International Archives - Page 29 of 53

Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Strikes Japan, Tsunami Warning Issued

editor January 1, 2024January 1, 2024Leave a comment

TOKYO, Jan 1: According to public broadcaster NHK, an earthquake struck north central Japan on Monday with a preliminary magnitude of 7.4. A tsunami warning was issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency along the coasts of the prefectures of Niigata, Toyama, and Ishikawa. According to NHK, Hokuriku Electric Power stated that it is examining any anomalies at its nuclear power facilities. [caption id="attachment_8121" align="alignnone" width="300"] Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Strikes Japan, Tsunami Warning Issued[/caption]

ISRO Successfully Launches Its Maiden X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite

editor January 1, 2024Leave a comment

SRIHARIKOTA (ANDHRA PRADESH), Jan 1: With the successful launch of its first X-Ray Polarimeter satellite on Monday, ISRO will be able to learn more about astronomical objects such as black holes. Launched at the scheduled time of 9.10 am from the first launch pad here, ISRO's always dependable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) successfully completed the C58 mission, putting the primary X-Ray Polarimeter satellite XPoSat into a 650 km Low Earth Orbit as planned. This spaceport is located approximately 135 km east of Chennai. As the 25-hour countdown came to an end, the 44.4-meter-tall rocket lifted off majestically to thunderous applause from spectators who had gathered here in large numbers.The goal of the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) is to study how polarised intense X-ray sources are in space. It is the first specialised scientific satellite from ISRO to conduct studies on space-based polarisation measurements of X-ray emission from celestial sources, according to the space agency. When analysing the radiation mechanism and geometry of celestial sources, X-ray polarisation is an essential diagnostic tool. POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-Rays), developed by the Raman Research Institute to measure polarimetry parameters, and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing), constructed by the U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru, are the main payloads of XPoSat. The average missionary stays for five years. [caption id="attachment_8118" align="alignnone" width="300"] ISRO Successfully Launches Its Maiden X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite[/caption]

55 Foreign Terrorists Among 76 Neutralised In J&K In 2023: DGP

editor December 30, 2023Leave a comment

Jammu, Dec 30: Director General of Police R R Swain said on Saturday that 76 terrorists, including 55 foreigners, were neutralised in Jammu and Kashmir this year under the Public Safety Act. According to Swain, 201 overground employees were booked and 291 more terrorist associates were taken into custody. According to Swain, there are currently only 31 local terrorists in the Union Territory, which is a record low. According to him, there were 14 civilian deaths at the hands of terrorists in 2023; incidents linked to terror decreased by 63% from the previous year; there was also a decrease in terrorist recruitment, with fewer calls for strikes and acts of stone-throwing.According to Swain, four police officers—including a DSP and an inspector—have died in terror attacks. In Jammu and Kashmir, according to the police chief, 89 terrorist modules were dismantled, 18 terrorist hideouts were discovered, 99 properties valued at over Rs 170 crore—including buildings, land, orchards, and commercial establishments—were attached, and 68 bank accounts were frozen. He went on to say that more than 8,000 phoney social media profiles endorsing terrorism and separatism had been found and shut down. [caption id="attachment_8035" align="alignnone" width="300"] 55 Foreign Terrorists Among 76 Neutralised In J&K In 2023: DGP[/caption]

Breaking News header International National

Home Ministry declares Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa as terrorist

editor December 30, 2023

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) designated Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa as a terrorist. The move comes amid the continuing strain in diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Ottawa over PM Justin…

Breaking News header Health International National Political

India Seeks Extradition Of Let Founder Hafiz Saeed

editor December 29, 2023

NEW DELHI, Dec 29: Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), is wanted in India for a number of terror attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. India has requested that Pakistan extradite Saeed. According to Arindam Bagchi, a spokesman for the External Affairs Ministry, Islamabad recently received the request for the terrorist's extradition along with a few supporting documents. In response to a question during his weekly media briefing, Bagchi stated that an extradition request had recently been sent. Saeed is a terrorist that the UN has banned. [caption id="attachment_7972" align="alignnone" width="300"] India Seeks Extradition Of Let Founder Hafiz Saeed[/caption]

