Kohima (Nagaland) , December 5,2021: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Sunday ordered a high-level probe into the reported killings of civilians by security forces in Oting village in the Mon district of the state.
In a tweet this morning, the chief minister informed about the “unfortunate incident” that led to the “killing of civilians” in the village while appealing for calm.
“The unfortunate incident leading to killing of civilians at Oting, Mon is highly condemnable. Condolences to the bereaved families & speedy recovery of those injured. High level SIT will investigate & justice delivered as per the law of the land. Appeal for peace from all sections,” chief minister Rio posted on Twitter.
Some Naga youth were reportedly killed in Oting village of Mon district on Saturday when they were allegedly fired at by security forces who suspected them to be terrorists.
Reportedly, irked villagers torched vehicles of security forces and some people were reportedly shot when security forces opened fire to control the irate mob.
Further details awaited.
Bamako, Dec 4,2021: A terrorist attack at Songho Gare, a small town between Sevare and Bandiagara in central Mali, claimed dozens of lives, a local official and witnesses told Xinhua on Friday.
According to the witnesses, the terrorists attacked a bus heading to the Bandiagara fair.
“The vehicle was set on fire, costing the lives of at least 33 people almost entirely burned,” said a local official who requested anonymity.
“The vehicle was attacked by terrorists who first murdered the driver before closing the vehicle and setting fire to it with its passengers inside,” he said.
Witnesses also confirmed seven wounded, four seriously injured and dozens of missing.
The Malian government has not yet officially released any statements about this deadly attack.
Located about 10 km from the city of Bandiagara, the Songho Gare bridge has been frequently sabotaged by terrorists to cut this part of Mali from the rest of the country.
Since 2012, Mali has been facing a deep and multifaceted serious security, political and economic crisis. Independence insurrections, jihadist incursions and inter-communal violence have caused thousands of deaths and displaced hundreds of thousands of people despite the presence of UN, French and European forces.
New Delhi, Dec 4,2021: A total of 4,048 Indian citizens succumbed to COVID-19 abroad, with the largest number being reported from Saudi Arabia – 1,154, the Lok Sabha was told.
This was followed by the United Arab Emirates at 894, Kuwait – 668, Oman -551, Bahrain 200 and Qatar 109, MoS for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in the House.
The Government issued guidelines through the National Disaster Management Authority, in pursuance of Supreme Court judgment regarding ex-gratia payment to Indians who succumbed to COVID-19
New Delhi, Dec 2,20201: Four days after the resumption of physical classes, Delhi government on Thursday order to close all schools and educational institutes from December 3 till further orders.
The decision came after the Supreme Court (SC) pulled up the Delhi government for resuming physical classes in schools amid a rise in the air pollution levels in the city.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Manish Sisodia said that in view of pollution, schools have been closed physically till further orders.
“However, board examinations would be conducted as per the schedule,” Sisodia, who also holds education department, said in a tweet.
Schools had reopened this week after an almost three-week-long closure owing to air pollution. After remaining shut since November 13, physical classes in schools, colleges and other educational institutions had resumed from Monday.
Earlier in the day, Supreme Court came down heavily on both the Centre and the Delhi government, following continued deterioration in air quality in the national capital, and directed both to take serious measures immediately to reduce the AQI levels and submit a report within 24 hours.
Washington [US], December 2,2021:: In a bid to enhance trilateral security partnership called “AUKUS”, the US, Australia and the United Kingdom have engaged in an 18-month consultation period to seek an optimal pathway for delivery of nuclear-powered submarines, United States President Joe Biden said a White House statement on Wednesday (local time).
The agreement for the Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information among the three countries would permit parties to communicate and exchange Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information and would provide authorization to share certain Restricted Data.
“Pursuant to the enhanced trilateral security partnership called “AUKUS” announced earlier this year, our three governments are engaging in an 18-month consultation period to seek an optimal pathway for delivery of nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy at the earliest achievable date. The Agreement would permit the three Parties to communicate and exchange Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information and would provide authorization to share certain Restricted Data as may be needed during trilateral discussions, thereby enabling full and effective consultations,” the statement issued by Joe Biden read.
Biden also said that the agreement among the US, Australia, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the UK) has met all statutory requirements.
