India Narrative

  Vladimir Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, has accused the West of leaving his country alone after Russia launched a special military operation in the Donbass region on Thursday. Addressing the Ukrainians in the early hours of Friday, Zelensky said that his country had to defend itself on its own "no matter how many conversations" he has had with the leaders of other countries till now. "I heard a few things. The first is that we are supported. And I am grateful to each state that helps Ukraine specifically. Not just words," said Zelensky in his address after the end of the first day of Russia's operation. "But there is another - we are left alone in defence of our state. Who is ready to fight with us? I do not see such. Who is ready to guarantee Ukraine's accession to NATO? Everyone is afraid," he added. Also Read:  Ukraine crisis: PM Modi speaks to Russian President Putin, appeals for an immediate cessation of violence Visibly shaken by the d...

  The discovery and study of Jurassic period’s largest Pterosaur or flying reptile fossil had plenty of twists and turns. Discovered by a graduate student, Amelia Penny at Brothers’ Point, who was looking for dinosaur bones during low tide on Isle of Skye, Scotland in 2017, its excavation involved use of saw with diamond tips and it was nearly lost when the tide returned, mentions a report in sciencealert.com. This find of a lifetime was studied thoroughly and its anatomy revealed it to be an unknown species. Christened Dearc sgiathanach, a Scottish Gaelic name, it has double meaning -- “winged reptile" and "reptile from Skye” – since the Gaelic name of Skye means "the winged isle". Also read:  "Flying dragon" Thapunngaka shawi dominated Australian skies 105 million years ago This species had a wingspan measuring more than eight feet – a big size for a Jurassic period (201.3 million to 145 million years ago) pterosaur. Sharing details about this species in...

  The rising geopolitical tension after Russia announced a military operation in Ukraine has already pushed up global oil prices. On Thursday, Brent crude futures crossed $100 per barrel mark – the highest since 2014. On February 1, the price was less than $90 a barrel. Higher oil prices will affect global recovery. India, which imports more than 80 per cent of its oil requirements, is carefully monitoring the situation as an increase in prices would have a direct impact on the country’s inflation even as New Delhi imports oil and gas imports from Russia is not much due to the high transportation costs. That apart, Russia supplies heavy crude which the Indian refineries cannot process. Read More

  Russian President Vladimir Putin today announced that he had decided on a special military operation in eastern Ukraine's Donbass region after the Kremlin received requests from the breakaway region for help in repelling threats from Kiev. "Kiev is continuing its military buildup along the line of disengagement, simultaneously receiving comprehensive support, including military one, from the United States and other Western states. The Kiev regime is determined to resolve the conflict by force," the letters to Putin said according to Russian news agency Tass. Also Read:  At the UN, India rejects war - says Ukraine situation should be resolved through quiet diplomacy Putin had on Monday signed decrees, announcing immediate recognition of the "independence and sovereignty" of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic while deploying troops into "independent republics" for peacekeeping functions. "Circumstances require ...

  Nearly 34 years after the outbreak of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government has decided to construct a high security prison for terrorists, secessionists and other anti-national elements in the Union Territory. The Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday allotted land in Jammu’s Kathua district for the establishment of a special jail. It is for the first time that a special jail is being built in the terror-ravaged UT for convicts and under-trial detainees involved in terrorism, secessionism, sedition and other unlawful subversive activities. As of now, such convicts and under-trials are lodged either in the UT’s own prisons or some jails outside. A number of such detainees remain lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail where the JKLF co-founder Maqbool Bhat and a Jaish-e-Mohammad operative Afzal Guru were executed respectively in 1984 and 2013. Also read:  Two overground workers of terrorist group arrested in Baramulla Some of such detain...

The space dagger -- made with meteorites’ rocks -- entombed with King Tutankhamen has always been an enigma for historians and archaeologists. Now a new study brings to the fore several interesting aspects about this captivating artefact says a report in sciencealert.com. Using modern scientific tools like high-resolution photography and X-rays for analysis has unveiled the type of meteorite used to make the dagger and how it was made. Interestingly, the research also suggested that the dagger may not have been made in Egypt and was gifted to King Tutankhamen or one of his ancestors. Also read:  Ancient Egyptians celebrated peace and prosperity of King Amenhotep III in grand style Sharing details of the study, Tomoko Arai, Chiba Institute of Technology, Japan’s planetary scientist told Gizmodo: "To understand the manufacture and origin of the dagger, we conducted on-site non-contact, non-destructive two-dimensional chemical analysis for the dagger. We noticed a cross-hatched text...

Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed eight children and 12 adults who appear to have been sacrificed around 800-1,200 years ago in a major dig at the pre-Incan Cajamarquilla complex 25 km east of the country’s capital Lima. Archaeologist Pieter Van Dalen said at a press conference on Tuesday that  the bodies, some mummified and others skeletons, were wrapped in various layers of textiles as part of an ancient ritual. They were laid by the side of the main mummy which appeared to be that of the ruler or prominent noble. "For them, death was not the end, but rather a transition to a parallel world where the dead lived. They thought that the souls of the dead became protectors of the living," Van Dalen explained.   Read more

  Listing defence and security as one of the two areas of national interest for India where it looks at France as a key partner, New Delhi is exploring "ambitious ideas" for collaborative defence ventures in India which will support both countries' common interests in the Indo-Pacific region as well. The second area, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in his address on 'How India sees France' at the Institut Francais des Relations Internationales (French Institute of International Relations or  IFRI) in Paris on Tuesday, is the transformation of its industrial sector. Jaishankar said that in this era of "growing uncertainty", polities are searching for "reliable and resilient partners" and those with shared values and common vision fit the bill more perfectly, which is certainly the case with France and India. Right from the first acquisition of a French fighter aircraft in the early 1950s till the arrival of the omnirole Rafale fighte...

With hours to go for the fourth phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh, all eyes are on Lakhimpur Kheri, which witnessed the mowing down of the protesting farmers allegedly by Ashish Mishra(Teni), son of the minister of state for Home, Ajay Mishra. The accused son's walking out of the jail after he secured bail had generated a massive political heat in the region.  In 2017, the BJP had won the Lakhimpur seat with a strong margin of over 36000 votes.  Stakes are high for both BJP and Union Minister, Ajay Mishra in this region. For the fourth phase, 624 candidates across 59 assembly constituencies are set to battle it out. Riding on the Modi wave in 2017, BJP had won 51 of 59 assembly seats in 2017. BJP ally, Apna Dal(S) had won one, four went to SP  while two seats were won by Congress and another two by the BSP. Also read:    Third phase of elections--tough for SP and a close fight in Punjab  The State Capital, Lucknow with nine assembly segments will also vote ...

  A low-lying continent 40 million years ago, that was once boasted of some striking animals could have played a vital role in helping Asian mammals to move to Europe’s southern part, suggests a new study states a report in sciencealert.com. The research published in Earth-Science Reviews refers to this place as “Balkanatolia” – placed between Asia, Europe and Africa -- which scientists say with the drop in the sea levels, around 34 million years ago, became a land bridge. In their study, palaeogeologist Alexis Licht and his colleagues from French National Centre for Scientific Research, mentioned that "When and how the first wave of Asian mammals made it to south-eastern Europe remains poorly understood.” Also read:  200 Million Years From Now, India, Somalia, Kenya and Madagascar may merge into a super-Continent The appearance of the bridge catalytic as 34 million years ago with the Eocene epoch coming to an end, a vast number of mammals native to Western Europe vanished wit...

  In his first interview to a television channel during the current campaigning for the Assembly elections in 5 States, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah revealed to News18 on Monday, 21 February, that the President’s rule could end in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir “in 6-8 months after completion of the delimitation process”. “The delimitation exercise is about to get over. After this, whatever will be the reasonable timeframe – about six-eight months – the elections will be held. There should be no confusion about that”, Shah said in reply to a question. The question of when exactly would the Election Commission of India (ECI) hold the next Assembly elections—the first after creation of the UT in August 2019—looms large in every conversation about the erstwhile State. Also Read:  Jammu and Kashmir joins National Single Window System to lure investors and entrepreneurs Even in the last two years, Shah has invariably asserted that the Assembly elections in J&K wo...

