International Archives - Page 26 of 53

Maldives calls for withdrawal of Indian troops by March 15; Core group meeting looks at workable solution

editor January 15, 2024Leave a comment

NEW DELHI: While the two sides discussed a "mutually workable solution" to let the Indian military installations in the island nation to continue operating, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday demanded that India remove its military forces from his country by March 15. At the India-Maldives high-level core group's inaugural meeting in Male, the topic was covered in great detail. After meeting on the fringes of the COP28 summit in Dubai last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Muizzu of the Maldives agreed to form the core group on the controversial issue. The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that "both sides also held discussions on finding a mutually agreeable solution to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives." At a press conference in Male, Muizzu requested that the Maldivian delegation notify Indian authorities in the core group meeting that the troops must be removed by March 15. Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim is the principal secretary to the president of the Maldives. Indian soldiers are not permitted to remain in the Maldives. According to Ibrahim, this administration's and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's policies are as follows. "During the meeting, both sides held discussions on wide-ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation towards identifying steps to enhance the partnership, including expediting the implementation of ongoing development cooperation projects," the MEA stated in a statement. "It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the high-level core group in India on a mutually convenient date," stated the statement. Currently, over ninety Indian employees are stationed in the Maldives, mostly to maintain and operate an aircraft and two helicopters. High Commissioner Munu Mahawar led the Indian delegation at the meeting, along with several other diplomats from the Indian mission.The Maldivian delegation included a number of officials, including Ibrahim Shaheeb, the high commissioner to India for the Maldives, and Ali Naseer Mohamed, the ambassador at large in the foreign ministry. The relationship between India and the Maldives saw some strain when Muizzu, who is viewed as a pro-Chinese politician, insisted that he would fulfil his election pledge to remove Indian military personnel from his nation after taking office. One of India's most important maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region is the Maldives, and during the previous administration in Male, bilateral relations generally increased, particularly in the fields of security and defence. On November 17, Muizzu took the oath of office as the president of the Maldives.He demanded that Indian military soldiers leave the Maldives one day after assuming the position of top dog. Muizzu has insisted that he will fulfil his pledge to remove Indian military soldiers from his nation at the polls. On Saturday, the president of the Maldives returned from a six-day trip to China. Both sides signed many agreements to deepen their relations during the visit. When Muizzu spoke to the media in Male after his return, he subtly poked fun at India. "We may be small, but that doesn't give you the licence to bully us," he responded. In order to lessen the nation's reliance on India, he also revealed intentions to secure imports of necessary food items, medications, and consumables from other nations.Three deputy ministers in Muizzu's ministry made disparaging remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, which sparked a huge outcry. The Maldivian government suspended Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, Mariyam Shiuna, and Malsha Shareef, deputy ministers in the youth ministry, when India brought up the matter with Male. The three deputy ministers implied that Modi was attempting to position the Union Territory as a substitute for the Maldives as a tourism destination by making derogatory remarks about him on 'X' after his visit to Lakshadweep. [caption id="attachment_9011" align="alignnone" width="300"] Maldives calls for withdrawal of Indian troops…

US-Based Professional To Celebrate ‘Pran Pratishtha’ In Prayagraj By Writing ‘Ram’ 11,000 Times

editor January 14, 2024Leave a comment

LUCKNOW, Jan 14: Though she will not be present in Ayodhya to witness the historic ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of ‘Ram Lalla’, New York-based Sonal Singh, whose ancestors trace their origin to the temple town, is not…

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Indian Armed Forces One Of The Finest In The World: IAF Chief

editor January 14, 2024

New Delhi, Jan 14: The Indian armed forces have transformed with changing times to meet the challenges of the “entire spectrum of warfare,” IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari said on Sunday. In…

Key Operative Of Pakistan-Based Terrorist Harvinder Rinda Arrested

editor January 12, 2024Leave a comment

CHANDIGARH, Jan 12: Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav announced on Friday that a major terrorist operational member of Pakistan-based terrorist group Harvinder Rinda, who was arming members of a terror group to commit “sensational crimes” in Punjab, had been taken into custody. He was found in possession of eight live rounds and a Chinese handgun, according to the DGP. “In a major breakthrough, #AGTF (anti-gangster task force), Punjab in a joint operation with the central agencies has arrested Kailash Khichan, a key operative of #Pak based terrorist Harvinder Singh @ Rinda & #USA based Harpreet Singh @ Happy Passia,” Yadav tweeted on X.According to the results of the preliminary interrogation, "the accused Khichan was supplying weapons to the associates of terrorist outfit Babbar Khalistan International (BKI) on orders from terrorist Rinda to carry out sensational crimes in the State," the speaker continued. [caption id="attachment_8835" align="alignnone" width="300"] Key Operative Of Pakistan-Based Terrorist Harvinder Rinda Arrested[/caption]

