Modi, Putin Discuss Ukraine, Armed Mutiny Over Call

MOSCOW, June 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation around Ukraine and how Moscow had resolved an armed mercenary mutiny in a telephone call on Friday.

The Kremlin said that Modi had expressed support for what the Kremlin called the Russian leadership's decisive actions in handling the mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group last Saturday.

"In connection with the events of June 24 in Russia, Narendra Modi expressed understanding and support for the decisive actions of the Russian leadership to protect law and order, ensure stability in the country and the security of its citizens," it said.

Indian Prime Minister's office said the two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, adding that Putin informed Modi about the recent developments in Russia.

"While discussing the situation in Ukraine, PM reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy," it said. Russia has been engaged in a conflict with Ukraine for over a year, with the western world rallying against Putin over the war.

The two leaders also discussed their countries' cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the G20.

"Special attention was focused on cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the G20, where India holds the presidency, as well as within the BRICS format," the statement said.

The rebellion by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner group on Saturday marked the most serious challenge to President Putin in more than two decades of his rule and triggered questions over his leadership.

The Wagner mercenary group had taken control of Rostov-on-Don town. The revolt ended when Prigozhin ordered his troops back.

Bracing for New Night of Unrest, Macron Urges Parents to Keep Teenagers Home

PARIS, June 30: Over 800 people were arrested in France after a fresh wave of nighttime protests over the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old. Many protesters were teenagers, too, officials said.

President Emmanuel Macron of France urgently appealed to parents on Friday as the country braced for another night of unrest over the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old, with French officials saying that the protests were driven mostly by angry young people and coordinated on social media.

Macron’s government is struggling to contain the rage unleashed by the killing, in which a police officer fatally shot a teenage driver during a traffic stop in Nanterre, west of Paris, on Tuesday. Anger over the shooting tapped into decades-long complaints about police violence and persistent feelings of neglect and racial discrimination in France’s poorer urban suburbs.

Speaking at the end of a crisis cabinet meeting in Paris — the second this week — Macron called the violence “unjustifiable” and said it had “no legitimacy whatsoever.”

“There is an unacceptable manipulation of a teenager’s death,” said Macron, who had taken the rare step of leaving early from a European Union summit in Brussels to attend the crisis meeting.

A third of those arrested overnight were “young, sometimes very young,” Macron said. “It is the parents’ responsibility to keep them at home.”

Over 800 people were arrested over Thursday night after protesters burned 2,000 cars, damaged nearly 500 buildings, looted stores and clashed with riot police officers in Nanterre and dozens of cities around France, according to the Interior Ministry. In Marseille, two plainclothes police officers were badly beaten, according to Gérald Darmanin, the French interior minister.

Several cities, like Strasbourg, experienced sporadic daytime vandalism and looting of stores in their city centers on Friday afternoon and evening — a departure from previous days, when the protests were almost exclusively in suburbs. Some protests in Marseille turned particularly violent on Friday evening, as rioters overturned and burned cars.

Now, the country is bracing for a potential fourth night of chaotic protests.

Late-night bus and tram services were halted around the country, since public transportation has been targeted over the past days. Authorities in several cities also canceled large events that had been planned over the next few days, including concerts at the Stade de France, north of Paris. Some cities have started banning local protests or enforcing nighttime curfews, and the government said on Friday evening that it was deploying 45,000 law enforcement officers across the country, as well as some armored vehicles.

US says It's New Thing To See Putin's Leadership Directly Challenged

WASHINGTON, June 26: The U.S. State Department on Monday said the situation in Russia remains dynamic days after an aborted mutiny, and said it does not have any assessment about the whereabouts of the boss of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

"It is a certainly a new thing to see President Putin's leadership directly challenged. It is a new thing to see Yevgeny Prigozhin directly questioning the rationale for this war and calling out that the war has been conducted essentially based on a lie," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.

Prigozhin shocked the world by leading Saturday's armed revolt, only to abruptly call it off as his fighters approached Moscow, the Russian capital, having shot down several aircraft but meeting no resistance on the ground during a dash of nearly 800 km (500 miles). Prigozhin's Wagner has fought the bloodiest battles of the 16-month war in Ukraine.

The United States had communications with the Russian government on Saturday, both through U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy and at other levels. Tracy told Russian officials that the United States expects Russia to uphold its obligations to protect embassy and diplomatic personnel.

Miller said the events over the weekend reinforce Washington's concerns about the instability Wagner brings when it enters any country.

Wagner, staffed by veterans of the Russian armed forces, has fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali and other countries. It was founded in 2014 after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and started supporting pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

Miller said Washington does not know what will happen to Wagner in Ukraine or in Africa, but to the extent that the group or a successor organization continues to operate in Africa, Ukraine or elsewhere, the United States will take actions to hold them accountable.

Ukraine Forces Reclaim New Russian-Occupied Settlement: Defence Ministry

KYIV, June 26: Ukrainian forces have recaptured another formerly Russian-held settlement on the southern front between the two armies, deputy defence minister Ganna Malyar said Monday.

"Defence forces returned Rivnopil under our control. Let's push on," the minister posted on her Telegram account, referring to a rural community in the Donetsk region.

This month Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against the Russian troops occupying around a fifth of its territory in the south and east of the country.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted that the advance has not gone as fast as had been hoped, despite Ukraine starting to deploy more Western-supplied weapons and tanks.

But there has been a breakthrough in the Mokri Yaly river valley, south of Velika Novosilka in the Donetsk, and the recapture of Rivnopil would be a continuation of this advance.

Russian forces had confirmed that there was fighting for Rivnopil on June 16, two weeks after the official launch of Ukraine's summer counteroffensive.

Earlier, in a summary of last week's fighting, Malyar said another 17 square kilometres (6.5 square miles) had been liberated, bringing the total to 130 square kilometres.

The biggest pocket of reclaimed territory is south of Vugledar, including Rivnopil.

But Ukraine has also launched operations pushing towards Tokmak in the Zaporizhzhia region, and is battling further north in Donetsk to secure the flanks around the city of Bakhmut.

Russian Mercenaries Stop March Towards Moscow 'To Avoid Spilling Blood'

MOSCOW, June 25: Mutinous Russian mercenary fighters who surged most of the way to Moscow have agreed to turn back to avoid bloodshed, their leader said on Saturday, in a de-escalation of what had become a major challenge to President Vladimir Putin's grip on power.