In a recent interview to Izvestia, the new Ambassador designate of the Russia Federation to India Denis Alipov said that India occupies a central position in Russians foreign policy priorities and that Russia was interested in India's growing influence as an independent power centre both in the world and in particular in the " Asia Pacific Region ". While the good ambassador's words are admirable, this has become a common refrain of late - not just encouraging or wishing for India''s rise as a major power, but rather acknowledging India as a power centre. On his India visit for the bilateral visit, President Vladimir Putin himself said this in Delhi: "Russia views India as a major power, whose people have been very friendly to us." And with good reason too. A cold war era joke goes that the only truly non-aligned countries then were the USA and the USSR. In the current context India may be a truly non-aligned country. It's excellent current relat...

The mention of dinosaurs usually brings up the image of big and/or fearsome creatures walking around on their four limbs but now scientists have come across an unusual type which has hardly any forearms as reported in sciencealert.com. This new species has been discovered by palaeontologists in Argentina and has been christened as Guemesia ochoai and determined with the help of a single skull. This has been suggested to belong to the family of abelisaurids – carnivores that had tiny arms and were found in India, Africa, Europe and South America. This group disappeared nearly 66 million years ago. Also read:  Austrian dinosaur Ankylosaurs was both deaf and slow moving G. ochoai’s skull discovered in Argentina’s northwest region is dated to be about 70 million years old and is one of its kind and what distinguishes it from other abelisaurids is its “remarkably small” braincase. This creature whose brain was 70 per cent of Carnotaurus genus which roamed South America’s southern tip wa...

Antarctica was a place that was thought to be far removed from the effects of warming of the earth is now showing signs to the contrary. An article in smithsonianmag.com mentions that with the temperatures rising in the region, two native plant species are proliferating. The green cover on the continent from 2009 to 2019 has accelerated more than what it had in the last 50 years. This is complimented with the rise in air temperatures rising and decrease in seal population. Published recently in peer-reviewed scientific review Current Biology, the study highlights how warming of climate is increasingly impacting polar ecosystems. Talking to Gizmodo, the study’s lead author and an ecologist at the University of Insubria, Nicoletta Cannone, remarked: "Antarctica is acting as a canary in a coal mine.” Also read:  Climate change enables Gentoo Penguins to expand their habitat in the Antarctica The continent has two native flowering plant species. These are Antarctic hair grass (Descham...

The developing confrontation between the West and Russia on the Ukraine issue does not serve India’s interests. We have very friendly ties with the US, Europe and Russia and would prefer not take sides. This would require very deft diplomacy on our part. India is now an important global player and both sides will be watching the position India takes. The US will want some show of support for its position, while Russia will want us to take an independent position and not succumb to US pressure. For India an actual military conflict will be most undesirable because its international repercussions will be grave and cushioning against them by us will be most difficult. The US and the EU are issuing repeated warnings at the highest level that in case Russia invades Ukraine it will face sanctions of unprecedented severity. Russia has already been subject to severe sanctions in recent years and seems to have absorbed them so far without excessive difficulty. It has warned the West that the ne...

  A special sessions court of Ahmedabad has awarded death sentences to 38 out of the 49 accused in the serial bombings in Ahmedabad in 2008. The Remaining 11 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment. Former Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) leader Safdar Narogi is among those convicted. The en masse death sentencing of people convicted of terrorism by an Indian court is unprecedented. 14 years ago, on July 26, 2008, in the span of about 70 minutes, 22 bombs went off at various places in Ahmedabad city including at the Gujarat government-run Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run LG Hospital, in buses, on parked bicycles, and in cars. Fifty-six people were killed and around 200 were injured in the mega-terror strike. Ahmedabad was the third city to be bombed that year, after Jaipur in May and Bengaluru just the day before. Read More

  Rejecting war as an option, India has raised its voice for a peaceful resolution of the situation in and around Ukraine, saying that "quiet and constructive diplomacy" is the need of the hour. Making a statement at Thursday's United Nations Security Council briefing on the implementation of the 2015 Minsk agreements, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, T S Tirumurti said that any steps that increase tension may best be avoided by all sides in the larger interest of securing international peace and security. "India has been in touch with all concerned parties. It is our considered view that the issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue," said the Ambassador. "India's interest is in finding a solution that can provide for immediate de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond," he added. Tiru...