“All major agencies estimate that India will be in top three economies of world” : PM at Vibrant Gujarat Summit

editor January 10, 2024Leave a comment

GUJARAT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India's resilience and economic momentum by making important announcements about large investments in the nation's port infrastructure while addressing the delegates and attendees of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024. In order to make additional investments in India's port infrastructure, billion-dollar deals have been inked with corporations based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to PM Modi. Prime Minister Modi stated, "Agreements have been signed for new investments worth billions of dollars in India's port infrastructure by companies from the UAE."These accords have the potential to significantly alter India's maritime environment, promote economic expansion, and improve trade connections worldwide. The Prime Minister acknowledged the difficult global conditions in his speech, but he also emphasised India's impressive economic resilience and growth velocity. Attributing this achievement to ten years of targeted structural changes, he said, "We are all conscious of the worldwide situation. Therefore, a major factor contributing to the Indian economy's resistance and growth in these difficult times is our emphasis on structural changes during the past ten years. The Indian economy now has more potential, capability, and competitiveness because to these reforms."PM Modi underlined that, from ranking eleventh a decade ago, India's economy has grown to become the fifth largest in the world. "India is currently the world's fifth largest economy," declared the PM. Ten years prior, India ranked eleventh. According to current estimates from all major agencies, India's economy is expected to rank among the top three in the world in the near future. Allow individuals worldwide to conduct their own analysis, but I can assure you that it will occur." India is viewed by the international community as a key pillar of stability. The Prime Minister continued, "A friend who can be relied upon, a partner who supports development that puts people first, a voice for the global south, a global economic growth engine, a technology hub for problem-solving, a powerhouse of gifted youth, and a democracy that delivers..." The summit attendees applauded the Prime Minister for his hopeful vision and dedication to India's economic destiny. The government's goal to boost economic growth and solidify India's standing in the international economy is in line with the emphasis on structural changes and drawing significant investments, particularly in port infrastructure.The declarations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit highlight the country's resolve to overcome obstacles and seize opportunities, establishing India as a major actor in the changing global economic scene. [caption id="attachment_8727" align="alignnone" width="300"] "All major agencies estimate that India will be in top three economies of world" :…

India’s Annual Hajj Quota Enhanced To 1.75 Lac Pilgrims This Yr: Nirupama Kotru

editor January 9, 2024Leave a comment

JAMMU, Jan 9: India's yearly Hajj quota has been increased to 1.75 lakh pilgrims per year, according to Joint Secretary Minority Affairs Nirupama Kotru, a Kashmiri Pandit who was a member of the Indian delegation led by Union Minister Smriti Irani to sign the Hajj Agreement 2023. She stated that the Saudi government has decided to increase India's annual quota of first-time Hajj pilgrims to 1.75 lakh under the terms of the new Agreement 2024. The agreement's positive aspect, according to her, is that the majority of Hajj pilgrims this year will come from J&K. Additionally, J&K residents will be given priority over anyone on the waiting list who cancels their application or leaves the list.We now trail just Indonesia and Pakistan. Even so, we have asked the Saudi authorities to raise the quota to two lakh every year starting in the following year. MoS Foreign Ministry V Murlidharan and Union Minister Smriti Irani oversaw the arrangement. She noted that since last year's noteworthy initiative allowed women to perform the Hajj without a "Mehram," 6,000 applications from women wishing to go the Hajj without a "Mehram" had already been received this year. We predict that the number will rise even further this year compared to last. Additionally, we have made sure that anyone who wants to make this holy pilgrimage has no trouble finding facilities or anything else during our stay, the speaker continued.According to Nirupama, the Union Minister in charge of the facilities for Hajj travellers is herself, and she has had lengthy discussions with Saudi officials about how to better accommodate Indian pilgrims travelling on the Hajj. [caption id="attachment_8663" align="alignnone" width="300"] India’s Annual Hajj Quota Enhanced To 1.75 Lac Pilgrims This Yr: Nirupama Kotru[/caption]