The fighters of the Wagner private army run by former Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin were already most of the way to the capital, having captured the city of Rostov and set off on an 1,100 km (680 mile) race to Moscow.

In an audio message, Prigozhin said the fighters would return to base because of the risk of blood being spilled.

A deal to halt further movement of Wagner fighters across Russia in return for guarantees of safety for the rebels was brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his office said.

The Kremlin later confirmed a deal had been struck and that Prigozhin would have all charges against him dropped and move to Belarus.

"The president of Belarus, having further clarified the situation through his own available channels, held talks with the head of the Wagner PMC (private military company), Yevgeny Prigozhin, in coordination with the President of Russia," the Belarusian statement said.

"The talks lasted for an entire day. As a result, they came to an agreement on the inadmissibility of unleashing a bloodbath on the territory of Russia. Yevgeny Prigozhin accepted the offer of President Alexander Lukashenko to stop the movement of Wagner's armed men on Russian territory and to take further steps to de-escalate tensions."

Earlier, Prigozhin said his men were on a "march for justice" to remove corrupt and incompetent Russian commanders he blames for botching the war in Ukraine.

In a televised address from the Kremlin, Putin said Russia's very existence was under threat.

"We are fighting for the lives and security of our people, for our sovereignty and independence, for the right to remain Russia, a state with a thousand-year history," he said.

"All those who deliberately stepped on the path of betrayal, who prepared an armed insurrection, who took the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment, will answer both to the law and to our people."

Putin later signed a law tightening rules for breaking martial law in places where it has been imposed, the RIA news agency said.

Video obtained by Reuters showed troop carriers and two flatbed trucks each carrying a tank driving 30 miles (50 km) beyond Voronezh, more than half way to Moscow, where a helicopter fired on them.

Prigozhin, whose private army fought the bloodiest battles in Ukraine even as he feuded for months with the military top brass, said he had captured the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District in the city of Rostov without firing a shot.

Rostov serves as the main rear logistical hub for Russia's entire invasion force in Ukraine.

Titanic Sub Crew Believed To Be Dead After 'Catastrophic Implosion'

BOSTON, June 22: The five crew members on the missing submersible that was headed to the Titanic died from a “catastrophic implosion” of their vessel.

The US Coast Guard came to that conclusion after examining debris found underwater earlier Thursday by a remote-controlled vehicle. The debris was found 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic.

“We immediately notified the families,” Rear Admiral John Mauger said at a briefing in Boston on Thursday. “On behalf of the US Coast Guard and the entire unified command, I offer my deepest condolences.”

The saga of the missing craft known as the Titan sparked global fascination as an international fleet of ships and aircraft desperately scoured an area of the North Atlantic twice the size of Connecticut. Rescuers raced around the clock, concerned that the Titan's estimated 96-hour oxygen supply was dwindling after it lost contact with the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince on June 18.

The US Coast Guard earlier in the week said unidentified sounds were detected during the search, but those noises weren't linked to the missing craft.

On board the Titan were Hamish Harding, 58, of the UK, founder of investment firm Action Group and an avid adventurer; French maritime expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet, 77; Stockton Rush, 61, chief executive officer of Everett, Washington-based OceanGate Inc., which ran the expedition; and Shahzada Dawood, 48, and Suleman Dawood, 19, a father and son in one of Pakistan's most prominent families.

“These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans,” OceanGate Expeditions, operator of the mission, said in a statement. “Our hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time. We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew.”

The Titan, a 6.7-meter-long craft made of carbon fiber and titanium, was designed to carry a pilot and four crew to a maximum depth of 4,000 meters (13,120 feet). According to OceanGate's website, an onboard system was able to track the health of the crew and provide “early warning detection for the pilot with enough time to arrest the descent and safely return to surface.”

But no messages were received after a mothership on the surface lost all communications with the Titan on June 18, about 1 hour and 45 minutes after it began diving toward the Titanic, which sank in 1912 on its first trans-Atlantic voyage.

OceanGate says it offers 10-day expeditions to the Titanic site, providing “qualified explorers” the opportunity to join as mission specialists. Their fees underwrite the training and participation of the science team exploring the ship that sank in 1912 on its maiden transatlantic voyage after hitting an iceberg. OceanGate also ran expeditions to explore the wreck in 2021 and 2022, according to its website.

French Man Drugged Wife Every Night, Then Recorded 51 Men Raping Her: Report

PARIS, June 22: A man in France has been accused of drugging his wife every night and then inviting men to rape her. According to a report in The Telegraph, the shocking practice with the unsuspecting wife continued for 10 years during which investigators identified 92 cases of rape.

Fifty one of those men - between the age of 26 and 73 - have been arrested and charged with rape and the police are looking for others, the outlet further said. They include a fireman, a lorry driver, municipal councillor, IT worker in a bank, prison guard, a nurse and a journalist.

The French man, identified as Dominique P by The Telegraph, allegedly carried out the attacks after he mixed the anti-anxiety drug Lorazepam into his wife's meal.

He would then invite the so-called 'guests' into their home in Mazan, France, to carry out sex acts on the sleeping woman, who has been mentioned referred to under the pseudonym Francoise by the outlet.

The report also claimed that Dominique would record the assaults and keep the footage on a USB drive in a file called "ABUSES", which is now with the police.

The cops said that the alleged rapes took place between 2011 and 2020 and most men returned multiple times.

Dominique was married to Francois for more than 50 years and the couple has three children, according to the police.

The Telegraph said he came in contact with the men on a depraved internet forum called "a son insu" ("without him/her knowing") in which members discuss performing sexual acts on their unwitting, and thus non-consensual partners, often drugged.

According to investigators, Dominique had banned tobacco and perfume to avoid strong smells that could lead to his wife waking up. He also asked the men to wash their hands in hot water to avoid sudden change of temperature and undress in the kitchen to avoid leaving clothes in the bathroom, park their vehicles near a school and walk in the dark to the house to avoid arousing neighbours' suspicion.

While speaking to investigators, some claimed they had no idea his wife was not consensual while one denied it was rape, saying: "It's his wife, he does what he likes with her."