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to task over his controversial " UP, Bihar ke bhaiye " comment and also targeted Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying the "family from Delhi was clapping" on stage when this divisive remark was made.  “The entire country has heard what the Congress Chief Minister said. The family from Delhi is his maalik (boss). That maalik was standing next to him and clapping," PM Modi said at a BJP poll rally at Fazilka in Punjab. The Prime Minister said that Guru Gobind Singh, the saviour of India, was born in Patna Sahib in Bihar. "Will the Congress stop people from Bihar coming to Punjab" adding Guru Ravidas was born in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Congress was saying it will not allow bhaiyas from UP to come to Punjab." Also read:    PM Modi launches scathing attack on Congress & AAP at poll rally in Pathankot PM Modi said the people of Punjab needed ...

  Anybody will tell you that if a repertoire of songs is played in the same order more than once it becomes tedious. Hence, the sequence needs to be shuffled to break the monotony and that is what male sparrows do – remix and rearrange their songs to keep intact the love interest of the female, a report in smithsonianmag.com stated. As per the details of the study published in Proceedings of The Royal Society B, the songbirds keeping track of every new song they sing, change the order every half an hour to keep the females wondering. Also read:  Arctic’s amazing sponges feed on the remains of ancient extinct creatures Singing and songs are vital for the male sparrow as that is the way to win over a potential mate and battle for breeding territories. In order to know more about their songs, scientists went to the northwest Pennsylvania woods to record several hours of trilling and chirping. Following recording of more than 30 individual birds, they proceeded to their laboratory...

The unfolding situation in Afghanistan will have wider ramifications to the Central Asia region, particularly the possible growth in international terrorism and drug trafficking emanating from the Afghan territory, India told the Security Council during a debate on the United Nations' partnership with the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) in New York, earlier today. Russia had made the meeting as one of the flagship events of its UNSC Presidency this month with its Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin chairing the debate. It was also addressed by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, representatives of the CSTO member states besides several other countries. Putting up a united front with the Central Asia partners, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador T S Tirumurti during his remarks stated expectations of the international community that Afghan soil should not be used for sheltering, train...

  As the Pakistani National Assembly is set to start its session from February 18, all eyes are on the opposition parties, which have vowed to bring a no confidence motion against Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in a bid to oust him. Unlike their failed attempts in the past, the united opposition is confident of getting the magic number in the assembly. “The oppositions are trying to close all the loose ends before they go for the final. They want to be hundred percent sure of getting ‘blessings’ from the military establishment. For them it is now or never because the situation is ripe and people are fed up with the Imran Khan government ,” says Ansar Abbasi, a Pakistani journalist. But has the opposition got the magic number of 172 votes in the 342-member house to oust the Imran Khan government ? The leaders of the united opposition front PDM are holding their cards close to their chests, leaving the government to guess about how their plans will unveil. Political hobnobbing a...

  Worried Indian parents across all segments have typically asked their children to stay off video games—but that was until the Covid 19 pandemic broke out two years ago. It was considered nothing less than a taboo then. But recently when the Karnataka High Court reversed amendments to the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act, 2021 aimed at prohibiting and criminalizing participation in online games, it came as a major relief to the country’s $930 million gaming industry. All India Gaming Federation’s (AIGF) chief executive Roland Landers said that the Karnataka High Court’s decision was in the right direction. “We look forward to working with the government and stakeholders to develop a clear regulatory framework – that will enable legitimate gaming companies to operate in the state with safeguards, while eradicating illegal gambling apps from the state," he said. The pandemic, leading to several lockdowns and restrictions has changed the landscape of the gaming industry in India, w...