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Around 500 Climbers, Including Four Indians, Conquer Mt Everest In The 70th Anniversary Yr Of The First Successful Summit

editor December 29, 2023

KATHMANDU, Dec 29: In 2023, the mountaineering community celebrated the 70th anniversary of climbing Mount Everest, with about 500 climbers—including four Indians—making it to the summit. Despite worries about rising temperatures, melting glaciers and snow, and an increase in extreme weather events, they continued to climb. Since Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal, also known as Sagarmatha in Nepali, reached the summit of 8,848.86 metres (29,032 feet) on May 29, 1953, thousands of climbers from all over the world—including India and Nepal—have been drawn to the world's highest peak. While many of them died trying to reach the summit, thousands of climbers have succeeded.According to official data, over 300 climbers have died and about 7,000 people have successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest since the Hillary-Norgay ascent in 1953. 2023 was not any different. In the spring of 2023, 478 climbers—103 of whom were women—ascended to the summit of Everest during the one and only window of opportunity to reach the incredibly high altitudes. This year, four Indian nationals reached the summit of Everest, and one passed away in the high alpine regions. On May 17, Yashi Jain, Mithil Raju, Sunil Kumar, and Pinkhi Haris Chhed accomplished the feat of climbing the world's highest peak. On May 18, Indian mountaineer Suzanne Leopoldina Jesus, who had a pacemaker, passed away while attempting to reach the summit close to Everest Base Camp. According to officials, eight climbers went missing and four Nepalese, one Indian, and one Chinese climber died during their individual Everest expeditions. Kami Rita Sherpa, 53, of Nepal achieved two summits this season on May 17 and May 23, setting a new world record for the most ascents of Mount Everest. Sherpa Pasang Dawa, 46, a fellow countryman, matched Kami Rita's record until 2022 when he reached the highest peak on May 14 and May 17, respectively, marking his 26th and 27th visits to the summit this year. Not only the Sherpa community, though, has kept pushing the boundaries of human endurance and setting records in the thin air of Nepal's high-altitude Himalayas.On May 19, Hari Budhamagar, a 43-year-old double amputee and former British Gurkha soldier, made history by becoming the first person in his category to summit the highest peak in the world using prosthetic legs. On May 19, a 39-year-old Singaporean climber of Indian descent named Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya vanished while making his way back from the top of Mount Everest. The Sherpa people who live in the foothills of the snow-capped mountains are essential to any expedition in the high-altitude Himalayas. They are also the most at risk on the perilous hikes to the highest mountainous region on Earth because of this.Themwa Tenzing Sherpa, Lakpa Rita Sherpa, and Badure Sherpa, three Nepalese Sherpa guides, vanished on April 12 when a massive ice sheet that fell from the mountain, more than 50 metres high, buried them under five to six metres of snow on the most treacherous part of Mount Everest during an avalanche. This was the first accident of the season at the highest peak in the world. This spring, Nepal issued a record 466 climbing permits to climbers from 65 different countries, including 40 from India, for Mount Everest. This surpassed the previous record of 409 set in 2021. 323 was the number in 2022.For the small Himalayan nation of Nepal, which has a sizable mountain population reliant on mountaineering and associated tourism in the area, mountaineering is a lucrative source of income. For this reason, the vast majority of people whose livelihoods are at risk due to climate change are concerned about the melting glaciers, increasing temperatures, and growing frequency of extreme rainfall events. According to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in just 60 years, the thickness of 79 of the glaciers surrounding Everest has decreased by more than 100 metres, and since 2009, the rate of thinning has almost doubled.As part of the #SaveOurSnow campaign, which coincided with the 70th anniversary of the summit of Mount Everest, ICIMOD, backed by mountain institutes around the world, including the Nepal Mountaineering Association, urged governments to honour their pledges to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees. [caption id="attachment_7969" align="alignnone" width="300"] Around 500 Climbers, Including Four Indians, Conquer Mt Everest…