French newspaper Le Monde quoted the prosecutors as saying that Dominique "never used violence or threats" to ensure the rapes took place, adding: "Each individual was in possession of his free will to stop these acts and leave."

He insisted that none of attackers "gave up going through with sexual acts on his wife given her state".

Police learned of the alleged rape videos during a preliminary investigation into Dominique in 2020 after he was suspected of using a hidden camera to film women in changing rooms.

When the woman was told about the tapes, she broke down and battled with depression. The woman later filed for divorce.

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Sailed Through Sensitive Strait, Says Taiwan

TAIPEI, June 21: A Chinese aircraft carrier group led by the vessel Shandong sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taiwan's defence ministry said, amid heightened military tension over the island Beijing claims as its own territory.

The ministry said the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, had sailed in a southerly direction through the western part of the strait, and it had dispatched "appropriate forces" to monitor the Chinese activities.

The aircraft carrier participated in Chinese military drills around Taiwan in April, operating in the western Pacific. In March last year, it sailed through the Taiwan Strait, just hours before the leaders of China and the U.S. were due to talk.

China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, has stepped up military activities near the democratically governed island to force it to accept Chinese sovereignty.

Taiwan strongly disputes Beijing's sovereignty claims and vows to defend itself if attacked.

Wanted Khalistani Terrorist Shot Dead In Canada

TORONTO, June 19: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and one of India's most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of ₹ 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada, officials here said on Monday.

Nijjar, 45, was shot dead by two unidentified assailants outside the premises of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Surrey, in the western Canadian province of British Columbia at around 6 am IST Monday (8.30 pm on June 18, Sunday, Canadian time).

The Gurdwara was being presided by Nijjar himself for the past four years, giving rise to speculation that funds from the shrine were being embezzled for funding terror activities in Punjab.

Canada-based Nijjar was designated a 'terrorist' by India under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in July 2020 and his property in the country was attached by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in September 2020.

Interpol Red Corner Notice was also issued against him in 2016. The local police of Surrey had also put Nijar under house arrest temporarily in 2018 on suspicion of his terror involvement but he was released later.

The killing is the latest instance of terror kingpins being targeted outside India. In May, another wanted Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen while he was out for a morning walk near his residence in Lahore, the provincial capital of Pakistan's Punjab province.

Panjwar, 63, was heading the Khalistan Commando Force-Panjwar group and was also designated as a terrorist by India under the UAPA in July 2020.

Nijjar, a native of village Bhar Singh Pura in Jalandhar, Punjab, had a long tryst with Khalistan militancy since migrating to Canada in 1995.

Initially, an operative of Babbar Khalsa, he was involved in some of the most high-profile terror cases of the first decade of the millennium including the Shingar Cinema bomb blast (Ludhiana, 2007) and the assassination of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat President Rulda Singh (Patiala, 2009).

He was introduced to Pakistan-based fugitive KTF supremo Jagtar Singh Tara, now incarcerated in India, in 2011 and switched to the newly formed KTF.

He kept on meeting Tara in Pakistan in the annual jathas, during which he was allegedly trained in the fabrication of IEDs and handling of high-end guns.

Nijjar also funded Tara handsomely from Canada and financed his shifting of base from Pakistan to Thailand in 2014, officials said.

When Tara was facing deportation from Thailand in late 2014, Nijjar made frantic efforts to stop it, making multiple rounds of Thailand and Pakistan.

The next year, Nijjar trained three Sikh youths in handling AK-47 and Russian sniper guns in the hilly terrain of Mission City, British Columbia before sending them to India for targeting some senior police officials and popular Dera leaders, officials alleged.

After a hiatus of about half a decade, Nijjar again made headlines with the surfacing of his name in multiple terror cases in quick succession including the killing of Dera follower Manohar Lal Arora (November 2020) and former Sarpanch of village Udhampur (Ropar) Avtar Singh (December 2021) and attempted killing of Bhar Singh Pura village priest Pragya Gyan Muni (January 2021).

Nijjar was learnt to have formed an alliance with fellow Surrey-based Punjabi gangster Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dala and off late delved into organised financial crimes both in Punjab and in Canada in order to finance his terror plans, they said.

This latest venture had reportedly made Nijjar a target of the warring criminal gangs operational in Surrey-Delta area.

Since early 2019, Nijar was roped in by the US-based Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) leadership to steer its so-called 'Referendum 2020' campaign in Canada. Since then, Nijjar had remained a constant face in the SFJ-sponsored demonstrations and car rallies in the Surrey-Vancouver area.

He was often seen desecrating the Indian national flag outside the Indian Consulate of Vancouver on days of national significance to India. Nijjar also played a prominent role in the 'Referendum voting' in Brampton and Mississauga (Ontario) last year, they said.

When his body was being moved from the scene by the Canadian police, a group of Sikhs raised pro-Khalistan and anti-India slogans, according to the officials.

Recently, a prominent pro-Khalistani activist Avtar Singh Purba alias Khanda, who was involved in the attack on the Indian High Commission in London, died at a hospital in the city of Birmingham last week after a prolonged illness. Sikh Federation UK said Avtar Singh was terminally ill with blood cancer.

Wanted in connection with the conspiracy to kill Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and senior advocate Rajwinder Singh Bains, Avtar Singh was allegedly involved in terrorist activities in the UK and had joined the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) remnants active in Britain and other countries.

In February this year, Bashir Ahmad Peer, a self-styled commander of the terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Pakistan's Rawalpindi.

Also in the same month, former commander of Pakistan-based terror outfit Al Badr, Syed Khalid Raza, was killed in a similar manner outside his residence in Karachi while Kashmir-born terrorist Aijaz Ahmad Ahanger alias Abu Usman Al-Kashmiri, who had joined the Islamic State IS), was reportedly killed in Kunar province of Afghanistan.

South Africa's Ramaphosa Tells Putin 'War Has To Have An End'

MOSCOW, June 17: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is in Russia as part of a peace-seeking delegation, on Saturday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the conflict in Ukraine had to stop.

"This war has to have an end... It must be settled through negotiations and through diplomatic means," said Ramaphosa.

He added that his delegation, consisting of seven African leaders, "came with a very clear message: that this war has to be ended."

