'Move From Endless War To End Of War': Modi's Message To Putin On Ukraine

BISHKEK, Aug 31: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that India supports all peaceful efforts to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and will continue to do so. His message reinforced his "Not the era of war" remark issued a few years ago and is seen as one of the strongest to emerge from India on the matter.

"We have to move from a situation of 'endless war' to 'end of war'... It is humanity's wish that the end of this war happens soonest," Modi said during a joint statement with Russia's President Vladimir Putin following their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO meet in Kyrgyzstan's Bishkek.

"We keep discussing the matter of Ukraine and the last time we met too, you had explained the situation to me in great detail. As you know, India supports all peaceful methods (to resolve the impasse)," he said. "India advocates for resolving all problems peacefully, which is necessary for all of humanity," he added.

Modi's comment reinforces his "not the era of war" comment made in 2022 during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin - again, on the sidelines of the SCO meet -- had resonated across the world at the time.

In dialogues with Putin and Ukraine's President Volodimir Zelensky, India has consistently underscored the need for dialogue to resolve the conflict.

"India is an advocate of permanent peace in this region. Our stand is very clear - this is not an era of war. This is the time to come together against those challenges which threaten humanity. Therefore, India believes in diplomacy and dialogues," Modi had said in 2022.

Describing India as the "land of Buddha", he had added: "Empathy is one of the identities of Indians. Whenever any trouble mounts in any country, India is the first country to extend help... India believes in Buddha's tradition, therefore, believes in peace not war... India is an advocate of peace in this region and it is clear that this is not time for war. We need to be together to fight challenges. India focuses on diplomacy and dialogue,"

This time too, his references to the needs of humanity powered his message. "Every day of war seats humanity back and we must work toward ending hostilities," he said. India, he added, is the "land of Gandhi and the land of Buddha share a single message: the path of peace."

The bilateral with President Putin takes place a week before he is expected to visit New Delhi to attend the BRICS summit.

'Asked Modi To Use India's Extensive Contacts': Iran's Appeal To End War

BISHKEK, Aug 31: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has thanked India for standing by Tehran during its ongoing conflict with the US, telling Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the two countries share deep historical ties that could be used to expand cooperation, even as Iran continues to face pressure from the United States and Israel.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and the Shanghai Plus meeting in Kyrgyzstan. According to a statement from Iran, the Iranian President asked Modi to use India's wide-ranging contacts to help steer other parties away from conflict. He said, "We believe that the solution to the issues we face lies in dialogue and cooperation, and that all available capacities must be mobilised to prevent the spread of insecurity and conflict."

The two sides also discussed the current state of bilateral cooperation, including transport and maritime affairs, and developments concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

Criticising Washington's handling of the recent war, Pezeshkian said, "From the very beginning of our administration, our efforts have been focused on ensuring peace and security and resolving issues through dialogue and negotiations. Unfortunately, instead of making use of diplomatic mechanisms, the Americans have chosen the path of war, insecurity and imposing their will through force."

He added, "Our responsibility requires us to protect our people from danger and insecurity and to create the conditions necessary for them to achieve peace, tranquillity and security."

Pezeshkian also suggested that certain groups within the US had an interest in prolonging the conflict, saying, "Unfortunately, there are groups within the United States that see the continuation of war as serving their interests and seek to perpetuate conflicts. We believe, however, that by strengthening the forces committed to peace, we must move toward peace, stability and security."

Referring to efforts by the US and Israel to restrict Iran's cooperation with other nations, he added, "Despite the pressures and restrictions being imposed in an attempt to obstruct Iran's relations with other countries, Tehran is ready to expand its cooperation with India across various fields."

Modi, in response, said he was glad to meet Pezeshkian and that India had tried to maintain its cooperation and communication with Iran through a difficult recent period. He said, "During the difficult period we have recently experienced, we sought to maintain and preserve our cooperation and communications with Iran."

According to the Iranian statement, Modi praised Pezeshkian's outlook on peace, saying, "From what I have come to know of your personality, you are a peace-loving person, and I believe that you can play an effective role in advancing the cause of peace. I am confident that your efforts will ultimately lead to positive results. I agree with you that there are those who see their interests in war, but we must intensify our efforts to establish peace. My belief and conviction is that, ultimately, peace and security will prevail"

The meeting between Modi and the Iranian President comes a day after the US struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This was the first publicly acknowledged US strike on Iranian territory since 29 July. CENTCOM said the strikes targeted forces preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strait. Tehran, in response, launched missile strikes on a US military base in Jordan. Jordanian authorities said they intercepted eight missiles.

Uranium supply deal, $5 billion annual trade by 2030: India-Uzbekistan strengthen ties during Modi's visit

TASHKENT, Aug 30: India and Uzbekistan on Sunday raised their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, set a target of $5 billion in annual trade by 2030 and agreed to work for the long-term supply of uranium during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent.

Uzbekistan was the first stop in Modi’s two-nation tour, which will also take him to Kyrgyzstan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. This was Modi's fourth visit to Uzbekistan, which he described as being at the heart of India's engagement with Central Asia.

The talks between the two leaders focused on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, infrastructure, critical minerals, innovation, AI, pharmaceuticals, digital public infrastructure including India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), agriculture and education.

“India and Uzbekistan share a deep convergence of perspectives and aspirations,” Modi told a joint media interaction, speaking in Hindi. “A stronger India-Uzbekistan partnership will be a powerful force for peace, progress and prosperity in Central Asia.”

He noted that the two sides were elevating their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership on the 15th anniversary of their strategic partnership.

“Our bilateral trade has crossed $1 billion. We have now set a target of $5 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. To achieve this, we will systematically address issues related to market access, connectivity, banking and payment systems,” Modi said.

At the start of his talks with Mirziyoyev, Modi outlined several steps the two sides planned to take to deepen their relationship. “We will also establish a long-term arrangement for the supply of uranium,” he said.

Sibi George, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, told reporters later that the two sides had “positive discussions” on a long-term arrangement for the supply of uranium to India. “We are closing in to the signing of an agreement very shortly,” he said without giving details.

Modi said the two countries will also establish a coordination council led by the foreign ministers to provide direction to all aspects of cooperation, and elevate an existing joint commission from the level of secretaries to the ministerial level.

Mirziyoyev described India as a “reliable strategic partner” and noted that New Delhi’s voice and influence in global affairs has grown. Joint ventures between the two countries have increased seven-fold and there are now 14 direct flights every week, he said.

“We are aiming to advance cooperation in sectors such as energy, culture, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, jewellery and agriculture,” Mirziyoyev said.

“We will prepare roadmaps for each of these sectors. Specific teams from India will come here, and our teams will travel to India, enabling us to clearly define our objectives in these fields,” he added.

Mirziyoyev said the introduction of a 30-day visa-free regime for Indian citizens will make a significant contribution to developing tourism and business exchanges.

Modi pointed out that the close defence and security cooperation between the two sides “reflects the deep mutual trust that underpins our relationship”. The two countries will promote direct linkages, co-production and co-development between their defence industries, he said.

“We believe that terrorism, extremism and separatism pose serious challenges to the entire region,” Modi said. “Our shared resolve to adopt a policy of zero tolerance towards them has been, and will continue to be, unwavering.”

The leaders witnessed the exchange of 11 agreements covering areas such mining, culture, education and tourism. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India's ministry of mines and Uzbekistan's ministry of mining industry and geology will focus on cooperation in mineral resources, including rare earths.

An MoU between the ministries of finance of India and Uzbekistan will establish an Economic and Financial Dialogue, while another MoU focuses on cooperation in higher education and scientific research. The external affairs ministry and the Cultural Heritage Agency of Uzbekistan finalised a letter of intent for conserving and restoring the ancient buddhist sites of Fayaz Tepa and KaraTepa at Termez.

India announced a grant of $1 million for afforestation in the Aral Sea region, while India's NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) signed a commercial agreement with Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre JSC (NIPC) to enable Indian UPI apps of to scan national QR codes for merchant payments in Uzbekistan. George described this agreement as the first step towards greater inter-operability between the digital payment eco-systems of the two countries.

Mirziyoyev conferred the Oliy Darajali Do’stlik Order, Uzbekistan’s highest honour for foreign leaders, on Modi for his contribution to strengthening the friendship between the two countries. Modi dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and said the two sides will work jointly to protect the interests of the Global South.

Late on Sunday night, Modi arrived in Kyrgyzstan, where he will participate in the SCO Summit and to hold bilateral meetings with leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nearly 800 killed in Nepal floods; 32 injured as bus crashes in Nawalparasi

KATHMANDU, Aug 30: The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said the death toll has risen to 788, while at least 2,502 people remain missing. So far, 9,435 people have been rescued from flood-hit areas, the NDRRMA said. The disaster also killed 16 people on the Chinese side, while nearly 550 people remain missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports.

Water levels in the Bhotekoshi River rose again on Sunday, days after a devastating flash flood hit the area, prompting Nepalese authorities to urge search and rescue personnel in the affected districts to remain vigilant.

The river, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried massive volumes of water downstream into central Nepal during Wednesday’s flash floods.

"The water level in the flooded Bhotekoshi river has risen to some extent; all concerned are urged to take precautionary measures," the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said in a statement.

More than 100 hydropower workers remain trapped; India and China have sent specialised rescue teams.

‘If a Hindu thinks there should be no Muslim in India, he may not be Hindu’: Mohan Bhagwat

NEW YORK, Aug 29: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s addressed the Indian diasporat at New York's Madison Square Garden on Saturday. He said "If you want to call yourself Hindu, you must believe that all paths are leading to the same. And every human has a dignity. There is no difference between human beings. I had a lecture there. And Muslim brothers were also there. And they asked me a question: You are a Hindu organization, you say Hindu Rashtra, what about us Muslims? Would you drive us out? I said no, that is not Hindutva. If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu."

