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Sun, 20 March 2022

UK PM issues stark message to China over Ukraine war

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21:36 UK PM issues stark message to China over Ukraine war

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued a stark message to China to choose the right side in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as he claimed that there are some signs of "second thoughts" in Beijing.

In an interview with The Sunday Times' on his way back from a tour of the Middle East, the UK Prime Minister accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to establish a new authoritarian world order and said China risked being on the wrong side of history by not condemning his actions.

"I think that in Beijing you are starting to see some second thoughts," he told the newspaper.

"I don't think I have ever seen such a clear case of right and wrong. I've never seen such a stark division between good and evil as there is in this invasion. And it is clear that right is overwhelmingly on the side of the Ukrainians. That's why their plight is obvious to the world and why I think that in the last three weeks people's understanding of what is happening is changing," he said.

With a reference to China, Johnson added: I think that some countries began by thinking Putin's war machine will go through like a knife through butter. That Kyiv will fall soon and it will be tragic, but it will be speedily accomplished.

"They have now been disabused of that idea. I think for a lot of people this has been a psychological shock. This has been a terrible realisation for people who may be living in a fool's paradise. There's going to have to be a new way of looking at nations like Russia."

Back in the UK, Boris Johnson came under fire for referencing Brexit in the context of the conflict in Ukraine in his speech to the Conservative Party Spring Conference in Blackpool on Saturday.

"This is a turning point for the world. And it's a moment of choice. It's a choice between freedom and oppression," Johnson said in his speech. -- PTI

Australia on Sunday said that the Quad member countries have accepted India's position on the crisis in Ukraine and it is evident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been using his contacts to call for an end to the conflict in that country.

The comments by Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell came a day before a virtual summit between Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during which they are set to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

"The Quad countries have accepted India's position. We understand that each country has a bilateral relationship and it is clear from the comments of the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and Prime Minister Modi himself that he has used his contacts to call for the end of the conflict and no country will be unhappy with that," he told reporters.

The Australian envoy was asked about increasing disquiet in the West over India's position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its purchase of discounted crude oil from Russia.

Separately, diplomatic sources said India's position on the Russian attack on Ukraine appeared to be driven by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's policy in 1957 that India was not in the business of condemnation and it focuses on creating a space for resolution of conflicts.

"No one has ever accused India of supporting what is going on in Ukraine. What India seems to be doing is trying to operate within the policy outlined by Nehru 65 years back," said a source.

After the summit talks with Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has "shaken" the roots of international order and asserted that attempts to alter the status quo by using force in any region should never be tolerated.

The Quad comprises India, Japan, Australia and the US.

Except for India, the three other Quad member countries have been severely critical of Russia for its military aggression against Ukraine.

White House Press Secretary Jen said on Tuesday said that India taking the Russian offer of discounted crude oil would not be a violation of the US sanctions on Moscow but underlined that countries should also think about "where you want to stand" on the Russian action.

An India-Japan joint statement, issued after talks between Kishida and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, said the two leaders expressed serious concern over the conflict and pitched for an immediate end to violence and resolution of the situation through dialogue and diplomacy.

Top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including party chief J P Nadda, and Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, on Sunday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the ongoing exercise for government formation in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa.

The meeting is underway at the prime minister's residence and it is also being attended by BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh.

In the recent round of assembly polls, the BJP won in these three states and Manipur, while the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Punjab.

Earlier in the day, the BJP reposed faith in N Biren Singh and nominated him as the chief minister of Manipur.

In Uttarakhand, the newly elected BJP MLAs will meet in Dehradun on Monday to choose their leader who will be the next chief minister of the hill state where the party has stormed back to power for an unprecedented second successive term.

Though the party won the Uttarakhand polls, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami lost his assembly seat.

In Uttar Pradesh and Goa it is almost certain that the party will repeat Yogi Adityanath and Pramod Sawant as chief ministers, but it has to take a call on the structure of the cabinet in these states.

In case of Uttar Pradesh, the party has to take a call on who to appoint as deputy chief minister, as Keshav Prasad Maurya, who held the post in the previous BJP government, lost his assembly seat.

It is expected that by the end of next week, the BJP will complete government formation process in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa. -- PTI

Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Sunday announced to convene the assembly session on March 25 to take up a no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Around 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples' Party submitted the no-confidence motion before the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8, alleging that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf government led by Khan was responsible for the economic crisis and the spiralling inflation in the country.

On Sunday, the NA Secretariat issued a notification, clearing the dust regarding the key session which the opposition had demanded to be convened by March 21 as per the legal requirements.

"The session will convene at 11 am on Friday and will be the 41st session of the current National Assembly," according to the notification.

The speaker summoned the session under the power given to him by Article 54 (3) and 254 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The opposition has been saying that the session should be summoned within 14 days but Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said at a press conference it can be delayed due to extraordinary circumstances.

The delay in this case is due to the high-profile 48th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation starting from March 22 at the Parliament House.

Initially, the opposition had threatened to stage a sit-in if the session was not called on time. However, the joint opposition toned down its stance by stressing that Pakistan's political turmoil will not be allowed to affect the event in any way.

The lower house will deliberate on the opposition's no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 25.

Once the motion is formally taken up by the house, the voting should be done between three to seven days.

Both government and opposition politicians have been working overtime to tilt the balance in their favour.

The PPP held the meeting of its core committee, followed by the meeting of its leaders with PML-N and JUI-F leaders at a lunch hosted by PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif.

Khan also consulted his core group about the latest situation. He also addressed the groundbreaking ceremony of Rawalpindi Ring Road and told his supporters that the no-trust move would fail.