  Nearly 100 people have died in landslides and flash flooding in Brazil’s popular tourist city of Petrópolis, according to a BBC report. The city, which is located in the hills north of the capital Rio de Janeiro, was lashed by torrential rain. Houses in hillside neighbourhoods were destroyed and cars swept away as floodwaters raced through the city's streets. Search and rescue teams are combing the mud for survivors, the report said. Brazil's National Civil Defence said on Twitter 24 people had been rescued alive so far, with 94 confirmed deaths. Videos shared on social media showed extensive damage and vehicles floating in the streets. "The situation is almost like war ... Cars hanging from poles, cars overturned, lots of mud and water still," Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro told journalists. With 35 people reported missing, he said that the search and rescue efforts would continue non-stop. Read More

  Last weekend there was more good news for the underprivileged people of Burla, Odisha, as Dr. Shankar Ramchandani who has been running his “One Rupee” clinic since last year, launched “One Rupee” medicine service. This service was started to mark the first anniversary of his initial initiative and under this, medicines will be given for just Re.1 to needy patients who visit him for consultation. As a doctor Ramchandani has always gone beyond his call of duty to offer medical assistance to the needy and his “one rupee” clinic proves it. Working as assistant professor in the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, Odisha, 38-year-old Ramchandani, started the clinic last year in which patients pay Re.1 for treatment. He was promoted as assistant professor and this entitled him to private practice after duty hours and so Ramchandani started this clinic in a rented house. Read More

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, accusing them of rampant corruption, in his address at a BJP election rally at Pathankot in Punjab.  He said both the parties were two sides of the same coin: "Ek hi thali ke chatte batte hain," he remarked, drawing a loud applause from the huge crowd at the rally.   The Prime Minister, also accused the Congress of belittling and insulting the sacrifices of the soldiers who died during the 2016 Pathankot attack. He said that the country was together in the response to the attack except for the Congress party. "They questioned the government, the people of Punjab and even our army. They belittled the sacrifices of the soldiers," he added. The PM said that during the anniversary of the 2019 terror attack in Pulwama, the Congress was again doing the same. "Even on Pulwama anniversary, they continue their 'paap leela'," he remarked. Read More

Puneet Singh Chandhok, President of the Indian World Forum on Wednesday, wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, seeking "immediate intervention" for the safety of minorities living in Pakistan as they are repeatedly facing atrocities and are victims of heinous crimes in the country. In a letter, Chandhok said, "I am writing to you today for seeking your immediate intervention for the safety of minorities living in Pakistan. They are repeatedly facing atrocities and are victims of heinous crimes there. Minorities, in particular, belonging to Hindu and Sikh religions which have close bonds with India are being persecuted." Chandhok in the letter highlighted the persecution of Sikhs and Hindus living in Pakistan. "Yesterday, alarming reports were received from Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wherein a Papinder Singh, a local Sikh hakim, was shot and brutally injured along with another Sikh passerby who also sustained a bullet injury in a bid to resi...

Fresh clashes have broken out between Pakistani troops and Taliban fighters maid mounting tension over the fencing on the Durand Line, that delineates the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. According to media reports, the Pakistani army and Afghan Taliban are still exchanging fire across the Durand Line. The latest incident took place on Tuesday in Sarkano and Naray districts, Kunar province of Afghanistan. Various reports in the local media and videos tweeted by journalists show both the sides firing at each other. According to a source, the clash started Tuesday afternoon over a check-point dispute in the area bordering Afghanistan's Kunar province,” says Roohan Ahmed, a Pakistani journalist in his Twitter post. According to Afghan media, the Pakistan Army opened  fire against the Taliban troops in the Dangam district of Kunar. The Pakistan Army also used heavy artillery against the Taliban, leading to clashes between two sides. But the Pakistani army said that the Pakistani forces sta...

India and Australia will join hands to drive down the costs of new and renewable energy technologies under a new low emissions technology partnership agreement. The Letter of Intent between India and Australia on New and Renewable Energy Technology was agreed to by Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh and Australia's Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor during the fourth India-Australia Energy Dialogue held on Tuesday. Energy Transition was a major area of discussion in the dialogue and both ministers spoke in detail about the ongoing Energy Transition activities in their respective countries with focus on renewables, energy efficiency, storage, EVs, critical minerals, mining etc. The need of Climate Finance was also highlighted by India for meeting the Energy Transition goals of developing countries. The agreement recognises India and Australia share a common objective of driving down the cost of low and zero emissions techno...