Bhagwat said "I am not a religious scholar, nor a religious authority like you, but I am working in a society which traditionally says that religions might be different, but humanity is one. Truth is one, and humanity is a product of that truth. So humanity is one. That truth is one truth, but it is described in many ways according to the describer. Because as human beings, we are prisoners of the software that has been created in our heads..."

"There are many religions, and in today's world, religions are largely defined by rituals. And to fit in a religious discipline, and to treat that path to divinity, this discipline of rituals is also necessary," Mohan Bhagwat said.

Speaking at an interfaith convention, Mohan Bhagwat said that to build influence and state, one needs to start by building the society.

Modi lands in Uzbekistan on two-nation visit

TASHKENT, Aug 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday for Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where he will hold bilateral meetings and participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit to bolster India's strategic partnerships in Central Asia.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Modi on his arrival in Tashkent late on Saturday. The PM’s special aircraft took a longer route through Chinese airspace since Pakistani airspace remains closed to Indian aircraft, people familiar with the matter said.

Modi thanked Mirziyoyev on social media for the “special gesture” of welcoming him at the airport and said his fourth visit to Uzbekistan reflected the depth and growing momentum in bilateral relations.

Following his two-day trip to Uzbekistan, Modi will travel to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the SCO Summit and hold bilateral meetings, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the margins of the gathering.

“I am confident that this visit will strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen our civilisational connect with the region, and advance our shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity – values that lie at the heart of India’s engagement with the world,” Modi said in a statement ahead of his departure from New Delhi.

Soon after his arrival, Modi laid a wreath at Yangi Uzbekistan Park in Tashkent, emphasising the deep-rooted friendship between India and Uzbekistan.

Modi said in his statement that the India-Uzbekistan strategic partnership has witnessed significant advancement in recent years, and he looked forward to discussions with Mirziyoyev on Sunday that will focus on deepening cooperation in trade, investments, digital connectivity, defence and energy, and on advancing the shared visions of “Viksit Bharat” and “Yangi Uzbekistan”.

He will also visit the Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.

Uzbekistan is a partner country in the BRICS grouping, which is currently chaired by India. India is among Uzbekistan's top 10 trade partners, and bilateral defence cooperation has grown over the years, with the seventh edition of the Dustlik joint exercise held in April this year.

Uzbekistan is also the third-largest source country for medical tourism in India and is home to more than 18,000 Indians, including 16,000 medical students.

From Tashkent, Mo will travel to Bishkek on August 31 to participate in the 26th SCO Summit, marking the organisation's 25th anniversary.

“India has been an active and constructive member of the SCO since 2017. I look forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, anchored in Security, Connectivity and Opportunity, and to working with fellow members for a region free from the scourge of terrorism, separatism and extremism, which continue to threaten peace and stability in our neighbourhood and beyond,” Modi said in his statement.

He also looked forward to meeting Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov and other SCO leaders and attending the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games, a celebration of Central Asian heritage.

Besides Russian President Vladimir Putin, Modi is expected to have bilateral meetings with several other leaders on the margins of the SCO Summit.

Russian air attack on Ukraine's Kyiv kills at least 37, injures 42

KYIV, Aug 29: At least 37 people were killed and 42 others injured in an overnight Russian air attack on Ukraine’s Kyiv, regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said on Saturday.

Tkachenko, writing on Telegram, said more than 380 people were being evacuated from the strike-hit area in the Bucha district. Tkachenko, also head of the regional military administration, said the overnight attack damaged at least 50 residential buildings.

The strikes also triggered a large fire that spread to several homes and a restaurant.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a warehouse in the village of Myla was hit and that the strike was followed by an explosion.

Zelensky said authorities had launched criminal proceedings over alleged official negligence. He said ammunition should not have been stored near residential areas.

“There are regulations in place – ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas,” Zelenskyy said.

The president added that a care facility for elderly people and people with disabilities was among the structures damaged in the attack, along with residential buildings.

“More than 370 people have already been evacuated, and the evacuation is ongoing,” he said.

579 Killed In Nepal Floods, 84 Indians Rescued, Hundreds Remain Missing

KATHMANDU, Aug 28: The devastating Nepal floods have claimed at least 579 people and left more than 977 people missing, Nepal's disaster authority said on Friday. The Chinese state media said that the disaster that happened on Wednesday killed at least five people, taking the total casualties to 584. Together, the two countries have said that almost 2,500 people are missing.

Over 14,000 security personnel have been mobilised for search as rescue operations continue for the third day of the tragic incident and about 3,742 people have been rescued.

This has been the deadliest disaster for Nepal since a 2015 earthquake. The US Geological Survey said that the floods were caused by a glacial collapse that triggered a vast flow of icy debris.

After a dam on the Tibet side burst, the Nepali police issued a fresh alert on Friday. Security personnel and rescue and relief workers were told to stay on high alert and immediately move to a safe location if necessary.

China temporarily stopped rescue work when a lake made of debris started spilling over, but state media later said the danger was dropping and rescues were back on track. Officials are still trying to figure out if this lake is the same debris dam that Nepal warned had already burst.

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a press briefing that 21 Indians had arrived yesterday from the flood-devastated area in Kathmandu.

"In addition to these 21 Indian nationals, yesterday we gave you an update about 63 Indian nationals who are working at the Trishuli One hydropower project. They were also rescued yesterday. In addition to these 21 and 63, we have learned that 96 Indian nationals who were stranded on the Chinese side have safely crossed into Nepal by land", Jaiswal said.

The spokesperson said that about 320 Indians and 100 Indian-origin people remain uncontactable.

Putin Could Deploy Tactical Nukes In Ukraine As 'Last Resort': Report

MOSCOW, Aug 28: Russian President Vladimir Putin could use tactical nuclear weapons as a last resort in the Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported, citing people close to the Kremlin.

Tactical nuclear weapons are short-range nuclear arms designed for limited battlefield use rather than full cities or countries. While smaller than strategic weapons, they still possess immense destructive power and are capable of contaminating large areas of land with nuclear fallout.

The decision comes after Russia has concluded that negotiations for a peace deal with Ukraine have reached a dead end.

China and India have warned Putin against using nuclear weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and senior European officials confirmed that Beijing delivered a message instructing Moscow not to even consider detonating tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

However, for now, Russia is mulling to intensify powerful conventional ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv and other infrastructure targets in other cities.

Ukraine has significantly expanded its long-range drone campaign deeper into Russian territory, explicitly targeting major e-commerce warehouses alongside oil refineries to cripple Russia's wartime economy.

Since Ukraine receives weapons and intelligence to attack Russia from NATO member countries, Russia increasingly views Ukrainian strikes as direct attacks by NATO states.

Putin shrugged off the impacts of Western sanctions on Russia's economy and said that Ukraine has "opened this Pandora's box" and warned them to "be ready to get a blowback" on its most critical economic sectors.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow this week to warn Russia not to test the resolve of NATO by attacking one of its members, The Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the Journal, US intelligence agencies have assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin could consider testing NATO in the coming years with a limited military operation against an alliance member.

The concern is that Moscow may not necessarily begin with a full-scale attack. US officials believe the possible options could range from a cyberattack to a small ground incursion.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Ratcliffe's meetings in Moscow were with Russian intelligence officials, not Putin, although the Russian president was briefed about the discussions.

Moscow has also rejected the reports coming from US media. Asked about reports that Russia could attack NATO following Ratcliffe's unusual visit, Peskov dismissed them as speculation.

"A lot of such scare stories are being published right now. Of course, they have nothing to do with reality", he said,

Ratcliffe's trip is the latest in a series of high-level US contacts with Russia.

400 dead, over 1,400 missing in Nepal floods; Fresh surge warning in Bhotekoshi river

KATHMANDU, Aug 27: Nepal authorities have issued a fresh flood warning in Bhotekoshi River, citing satellite images that showed a lake had been formed at the site where the flood in Nepal occurred. The lake is rising and is at risk of bursting, the country's disaster authority said on Thursday, as it appealed to residents and rescuers to stay away from the river banks.

The death toll rose to 400 on Thursday, with 1,400 others missing after floods hit Nepal's Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers. The toll is expected to rise further as rescue operations are ongoing. About 100 missing Indian nationals have now been located.

The disaster is among the country's worst in recent years. The US Geological Survey said in a statement that a glacial collapse triggered seismic activity and led to "catastrophic" downstream impacts in Nepal and Tibet.

Meanwhile, India has sent 10 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), along with essential medicines, to help Nepal, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said.

At water monitoring stations along Nepal's Trishuli River on Wednesday morning, levels rose by as much as nine metres in half an hour. It might have been a wall of mud, ice and rock that unraveled nearly 170km south through seven Nepali districts.

On the Chinese side of the border, Gyirong in Tibet was struck by a linked mudslide, with state broadcaster CCTV reporting that some roads were buried under more than two metres of soil.

What was initially believed to have been a glacial lake rupture triggered by an earthquake was by nightfall deemed a "glacier-inclusive flood", now confirmed by satellite imagery.

Modi to visit Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan for bilateral talks, SCO Summit

NEW DELHI, Aug 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave on a four-day trip on Saturday to strengthen bilateral ties with Uzbekistan and attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan.

The first leg of the visit will take Modi to Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent from August 29-30 for meetings with the country’s top leadership to strengthen ties in diverse sectors, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday.

The PM will then travel to the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek for two days to attend the SCO Summit, which is expected to focus on the evolving security scenario in the region, the ministry said.