Nov 30,2021:Barbados is set to become a republic, replacing Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and severing centuries-old ties with the British crown on the 55th anniversary of the Caribbean nation’s independence from the United Kingdom.
Prince Charles, the UK’s heir to the throne, arrived in Barbados late on Sunday as the country prepares to replace the Queen with Sandra Mason, a former governor-general who will become the island’s first president.
The move will not have major effects on the country’s international relations, as the queen’s position as head of state has been symbolic.
The role that Mason, who was elected last month by a joint session of the country’s House of Assembly and Senate, takes up will also be largely ceremonial, behind Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
But supporters of the transition say removing the British queen as Barbados’s head of state sends a powerful message – and further distances the island from its colonial past.
“Tonight’s the night!” read the front-page headline of Barbados’ Daily Nation newspaper.
Mason is due to to be inaugurated just after midnight, coinciding with Barbados Independence Day on Tuesday.
“This is more of an emotional, historic, symbolic decision than a practical one,” said Al Jazeera’s Latin America Editor Lucia Newman, who is at the celebrations in the capital, Bridgetown.
The move to republicanism – which local leaders described as the “next logical step toward full sovereignty” – was announced last year during the annual Throne Speech.
“The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind,” said Mason, who delivered the speech on behalf of Mottley in her then-role as governor-general. “Barbadians want a Barbadian head of state.”
In Bridgetown, Barbadians have been preparing celebrations for their new republic, with Prince Charles expected to deliver a speech stressing that warm relations between the island and the UK would continue despite the constitutional change.
Barbados will remain a republic within the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
But its withdrawal from the monarchy will bring the number of Commonwealth realms – countries that continue to have the queen as their head of state – to 15, including Jamaica, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
The last country to ditch the crown was the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius in 1992.
New Delhi, Nov 29,2021: Even as most countries began slapping travel bans on African countries, India on Monday offered support for Africa to combat the newly-emerged Omicron variant of the Covid-19 pandemic, including through supply of vaccines, life-saving drugs, PPE kits, gloves and ventilators.
“We have noted the emergence of a new variant of Covid-19, Omicron. We express our solidarity with the countries, particularly in Africa, who have so far been affected by the Omicron variant,” a late evening statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The Government of India stands ready to support the countries affected in Africa in dealing with the Omicron variant, including by supplies of Made-in-India vaccines.
It said supplies can be undertaken through the COVAX facility or bilaterally.
“In this regard, the Government has cleared all orders placed so far by COVAX for supplies of Covishield vaccines including to African countries like Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea and Lesotho.
“We have also cleared supplies of Covaxin to Botswana.
“Any new requirement projected either bilaterally or through COVAX will be considered expeditiously,” it said.
India also stands ready to supply essential life-saving drugs, test kits, gloves, PPE kits and medical equipment such as ventilators, as may be required.
“Indian institutions would favourably consider cooperation in genomic surveillance and virus characterization related research work with their African counterparts,” the statement said.
It added that India has, so far, supplied more than 25 million doses of Made-in-India vaccines to 41 countries in Africa, including nearly 1 million doses as grant to 16 countries and more than 16 million doses under the COVAX facility to 33 countries.
Noc 29,2021:France is ready for a serious discussion with the UK on issues related to illegal immigration, but will not be held hostage by internal London policy, said the country’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The two countries are already at odds over post-Brexit trade rules and fishing rights, and last week relations soured further after 27 people died trying to cross the English Channel.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote to President Emmanuel Macron outlining five steps the two countries could take to prevent immigrants from taking the perilous journey. One — the sending of illegal immigrants back to France — angered Paris.
France responded by canceling an invitation to British Interior Minister Priti Patel to attend a meeting on Sunday with its European counterparts to discuss the matter after Johnson posted the letter on Twitter.
“The UK has left Europe but not the world. We need to work seriously on these issues without being held hostage by British domestic politics,” Darmanin told reporters after meeting his Belgian, German and Dutch colleagues in Calais.
He added that the tone of London in private was not the same as in public.
France has been dealing with the issue of illegal immigration to the UK for 25 years and now is the time for London to wake up, said Darmanin.
“If immigrants are coming to Calais, Dunkirk or northern France, it’s because they’re attracted to England, especially the job market, which means you can work in England without any identification,” he said.
“The UK must accept its responsibility and limit its economic attractiveness.”