  The leaders of terrorist organisations in South Asia region continue to spread hatred against India through internet platforms and social media and raise funds through fake charities, crowdfunding and by portraying themselves as humanitarian NGOs and non-profit organisations, India told the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) of the United Nations' Security Council on Monday. The CTC open briefing started with remarks from Ambassador T S Tirumurti, the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations who is also the chief of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. It was attended by officials from the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), INTERPOL, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and representatives from the Member States of South and South-East Asia.   India's statement was delivered by Rajesh Parihar, Counsellor at India's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, who, at the very outset, reminded the attendees about the 40 brave men of Indian sec...

  At a time when global shortage of semi conductors has hit production of electronic items including smartphones and vehicles, the newly inked joint venture between the Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta and Hon Hai Technology Group – better known as Foxconn Technology Group -- to manufacture semiconductors in India naturally had grabbed headlines. While this is expected to give a push to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s production-linked incentive (PLI) plan, it is also seen by many as a move that would further expand collaboration between India and Taiwan, which is a key player in the global supply chain network. The joint venture also gives shape to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s “New Southbound Policy” and Modi’s Act East Policy. Also read:  Taiwan electronics giant Foxconn forms JV to make chips in India "India is quietly but aggressively deepening its economic ties with Taiwan, there could be many more such investment announcements in the offing," an insider told India Narrativ...

  When results of the class 12th exam in Kashmir were declared by the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education (BOSE) on Tuesday, February 8, there was unexpected jubilation, particularly among the female students and their families, across the valley. Most of the top merit positions had been grabbed by the girls. While the girls outclassed the boys in all streams of Science, Commerce and Arts, they grabbed the lion’s share of the first 20 positions as well as the overall distinction categories. Among the girls, 78 percent passed the exam—27,104/34,879. Among the boys, not more than 72 pc—26,971/37,301—qualified. Arusa Parvaiz Shah (17), the daughter of an ordinary shopkeeper and a student of Kashmir Harvard Naseembagh, secured the first position of merit among all streams. She obtained 499 out of 500 marks i.e. 98.8 pc. On Saturday, 12 February, Srinagar’s Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Aijaz Assad draped Arusa with the State honours. She revealed her ambition of taking adm...

  New York’s Stony Brook University (SBU) team of researchers were in for a surprise when they spotted gentoo penguin colonies on Andersson Island of Antarctica and also on an archipelago which has remained unexplored and is located off the Antarctica Peninsula’s northern point. According to a report in smithsonianmag.com, these places are some of the southern-most for gentoo breeding. Interestingly, gentoo penguins favour places that are warmer to raise their offspring and till recently found these regions too icy for their choice. That doesn’t seem so now as change in climate is helping them to expand their habitat – “gentoofication” as some scientists refer to it as. Talking to Mongabay, Heather Lynch, said: “It’s may be a cliché at this point, but they’re the canary in the coal mine for climate change because they’re so closely tied to those sea ice conditions.” Read More

  As Australia reopens its international borders to fully vaccinated tourists and business travellers from February 21, it is looking at India - its fastest-growing source of international visitors - to revitalise its tourism industry, especially during the T20 Cricket World Cup later this year. Over 800,000 fans are expected to attend the ICC T20 cricket extravaganza, which Australia will host for the first time in October. Such has been the buzz surrounding the event, in particular to see one of the world cricket’s biggest rivalries, that the general ticket allocations for India vs Pakistan encounter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 22 were sold within five minutes of going on sale, last week. "Hosting the T20 cricket World Cup this year will be a fantastic opportunity to encourage more Indian tourists and business travellers to visit Australia," Dan Tehan, the country's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, said following extensive meetings with India’s...

  The stage is set for the high stakes battle between the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party as Goa, Uttarakhand and parts of western Uttar Pradesh go to the polls today. While it would be single-phase polling in Goa and Uttarakhand, votes would be cast in 55 assembly constituencies spread across nine districts of western Uttar Pradesh. Even as Uttar Pradesh dominated the election scenario, all eyes are also on Goa and Uttarakhand, where BJP is locked in fierce battles to stay in power. In Goa, this is the first electoral foray for the BJP without its talisman and master strategist, former chief minister, Manohar Parrikar. This small seaside state with 40 assembly seats is locked in a multi-corner contest. Pitted against the ruling BJP is Congress and AAP and Trinamool Congress among other smaller parties. However, analysts observed that the main fight would be between BJP and Congress. If it is anti-incumbency and factionalism plaguing the ruling BJP, Congress could be hit by the d...