Breaking News Business header International National

Tax Collection On Course To Grow 3 Times To Over Rs 19 Lac Cr In 10 Yrs Of Modi Govt

editor December 29, 2023

New Delhi, Dec 29: Over the course of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration, personal income and corporate tax collections are expected to surpass Rs 19 lakh crore, giving the government greater flexibility to implement tax policies that benefit the general public. Net direct tax collections, adjusted for refunds, rose from Rs 6.38 lakh crore in FY 2013–14 to Rs 16.61 lakh crore in FY 2022–23, driven by individuals' rising incomes. The net direct tax collections from personal income tax and corporate tax have increased by 20% so far in the current fiscal year. If this growth continues, the mop-up is expected to reach approximately Rs 19 lakh crore in the fiscal year that ends on March 31, 2024.The anticipated sum will be higher than the Budget for 2023–24's estimate of Rs 18.23 lakh crore. The government has worked to simplify the tax code over time by lowering rates and reducing exemptions. Corporates that choose not to claim exemptions in 2019 can opt for a reduced tax rate from the government. A similar programme was made available to private citizens in April 2020. The budget for 2023–24 increased the basic exemption limit to Rs. 3 lakh, rationalised the tax slabs, and included a standard deduction of Rs. 50,000 to make the new income tax regime for individuals more alluring. Additionally, the income tax return form now has it set as the default tax regime.But there was a lot of opposition to the government's plan during the year to allow credit card purchases in foreign currency up to the USD 2.50 lakh annual limit under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) for each individual. Tax Collected at Source (TCS) would have needed to be withheld at the time of payment in order for foreign credit card spends to fall under LRS. Additionally, banks communicated that there would be problems with compliance when deducting the TCS, so the government was forced to postpone putting the plan into action.Following the implementation of several reform measures by the Income Tax Department, the number of Individual Tax Returns (ITRs) filed by taxpayers increased from 3.36 crore in 2013–14 to 6.37 crore in 2021–22, indicating a 90% increase in overall tax base. Up until October 26, 2023, 7.41 crore returns were filed in 2023–2024, 53 lakh of which were from first-time filers. The government will hold a vote on account on February 1 in anticipation of the April–May general elections. The newly formed government following the elections is expected to present the entire budget in July 2024.The government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014. Higher tax compliance rates, according to Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co Partner (Direct Tax) Gouri Puri, are a result of ongoing efforts to formalise the economy and digitise tax administrations. The government should have some leeway to rationalise tax rates as a result. Ensuring ease of doing business in India will depend on the certainty surrounding the application of tax treaties. Puri continued, "The government is expected to keep streamlining direct tax laws in order to improve tax certainty in 2024.The entire budget, according to Deloitte India Partner (Direct Tax) Rohinton Sidhwa, is probably going to be centred around continuing efforts to get ready for the World Bank B-READY ranking as well as efforts to leverage the China+1 strategy to boost investment and innovation. With direct tax collections increasing by roughly 20% thus far in the current fiscal year (April–March) and the GST mop-up reaching new heights each year, it is anticipated that the trend will continue in 2024 due to the robust economic environment. In April 2023, the monthly collection of Goods and Services Tax (GST) reached a peak of Rs 1.87 lakh crore. At Rs 1.66 lakh crore, the average gross monthly GST collection for 2023–24 is 11% higher than for the same period in the previous fiscal year. The clarification regarding the levy of a 28 percent tax on online gaming is the main takeaway from this year's GST Council meetings, which are attended by the finance ministers of the states and the federal government. After two meetings, the council decided to make it clear that a 28% tax would be applied to the entire amount paid at the time of entry into the online gaming platform. The council also decided to mandate GST authorities' registration for all foreign online gaming companies.In response to allegations that online gaming companies evaded taxes totaling more than Rs 1.12 lakh crore in 2022–2023 and 2023–2024, the GST authorities have sent 71 show cause notices to these companies. Numerous businesses have petitioned higher courts to get the demand halted. The application of the highest tax rate, according to INDUSLAW Partner (Indirect Tax) Shashi Mathews, has stopped the online gaming industry's "meteoric rise." One could anticipate that the government will revisit a few of these issues. There may be some relief in the form of court rulings because some of these issues have also been pending before the courts. [caption id="attachment_7951" align="alignnone" width="300"]…