Stating that political parties, including Congress, create division among people on various grounds, former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, member of G23 of the Opposition party, on Sunday, while referring to the 1990 exodus and killings of the Kashmiri Pandits, said that Pakistan and terrorism were responsible for all that took place in the valley.

His remarks came in the backdrop of the ongoing controversy over the film The Kashmir Files, which is based on the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits.

"Political parties create division (among people) 24X7 on the basis of religion, caste and other things. I'm not forgiving any party, including mine (Congress). Civil society should stay together. Justice must be given to everyone irrespective of caste, religion," Azad said.

He stressed that "Mahatma Gandhi was the biggest Hindu and secularist".

"Pakistan and militancy are responsible for what has happened in Jammu and Kashmir. It has affected all in Jammu and Kashmir, including Hindus, Kashmiri Pandits, Muslims, Dogras," added Azad in Jammu.

19:39 CISF seeks end of ex-Army personnel hiring

An experimental hiring of about 1,700 retired Army personnel in the Central Industrial Security Force for rendering unarmed duties has not found favour with the paramilitary force and it has sought discontinuation of these contracts from the Union home ministry, official sources said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had last year asked the CISF to toy with the idea of hiring 2,000 ex-army personnel for "non core" duties at 13 of its security units in the country, including those engaged in thermal power and coal production.

The contractual hiring was made for a period of one year initially which may be renewed on an year-to-year basis for 2 additional years.

The trial was meant to "help and rehabilitate" retired army personnel and take benefit of their experience for security purposes.

The force -- primarily tasked to provide a counter-terrorist cover to civil airports, nuclear and aerospace facilities and other vital installations in the private and government domain -- issued an advertisement in March 2021 seeking engagement of 2,000 retired Army personnel in the Army equivalent ranks of sub inspector, assistant sub inspector, head constable and constable below the age of 50 years.

The remuneration ranged between Rs 40,000 (SI) to Rs 25,000 (constable) per month.

Official sources said about 1,700 such superannuated army personnel finally joined the force and were subsequently posted at the designated units.

"The experiment has not been found successful. The force has recently written to the MHA seeking to discontinue the engagement," a senior officer said.

Another officer said a few reasons have been cited by the force while seeking discontinuance of this less than an year engagement.

The hired personnel are not covered under the CISF Act of 1968 or Rules and being governed by only the terms and conditions of the contract, he said. -- PTI

Marked by a sense of detachment 'like a saint', late Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam patriarch and his father M Karunanidhi handed him over to police during the infamous Emergency period, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has reminisced in his autobiography.

Recounting his entry into the Central Prison in Chennai following arrest in 1976, Stalin in his autobiography described the jail time as a 'torture camp' that reverberated with the sounds of wailing.

Though shocking, it gave 'shakti' (strength) to an ideologically committed person to face anything, the Chief Minister said adding, "That day, I got the strength to face anything."

The Emergency was imposed by the then Indira Gandhi government in 1975 and was in place till 1977. The period was infamous for widespread arrests of opposition political leaders and curtailment of civil liberties.

Stalin's 334-page autobiography in Tamil, Ungalil Oruvan (One among you) Part I, was released here recently by Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi.

Hours after the DMK government in Tamil Nadu led by Karunanidhi was dismissed on January 31, 1976, Stalin recalled that police arrived at their Gopalapuram residence in Chennai looking for him.

However, he was at a nearby town of Mathuranthakam at the time.

When police officers said they had an order to search the house to ascertain if Stalin was available or not, Karunanidhi told them, 'by all means' and informed them that his son was out of town and would be back home the next day, according to Stalin.

Also, Karunaidhi 'offered' himself to be arrested, he stated.

The Chief Minister recalled that he and others had an apprehension that 'Thalaivar' (party chief Karunanidhi) could be arrested, but added that the 'jail breeze was blowing towards me.'

When he arrived home the following day on February 1, 1976, Stalin said his mother Dayalu Ammal and wife Durga were weeping but Thalaivar's stentorian voice advising that one should be prepared for all kinds of sacrifices in public life pacified the family members.

"Be ready, police is looking for you," Stalin quoted his father and party chief Karunanidhi as telling him. Later, police officers arrived after Karunanidhi informed them over phone about Stalin getting back home. "Stalin is here, take him," Karunanidhi told police officials.

The chief minister said since he was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), he was not sure how long the incarceration would last.

Stalin said though his father had been the chief minister of the state for years till the government's dismissal, there was not even a trace of authority when he dealt with police.

Like an ascetic, with a sense of detachment, his father Karunanidhi sent him to jail, Stalin said. Karunanidhi had absolutely no regret that his son was going to jail, the chief minister said.

Karunanidhi's face, at that moment, conveyed a sense that like many DMK members at the time, his son Stalin too was going to jail. -- PTI

The US' Indo-Pacific strategy is as "dangerous" as NATO's eastward expansion in Europe resulting in Russia's military offensive against Ukraine, a senior Chinese diplomat has said.

"With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) should have been consigned to history alongside the Warsaw Pact," China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said while addressing the International Forum on Security and Strategy hosted by the Centre for International Security and Strategy of Tsinghua University on Saturday.

"However, rather than breaking up, NATO has kept strengthening and expanding. One could well anticipate the consequences going down this path. The crisis in Ukraine is a stern warning," he said.

Chinese officials say NATO's plans to admit Kyiv heightened Russia's insecurity resulting in Russian President Vladimir Putin's military action against Ukraine.

Ever since Russia began military operations in Ukraine last month, China, a close ally of Moscow, has been treading a fine line, declining to condemn it as an invasion.

