Polio vaccine campaign begins in Gaza amid strikes

TEL AVIV, Aug 31: A campaign to inoculate children in Gaza against polio and prevent the spread of the virus began on Saturday as Palestinians in both the Hamas-governed coastal enclave and in the occupied West Bank reeled from Israel's ongoing campaigns in both regions.

Children in Gaza began receiving vaccines on Saturday, the Strip's health ministry announced in a news conference, a day before the large-scale rollout and planned pause in fighting agreed to by Israel and the United Nations World Health Organisation.

Reporters saw roughly ten infants receiving doses of vaccine in the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis on Saturday afternoon.

Hours earlier, Gaza's Health Ministry said hospitals received 89 dead on Saturday, including 26 who died in an overnight Israeli bombardment, and 205 wounded one of the highest daily tallies in months.

Meanwhile, parts of the West Bank remained on edge Saturday as Israel's military continued its largescale military campaign, the deadliest since the Israel-Hamas war began, and two car bombings by Palestinian militants near Israeli settlements left three soldiers injured.

Two car bombs exploded early Saturday in Gush Etzion, a bloc of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Israel's military killed both Palestinian attackers after the bombs exploded in a compound in Karmei Zur and at a gas station, Israel's military said. Three Israeli soldiers sustained minor injuries.

Palestinian health officials said Israel was holding the bodies of the attackers, naming the men as Muhammad Marqa and Zoodhi Afifeh.

Philippines, Chinese vessels collide in South China Sea

MANILA, Aug 31: In the latest in a series of confrontations in the South China Sea, the Philippines and China on Saturday accused each other of deliberately ramming coast guard vessels in the disputed waters.

While Manila has accused Beijing of intentionally colliding with their ship, the later claimed that the Manila vessel was the aggressor.

This collision near Sabina Shoal is their fifth maritime confrontation in a month. Sabina Shoal is approximately 140 kilometres (85 miles) west of the Philippine province of Palawan, within the internationally recognised exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

As per a report, Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun, in a statement posted on social media, claimed that a Philippine vessel manoeuvred and “deliberately collided” with a Chinese coast guard ship “in an unprofessional and dangerous manner.” Philippine officials in Manila countered that their coast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, was rammed three times by the Chinese coast guard without provocation, causing damage to the vessel.

Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard stated in a news briefing that the Magbanua had re-anchored and would not withdraw from Sabina Shoal "despite the harassment, bullying activities, and escalatory actions of the Chinese coast guard."

A video released by the Philippine Coast Guard appeared to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard vessel.

The Philippine ship has been stationed at Sabina since mid-April after Manila suspected that China might be planning to construct a structure to assert control over the uninhabited atoll. China had similar concerns and recently lodged a diplomatic protest against the Philippines over the ship's extended presence at the shoal.

Tensions have been escalating in the region as China expands its military presence and asserts its claims over the South China Sea.

The United States has condemned China's actions and reiterated its commitment to supporting the Philippines, with concerns growing about the potential for further escalation and the involvement of other regional powers.

US Ambassador to Manila, MaryKay Carlson, expressed support for the Philippines in a statement on X, affirming, “We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law.”

Russian helicopter with 22 on board goes missing in far east: Report

MOSCOW, Aug 31: A Russian helicopter carrying three crew members and 19 passengers has gone missing in the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula of the country, according to preliminary reports from the federal air transport agency, as cited by Interfax news agency on Saturday.

The Mi-8T helicopter had departed from a base near the Vachkazhets volcano but failed to report in at the scheduled time of 04:00 GMT, a news agency reported.

The Mi-8, a two-engine helicopter designed in the 1960s, is extensively used in Russia and neighbouring countries.

Earlier on August 12, a Mi-8 helicopter with 16 people on board crashed in Russia's Far East region of Kamchatka early.

The helicopter operated by Vityaz-Aero company with 13 passengers and three crew hard-landed near a lake on the south of Kamchatka peninsula, the local emergency service said.

The helicopter was carrying tourists from Moscow and St Petersburg, state news agency RIA reported, citing a source at the emergency service. RIA said the helicopter fell into the lake.

Kamchatka peninsula is popular among tourists for its nature. It is more than 6,000 km (3,728 miles) east of Moscow and about 2,000 km west of Alaska.

47 Indians rescued from ‘cyber scam centres’ in Laos

VIENTIANE, Aug 31: At least 47 Indians who were trapped in ‘cyber scam centres’, have been rescued from Bokeo province in Laos, the Indian embassy in the Southeast Asian nation said on Saturday. So far, the Indian mission has assisted in rescuing 635 Indians from Laos and ensured their safe return home.

Indian authorities have advised citizens to be wary of “fake job offers” in Laos and emphasised the need for careful verification to avoid falling victim to scams.

According to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Laos, the embassy recently successfully rescued 47 Indians caught in cyber scam centres within the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bokeo province.

“Of these, 29 were handed over to the Embassy by Laos authorities after their crackdown on illegal activities in Golden Triangle SEZ, while other 18 had approached the Embassy in distress, seeking help,” the embassy said on X, sharing the pictures of the rescued Indians.

In its statement on Saturday, the Indian Embassy urged the Laos government to take action against the unscrupulous elements involved.

The Embassy has issued a strong advisory to Indian nationals contemplating job offers in Laos, advising them to exercise caution and perform thorough checks to avoid falling victim to scams.

The advisory, available on the Embassy's website, offers detailed guidance and urges individuals to reach out to the Embassy if they have any doubts.

Indian embassy officials travelled from the capital, Vientiane, to Bokeo to coordinate with local authorities for the rescue operation, according to the official statement. Prashant Agrawal, the Indian Ambassador to Laos, met the rescued group upon their arrival to discuss the challenges they encountered and to provide guidance on the next steps.

The embassy has completed all necessary procedures with the Laos authorities for their repatriation to India. The statement added that 30 of those rescued have already returned to India or are en route, while the remaining 17 are awaiting final travel arrangements and will be departing soon.

The embassy's statement said that Agrawal stressed that "ensuring safety and well-being" of Indian nationals is a top priority for the Embassy. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the issue of Indian national trafficking with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

In the same month, the Indian embassy in Laos rescued 13 Indians who had been lured into cyber scam centres in the country and facilitated their return to India.

Brazil's Supreme Court Orders Suspension Of Elon Musk's X Amid Row

BRASILIA, Aug 30: A Supreme Court judge on Friday ordered the suspension of Elon Musk's X social media network in Brazil after the billionaire failed to comply with an order to name a new legal representative for the company.

Musk has been locked in a months-long feud with the judge, Alexandre de Moraes, who is leading a battle against disinformation in South America's largest nation.

Moraes ordered the "immediate, complete and comprehensive suspension of the operation of 'X Brasil Internet LTDA' in the national territory."

He ordered the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to "adopt all necessary measures to implement" the order within 24 hours.

He also asked Google, Apple, and internet providers to "introduce technological obstacles capable of preventing the use of the X application" and access to the website.

The social media platform formally known as Twitter has more than 22 million users in Brazil.

Musk shut X's business operations in Brazil earlier this month, claiming Moraes had threatened the company's previous legal representative with arrest to force compliance with "censorship orders."

On Wednesday, Moraes told Musk "to appoint the company's new legal representative in Brazil within 24 hours" or face suspension.

The South African-born Tesla boss fired off tweets calling Moraes an "evil dictator cosplaying as a judge" and accusing him of "trying to destroy democracy in Brazil."

"Soon, we expect Judge Alexandre de Moraes will order X to be shut down in Brazil – simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents," X said in a statement shortly after the passing of a 24-hour deadline.

The standoff with Musk began when Moraes ordered the suspension of several X accounts belonging to supporters of Brazil's former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who tried to discredit the voting system in the 2022 election, which he lost.

Brazilian authorities are investigating whether Bolsonaro plotted a coup attempt to prevent current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from assuming office in January 2023.

Online users blocked by Moraes include figures like far-right ex-congressman Daniel Silveira, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2022 on charges of leading a movement to overthrow the Supreme Court.

20 Chinese aircraft enter Taiwan’s airspace, 14 cross median line

TAIPEI, Aug 30: The Taiwan Ministry of Defense said on Friday that 20 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft were detected which included J-16 and KJ-500.

Of these, 14 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

“Overall 20 #PLA aircraft in various types (including J-16, KJ-500, etc.) were detected from 1630hr today. Out of which, 14 crossed the median line of the #Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ,” the Defence ministry said in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, MND detected 25 Chinese PLA aircraft, along with seven PLAN vessels and two official ships around the country from 6 am Thursday up until 6 am on Friday.

Seventeen of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southeastern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), Taiwan’s MND said.

In a post on X, Taiwan’s MND said, “25 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 17 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation.”

This adds to a series of similar provocations by China in recent months. Reportedly, China has increased its military activities around Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ and military exercises near the island.

According to the Taiwan MoFA statement, China’s continued use of military aircraft and warships to intrude into Taiwan and Japan’s air defence identification zones and exclusive economic zones has increased regional tensions, according to a Taiwan News report.

Notably, Taiwan has been governed independently since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.

Over 24,000 Indian Americans sign up for Modi’s event in New York

NEW YORK, Aug 29: Over 24,000 Indian Americans have signed up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event at Uniondale in New York on September 22 during his visit to the United States for the UN’s Summit of the Future, the organisers said. The event will be held at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which has a capacity of 15,000.

“Indian Americans from at least 42 states are expected to attend, and the response has been particularly strong from the tri-state area [New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut],” the Indo-American Community of USA (IACU), the organisers, said in a statement.

IACU, a not-for-profit that works to promote unity within the Indo-American community through cultural events and public programs, said registrations for the event have come through 590 community organisations, all of whom signed up as Welcome Partners, from across the United States.

The event “Modi & US: Progress Together” will include attendees and participants from across religious communities—Jewish, Zoroastrian, Jain, Christian, Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu. “They also represent a significant cross-section of India’s diverse languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, and others,” the statement said.

“In addition to remarks by Prime Minister Modi, the event will showcase cultural performances and appearances by prominent Indian Americans in business, science, entertainment, and the arts.”

The event seeks to celebrate India and the US and the “cultural ethos” of viewing the “world as one family, diversity a strength, and the well-being of all people and the planet an inspiration for building a better world together”.

Israel ramps up military assault on occupied West Bank for second day

TEL AVIV, Aug 29: The Israeli military has called in reinforcements as it escalated its assault on the occupied West Bank for a second day.

At least 18 people have been killed since the start of the operation in the north of the territory, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on Thursday.

Eight people were killed in the Jenin governorate, six in Tulkarem and four in Tubas, while dozens more have been injured.

At least 20 Palestinians, including children, have so far been imprisoned by Israeli forces, according to the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society, who warned on Thursday that the number could rise as the raids continue.

In Tulkarem’s Nur Shams refugee camp, the Israeli military claimed on Thursday that it had killed five Palestinian fighters who were hiding in a mosque.

Among them was the commander of the Tulkarem Battalion, Mohamed Jaber, also known as Abu Shuja’a, it said. The military said Abu Shuja’a had directed the shooting and killing of an Israeli man in Qalqilya in June.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group confirmed the death of Abu Shuja’a and the other fighters, saying in a statement that they were killed “after a heroic battle against the soldiers of the [Israeli] occupation”.

Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the PIJ, later said that it targeted an Israeli infantry force in Tulkarem with an explosive device and a “hail of bullets” in response to the killing of Abu Shuja’a. The Jenin Battalion of the group also claimed a similar attack later on Thursday.

Wafa reported that Israeli troops burned down several homes and inflicted “extensive destruction” on civilian infrastructure in the Nur Shams camp.

Israel Launches Deadly West Bank Operation As Gaza War Drags On

JENIN, Aug 28: Israel launched a large-scale military operation today in the West Bank, where the army said it killed nine Palestinian fighters, while the nearly 11-month Gaza war showed no signs of abating.

Violence has surged in the West Bank during the Gaza war sparked by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel.

The war has killed more than 40,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. It has also caused widespread destruction, displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.4 million people at least once and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

In the West Bank in the early hours of Wednesday, the Israeli military launched a series of coordinated raids across four cities -- Jenin, Nablus, Tubas and Tulkarem.

Columns of Israeli armoured vehicles entered two refugee camps, in Tulkarem and Tubas, as well as Jenin.

By midday, they were blocking entrances to the towns and camps, a photographer said, with soldiers firing at the camps from which gunfire and explosions were heard.

Israeli bulldozers dug up asphalt from the streets, with the army saying it was looking for roadside bombs.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces killed nine people and wounded 15 others in the raids, revising its previous toll of 10 dead.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas cut short a visit to Saudi Arabia and headed home to "follow up on the latest developments in light of the Israeli aggression on the northern West Bank", Palestinian official media said.

The Israeli army said it had killed nine Palestinian "terrorists", with no casualties so far on its side.

Soldiers encountered explosives and were exchanging fire with militants, said army spokesman Nadav Shoshani. He declined to say how many were involved or how long the operation would last.

The operation, he added, was not "extremely different (from usual army activity in the area) or special".

Foreign Minster Israel Katz had a different take, however, saying the military was "operating in full force since last night" in a bid to "dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructure".

In a post on X, he accused Iran, Israel's main foe in the region, of seeking to "establish an eastern front against Israel" based on the "model" for Gaza and Lebanon, where it backs Hamas and Hezbollah, respectively.

"We must address this threat with the same determination used against terror infrastructures in Gaza, including temporary evacuation of residents and any necessary measures," Katz said.

"This is a war, and we must win it."

While Israeli military operations have become a daily occurrence in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, it is rare for these to happen in multiple cities simultaneously.

In recent weeks, Israel's West Bank operations have focused on the territory's north, where armed groups are particularly active.

Israeli forces rescue hostage from Hamas tunnel after 326 days of captivity

TEL AVIV, Aug 28: Qaid Farhan Alkadi was alone underground Tuesday after 326 days of captivity in Gaza when Israeli forces scouring Hamas’ vast tunnel network found and freed him.

“Suddenly, I heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door, I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t believe it,” Alkadi, 52, recounted from an Israeli hospital during a phone call with Israel’s president as his large Bedouin Arab family gathered around his bedside in a joyful reunion.

He was the eighth hostage to be rescued by Israeli forces since about 250 were kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war, and the first to be found alive underground. The rescue brought a rare moment of relief to Israelis after 10 months of war but also served as a painful reminder that dozens of hostages are still in captivity as international mediators try to broker a cease-fire in which they would be released.

Alkadi expressed gratitude during the call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and urged his country's leaders to do everything possible to free the dozens still in captivity. "Work 24 hours, don’t sleep until they return. People are really suffering, you can’t imagine,” he said, according to a transcript of the call provided by Herzog’s office.

Alkadi was found in a southern Gaza tunnel where hostages were suspected to be alongside militants and explosives, according to the military. He was held in a number of locations during his captivity, according to Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the rescue was part of the army’s “daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza Strip.”

The military said it applied “lessons” learned during previous operations while rescuing Alkadi. Earlier in the war, Israeli troops who encountered three hostages inside Gaza accidentally shot and killed them, believing them to be militants.