Israeli Strike Kills Hezbollah Commander In Lebanon: Official

editor January 8, 2024Leave a comment

BEIRUT, Jan 8: Israel killed a senior commander of the Hezbollah organisation, which is supported by Iran, in an attack on southern Lebanon, a security source said AFP, heightening concerns that the Gaza battle may get worse. The security officer, who asked to remain anonymous due to security concerns, stated that the commander "had a leading role in managing Hezbollah's operations in the south." He "was killed in an Israeli strike targeting his car in the south," the spokesman continued. According to the official, the commander occupied multiple other prominent roles within the Shia movement. Following the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, Hezbollah and its fierce rival Israel have been exchanging gunfire across the border almost every day.However, there are now concerns about a wider conflict following the assassination of Hamas' deputy leader in Beirut last week. In the first attack on Beirut since the conflict began, Saleh al-Aruri, the most well-known Hamas figure to die, was killed in a missile strike that was largely blamed to Israel. In an effort to keep Lebanon out of the Israel-Hamas crisis, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met with a political representative of Hezbollah on Saturday in Beirut. According to an AFP count, over 180 individuals have died in Lebanon as a result of cross-border gunfire in over three months. This number includes over 135 Hezbollah militants as well as over 20 civilian deaths, including three journalists.Israeli officials report that four civilians and nine troops have died in northern Israel. [caption id="attachment_8630" align="alignnone" width="300"] Israeli Strike Kills Hezbollah Commander In Lebanon: Official[/caption]

J&K Admin Imposes Night Curfew Along International Border In Samba

editor January 8, 2024Leave a comment

JAMMU, Jan 8: According to an official order, a night curfew has been implemented along the International Border (IB) in the Samba region of Jammu & Kashmir to improve area dominance by BSF personnel and prevent any illicit activity near the borderline. According to the order issued by District Magistrate Abhishek Sharma on Sunday, the action was done to prevent cross-border infiltration and the smuggling of weapons using drones in the extremely foggy weather conditions prevalent along the Indo-Pak border line. The directive states that civilian movement along a one-kilometer stretch from the IB in the Samba district has been prohibited from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.The DM issued the order, using Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code to establish a night curfew along the International Border (IB). "No person or group of persons shall move in the area up to one kilometre along the International Border in district Samba from 2100 hours to 0600 hours during the night," the DM stated. The directive came about as a result of recommendations made by Border Security Force (BSF) authorities to the district-level standing committee. The BSF suggested imposing a daily night curfew on a one-kilometer-long strip from the IB to help them carry out their duties more efficiently. "The district administration believes that restricting people's movement in border areas is necessary to improve border area domination by the BSF and undermine the devious plans of forces hostile to Indian security," the DM stated in the directive. According to Sharma, if movement is required, the person or people in question must provide their corresponding ID cards to the BSF and police officials. "Anyone found in violation of the previously issued order will face legal consequences." "This order is being issued ex-parte, as it cannot be served individually," the order stated.It further stated, "If not withdrawn or rescinded earlier, this order shall come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force for a period of two months from the date of its issuance." [caption id="attachment_8603" align="alignnone" width="300"] J&K Admin Imposes Night Curfew Along International Border In Samba[/caption]

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina secures 4th straight term in polls amid boycott by Opposition