"All sides need to jointly support Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace," Le said.

"One should not seek its own absolute security, said Le, the former Chinese Ambassador to India and widely tipped to succeed the present Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in this year's leadership reshuffle.

"Since NATO made a promise back then, it should not renege on its word and keep pushing its boundary eastward. The pursuit of absolute security actually leads to absolute insecurity, he said.

"Going against the trend to pursue the Indo-Pacific strategy, provoke trouble, put together closed and exclusive small circles or groups, and get the region off course toward fragmentation and bloc-based division is as dangerous as the NATO strategy of eastward expansion in Europe," Le said.

"If allowed to go on unchecked, it would bring unimaginable consequences, and ultimately push the Asia-Pacific over the edge of an abyss, he said.

"We in Asia must keep the future firmly in our own hands, pursue independent, balanced and prudent foreign policies, and seek strength through unity in the process of Asia-Pacific regional integration," Le said, according to the excerpts of his address posted on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

As the US' Indo-Pacific strategy gained traction, China has stepped up its attacks especially on the formation of Quad comprising the US, India, Japan, Australia, saying the grouping is akin to Asian NATO. -- PTI

Buoyed by its resounding win in Punjab assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party is now focusing on Rajasthan with the party holing a two-day convention in Jaipur to strenghthen the organisation in the state where elections are due next year.

According to the AAP, party's state in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh will hold discussions on ways to make people aware of the welfare policies of the party during the event on March 26-27.

Party leaders also said that Aam Aadmi Party legislator from Dwarka and former MP Mahabal Mishra's son Vinay Mishra can be given the responsibility of Rajasthan during the convention.

The AAP is going to hold a two-day convention -- 'Vijay Utsav' -- and all party leaders and workers will take part in it to strengthen the organisation in Rajasthan, AAP's state co-incharge Khemchand Jagirdar said.

"The party has started preparation for assembly election in Himachal Pradesh. Rajasthan is a neighbouring state of Punjab and is close to New Delhi. So to strengthen the organisation in the state, the party is holding a two-day convention," Jagirdar said.

The party will soon announce the name its state president in Rajasthan, he added.

The AAP will also conduct a membership drive soon to give people an alternative to mainstream political parties in the state, they said.

In the 2018 Rajasthan assembly elections, AAP had fielded 142 candidates on the 200 seats and managed only 0.4 per cent of votes, without being able to win even a single seat. -- PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party will meet the Goa governor on Monday and stake a claim to form the next government, state unit resident Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Sunday.

The much-awaited BJP legislature party meeting will also be held on Monday to select the leader of the House, who will be the next chief minister.

"BJP president J P Nadda has informed that the legislature party meeting would be held on Monday after which party leaders will meet Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai and stake a claim to form the next government," Tanavade told a press conference.

The legislature party meeting will begin at 4 PM on Monday.

BJP's observer Narendra Singh Tomar and co-observer L Murugan, Goa election in-charge Devendra Fadanavis, desk in-charge C T Ravi will attend the legislature party meeting, Tanavade said.

He said the date of swearing-in of the new government would be decided after meeting the governor on Monday.

In the recently-held elections in Goa, BJP won the majority by bagging 20 of the total 40 seats.

Three independents and two MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have already extended their support to BJP. -- PTI

The newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs of Uttarakhand will meet in Dehradun on Monday to choose their leader who will be the next chief minister of the hill state where the party has stormed back to power for an unprecedented second successive term.

The decision to convene a meeting of the MLAs was taken after state BJP leaders including caretaker chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Trivendra Singh Rawat (both former CMs), among others, met the party's central leadership at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence here, state party chief Madan Kaushik said.

Besides Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh were also present in the meeting that lasted more than an hour.

Kaushik, who also attended the meeting, said the BJP legislative party will meet Monday evening after the MLAs have taken the oath as members of the state assembly.

Earlier in the day, Dhami said the process of government formation is underway and the BJP's central leadership will take a call on the next chief minister.

The party has appointed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as the observer for government formation in the state.

The BJP, despite its emphatic win, has been in a bit of quandary over the new chief minister as Dhami, who spearheaded its successful campaign, lost his Khatami seat.

A section of the party's state unit still wants Dhami as the chief minister, while some favour a change.

Dhami continues to be the frontrunner for the chief minister's post despite his defeat but other probable names for the top job doing the rounds include those of Chaubattakhal MLA Satpal Maharaj, Shrinagar MLA Dhan Singh Rawat and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni. -- PTI

17:35 Uddhav rejects AIMIM alliance offer

Asserting that Shiv Sena is a "Hindutvavadi" party, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday rejected All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's offer for an alliance calling it a "conspiracy" by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party to defame the Sena, which heads the Maha Vikas Aghahdi government.

Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena, virtually addressed a meeting of the party MPs and office-bearers in Mumbai wherein he lashed out at BJP, the former ally of Sena, on Hindutva and other issues.

"Who has sought an alliance with the AIMIM? This is a game plan and conspiracy of the BJP. The AIMIM and the BJP have a tacit understanding. The BJP has ordered the AIMIM to defame the Shiv Sena, to raise questions on Shiv Sena's Hindutva. Accordingly, the AIMIM leaders are making the offer of alliance," Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told reporters quoting Thackeray.

On Saturday, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Imtiaz Jaleel caused a stir stating that his party can ally with the Shiv Sena-led MVA to prevent the BJP from coming to power, evoking sharp reactions from Sena.

The Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, the other two partners in the MVA, had said the AIMIM must prove that it was a "like-minded" party and not the "BJP's B-team".

Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, said the Sena will launch 'Shiv Sampark Mohim', a mass outreach programme, on March 22 in 19 districts across Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in Maharashtra on Thackeray's orders to dispel the confusion the BJP was trying to create about Sena on various issues.

"Uddhav ji said Shiv Sena will never join forces with the AIMIM. The Shiv Sena president also said that his party had never been associated with and will never be associated with those who bow before the grave of Aurangzeb," Raut said.

The chief minister has asked Shiv Sena leaders to "destroy" those who are doubting Hindutva propagated by the party, he said.

Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday termed Shiv Sena "Janab Sena" while responding to AIMIM's alliance offer to the Thackeray-led party.

Responding to the jibe, Thackeray said the Sena always believed that Hindutva was above politics.

"What Janab Sena? The Shiv Sena is a staunch Hindutvavadi organisation. It was and will remain Hindutvavadi. The Shiv Sena's Hindutva is not adulterated, he said.

Raut recalled that the BJP had formed a government with the "pro-Pakistan and separatist" PDP in Jammu-Kashmir (in 2015).

He sarcastically said that it was a "revolutionary alliance" (between PDP-BJP) that gave a new "direction" to the country.

"Now, we will tell the people which is the real Janab Sena," Raut said quoting Thackeray. -- PTI

Union Finance Minister Nirmala on Sunday announced that N Biren Singh would remain the chief minister of the northeastern state of Manipur for a second term.

Sitharaman, has been sent to Manipur as central observer by the Bharatiya Janata Party party said Singh was unanimously chosen by party's state legislature party as their leader.

The legislature party's meeting and announcement follows 10 days of uncertainty since the results were announced with rival leaders Biren Singh and senior BJP MLA Th Biswajit Singh rushing to Delhi twice to meet central leaders in what was seen as part of a hectic lobbying exercise by rival camps, despite denials of differences.

Sitharaman and Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju, who is the co-observer, arrived at Imphal earlier Sunday to attend the meeting of the newly elected BJP MLAs in the state.

Union Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Manipur's titular king and BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba and party national spokesperson Sambit Patra also flew in for the crucial meet.

The BJP has returned to power in Manipur by winning 32 seats in the 60-member House in the recent assembly elections in the state. -- PTI

Vivek Agnihotri's The Kashmir Files has courted a controversy in New Zealand with the country's chief censor reviewing the film's classification, a move that has been criticised by a former deputy prime minister.

Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, The Kashmir Files depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s.

New Zealand outlet Stuff on Saturday reported that the country's chief censor David Shanks is reviewing the film's R16 classification after concerns were raised by the Muslim community ahead of the movie's release on March 24.

According to New Zealand's Classification Office, a R16 certificate mandates that a film cannot be viewed by children below 16 without adult supervision.

Shanks told the outlet that the classification office's action does not mean the film is being banned in the country.

He added that the members of the Muslim community had approached him with concerns the film "could raise anti-Muslim sentiment and potential hatred.

Shanks revealed that the situation was "complex" as the concerns of the community pertained to "behaviours on and offline in relation to the film, rather than the content of the film itself".

The concerns raised were valid and serious, so it was important to take stock and pause, he added.

Shanks said that the film's initial classification had been issued without knowledge of these concerns.

The chief censor's move has been criticised by Winston Peters, the country's former deputy prime minister and leader of political party New Zealand First.

In a Facebook post, titled The Kashmir Files Censored: Another Attack on the Freedom of New Zealanders, Peters said, "To censor this film is tantamount to censoring information or images from the March 15th atrocities in New Zealand, or for that matter removing from public knowledge all images of the attack on 9/11."

He was referring to the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in which a single gunman killed 51 people and injured 40.

"Mainstream Muslims have both in this country and around the world readily and rightly denounced all forms of terrorism on the basis that committing violence in the name of Islam is not Muslim.

"Neither should steps taken against Islamophobia mistakenly lead to the shielding of terrorists in the name of Islam," Peters wrote.

He further said that terrorism in all its forms, no matter what its source, should be "exposed and opposed".

"This attempt at selective censorship would amount to one further attack on the freedom of New Zealanders and people worldwide," he added. -- PTI

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Sunday dismissed claims of joining former ally Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh and meeting Amit Shah, saying neither did he go to Delhi, nor meet anyone.

The claims were made on social media on Saturday that Rajbhar had met Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Shah in the national capital.

The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party had fought the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls with the BJP, but severed ties with the saffron party as Rajbhar quit the Yogi Adityanath cabinet before the 2019 general elections.

In 2022, the SBSP fought the Uttar Pradesh polls as part of the Samajwadi Party-led alliance, which lost at the hustings.

"The news (of SBSP joining hands with the BJP) is baseless. Neither did I go to Delhi, nor meet anyone. We are with the Samajwadi Party, and have started preparations for the upcoming urban local bodies elections in the state," Rajbhar told reporters here.

SBSP national general secretary and spokesperson Arun Rajbhar told PTI, "There is no question of aligning with the BJP. The photo doing rounds on social media is an old photo."

"An attempt is being made so that we may align with the BJP. We are with the Samajwadi Party and will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with them," he said.

In the 2022 polls, the BJP won 255 of the 403 assembly seats in the state, while the Samajwadi Party got 111.

The SBSP bagged six, two seats more than what it got in 2017 as a ally of the BJP. -- PTI

India's apex body on immunisation National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation or NTAGI has recommended administering the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine Covishield between eight and 16 weeks after the first dose, official sources said on Sunday.

Presently, the second dose of Covishield is given between 12-16 weeks after the first dose under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy.