Alkadi was one of eight members of Israel’s Bedouin Arab minority abducted on Oct. 7. He was working as a guard at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, one of several farming communities that came under attack. He has two wives and is the father of 11 children.

Israel believes there are still 108 hostages in Gaza and that about one-third of them are dead. Most of the rest were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Philippines says China ‘biggest disruptor’ of peace in Southeast Asia

MANILA, Aug 27: The Philippines’ Defence Minister said on Tuesday that China is the biggest disruptor of international peace in the region.

China deployed “an excessive force” of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manila’s largest coast guard ship

Manila was serious about protecting its sovereignty, Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told an annual military conference of the United States Indo-Pacific command.

Teodoro urged partner nations to call out China’s “illegal actions” in the South China Sea.

Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam have competing claims of sovereignty in portions of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship-borne commerce. China rejects a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague that found Beijing’s expansive claims over the South China Sea had no basis under international law.

Top US, China officials to meet on military, Taiwan, fentanyl

WASHINGTON, Aug 27: U.S. President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan is embarking on several days of talks with top Chinese officials in Beijing this week aimed at quieting tensions between the two superpowers ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Sullivan, China's top diplomat Wang Yi and others meet for the Aug. 27-29 talks as the two countries are at odds over the Middle East and Ukraine, Chinese territorial claims from Taiwan to the South China Sea, and trade.

Biden, who is in the final months of his presidency, has pushed direct diplomacy to influence Chinese President Xi Jinping and keep those tensions at bay; U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate in November's election, would likely pursue a similar strategy.

However many analysts aligned with Republican former President Donald Trump see that approach too soft given China's increasingly assertive foreign policy.

Sullivan wants to expand military-to-military talks down to the theater command level, a step that Washington hopes could prevent conflict in specific areas like the Taiwan strait.

The U.S. also wants China to take more action at home to prevent the development of chemicals that can be made into fentanyl, the leading cause of U.S. drug overdoses, and reach an understanding about safety standards for artificial intelligence.

Beijing plans to express its disapproval over U.S. tariffs on a range of manufactured goods and export controls targeting Chinese chip makers, and talk about its claims of sovereignty over the democratically ruled island of Taiwan.

"China will focus on expressing serious concerns, clarifying its solemn position and making serious demands on the Taiwan issue, the right to development and China's strategic security," the Chinese foreign affairs ministry said.

"The U.S. has continuously taken unreasonable measures against China in terms of tariffs, export controls, investment reviews and unilateral sanctions, which have seriously undermined China's legitimate rights and interests."

Both sides are also warily watching the prospect that the Gaza war could spiral into a broader regional conflict.

Sullivan's trip is the first by a U.S. national security adviser since 2016. He has held regular talks with Wang with an eye to managing competition between the superpowers, and they last met in January in Bangkok.

In Beijing, the two officials could also set the path towards a final meeting between Biden and Xi. Peru hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum summit and Brazil hosts the Group of 20 summit, both in November, where the two could meet.

Modi-Biden Phone Call Over Ukraine, Safety Of Hindus In Bangladesh

NEW DELHI, Aug 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today received a phone call from US President Joe Biden and discussed his recent Ukraine visit and the situation in Bangladesh among other things.

While discussing Ukraine, Modi reiterated India's consistent position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy and expressed full support for the early return of peace and stability.

Modi, during the first visit to Ukraine by an Indian prime minister, called for a diplomatic solution to more than two years of war with Russia.

"We were not neutral from day one, we have taken a side, and we stand firmly for peace," he told Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Modi and Biden also shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasised the restoration of law and order and ensuring the safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.

The Indian government has been sounding alarm over reports of attacks on Bangladesh's Hindu minority immediately following Sheikh Hasina's overthrow.

Bangladesh's new interim government has already said it is committed to restore law and order and to protect all minorities.

Modi and Biden also reviewed the significant progress in bilateral relations and highlighted that India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity.

14 Pakistani security personnel among 73 killed in terror attacks in Balochistan

ISLAMABAD, Aug 26: At least 73 people died in Pakistan's province of Balochistan in a series of terrorist attacks on police stations, railway lines and highways. The security forces immediately launched a counter-attack on the militants, leading to dozens of casualties, officials said.

Pakistani military said that 14 soldiers and police and 21 terrorists were killed during the gunfight which followed one of the largest terror attacks in the country. The gunmen targeted buses and trucks on major highways, and aimed at killing civilians, said officials.

Balochistan's chief minister said 38 civilians were killed. Local officials said 23 of them were killed in the roadside attack after armed men checked passengers' IDs before shooting many of them and torching vehicles. People were pulled out of vehicles and shot in front of their families, officials said.

Armed men reportedly blocked highways and forced passengers out of their vehicles. Passengers were shot after the terrorists checked their ID cards. As many as 35 vehicles were set on fire on the highway in the area of Musakhail.

The gunmen mainly targeted workers from Pakistan's eastern province of Punjab, whom they see as exploiting their resources.

Apart from gun attacks, multiple blasts also took place on the rail bridge linking the provincial capital to the rest of Pakistan. Terrorists also struck a rail link to neighbouring Iran, railways official Muhammad Kashif said. The attacks on security stations ended up killing at least 10 people.

In an official statement, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the attacks were pre-planned and were carried out to create anarchy in Pakistan.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), armed group took responsibility for the operation they called "Haruf" or "dark windy storm". In a statement to journalists they claimed more attacks over the last day that have not yet been confirmed by authorities.

The group said four suicide bombers, including a woman from the southern port district of Gwadar, had been involved in an attack on the Bela paramilitary base. Pakistani authorities did not confirm the suicide blasts, but the provincial chief minister said three people had been killed at the base.

The attacks took place on Monday, August 26, which is the death anniversary of Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Bugti, who was killed by Pakistani security forces in 2006.

Israel Attacks Lebanon In 'Self-Defence', Hezbollah Responds With 300 Rockets

TEL AVIV, Aug 25: Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah and Israel both announced large-scale military operations against each other today. According to a statement from Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, "more than 320" Katyusha rockets were launched, targeting key Israeli military sites.

In response to the threat, the Israeli military initiated pre-emptive strikes on targets in Lebanon. The IDF announced these strikes early Sunday, stating that they had detected preparations by Hezbollah for "large-scale" attacks on Israeli territory. Israeli Air Force fighter jets have been deployed to neutralise these threats, focusing on Hezbollah positions that posed an immediate danger to Israeli civilians.

Israel said its fighter jets attacked thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers in south Lebanon that were aimed at northern and central Israel.

"Approximately 100 IAF fighter jets ... struck and destroyed thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels that were located and embedded in southern Lebanon," an Israeli military statement read. "Most of these launchers were aimed toward northern Israel and some were aimed toward central Israel."

This escalation comes after weeks of growing tension, with Hezbollah and its regional ally, Iran, vowing to avenge the assassination of its military commander Fuad Shukr last month. The group has called the attack on its commander as a direct provocation and an act of war.

"In the context of the initial response" to the killing of Shukr, Hezbollah said it "began an air attack with a large number of drones" targeting deep into Israel. Hezbollah also targeted "a number of enemy positions and barracks and Iron Dome platforms... with a large number of rockets", it said, adding that "military operations will take some time to complete".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened a security cabinet meeting at 0400 GMT today. According to a statement from Netanyahu's office, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has declared a state of emergency across the country for the next 48 hours. This "special situation on the home front," as it is officially termed, grants the IDF Home Front Command expanded authority to impose restrictions on the civilian population.

"The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) identified the Hezbollah terrorist organisation preparing to fire missiles and rockets toward Israeli territory. In response to these threats, the IDF is striking terror targets in Lebanon," the Israeli military said in a statement.

As a precautionary measure, Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport announced delays and diversions of flights early Sunday. Emergency services have also raised their level of readiness, anticipating potential large-scale attacks from Hezbollah.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has seen near-daily exchanges of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October. This latest flare-up has intensified fears of a full-scale conflict in Lebanon.

The current escalation follows increasing hostilities that began after Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.

US says commitment to Israel's defense is ironclad, 'postured' to support

WASHINGTON, Aug 25: The United States said late Saturday that it would "keep supporting Israel's right to defend itself" as the Israeli military announced it was conducting preemptive strikes in Lebanon after detecting preparations for attacks by Hezbollah.

At President Joe Biden's direction, "senior U.S. officials have been communicating continuously with their Israeli counterparts," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement. "We will keep supporting Israel's right to defend itself, and we will keep working for regional stability."

Israeli airstrikes kill dozens in Gaza ahead of high-level cease-fire talks in Egypt

TEL AVIV, Aug 24: Multiple Israeli airstrikes killed at least three dozen Palestinians in southern Gaza, health workers said on Saturday (August 24, 2024), as officials including a Hamas delegation gathered for high-level ceasefire talks in neighboring Egypt.

Among the dead were 11 members of a family, including two children, after an airstrike hit their home in Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, which received a total of 33 bodies from three strikes in and around the city that also hit tuk-tuks and passersby. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said it received three bodies from another strike.

Russia and Ukraine swap 115 prisoners each in UAE-mediated exchange

DOHA, Aug 24: Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 115 prisoners of war from each side, both countries confirmed, with the United Arab Emirates acting as an intermediary.

“The UAE has successfully mediated a new captives exchange between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine, resulting in the release of 230 captives,” the Gulf country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.

It was the UAE’s seventh mediation effort this year between the two countries, the ministry said in a statement.

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 115 Ukrainian POWs were returned from Russia, Russia confirmed that 115 of its servicemen captured in the Kursk region during Ukraine’s ongoing incursion were released.

Both sides have carried out periodic prisoner swaps via intermediaries since the war began nearly two years ago, despite the absence of any peace talks between them since the early months of the conflict.

This was the first such swap since Ukraine shocked Russia by crossing the border into Kursk on August 6.

One of the biggest exchanges was on January 3, when the warring countries traded a total of 478 captives following mediation by the UAE.

The UAE ministry said that the total number of captives exchanged through its mediation efforts now stood at 1,788.

Zelenskyy said those freed included members of the country’s national guard, the armed forces and the navy.

“We remember everyone,” he said in a post on X. “We are searching for them and making every effort to bring them all back.”

Modi urges Zelenskyy to hold talks with Russia to restore peace

KYIV, Aug 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday conveyed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that both Ukraine and Russia should sit together without wasting time to end the ongoing war and that India was ready to play an "active role" to restore peace in the region.

His nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian prime minister since its independence in 1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin that triggered anguish in some Western countries.

"I have come with a message of peace..I want to assure you and the entire global community that India is committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is of utmost importance to us," Modi told Zelenskyy during the talks.

The prime minister also asserted India's strong commitment towards respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

"I want to assure you and the entire global community that India is committed towards respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is of utmost importance to us," he said.

Zelenskyy said India supports Ukraine's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is "critical because everyone in the world must equally respect the UN Charter."

In a joint statement issued today, both leaders expressed their mutual interest in elevating bilateral relations from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic partnership in the future.

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, was bound to be the focus of the meeting. The Prime Minister reiterated India's stance that this is "not the era of war". India has emphasized dialogue and diplomacy to find solutions to conflict.

In the joint statement as well India reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. The Ukrainian side welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level Indian participation in the next Peace Summit.

The sides agreed to explore the possibility of the involvement of Indian companies in Ukraine's reconstruction and recovery, in a suitable manner.

Today, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a press briefing in Kyiv, answering questions on the Prime Minister's visit. When asked whether India suggested a plan to end the conflict, he said, "We have been having our own thoughts and discussions with many other countries. The Prime Minister was in Moscow recently; there were detailed discussions there," Jaishankar said.

"PM Modi shared many of the thoughts and substance of the discussion. We heard from President Zelensky about what his own views were on these issues. So it was a very back-and-forth discussion," the External Affairs Minister said.

"To my mind, there was certainly information which we obtained here and I am sure we also perhaps brought up points and flagged issues," he added.

Egypt to hand Hamas a proposal for Philadelphi and Rafah

CAIRO, Aug 23: Egypt is expected to hand Hamas a new proposal with respect to the Philadelphi Corridor and its Rafah Crossing, a source told The Jerusalem Post on Friday after an Israeli delegation returned from Cairo.

The delegation headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, Mossad's David Barnea, Shin Bet's Ronen Bar and Major-General Eliezer Toledano were in Cairo on Thursday to help narrow the gaps on issues relating to the critical buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza, under which Hamas had smuggled weapons into the enclave, the source explained.

Israel hopes to resolve the issue of Philadelphi before it returns on Sunday for a high-level summit on Sunday that would led by US CIA Director William Burns.

US special envoy Brett McGurk and Burns were already in Cairo holding talks Friday in advance of that high-level summit which the US has described that summit as end-game negotiations to finalize a deal to secure the release of 109 hostages and end the ten-month Gaza war.

The Israeli delegation on Thursday brought maps and proposal to show how to secure that buffer zone.

Egypt, alongside Hamas, would also have to agree to any proposal with regard to Philadelphi since the corridor borders its territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the IDF must maintain a presence on that border so it can prevent Hamas from rearming.

Hamas has stood firm on the need for an IDF withdrawal from Gaza.

The three-phase proposal is constructed in such a way as to allow the deal to get underway without resolving all the issues, including the question of a permanent ceasefire and a full IDF withdrawal from Gaza.

The US two weeks ago put forward a bridging proposal that Israel accepted, but Hamas initially rejected, aimed at closing some of the overall disagreements between the two parties, but US Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained when he was in the region last week that it did not include all the issues in dispute.

The talks in Cairo on Thursday were very positive and constructive, the source said, explaining that it now remains to be see what Hamas will do.

US National Security Communications John Kirby told reporters on Friday that the discussions in Cairo were “constructive” but more talks would take place over the weekend.

“Things are moving forward,” he said, as he debunked reports that the talks had collapsed, urging both Israel and Hamas to “move forward toward implementation” of the agreement.

He hoped he said that the positive momentum of the last days would continue.

27 Indian tourists killed, 16 injured after bus falls into river in Nepal

KATHMANDU, Aug 23: At least 27 Indian nationals were killed and another 16 got injured after a bus carrying tourists plunged off a Nepali highway and into a river on Friday. The victims, mostly from Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, were travelling as part of a pilgrimage group when their bus veered off the highway and plunged into the fast-flowing Marsyangdi River.

"We are deeply pained by the tragic death of 27 Indian nationals in a road accident in Tanahun district of Nepal. We convey our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased," the ministry of external affairs said on X.

The ministry confirmed that 16 others were injured in the accident, all of whom have been airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treatment.

The bus, which was en route from Pokhara to Kathmandu, was carrying 43 passengers when the accident occurred. Nepalese authorities, supported by local rescue teams, faced significant challenges as they battled the raging river currents to rescue survivors and retrieve the bodies of those who died.

Who were the victims of Nepal bus accident?
The Maharashtra government identified 16 persons from Jalgaon as "reported deceased". Ramjeet alias Munna, Sarla Rane (42), Bharti Jawade (62), Tulshiram Tawade (62), Sarla Tawade (62), Sandeep Sarode (45), Pallavi Sarode (43), Anup Sarode (22), Ganesh Bharambe (40), Nilima Dhande (57), Pankaj Bhangade (45), Pari Bharambe (8 years) , Anita Patil, Vijaya Jhawade (50), Rohini Jhawade (51) and Prakash Kodi reportedly died in the accident, it said.