"This war is having a negative impact on the African continent and indeed on many other countries around the world," Ramaphosa said ahead of formal talks with the Russian president.

On Friday, the delegation held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

"We have come to listen to you and through you to hear the voice of the Russian people," said Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who currently heads the African Union.

"We wanted to encourage you to enter into negotiations with Ukraine," he said.

African countries have been divided over their response to the conflict, with some siding with Ukraine, while others have remained neutral or gravitated towards Moscow.

Ukraine Won't Have 'Easy' Path To Join NATO: Biden

WASHINGTON, June 18: The United States won't make special arrangements for Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance, President Joe Biden said Saturday, despite Russia's invasion.

"They've got to meet the same standards. So we're not going to make it easy," the US president told reporters near Washington.

The comments come before NATO leaders are set to meet in Lithuania next month.

In a symbolic step, alliance leaders are aiming to hold a first session of a NATO-Ukraine Council with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg said Friday in Brussels.

The meeting will give Kyiv a more equal seat at the table "to consult and decide on security issues," Stoltenberg said

But Stoltenberg added that though NATO will tighten political ties with Ukraine at the summit, there will be no talk of membership for Kyiv.

"We're not going to discuss an invitation at the Vilnius Summit, but how we can move Ukraine closer to NATO," Stoltenberg said.

"I'm confident that we will find a good solution and consensus."

NATO nations in eastern Europe have pushed for a better roadmap for Ukraine to obtain membership, but key allies like the United States and Germany have been reluctant to go much beyond a vague 2014 pledge that Kyiv will join one day.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, however, had suggested Friday it was possible some requirements for membership could be eased if Ukraine was eventually ready to join.

NATO countries have already supplied weaponry worth tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine since Moscow launched its all-out invasion last February.

Yet some leaders in NATO worry that expanding membership to Ukraine would increase the chance of the alliance confronting Russia directly in a war.

Finland became NATO's 31st member in April, while Sweden's application to join the alliance has been stalled by Turkey. Ankara accuses Sweden of harboring Kurdish militants that it considers terrorists.

Biden was also asked Saturday about Russian President Vladimir Putin's assertions that Moscow had deployed nuclear arms within close ally and neighbor Belarus.

"I've commented on that many times. It's totally irresponsible," Biden told reporters at a military base near Washington, on his way to speak in Philadelphia.

The president's comments echoed sentiments from Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who a day earlier had called Belarus' choice to accept the weapons "provocative."

298 Pakistanis dead after boat carrying illegal immigrants capsizes off the coast of Greece

ATHENS, June 17: Rescuers were scouring the seas off Greece on Saturday in a massive search operation as hopes dwindled for survivors of a shipwreck that estimatedly killed 298 Pakistan nationals.

The ship was carrying 310 Pakistan nationals along with other migrants when it met the accident earlier this week. The Pakistan embassy in Greece has confirmed that 12 of the citizens had been rescued, adding that the local authorities had managed to recover 78 bodies as search operation continues for fourth day.

The embassy said the identity of the bodies was yet to be confirmed. It asked the families in Pakistan, whose beloved ones were on the boat, to send verified reports of their DNA tests for crossmatch.

Sources said over 130 Paksitanis belonged to the Kashmir region.

Earlier on Wednesday, hundreds of people were thought to have packed a fishing boat that capsized in international waters about 50 miles (80 km) from the southern coastal town of Pylos, while being shadowed by the Greek coast guard.

As dawn broke on Thursday, a coast guard vessel sailed into the nearby port city of Kalamata, transferring victims of the year's deadliest shipwreck off Greece. By the early hours, the survivors there numbered 104 out of several hundreds.

Authorities said it was unclear how many had been aboard the vessel, and they were investigating one account from a European rescue-support charity that there could have been 750 people on the 20- to 30 metre-long (65- to 100- foot-long) boat. The U.N.'s International Organization for Migration said initial reports suggested up to 400 people were aboard.

Government officials said the vessel had set off from the Libyan port of Tobruk, but added that migrants on the boat had persistently refused offers of help from Greek authorities.

"It was a fishing boat packed with people who refused our assistance because they wanted to go to Italy," coast guard spokesperson Nikos Alexiou told broadcaster Skai TV.

"We stayed beside it in case it needed our assistance which they had refused."

Aerial pictures released by the Greek coast guard showed dozens of people on the boat's upper and lower decks looking up, some with arms outstretched, hours before it sank.

Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Under a conservative government, in power until last month, authorities have taken a harder stance on migration, building walled camps and boosting border controls.

Libya, which has had little stability or security since a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, is a major launching point for those seeking to reach Europe by sea.

People-smuggling networks are mainly run by military factions that control coastal areas.

The United Nations has registered more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014, making it the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world.

Canada Won't Deport Indian Students For Now, Task Force To Look Into Cases

TORONTO, June 14: Canadian authorities have decided not to immediately deport the Indian students who were trapped in an alleged immigration scam and had reached the country with fake university admission letters.

A task force has been forced to look into each case, announced the country's immigration minister, Sean Fraser, on Wednesday.

"Only those candidates found genuine or victims of a fraud will be allowed to stay in Canada. But those found to be guilty will be prosecuted under the Canadian law," he said.

The Canadian government had last week put on hold the deportation of the students, days after they hit the streets against the possibility of their forced departure to their own countries. However, it was not known what the next move was and how long the relief would last.

The Canada Border Services Agency had recently issued deportation letters to around 700 Indian students, mostly from Punjab, after it found their admission letters to Canadian universities to be fake.

Most of these students arrived in Canada in 2018, but claimed the issue of fake letters surfaced only after five years when they applied for permanent residency.

The issue reverberated in the Canadian parliament where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said his focus was on "identifying the culprits and not penalising the victims."

"Victims of this fraud will have an opportunity to demonstrate and present evidence for their case. We recognise the immense contributions that the international students bring to our country," Trudeau had said.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar had earlier said that the government has taken up the issue with Canadian authorities. He had said the Canadians agreed that it would be unfair (to deport) if the students have not done anything wrong.

Ukraine Making Progress In Counteroffensive Against Russia: NATO

WASHINGTON, June 14: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said Ukraine is making progress in its counteroffensive against Russian invaders and predicted NATO leaders will increase military assistance to Kyiv when they meet next month.