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has not yet suggested any change in the schedule of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, whose second dose is administered 28 days after the first dose.

The recommendation for Covishield is yet to be implemented in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme.

"The latest recommendation of NTAGI is based on recent global scientific evidence derived from programmatic data," said an official source.

"According to it, when the second dose of Covishield is given eight weeks onwards, the antibody response generated is almost similar when administered at an interval of 12 to 16 weeks," the source explained.

The decision will lead to accelerated administration of the second dose of Covishield to the remaining six to seven crore individuals amid rising cases in several countries, the source said.

The government had on May 13, 2021 extended the gap between the first and second doses of the Covishield vaccine from 6-8 weeks to 12-16 weeks based on the recommendations by NTAGI.

NTAGI provides guidance and advice to the Union Health Ministry on immunisation services for the effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the country. -- PTI

The Ukrainian parliament said that 115 Ukrainian children have been killed since the start of the Russian invasion.

"115 children fell victim to the war unleashed by Russia and Putin. More than 140 young Ukrainians were injured. These numbers are not figures but the scale of grief and the broken destinies of hundreds of Ukrainian families," the parliament said on its Twitter account.

At least 10 deaths in two districts of dry Bihar have been blamed by locals on suspected consumption of spurious liquor during Holi celebrations, police said on Sunday.

Eight deaths have been reported in Bhagalpur district, including four in Sahibganj locality of Bhagalpur town and the remaining in different villages in Narayanpur police station area.

Narayanpur SHO Ramesh Sah said that only after post-mortem examination could he confirm whether the deceased had consumed hooch.

He also claimed that one of the deceased had, apparently, suffered a heart attack and another had a fall while climbing up a ladder.

Rita Kumari, SHO of University police station under which Sahibganj falls, similarly said that illicit liquor consumption could be confirmed only after an autopsy.

One Sahibganj resident lost his eyesight and is being treated at a hospital. Locals vented their ire on Sunday morning by burning tyres on the road. Traffic resumed after police had a word with them.

Besides, two people have died in Madhepura district's Murliganj block where, locals allege, hooch business is rampant.

Murliganj SHO Rajkishore Mandal said that the cause of the deaths could not be ascertained since the family members of the deceased had cremated the bodies before the police learnt about the incident.

However, nearly seven people have taken ill after consuming spurious liquor and they have been admitted to the local community health center.

A dry state for close to six years, Bihar has been witnessing a spurt in hooch deaths since Deepawali last year, in an embarrassment for the Nitish Kumar government which has cracked down on prohibition violators with high-end technology, deploying drones and helicopters for surveillance. -- PTI

An IAS officer in Madhya Pradesh has urged the makers of The Kashmir Files movie to also make a film on the "killings of large number of Muslims across several states" in India, and said members of this minority community are "not insects, but citizens of the country".

Taking to Twitter, the officer, Niyaz Khan, who is deputy secretary with MP Public Works Department, said, "Kashmir File shows the pain of Brahmins. They should be allowed to live safely in Kashmir with all honour. The producer must also make a movie to show the killings of Large number of Muslims across several states. Muslims are not insects but human beings and citizens of country."

The 50-year-old officer also said that he was planning to write a book to show the "massacre of Muslims" so that a movie like The Kashmir Files could be produced by someone to bring the "pain and suffering of minorities" before Indians.

Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Zee Studios, The Kashmir Files depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir following systematic killings of people from the community by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

The film, which was released on March 11, has sparked a debate among political parties.

Several BJP-ruled states, including Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, have exempted the film from entertainment tax. -- PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party despite winning four states in the recently concluded assembly elections is not able to form the governments due to infighting within the party.

"The BJP which has won in four states, but is not able to form governments till now due to infighting within the party," said Kejriwal while addressing Punjab AAP MLAs through video conference on Sunday.

Kejriwal said that the AAP MLAs immediately took oath in Punjab assembly and the government was also formed without wasting time.

"The government has begun working in Punjab," said Kejriwal.

The Delhi chief minister also wondered what would the BJP governments in the four states do when the party cannot form the government there after so many days.

Kejriwal claimed that the BJP continues to be busy dealing with infighting in the party ranks in the four states.

He further lauded the work of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. "I'm very proud of Bhagwant Mann's work in just three days," said Kejriwal.

"The whole country is talking about Bhagwant Mann and his works. Compensation for crops damaged in October has been released and farmers will get cheques in the coming days. You have done good work within three days of forming the government," said Kejriwal.

The meeting of the AAP MLAs was held in Mohali and Kejriwal joined it via video conferencing from Delhi.

People living in coastal areas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands were evacuated to safety as the archipelago experienced heavy rain and strong winds due to Cyclone Asani on Sunday, officials said.

Inter-island shipping services and those with Chennai and Visakhapatnam have been stopped and fishermen warned not to venture into the sea as the year's first cyclonic storm neared the archipelago, they said.

Around 150 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed and six relief camps opened in various parts of the islands, the officials said.

"I urge people not to panic as the administration is taking all measures to ensure their safety. A total of 68 NDRF personnel have been deployed in Port Blair, and 25 each in Diglipur, Rangat and Hutbay areas," Disaster Management Secretary Pankaj Kumar said.

North and Middle Andaman and South Andaman districts, including Port Blair, are experiencing heavy rain and strong winds, the official said.

North and Middle Andaman district Deputy Commission Anjali Sehrawat said that people living in coastal areas are being evacuated to safe places by NDRF personnel.