The Indian Embassy has set up emergency helpline numbers to facilitate communication and support.

“They are in constant touch with local authorities and with affected families and are making arrangement for early transportation of mortal remains to India. Embassy would be giving regular updates on the matter,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Friday's accident is the latest in a series of deadly road incidents in Nepal. Just a month ago, two buses with 59 passengers on board were swept into a river by a landslide in Chitwan district.

Three people were able to escape alive from that incident, but authorities have so far only managed to recover 20 bodies in the weeks since, and the search is continuing for the two buses and the remains of the missing passengers, reported AFP.

Road travel becomes deadlier during the annual monsoon season as rains trigger landslides and floods across the mountainous nation.

India ready to work with friendly nations to restore peace in Ukraine: Modi

WARSAW, Aug 22: India is ready to work with friendly countries to provide all possible support for the early restoration of peace and stability in Ukraine and West Asia since no problem can be settled on the battlefield, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.

The conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia are a “matter of deep concern for all of us”, Modi told a media interaction following talks with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk in Warsaw. The remarks came a day ahead of Modi’s visit to Kyiv, which is being watched closely for any role India can play in bringing Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table.

“It is India’s firm belief that no problem can be solved on the battlefield. In any crisis, the loss of lives of innocent people has become the biggest challenge for the whole of humanity,” Modi said, speaking in Hindi.

“We support dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace and stability. For this, India, along with friendly countries, is ready to provide all possible support,” he said.

Tusk, speaking in Polish, said Modi’s visit is being seen as a possible step towards a peace process. “I am very glad that [Modi] has confirmed his readiness for personal involvement in achieving a peaceful, just, and swift end to the war. We are both convinced that India can play a very important and positive role here,” he said.

“This is significant, especially since the prime minister will be visiting Kyiv in a few hours. We all believe that this visit can also be historic,” Tusk said.

Poland has emerged as the strongest supporters of Ukraine, providing military equipment worth billions of dollars and hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees, mainly because of concerns about the fallout of a Russian victory.

Following the conclusion of his engagements in Poland on Thursday, Modi will travel by train to Ukraine, where he is set to hold talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. Before beginning the two-nation European tour, Modi said he would discuss the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine as India desires the early return of peace and stability in the region.

India has so far not publicly criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it has abstained or voted against most Ukraine-related resolutions at the United Nations. It also stepped up the purchase of discounted Russian commodities such as oil and fertilisers despite initial criticism of the move from the West. At the same time, it has called for a return to dialogue and diplomacy to find a lasting solution to the conflict.

Ukraine has nudged India to take on a greater role in ongoing peace efforts because of its proximity to Russia and its role as the voice of the Global South. The Ukrainian side has also said Zelenskyy’s peace formula will be one of the most important topics for discussions during Modi’s visit.

White House: In call with Netanyahu, Biden stresses urgency of ceasefire-hostage deal

WASHINGTON, Aug 22: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden by phone on Wednesday as efforts to reach a hostage deal floundered after recent optimism that a breakthrough was in the works.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, also joined the call, according to the White House.

During the call, Biden “stressed the urgency of bringing the ceasefire and hostage release deal to closure and discussed upcoming talks in Cairo to remove any remaining obstacle,” the White House said in a readout of the conversation.

The two leaders also “discussed active and ongoing US efforts to support Israel’s defense against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, to include ongoing defensive US military deployments,” the brief US readout added.

Netanyahu’s office would not comment on the conversation.

Biden’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in the region this week pushing an American “bridging proposal” designed to get beyond disagreements between Israel and Hamas over issues like IDF deployment on the Gaza-Egypt border in the event of a deal.

Speaking to the press on Monday, Blinken praised Netanyahu for backing the proposal.

But Blinken’s approach rubbed some the wrong way. Two Arab officials from a mediating country and a third official involved in the talks told The Times of Israel that Blinken went too far to accommodate Netanyahu’s positions on continued IDF presence in the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors.

Israel Kills Fatah Commander Accused Of 'Terror Attacks'

SIDON (Lebanon), Aug 21: Israel killed a senior member of the Palestinian movement in Lebanon on Wednesday, accusing him of orchestrating attacks in the West Bank.

In response, the assassinated operative's Fatah party accused Israel of seeking to "ignite a regional war".

Khalil Maqdah was killed in a strike on his car in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, according to Fatah and a Lebanese security source.

The Israeli military said an air force "aircraft struck the terrorist Khalil Hussein Khalil Al-Maqdah in the area of Sidon in southern Lebanon."

The military said Maqdah was the brother of Mounir Maqdah, who heads the Lebanese branch of Fatah's armed wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, and accused them both of "directing terror attacks and smuggling weapons" to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

It alleged that the pair "collaborate on behalf of" Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

The attack marks the first such reported attack on a senior member of Fatah, the movement led by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, in more than 10 months of cross-border clashes between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement following the Gaza war.

Fatah said Maqdah had been killed "in a cowardly assassination carried out by ... Zionist (Israeli) warplanes on Sidon", describing him as "one of the leaders" of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in Lebanon, the movement's armed wing.

In a statement, it said Maqdah had "a central role" in "supporting the Palestinian people and its resistance" during the Gaza war and an "important role in supporting resistance cells" for years in the West Bank.

A senior Fatah official in the West Bank city of Ramallah accused Israel of killing him in order to spark a regional war.

The "assassination of a Fatah official is further proof that Israel wants to ignite a full-scale war in the region," Tawfiq Tirawy, a member of Fatah's central committee, told AFP in Ramallah.

Maqdah was killed in a strike on a car, said Fathi Abu al-Aradat, a senior Lebanon-based member of the group that rivals Gaza's Palestinian Islamist rulers Hamas.

A Lebanese security source and Lebanon's official National News Agency reported the same information.

A correspondent at the site of the attack said a car was struck near the Palestinian refugee camps of Ain al-Helweh and Mieh Mieh, adding that rescuers had pulled a body from the charred vehicle.

Dozens of angry Fatah supporters gathered inside the Ain al-Helweh camp, the correspondent said, adding gunshots were fired in the air.

Hezbollah and its allies have exchanged regular fire with Israel in support of its ally Hamas since the Palestinian group's October 7 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.

The violence has killed some 593 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 130 civilians, according to AFP's tally.

On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according to army figures.

Fatah has not announced any attacks on Israel from Lebanon since clashes began nor has it mourned members killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon.

Hamas and Fatah have been bitter rivals since Hamas fighters ejected Fatah from the Gaza Strip after deadly clashes that followed Hamas's resounding victory in a 2006 election.

Fatah controls the Palestinian Authority, which has partial administrative control in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Blinken, Fidan discuss Gaza ahead of cease-fire talks in Egypt

ANKARA, Aug 21: Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the Hamas-Israel war and other regional developments in a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday as hopes for a Gaza cease-fire dim.

Fidan and Blinken addressed the latest situation in the cease-fire negotiations between Hamas and Israel as well as other regional developments, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said in a statement without offering further details. The phone call took place at the behest of Washington, Keceli added.

"During the call held at the request of theirs, the latest status of the cease-fire negotiations between Hamas and Israel and developments in the region were discussed," Keceli said.

The US side had not released a readout as of this writing.

The conversation comes after Blinken wrapped up his ninth trip to the region since the beginning of the war on Oct. 7 without a breakthrough on Tuesday. America's top diplomat visited Israel, Egypt and Qatar to push an Israel-Hamas deal that would bring a cease-fire to the 10-month war and free nearly 100 hostages still held in Gaza.

Both Qatar and Egypt function as mediators in cease-fire negotiations between the Jewish state and the militant group. Israel's refusal to withdraw its military forces from Gaza stands out as the main sticking point between the warring parties.

Blinken’s last-ditch effort to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza was also aimed at thwarting a potential reprisal by Iran for the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh on July 31.

Tehran vowed to retaliate after Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, fueling fears of a broader conflict. Haniyeh has been replaced by Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be one of the masterminds of Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel which saw killing of at least 1,400 Israelis and kidnapping of more than 200 Israelis and third country nationals from Israel to Gaza. The Israeli offensive into the Palestinian enclave more than 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children were killed.

After Blinken’s talks, the negotiators are set to meet in Cairo on Friday for further discussions on the deal proposal, which, if agreed will on, will see the release of hostages and cease of hostilities. But Israeli and American sources are currently expressing skepticism on the possibility of a breakthrough.

An Israeli source close to the negotiations said Wednesday demands by Netanyahu to preserve control of the Philadelphi Corridor that separates Egypt and Gaza and for a mechanism that would prevent the return of Hamas militants from the south of the Strip to the north were hardly acceptable.

Speaking with Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, the unnamed source claimed that Netanyahu is purposely sabotaging the talks by introducing new conditions again and again.

The technical team stayed until Tuesday in Qatar in “a desperate effort to salvage the potential deal,” the source added.

Netanyahu's office hit back in response, saying that "fake news, which echoes the false propaganda of Hamas, which contrary to Prime Minister Netanyahu, rejected the American offer and didn’t even arrive [in Doha] for the negotiations."

Citing two unnamed American and two unnamed Israeli officials, Politico published on Tuesday that the deal is on the brink of collapsing, “and there is no clear immediate alternative agreement that could be put forward in its place.”

Similar criticism was directed at Netanyahu Tuesday afternoon by sources close to the negotiations, after publication that claimed the Israeli premier pledged to bereaved families not to withdraw Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor or the Nezarim Corridor, which separates the south and the north of the Strip.

Netanyahu met Tuesday with parents of hostages who belong to the Tikva Forum and parents of soldiers who fell in Gaza who belong to the Gvura Forum. Both forums are against Israel reaching a deal with Hamas. According to a statement published by the two forums after the meeting, Netanyahu promised to continue battling Hamas. “Israel will not leave neither the Philadelphi Corridor nor the Nezarim Corridor under any circumstances, despite enormous pressure to do so,” the forums cited Netanyahu as saying.

Tehran vowed to retaliate after Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, fueling fears of a broader conflict. Haniyeh has been replaced by Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be one of the masterminds of Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, which saw the killing of at least 1,400 people and kidnapping of more than 200 others. The Israeli offensive into the Palestinian enclave has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians so far, mostly women and children.

Fidan slammed Washington earlier this month over what he described as giving the Israeli side a free pass for its actions after Haniyeh’s assassination but added that Ankara was doing everything it could to prevent the war from expanding.

Turkey, in contrast to the United States and the European Union, doesn’t consider Hamas a terrorist outfit and maintains close dialogue with both the militant group as well as its backer, Iran, as part of cease-fire efforts, although it's not a direct party to the negotiations.

Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley calls for more international support for Taiwan

TAIPEI, Aug 21: The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, on Wednesday called for more international backing for Taiwan and a coordinated pushback against China’s claims over the self-ruled democracy.

“The United States should elevate Taiwan on the world stage. You should no longer be silenced in global affairs,” Haley told an audience at Ketagalan Forum, a Taipei conference focused on security issues in the Asia-Pacific.

She called for Taiwan to become a full member of the U.N. even though it's being blocked by China from representation in international bodies. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. China also prohibits countries it has international relations with from having formal ties with Taipei.

While the U.S. doesn’t formally recognize Taiwan, it is the island’s strongest backer and arms provider.

Haley, who served at the U.N. under former President Donald Trump's administration, ran a yearlong presidential campaign as a tough-on-China candidate before dropping out of the race in March. She has endorsed Trump in the November elections.

At the Taipei forum, she called on the U.S. and its Western allies to rally around Taiwan and “relentlessly push” for the island’s global acceptance.

“If we take the necessary steps now, China will think twice before starting a war,” she said.

Yoshihiko Noda, Japan’s former prime minister who also addressed the forum, echoed Haley’s calls for greater representation for Taiwan in international organizations. He decried Taiwan’s exclusion from the World Health Organization and said he was determined to push for its participation as an observer, which China opposes.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te earlier accused China of economic coercion and military intimidation.

“China intends to change the rules-based international order,” Lai said in a speech opening the forum. “That is why democratic countries must come together and take concrete action. Only by working together can we inhibit the expansion of authoritarianism.”

Lai said China’s military exercises in the Taiwan Strait as well as joint sea and air drills with Russia in the South China Sea, Western Pacific and Sea of Japan were intended to intimidate its neighbors.

On Tuesday, Taiwan’s military launched surface-to-air missiles as part of live-fire drills in response to growing military pressure from China.

Modi arrives in Poland

WARSAW, Aug 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Poland on Wednesday evening, becoming India's first prime minister in 45 years (after Morarji Desai) to be visiting the European nation.

“Landed in Poland. Looking forward to the various programmes here. This visit will add momentum to the India-Poland friendship and benefit the people of our nations,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the PM received a ceremonial welcome at the airport in Warsaw, the host country's capital.

Prime Minister Modi's engagements in Poland include meetings with his counterpart Donald Tusk and Andrzej Duda, the President. He will also interact with members of the Indian diaspora, lay a wreath at the memorial of the Jam Saheb of Nawanagr, and visit both the monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino and the Kolhapur Memorial adjacent to it.

In his pre-departure statement on Wednesday morning, the prime minister had called Poland, India's ‘key economic partner in Central Europe.’

“Our mutual commitment to democracy and pluralism further reinforces our relationship. I look forward to meeting my friend Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda to further advance our partnership,” he said in his statement.

On Friday, the PM will be in Kyiv, the capital of war-torn Ukraine, in what will be the first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to Ukraine, which has been in a war with Russia since February 2022.

He is going there on the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. India has been repeatedly criticised by the western nations for having continued to purchase oil from Russia. India has also avoided criticising Russia and abstained from voting against it in the United Nations.

India, Japan Hold '2+2' Dialogue With Focus On Indo-Pacific

NEW DELHI, Aug 20: The India-Japan partnership is set against a larger context of a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific and it will continue to grow, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday as the two sides held a fresh edition of "2+2" dialogue amid China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.

The Japanese delegation at the talks in Delhi was headed by Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defence Minister Kihara Minoru. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh headed the Indian team.

"In the last decade, our relationship has assumed the form of a special strategic and global partnership. The logic of this evolution is our expanding interests and growing activities," Jaishankar said in his televised opening remarks.

"As we both step forward into a more volatile and unpredictable world, there is a need for reliable partners with whom there are substantial convergences," he said.

"As a result, we have consciously sought to facilitate each other's endeavours, comprehend each other's objectives, strengthen each other's positions and work with other nations of shared comfort," he added.

The external affairs minister said the strategic partnership between India and Japan will continue to grow as "we embrace mutuality and display sensitivity".

"Our cooperation is today set against a larger context of a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific. For India, this is a natural extrapolation from our Act East policy," he said.

Jaishankar emphasised that the "2+2" dialogue must particularly focus on the steps ahead.

"It has been two years since we last met in Tokyo. There have been many developments of consequence in the world. Our own relationship also has to factor in changes in our own capabilities and calculations," he said.

In his remarks, Singh said the India-Japan special strategic and global partnership is based on democratic values and the rule of law.