Breaking News header International National

Qatar Court Commutes Death Sentence To 8 Indian Nationals: MEA

editor December 28, 2023

New Delhi, Dec 28: The External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday that eight former Indian Navy personnel who were found guilty of espionage had their death sentences revoked by a Qatari court. The ministry released a statement saying, "We have noted the verdict of the Court of Appeal of Qatar in the Dahra Global case, in which the sentences have been reduced." The Court of First Instance in Qatar sentenced the eight ex-Indian Navy members to death in October after they were detained in connection with a suspected espionage case.August 2022 saw the arrest of the Indian nationals, who were all workers for Dahra Global, a company based in Doha. The authorities in Qatar withheld the charges against them from the public. Last month, India filed a motion with the Court of Appeal in Qatar to overturn the death penalty. The family members were present in the Court of Appeal today, along with our ambassador to Qatar and other officials. Since the start of the situation, we have supported them, and we will keep offering all possible legal and consular support. We'll keep bringing up the issue with the authorities in Qatar as well," the statement read.The ministry stated that it was in close communication with the legal team and the family members to determine the next course of action, while acknowledging that a comprehensive ruling was still pending. "It would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture due to the confidential and sensitive nature of proceedings of this case," the MEA stated. [caption id="attachment_7917" align="alignnone" width="300"] Qatar Court Commutes Death Sentence To 8 Indian Nationals: MEA[/caption]

Breaking News header International Ladakh National

Frozen India, China Ties On A Drift Into 4th Yr With No End In Sight

editor December 28, 2023

BEIJING, Dec 28: Despite multiple rounds of diplomatic and military discussions, Beijing's intransigence regarding the withdrawal of additional PLA troops deployed since the deadly border clash in eastern Ladakh in 2020 resulted in the freezing of India's bilateral ties with China in 2023. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) gathered troops in eastern Ladakh in May 2020, which resulted in a deadly conflict between the two militaries at the Galwan Valley in June 2020, killing 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese military personnel. Since then, the relationship has remained frozen.S Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs, claimed that the Chinese had literally brought tens of thousands of soldiers to the Ladakh border, fully prepared for battle, in direct defiance of all bilateral agreements. Following the two high-profile informal summits between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two countries' relations remained frozen. India has made it plain that maintaining peace and tranquillity at the border is essential to the overall growth of bilateral ties. Regarding the current status of Sino-Indian relations, former Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha stated, "There has been no significant de-escalation or de-induction of additional troops deployed by both sides since mid-2020, even during winter months of four consecutive years.""Therefore, the situation in border areas in Eastern Ladakh remains seriously disturbed due to unilateral actions taken by China," Kantha wrote in an email interview . Kantha has recently visited China twice and has extensive interactions with Chinese think tanks regarding India-China relations. In order to overcome the impasse, India may need to exercise "strategic patience" in its interactions with China, according to Kantha, an Honorary Fellow and former director of the Institute of Chinese Studies in New Delhi.In addition to the diplomatic channel known as the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), the two nations held 20 rounds of Corps Commanders-level talks amid the ongoing tensions and finished disengaging from five areas. "After the deadly conflict in the Galwan Valley, there has been a disengagement of troops at five 'friction points' through difficult negotiations," Kantha stated. "These understandings on disengagement have involved depriving our troops of access to several patrolling points they were visiting earlier and creating 'buffer zones,' partially on our side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC),' he stated.However, because the Chinese maintain that the disengagement in the Depsang and Demchok areas is a legacy issue that occurred long before May 2020, negotiations have come to a standstill. "As a result of China's unilateral actions, the situation in border areas in Eastern Ladakh remains seriously disturbed," Kantha stated. He made the observation that the two sides' positions fundamentally differ from one another. China is still putting pressure on India to separate the border dispute from bilateral relations and strive towards normalcy, despite India's insistence that normalcy cannot be restored in its relations with China as long as the borders remain abnormal.Accordingly, "it does not appear that the current border impasse will be resolved anytime soon, and with it, the relationship between China and India will return to normal." In anticipation of the approaching general elections, China appears to be closely monitoring the political landscape in India in order to engage with the country on a more profound level. "We might think about having a more thorough and strategic conversation with China that extends beyond talking about the specifics of the troops' disengagement from the border commanders," Kantha stated. According to him, India and China have a complicated relationship that necessitates more diplomatic and political interaction."The old equilibrium has clearly broken down, even among Chinese scholars who acknowledge the need for a reset in ties. However, the key issue is the terms of a new modus vivendi—an arrangement or agreement that permits conflicting parties to coexist peacefully with or without a final settlement of the issue—between the two countries," Kantha stated. "Strategic patience" was what he recommended for dealing with China.We can't afford to choose hasty fixes that will make our situation worse on the ground. Protecting our understanding of the real control line is as important as building border infrastructure and improving deterrence. He stated, "We need to be strategically patient while discreetly pursuing more stability in our relations with China. Given that China is India's largest neighbour, Kantha claimed there is no other option than to adopt a broad strategy of engagement with it. "But since deterrence and balancing China are our main strategic challenges, any such engagement must be tempered with a heavy dose of realism," he said.Based on his interactions with Chinese scholars, Kantha said that the dominant viewpoint in China at the moment sees India primarily through the lens of its strategic rivalry with the US and feels that India has been appropriated for the US-led Indo-Pacific strategy, which they see as an attempt to contain China and obstruct its development. Moreover, there doesn't seem to be a willingness to take our worries about the border issue seriously. "We do not perceive any desire on China's part to address relationship structural issues, even beyond the border dispute," he said.In order to bring greater stability to those relationships, he also cited China's "tactical outreach to the US, EU, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Australia." However, there is no indication that China has done the same for India. According to Kantha, there are signals being sent by President Xi's nonattendance at the G20 meeting in New Delhi and the fact that the Chinese ambassador's position has been unfilled for the past 14 months. In addition, China is becoming less confident and more inward-looking since the coronavirus pandemic."It seems like we are dealing with a more inward-looking China these days, one that is assertive but nervous, a nation that is less certain of itself even though it continues to pursue its ambitious goals," the speaker remarked. Ladakh tensions haven't, however, stopped China and India from doing business, with trade between the two countries reaching a record USD 124.26 billion in the first 11 months of this year. According to data released by China's customs, from January to November of 2023, India's exports to China were USD 16.99 billion, while China's exports to India totaled USD 124.26 billion.Ironically, despite the ongoing thaw in relations between the two countries, China's trade deficit with India has already exceeded USD 90.28 billion, the highest amount ever, and is predicted to reach USD 100 billion in the next 11 months. [caption id="attachment_7896" align="alignnone" width="300"] Frozen India, China…