Timed with precision, Baloch nationalists launched two spectacular and unprecedented attacks on Pakistani military camps separated from each other by over 400 kilometres. The impressively coordinated strikes took place when the beleaguered Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Beijing to unlock funding for the stalled China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. The attacks immediately demolished Khan’s sales pitch to woo the Chinese to revive CPEC funding. Far from believing the Pakistani Prime Minister that Balochistan, through which most of the CPEC passes has been secured and will be stable, it is obvious that Beijing’s confidence in Islamabad’s capacity to secure the corridor would have been severely dented after the bold attacks on the Nushki and Panjgur camps. Clearly, Balochistan is on the boil, and the Chinese know it. Already Beijing has been rattled by the killing of their nine engineers, working at the site of the Dasu power project,  during a pivotal attack i...

  It seems the honeymoon between Pakistan's military establishment and the Taliban government is over. In a fresh move to put pressure on the Taliban leaders, the chief of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Lt. General Nadim Ahmad Anjum has approached the anti-Taliban leaders. Last week the new chief of the ISI met Afghan warlords Marshall Dostam, Nadim Ahmad Anjum and  Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq in Ankara - the capital of Turkey. The meeting took place at the request of Anjum to discuss Pakistan's concerns about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, reports the Persian edition of The Independent. Citing sources, the daily says that Anjum and two of his deputies met the three anti-Taliban leaders who are founders of anti-Taliban National Resistance Council of Afghanistan (ANRC). In the meeting, General Anjum told the three leaders about his dissatisfaction with the current situation in Afghanistan and the Taliban's reluctance to form a cohesive structure, including all ethnic...

The Joe Biden administration has outlined its Indo-Pacific strategy vowing to build a free and open region, by building the capacity of its regional allies like India. The aim of the much-awaited strategy is to balance China's attempts at global domination through coercion. The US now plans to take action over the next one to two years to ensure that its allies in the region who are at the receiving end of Chinese military aggression are supported by building deterrence. Regarding India, the Indo-Pacific strategy says: "We recognise that India is a like-minded partner and leader in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, active in and connected to Southeast Asia". It took note of the Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control with India and said it supports "India’s continued rise and regional leadership". Washington has also taken note of Beijing's moves in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait where the communist giant is targeting Taiwan as well as ...

  Over two years after its transformation from a State to a Union Territory (UT), Jammu and Kashmir is getting back a commission of the empowerment and protection of women. The UT administration on Tuesday approved the constitution of “Jammu and Kashmir Commission for Women” for which a chairperson and four members would be appointed shortly. According to the Government Order issued by Sheetal Nanda, Commissioner-Secretary Social Welfare, JKCW would have powers to investigate and examine all matters related to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws. It would also review extant provisions of the Constitution and take suo motu cognizance of various issues related to women’s rights. The Commission would be headed by a female chairperson committed to the cause of fair sex. It would have five government nominee members, each having not less than 10 years of experience in the field of women welfare, administration, economic development, health, education ...

  In a major medical breakthrough, a paralysed man with a severed spinal cord has been able to walk again, with an implant developed by a team of Swiss researchers. It is the first time someone who has had a complete cut to their spinal cord has been able to walk freely again. The research has been published in the journal Nature Medicine. Michel Roccati was paralysed after a motorbike accident five years ago. His spinal cord was completely severed - and he has no feeling at all in his legs. But he can now walk - because of an electrical implant that has been surgically attached to his spine. "I stand up, walk where I want to, I can walk the stairs - it's almost a normal life," BBC quoted Roccati as saying. The implant sends electrical pulses to his muscles, mimicking the action of the brain, and could one day help people with severe spinal injuries stand, walk and exercise. Read More

  After three days of unprecedented attacks on the two camps of Pakistani security forces in restive Balochistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa finally reached the spot to boost the morale of their forces. “All those soldiers who sacrificed their lives have a special place in heaven. It is an honour for the Muslims when they lay down their lives for their country,” Express Tribune reported Khan as saying while addressing the troops at Naushki army base camp on Tuesday. Khan said that the martyrs have the second-highest place after the Prophets. “Our troops are waging a jihad against the terrorists,”  Khan said. Read More