He said India has set a goal of becoming a developed country by 2047 and building domestic defence capabilities is one of the significant aspects of this vision.

"The India-Japan partnership in the defence sector will be an important aspect to realise our goal. Let us make a vision for this partnership," the defence minister said.

He exuded confidence that the discussions will lead to make a stronger commitment for cooperation in the defence sector.

"The India-Japan partnership in this sphere will be very important considering the current global situation. I think this partnership is crucial to ensure freedom, inclusivity and transparency in the Indo-Pacific," Singh said.

Jaishankar and Singh held separate bilateral talks with their Japanese counterparts ahead of the "2+2" dialogue.

The "2+2" dialogue with Japan was initiated to further deepen bilateral security and defence cooperation and bring greater depth to the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries.

India has the "2+2" ministerial format of dialogue with very few countries, including the United States, Australia and Russia.

As Blinken makes last-ditch efforts for Gaza deal, Netanyahu says Israel agrees with US proposal

TEL AVIV, Aug 19: Amid warning by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that there just remained one last chance to strike a deal to end the war in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel agrees with the latest US proposal on the table.

Netanyahu’s remark comes even as it’s his insertion of new demands in the original proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden in May that compromised the talks and led to the current statement.

Following the two-day summit in Doha last week, the United States floated a new proposal to bridge the gaps between the positions of Israel and Hamas. Even as the United States along with mediators Qatar and Egypt said the talks went well and that they expected a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages by the end of this week, Hamas on Sunday rejected the bridging proposal.

In a statement carried by Axios, Hamas said the bridging proposal repeated the new demands of Israel and was aligned with Netanyahu’s position.

“After being briefed by the mediators about what happened in the last round of talks in Doha, we once again came to the conclusion that Netanyahu is still putting obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement, and is setting new conditions and demands with the aim of undermining the mediators’ efforts and prolonging the war,” said Hamas in a statement.

Following a meeting with Blinken, Netanyahu said that Israel remained committed to the proposal and that Israeli negotiators would travel to Cairo later this week for the next round of talks.

In a statement following their meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) described it as “positive”.

The PMO said Netanyahu told Blinken that Israel remained committed to the latest bridging proposal.

“The Prime Minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to the current American proposal on the release of our hostages, which takes into account Israel’s security needs, which he strongly insists on,” said the PMO.

During the meeting, Netanyahu also told Blinken that the Israeli delegation will travel to Cairo for the next round of talks, according to The Times of Israel.

The Israeli delegation will be headed by external intelligence Mossad’s chief David Barnea and will also comprise internal intelligence agency Shin Bet’s head Ronen Bar, and military’s hostage pointman Nitzan Alon.

Even as Hamas has rejected the bridging proposal, Barak Ravid of Axios reported that Blinken has made it clear to Netanyahu that the United States expects the talks to continue.

Separately, the newspaper also reported that a mid-level delegation of the negotiating team has returned from Cairo. Their visit will be followed by the top delegation later this week.

Modi to visit Poland on August 21-22, Ukraine on August 23

NEW DELHI, Aug 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Poland on August 21 and 22, and later Ukraine on August 23, the ministry of external affairs said on Monday.

“PM Narendra Modi will be undertaking an official visit to Poland this week on 21st and 22nd August on the invitation of PM Donald Tusk. This is a landmark visit as the PM of Indian is visiting Poland after 45 years. This visit takes place as we also mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations,” Tanmaya Lal, secretary (West), MEA, said in a briefing.

On the prime minister's Ukraine visit, the MEA official said,"PM Narendra Modi will undertake an official visit to Ukraine later this week on Friday, August 23, on the invitation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This is also a landmark and a historic visit since this will be the first time an Indian PM will be visiting Ukraine in more than 30 years since we established our diplomatic relations. This visit will build upon the recent high-level interactions between the leaders."

The prime minister had met Zelensky in Italy along the sidelines of G7 Summit. Last month, Modi met Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The MEA reiterated India's stand on the Ukraine conflict.

“India has maintained a very clear and consistent position that diplomacy and dialogue can resolve this conflict (between Russia and Ukraine) and which can lead to enduring peace, so dialogue is absolutely essential. Lasting peace can only be achieved through options that are acceptable to both parties and it can only be a negotiated settlement,” Lal said in the briefing.

“On our part, India continues to engage with all stakeholders. Prime Minister Modi has had conversations with leaders of both Russia and Ukraine as you know and the PM also visited Russia, recently,” he added.

“India is willing to provide all possible support and contribution required to help find peaceful solutions to this complex issue and at this stage, it is not for us to anticipate or prejudge what the outcome of these discussions will be between the leaders of India and Ukraine,” Lal said.

Malaysia's Anwar focuses on BRICS and trade in first India trip

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will visit India this week for the first time since taking office in 2022, a trip that analyst say is a strategic move for Malaysia to realign its position on the global stage.

Anwar will stay in the South Asian country from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The last visit by a Malaysian head of government was in 2018 by former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

"The visit of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would pave [the] way for further strengthening of India-Malaysia bilateral ties by charting out a multi-sectoral cooperation agenda for the future," the Indian ministry said in a statement Sunday.

As the economies of the Global South are increasingly finding themselves caught in global power struggles, countries like Malaysia are exploring multipolar platforms as part of a power-hedging strategy. Anwar is expected to seek support from Modi for its accession to BRICS, the grouping of large emerging economies including India and China, reflecting Malaysia's ambition to strengthen its influence within a diversified global order.

During the visit, Malaysia and India are expected to sign agreements aimed at enhancing bilateral trade, which totaled $43.3 billion last year. In 2023, Malaysia became India's third-largest trading partner within ASEAN, with exports primarily driven by palm oil and electronics. Indian tourist arrivals in Malaysia have surged by 165% to 325,000 compared to 2019 figures, according to the second-quarter GDP report by Bank Negara Malaysia, the central bank.

Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that Anwar will participate in a roundtable meeting with several Indian industry leaders to advance bilateral economic cooperation.

For Anwar, the visit to India is also crucial for its ASEAN chairmanship next year.

Blinken Arrives In Israel As Netanyahu Blames Hamas For No Gaza Truce Yet

TEL AVIV, Aug 18: Israel's prime minister, under pressure at home and from abroad to reach a ceasefire deal with Hamas, on Sunday accused the Hamas operatives of obstinance in Gaza truce talks as top US diplomat Antony Blinken landed in Israel.

Making his ninth trip to the Middle East since the Gaza war began when Hamas attacked Israel in October, the US secretary of state is to meet Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders in a renewed bid to seal a deal that could help avert a wider conflagration.

Blinken is later set to travel on Tuesday to Cairo, where ceasefire talks will resume in the coming days.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reiterated that it is Palestinian Islamist group Hamas that must be pressured.

"Hamas, up to this moment, remains obstinate. It did not even send a representative to the talks in Doha. Therefore, the pressure should be directed at Hamas and (Yahya) Sinwar, not at the Israeli government," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting, referring to the Hamas chief.

Western ally Jordan, hostage supporters protesting in Israel, and Hamas itself have called for pressure on Netanyahu in order that an agreement be reached.

Far-right members crucial to his governing coalition oppose any truce.

Ahead of Blinken's visit, the foreign ministers of Britain and France were on Friday also in Israel to stress the urgency of a Gaza deal.

In late May, US President Joe Biden laid out a framework which he said was proposed by Israel. The UN Security Council later endorsed the proposal, which would freeze fighting for an initial six weeks as Israeli hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and humanitarian aid enters the besieged Gaza Strip.

Ahead of the truce talks in Doha last Thursday and Friday, Hamas called on mediators to implement the Biden framework rather than holding more negotiations.

Hamas also announced its opposition to what it called "new conditions" from Israel.

On Saturday, Netanyahu's office in a statement said Israeli negotiators have expressed "cautious optimism" about reaching a Gaza truce deal.

US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have also reported progress and a US official said remaining gaps were "bridgeable".

But after Biden said "we are closer than we have ever been" to a deal, Hamas political bureau member Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed as "an illusion" such optimistic talk.

Al Qassam’s Dire Warning After Israel Kills Two Hamas Commanders

BEIRUT, Aug 18: Hamas' armed wing al Qassam Brigades vowed strong revenge after two of its commanders were killed in a drone strike in the occupied west bank city of Jenin on Aug 17.

In a statement, al Qassam said it “affirms that the blood of its martyred commanders will only herald a torrent of blood for the occupier.” Al Qassam commanders Rafaat Mahmoud Dawasi and Ahmed Walid Abu Ora were killed after IDF targeted their car.

Thailand’s Paetongtarn Shinawatra sworn in as PM after royal sign-off

BANGKOK, Aug 18: Thailand’s king has endorsed Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the country’s new prime minister two days after parliament elected her.

Paetongtarn, 37, was sworn in on Sunday, becoming the youngest prime minister of Thailand.

She nabbed the spot just days after Srettha Thavisin was dismissed as premier by the Constitutional Court, a judiciary central to Thailand’s two decades of political turmoil.

Her approval as the country’s new premier by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, a formality, was read out by House of Representatives Secretary Apat Sukhanand at a ceremony in Bangkok.

Paetongtarn won by nearly two-thirds in a House of Representatives vote on Friday, no stranger to the process coming from a family in Thai politics as the daughter of divisive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and niece of Yingluck Shinawatra, Thailand’s first female prime minister.

The second female prime minister of Thailand and leader of the Pheu Thai Party has the strong support of senior party leaders and coalition partners, said Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng, reporting from Bangkok.

“She hasn’t chosen the cabinet yet, but we presume from the people who are with her today that her cabinet will be much the same as it was under her predecessor,” said Cheng, adding that Srettha was at the ceremony, the party wanting to show a level of continuity by not throwing him under the bus.

As part of the royal endorsement, Paetongtarn knelt in front of a portrait of the king and delivered a short speech.

“As head of the executive branch, I will do my duty together with the legislators with an open heart,” she said. “I will listen to all opinions so together we can take the country forward with stability.”

Ukraine strengthens positions in Russia's Kursk region: Zelenskiy

KYIV, Aug 17: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday his troops had strengthened positions in Russia's Kursk region nearly two weeks into their incursion, and called for bold decisions by Kyiv's allies to allow long-range strikes.

Ukraine says it has seized more than 80 settlements over 1,150 square km in Kursk since Aug. 6 in the biggest invasion of Russia since World War Two.

Zelenskiy said his army chief Oleksander Syrskyi had reported that Ukrainian troops continued their advance and also took more Russian servicemen as prisoners.

He said that the operation in the Kursk region was going according to plan and Ukrainian troops continued to advance and strengthen their positions.

Zelenskiy renewed his calls for Ukraine's Western allies to allow long-range strikes on Russia.

"The long-range capability for our forces is the answer to all most important, most strategic questions of this war," Zelenskiy said in his daily video address to the nation.

"We will strengthen our diplomatic work. We will insist that bold steps and bold decisions are needed."

Western governments providing military aid to Ukraine after Russia's invasion in February 2022 have so far refused to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons because of the perceived risk of escalation in the conflict.

The Ukrainian military said in its daily report that troops were successfully advancing further in Kursk, without offering more details. It had previously reported 35 km of advances.

123 countries joined Voice of Global South summit; China, Pakistan not invited

NEW DELHI, Aug 17: China and Pakistan were not among the invitees to the third Voice of Global South Summit hosted by India on Saturday on the virtual format that was joined by 123 nations across the globe.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed this at a media briefing after conclusion of the summit that focused on unitedly dealing with challenges facing the Global South or the developing countries.

Jaishankar said 123 countries participated at the summit.

Twenty-one countries were represented at the level of head of state and government while 34 foreign ministers joined it, according to the external affairs minister.

Apart from the foreign ministers, 118 ministers also joined the summit that comprised 10 ministerial sessions.

In the last few years, India has been positioning itself as a leading voice, flagging concerns, challenges and aspirations of the Global South or the developing nations, especially the African continent.

As the G20 president last year, India focused on issues like inclusive growth, digital innovation, climate resilience, and equitable global health access with an aim to benefit the Global South.

The countries whose heads of state and government attended the third Voice of Global South summit summit are Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Chile, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Lao PDR, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tajikistan, Timor Leste, Uruguay and Vietnam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the Leaders' session at the summit.

Sharing details of the summit, Jaishankar said challenge of climate change figured prominently at the summit while many leaders spoke about debt burden and challenges of new technologies.

There was unanimous view on the need to reform the global governance architecture, he said adding the situation in Gaza also came up during the deliberations.

Some of the leaders also talked about sovereignty, strategic autonomy and interference and expressed concerns in that regard, Jaishankar said.

At the foreign ministerial sessions, the challenge of debt distress and slow credit growth also figured, he said.

Other issues that came up at the foreign ministerial sessions were the rules based order, sovereignty, equality, mutual respect and partnership of the equals.

Ukraine takes full control of Russia's Sudzha town

KYIV, Aug 16: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said his troops have taken "full control" of the Russian town of Sudzha, after launching an unprecedented cross-border incursion in the southern Kursk region over a week ago.

This is a major victory for Kyiv as Sudzha is the administrative centre for the border region and is the largest Russian town to fall to Ukrainian troops since their offensive on August 6.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine's military was setting up a command office in Sudzha, which suggests that Ukraine might plan to remain in the Kursk region long-term as the war continues with no end in sight. He didn't elaborate on what functions the office might handle, but earlier mentioned that Ukraine would be distributing humanitarian aid to Sudzha residents. Russia is yet to comment on Zelenskyy's claims.

Ukraine's top army commander Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Kyiv had set up a military commandant's office and his forces were advancing in the Kursk region. Syrskyi told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a video published by the Ukrainian leader that the incursion had so far advanced 35 km into the Kursk region, capturing 82 settlements and an area of 1,150 square km.

The surprise Ukrainian incursion has reframed the war and caused chaos in the Kursk region, leading to the evacuation of more than 120,000 civilians, according to Russian authorities, and the capture of at least 100 Russian troops, according to Kyiv. A federal emergency was declared in at least three border regions as Moscow scrambled to respond to 10,000 Ukrainian troops staging the largest attack since the beginning of the war in 2022.

Kyiv's surge into Russian territory caught Moscow by surprise, seizing the initiative from the Kremlin's forces who have been grinding out small but steady gains all year in eastern Ukraine. Zelenskyy said the decision was made to protect neighbouring Ukrainian territories and hinted at other offensive actions on Russia.

Ukraine said there was no sign that Russian military pressure was receding along the eastern front inside its borders and reported the heaviest fighting in weeks near the city of Pokrovsk, an important logistics hub. The head of the Pokrovsk military administration appealed to locals to evacuate, saying Russian forces were getting closer.

How did Russia respond to Ukraine's attack?

The surprise foray by Ukraine was a much-needed boost to Kyiv's public morale when the country’s undermanned and under-gunned forces have faced relentless Russian attacks along the more than 1,000-kilometer front line. Caught off guard, Russian troops failed to mount a quick response to the incursion.

With the bulk of the Russian army engaged in the offensive in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, few troops were left to protect the Kursk border region. The Russian units along the frontier consisted mostly of poorly trained conscript soldiers, who were easily overcome by elite Ukrainian units.