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Farooq Bats For India-Pak Dialogue Claims J&K Could Become ‘Gaza’ Without Dialogue

editor December 26, 2023

Srinagar, Dec 26: Farooq Abdullah, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, issued a warning on Tuesday, saying that in the "absence" of political dialogue, the Union Territory would suffer the same fate as Gaza, which is at war with Israel. Additionally, he exhorted the leaders of Pakistan and India to engage in dialogue in order to resolve their bilateral problems. The President of the National Conference quoted the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying, "We can change our friends, but we cannot change our neighbours." Both will advance if we continue to be cordial with our neighbours. The leader of the NC stated that PM Modi also stated that "dialogue should be the means of resolving the issue" and "war is not an option at this time."Farooq questioned Pakistan and India, two nations with nuclear weapons, asking, "Where is the dialogue?" "Where's the conversation at? With Nawaz Sharif poised to take over as Pakistan's prime minister, there is talk that the country is "ready to talk" with India. But why are they not prepared to speak? "Kashmir will suffer the same fate as Gaza and Palestine, which are being bombed by Israel, if we do not find a solution through dialogue," he threatened. Just a few months before the Kargil War broke out, in 1999, former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee paid a visit to Pakistan. During an unexpected visit to Pakistan in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Nawaz. The reason for the strained relations is Pakistan's persistent attempts to send terrorists into India. Indians have been in constant pain and indignation since the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. India-Pakistan relations took a severe hit in 2019 following the repeal of Article 370. The most recent remarks made by Farooq Abdullah were made a few days following the murder of four soldiers in a terror attack on an Army Convoy in the Poonch area. [caption id="attachment_7772" align="alignnone" width="300"] Farooq Bats For India-Pak Dialogue Claims J&K Could Become ‘Gaza’ Without Dialogue[/caption]

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