The US has carried out a strike against a fast boat manned by alleged drug traffickers, this time in the Pacific Ocean, in a first for President Donald Trump's administration.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the “lethal kinetic strike” hit a vessel being operated by a designated terrorist organisation conducting drug trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. Mr Hegseth did not clarify what organisation the boat was believed to have belonged to.
“The vessel was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route, and carrying narcotics,” Mr Hegseth said in a post on X, adding that the two people on board the vessel were killed.
Mr Hegseth said that “narco-terrorists” would “find no safe harbour anywhere in our hemisphere”, comparing the groups to Al Qaeda.
“There will be no refuge or forgiveness − only justice,” he wrote.
Mr Trump said later from the Oval Office that drug trafficking is a national security problem. "They killed 300,000 Americans last year," he said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added "if people want to stop seeing drug boats blown up, stop sending drugs to the United States".
This is believed to be the eighth strike on a vessel the US has claimed was carrying drugs, though it is the first time a strike has taken place in the Pacific Ocean. Other strikes have been carried out in the Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela. More than 30 people have been killed in the strikes so far.
The strike comes after another attack on a vessel the US said was being operated by the National Liberation Army, a Colombian rebel group known to be involved in drug trafficking. Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the US of “murder” and of violating the territorial sovereignty of Latin American nations.
Mr Trump, in his turn, called Mr Petro an “illegal drug leader” and said that the US would raise tariffs on Bogota and stop “all payments” to the country.
Colombia recalled its ambassador from Washington on Monday.
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