During his address at the summit, Modi will highlight India’s priorities such as security, connectivity and opportunity, the ministry said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are among the leaders expected to attend the summit, which will mark the 25th anniversary of the SCO, which India joined as a full member in 2017.

The SCO was established with the primary goal of countering terror, separatism and extremism, which remain a challenge, Sibi George, secretary (West) in the ministry, told a media briefing.

Modi will hold bilateral meetings with SCO leaders on the margins of the summit. People familiar with the matter said Putin is among the leaders with whom Modi will hold bilateral meetings.

The PM is also set to attend the opening of the sixth World Nomad Games, a celebration of the cultural heritage of Central Asia.

In Uzbekistan, which Modi is visiting for the fourth time, he will hold talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership. The leaders will review cooperation in trade and investment, defence, digital connectivity, energy, education and people-to-people ties, the ministry said.

Modi is expected to visit the Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial in Tashkent and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.

Over 157 dead, hundreds missing in Nepal floods

KATHMANDU, Aug 26: The number of dead in massive floods on the Nepal-Tibet border has surged to 157, according to reports. Three people have also died in Tibet, where over 250 are missing after the floods. Hundreds, including Indians, are still missing as flash floods hit Nepal's Rasuwa district, bordering Tibet, on Wednesday. The flash floods left a trail of destruction, damaging roads, bridges and power projects in areas near Tibet, authorities said.

At least 398 tourists, including 133 Indians and 59 Nepalese, are not in touch with their tour operators, Jai Narayan Acharya, Nepal tourism joint secretary, said.

Across the border, Tibet reported "major casualties" with some missing in the neighbouring county of Gyirong after a mudslide hit a land crossing between China and Nepal, the Xinhua official news agency said.

The Nepal government sent helicopters to rescue those trapped in the floods. However, the waters were too high for helicopters to land in Nepal's affected areas of Syapru Besi and Timure in the mountainous district of Rasuwa, with a population of about 50,000, officials said, while flagging the risk of casualties.

"There could be heavy casualties or loss of property," said district administrator Narendra Pariyar. "But I cannot say for sure now." Pariyar urged those living on the banks of the Bhote Koshi river in the area to seek higher ground, pointing to reports that nearby villages and infrastructure project sites were washed away.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah said police and military were joining rescue and relief teams.

"Instructions have been given ... to move the people living in the lower areas to safer places," he said. “People along the river are advised to exercise extra caution and remain alert,” according to reports.

Rescue teams are on standby in parts of Bihar that share the border with Nepal in view of the flash floods. Evacuations have been started in some districts already, though the flood waters have yet not reached India.

NDRF teams have been deployed in West Champaran and Muzaffarpur in Bihar as a precautionary measure, NDRF IG Narendra Singh Bundela was quoted as saying. “A total of nine teams are currently stationed in Bihar and the situation is being closely monitored,” he said.

China on Wednesday said its Gyirong port in Xinhua was affected by flash floods, cutting off roads, communications and power in the Shigatse region near the border with Nepal.

President Xi Jinping urged "all-out" search efforts for the missing as well as stronger monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.

India, China agree on early boundary delimitation push in new 8-point consensus

BEIJING, Aug 26: India and China have agreed to take forward talks on an “Early and Substantial Harvest” of boundary delimitation and to promptly address any situation to avert “misunderstanding and miscalculation” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during talks between the Special Representatives on the border issue.

They further agreed during the 25th round of talks between the Special Representatives in Beijing on Tuesday to establish two additional points for meetings between generals and senior military commanders and two additional border military hotlines in the eastern and middle sectors of the LAC to improve border management.

A joint statement issued by the two sides on Wednesday said the Special Representatives – India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s foreign minister Wang Yi – reached eight points of outcomes and consensus, including holding a meeting of an Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers in September.

The Special Representatives mechanism was established in 2003 to finalise a framework for resolving the dispute over the 3,488-km India-China border. Doval and Wang met for the third time since the two countries reached an understanding in October 2024 to end a standoff in the Ladakh sector of the LAC that took ties to a six-decade low.

“The Expert Group on Boundary Delimitation and Working Group on Border Management under the WMCC [Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination] would respectively advance discussions on an Early and Substantial Harvest of boundary delimitation and Border Management,” the joint statement said without going into details.

The first task for both the groups will be to agree on their respective terms of reference, the joint statement said.

The development assumes significance, as reports suggest that the two sides are considering demarcating segments of the LAC where there aren’t significant differences. The two groups on boundary demarcation and border management were set up during the last round of Special Representatives’ talks a year ago.

As part of the eight outcomes, India and China agreed that “any situation on the ground would be addressed promptly through existing diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC, local commander‑level meetings and other agreed mechanisms, to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the LAC”. The two sides also discussed ways to improve understanding of the LAC in “appropriate areas, for better border management”.

This comes against the backdrop of reports of a fresh face-off between Indian and Chinese troops along the border in Arunachal Pradesh in July. The Indian side has insisted that the state of the border will determine the overall course of the relationship.

The two sides will hold the next meeting of the India-China Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers in September and “maintain communication on issues including hydrological data sharing, and renewal of the relevant MoUs”, the joint statement said.

New Delhi has highlighted its concerns about a $137-billion mega dam being built by China in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra river on the ecologically fragile Tibetan plateau that can affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh.

In the context of trans-border cooperation, the Indian side appreciated China’s efforts to increase the number of batches for the Indian official pilgrimage to Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet. Both sides appreciated the reopening of three designated border trade points, and agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in border trade, pilgrimage and other areas.

As part of the outcomes, India and China will uphold the guidance received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and “create an atmosphere for healthy and steady development of bilateral relations”. They will also advance negotiations on a framework for settling the border in line with the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question signed in 2005, and the consensus reached in Special Representatives’ talks in pursuit of a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution.

The two sides also agreed to hold the 26th round of Special Representatives’ talks in India in 2027.

Iran, Oman reach agreement on sharing Strait of Hormuz, its revenue?

TEHRAN, Aug 26: Iran and Oman are still negotiating over the details of a potential deal to regulate traffic and divide maritime revenues in the critical Strait of Hormuz. This comes as the crucial maritime route has been experiencing heightened tensions following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had initially claimed that an agreement had been reached over sharing the waterway and its revenues. However, a senior Iranian official, later clarified that Iran and Oman are still working on the details of the deal.

Iran and Oman have held talks for several weeks about controlling the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

"An agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz has not been finalised," said the senior Iranian official.

On the other hand, according to the report, an IRGC spokesperson claimed that an arrangement had been established regarding the control and revenue split of the waterway.

Hossein Mohebbi, in comments published by Iranian state media, said, "The Strait of Hormuz belongs to Iran and the country of Oman... We have been in negotiations with Oman for about a month, and we have reached results that are acceptable to both sides."

Following the talks on Tuesday, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi noted that he was "hopeful we will soon announce a temporary corridor for the Strait of Hormuz and practical arrangements to restore safe navigation".

"In these negotiations, agreements have been reached regarding the share of each country in the waters of the Strait and the share of Iran and Oman in its revenues," he continued.

Earlier this month, Iran had said that a deal on the strait was close.

India, China discuss peace along LAC, border delimitation

BEIJING, Aug 25: India and China on Tuesday discussed maintaining peace and stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as well as progress on border delimitation, with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval meeting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

Doval, in his opening remarks, said the normalcy in ties between the countries was a direct result of both sides maintaining peace and tranquility along the border areas, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Wang spoke about the significance of ties between India and China, saying it had gone beyond the bilateral scope and taken on a global significance. The talks, held under the framework of the Special Representatives dialogue, came weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to travel to India for the BRICS summit.

India and China have in the recent past been working to improve diplomatic relations following a strain caused by the 2020 Galwan border clashes, with the Doval-Wang meeting and Xi's visit part of the bid to renew ties.

The NSA referred to meetings between Modi and the Chinese premier on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia in 2024 and the SCO summit in China last year. “We meet in keeping with the guidance of our leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, who have given clear and positive direction to our relationship both at Kazan and Tianjin,” said Doval.

NSA Doval, who landed in Beijing on Monday for a two-day visit, said the 25th round of the Special Representatives dialogue was “very important”, while highlighting the upcoming BRICS summit.

“The normalcy we have witnessed in our relationship has been a direct result of both sides maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas,” Doval said, adding that both representatives had “extensively” discussed this.

“We have extensively talked about it today just to see how to effectively reinforce and further consolidate our efforts to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas,” he said.

Doval further highlighted the “successful conduct of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nathu La” and the resumption of traditional border trade between India and China via all three passes, saying it had brought “tangible benefits” to residents in border areas.

Wang, meanwhile, underscored the importance of “stepping up communication…to enhance mutual trust and overcome obstacles.” The Chinese foreign minister stressed on the need to “be good friends that enjoy good neighbourliness and be good partners that contribute to each other's success.”

He urged India and China to draw lessons from history, and called for gradually building a positive narrative on boundary affairs. “I look forward to continuing to have in-depth exchange of views with you on issues of shared interest to better understand each other and to properly handle the boundary question, to not only maintain peace and tranquility in the border area but also inject new impetus for the bilateral relationship,” PTI cited Wang as saying.

Iran admits facing 'many problems' amid Trump's 'economic' warfare, says MoU with US best way out of conflict

TEHRAN, Aug 23: As the conflict between the United States and Iran continues, Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Tehran is facing "many problems". As per the Iranian leader, these problems come due to the US’ fresh wave of sanctions against Iran.

US President Donald Trump announced the “most crushing economic operation” earlier this week which would target countries helping Iran in any way.