Stoltenberg made the comments as he met in the Oval Office with President Joe Biden, who said the U.S. commitment to NATO was rock solid.

Stoltenberg visited the White House amid questions on whether his term in Brussels will be extended. He is currently scheduled to leave at the end of September after nine years in the post.

His visit came as Ukraine attempts to seize back Ukrainian ground taken by the Russians as part of a long-awaited counter-offensive against the invaders.

"The support that we are providing together to Ukraine is now making a difference on the battlefield as we speak, because the offensive is launched and Ukrainians are making progress," he said.

"It's still early days, but what we do know is that the more land Ukrainians are able to liberate, the stronger hand they will have at the negotiating table."

He said more aid will be pledged at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in mid-July.

"That's exactly what we'll do when we meet - all the NATO leaders - at the summit in Vilnius next month, where we (will) agree to sustain and step up our support for Ukraine," he said.

Biden, who has sought to keep NATO allies united against Russia since the war broke out in February 2022, said: "God willing we'll be able to keep this unity up."

Many NATO members would like a decision on who will head the alliance when leaders meet in Lithuania.

That does not give NATO's 31 nations, spanning from the United States through new member Finland to Turkey, much time to forge the consensus needed to pick a new leader.

Stoltenberg did not answer when asked whether his tenure would be extended.

Kim Jong Un Extends 'Full Support' To Putin On Russia Day

PYONGYANG, June 12: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered his country's "full support and solidarity" to Moscow in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, state media reported.

Kim sent the message of congratulations on the national day of Russia, one of a handful of nations that maintain friendly relations with Pyongyang.

His message, published by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), did not directly mention the invasion of Ukraine or Moscow's involvement in an armed conflict, but praised Putin's "correct decision and guidance... to foil the hostile forces' escalating threats".

The North Korean people, it added, extend "full support and solidarity to the Russian people in their all-out struggle for implementing the sacred cause to preserve the sovereign rights, development and interests of their country against the imperialists' high-handed and arbitrary practices."

This is the latest message of support from Pyongyang to Moscow since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

North Korea has described that conflict as a US "proxy war" to destroy Russia, and condemned Western military aid to Kyiv.

In January, the United States accused North Korea of supplying rockets and missiles to the Russian mercenary group Wagner. Pyongyang denied that allegation.

And in March, Washington claimed to have proof that Moscow was looking to Pyongyang to supply weapons for its offensive in Ukraine, in return for food aid for impoverished North Korea.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia has long held the line against increasing pressure on North Korea, which is under multiple UN and Western sanctions over its nuclear weapons and missile programmes.

China Asks Last Indian Journalist To Leave This Month

BEIJING, June 12: The last Indian journalist in China has been asked to leave, as Beijing and New Delhi eject each other's reporters in a tit-for-tat row deepening a rift between the Asian economic powerhouses.

Chinese authorities have instructed the Press Trust of India reporter to leave the country this month, according to a person familiar with the matter. His departure will wipe India's media presence from the world's second largest economy at a moment of deteriorating ties.

Indian media outlets had four reporters based in China earlier this year. The Hindustan Times reporter left over the weekend, while two journalists from public broadcaster Prasar Bharati and The Hindu newspaper were denied visa renewals in China in April.

China's foreign ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs did not reply to requests for comment.

Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said there was one Chinese journalist left in India, who was still awaiting renewal of their visa. Earlier, New Delhi rejected visa renewal applications from two journalists from Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television.

The Indian government said earlier this month that Chinese reporters had been operating in the country without any difficulty, but this was not the case for Indian journalists in China. Both countries were in touch over the issue, it added.

The visa spat started a few months ago over Indian journalists hiring assistants in China to help with reporting, according to Indian officials familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation. Beijing imposed measures limiting employment to three individuals at a time who must come from a pool provided by the Chinese authorities, they said. India doesn't have a cap on hiring.

Relations between Beijing and New Delhi have been tense since a deadly brawl on the Himalayan frontier in 2020. China has since sought to keep that dispute separate from the overall relationship and focus on trade and economic ties, but India has said relations cannot go back to normal until the border issue is resolved.

The visa rejections come as India hosts the Group of Twenty and the Chinese-founded Shanghai Cooperation Dialogue meetings this year. Xi is expected to attend the G-20 leaders summit in September as China looks to build its diplomatic and political presence globally.

China and the US have also been in a years-long dispute over journalist visas. After the Trump administration designated a handful of Chinese media companies as "foreign missions" and put caps on the number of Chinese journalists in the country, Beijing responded by revoking press credentials for reporters at US media companies.

In 2020, two Australian journalists based in China fled the country as diplomatic tensions worsened between the two nations. The two men were initially banned from leaving and spent five days under consular protection until Australian diplomats could negotiate their departure. That year, Beijing accused Canberra of raiding the homes of Chinese state-media staff and seizing their property.

Zelensky Confirms Counteroffensive Amid Justin Trudeau's Ukraine Visit

KYIV, June 11: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that a counteroffensive was underway as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Kyiv and criticised Russia over flooding from the breached Kakhovka dam.

"Counteroffensive and defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine: at which stage I will not talk in detail," Zelensky said at a joint press conference in Kyiv with Trudeau.

Zelensky commented after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Kyiv's long-expected counteroffensive was already failing.

Russia has reported thwarting Ukrainian attacks in the east and south.

"It's interesting what Putin said about our counteroffensive. It is important that Russia always feels this: that they do not have long left, in my opinion," Zelensky said.

He added that he was in daily touch with military commanders, including armed forces chief Valery Zaluzhny, and "everyone is positive now -- tell that to Putin!"

Trudeau, 51, and Zelensky, 45, hugged each other and used each other's first names as the Canadian leader made his second unannounced visit to Kyiv since full-scale war broke out in February last year.

Canada, which hosts a large number of Ukrainian expatriates, has been one of Kyiv's key allies since the Russian invasion.

It has provided Ukraine with significant military aid, trained more than 36,000 soldiers and adopted sanctions against Moscow.

Trudeau denounced Russia's role in the destruction of the Russian-controlled Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine on Tuesday.

The flooding from the breached dam has forced thousands to flee their homes and sparked fears of humanitarian and environmental disasters.