"Depression over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea lay centered at 0830 hrs IST of today, about 110 km north-northwest of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands). To intensify into a DD by 0530 hrs IST of 21st and into a cyclonic storm by 0530 hrs IST of 21st," the India Meteorological Department said in a Twitter post on Sunday.

The system is expected to move towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coasts.

Amit Shah with 'The Kashmir Files' team

13:24 BJP promoting 'The Kashmir Files' with eye on polls: Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of promoting The Kashmir Files movie with an eye on the forthcoming assembly polls in Gujarat and Rajasthan, and also alleged that an attempt has been made in the film to suppress several "harsh truths".

In his weekly column Rokhthok in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Raut said it was the BJP's promise to ensure the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir, but the same has not happened despite the abrogation of Article 370, and sought to know whose failure it was.

Raut also labelled Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being the main promoter of the film.

Attacking the BJP further, the Rajya Sabha member asked the NDA constituent what happened to its promise of integrating Pakistan occupied Kashmir with India.

Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Zee Studios, the film The Kashmir Files depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir following systematic killings of people from the community by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Since its release on March 11, the film has sparked a debate among political parties.

Several BJP-ruled states, including Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, have exempted the film from entertainment tax.

"The story based on the fleeing of Hindu Pandits in Kashmir, their killings, atrocities inflicted on them and their anger disturbs one's mind. But what disturbs even more is (the attempt) to divide Hindu-Muslims out of it (the story) again and win the upcoming elections," Raut said.

"The Kashmir File has been opened to win the (forthcoming) elections in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan," he alleged.

Raut said that films like The Kashmir Files should be created, but -- he alleged -- the agenda of such movies has now been to spread hatred and confusion about (political) opponents.

The Shiv Sena leader said the makers of The Kashmir Files had earlier produced 'The Tashkent Files', through which, he alleged, it was implied that only the Gandhi family was responsible for the death of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

"In The Kashmir Files, an attempt has been made to suppress several other harsh truths while showing true news. Thirty-two years ago, the atmosphere in Kashmir was bad not only for Kashmiri Pandits, but for all, and the Kashmiri Pandits were the most-affected," Raut said.

The Rajya Sabha member noted that Kashmiri Sikhs and Muslims, too, were among those killed in Kashmir at that time, besides Kashmir Pandits.

Raut said that the first political murder in Kashmir was of National Conference leader Mohammed Yousuf Halwai in August 1989. Before that, an attack was made on the inspector general of police, in which the officer's bodyguard was killed, he added. -- PTI

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13:15 I-T dept detects Rs 224-cr black income after raids on Maha-based start-up group

The Income Tax department has detected undisclosed income of about Rs 224 crore after it recently raided a unicorn start-up group based in Pune and Thane in Maharashtra, the CBDT said on Sunday.

The searches were carried out on March 9 at 23 premises in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The group is engaged in wholesale and retail of construction materials and has a pan-India presence with an annual turnover exceeding Rs 6,000 crore, the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the policy-making body for the tax department, said in a statement.

Unaccounted cash worth Rs 1 crore and jewellery worth Rs 22 lakh have been seized till now, it said.

The statement said it was found that the group has booked bogus purchases, made huge unaccounted cash expenditure and obtained accommodation entries, aggregating to the tune of over Rs 400 crore.

"These evidences were confronted to the directors of the group, who admitted under oath this modus operandi, disclosed additional income of more than Rs 224 crore in various assessment years, and consequently offered to pay their due tax liability," the CBDT claimed.

It was found that the group obtained huge foreign funding via the Mauritius route, by issuing shares at an "exorbitantly" high premium.

A "complex" hawala network of some Mumbai and Thane-based shell companies, was also unearthed, the CBDT said.

"These shell companies exist on paper and were created only for the purpose of providing accommodation (bogus) entries. Preliminary analysis has revealed that the total quantum of accommodation entries provided by these shell entities exceeds Rs 1,500 crore," it said. -- PTI

Karnataka high court judges, who passed the hijab verdict, will be given 'Y' category security after they received death threats, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced on Sunday.

"We have decided to give 'Y' category security to all three judges who gave the hijab verdict. I have instructed Director-General and IG to probe the complaint filed in Vidhanasoudha Police station thoroughly in which some people gave life threats to the judges," Bommai said while speaking to media persons outside his residence in Bengaluru.

The three judges also include Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi.

Besides the Chief Justice, the three-judge bench also comprised Justices Krishna Dixit and Khazi M Jaibunnisa.

Bommai called for strict actions against three accused of threatening the judges.

Condemning the incident, Bommai said, "Being in favour of community is not secularism, that is communalism. I condemn this, we all should stand together. The government will condemn this."

The Karnataka high court on Tuesday dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on hijab in education institutions and said that wearing a hijab is not an essential religious practice of Islam.

In Tamil Nadu, three Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath functionaries were booked for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Karnataka high court's verdict on the hijab row.

Trinamool Congress MP and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira will reach Delhi on Sunday to appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with a probe into a money laundering case linked to a coal scam in West Bengal, a well-placed source said.

Both Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and his wife are scheduled to face the ED sleuths for interrogation in the national capital on March 21 and 22, he said.

"Both Abhishek Banerjee and his wife will be flying to Delhi on Sunday afternoon to appear before the ED officials tomorrow and the day after. The couple will face interrogation as per the law," the source said.

Banerjee and his wife had earlier moved the court against the ED's summon to Delhi, stating that since both are residents of West Bengal they should not be called by the agency to appear before it in the national capital.

The Delhi high court on March 11 had dismissed their plea.