“This will be an economic D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

In a speech to state television on Sunday, Pezeshkian acknowledged Iran was facing problems due to the strict economic sanctions.

"We are striving with all our hearts to overcome inflation, livelihood problems, unemployment, and to secure the future of the people, so that they can live with dignity and pride," said Pezeshkian.

During this speech, the Iranian president added that a memorandum of understanding with the US was the “only way out of the conflict.”

In the speech published by state-run IRNA, the president added that members of Iran's Supreme National Security Council believed the memorandum represented the best possible agreement.

"There is not a single provision in this agreement that amounts to capitulation. The supreme leader sets the policies, and we will follow that path,” said Pezeshkian.

This statement from the president also comes after Iran warned Trump of “seismic action” if economic sanctions were imposed against countries friendly towards Iran.

"If (Trump) wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner," said Mohsen Rezaei, the hard-line new leader of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Amid the war with the US and crushing sanctions against Iran’s trade and military partners, Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is set to visit Tehran on Monday.

As per a statement from the Pakistani ministry of foreign affairs, Asim Munir will lead a delegation to Tehran, with the aim to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Iran and Pakistan.

This visit also comes as part of Pakistan's mediation role in the conflict between Tehran and Washington.

Citing people familiar with the matter, it was also reported that Munir’s visit to Tehran will focus on the memorandum of understanding, Trump’s economic D-day warning, issues with the Houthis and the recent Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Arabia agreement.

Ajit Doval to visit China for boundary talks ahead of Xi’s India trip

NEW DELHI, Aug 23: National security adviser Ajit Doval is expected to visit China on Monday for a meeting of the Special Representatives on the boundary issue, which is part of efforts by the two sides to normalise ties, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

Doval is expected to meet his counterpart for the Special Representatives mechanism, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, on Tuesday, the people said on condition of anonymity. This will be the 25th round of talks under the mechanism, established in 2003 to work out a framework for resolving the dispute over the 3,488-km border.

Doval’s visit assumes greater significance as it comes ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected trip to India next month to participate in the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Though both sides have not made an official announcement in this regard, Xi is expected to join the summit to be held during September 12-13, the people said.

This will be Xi’s first visit to India in seven years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi last met in August 2025 on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in China.

The talks between the Special Representatives is being held against the backdrop of a recent standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Arunachal Pradesh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). External affairs minister S Jaishankar reiterated at a media conclave on Saturday that the state of the border will determine the course of the overall India-China relationship.

“I think we went through a particularly bad patch between the summer of 2020 and the autumn of 2024, and that was primarily an outcome of the situation in the border areas,” Jaishankar said, referring to a military face-off in the Ladakh sector of the LAC that lasted more than four years and took bilateral ties to a six-decade low.

After the two sides reached an understanding on ending the face-off in Ladakh in October 2024, Xi and Modi met in Russia and agreed on measures to normalise ties and address the border dispute. Though the two sides have taken steps such as reviving the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, resuming direct flights and easing visa restrictions for Chinese nationals, there has been no forward movement on de-escalation on the LAC.

At the last round of Special Representatives’ talks in New Delhi a year ago, the two sides reiterated the “importance of maintaining peace and tranquility” on the border to promote the overall development of ties.

According to an Indian readout issued at the time, the Special Representatives agreed on the need for a “political perspective” while working on a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settling the boundary question in line with the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question of 2005.

They also agreed to set up an expert group under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs to “explore early harvest in boundary delimitation”, and a working group under the WMCC to advance effective border management.

They further agreed to create general-level mechanisms in the eastern and middle sectors of the border, in addition to the existing general-level mechanism in the western sector.

There has been no word from both sides on what, if any, progress has been made on these matters.

The latest meeting of the WMCC, held in New Delhi on August 6, saw the two sides having detailed exchanges on “boundary delimitation, border management, mechanism‑building and trans‑border cooperation” as a follow-up to the last round of talks between the Special Representatives, according to an Indian readout.

China-bound vessel with 24 crew members sinks 200 nautical miles off Odisha’s Paradip port

PARADIP, Aug 22: A cargo ship carrying iron ore from Paradip port to China has reportedly gone missing after losing contact about 200 nautical miles off the coast, prompting the Indian Coast Guard and Navy to launch a search and rescue operation, officials said.

The Panama-flagged vessel, which left Paradip at about 10:30 p.m. on August 20, laden with 1700 tonnes of iron ore fines, was last reported to have been sailing about 200 nautical miles from the port when communication was lost, sources in Paradip Port Authority said.

The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, 1 Bangladeshi, and 3 Myanmar nationals, according to preliminary information. The exact status of the ship and its crew could not be independently confirmed immediately. The vessel’s name, IMO number, total crew strength and the circumstances surrounding the loss of contact have yet to be officially confirmed.

Deputy Inspector General of Police in Paradip unit of Indian Coast Guard, Sanjay Negi, said the search and rescue operations are being conducted by the Andaman and Nicobar unit. "The rescue teams will reach by tomorrow morning," he said. Other vessels operating in the vicinity have been alerted to assist in locating the ship and rescuing its crew.

Some reports said the vessel may have sunk in deep waters and that crew members were afloat using life jackets and lifeboats while awaiting rescue.

EAM downplays Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi defence pact

NEW DELHI, Aug 22: India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar downplayed the significance of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, questioning its relevance amid the "live military situations" faced by the three signatories.

“There are live military situations which each of the signatories face, what has the Makkah pact done in response to that?” he said when asked about India’s reaction to the pact at an event in Delhi.

However, Jaishankar said India would factor the agreement into its security calculus, stressing that developments involving countries that are "not well disposed" towards India is always taken into account.

“In my calculus, everything counts, everything will have a weight…and sometimes things need to play out,” he said.

“Everything which happens on the part of any player who’s not well disposed towards me, of course counts in my calculation.”

The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, following talks between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A joint statement issued by the three countries on Friday said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is based on their shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation.

"The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all," it said.

2 Ships With 22 Indians Hijacked By Armed Pirates Off Yemen, Somalia

GULF OF ADEN, Aug 21: Two commercial vessels with 22 Indians on board have been hijacked by armed pirates in separate incidents off Yemen and Somalia, a senior shipping ministry official said on Friday, according to a report. All Indian crew members aboard both ships are safe, the official added.

The first vessel, a Cameroon-flagged M/V LUTUF, which had 10 crew members, including six Indians, was hijacked on August 17 off Somalia's Puntland coast. The second ship, an Eritrea-flagged oil-products tanker M.T. Sibu 1, carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden three days later on August 20, off the Yemeni coast, the official said.

The official said that six armed pirates were aboard M.T. Sibu and had taken control of the vessel, while eight armed pirates with AK-47-type weapons boarded M/V LUTUF and were operating from two skiffs.

The Seamull tanker, also known as Sibu 1, with 16 Indian sailors, issued a distress call in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday. Gunmen boarded the vessel and forced it to change course towards Somalia.

Eight armed hijackers steered M/V LUTUF towards the Nugaal coast. The men are suspected of being involved in previous hijacking too.

The ship was seized about three and a half nautical miles off Marraya in Puntland's Eyl district and was subsequently taken toward Somalia's Nugaal coast, according to a Somali official.

The crew in M/V LUTUF "initially mustered in the citadel. However, the pirates gained access and subsequently brought them to the bridge. The vessel is currently under pirate control. No injuries have been reported thus far," the official said.

The crew on the ship consisted of six Indians, one Turkish national, one Georgian national and two Serbian security guards. Meanwhile, the cargo ship was carrying Turkish weapons, communications, and satellite equipment and destined for a Turkish military training facility in Mogadishu.

The two hijackings also come as Indian seafarers face heightened security concerns elsewhere in the region, including the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States have disrupted one of the world's most important shipping corridors.

"Two foreign-flagged vessels were involved. One had 16 Indian nationals on board, while the other had six," ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters.

"We are in touch with authorities; all of them are reportedly safe."

India is one of the largest contributors of sailors to merchant shipping worldwide, with more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, according to the shipping ministry.

Europe, Canada condemn Israeli plans for new West Bank settlement

LONDON, Aug 21: Israeli plans to build a major new illegal settlement that would cleave the occupied West Bank in two have provoked widespread condemnation from around the world.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway called Israel’s opening of construction tenders for more than 1,200 housing units under the E1 settlement project “unacceptable” and in violation of “the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories”.

The group warned of “legal and reputational consequences” for participants and urged Israel “to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank”.

“Not only will they take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel’s international standing,” the statement added.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday welcomed the joint statement and called for an immediate reversal of Israel’s E1 settlement plan and an end to settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

He welcomed the seven countries’ reaffirmation that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory are illegal and undermine the so-called “two-state solution”, and their warning that the plans are a threat to prospects to peace and the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian territory.

Abbas described the E1 plan as representing a highly dangerous step in settlement expansion and annexation, and called on the countries, along with the EU and United Nations Security Council, to enact concrete measures to stop its implementation.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry earlier also expressed its “complete rejection of attempts to entrench the status quo through illegal settlement expansion” and called on the international community to “take serious steps to stop these violations”.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wrote on social media that the plans “gravely undermine the prospect of a contiguous Palestinian homeland”.

Israel has abandoned “even the pretence of seeking peace or respecting the will of the international community”, he added.

The UN has also condemned the plan. The UN secretary-general’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Antonio Guterres was “deeply alarmed by the reports of new illegal Israeli settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank”, including the new tenders.

Baseless: Iran Reacts To UAE's 'Attack' Claims After Trade Suspension

TEHRAN, Aug 19: Iran has "categorically rejected" the United Arab Emirates' allegation that Tehran had launched ballistic missiles towards the Gulf state, calling the claim "baseless" and harmful to regional trust and security efforts. Iran's Foreign Ministry said such "baseless accusations" should be avoided as a principle of "good neighbourliness".