Ukraine accuses Russia of blowing up the dam, while Moscow says Kyiv fired on it.

In his daily address, Zelenksy condemned the "shameful indifference" from the international community to the fallout of the dam's destruction, including the failure to "form and send a rescue mission to the occupied territory" or "come out with clear and strong statements condemning this latest Russian war crime."

He urged international organisations to come to the aid of those in Russian-occupied territories.

Pledging 10 million Canadian dollars (US $7.5 million) in new funding for flood relief, Trudeau said the dam's destruction was the "direct consequence" of Russia's invasion.

"There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that the destruction of the dam was a direct consequence of Russia's decision to invade a peaceful neighbour," Trudeau said, adding Russia "will be held to account" for its actions in Ukraine.

The Canadian leader said he would provide 500 million Canadian dollars in new funding for military assistance to Ukraine.

He also pledged Canada would be part of the multinational efforts to train Ukraine's fighter pilots.

Justin Trudeau's Surprise Visit To Ukraine In A Show Of Support

KYIV, June 10: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Saturday as Ukrainian forces were engaged in fierce fighting against Russia on the southern front line.

Justin Trudeau, who is due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Saturday, placed flowers by a wall displaying the faces of soldiers killed in combat while a military orchestra played.

He also visited an open-air exhibition featuring destroyed military vehicles.

Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Oleksandr Polishchuk handed Trudeau a container holding shrapnel from a rocket that fell on the Black Sea port city of Odesa.

A group of Ukrainian soldiers who received training in Canada spoke with Trudeau. One of them, Colonel Petro Ostapchuk, told reporters the troops received training for elite shooters, engineers and young commanders.

"It's a great privilege to meet the prime minister," he said.

Canada, which hosts a large Ukrainian diaspora, has been one of Kyiv's key allies since the Russian invasion.

Ottawa has provided Ukraine with significant military aid, trained more than 36,000 soldiers and adopted sanctions against Moscow.

Justin Trudeau's visit comes as Russia has reported thwarting Ukrainian attacks in the east and south that some observers have interpreted as the start of Kyiv's expected large-scale counter-offensive.

Ukraine has so far minimised the importance of the attacks.

Putin Says 'Long-Expected' Ukraine Counteroffensive Has Started

MOSCOW, June 9: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that a long-expected counter-offensive from Ukraine had begun but Kyiv had so far "failed" to reach its goals.

"We can definitely state that this Ukrainian offensive has begun," Putin said in a video interview published on Telegram by a Russian journalist.

"But the Ukrainian troops did not reach their aims in any area of combat," he added.

Ukraine has for months said it was preparing a counter-offensive to repel Russian troops from its territories, but said there would be no formal announcement.

Putin said that "combat has continued for five days, with intense fighting yesterday and the day before."

He said Ukrainian forces had suffered "significant losses" but "the offensive potential of the Kyiv regime still remains."

For several days, the Russian army has said it repelled assaults in the south of Ukraine, which would be the opening phase of Kyiv's offensive.

Kyiv, however, said the main centre of combat was still in Ukraine's east, while providing few details on the situation in the south.

Eurozone Entered Into Technical Recession At Start Of 2023: Report

BRUSSELS, June 8: The eurozone entered into a technical recession at the start of the year, shrinking by 0.1 percent for a second consecutive quarter, figures from the EU's statistic agency showed Thursday.

Eurostat revised down an earlier forecast that had predicted slight growth, after economic powerhouse Germany said last month it had fallen into recession.

The worse-than-expected figures come as inflation and higher interest rates have curbed demand in Europe's largest economy.

Eurostat cut its earlier estimate of 0 percent growth in the final quarter of 2022 and 0.1 percent growth in the first quarter of 2023 to 0.1 percent contractions in both periods.

Two consecutive quarters of shrinking gross domestic product is the threshold for a technical recession.

The bad news comes after a painful year for European economies as surging energy prices sparked by Russia's war on Ukraine sent inflation spiralling.

The European Central Bank has responded by hiking its key rates by 3.75 percentage points since embarking on an unprecedented campaign of monetary tightening in July last year.

The latest figures cast doubt over more optimistic predictions for the whole 2023.

The European Commission forecast in mid-May that growth for the year would reach 1.1 percent across the 20 countries that use the single currency.

Charlotte de Montpellier, an economist at ING Bank, predicted that the figure for 2023 would only reach 0.5 percent.

"Since the spring, all the data has been bad", she said, pointing in particular to German industrial production and new orders.

"The European economy is in a phase of stagnation and has had difficulty getting through the winter because of the energy shock."

Even though gas and oil prices have fallen in recent months, last year's surge in prices has had a major impact on household confidence and forced a reduction in consumption.

Capital Economics said in a note it thinks "GDP is likely to contract again in Q2 (the second quarter) as the effects of monetary policy tightening continue to feed through".

"Domestic demand has been hit hard by the combination of inflation and rising interest rates," it said.

Headline inflation for the 20 EU countries using the euro dipped to 6.1 percent in May.

But inflation remains well above the 2.0 percent target set by ECB.

ECB chief Christine Lagarde said inflation remains "too high" and has suggested that a smaller rate increase could be on its way.

The news of a technical recession could put pressure on the central bank to hold off on further tightening.

Adding to Europe's distress, a slowdown in the United States and weaker-than-expected recovery in China are also weighing on exports.

'Not Good For Ties': India To Canada On Event Disrespecting Indira Gandhi

NEW DELHI, June 8: India on Thursday warned Canada against giving space to separatists and extremists elements, saying it was not good for the bilateral ties, days after a video of a float, depicting the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, at a parade in Brampton went viral on social media.

At a media briefing, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he has a similar message to the United Kingdom and Australia against allowing pro-Khalistani elements to operate from their territories.

On the issue of around 700 Indian students facing deportation from Canada due to fraudulent admissions, the external affairs minister said that India is in touch with Canada over it.

Asked about the Brampton event, the minister said,"I think there is a bigger issue involved. And the bigger issue involved really is the space that Canada has continuously and frankly, we are at a loss to understand other than the requirements of vote bank politics, why anybody would do this."

"Because if you look at their history, you would imagine that they learn from history and they would not like to repeat that history. It is not only one incident, however egregious it may be," Jaishankar said.