Incidentally, Abhishek Banerjee was questioned by ED officials for more than eight hours in September last year on the same matter. -- PTI

The Pakistan Army's top brass, led by General Qamar Javed Bajwa, has reportedly asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to resign after the conference of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation scheduled for this month.

Pakistan media reports stated that the decision to oust Imran Khan was taken by General Bajwa and three other senior Lt. Generals in a meeting which took place after Bajwa and the country's spymaster Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum met Imran Khan.

It was reported that all four military leaders decided not to give any escape route to Imran Khan.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, incidentally, is hoping that its trump card of former Army Chief Raheel Sharif's meeting Bajwa at the behest of Imran Khan will save the government.

However, Raheel Sharif also failed in his mission, noted the local media in its reports.

Amid the looming no-confidence motion against his government, Imran Khan met Army Chief Bajwa on Friday.

The meeting is being speculated to have revolved around the recent political developments in the country, with the local media reporting that the agenda could have included the upcoming OIC summit in Pakistan, the ongoing unrest in Balochistan and the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government.

The majority of PTI leaders are waiting for the outcome of this meeting amidst the fragile political situation in the country, Capital TV, a Pakistani media channel reported.

The meeting is also being seen as an attempt by Imran Khan to get back in the good books of the Pakistani establishment, which is the Pakistani Army, to save his government. -- ANI

A massive explosion occurred in the northern Pakistani city of Sialkot, media reports said on Sunday.

The sound of the blast was reportedly heard near the cantonment area in the Punjab province.

"Pakistan - Multiple explosions at the Sialkot military base in northern Pakistan. Initial indications are this is an ammunition storage area. A large fire is burning. Cause as yet unverified," Rishi Suri, editor of The Daily Milap said in a tweet. -- ANI

The Shiv Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has issued a fresh notice to Union minister Narayan Rane's family, asking it to remove the "unauthorised" alterations at its Juhu bungalow within 15 days.

In the notice issued on March 16 to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rane's wife and son, the BMC said the corporation will demolish the changes and recover charges for the same from the owner if he failed to remove the "unauthorised change of use" works.

On February 21, a team of civic officials had inspected the bungalow named 'Adhish', located in the upscale Juhu area, for the alleged violation of CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) norms.

In their March 11 reply to the BMC's earlier notice, the Rane family's representatives had dismissed the allegations and said the corporation's action (of issuing the notice) was "actuated purely by malice and political vendetta" borne by the Shiv Sena against the family and the Union minister.

The BMC in its reply to the point said that the owner was expected to answer the notice "as contemplated in law".

"The insertion of posts, political parties and alleging malafides cannot be an answer to the illegalities mentioned in the notice," the civic body said.

The representatives said Rane has been a vocal critic of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the manner in which the Shiv Sena is functioning in the Maharashtra government and the civic body.

"Moreover, our patriarch (Rane) being a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and serving as a Cabinet Minister, much to the envy of other political leaders in Shiv Sena, we are being targeted on a personal level," they said.

The BMC said that the notice was issued by its officer under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 and hence, the question of "control, rivalry, envy and targeting are irrelevant for the reply of the notice".

The representatives had also said that the Union minister had "steadfastly" brought to the attention of the state machinery various details and information regarding the deaths of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the latter's former manager Disha Salian.

They said the Supreme Court had directed a CBI probe into Rajput's death and all this has "irked" CM Thackeray and his party and "to vent out their anger, they ordered" the civic body to initiate such action. -- PTI

10:57 Kejriwal to meet Punjab AAP legislators today

Arvind Kejriwal will hold a meeting with his party MLAs from Punjab via videoconference on Sunday.

The meeting of the AAP MLAs will be held in Mohali and Kejriwal will join it via video conferencing from Delhi at 12 noon.

The AAP recorded a landslide victory in the recently concluded Punjab assembly polls winning 92 seats in the 117-member House.

The AAP leader and the party's face for recently held Punjab assembly polls Bhagwant Mann took oath as the chief minister of the state on March 16.

On March 17, Punjab's newly-elected MLAs, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, took oath as members of the legislative assembly.

Ten AAP MLAs, including a woman, were inducted in the Bhagwant Mann-led Cabinet in Punjab on Saturday.

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 10 ministers at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh. -- ANI

The security forces busted a National Socialist Council of Nagaland insurgent's camp in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district on Saturday and recovered several arms and ammunition along with explosives.

The operation was jointly carried out by the Indian Army's 14 Rajput Regiment and the Arunachal Pradesh police.

The forces had recovered one AK-47 rifle with one magazine, 50 rounds of live ammunition, six detonators, three plastic explosives, suspected explosive powder and other warlike stores from the busted camp.

"14 Rajput Regiment and Arunachal Pradesh police have been conducting a joint operation at 22 miles area of Miao-Vijaynagar road since March 17 and busted a camp of NSCN-KYA insurgents," Mihin Gambo, superintendent of police of Changlang district said.

"We have recovered arms, ammunition, explosives and other warlike stores from the area. The insurgents had escaped from the area before the troops reached the area," he added.

Several groups of NSCN are still active in the Changlang, Tirap and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh. -- ANI

Several Indian students pursuing MBBS course in Chinese universities staged a protest outside the Kerala secretariat on Saturday seeking recognition of their physical training in India.

The protest was held under the banner of Foreign Medical Graduates Parents Association -- an association of parents of medical students in foreign countries.

Forced to return to India after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the medical students have since been unable to return to their host country and continued their physical training at government and private hospitals in the state.

Stuck in their home country due to the non-availability of visas from the Chinese authorities, the Indian students resorted to completing their courses with the help of online classes.