An influential aide to the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the West and the US-led NATO alliance for direct involvement in Ukraine's surprise attack. "The operation in the Kursk region was also planned with the participation of NATO and Western special services," he said, despite Western powers denying involvement.

Russia threatens 'global war'

Patrushev said the efforts by the US have created "all the prerequisites for Ukraine to lose its sovereignty and lose part of its territories". Other Russian officials cast the incursion as a Ukrainian "terrorist invasion" that would not change the course of the war. A lawmaker said the incursion brought World War III a step closer.

Russian MP Mikhail Sheremet on Friday said the Western-backed Ukrainian incursion has brought the world close to an all-out global war, Russia's RIA news agency reported. "Considering the presence of Western military equipment, the use of Western ammunition and missiles in attacks on civilian infrastructure and irrefutable proof of foreigners' participation in the attack on Russian territory, one could come to the conclusion that the world is on the brink of a third world war," he said.

While the US and other Western powers said they were unaware of Ukraine's latest move, they deemed it as a protective decision in which it is appropriate for Kyiv to US equipment, said officials. However, they too are concerned by the impact of the attack that may lead to a global conflict.

Hamas Rejects 'New Conditions' In Proposed Gaza Deal: Report

DOHA, Aug 16: Hamas will not accept "new conditions" from Israel in a proposal put forward during talks in Doha aimed at sealing a ceasefire and hostage release in the Gaza war, officials said on Friday.

Israel's "new" conditions include keeping troops inside Gaza along its border with Egypt, an informed source said, while Hamas demands "a complete ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Strip, a normal return of the displaced and a (prisoner) exchange deal" without restrictions.

Israel also demanded veto rights on the prisoners to be exchanged, and the ability to deport some prisoners rather than send them back to Gaza, the source said.

Separately, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant spoke to his US counterpart Lloyd Austin Friday, stressing the importance of negotiating the release of the hostages held in Gaza since October 7.

Gallant "highlighted that the achievement of this agreement is both a moral imperative and a strategic, security priority", his office said in a statement.

Hamas militants seized 251 people during the Palestinian Islamist movement's unprecedented attack on October 7, 111 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 40,005 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra becomes Thailand's youngest prime minister

BANGKOK, Aug 16: On the campaign trail in rural Thailand last year, Paetongtarn Shinawatra reminded voters of her influential billionaire family's legacy of populism in what was her electoral debut.

The 37-year-old, who spent weeks at the hustings while visibly pregnant, delivered mixed results. Her Pheu Thai party came only in second in 2023's election but cobbled together a ruling coalition after the vote-winner was blocked by military-backed lawmakers.

Now, the daughter of the country's most divisive but enduring politician, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, will take the office her father and aunt once occupied, underlining her family's central place in Thai politics.

On Friday, some 48 hours after Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was dismissed by a court order, Paetongtarn secured the parliamentary support required to replace him.

With that win, Paetongtarn will become the youngest Thai prime minister and only the second woman to occupy the position, after her aunt Yingluck.

She will also seek to beat another recurring theme for the Shinawatra family: The governments led by her father and aunt were toppled by the military in 2006 and 2014, respectively.

"The country has to move ahead," Paetongtarn, the youngest of Thaksin's three children, told reporters after winning Pheu Thai's nomination on Thursday.

"We are determined, together and we will push the country forward."

Thaksin himself returned to Thailand last August after 15 years in self-imposed exile, just as Pheu Thai – the latest political vehicle of the former telecom tycoon – forged an alliance with military-backed parties to form a government.

It was an unlikely coming together of the populist Pheu Thai and the conservative-royalist establishment that have battled for supremacy in the country of 66 million people for over two decades, sometimes leading to coups and bouts of civil unrest.

Srettha was the fourth premier of a Thaksin-backed political party to be removed by a court ruling, a sign of the deep divide that still persists.

Into this breech will step in an untested Paetongtarn, who has never held an elected government position and has no administrative experience.

New round of Gaza ceasefire negotiations begin without Hamas

DOHA, Aug 15: A new round of negotiations aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the war in Gaza and preventing the fighting from escalating into a region-wide conflict has begun, as the death toll in the Palestinian territory reached a grim milestone of 40,000 people, according to local health authorities.

Mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt met an Israeli delegation in the Qatari capital of Doha on Thursday afternoon, with talks expected to continue into the next day. Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, is not directly participating in the talks, meaning expectations of a breakthrough are low.

While Hamas and Israel agreed in principle last month to implement a three-phase plan publicly proposed by Joe Biden in May, both sides have since requested “amendments” and “clarifications”, leaving talks at an impasse. Gaps include the continuing presence of Israeli troops on the Gaza-Egypt border, the sequencing of a hostage release, and the return of civilians from southern to northern Gaza.

The renewed push for talks is seen as more vital than ever after the 31 July back-to-back assassinations of a top Hezbollah commander and Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political chief. The killings in Beirut and Tehran, which the Lebanese group and Iran have blamed on Israel, threaten to transform the war in Gaza into a region-wide conflict.

It is hoped that a ceasefire in Gaza would lower the temperature in the Middle East and dissuade Iran and Hezbollah from retaliatory action. In an interview with CNN on Thursday, the White House’s national security spokesperson, John Kirby, said talks had begun with a “promising start”, but an immediate agreement is unlikely given the large gaps that remain between the two sides.

He added that the US assessed that Tehran is still determined to respond to Haniyeh’s killing with an attack on Israel. Over the past two weeks, the US has deployed warships, submarines and warplanes to the region to defend Israel from potential attacks from Iran and its network of allied militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, all of whom have already been drawn into the Gaza war.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been accused of sabotaging the talks for political gain, but reportedly expanded the negotiating team’s mandate before it flew to Doha on Thursday morning.

In a statement on the eve of the talks, Hamas reaffirmed its demands, including that negotiations should focus on implementing the Biden plan rather than allowing Israel to “stall for time”.

Protesters attack Hasina supporters, harass journalists

DHAKA, Aug 15: Wielding bamboo sticks, iron rods, and pipes, hundreds of student protesters and political activists today assaulted supporters of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a news agency reported. The protesters also blocked access to the former residence of Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a slain independence leader, in the capital.

Sam Jahan, a Reuters journalist, criticised the protesters for blocking his camera and mistreating his colleagues. The Daily Star reported that their journalists had to delete media at the scene. Mujib Mashal of The New York Times described it as “complete mob rule”, with attackers targeting anyone suspected of supporting the Awami League.

As cases rise against Hasina, including murder accusations, Bangladesh will decide whether to ask India to extradite the former prime minister, who resigned and fled to New Delhi last week, the country’s de-facto foreign minister Mohammad Touhid Hossain said on Thursday.

Addressing the nation on the eve of the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of the unrest in Bangladesh and hoped that the country returned to the path of peace and happiness.

“I hope things will soon be normal in Bangladesh. 140-crore people want that Hindus, and minorities, there be safe. We want that our neighbouring countries to tread the path of peace and happiness. We will remain well-wishers of Bangladesh,” PM Modi said.
Bangladesh’s minority Hindus have faced more than 200 attacks in 50-odd districts since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5. As policing collapsed, at least five people were reported killed in attacks on Hindu families, institutions, and temples.

The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, is eager to strengthen ties with India, remarked Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain in a meeting on Wednesday with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma. However, he criticised former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent statements made during her time in India as “not conducive” to improving bilateral relations.

The meeting marked a significant diplomatic engagement since Hasina’s ouster on August 5, when she fled to India amidst a student-led uprising.

Ukraine Offers To Stop Incursion If Russia Accepts 'Just Peace'

KYIV, Aug 13: Ukraine said Tuesday it would not hold on to Russian territory captured in its surprise cross-border incursion and offered to stop raids if Moscow agreed a "just peace".

Ukrainian forces entered Russia's Kursk region last Tuesday, taking over two dozen settlements in the biggest attack by a foreign army on Russian soil since World War II.
Russia said Tuesday it had fended off new attacks in Kursk.

More than 120,000 people have fled the area and Ukraine's military chief Oleksandr Syrsky said Monday that his troops controlled about 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory.

At least 800 square kilometres was under Ukrainian control as of Monday, according to an analysis of data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War.

Foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy on Tuesday said Kyiv was not interested in "taking over" Russian territory and defended Ukraine's actions as "absolutely legitimate".

"The sooner Russia agrees to restore a just peace... the sooner the raids by the Ukrainian defences forces into Russia will stop," he told reporters.

Ukraine meanwhile said it was imposing movement restrictions in a 20-kilometre zone in Sumy region along the border with Kursk region due to an "increase in the intensity of hostilities" and "sabotage" activities.

Russia's defence ministry said it had "foiled" new Ukrainian attacks in Kursk by "enemy mobile groups in armoured vehicles to break through deep into Russian territory".

Alexander Bortnikov, head of Russia's FSB security service, also said in a statement that Ukraine had carried out the attack "with the support of the collective West".

Since launching its invasion in February 2022, Russia has captured territory in southern and eastern Ukraine and subjected Ukrainian cities to missile and drone barrages.

Ukraine's offensive was the biggest cross-border action since the invasion and it caught Russia off guard.

Sheikh Hasina Says Rioters Must Be Punished

NEW DELHI, Aug 13: Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in first comments after leaving Dhaka, has sought that rioters in the country be punished. She has also sought justice for the vandalism to the statue of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was also the Founding Father of Bangladesh.

In a three-page emotive statement posted on X by her son, Sheikh Hasina reminisced about the family members she lost when her father was assassinated on August 15, 1975. Mujibur Rahman's sons and their wives, his bother's family, close colleagues and asociates were wiped out the same night by the army as part of a coup.

After paying her respects to them, she turned to the present day, saying the dance of destruction across the country in the name of protest, has also led to many deaths -- of "students teachers, police, journalists, social workers, common people, leaders and workers of the Awami League, pedestrians and office workers".

"For those who have lost theri loved ones like me, i extend my deepest sympathy. And for tgose involved in this slaughter, this destruction, I demand that investigations be held and they be caught and given appropriate punishment," reads a rough translation of her statement in Bengali.

Ukraine Says It Now Controls 1,000 Square Km Area Of Russia's Kursk

KYIV, Aug 12: Ukraine's top commander said on Monday Kyiv controlled around 1,000 square kilometres of Russia's Kursk region, his first public comments since Ukraine launched its biggest cross-border attack in almost 2-1/2 years of full-scale war.

With Russia still struggling to repel the incursion seven days after it began, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy published a video clip of Oleksandr Syrskyi, the head of his armed forces, delivering a report on the fighting.

"We continue to conduct an offensive operation in the Kursk region. Currently, we control about 1,000 square kilometres of the territory of the Russian Federation," he said.

Zelensky said the meeting of top-level officials had ordered the preparation of a "humanitarian plan" for the area.

Russia's acting governor of Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, said Ukraine controlled 28 settlements, and the incursion was about 12 km deep and 40 km wide.

In a statement, the Ukrainian leader said the defence ministry and diplomats has been ordered to present a list of "necessary actions" needed to secure permission from Kyiv's Western allies to use long-range weapons for strikes on Russia.

Defence Minister Rustem Umerov urged Paris earlier on Monday to lift the ban on Western weapons strikes on military targets in Russia during a call with French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu, the Ukrainian readout said.

Canada-India Ties 'Very Important': Team Trudeau MP Meets S Jaishankar

NEW DELHI, Aug 12: Canada-India relationship is "very important for both the countries", Canadian MP Chandrakanth Arya said as he met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his visit to the country.

"Delighted to meet Canadian MP Chandrakanth Arya. As a genuine advocate of India-Canada friendship, appreciate his views and value his insights. @AryaCanada," the EAM posted on X on Monday.

Jaishankar also shared a photograph of their meeting on the social media platform.

The Canadian lawmaker also put out a post while sharing Jaishankar's post.

"Canada-India relationship is very important for both countries. As the outgoing Canadian High Commissioner in India said a few months back 'in the long-term, Canada's strategic interest and India's strategic interest are absolutely aligned'. Economic relations, specifically Canadian investments in India are going strong," Arya said.

"Skilled professionals from India are meeting our human talent needs. We have a huge number of international students from India. We must do everything possible not only to maintain this but to take it to the next level. @CanadainIndia," Arya posted.

The ties between India and Canada had come under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

New Delhi rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd" and "motivated".

Maldivian Oppn welcomes Muizzu's India policy shift, seeks apology for past ‘actions, lies’

MALE, Aug 11: The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the archipelago's main opposition party, has welcomed President Mohammad Muizzu-led government's "sudden recalibration" of its India policy, affirming that India remains the Maldives’ most reliable partner in times of crisis.

MDP chief Abdulla Shahid, who previously served as the Maldives' foreign minister, called on the Muizzu administration to issue a public apology “for the actions, lies and irresponsible comments from its officials which have resulted in significant damage to the Maldives' foreign and economic outlook.”

“The Maldives has always been confident that India will be the first responder any time the Maldives dials an international 911,” Shahid posted on X after meeting external affairs minister S Jaishankar, who is on a three-day official visit.

He said the “current government’s initial stoking of anti-India sentiments through aggressive slogans, mockery and the branding of a time-tested friend and development partner as a regional bully, has caused a decline in the Maldives international standing, economic loss, and many other unnecessary difficulties, and challenges."

“With this in mind, the MDP welcomes the sudden recalibration of the Maldives-India policy of President Muizzu’s government, from its previous India Out policy,” Shahid said.

President Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives, leading to tensions between the two nations. After talks between the two countries, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians.

On Saturday, Muizzu described India as "one of the closest allies" of the Maldives and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for their continued support.

"The MDP hopes that this shift will not be temporary or superficial, but consistent and meaningful in the best interests of the people of the Maldives," Shahid said.

The Maldives is one of India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region and the overall bilateral ties, including in the areas of defence and security, witnessed an upward trajectory under the previous government led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Philippines Slams China's 'Unjustified, Illegal, Reckless' Actions Over Disputed Reef

MANILA, Aug 11: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Sunday condemned Chinese air force actions in waters of the South China Sea claimed by both countries, calling the actions "unjustified, illegal and reckless".

Manila and Beijing accused each other on Saturday of disrupting their militaries' operations around the Scarborough Shoal in the first incident since Marcos took office in 2022 in which the Philippines has complained of dangerous actions by Chinese aircraft, as opposed to navy or coast guard vessels.

The Philippine military on Saturday condemned "dangerous and provocative actions" when two Chinese aircraft dropped flares in the path of a Philippine aircraft during a routine patrol around the shoal on Thursday.

The Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command countered that the Philippines had disrupted its training, accusing Manila of "illegally intruding" into Chinese airspace.

On Sunday, Marcos urged China to act responsibly both in the seas and in the skies.

"We have hardly started to calm the waters, and it is already worrying that there could be instability in our airspace," Marcos said in a statement posted by the Presidential Communications Office on the social media platform X.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

The Scarborough Shoal is one of Asia's most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for flare-ups over sovereignty and fishing rights.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

China rejects a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that Beijing's expansive claims had no basis under international law.