But Iran has warned that the Strait of Hormuz -- through which shipping leaving UAE ports must pass to exit the Gulf -- will remain closed until it reaches a peace agreement with the United States.

In a statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran has "categorically rejected" the UAE's claim, saying such claims disrupts ongoing efforts to strengthen regional peace.

"This behaviour is contrary to the principle of good neighbourliness and disrupts ongoing efforts to strengthen trust between regional countries and prevent the escalation of insecurity in the region," Baghaei said in a statement posted on the Ministry's Telegram channel.

Calling regional countries to refrain from making "baseless accusations" against Tehran, Baghaei said the current situation in the Middle East was already complicated due to what he described as actions by the United States and Israel against regional peace and security.

"... Refrain from making baseless accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, considering the existing complexities due to the ongoing evils of the US and the Zionist regime against regional peace and security, especially the history of numerous false flag operations," he said.

The comments came after the UAE on Tuesday accused Iran of firing two ballistic missiles at shipping in the Gulf, an allegation later denied by Tehran.

"UAE air defenses detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country, with the first falling outside the country's territorial waters, while the second fell within the territorial waters," the ministry said, in a statement posted to social media.

A second statement released later said: "Assessments carried out showed that the two ballistic missiles detected coming from Iran were targeting maritime navigation and fell into the sea."

Citing regional escalations, the UAE also suspended all trade and financial dealings with Iran until further notice late Tuesday evening.

The UAE statement came hours after a brief phone alert warned residents of a "potential missile threat". It was the first such alert since a false alarm in June and an alert in July for an attack that ultimately did not enter UAE territory. Before that, the last missile warning came in early May.

Tankers belonging to state-owned oil company ADNOC have been repeatedly targeted in the past few weeks.

When the Middle East war began on February 28, the UAE bore the brunt of Iran's attacks, with nearly 3,000 missiles and drones directed at the country -- more than anywhere else in the region. After a memorandum of understanding came into effect in June between the two parties, which has since collapsed, the UAE reported no attacks, unlike other Gulf states.

UAE says 2 ballistic missiles from Iran detected after Dubai gets phone warnings: ‘On high alert'

DUBAI, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government said its air defences detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran towards the country, according to a statement shared on social media shortly after residents in Dubai received alerts warning of potential threat from projectiles.

UAE's ministry of defence said in a post on X the first missile fell outside the UAE's territorial waters, while the second fell within the country's territorial waters. It added that UAE air defences remain on high alert and that authorities are prepared to respond to any threats.

“The Ministry of Defense announced that the UAE air defenses detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country, with the first falling outside the country's territorial waters, while the second fell within the territorial waters,” the UAE MoD said on X.

“The Ministry of Defense confirms that it is on high alert and fully prepared to deal with any threats, and to firmly confront anything aimed at undermining the security of the state, thereby ensuring the preservation of its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protecting its interests and national capabilities,” it said.

The UAE government urged the public to obtain all news from official sources in the country and to avoid rumors and false information.

Residents across UAE, including Dubai, received missile alerts on phone on Tuesday for the first time in weeks.

It was the first such alert since a false alarm in June and an alert in July for an attack that ultimately did not enter UAE territory. Before that, the last missile warning came in early May.

When the Middle East war began on February 28, the UAE faced the bulk of Iran's attacks, with nearly 3,000 missiles and drones directed at the country - more than any other target in the region.

The UAE reported no attacks after a memorandum of understanding between the two sides came into effect in June. However, that arrangement has since collapsed, while other Gulf states continued to report attacks.

Kushner meets Hamas leaders to push Gaza demilitarization

CAIRO, Aug 16: President Trump's envoy Jared Kushner met Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday to press them to carry out their commitment to disarm, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.

This was Kushner's first meeting with Hamas leaders since the signing of the agreement to end the war in Gaza last October.

The unusual meeting came as the White House and Trump's Board of Peace push both Hamas and Israel to move to the next phase of the U.S. 20-point peace plan.

Kushner is expected to visit Israel on Monday and meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss "corresponding steps" Israel must take, the source said.

Board of Peace high representative Nickolay Mladenov and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair who is also a member of the board joined Kushner in the meeting.

Hamas political leader Khalil al-Hayya attended alongside Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, Qatari diplomat Ali al-Thawadi and a senior Turkish official.

A source with knowledge of the meeting said the objective was "translating" Hamas' obligations to demilitarize Gaza "into concrete, verifiable steps."

The source said these steps to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza include transferring governing authority to the Palestinian technocratic government and ensuring Hamas has no role in Gaza's future governance.

The Board of Peace wants Hamas to begin decommissioning weapons and military infrastructure, allow the International Stabilization Force to deploy and facilitate Gaza's recovery and reconstruction without theft or intimidation of Palestinians involved in the efforts, the source said.

The board also wants Israel to conduct "corresponding withdrawals" in Gaza if Hamas starts disarming and to accelerate humanitarian relief to the enclave.

Hamas must relinquish governing authority and all weapons and military infrastructure. And Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel," the source said.

Bangladesh Lists 2 Riders For PM Rahman's India Visit. One Is Hasina Return

DHAKA, Aug 16: Bangladesh said on Sunday that its Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's proposed visit to India is unlikely to go ahead unless New Delhi moves ahead with the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives wanted by Dhaka.

According to a statement from the Bangladeshi foreign ministry, officials from both countries have been in contact for several weeks about the possibility of a bilateral visit by Rahman to New Delhi,

Bangladesh foreign ministry spokesperson AKM Shahidul Karim said that the discussions had been affected by a public interaction involving Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

"We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit," Karim said.

"To this end, we have requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on our request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals, and to hand over to Bangladesh the accused killers of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi in compliance with our bilateral extradition treaty. We are awaiting their response."

Two people, accused of killing political activist Osman Hadi, were arrested by the special task force (STF) of the West Bengal police from the border town of Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district in March.

"We reiterate that we will continue to pursue our 'Bangladesh First' policy to promote friendly bilateral relations with other countries, including our neighbours, on the basis of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual benefit," the statement continued.

Bangladesh said the process surrounding Rahman's possible visit had been "vitiated" by Hasina's open press interaction in New Delhi, despite her conviction by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity. The Centre made it clear that the press conference involving Hasina and Bangladeshi officials had nothing to do with the Indian government.

India has previously said that its extradition request from Bangladesh concerning Hasina remains "under examination".

Hasina was removed from power in August 2024 after a student-led uprising that grew into an anti-government movement. After her government fell, she fled to India, where she has remained.

6.9-Magnitude Quake Strikes Indonesia, Hours After Deadly Tremor Killed 47

JAKARTA, Aug 15: A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's western Sumatra island late Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, the second tremor to hit the vast Southeast Asian nation in a day. It came hours after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake killed 47 in the country.

The epicentre was located at Pematangsiantar, about 126 kilometres (78 miles) southeast of the island's capital Medan. The quake stuck at a depth of 183 kilometres, and no tsunami warning has been issued.

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 47 people, collapsing buildings and causing panic in a region prone to deadly quakes. Authorities said dozens more residents were injured and warned that the death toll would almost certainly rise.

Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground, but later lifted the warning when Indonesia’s meteorological agency said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes that posed a threat to coastal communities. Some smaller tsunamis were reported.

The US Geological Survey said the quake hit eastern Indonesia’s Flores region at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles) at 5:58 am local time. Its epicentre was 68 km (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province.

Romania shuts nuclear plant as Danube river flow drops

BUCHAREST, Aug 13: Romania shut down its only nuclear plant on Thursday, in a rare move due to drought that has caused the Danube river, whose waters cool the plant, to fall to record lows.

Much of Europe is facing a new summer heatwave amid a drought that has driven rivers to historic lows.

The Cernavoda plant, which usually generates a fifth of Romania's electricity, has been shut down just once before, in 2003, also due to drought.

The Nuclearelectrica company had already shut one of the plant's two 700 megawatt reactors last month, and announced Thursday that it needed to shut the second "due to the significant and ongoing drop in the water level of the River Danube".

"We do not foresee a restart within the next 10 days," plant director, Romeo Urjan, told AFP.

To avert a complete shutdown of the reactors, the nuclear company had budgeted more than two million euros to divert the Danube's flow to maintain the cooling of the reactors, including blowing up a rock and sinking four barges filled with rocks into the river.

Alternative power sources, including from wind power as well as electricity imports, are expected to ensure adequate supplies, the energy ministry said Wednesday.

But it also reiterated an appeal for "responsible consumption".

It has warned that as a last resort, large industrial users would have to face restrictions in the evening hours to save electricity.

In early August, the government said carmakers Dacia and Ford would pause production in the country until August 19 to help with the power deficit.

Nearly two-thirds of the Danube has seen flow rates that are the lowest on record for a month of July in 34 years, according to an analysis published Monday by the European climate change observatory Copernicus.

The drought has hit nuclear power providers across Europe.

France, which uses nuclear power to generate around 70 percent of its electricity, recorded a more than 20 percent shortfall in atomic production capacity this week, a record deficit caused by outages linked to drought, extreme heat and a jellyfish invasion.

In total, 13 of the 57 reactors in EDF's nuclear fleet were affected.

The drought in Europe has been exacerbated by human-induced climate change, according to the World Weather Attribution group of scientists, who warn that the problem will worsen.

Hungary, neighbouring Romania, has avoided a complete shutdown of its only nuclear plant, Paks, whose four reactors are also cooled by the Danube.