"We were forced to come back from China in January 2020. It's been two years since we have been attending online classes. We don't have any recognition of whether the Indian government will accept us with these online classes. Most of us are doing are practicals at various government and private hospitals in Kerala, but is not recognised," Murshid Aleen, a fourth-year medical student at Yangzhou University told ANI.

India on Sunday recorded 1,761 fresh coronavirus infections, the lowest in around 688 days, that took its tally to 4,30,07,841, while the active cases declined further to 26,240, according to Union health ministry data.

The death toll climbed to 5,16,479 with 127 daily fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections.

The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 per cent, it showed.

A reduction of 1,562 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.41 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate stood at 0.41 per cent, the ministry said.

The last 24 hours saw a total of 4,31,973 COVID-19 tests being conducted. India has so far conducted over 78.26 crore tests, it said. -- PTI

The Andhra Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party reiterated the demand for renaming the Jinnah Tower in Guntur, arguing that the name of the founder of Pakistan should be removed as "he was responsible for killings of lakhs of Hindus during the partition of India".

The Andhra Pradesh BJP co-in charge Sunil Deodhar on Saturday said that the Jinnah Tower in Guntur should be renamed while stressing that the party isn't against Islam, but fundamentalism and appeasement politics.

Speaking at Ranabheri in Kadapa, Deodhar said, "In Guntur, a tower is named after Jinnah. He was responsible for the killing of lakhs of Hindus during the partition of 'Akhanda Bharat (undivided India)', and the persecution of Hindus in Pakistan. The BJP demands that the name of Muhammad Ali Jinnah be removed from the tower in Guntur."

The BJP leader alleged that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is not willing to rename the tower because he fears losing his vote bank.

"The BJP won't tolerate this. The BJP is not against Muslims or Islam, but fundamentalism and appeasement politics. The tower can be renamed after (former President) APJ Abdul Kalam, but he (CM) won't do it, as he will not get votes," Deodhar said.

Notably, the Andhra Pradesh unit of the BJP in December last year had submitted a memorandum to the Guntur Municipal Corporation commissioner Challa Anuradha to press for the demand to rename Jinnah Tower after the name of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

The Guntur Municipal Corporation authorities have got the tower painted in tricolour. -- ANI

09:13 Hong Kong struggles to control resurgent Covid

With the COVID-19 cases rapidly rising, the Hong Kong administration is finding itself unable to manage the pandemic with some fearing the government's failure to get the virus under control has accelerated Beijing's creeping authority over the semi-autonomous territory, media reports said.

On Saturday, Hong Kong registered 7,528 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 9,069 additional positive cases through self-reported rapid antigen tests, official data showed, as reported by Xinhua.

This came after Hong Kong's COVID-19 case count surpassed 1 million on Friday, amid the fifth and the worst wave of the disease.

The policy indecision from Hong Kong's chief executive Lam and other officials has appeared to be a reaction to mounting pressure from the mainland.

When cases jumped in mid-February and overburdened hospitals began treating patients on gurneys on the sidewalk, Xi Jinping, China's top leader, warned Hong Kong officials to "make controlling the epidemic as soon as possible an overwhelming priority," said a think-tank, Policy Research Group.

The whole approach of the government has seemed to be chaotic," said Lau Siu-kai, a Hong Kong scholar who advises Beijing.

"You can see all the complaints around Hong Kong these days," he added.

"It makes Beijing worried."

Researchers estimate that half of the population in Hong Kong may have already been infected. -- ANI

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08:30 Aus to give temporary visas to Ukrainians for work, study

Australia will be issuing temporary visas to Ukrainian refugees, allowing them to work in the country for three years, the Australian government said on Sunday.

"To help Ukrainians forced to flee from Russia's military invasion, we will also make available a temporary humanitarian visa to Ukrainians who have arrived in Australia," the Australian government said in a statement, released by the foreign ministry.

The visa "will be valid for three years and allow people to work, study and access medicare," it said.

According to the Australian government, the country has already issued nearly 4,500 visas to Ukrainians since the start of Russia's military operation .

"Over 600 Ukrainians with these visas have arrived and more are coming every day," the Australian government said, adding that it will continue to work "with the Ukrainian-Australian community to ensure those arriving from Ukraine will be provided support throughout their stay in Australia."

The Australian government has provided local community groups with a $450,000 (334,000 USD) grant to help assist Ukrainian refugees. --ANI

Congress on Saturday announced the candidature of Jayshree Jadhav for the April 12 byelection to Kolhapur North assembly seat.

The death of sitting Congress MLA Chandrakant Jadhav, Jayshree's husband, necessitated the election.

Chandrakant Jadhav died last year following post-COVID-19 complications.

He was a first-time MLA who had defeated the Shiv Sena's Rajesh Kshirsagar.

Now the Sena and Congress are part of the ruling alliance along with the NCP.

Counting of votes will take place on April 16.

BJP has fielded Satyajit Kadam for the seat. -- PTI

08:13 Israeli PM Bennett to visit India from April 2

Stressing that Indo-Israel ties are based on mutual 'appreciation and meaningful collaboration,' Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has said he will be visiting India in the first week of April to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The visit also aims to expand the cooperation between the two countries in the areas of innovation and technology, security and cyber, and agriculture and climate change.

"Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will pay his first official visit to India on Saturday, 2 April 2022, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the Israeli PM's foreign media adviser said in a statement.

The two leaders had first met on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow last October when PM Modi had invited PM Bennett to pay an official visit to India, the statement said.

"This visit will reaffirm the important connection between the countries and the leaders, and will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of relations between Israel and India," it added. -- PTI

UK PM issues stark message to China over Ukraine war

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