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The Philippines may turn down the request of the United States to temporarily host Afghan refugees in the country because there are security, legal and logistics issues involved, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters after the launching of Cebuana Lhuillier's Kanegosyo Center in Parañaque City, Marcos said the Philippines has to be "conscious" of these concerns.
"There are many issues involved [in the US request] that is why I was a little surprised when I saw some of the news reports, there's a deal between the US. There is no deal. We are still looking exactly at how to make it work if we can. It's entirely possible that we will not find a way to make it happen," Marcos said.
If there are no drastic changes to the plan, then there is no problem, he said. "But what plan ran exactly as you had hoped."
There had been reports that the President had approved the US request to provide temporary asylum to Afghan nationals who worked for the American government and companies before the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021.
The fall of Afghanistan's capital Kabul triggered a chaotic pullout of American forces.
The Afghan nationals that managed to leave their country must wait until they are issued special immigration visas before they are resettled in the US. Marcos said the Philippines has a "long tradition" of taking in refugees, but this case is "different" since the Afghan nationals are not refugees.
"They are Afghans who are being resettled primarily in the United States and we are going to be the third country. That is the proposal of the United States," the President said.
"We are only going to be a, how do you say it, a transition area. Dadalhin sila dito, ire-relocate sila. Ang sabi ng mga kaibigan nating Amerikano, ika nila, hindi palalampasin ng 1,000 tao kung sakali man ay matutuloy itong request na ito (They will be brought here and relocated later. Our American friends said they would not go over 1,000 people if this request pushed through)," he said.
The President said the Philippines and US continue to discuss the matter. "We will continue to study. Let's see if there is a way we can do it without endangering the security of the Philippines. We will see if we can actually manage it and to make sure that if things do not go as planned, ano 'yung mga pwede nating gawin (we will know what we can do)," he said.
Islamabad, 30 June 2023 (APP)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan have reached to nine-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) of around US$3 billion, according to press statement issued by the fund.
“I am pleased to announce that the IMF team has reached a staff-level agreement with the Pakistani authorities on a nine-month Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) in the amount of SDR2,250 million (about $3 billion or 111 percent of Pakistan’s IMF quota)”, said Nathan Porter, who was leading IMF staff team in meetings with Pakistan.
The staff-level agreement is subject to approval by the IMF Executive Board, with its consideration expected by mid-July, the statement added.
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar also shared the agreement on his tweeter Friday.
The new SBA will support the authorities’ immediate efforts to stabilize the economy from recent external shocks, preserve macroeconomic stability and provide a framework for financing from multilateral and bilateral partners.
It would also create space for social and development spending through improved domestic revenue mobilization and careful spending execution to help address the needs of the Pakistani people.
According to the statement, steadfast policy implementation was key for Pakistan to overcome its current challenges, including through greater fiscal discipline, a market determined exchange rate to absorb external pressures, and further progress on reforms, particularly in the energy sector, to promote climate resilience, and to help improve the business climate.
It is pertinent to mention, IMF staff team led by Nathan Porter held in person and virtual meetings with the Pakistani Authorities to discuss a new financing engagement for Pakistan under an IMF Stand-by Arrangement (SBA).
Nathan said, the new SBA builds on the authorities’ efforts under Pakistan’s 2019 EFF-supported program which expires end-June.
“Since the completion of the combined seventh and eight reviews under the 2019 Extended Fund Facility (EFF) in August 2022, the economy has faced several external shocks such as the catastrophic floods in 2022 that impacted the lives of millions of Pakistanis and an international commodity price spike in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine,” Nathan said.
As a result of these shocks as well as some policy missteps—including shortages from constraints on the functioning of the FX market—economic growth has stalled, he added.
Inflation, including for essential items, is very high. Despite the authorities’ efforts to reduce imports and the trade deficit, reserves have declined to very low levels. Liquidity conditions in the power sector also remain acute, with further buildup of arrears (circular debt) and frequent loadshedding.
“Given these challenges, the new SBA would provide a policy anchor and a framework for financial support from multilateral and bilateral partners in the period ahead. The authorities have already taken a series of important actions ahead of the new program.
Of these, parliament had approved FY24 budget in line with the goals of supporting fiscal sustainability and mobilizing revenue, which will enable greater social and development spending.
The FY24 budget advances a primary surplus of around 0.4 percent of GDP by taking some steps to broaden the tax base and increase tax collection from under-taxed sectors, as well as improving progressivity, while ensuring space to strengthen support for the vulnerable through the BISP program. It will be important that the budget is executed as planned, and the authorities resist pressures for unbudgeted spending or tax exemptions in the period ahead.