But with the river expected to drop further, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said Wednesday that the government had ordered the construction of a submerged wall, or weir, to try to control flows nears the plant.

Two 80-metre barges are also being stationed at Paks that could be sunk to raise the water level.

Paks, which usually provides around a third of Hungary's electricity, has been partially shut down since late last month.

The low levels of the Danube, Europe's second-longest river, have also severely impacted shipping along its 2,850-kilometre route stretching from western Germany to its mouth on the Black Sea.

Ukraine Destroys Air Defences Protecting Putin's Rs 13,000-Crore 'Palace'

KYIV, Aug 12: Ukrainian drones have struck a Russian S-400 air-defence missile system positioned to protect one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most lavish residences on the Black Sea coast.

The S-400 "Triumph" launcher was located roughly 12 miles from Putin's sprawling residence near Gelendzhik in southern Russia. The system is designed to intercept aircraft, drones and cruise missiles.

According to Major Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's unmanned systems forces, the launcher was left "ablaze and sputtering for three hours" after the drone attack, the Telegraph reported.

The S-400 was reportedly part of a wider security network protecting the presidential compound. Electronic warfare systems and mobile fire teams are also deployed around the residence, which is surrounded by a 27-square-mile "buffer zone". A permanent no-fly zone is also maintained over the area.

But Brovdi claimed the launcher had been repurposed to fire missiles at Ukrainian cities, including six missiles launched on August 8.

The report stated that Russia has increasingly relied on systems such as the S-400 for strikes on Ukraine as it faces a shortage of Patriot interceptors, which are considered crucial for defending against ballistic missile attacks.

The target was located close to the residence commonly dubbed "Putin's Palace", a vast Italianate complex whose alleged cost has been estimated at as much as Rs 13,000 crore.

An investigation by the Anti-Corruption Foundation, led by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, detailed the property in 2021. Navalny died in a Siberian prison in 2024.

Reports about the estate have painted an extraordinary picture of luxury. The complex has allegedly included a casino, vineyard, spa, ice rink, theatre, pole-dancing room, hookah lounge, an "aquatic disco" and even a room for miniature railway trains. A chapel was reportedly added in 2023.

Putin is believed to visit the Black Sea residence only occasionally, with concerns over Ukrainian long-range drone strikes making the location increasingly risky.

Instead, he is thought to favour his heavily protected dacha on Lake Valdai, about 185 miles east of Moscow.

The latest strike came after another Ukrainian drone attack in the same region last week. Drone fragments reportedly fell onto a beach, killing seven people.

Ukraine's military intelligence also said on Monday that its drones had destroyed two Russian S-400 launchers and struck an antenna used to control Orion medium-altitude drones in occupied Crimea.

Kyiv estimated that the damage from the operation could run into tens of millions of dollars.

The attacks are part of a broader Ukrainian campaign targeting Russian military and energy infrastructure. Large-scale drone raids have become almost routine, with Russia increasingly struggling to protect its territory from long-range strikes.

More than 450 Ukrainian drones reportedly entered Russian airspace overnight on Monday, striking an oil refinery in Tatarstan. At least 13 people were killed, making it one of the deadliest single attacks on Russian territory since the war began. Drone debris was also reported in Tyumen, in Siberia.

Ukraine hopes its expanding drone campaign will raise the cost of the war and push the Kremlin towards negotiations.

Moscow, however, has shown little willingness to accept Kyiv's current terms.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin rejected Ukraine's demand for a frontline freeze and ceasefire on Monday and said, "No 'freeze' is possible without addressing the root causes of this crisis".

Assessing ramifications of new defence pact between Pak, Türkiye and Saudi: MEA

NEW DELHI, Aug 11: India said on Tuesday that it is assessing the ramifications of a joint defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye for the country’s national security and regional stability, and will take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its national interests.

The three Sunni Muslim countries signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Makkah on August 7, following a meeting between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The pact builds on a bilateral mutual defence agreement concluded by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia last year.

When external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the trilateral pact at a regular media briefing, he said India is closely following all “developments in the West Asia conflict” and will act to protect the country’s national interests.

“As far as this particular agreement is concerned, we are examining its implications, both from the perspective of our national security, as well as considerations of regional peace and stability,” Jaiswal said.

“India remains fully committed to safeguarding its national interests and will take all necessary measures in this regard,” he said, without going into details.

When Pakistan and Saudi Arabia concluded their mutual defence pact in September 2025, the Indian government said it would take all steps to protect the country’s national interests and ensure comprehensive national security in all domains, reflecting New Delhi’s concerns over the development. Saudi Arabia’s growing military proximity to Pakistan against the backdrop of the West Asia conflict has not gone down well in New Delhi, people familiar with the matter said.

A joint statement issued by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on Friday said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement builds on shared strategic interests and longstanding defence cooperation. The pact also reflects the shared commitment of the three countries to strengthen their collective security and promote peace, security and stability in the region.

“The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three states,” the joint statement said.

Jaiswal responded to separate questions on events organised in different part of the world to mark the “independence” of Pakistan’s Balochistan province and the violent protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) by urging the world community to hold Pakistan accountable for human rights violations and atrocities.

“We continue to follow developments across the world. At the same time, I would like to highlight that we have seen the kind of human rights violations that were committed in PoK and other parts of that country. We call on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its misdeeds, abuses and flagrant violation of human rights, including of all its people,” he said.

Over the past few months, large-scale protests in PoK related to elections to the local assembly had led to a situation where “public discontent was answered with bullets, blackouts, repression and oppression”, Jaiswal said. More than 90 people were killed and many more injured in the violence, and the international community needs to hold Pakistan to account for the mass violation of human rights, he said.

Jaiswal said that there has been no change in India’s policy towards Pakistan. “We are where we were earlier. I need not emphasise which country is responsible for cross-border terrorism and which is the epicentre of terrorism, and where the action lies for stopping cross-border terrorism,” he said.

Death Count In 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake In Colombia Rises To 240

BOGOTA, Aug 11: The death count from a powerful earthquake that struck Colombia rose to 240 on Tuesday, according to figures provided by local authorities.

The 7.4-magnitude quake shattered parts of western Colombia, including the coastal Choco region, the country's third-largest city Cali and swaths of the Colombian coffee-growing region.

At least 69 killed as earthquake of magnitude 7.4 shakes Colombia; tremors felt in Ecuador too

BOGOTA, Aug 10: A morning earthquake shook large parts of Colombia, including capital Bogota, on Monday, prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings, and causing at least 69 deaths.

Eighteen of the deaths occurred in Pereira, and two in Manizales. Numbers are coming from all over the country.

Tremors were felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama, besides the border region near Venezuela that saw deadly temblors two months ago.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Colombian agency recorded a 7.4 magnitude, while relatively deep.

The Colombian geological service reported that the quake's epicentre was in Choco province, on the Pacific coast, initially reporting a magnitude of 6.6.

Both agencies pinpointed the epicentre to San Jose del Palmar, about 400 kilometres west of Colombia’s capital, Bogota, and said the quake occurred at 7:34 am local time on Monday.

The depth was recorded at 79 km or deeper, said the UNGRD, the South American country's federal agency. The USGS specified the epicentre was 5 km east of San Jose del Palmar.

Visuals on social media showed buildings cracking and people tripping on the streets, as far as El Cable in Manizales, 120 km from San Jose del Palmar. Footage published by local media showed damage to residential and office buildings in other nearby cities. Blu Radio reported cracks in buildings in Cali, Armenia and Pereira, as well as Medellin.

The mayor of Cali, Colombia's third largest city, reported “major damage”. News outlets aired footage of some buildings with their facades ripped off by the quake.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said in a post on X that he will personally supervise recovery efforts and install an emergency center in San Jose del Palmar.

The temblor follows two back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes in Venezuela in late June. Those earthquakes destroyed hundreds of buildings and killed more than 5,000 people.

‘No withdrawal until Hamas disarms’: Netanyahu rejects Trump-backed Gaza plan

TEL AVIV, Aug 9: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a Gaza plan backed by US President Donald Trump, saying Israel would not withdraw its forces until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.

"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting, referring to the plan endorsed by Hamas in late July.

The Israeli prime minister said the military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens".

The plan is the latest phase of a US-led ceasefire announced in October, which has reduced but not completely halted Israeli military operations in Gaza. Under the proposal, Hamas would surrender its weapons to a proposed Palestinian governing body.

Netanyahu also vowed that Iran would not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, regardless of whether Tehran reaches an agreement with the United States or diplomacy produces a broader deal.

"I want to emphasise once again: with an agreement or without an agreement, as long as I am prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has denied.

Mojtaba Khamenei ‘meets’ Iran President after ‘critical’ health reports

TEHRAN, Aug 9: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to discuss the country’s military and economic situation, days after Israeli media reports claimed that Khamenei was in an “extremely critical condition”.

The meeting comes amid heightened tensions over the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, with discussions focusing on military developments, economic pressures and measures to address the needs of the Iranian people, state broadcaster Press TV reported on Sunday.

The talks, according to Press TV, focused on the needs of the Iranian people, the current situation and future prospects of the US-Israeli war against Iran, as well as military developments.

The two leaders also discussed ways to secure resources and manage spending on the rial, foreign currency and energy, along with strengthening economic engagement with foreign partners, the report added.

The meeting was also reported by the Farsi X account attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei.

"In this meeting, detailed discussions were held on the country's issues and problems, particularly the provision of the people's livelihood needs, the current conditions of the third imposed war and the future ahead, developments in the military domain, solutions regarding the provision of resources and management of expenditures--"rial, foreign currency, and energy"--as well as economic interactions with foreign parties," part of the post on X read.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of reports about Mojtaba Khamenei’s health.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency released an undated video showing Mojtaba Khamenei appearing to be in good health. The footage emerged after Israeli media reports claimed that the Supreme Leader was in critical condition and had been taken to a hospital.