Iran President Proposes Ex Nuclear Negotiator Abbas Araqchi As Foreign Minister: Report

TEHRAN, Aug 11: Iran's new president presented his cabinet to parliament on Sunday for a vote of confidence, state media reported, proposing seasoned pragmatic diplomat Abbas Araqchi as foreign minister at a time of heightened regional tensions.

President Masoud Pezeshkian is shaping his cabinet at a time of an increased risk of escalation of the conflict in Gaza into a broader regional war, after the recent killings of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and of Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut drew threats of retaliation against Israel.

Following the death of hardline President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May, Pezeshkian won a snap election last month by promising to improve ties with the world, promoting a pragmatic foreign policy, and to ease social restrictions at home.

Pezeshkian's proposed cabinet lineup requires lawmakers' approval and parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said that parliamentary commissions will start reviewing his candidates on Monday.

Araqchi, 61, who was Iran's ambassador to several countries, including Japan, played a key role in negotiating Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with six world powers, which then-U.S. President Donald Trump exited in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran.

Araqchi later led Iran's negotiators during multilateral efforts - ultimately unsuccessful - to revive the pact via indirect diplomacy with Washington before he was replaced by hardline Ali Bagheri Kani in 2021.

The president's powers are limited in the Islamic Republic by those of the Supreme Leader, who is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, appoints the head of the judiciary and has the last say on major policies.

Tensions between Iran and the West have increased over Tehran's fast-advancing nuclear programme and its threats to "harshly punish" Israel over the assassination of Haniyeh.

Tehran and Hamas accuse Israel of carrying it out, though it has not claimed or denied responsibility for the killing.

Separately, Iran's president nominated Mohsen Paknezhad as oil minister, who has served as deputy oil minister overseeing hydrocarbon resources between 2018 and 2021.

Pezeshkian has also nominated Farzaneh Sadeq as the road and transportation minister. If approved by the parliament, she would become only the second woman cabinet minister in the Islamic Republic's history.

The first one was appointed in 2009 by hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was president at the time.

Under the president's proposed lineup Raisi's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib would keep his position in the new cabinet.

Airstrike On Gaza School Kills 100, Israel Says It Was Hamas Command Centre

TEL AVIV, Aug 10: Gaza's civil defence agency said Saturday an Israeli strike hit a school in Gaza City, killing 90-100 people, while the Israeli military said it had struck a Hamas command centre.

"Forty martyrs and dozens wounded after the Israeli bombing of the Al-Taba'een school in the Al-Sahaba area in Gaza City," agency spokesman Mahmoud Basal said in a post on Telegram.

Basal described the incident as "a horrific massacre", with some bodies catching fire.

"The crews are trying to control the fire to retrieve the bodies of the martyrs and rescue the wounded," he said.

Israel's army said Saturday it had "precisely struck Hamas terrorists operating within a Hamas command and control center embedded in the Al-Taba'een school".

On Thursday, the agency said Israeli strikes had hit two schools in Gaza City, killing more than 18 people.

The Israeli military said at the time it had struck Hamas command centres.

The war in Gaza began with Hamas's October 7 attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Palestinian operatives seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 39 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,699 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not give details of civilian and militant deaths.

Israel has vowed to destroy the Palestinian group in retaliation for its October attack, but during 10 months of war across the Gaza Strip, the military has found itself returning to some areas to fight the militants again.

Israel's military on Friday said troops were operating around Khan Yunis, the southern Gaza city from which soldiers had withdrawn in April after months of fierce fighting with Hamas.

After the military issued an evacuation order for parts of Khan Yunis, AFPTV images showed a crowd of people flowing through dusty, damaged streets on foot or on donkeys and motorcycle carts piled with belongings.

By Friday, the United Nations Humanitarian Office OCHA estimated that "at least 60,000 Palestinians may have moved towards western Khan Yunis in the past 72 hours", said UN spokeswoman Florencia Soto Nino.

The Gaza war has already pulled in Iran-aligned groups in the region, and fears of a broader Middle East war have surged following vows of vengeance for the killing of two senior militants, including Hamas's political leader.

1,000 Ukraine Troops Enter 30 Km Into Russia, Take Over Kursk Oblast

KYIV, Aug 9: Ukrainian ground troops and mechanized forces crossed the international border, advancing over 30 kilometres into Russian territory in one of the most significant developments in the ongoing war between the two countries.

The Ukrainian troops, estimated to be over 1,000, moved from the Sumy Oblast region of north-east Ukraine and have taken over Kursk Oblast of Russia.

Ukraine's incursion caught Russia off-guard, which is now scrambling troops to stop the advance. Kyiv conducted intense artillery and drone attacks along with the movement of mechanized troops into enemy territory.

The Institute for Study of War (ISW), a non-profit, geolocated the positions of Ukrainian troops through open-source videos and pictures of the operation.

Russia has scrambled its troops to stop the further incursion of Ukrainians. The objective of the Ukrainian operation is unclear, but ever since the war began in February 2022, Kyiv's operation appears to be the biggest challenge Putin's Russia has faced.

Ukraine has been largely silent on the offensive. Meanwhile, Russia has announced a "federal emergency" and has scrambled troops to defend the area.

ISW said the advance of the Ukrainian mechanized troops comprising tanks, infantry and armoured vehicles almost 35 km into Russia was "rapid", but ISW said it does not appear that the Ukrainians most certainly "do not control that area".

Russian conscripts, the FSB border guards and elements of Chechen "Akhmat" units, a motorized unit operating in the Chechen Republic and fighting for Russia, are operating in the Kursk region and built field fortifications along the border. They were breached by the Ukrainian troops. Based on the information accessed by ISW, as of August 8, Ukrainian troops are located in Sverdlikovo, Sudhza, Malaya and Lyubimovka.

Vladimir Putin has called the incursion a "large-scale provocation" by Kyiv, and Russia's top general has vowed to crush it. Meanwhile, a Chechen Akhmat unit official said, "The situation is not irreversible. Nothing supernatural happened, yes, our people died, that's a fact. The enemy has entered several settlements," said General Apti Alaudinov, a close ally of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov and commander of Akhmat special forces.

Russian military bloggers claim that the Ukrainian troops are advancing in small units from Russia's rear and bypassing their fortifications before engaging Russian forces and then withdrawing from the engagements without attempting to consolidate control over their furthest advances.

The new frontline in Russia is far from other areas where intense fighting has taken place since the war began. Significant fighting took place in eastern Ukraine, a major chunk of which is claimed to be under Russian control. In the east, Donetsk, Luhansk and Horlivka had been under Russian control before the war began two years ago. The Russian troops have advanced further west from these regions and control a frontline which runs northeast to south of Ukraine.

Iran may dump revenge attack plan against Israel in exchange for Gaza ceasefire

JEDDAH, Aug 9: In a last-ditch effort to quell Iran’s seething rage against Israel over the assassination of Hamas’ political leader in Tehran, leaders from Middle Eastern countries gathered at an emergency summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah to explore peace options, CNN reported.

But could Tehran instead be prepared to pull back in exchange for progress on Gaza peace talks? That was the hope among regional leaders gathered at an emergency summit in Jeddah, CNN opined.

Since Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran last week, the Iran leaders have vowed vengeance against Israel, whom they claim was responsible. Israel hasn’t confirmed or denied responsibility.

According to CNN, flights across Iran and its neighbours were cancelled amid fears that missiles could fly any moment, triggering a much-feared escalation of Israel’s war in Gaza.

With his country on the brink of triggering a regional war, Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri attended the OIC Summit on Wednesday.

CNN quoted Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi as saying, “The first step toward stopping the escalation is ending its root cause, which is the continued Israeli aggression on Gaza.”

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US has told both- Israel and Iran that “no one should escalate this conflict”. He added that the ceasefire negotiations have reached “a final stage”, CNN reported. Blinken added that any tensions in the region can jeopardize the peace talks.

According to CNN, Safadi was in Tehran over the weekend and met both Bagheri and Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian, and appears to believe that Iran may be looking for an off ramp to escalation.

Iran needs diplomatic cover to back away from its threats and a Gaza ceasefire would allow Tehran to claim it cares more for the lives of Palestinians than it does for taking revenge. “But the payoff needs to be big enough for Iran as its honour and deterrence are at stake,” CNN said.

According to CNN, France’s President Emanuel Macron is adding his diplomatic heft, declaring in a phone call with Pezeshkian Wednesday that retaliation against Israel “has to be abandoned”.

Pezeshkian’s response suggests he is listening, CNN reported quoting Iran PM, “If America and Western countries really want to prevent war and insecurity in the region, to prove this claim, they should immediately stop selling arms and supporting the Zionist regime and force this regime to stop the genocide and attacks on Gaza and accept a ceasefire.”

However, Hamas made peace talks with Israel further difficult as it replaced Haniyeh with Yahya Sinwar, the alleged mastermind behind the October 7 attacks, which resulted into the ongoing war.

CNN said that the resolution from OIC will come into effect only if US President Joe Biden meddles, as it can convince Netanyahu.

Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s Permanent Observer at the UN said, “The region does not need escalation. What the region needs is a ceasefire. What the region needs to address legitimate rights. I have a feeling that Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to drag President Biden into a war with Iran,” he said.

CNN reported that Israel views Iran and Lebanon-based Hezbollah as different hands under the same theological head.

A US official told CNN that they fear Hezbollah may strike Israel, and if the latter retaliates, the whole region may get wrapped in a regional escalation.

Muhammad Yunus Takes Oath As Head Of Bangladesh Interim Government

DHAKA, Aug 8: Signalling the beginning of a new chapter after 15 years of Sheikh Hasina as the prime minister, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of the interim government in Bangladesh on Thursday.

"I will uphold, support and protect the constitution and will perform my duties sincerely," Yunus said at the swearing-in event, which comes at a tumultuous time for Bangladesh. The country has witnessed violence and clashes even after the student-led protests forced Ms Hasina to resign and flee the country on Monday.

Yunus, 84, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering microcredit and microfinance, which he put into action through the Grameen Bank. He was sworn in hours after he returned to Dhaka from Paris, where he had been undergoing medical treatment. The oath was administered by Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin at his official residence, 'Bangabhaban'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to Yunus and said India is hoping for an early return to normalcy in Bangladesh, which would also ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities.

"My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development," Modi wrote on X.

Yunus has been sworn in as the chief adviser in the interim government, a position akin to that of prime minister, and a 16-member council of advisers will be assisting him. The advisers include Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, two key leaders of the protests that led to Ms Hasina's ouster.

Among the other members of the council are Adilur Rahman Khan, a prominent rights activist who was sentenced to a two-year jail term under Ms Hasina; women's rights activist Farida Akhtar; Grameen Telecom trustee Nurjahan Begum; former foreign secretary Touhid Hossain; and AFM Khalid Hossain, deputy chief of right-wing party Hefazat-e-Islam.

Speaking before the swearing-in ceremony, Yunus said, "Today is a glorious day for us... Bangladesh has created a new victory day. Bangladesh has got a second independence."

Urging a return to normalcy, he added, "We cannot take a step forward unless we fix the law and order situation. My call to the people is that if you have trust in me, make sure there will be no attacks against anyone, anywhere in the country... We are one big family."

Trouble had been brewing in Bangladesh since before the January 7 elections, which was won by Sheikh Hasina's Awami League in a landslide, but the electoral exercise was widely seen as being far from free and fair.

A fresh wave of protests led by students began in June - in which over 450 people have been killed so far - after a Bangladeshi high court reinstated 30 per cent reservation in government jobs for family members of freedom fighters and veterans from Bangladesh's 1971 War of Independence. The quota was later scaled back by the country's Supreme Court but Ms Hasina's handling of the protests and her alleged use of an offensive label for the protesters infuriated students.

Protests continued with students demanding that Ms Hasina step down and clashes between agitators and the police left over 100 dead and dozens injured across the country on Sunday.

Monday saw lakhs of students flooding the streets and heading towards the prime minister's official residence, Ganabhaban, forcing Ms Hasina to resign and flee to India. Violence continued in some places even after Ms Hasina resigned and there have been reports of minorities, including Hindus, being targeted.

US F-22 Stealth Warplanes Arrive In Middle East Amid Fears Of Iran-Israel War

WASHINGTON, Aug 8: Advanced American F-22 stealth warplanes arrived in the Middle East on Thursday, the US military said, as Washington boosts its forces in the region ahead of an expected Iranian counterattack on Israel.

The deployment is part of "force posture changes in the region to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies," US Central Command said on social media, without specifying the number or exact location of the planes.

The Pentagon said last week that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had ordered assets including additional warships and a fighter squadron to the region.

Seven American personnel were wounded in a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this week that Washington blamed on an Iran-backed militia group.

And Tehran and its allies are expected to launch an attack on Israel in retaliation for the killing of top Hamas and Hezbollah figures in strikes last week either blamed on or claimed by Israel.

The killings are among the most serious in a series of tit-for-tat attacks that have heightened fears of a regional conflagration stemming from the Gaza war.

Bangladesh Interim Government Led By Nobel Winner To Take Oath Tomorrow

DHAKA, Aug 7: The interim government in Bangladesh led by Nobel-laureate Muhammad Yunus will take oath tomorrow, the nation's army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said today. General Waker told reporters the interim government is likely to take oath at 8 pm.

The army chief said the advisory council to be led by Yunus may have 15 members. Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday appointed Yunus, 84, to head the interim government after the violent ouster of former pro-India Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Yunus will lead Bangladesh through a "democratic process" when he arrives in the country to helm the interim government, General Waker said.

"He is very eager to do this," the General said in a televised address to the nation. "I am certain that he will be able to take us through a beautiful democratic process and that we will benefit from this," he said.

Yunus also said today he was looking forward to helping the country overcome its current turbulence. "I'm looking forward to going back home, see what's happening and how we can organise ourselves to get out of the trouble we are in," he told reporters before boarding a flight at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport bound for Dubai, where he will take a connecting plane for Dhaka.

The Nobel-winning microfinance pioneer has asked for calm after weeks of violence in which at least 455 people were killed. "If we take the path of violence everything will be destroyed," he added.

The appointment came quickly after student leaders called on Yunus -- credited with lifting millions out of poverty in Bangladesh -- to lead. The decision was made in a meeting with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, the heads of the army, navy and air force, and student leaders.

Yunus will have the title of chief adviser, according to Nahid Islam, one of the leaders of Students Against Discrimination who participated in the meeting.

A Bangladesh court today acquitted Yunus of a labour conviction on appeal, his lawyer Khaja Tanvir Ahmed said. Yunus had travelled abroad earlier this year after he was sentenced to six months in jail for the labour charge -- but was immediately bailed pending appeal. The case was criticised as politically motivated by rights watchdogs including Amnesty International.

Ms Hasina, 76, who had been in power since 2009, resigned on Monday as hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets of Dhaka demanding she stand down. Monday's events were the culmination of more than a month of unrest, which began as protests against a plan for quotas in government jobs but morphed into an anti-Hasina movement.

Ms Hasina, who was accused of rigging January elections and widespread human rights abuses, deployed security forces to quash the protests. Hundreds of people were killed in the crackdown, but the military turned against Ms Hasina on the weekend and she was forced to flee in a helicopter to neighbouring India.

Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon

TEL AVIV, Aug 7: A Hezbollah commander responsible for anti-tank guided missile fire on northern Israel was killed in a drone strike on Wednesday.

According to IDF, Hassan Fares Jeshi was killed in an airstrike in southern Lebanon’s Jouaiyya.

“The IDF attacked and eliminated, using an air force aircraft, the terrorist Hassan Fars Jashi in the Joya region of southern Lebanon, who served as a commander in the anti-tank field in the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” the IDF posted on X.

The IDF further said that Israeli Air Force planes earlier on Wednesday attacked Hezbollah military buildings in the Itatron area, alongside artillery fire to remove a threat in various areas in southern Lebanon.

In June, Hezbollah had fired anti-tank missiles, striking two houses in the Metula area of northern Israel, causing fires in the area.

According to Israel’s Army Radio, two houses on the border with Metula were directly hit by anti-tank missiles, causing fires.

The radio said there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Taking responsibility for the strikes, Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters “targeted buildings used by enemy soldiers in the Metula settlement with appropriate weapons, directly hitting them and causing them to catch fire.”

In a separate statement, the group announced “targeting positions in Zabdine and Ramtha in the occupied Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba Hills with rocket weapons, hitting them directly.”

Tensions have soared along Lebanon’s border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv presses ahead with its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah has linked the cessation of its attacks on Israel to the end of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus chosen to lead interim government in Bangladesh

DHAKA, Aug 6: Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been chosen to lead the interim government in Bangladesh. The decision was taken at a crucial meeting chaired by Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin. The development came a day after Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister and fled the country.

Yunus, known as 'banker to the poor' for his work in fighting poverty, was the top choice of protesting students to be the chief adviser to the interim government.

The students' proposal to make him the leader of the interim government was accepted at the meeting. The meeting was attended by the students leading the quota agitation, and the chief of three forces.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, the student leaders said they have been assured that the interim government will be formed shortly under the leadership of Yunus.

They have submitted a list of names including 10-14 prominent individuals to be part of the interim government.

Hamas names Yahya Sinwar as new leader after Ismail Haniyeh’s killing

GAZA, Aug 6: Hamas says it has chosen Yahya Sinwar, its top official in Gaza, as the new leader of its political bureau.

The decision follows Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran on July 31, the group said on Tuesday.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Quits, Army Takes Over Amid Massive Protests

DHAKA, Aug 5: Sheikh Hasina has quit as Bangladesh Prime Minister and the Army has taken control amid violent protests demanding her exit. Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman told the media that the Army will form an interim government and has appealed to the protesters to return to the path of peace.

"There is a crisis in the country. I have met Opposition leaders and we have decided to form an interim government to run this country. I take all responsibility and promise to protect your life and property. Your demands will be fulfilled. Please support us and stop violence. If you work with us, we can move towards a proper solution. We cannot achieve anything through violence," he said. The Army chief also confirmed that Ms Hasina has stepped down.

The Army General said leaders of Opposition parties and civil society were present at today's meeting, and clarified that nobody from the ruling Awami League attended it.

Ms Hasina, who started her fifth term as Prime Minister earlier this year, left state capital Dhaka in a military aircraft for India.

The 76-year-old is accompanied by her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana. Protesters demanding her resignation have, meanwhile, stormed Gono Bhaban, the Prime Minister's official residence, local media reports have said. The Bangladesh Army, it is learnt, had given a 45-minute ultimatum to the Prime Minister to step down.

Shocking visuals of protesters vandalising a statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ms Hasina's father and the tallest leader in the country's history who led its fight for Independence from Pakistan, are playing out on Dhaka's streets. The visuals mark a massive shift in the country's political landscape. The legacy of Mujibur Rahman, fondly known as Bangabandhu, is no longer a symbol of Bangladesh's war of liberation. Instead, it represents her daughter's politics that protesters claim has focused on suppressing dissent.

30 Killed After Israeli Strike Hits 2 Schools, Says Gaza Agency

GAZA, Aug 4: Gaza's civil defence agency said an Israeli strike hit two schools in Gaza City on Sunday, killing at least 30 people, while the military reported it had struck Hamas command centres.

These bring to at least 11 the number of schools in Gaza to be struck since July 6, killing around 150 people, based on a tally of tolls previously given by officials in the Hamas-run territory.

"The number of martyrs in the massacre of the Hassan Salameh and Al-Nasr schools' bombing has risen to 30. Dozens were also wounded," civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.

Bassal said most of the dead and wounded were women and children.

He said the schools were housing Palestinians displaced from their homes in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas operatives.

Israel's military confirmed the strike targeting the two schools.

"The schools were used by Hamas' Al-Furqan Battalion as a hiding place for its terrorist operatives and as command centres," the military said in a statement.

On Saturday, a similar Israeli strike hit another school compound in Gaza City, killing at least 17 people, according to the civil defence agency.

The Israeli military has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilian facilities as command and control centres or to hide their commanders and operatives. The Palestinian group denies the accusation.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas operatives attacked Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,197 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official Israeli figures.

Operatives also seized 251 people, 111 of whom are still held hostage in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 39,583 people, according to the territory's health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which does not give details of civilian and operative deaths.

Anti-Immigration Protests Rage In UK, Northern Ireland, Dozens Arrested

LONDON, Aug 4: Police arrested dozens of people after protests across parts of England and Northern Ireland turned violent on Saturday, as the government pledged tough action against those it said were exploiting the murder of three girls to stir up disorder.

Violent protests involving hundreds of anti-immigration groups have erupted in towns and cities across Britain after three girls were killed in a knife attack at a children's dance class in Southport in north-west England last week.

The murders were seized on by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups as misinformation spread that the suspect was a radical Islamist migrant. Police have said the suspect was born in Britain. Media reports have said his family was Christian.

On Saturday, violent disorder broke out in cities around the country, including Liverpool, Bristol, Hull and Stoke-on-Trent, as well as the town of Blackpool, with local police saying they had arrested at least 87 people. There was also unrest in Manchester and Belfast.

Shops and businesses were vandalised and looted, a library in Liverpool was set on fire and several police were injured, police statements said.

"Criminal violence and thuggery on our streets will not be tolerated," interior minister Yvette Cooper said late on Saturday.

"Police forces have my full support in ensuring that those who engage in criminal disorder face the strongest possible penalties."

Saturday's protests were the most widespread after several days of disorder following the murders. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said they are the result of deliberate actions by the far-right, co-ordinated by a "group of individuals who are absolutely bent on violence," rather than legitimate protest.

The last time violent protests erupted across Britain was in 2011 when thousands of people took to the streets after police shot dead a Black man in London.

There are more demonstrations planned for Sunday, based on messages circulating on social media.

F-16 Fighter Jets Arrive In Ukraine, Zelensky Says 'We Did It'

KYIV, Aug 4: Ukrainian pilots have started flying F-16s for operations within the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday, confirming the long-awaited arrival of the U.S.-made fighter jets more than 29 months since Russia's invasion.

The Ukrainian leader announced the use of F-16s, which Kyiv has long lobbied for, as he met military pilots at an air base flanked by two of the jets with two more flying overhead.

"F-16s are in Ukraine. We did it. I am proud of our guys who are mastering these jets and have already started using them for our country," Zelensky said at a location that authorities asked a news agency not to disclose for security reasons.

The arrival of the jets is a milestone for Ukraine after many months of waiting, though it remains unclear how many are available and how much of an impact they will have in enhancing air defences and on the battlefield.

Russia has been targeting bases that may house them and vowed to shoot them down so they will not impact the war.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-16s had been on Ukraine's wish list for a long time because of their destructive power and global availability. They are equipped with a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles.

Talking to reporters on the tarmac of an airfield, Zelenskiy said Ukraine still did not have enough pilots trained to use the F-16s or enough of the jets themselves.

"The positive thing is that we are expecting additional F-16s ... many guys are now training," he said.

It was important, he said, that Kyiv's allies found ways to expand training programmes and opportunities for both Ukrainian pilots and engineering teams.

Ukraine has previously relied on an ageing fleet of Soviet-era warplanes that are outgunned by Russia's more advanced and far more numerous fleet.

Russia has used that edge to conduct regular long-range missile strikes on targets across Ukraine and also to pound Ukrainian front line positions with thousands of guided bombs, supporting its forces that are slowly advancing in the east.

"This is the new stage of development of the air force of Ukraine's armed forces," Zelensky said.

"We did a lot for Ukrainian forces to transition to a new aviation standard, the Western combat aviation," he added, citing hundreds of meetings and unrelenting diplomacy to obtain the F-16s.

"We often heard 'it is impossible' as an answer but we still made our ambition, our defensive need, possible," he said.

It remains unclear what missiles the jets are equipped with. A longer range of missile would allow them to have a greater battlefield impact, military analysts say.

Zelensky said he also hoped to lobby allied neighbouring countries to help intercept Russian missiles being launched at Ukraine through conversations at the Ukraine-NATO Council platform.

"This is another tool, and I want to try it, so that NATO countries can talk to Ukraine about the possibility of a small coalition of neighbouring countries shooting down enemy missiles," he said.

"I think this decision is probably difficult for our partners, they are always afraid of excessive escalation but we are fighting that."

At least 91 dead, hundreds injured as protesters clash with ruling party supporters

DHAKA, Aug 4: Fresh violence in Bangladesh left at least 91 people, including 14 policemen, dead and hundreds injured, according to a local newspaper Prothom Alo. This prompted the Assistant High Commission of India in Sylhet to ask its nationals to remain alert and launched a helpline number.

The violence resumed when those sitting for a non-cooperation movement announced by the students’ movement demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation clashed with supporters of the Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League activists.

Demonstrators are demanding Hasina’s resignation, after earlier protests in July that began with students calling for an end to a quota system for government jobs escalated into violence that left more than 200 dead.

As the violence raged, Hasina said those who were engaging in the “sabotage” and the destruction in the name of protests were no longer students, but criminals, and said the people should deal with them with iron hands.

The government announced a holiday from Monday to Wednesday. Courts will remain closed for an indefinite period. Mobile internet service was off on Sunday, while Facebook and messaging apps including WhatsApp were inaccessible even on broadband internet.

Vietnamese President To Lam Formally Named As The Country's Communist Party Chief

HANOI, Aug 4: Vietnamese President To Lam was formally named the country’s top leader Saturday, pledging to “speed up” a sweeping anti-graft campaign that has snared thousands. The Communist Party elected Lam general secretary at a morning session, the party said at a press conference, making him the most powerful figure in Vietnam’s leadership structure.

Lam’s ascension comes two weeks after the death of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam’s most powerful leader in decades, who presided over the so-called blazing furnace crackdown on corruption. In his first remarks as general secretary, Lam pledged to “speed up” the campaign that has seen numerous top officials and senior business leaders face charges.

“(I will) continue to speed up anti-corruption … regardless of who the person is,” Lam told the press conference. “We have gained the trust of the people, and international friends, in our fight”. The party’s general secretary is the most powerful figure in Vietnam’s leadership structure, with the president occupying a largely ceremonial role that includes meeting foreign counterparts. Lam became president in May after his predecessor resigned amid the vast anti-graft purge.

It was not immediately clear if Lam would simultaneously continue to serve as president.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to To Lam, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported. “To Lam has not been fearful of taking down some highly important people,” said Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales. “He is going to do it again.”

Middle East On The Brink Of Israel-Iran War, US Bolsters Forces

NEW YORK, Aug 3: Iran said it expects Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah group to hit deeper inside Israel and no longer be confined to military targets after Israel killed the Hezbollah commander. Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces.

A strike claimed by Israel in an overcrowded residential area of South Beirut has changed the calculus, Iran's mission to the United Nations said. "We expect... Hezbollah to choose more targets and (strike) deeper in its response," said the mission quoted by the official IRNA news agency. "Secondly, that it will not limit its response to military targets."

The strike on Tuesday killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. According to Lebanon's health ministry, five civilians -- three women and two children -- also died.

Israel said Shukr was responsible for rocket fire that killed 12 youth in the annexed Golan Heights, and had directed Hezbollah's attacks on Israel since the Gaza war began.

"Hezbollah and the (Israeli) regime had observed certain lines", including limiting strikes to border areas and military targets, Iran's mission said. The Beirut strike crossed that line, it added.

Hours after Shukr's killing, the political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in a pre-dawn "hit" on his accommodation in Tehran, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. Israel has declined to comment.

The US will bolster its military presence in the Middle East, deploying additional warships and fighter jets to the region to "mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran" or its proxies, the Pentagon said.

Indian nationals in Israel have been asked to stay vigilant and adhere to the safety protocols following the escalating tension in the region. The advisory for Indian citizens in Israel comes a day after the Indian Embassy in Beirut strongly advised them against travelling to Lebanon till further notice. It also asked them to leave Lebanon.

The leader of Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels also vowed a "military response" to the killing of Ismail. "There has to be a military response to these crimes, which are shameless and dangerous, and constitute a major escalation by the Israeli enemy," Abdul Malik al-Huthi said in a televised speech.

The Yemeni rebels have been launching drones and missiles at shipping in the Red Sea since November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah since October last year has killed at least 542 people on the Lebanese side, most of them fighters but also including 114 civilians, according to a tally by a news agency.

Hamas Chief Killed By Short-Range Projectile With 7-kg Warhead: Iran

TEHRAN, Aug 3: Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that Palestinian militant group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh was slain in Tehran by a short-range projectile with a warhead of about 7 kg, and vowed severe revenge.

Wednesday's assassination has drawn fears of direct conflict between Tehran and its arch-enemy Israel in a region shaken by Israel's war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon.

Revenge for the killing of the Hamas leader will be "severe and at an appropriate time, place, and manner," the Guards' statement added, blaming the "terrorist Zionist regime" of Israel for his death.

Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president.

Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility.

The statement by the elite Guards force also accused the "criminal U.S. government" of supporting the attack which Iranian media said was in a northern suburb of Tehran.

Haniyeh was buried on Friday in Qatar, where he was based.

'Book any ticket available': US, UK issue travel advisory to leave Lebanon amid fears of war

BEIRUT, Aug 3: An Israeli Navy corvette patrols along the coast of the northern port city of Haifa on August 3, 2024, amid regional tensions during the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

Iran on August 3 said Lebanon's Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group is expected to hit the "depth" of Israel and "not to be limited to military targets" in response to Israel's killing of a senior group commander in Beirut.

The US embassy in Lebanon urged its citizens Saturday to leave Lebanon on "any ticket available", amid fears of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and a broader regional conflict.

Despite flight suspensions and cancellations, "commercial transportation options to leave Lebanon remain available", the embassy statement said. "We encourage those who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available to them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first-choice route."

The US embassy in a statement said, "US citizens who lack funds to return to the United States may contact the embassy for financial assistance via repatriation loans. We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart Lebanon prepare contingency plans for emergency situations and be prepared to shelter in place for an extended period of time."

"US military-assisted evacuations of civilians from a foreign country are rare. US citizens should not rely on the US government for assisted departure or evacuation in a crisis. In the case of an evacuation, you may not be able to leave with your extended family, cannot take pets, and will be expected to reimburse the US government for your transportation to a safe location," the statement further added.