The SBP has withdrawn the guidance on import prioritization and is committed to ensuring the full market determination of the exchange rate. Going forward, the SBP should remain proactive to reduce inflation, which particularly affects the most vulnerable, and maintain a foreign exchange framework free of restrictions on payments and transfers for current international transactions and multiple currency practices.
The fund urged for continued efforts to mobilize financial support from multilateral institutions and bilateral partners.
In addition to generous climate-related pledges from the January 2023 Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan held in Geneva, the authorities’ efforts have focused on obtaining new financing and securing the rollover of debt falling due.
This will support near-term policy efforts and replenish gross reserves, with the aim of bringing them to more comfortable levels.
“The authorities’ program also includes ongoing efforts to strengthen the viability of the energy sector (including through a timely FY24 annual rebasing), improving SOE governance, and strengthening the public investment management framework, including for projects needed to build resilience to climate change,” he added.
The full and timely implementation of the program will be critical for its success in light of the difficult challenges.
“The IMF team would like to thank the authorities for the open and constructive dialogue and collaboration that have brought us to today’s successful conclusion,” he added.
27 June 2023 (Peoples Daily)
The SCO Industrial and Supply Chains Forum and the 2023 SCO International Investment and Trade Expo kicked off recently in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province.
A total of 330 enterprises and organizations from 34 countries and regions, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) routes, showcased more than 10,000 types of imported specialties at the expo. Deals for purchases of goods totaling a billion yuan ($140 million) were inked.
At present, the world is facing a sluggish economic recovery, while global industrial and supply chains are undergoing in-depth adjustments.
In the face of instability and uncertainties in the world economy, SCO countries have strengthened collaboration of industrial and supply chains and promoted effective aggregation of factors and resources, contributing to the resilience and stability of the global chains, said participants in the forum.
Stable and efficient industrial and supply chains are crucial to the SCO regions and the world, noted SCO Deputy Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev.
At this year's investment and trade expo, a rich array of characteristic food, consumer goods, handicrafts, and agricultural products from different countries were put on display, offering visitors a chance to shop while enjoying a glimpse into foreign customs and traditions.
The exhibition zone of Russia was designed to resemble an elegant and romantic avenue, with a large screen wall displaying the Russian State Historical Museum.
The exhibition area of Egypt was decorated with national elements, including pyramid models, pharaoh statues, as well as live-action scenes of dromedaries and cactuses in the desert, attracting many visitors to take pictures.
Honey, dairy products, jam, and other characteristic products from Kyrgyzstan were also showcased. According to a staff member of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic in China, Chinese consumers have shown a strong interest in products from Kyrgyzstan, but lacked purchasing channels.
A batch of agricultural products from Kyrgyzstan, including honey and cherries, has arrived in China recently, said the staff member, adding that Kyrgyzstan was ready to open an official online store on Chinese e-commerce platform JD.com and planned to open brick-and-mortar stores in Chinese cities including Qingdao and Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Since the establishment of the SCO in 2001, China's trade with other SCO member states has been climbing. The trade volume reached $343.3 billion in 2021, a 28-fold growth from 2001.
The China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area (SCODA) in Qingdao saw its foreign trade volume hit 36 billion yuan in 2022, up 38.3 percent year-on-year.
The SCODA has launched 31 regular international railway routes connecting China and 54 cities in 23 countries, including SCO members and countries along the BRI routes. In 2022, a total of 279,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers were handled, up 5.4 percent from the previous year.
The forum witnessed the launch of the SCO Comprehensive Service Platform 2.0. As China's first one-stop public service platform for local economic and trade cooperation among SCO countries, the platform has attracted nearly 5,000 enterprises since its launch.
The 2.0 version focuses on meeting the actual needs of SCO countries, such as import and export processes, local currency settlement, barter trade, and the reciprocal recognition of supervision.
It has innovatively incorporated a good number of systems for services covering SCO cross-border payment and settlement, new forms of cross-border barter trade, aviation logistics, used-car exports, and taxpayer information verification, effectively solving problems including poor cross-border settlement channels between SCO countries in the past.
As the largest regional cooperation organization in the Eurasian continent with the greatest potential, the SCO has made unique contributions to regional stability and development.
Efforts will be made to leverage platforms including the SCO Industrial and Supply Chains Forum to continuously motivate various parties to deepen pragmatic cooperation, according to Yermekbayev, who noted that regional economic cooperation among SCO countries will yield more fruitful results.
Rawalpindi, 26 June 2023 (Daily Dawn)
Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Maj. Gen. Ahmed Sharif said on Monday that one lieutenant general, 3 Major Generals and 7 Brigadiers are among 102 persons under military courts trials as part of the military’s “self-accountability process” into the events of May 9.