On Friday, Israeli media reported that Khamenei was in an “extremely critical condition”. Channel 14, citing sources inside Iran, and The Jerusalem Post, citing IranWire and sources close to Pezeshkian’s administration, reported that concerns about Khamenei’s health were circulating among Iran’s leadership.

The meeting took place as Pezeshkian began his third year in office. He was elected president on July 6, 2024, after winning the July 5 election, and was formally appointed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 28 before being sworn in on July 30.

Pezeshkian's election came months after then-President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash.

Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the position of Supreme Leader after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint US-Israeli military strikes on February 28. Since taking over the position, Mojtaba Khamenei has not made any public appearances and has communicated through written statements.

India issues names for 27 Arunachal locations in response to China’s renaming moves

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: India on Friday issued standard names for 27 places and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh located along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a move officials described as a riposte to China’s efforts to rename dozens of locations in the state in recent years.

Among the places included in the list is the border village of Longju, which has been controlled by China since 1959 but falls within the Indian claim line, officials said on condition of anonymity. The move is aimed at reinforcing India’s absolute sovereign and legal jurisdiction over these territories.

An official statement from the Union home ministry said the Indian government, in consultation with the government of Arunachal Pradesh, “identified a total of 27 places or features in Arunachal Pradesh, by standard place and feature names on the official maps of Survey of India (SoI)”.

“Identifying them formally on the Survey of India map of Arunachal Pradesh is aimed at facilitating their accurate recognition and better awareness among the public at large,” the statement said.

The home ministry said the locations identified on the Survey of India map include 21 land areas, four passes, a lake, and a monument. The land locations are Longju, Maja, Bisa, Bara Kundun, Chhota Kundun, Dhan Bari, Pritnagar, Buddhamandir, Jairampur, Teritnagar, Ramnagar, Jaswant Garh, Sagar, Padma, Jyotinagar, Baisakhi, Chhota Ropuk, Bara Ropuk, Shivaji Nagar, Sunpura, and Kamlang Nagar.

The passes are Dzo La, Riza La, Pukur La, and Thag La, and the list included Sambho Sarovar lake and Sher-e-Thapa Memorial.

An official familiar with the development said: “There has been a lot of ambiguity regarding the maps. China uses this to give fictitious names to Arunachal Pradesh’s territories, which are part of sovereign India.

“Putting these 27 locations on the Survey of India map provides clarity, makes our claim status strong and strengthens the official documentation of geographical features.”

Over the past few years, China has repeatedly announced its own “standardised names” for dozens of places in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its claims on Indian territory. China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as “south Tibet”, and there have been instances of Chinese authorities issuing stapled visas to residents of Arunachal Pradesh.

In November 2025, India registered a strong protest after a woman from Arunachal Pradesh was detained by Chinese authorities at Shanghai airport on the grounds that her Indian passport was invalid.

The officials said identifying a place on the Survey of India map gives administrative and governance value to it, as mapped places are easier to reference in land, revenue, and census records, infrastructure planning, and border road construction.

They also said the move is aimed at discrediting China’s efforts to assign “fictitious names” to places in Arunachal Pradesh.

In April this year, after China assigned names to 23 locations in Arunachal Pradesh, the external affairs ministry said such attempts to manufacture “baseless narratives” would not alter the reality and could even hit efforts to normalise bilateral relations.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the time that India categorically rejected “any mischievous attempts by the Chinese side to assign fictitious names to places which form part of the territory of India”. He added, “China should refrain from actions which inject negativity into relations and undermine efforts to create better understanding.”

Jaiswal said such moves by China, aimed at introducing false claims, cannot alter the “undeniable reality that these places and territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, were, are, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India”.

China’s ministry of civil affairs — which is responsible for standardising the names of geographical features in “south Tibet” — had issued a notification renaming the 23 locations, including rivers, mountains, and towns.

In the past too, India has rejected China’s moves to rename dozens of locations in Arunachal Pradesh, including towns, rivers, and geographic features, arguing that such actions will not change the reality. China has resorted to such renaming exercises in 2017, 2021, 2023, and 2024, usually during periods of strained relations.

India and China are currently normalising their relations, which plummeted to an all-time low due to a military standoff on the LAC that began in 2020 and lasted more than four years. As part of this process of normalisation, the two countries have held talks aimed at resolving their long-standing border dispute.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign defence pact

MECCA, Aug 7: Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan on Friday signed a trilateral defence agreement aimed at strengthening military cooperation and collective security among the three countries.

Signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the pact says that an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all.

According to Pakistan's foreign ministry, the agreement is designed to strengthen "collective deterrence" against any act of aggression. It says that if one of the three countries is attacked, the other two will regard it as an attack against themselves.

The pact also commits the three countries to expand defence cooperation in all areas.

Together, Saudi Arabia’s financial power, Turkey’s defence capabilities and Pakistan’s nuclear strength make the grouping a significant regional force.

While the agreement does not publicly spell out detailed commitments, Turkish media reported that it is expected to include:

-Joint military exercises and training.

-Technology transfers.

-Intelligence sharing.

-Greater defence cooperation between the three countries.

The deal also brings together Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army and a rapidly expanding defence industry.

The agreement comes amid maximum security concerns in West Asia, including the US and Israeli war on Iran, Israel's UN-designated genocide on Gaza and other regional instability.

Saudi Arabia has also been seeking to diversify its defence partnerships after its oil facilities and critical infrastructure came under attack during regional conflicts.

Pakistan said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Saudi Arabia was aimed not only at discussing the Gulf crisis but also at strengthening ties and improving coordination on regional and international issues.

Experts say the agreement should not be viewed as a formal military alliance similar to NATO.

Burcu Ozcelik, senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said the pact was better seen as an effort to increase regional security cooperation among countries that remain part of a broader US-led security architecture.

She noted that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan already have a mutual defence agreement, while discussions on a trilateral framework with Turkey have been underway for months.

According to Ozcelik, the agreement could lead to closer cooperation on border security, counterterrorism, military interoperability, defence production and technology partnerships, while also adding a new dimension to regional diplomacy, including Saudi Arabia's relations with Israel.

Iranian supreme leader Khamenei critical: Israeli media

TEL AVIV, Aug 7: Reports have surfaced in Israeli media claiming that Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in critical condition and has been rushed to a hospital.

According to Channel 14 (C14), citing sources inside Iran, and a prior report by the Jerusalem Post, which quoted the IranWire outlet and sources close to President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration, rumours that Khamenei is in an "extremely critical condition" are circulating widely at the highest levels of the regime.

One source cited by the Jerusalem Post stated, "We would not be surprised if we heard news of his martyrdom soon."

Khamenei assumed the position of Supreme Leader shortly after his father was killed in joint US-Israeli military strikes on February 28, 2026. Since taking office, he has not made any public appearances and has communicated exclusively through written statements.

Reports indicate he was injured and potentially disfigured in the initial strikes that targeted his father's compound, forcing him into hiding and compelling him to communicate with senior regime figures through a slow network of intermediaries to avoid targeting.

Iran and Oman agree to reopen Strait of Hormuz for 60 days

TEHRAN, Aug 6: Iran and Oman have reached an understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days. According to the local media reports, the agreement, which still needs approval by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and could be announced within days, aims to resume navigation in the waterway.

Vessels entering the strait will use a route close to Iran, while those leaving will take one close to Oman. According to sources, no transit fees or service charges will be imposed, and regional parties may participate in demining and technical procedures.

Following the agreement’s approval, the United States and Iran will return to their peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) and working in proposal on reopening and safe navigation of commercial shipping through the strait. Iran tightened its grip on the strait on Feb. 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

In June, Iran and the United States signed the MoU on ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. The two sides were scheduled to hold negotiations within a 60-day period to reach a final agreement, but recent escalation in the region has left the talks’ fate uncertain.

Sheikh Hasina's Son Says Bangladesh Becoming 'Another Pakistan'

NEW DELHI, Aug 6: Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and a senior Awami League leader, has warned that Bangladesh has descended into what he called a "failed state" and could become a breeding ground for regional terrorism unless the international community intervenes.

Speaking virtually from Maryland in the United States during an address at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in New Delhi on Wednesday, Joy claimed that foreign intelligence agencies, particularly Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), now operate with what he called "an open hand" in the country.

He alleged that hundreds of convicted terrorists - men previously arrested and jailed under the Awami League government - have since been released from prison. He further claimed that banned groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir now march openly and that individuals linked to al-Qaeda have addressed public rallies.

"What should concern India most is that Bangladesh has become another Pakistan on India's eastern side. You have another Pakistan today on your eastern front... al-Qaeda operatives are speaking at public rallies. This is what is happening in Bangladesh, and this does not portend well for India or the world at large," he told the gathering, framing this as a direct security concern for New Delhi.

"In the future, the next generation of global terrorists is going to come from Bangladesh unless this is stopped," he added, and appealed directly to the Indian media to give the issue sustained coverage rather than treating it as an occasional headline.

Joy's remarks come roughly six months after Bangladesh's parliamentary elections, in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, won a decisive majority and formed a government following the end of Muhammad Yunus's interim administration.

The Awami League, which Yunus's caretaker government had banned from political activity and barred from contesting the election, remains excluded from the political process - a point Joy raised repeatedly to argue that the vote could not be considered fully representative.