Meanwhile, the UK government has also urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country immediately, amid fears of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah and a broader regional conflict. In a statement, the foreign ministry said British nationals should depart the Middle Eastern country "now while commercial options remain available". "Tensions are high, and the situation could deteriorate rapidly," said Foreign Minister David Lammy.

Avoid travel to Lebanon: Indian Embassy issues 3 advisories in 4 days amid escalating Middle East tensions

BEIRUT, Aug 2: With the situation in the Middle East rapidly evolving, the Indian Embassy in Lebanon is taking proactive measures to ensure the safety of Indian nationals residing in or traveling to the region. In the past 4 days, the Embassy has issued three important advisories in response to the escalating conflict.

The Indian Embassy in Lebanon is closely monitoring the situation and continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of Indian nationals. For any emergency assistance, individuals are advised to contact the Embassy at +961-7686-0128 or via email at cons.beirut@mea.gov.in.

The first advisory was released on July 29, following a devastating rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. This incident resulted in the tragic deaths of 12 children and teenagers. The Israeli government has accused Hezbollah of being behind the strike, though Hezbollah has denied any involvement. In light of these developments, the Embassy strongly advised Indian nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Lebanon.

The situation intensified further with the release of a second advisory on August 1. This was prompted by the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent Hamas leader and key figure in Gaza ceasefire negotiations. The Embassy’s advisory urged Indian citizens to restrict their movements and avoid all non-essential travel to Lebanon due to the heightened risk of violence and instability.

Later the same day, the Embassy issued a third advisory, now advising against all travel to and from Lebanon. This announcement followed Israel’s confirmation of the death of Hamas commander Mohammed Deif in a July 13 airstrike in Gaza’s Khan Younis. Given the increasing volatility of the situation, the Embassy emphasized the importance of staying in close contact with their office in Beirut.

In response to the broader regional tensions, Air India has announced a suspension of all flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 8. For passengers with confirmed bookings during this period, the airline is offering a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation fees. For further assistance or information, passengers are encouraged to reach out to Air India’s 24/7 contact center at 011-69329333 or 011-69329999.

Vietnam important partner in India's ‘Act-East policy’: Modi

NEW DELHI, Aug 1: After holding wide-ranging talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and Vietnam will continue their cooperation for a free, open, rules-based and prosperous Indo-Pacific. He also added that New Delhi supports development and not "expansionism".

"Vietnam is our important partner in our Act East Policy and our Indo-Pacific vision. There is good coordination between our views regarding the Indo-Pacific. We support evolution, not expansionism. We will continue our cooperation for a free, open, rules-based and prosperous Indo-Pacific," Modi said.

After holding talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Modi said that they held discussions on all areas of cooperation and took several measures to prepare a roadmap for the future.

Modi said that the development in the two nations has gained momentum due to India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and Vietnam's 2045 vision.

“In our discussions today, we extensively discussed all areas of mutual cooperation and took several steps to prepare a roadmap for the future. We believe that due to India's 'Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and Vietnam's 2045 vision, development has gained momentum in both countries,” Modi said.

“This is opening up many new areas of mutual cooperation and therefore, today we have made a new Plan of Action to further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. New steps have been taken for cooperation in the field of defence and security.”

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that the strategic partnership between Vietnam and India has entered a new era. He also invited PM Modi to visit Vietnam.

"...We've decided to be part of India's CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure). We also agreed to establish a deputy foreign ministerial level for the economic diplomacy dialogue. The two sides redoubled the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation... in the South China Sea. And a peaceful settlement of disputes based on respecting international law, especially UNCLOS 1982. We agreed to share information and work together to make the South China Sea- waters of peace, stability, friendship, cooperation..." the Vietnamese prime minister said.

Chinh arrived in Delhi on Tuesday night on a three-day visit. This is the first visit by a Vietnamese premier to India in a decade, and also the first prime ministerial visit since the two sides upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016.

Vietnam PM calls on President Murmu, discusses bilateral issues

NEW DELHI, Aug 1: Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Thursday called on President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here and discussed various issues concerning the two nations, an official release said.

Welcoming Chinh, the President said India-Vietnam relations are built on the firm foundation of close cultural and historical links and are marked by mutual trust and understanding, and cooperation in international fora, the release issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Murmu said Vietnam is a crucial pillar of India's Act East Policy and an important partner for New Delhi's Indo-Pacific vision.

She said she was happy to note that the bilateral engagements have diversified across a wide range of areas of cooperation, from political exchanges to defence partnerships, trade, commerce and investment, development cooperation, cultural relations and People-to-people contacts.

Both leaders noted that the two countries shared Buddhist heritage and civilisational linkages and expressed satisfaction at the collaborative efforts underway to restore heritage sites in Vietnam, the release said.

President Murmu expressed confidence that the visit of Prime Minister Chinh would go a long way in further strengthening the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, it said.

‘We always support India’s initiatives for peace in the region,’ says Vietnam PM

NEW DELHI, Aug 1: Vietnam will always support India’s initiatives for peace in the Indo-Pacific region, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said in an address in New Delhi Thursday.

“We always support India’s initiatives for peace in the region and the world,” said the Vietnamese PM while delivering the 49th Sapru House Lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA).

During his speech, the Vietnamese PM also underlined the need to settle disputes in the South China Sea according to international law.

“We have a vision for peace in the seas and oceans, including the South China Sea. We believe in settling disputes in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” he told a packed auditorium with high-ranking officials and ambassadors in attendance, including the Chinese envoy to India, Xu Feihong.

Chinh’s comments come amid rising tensions in the South China Sea as China increasingly asserts itself in the region. Beijing has maritime disputes with nearly all its neighbours, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan.

With Vietnam, the dispute is over the Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands and parts of the South China Sea. In April 2020, the Chinese Coast Guard sank a Vietnamese fishing vessel near Vanguard Bank, prompting it to lodge an official protest.

The Vietnamese PM was on an official visit to India from 30 July to 1 August. It was the first high-level visit since India and Vietnam established a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016. India was the third country to become a strategic partner to Vietnam in the mid-2000s, after Russia and China.

Vietnam is in talks with India to purchase BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, according to multiple media reports.

However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) did not expand on this when asked, at a press briefing Thursday, if the matter was discussed during talks between Modi and Chinh.

During his speech, the Vietnamese PM made a note of the “major power competition” in the Indo-Pacific, and said New Delhi and Hanoi can work together as a positive influence in the region.

“There is major power competition [in the Indo-Pacific]. We must prioritise peace, diplomacy and dialogue instead of threats of force. We should not resort to selfish power politics,” he said.

“Our two countries ought to work together as a positive influence for peace and stability in the region and world,” he added.

He called India an important pole in an emerging multi-polar world.

“During discussions with Indian leaders, I said India is a role model for growth…India is an influential country among others in the region, including Vietnam,” he remarked.

The Vietnamese PM also touched on some ongoing conflicts across the world, specifically mentioning the Israel-Hamas war and the situation in the Red Sea. He did not mention the Russia-Ukraine war.

“The world is in a deep, profound state of flux today. There are localised conflicts. Perhaps a new arms race is on the way and not just in a few countries,” he said.

“Whether it’s events in the Red Sea, Middle East or in Myanmar, conflicts affect supply chains, logistics and prices of goods. No citizen of one country can feel safe if a citizen of another country is facing insecurity. We must uphold multilateralism,” he added.

Bomb smuggled into Tehran guesthouse months ago killed Hamas leader: Report

TEHRAN, Aug 1: Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader of Hamas, was assassinated on Wednesday by an explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying, according to seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and an American official.

The bomb had been hidden approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, according to five of the Middle Eastern officials. The guesthouse is run and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and is part of a large compound, known as Neshat, in an upscale neighborhood of northern Tehran.

Haniyeh was in Iran’s capital for the presidential inauguration. The bomb was detonated remotely, the five officials said, once it was confirmed that he was inside his room at the guesthouse. The blast also killed a bodyguard.

The explosion shook the building, shattered some windows and caused the partial collapse of an exterior wall, according to the two Iranian officials, members of the Revolutionary Guards briefed on the incident. Such damage was also evident in a photograph of the building shared with The New York Times.

Haniyeh, who had led Hamas’s political office in Qatar, had stayed at the guesthouse several times when visiting Tehran, according to the Middle Eastern officials. All of the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive details about the assassination.

Iranian officials and Hamas said Wednesday that Israel was responsible for the assassination, an assessment also reached by several US officials who requested anonymity. The assassination threatened to unleash another wave of violence in the Middle East and upend the ongoing negotiations to end the war in Gaza. Haniyeh had been a top negotiator in the cease-fire talks.

Israel has not publicly acknowledged responsibility for the killing, but Israeli intelligence officials briefed the United States and other Western governments on the details of the operation in the immediate aftermath, according to the five Middle Eastern officials.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said that the United States had received no advance knowledge of the assassination plot.

In the hours after the killing, speculation immediately focused on the possibility that Israel had killed Haniyeh with a missile strike, possibly fired from a drone or a plane, similar to how Israel had launched a missile on a military base in Isfahan in April.

That missile theory raised questions about how Israel might have been able to evade Iranian air defense systems again to execute such a brazen airstrike in the capital.

As it turns out, the assassins were able to exploit a different kind of gap in Iran’s defenses: a lapse in the security of a supposedly tightly guarded compound that allowed a bomb to be planted and to remain hidden for many weeks before it would eventually be triggered.

Such a breach, three Iranian officials said, was a catastrophic failure of intelligence and security for Iran and a tremendous embarrassment for the Guards, which uses the compound for retreats, secret meetings and housing prominent guests like Haniyeh.

How the bomb was stashed in the guesthouse remained unclear. The Middle Eastern officials said that the planning for the assassination took months and required extensive surveillance of the compound. The two Iranian officials who described the nature of the assassination said they did not know how or when the explosives were planted in the room.

Israel decided to carry out the assassination outside Qatar, where Haniyeh and other senior members of Hamas’s political leadership live. The Qatari government has been mediating the negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a cease-fire in Gaza.

The deadly blast early Wednesday shattered windows and collapsed a portion of the wall of the compound, photographs showed and the Iranian officials said. It appeared to do minimal damage beyond the building itself, as a missile probably would have done.

At around 2 a.m. local time, the device exploded, according to the Middle Eastern officials, including the Iranians. Startled building staff members, the officials said, ran to find the source of the tremendous noise, leading them to the room where Haniyeh was staying with a bodyguard.

The compound is staffed with a medical team which rushed to the room immediately after the explosion. The team declared that Haniyeh had died immediately. The team tried to revive the bodyguard, but he, too, was dead.

The leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, was staying next door, two of the Iranian officials said. His room was not badly damaged, suggesting precise planning in the targeting of Haniyeh.

Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy commander of Hamas in the Gaza Strip who was also in Tehran, arrived at the scene and saw his colleague’s body, according to the five Middle Eastern officials.

Among the people immediately notified, said the three Iranian officials, was Gen. Ismail Ghaani, the commander in chief of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards, which works closely with Iranian allies in the region, including Hamas and Hezbollah. He notified Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the middle of the night, waking him up, the officials said.

Four hours after the blast, the Revolutionary Guards issued a statement that Haniyeh had been killed. By 7 a.m., Khamenei had summoned the members of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council to his compound for an emergency meeting, at which he issued an order to strike Israel in retaliation, according to the three Iranian officials.

Tehran had already been under heightened security because of the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, with senior government officials, military commanders and dignitaries from 86 countries gathering at Parliament in central Tehran for the ceremony.

Haniyeh had looked cheerful and triumphant on Tuesday during the swearing in, hugging the new president after he delivered his inaugural speech, and the two men raised their hands together, making the victory sign.

In Iran, the method of assassination was the subject of rumor and dispute. The Tasnim News Agency, the media outlet for the Guards, reported that witnesses said an object like a missile had hit the window of Haniyeh’s room and exploded.

But the two Iranian officials, the members of the Guards briefed on the attack, confirmed that the explosion had taken place inside Haniyeh’s room, and said that an initial investigation showed that the explosives had been placed there sometime in advance.

They described the attack’s precision and sophistication as similar in tactic to the remote controlled A.I. robot weapon that Israel used to assassinate Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020.

Israeli assassination operations outside of the country are primarily carried out by Mossad, the country’s foreign intelligence service. David Barnea, the head of Mossad, said in January that his service was “obliged” to hunt down the leaders of Hamas, the group behind the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.

“It will take time, as it took after the massacre in Munich, but our hands will catch them wherever they are,” Barnea said, referring to the killing of Israeli athletes by terrorists at the 1972 Olympics.

Hamas Military Chief Mohammed Deif Killed In Gaza Strike: Israel

JERUSALEM, Aug 1: Israel's army confirmed on Thursday that Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif was killed in an air strike last month in the southern Gaza Strip.

The announcement came a day after Hamas and Iran said the Palestinian movement's chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran. Israel has not commented on that report.

"Mohammed Deif, the Osama bin Laden of Gaza was eliminated" on July 13, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said.

This is a "significant milestone in the process of dismantling Hamas" in Gaza, Gallant added.

The army said fighter jets had struck Khan Yunis on July 13 and "following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif was eliminated in the strike".

He was killed along with one of his top commanders, Rafa Salama, the military said.

Health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza said more than 90 people had been killed in that strike but Hamas has denied Deif was among them.

"Deif initiated, planned, and executed the October 7th massacre," the military said.

On that day the Hamas group attacked southern Israel, resulting in the death of 1,197 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Deif became head of Hamas's armed wing, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in 2002.

He was among Israel's most wanted man for nearly three decades and on a US list of "international terrorists" since 2015.

"During the war, he commanded Hamas's terrorist activity in the Gaza Strip by issuing commands and instructions to senior members of Hamas's military wing," the military said.

Deif, whose real name is Mohammed Diab al-Masri, was born in the Khan Yunis refugee camp in 1965.

The word Deif means "visitor" or "guest" and some say he chose it because he was always on the move with Israeli hunters on his trail, never spending more than one night in the same place.

In videos, Deif has appeared masked or shown in a silhouette, while rare photographs have circulated of one of Israel's most wanted men.

In January, Israel released a picture of Deif showing him with one eye missing, without specifying when it was taken.

His enemies dubbed him the "cat with nine lives" because of his many close calls with death.

In 2014, Israel launched an air strike on Gaza, killing Deif's wife and a seven-month-old son.

It was Deif who announced the start of the Hamas attack -- operation "Al-Aqsa Flood" -- in an audio message on October 7.

Deif became involved in Hamas in the 1980s when he was a student at the Gaza Islamic University.

He is said to have played a key role in the huge network of tunnels built beneath Gaza.

He was detained by Israel since the 1980s and spent about two years in a prison run by the Palestinian Authority. He was released or escaped, reports said.

In May, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court requested a warrant for his arrest -- alongside with Yahya Sinwar, the chief of Hamas in Gaza who is still being hunted by Israel -- for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Hamas political leader Haniyeh, who was killed Wednesday in the Iranian capital, was also on that list.

The prosecutor has also sought warrants for Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Gallant.

During the October 7 attack, Hamas operatives also seized 251 people, 111 are still captive in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.

Israel's military campaign since then has killed 39,480 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the territory, which does not provide details of civilian and militant deaths.