"I think there is a larger underlying issue about the space which is given to separatists, to extremists, to people who advocate violence and I think it is not good for relationships and not good for Canada," he added.

A video has emerged on social media that showed a float depicting the assassination of Indira Gandhi, in what appeared to be a glorification of violence by Sikh separatists. It was reportedly part of a parade that was organised by some Khalistani elements in Brampton.

Asked about reports of the Canadian NSA criticising India For commenting on Canada's internal matter, Jaishankar used a Hindi phrase.

"The phrase that came to mind is actually a Hindi phrase which is 'Ulta Chor Kotwal Ko Dante' (the pot calling the kettle black).. If anybody has a complaint, we have a complaint about Canada...I was very perplexed by what I heard," he said.

Canadian High Commissioner in India Cameron MacKay tweeted that there is no place in Canada for "hate or for the glorification of violence".

"I am appalled by reports of an event in Canada that celebrated the assassination of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. There is no place in Canada for hate or for the glorification of violence. I categorically condemn these activities," he said.

On the activities of Khalistani elements, Jaishankar said India has issues in the UK and Australia as well, apart from Canada.

"Our point is that they are a very small minority. They do not represent any significant body of opinion. Our plea (to these countries) has been that please understand that these are marginal elements, extremist elements; they are not good for you, they are not good for us, they are not good for the relationship," he said.

"It is not a message limited to Canada. Canada came up because you raised it and certain things have happened recently in Canada. If it happened somewhere we would have said the same things," Jaishankar said.

On some Indian students facing deportation from Canada over charges that they did not study in the colleges they applied for, Jaishankar said India has taken up the issue with Canadian authorities.

"If there were people who misled them (the students), the culpable parties should be acted upon. It is unfair to punish a student who undertook education in good faith," he said.

The external affairs minister said the Canadian prime minister has also made a statement in the House of Commons on the issue.

"We are in touch with Canada on the issue," he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress leader and former Union minister Milind Deora shared the purported video on Twitter and said," as an Indian, I'm appalled by the 5 km-long parade which took place in the city of Brampton, Canada, depicting the assassination of Indira Gandhi," he tweeted.

"It's not about taking sides, it's about respect for a nation's history and the pain caused by its Prime Minister's assassination," Deora said.

The Congress leader asserted that this extremism deserves universal condemnation and a united response.

Tagging Deora's tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "I entirely agree! This is despicable and Dr S Jaishankar should take it up strongly with the Canadian authorities."

Responding to Deora's tweet, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "You are completely right...There should be no politics in condemning this despicable act across party lines."

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said an Indian prime minister was assassinated by separatist forces and her assassination has been glorified by pro-Khalistan extremists in Canada.

"And all that our government has done is make this one general comment -- without even naming Smt Indira Gandhi. Our national interests and security must be above any political concerns. India must take this up officially with the Canadian government," Ms Shrinate tweeted.

The Congress also asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not spoken to his counterpart and why the Canadian envoy not summoned to lodge a strong protest over the issue.

Russia-Held Ukraine City 'Novaya Kakhovka' Flooded After Dam Blown Up: Report

MOSCOW, June 6: The Russian-occupied city of Nova Kakhovka in southern Ukraine -- home to the dam that Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of targeting -- is "flooded", officials told Russian media Tuesday.

"The city is flooded," Vladimir Leontyev, the Russian-installed head of the city administration, told Russian media.

The dam at the Kakhovka hydropower plant in Southern Ukraine has become the latest casualty in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with both countries accusing the other of the attack. The dam blowing up has unleashed floodwaters in the war zone.

Ukraine authorities have said that the water could reach critical levels in the next five hours. "Water will reach critical levels in five hours," regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin, said in a video on his Telegram channel.

Concerned Over China's 'Increasingly Risky' Actions In Asia: Pentagon

SINGAPORE, June 4: China's defence minister warned Sunday against establishing NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a "whirlpool" of conflict.

Li Shangfu's comments came a day after US and Chinese military vessels sailed close to each other in the flashpoint Taiwan Strait, an incident that provoked anger from both sides.

"Attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations," Li told a security conference in Singapore also attended by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Li said these alliances would "plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts".

Li did not name any country, but his comments echoed long-held Chinese criticism of the United States seeking to shore up alliances in the region.

The United States is a member of the AUKUS alliance, which groups it with Australia and Britain.

Washington is also a member of the QUAD group, which includes Australia, India and Japan.

"Today's Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques," Li said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit.

"We must not forget the severe disasters brought by the two world wars to peoples of all countries, and we must not allow such tragic history to repeat itself."

On Saturday, Austin called for top-level defence dialogue with Beijing to prevent miscalculations that could draw both superpowers into conflict.

"The more that we talk, the more that we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict," Austin said.

Austin and Li shook hands and spoke briefly for the first time at the opening dinner on Friday, but there was no substantive exchange.

The United States had invited Li to meet with Austin on the sidelines of the conference, but the Pentagon said Beijing declined.

A member of China's delegation told AFP that the removal of US sanctions on its minister is a precondition for talks.

There have been some signs of improved dialogue between the two nations.

CIA Director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month, a US official announced on Friday.

And Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will travel to China on Sunday for a rare visit.

However the US and Chinese militaries have also engaged in dangerous encounters in two of the most sensitive areas in the region -- the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

US and Canadian warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the waterway that separates self-ruled Taiwan from China.

The United States on accused a Chinese Navy ship of sailing in an "unsafe manner" near the US vessel, the destroyer Chung-Hoon.

China claims Taiwan as its territory -- vowing to take it one day, by force if necessary -- and has in recent years ramped up military and political pressure on the island.

The Taiwan Straits encounter followed what the US military said was an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" by one of Beijing's fighter's near one of Washington's surveillance planes in the South China Sea last week.

"We remain concerned about the PLA's increasingly risky and coercive activities in the region, including in recent days," said Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder, who is travelling with Austin, following Li's speech.

A senior US defense official also told reporters: "Actions speak louder than words, and the dangerous behaviour we've seen from the PLA around the Strait, in the South and East China Seas, and beyond really says it all."