Beyond the security warning, Joy raised several other grievances. He disputed the death count from the July-August 2024 protests that led to Hasina's ouster, noting a gap of roughly 600 between United Nations estimates (around 1,400) and the government's figure (around 800), and said the UN had not responded to repeated requests from Awami League lawyers for the names behind the higher count.

He also criticised what he called an "Indemnity Bill," passed under the Yunus administration and since ratified by the BNP government, which he said grants blanket immunity to protesters - including for killings of police officers, civilians and Awami League members - while leaving no path to prosecute those deaths.

Joy also alleged that thousands of Awami League members and sympathisers, including elderly former officials, have been held in custody for extended periods without trial or bail, some dying in custody under circumstances he described as extrajudicial killings.

He said party members continue to be targeted and killed outside prison "every few weeks" without police action. He additionally claimed that journalists, editors and media owners perceived as sympathetic to the Awami League have remained jailed for over two years, and alleged that intelligence officials visited Indian media houses ahead of Wednesday's event to discourage coverage.

Joy warned that Bangladesh's economy, already strained, is at risk of "total collapse" under what he called continued mismanagement and predicted the country's political trajectory, including future elections, would remain skewed in the ruling party's favour.

Joy's remarks reflect the Awami League's perspective on events since Hasina's August 2024 ouster and have not been independently verified.

The BNP-led government, Yunus's former interim administration and Bangladeshi authorities have not yet responded to the specific claims made at Wednesday's event, and dispute the Awami League's broader characterisation of the political situation.

Israel resumes Lebanon strikes as talks underway in Rome

TEL AVIV, Aug 5: Israel’s military resumed strikes in southern Lebanon on Wednesday despite ongoing talks, blaming a ceasefire violation by militant group Hezbollah as state media reported at least one person killed.

The fresh strikes, accompanied by the first evacuation warning in weeks, came as the United States led diplomacy between Israel and Lebanon in Rome aimed at putting an end to hostilities, with Beirut seeking Israel’s phased withdrawal from the south.

“In response to a blatant violation of the ceasefire by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation, the IDF has begun conducting precise strikes in southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement, shortly after telling residents to evacuate the town of Mansouri in the south.

Lebanese state media said one person died and 11 were wounded in a separate strike.

'Forced away from Bangladesh but never separated from people': Sheikh Hasina breaks down

NEW DELHI, Aug 5: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday that although she was forced away from her country, she was “never separated” from her people.

Speaking at the first press conference in Delhi since her ouster in August 2024 at a Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia event, which she joined remotely, Hasina's voice choked repeatedly while remembering her father, family and countrymen who were killed in Bangladesh's war of Liberation and since then.

“For the last two years, I watched my beloved Bangladesh suffer...This is not the Bangladesh we built; this is not the Bangladesh for which 3 million people sacrificed their lives in 1971,” she told the gathering.

She alleged that “organised groups" turned genuine student demands into a “violent political instrument", claiming the movement evolved into a one-point demand seeking her resignation.

"Let me begin with the truth about July and August 2024. It was not a peaceful student movement. From the beginning, my government tried to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue, legal process, and patience. But behind the language of reform, organised groups were working to turn students' demands into a violent political instrument," she added.

Asked the exact date of her return to Bangladesh, Hasina said that she would reveal the details “when the time comes”.

Ahead of the address, the Indian government sought to distance itself from the press event, clarifying that New Delhi does not endorse any statements made during the session.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum."

The ministry recently informed a Parliamentary committee that while granting asylum to Hasina, India has strictly maintained its policy, ensuring no political activity targeting another sovereign nation is conducted from Indian territory.

However, Dhaka remains unconvinced after raising the matter with the Indian High Commissioner, Dinesh Trivedi, on Monday. A news agency reported, quoting diplomatic sources, that allowing Sheikh Hasina to deliver a political speech could further strain fragile bilateral ties.

Hasina, 78, has lived in exile in India since fleeing Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, after a student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule. A special tribunal last year sentenced the former prime minister to death in absentia after convicting her of crimes against humanity over the deadly crackdown on the protests.

The United Nations estimates that the violence killed about 1,400 people. Authorities have also banned Hasina’s Awami League party, and she faces multiple additional criminal cases.

“A death sentence, false cases and staged trials cannot frighten me,” Hasina said. She also called the death penalty “part of an illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated process.”

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, took office earlier this year after winning an election from which Hasina’s party was barred. The new government has taken a legalistic stance on her planned return, insisting she will face justice.

Bangladesh’s Law Minister M. Asaduzzaman said in late July that Hasina would likely be arrested immediately if she returned from India, before she had the opportunity to surrender before a court.

In her written response, Hasina said she did not leave Bangladesh by choice, saying she had “only 30 to 40 minutes” to evacuate her official residence as protesters approached and that she “did not even know I was leaving the country.” She said she had instead prepared to travel to Tungipara, her ancestral hometown.

Indian Vessel Sinks After Projectile Attack Near Yemen; All 14 Crew Members Rescued

NEW DELHI, Aug 4: Indian cargo ship MSV Faize Noore Oliya capsized and sinked after a projectile hit the vessel near Yemeni waters, Union Minister of Ports Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Tuesday.

Criticising the attack, the minister informed, all seafarers, including 13 Indians were rescued by Yemeni Coast Guard.

In a post on X, Sonowal wrote, "India strongly condemns this unprovoked attack on the defenseless mechanised sailing vessel. The safety of our people is our supreme priority & I am relieved to inform that ALL 14 seafarers (including 13 Indians) have been safely rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard and brought to the Port of Mokha.'

He added, "I have instructed the Director General Maritime Administration (DGMA) to take immediate steps in coordination with all agencies to ensure the absolute security of Indian seafarers in the region and provide all necessary assistance to the rescued crew."

Indian MSV Faize Noore Oliya has been hit by a projectile near Yemeni waters, causing the vessel to capsize and sink.

The incident comes days after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement claimed that it fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, accusing the vessel of violating what it called a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and ignoring repeated warnings.

According to Times of Israel, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the tanker was forced to turn back after the attack. The latest claim comes as the Houthis widen their campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, a critical global trade corridor that handles a significant share of energy exports.

The Houthis announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20, opening what they described as a new front in the regional conflict involving the US and its allies. Since then, the group has threatened ships linked to Saudi Arabia and expanded attacks on vessels transporting oil and other commodities beyond the Middle East.

Iran military accuses U.S. of 'escalating tensions' in region

TEHRAN, Aug 1: Iran’s military accused the United States of “escalating tensions” in West Asia on Saturday and warned countries in the region against cooperating with Washington during the ongoing conflict.

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump reiterated threats to hit Iran “very hard”. The White House signalled that U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing carrying out new strikes on Iran as the U.S. presses for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and abide by terms set out in a truce agreement the two sides forged last month, only to quickly collapse.

There were no U.S. strikes on Iran overnight, but Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said on Friday it had struck another two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and Kuwait said it intercepted drones.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the U.S. administration’s frustration anew, charging that Tehran last month signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. on a truce but then quickly “broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers”.

Spain builds 1,600-foot sea barrier after Ceuta migrant crisis leaves 67 dead

CEUTA, Aug 1: Spain has announced it was installing a 500-meter-long (1,600-foot) containment barrier on the sea border between its North African territory of Ceuta and neighbouring Morocco after between 50,000 and 60,000 migrants breached the frontier earlier this week.

A floating pneumatic barrier was installed off the coast of Ceuta near the Tarajal breakwater, according to a report by the New York Times.

The inflatable pneumatic barrier spans 500 metres in length, sitting 30 to 70 centimetres above the water and dropping 1 metre below the surface. It is reinforced by an outer line of anchored buoys provided by the Spanish Navy. A designated channel between the structural lines allows Guardia Civil vessels to continuously monitor and patrol the maritime border.

According to the data given by the Spanish government, the death toll in the Ceuta crisis climbed to 67, including some who drowned and others who were killed in a stampede to cross the breakwater barrier.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez slammed the reaction of some other European Union leaders to the events in Ceuta, saying calls for Spain to be suspended from the EU's borderless Schengen zone were “driven by prejudice, fake news, ignorance, or political interest.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has threatened to suspend Italy's participation in the Schengen Agreement with Spain, and Italy has reimposed border controls on people arriving from Spain by air and sea.

Spain's interior ministry has said the majority of those who entered the territory have already returned to Morocco.

“We are relentless against those who break the law,” Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told journalists in Ceuta on Saturday.

Questioned how this massive border breach could have happened, given the heavy security on both sides of the border, and whether Morocco posed a threat to Ceuta, Marlaska defended the government in Rabat.

“The events require an evaluation by Spain and Morocco,” he said. But it was the cooperation with its neighbours that allowed Spain “to reverse the situation in 24 hours.”

“Morocco is not a threat to Ceuta, or to the rest of Spain. It is a reliable partner,” Marlaska emphasised.

The leaders of 22 EU countries called for a coordinated response to the situation in Ceuta.

In a letter to top EU officials, released Saturday by the Danish prime minister’s office, the countries asked the EU's current Irish presidency to urgently convene an extraordinary videoconference of the bloc's interior ministers.

“We cannot allow uncontrolled mass crossings, the instrumentalisation of migration or other hybrid threats to create the perception that illegal entry into the European Union is possible. That a migrant’s illegal entry can turn into legal stay,” the letter said. “Such a perception would encourage further attempts, undermine confidence in our common migration policy and have repercussions for all Member States.”

The letter was signed by the leaders of Italy, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and Sweden.

Pedro Sánchez also asked for a videoconference of EU interior ministers to “enable us to establish a common response to situations of this kind and reaffirm that the security of our external borders is a shared responsibility of all Member States, and not only of those on the Union’s front line.”