security crisis, with lawmakers expected to examine attacks on Christian communities, the Federal Government’s response and the worsening insecurity in the country’s Middle Belt.

The hearing, scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2026, will be convened by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and chaired by Republican Congressman Chris Smith.

Titled “One Year Later: Assessing Nigeria’s Efforts to Protect Christians and Secure the Middle Belt,” the session will assess the Nigerian government’s efforts to protect vulnerable communities, prevent religious violence and bring perpetrators of attacks to justice.

According to a statement from Smith’s office, lawmakers will examine violence attributed to extremist organisations, including Boko Haram and armed groups accused of targeting Christian communities.

The hearing will also consider the Nigerian government’s efforts to curb attacks against Christians and non-radical Muslim communities, as well as possible measures the United States could take to encourage greater protection of vulnerable populations.

Smith, who represents New Jersey, said the session would be his 14th congressional hearing on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

The proceedings will feature two panels of witnesses, including senior officials of the US Department of State and representatives of international religious freedom and policy organisations.

The first panel will feature Frank Garcia, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Riley Barnes, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour.

READ ALSO:

The second panel will include Nina Shea, Senior Fellow and Director of the Centre for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute; Ryan Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Open Doors US; and Oge Onubogu, Director and Senior Fellow of the Africa Programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

The hearing will begin at 11am Washington time, equivalent to 5pm Nigerian time, at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC. It will also be streamed live on YouTube.

The planned congressional session comes amid renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s security and human rights record by the administration of US President Donald Trump and American lawmakers.

In November 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over allegations of severe violations of religious freedom, particularly attacks on Christian communities.

The designation, made under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, applies to countries the US government considers to have engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

Nigeria was previously designated a Country of Particular Concern in December 2020 during Trump’s first administration but was removed from the list in November 2021 under former President Joe Biden.

The renewed designation intensified diplomatic discussions between Washington and Abuja over the protection of religious communities and Nigeria’s response to persistent insecurity.

The United States also conducted military strikes against Islamic State-linked targets in northwestern Nigeria on December 25, 2025, as part of counterterrorism operations.

Trump said the operation was directed at militants responsible for attacks on Christians, although the Nigerian government has maintained that the country’s security challenges cannot be explained solely through religious persecution.

The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected claims that Nigeria’s insecurity amounts to a systematic campaign against Christians, arguing that terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes and communal violence affect Nigerians across religious and ethnic backgrounds.

The security situation remains particularly challenging in parts of the Middle Belt, including Benue and Plateau states, where repeated attacks have resulted in deaths, displacement and destruction of communities.

Armed groups, communal tensions, disputes over land and farming resources, and the activities of criminal networks have contributed to the violence.

The humanitarian consequences have also extended beyond Nigeria’s borders, with thousands of people fleeing attacks and seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

The latest hearing is expected to provide American lawmakers with an opportunity to question government officials and other witnesses about the scale of the violence, measures taken to protect civilians and the effectiveness of existing security cooperation between both countries.

It will also examine possible diplomatic and policy measures Washington could pursue to encourage accountability and prevent further attacks.

Although the hearing is not a judicial determination of allegations against the Nigerian government, its discussions and recommendations could influence future congressional scrutiny and US policy towards Nigeria.

The proceedings come at a sensitive time in relations between both countries, as Nigeria continues to seek international cooperation in tackling terrorism and other security threats.