In his speech Saturday, Lloyd outlined Washington's extensive partnerships in the region, which it calls the Indo-Pacific, and held talks with his counterparts from allies and partners.

"America's partnerships are bringing the region closer together to help keep it free, open, and secure," he said.

Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Ready For Counteroffensive To Recapture Territory

KYIV, June 3: Ukraine is ready to launch its long-awaited counteroffensive to recapture Russian-occupied territory, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview published on Saturday.

"We strongly believe that we will succeed," Zelenskiy told the Wall Street Journal.

"I don't know how long it will take. To be honest, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we are going to do it, and we are ready."

Kyiv hopes a counteroffensive to reclaim territory will change the dynamics of the war that has raged since Russia invaded its smaller neighbour 15 months ago.

Zelenskiy said last month Ukraine needed to wait for more Western armoured vehicles arrived before launching the counteroffensive. He has been on a diplomatic push to maintain Western support, seeking more military aid and weapons, which is key for Ukraine to succeed in its plans.

Russia holds swaths of Ukrainian territory in the east, south and southeast.

A long spell of dry weather in some parts of Ukraine has driven anticipation that the counteroffensive might be imminent. Over the past several weeks Ukraine has increased it strikes on Russian ammunition depots and logistical routes.

On Saturday Ukraine's military said in a daily report that Mariinka in the Donetsk region in the east was the focus of fighting. Ukrainian forces repelled all 14 Russian troops' attacks there, the report said.

Rahul Gandhi Predicts 2024 'Surprise' Result

WASHINGTON, June 2: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday expressed confidence in an united opposition's potential to remove the BJP from power after next year's national elections.

Gandhi, who is currently on a US tour, was interacting with journalists at the National Press Club in Washington yesterday

"I think the Congress party will do very well in the next election. I think it will surprise people. Just do the math, a united opposition will defeat the BJP on its own," he said.

With less than a year left for the parliament elections, he said the Congress was holding regular talks with other Opposition parties.

"The opposition is pretty well united. We are having conversations with all the Opposition (parties). I think quite a lot of good work is happening there. It's a complicated discussion because there are spaces where we are competing with the Opposition. So a bit of give and take is required," he said.

"But I am confident that it (a grand Opposition alliance) will happen," he added.

Gandhi also accused the government of "capturing" institutions, a charge levelled by various opposition leaders in the past and denied by the ruling party.

The Congress leader opened up on losing his Parliament membership over his conviction in a defamation case, saying it was "an advantage" for him.

"It allows me to completely redefine myself. I think they have given me a gift, frankly. They don't realize it, but they have," he said.

He also said he wasn't concerned about threats to his life and that can't be the reason for backing down.

"I am not concerned about threats of assassination. Everybody has to die. That's what I learnt from my grandmother and father - you don't back down because of something like that," the Congress leader said.

His grandmother Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards in 1984 while his father Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a suicide attack in 1991. Both were former prime ministers.

Gandhi's US tour comes weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit later this month.

Russia's Rupee Trap Is Adding To $147 Billion Hoard Stuck Abroad

MOSCOW, June 1: A lopsided trade relationship with India is forcing Russia to accumulate up to $1 billion each month in rupee assets that remain stranded outside the country, swelling the stockpile of capital it's amassed abroad since the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has emerged as a top supplier of oil to India over the past year, settling a greater share of trade in national currencies and redirecting shipments east as traditional customers in Europe shunned purchases after the war began over a year ago.

But with imports from India stagnating, Russia is ending up with an excess of rupees, which its companies have trouble repatriating because of local currency restrictions. Deadlock over a solution has left Russia expecting the surplus to rise further, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

Every quarter, the imbalance will likely generate the equivalent of $2 billion to $3 billion that Russia can't use, according to Bloomberg Economics. The amount would add to an estimated $147 billion in net foreign assets built up abroad over the course of 2022.

"The reason is a sharp boost in the volume of oil supplies from Russia," said Irina Zasedatel, a member of the presidium of Russia's Association of Exporters and Importers. "Against the backdrop of an increase in the growth of oil sales, there's little sign of expansion in the supply of other goods."

An impasse at the negotiating table between India and Russia is complicating their booming one-way trade. In the first quarter, India had a trade deficit $14.7 billion with Russia.

A top priority for India is to promote the wider use of the rupee in international settlements. The central bank has suggested that countries accumulating excess rupees from exports can put the funds in local securities including government bonds.

The two countries are discussing various payment mechanisms including investments in India's capital markets by Russian entities.

It's an option that initially didn't find favor with Moscow but is now back on the table as billions of rupees pile up in Indian banks, officials in India familiar with the details said, asking not to be named because discussions were private. Other possibilities include channeling the accumulated rupees into Indian infrastructure projects in exchange for equity stakes.

For Russia, the only acceptable option is to use currencies of a third country, such as China's yuan or the United Arab Emirates dirham, said people familiar with the deliberations. An agreement is far off since Russia has limited sway in a situation with few alternative buyers to India, they said, asking for anonymity to describe the private talks.

Russia's government and its central bank didn't respond to requests for comment, and neither did India's Ministry of External Affairs.

"Russia's trade with India is increasingly imbalanced. India's exports to Russia haven't caught up with booming imports, but there's a limited appetite in Russia to save its current-account surplus in rupees. That said, there are no alternative oil importers of India's caliber on the horizon for Russia, so exporters and banks will gradually accept settlement in rupees. This will allow Russia to keep its oil flowing, but will make hard currency more scarce, weaken the ruble and push inflation higher," according to Alexander Isakov, Russia economist.

Though changes in how the government in Moscow taxes oil companies have succeeded in stabilizing public finances after a record surge in spending, the inability to retrieve earnings deprives Russia of hard currency at a time when its exporters already face longer wait times for payments because many domestic banks have lost access to their correspondent accounts in the west.

In the months following the invasion, households and companies have also been moving billions of dollars in funds to banks abroad. And with some foreign revenue now trapped overseas, pressure on the ruble may grow worse since fewer export proceeds will be converted into the Russian currency.

The warping of commerce leaves few good options for the Kremlin and underscores how little bargaining power it has in a redrawn global oil market that's seen Asian powerhouses India and China scoop up cheaper Russian oil. It also shows why a shift away from the currencies of Russia's adversaries remains fraught with risks.