editor January 8, 2024Leave a comment

JAN 08, 2024 : With her Awami League party winning an overwhelming majority in the general elections tainted by intermittent violence and a boycott by the main opposition BNP and its allies, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has earned a record fourth consecutive term in office. 223 seats were gained by Hasina's party in the 300-seat Parliament. There were 299 seats up for election. A candidate's death has resulted in a postponed election for one seat, per media sources. The Jatiya Party, which is the biggest opposition in Parliament, gained 11 seats; the Bangladesh Kallyan party won one seat; and 62 seats went to independent candidates. Each party got one seat: the Workers Party of Bangladesh and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal. Hasina, seventy-six.also the Awami League president, won the Gopalganj-3 constituency with a resounding victory, earning her a seventh term in parliament. With the second-lowest turnout since democracy was restored in 1991, Hasina, who has ruled the strategically positioned South Asian nation since 2009, won a record-breaking fourth straight term and fifth term overall in the lopsided election. In the contentious elections held in February 1996, the turnout was 26.5%, the lowest in Bangladesh's history.The Election Commission anticipated that the final tally might stand at about 40% when voting closed at 4:00 pm on Sunday. This is a 13% increase in turnout in just one hour. As of 3:00 pm, the turnout in the election was 27.15 percent. Hasina will likely become Bangladesh's longest-serving prime leader since the country's independence with this victory. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia and which abstained from voting and observed a strike on election day, declared on Tuesday that it will be stepping up its anti-government campaign with a nonviolent public engagement programme starting on Tuesday, branding the polls as "fake." The low participation, according to the party officials, proved their boycott campaign was effective. They declared that under this initiative, the right to vote will be created and peaceful democratic protests would be expedited. The results of the polls on Sunday, which pitted Awami League candidates against "independents" from the party, didn't seem to interest the electorate. In response to the BNP's call for a boycott in the run-up to the election, the Hasina government allegedly employed a number of tactics, including applying pressure. Tens of thousands of opposition politicians and supporters were detained by Hasina's government prior to the elections; human rights organisations have denounced this action as an attempt to immobilise the opposition.In an attempt to make the election appear competitive and participatory, Hasina asked all of her party's officials and volunteers to run as independent candidates. She went for a tight-knit seat-sharing arrangement with the Jatiya Party and other allies. However, the surprising triumphs of these independent candidates have fundamentally changed the political landscape, raising the possibility of a new phase of intraparty rivalry inside the ruling party. By casting their votes, the public, according to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, has rejected the boycott of the election by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. "I sincerely thank those who braved the fear of vandalism, arson, and terrorism to participate in the 12th national parliamentary elections," Quader stated. Despite the largely peaceful voting, officials and the mainstream media reported at…

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Migratory birds transform Jammu’s Gharana wetland into ‘bird-watching paradise’

editor January 8, 2024

JAMMU: Thousands of migratory birds, from egrets to bar-headed geese, descend on the Gharana Wetland Conservation Reserve near the International Border in the outskirts of Jammu city each year in a stunning natural occurrence. About 6,000 bar-headed geese and other species from the northern hemisphere travel to the marsh, which is about 35 km from Jammu, every winter, making it a "haven for bird enthusiasts." Over 6,000 different kinds of migrating birds, mostly bar-headed geese, make their annual visit to the Gharana Wetland. Over 3,000 to 4,000 of these birds have flown in from the northern hemisphere this year. The Gharana Wetland Conservation Reserve's (GWCR) in-charge, Simple Singh, stated that more of them are anticipated.According to him, the quantity of migrating birds using this winter habitat rises year. "Everything for guests is being organised here by the department of wildlife. Schools take their kids on field trips to the Gharana', Singh continued. During the winter months, hundreds of people swarm the marsh, usually photographers and students hoping to catch a sight of the migratory birds. Asvina, an Institute of Music and Fine Arts student, remarked, "It is an ideal place for wildlife photography as you get to shoot over 300 species of migratory birds, particularly Siberian cranes." "I enjoy taking pictures of outdoors, wildlife, and birds. This place is a bird lover's dream, therefore I'm thrilled to be here," Asvina remarked.Sakshi, a student at Jammu University, adds that visiting this place offers the chance to learn about all facets of the natural world, including birds. "There were a lot of people in this area. We've been able to photograph in close proximity to nature and get knowledge of several facets of photography," she remarked. More than 170 people live in the Gharana village of the GWCR, which is surrounded by wetlands in Makwal, Kukdian, Abdullian, and Pargwal. During the winter, migratory bird species like bar-headed geese, gadwalls, common teals, purple swamp hens, Indian moorhens, black-winged stilts, cormorants, egrets, and green shanks flock there, according to officials. Gurdaspur, Punjab's Rohit Kumar remarked, "I am amazed to see so many different bird species here. We came here to view the migratory birds because my maternal uncle had told me about their flying to Gharana," he added. Despite measures to safeguard the avian visitors, the wetland on the Indo-Pak border has seen an increase in foot traffic. According to the officials, construction projects like fencing are being carried out in order to safeguard migrating birds and their wintering grounds. "A number of migratory bird species visit this area from overseas, including the Siberian crane. We were delighted to witness a variety of exquisite migratory birds passing through this area. They are ignorant of international boundaries. According to them, this is a world without borders," Farmers Produce Organisation (FPO) member Sidharth Kumar remarked. Gharana is located on the Central Asian Flyway and was designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by the Bombay Natural History Society and BirdLife International (UK). According to the officials, conservation efforts, such as scientific management interventions and a five-year management plan created in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), are intended to protect the wetland, encourage ecotourism, and elevate its standing as an important travel destination. They also stated that the administration is dedicated to protecting this important migratory bird habitat. [caption id="attachment_8561" align="alignnone" width="300"] Migratory birds transform Jammu's Gharana…

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