He revealed this today addressing a press conference on the facts of May 9 erupted across the country following the arrest of PTI political party's chairman Imran Khan.
He said that the incident of May 9 is extremely disappointing, condemnable and a black chapter in the history of our country. 'The events of May 9 have proven that what enemies couldn’t do in 76 years, a bunch of miscreants and their facilitators did,” military spokesperson said. He added that the incident was undoubtedly a conspiracy against Pakistan.
He said that the investigation held until now has proven that May 9 incident was well planned for the past several months.
Maj Gen. Sharif said that as per the planning, a conducive environment was created and people were instigated and provoked against the army. Further a narrative was built on lies with aggressive propaganda through social media inside and outside the country. He said that the authorities had obtained evidence against them.
He said while Pakistan Army is giving these sacrifices, on other hand, unfortunately, filthy propaganda was done on the basis of a false narrative for nefarious political objectives.
Maj. Gen. Sharif said the families of martyrs were hurt and they have been asking if their loved ones rendered these sacrifices for the nation so that their memorials are disrespected in such a manner.
“The heirs of the martyrs are asking all of us, especially the army chief, whether they would be able to protect the honour of the martyred soldiers from these miscreants.”
He stressed that stability in any country was based on the relationship shared by army and citizens. He said that despite attempts, the enemy failed to dent the relationship between army and the people”.
He asserted that the armed forces have been and will continue to give countless sacrifices for the defence of the country and the welfare of the people. This is the trust of people that, no matter the circumstances, the army will not shy away from any sacrifice, and the reality that the armed forces represent all schools of thought and not any particular elite,” DG ISPR said.
‘Self-accountability Process’
Maj. Gen. Sharif revealed that the army had completed its process of 'self-accountability' headed by two major generals.
“After a deliberate and detailed accountability process, keeping the requests of in-court of inquiries in view, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against those who failed to keep the security and honour of garrisons, military installations, Jinnah House and General Headquarters intact.
He said that three officers including a lieutenant-general, have been removed from their jobs. Strict disciplinary proceedings against officers, including three major generals and seven brigadiers, have been completed without discrimination, irrespective of rank or social status.
He said that a granddaughter of a retired four star general, son-in-law of a retired four star general, wife of a retired three-star general, and wife and son-in-law of a retired two star general are facing this process of accountability on the basis of irrefutable evidence.
Talking about trials under the Army Act, Maj Gen Sharif said that 17 standing military courts were functioning in which trial of 102 miscreants is underway and this process will continue.
He said that the suspects being tried in military courts have complete legal rights of appeal in the high courts and Supreme Court.
Military Spokesperson categorically assured that all those elements behind 09 May incidents and their facilitators will be dealth with iron hand.
Lahore, 24 June 2023
By Asif Luqman Qazi Sahi
US-India Joint Statement Ignores Human Rights Violations committed by BJP government on innocent Kashmiris in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK).
The Indian government revoked constitutional articles that gave special status to the State of Jummu and Kashmir. (Kumar, Hari. "India Revokes Kashmir's Special Status: What Does It Mean?" The New York Times, 5 Aug. 2019, Print.)
BJP members are involved in communal violence against Muslims and other religious minorities in India. (Jaffrelot, Christophe. "Hindu Nationalism and Violence against Muslims in India." Journal of Democracy, vol. 27, no. 1, 2016, pp. 44-58, Print.)
Incidents of lynching have increased since Prime Minister Modi came to power. (Rao, Sameer. "Lynching in Modi's India." The New York Times, 24 June 2019, Print.)
There is an attempt to merge the State of Jammu and Kashmir. ("India's Government Moves to Strip Kashmir of Its Autonomy." The Economist, 8 Aug. 2019, Print.)
The query is about the human rights violations in Kashmir and the United States' role in supporting the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The following explanation is based on credible print sources:
Kashmir has been a disputed territory between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. The UN has passed several resolutions calling for a plebiscite to determine the future of Kashmir, but India has refused to comply with them (Bose, 2003). The situation in Kashmir escalated in 1989 when an armed insurgency against Indian rule began. Since then, the Indian government has deployed hundreds of thousands of troops to the region, and human rights violations by security forces have been widespread (Human Rights Watch, 2019).
According to Amnesty International (2019), the Indian government has used excessive force against protesters, including the use of pellet-firing shotguns that have blinded and killed many people. The government has also imposed severe restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, and movement in Kashmir. Journalists, human rights defenders, and political activists have been arbitrarily detained and subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.
In recent years, there have been reports of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and sexual violence committed by Indian security forces in Kashmir (International Commission of Jurists, 2018). The Indian government has also used draconian laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to grant immunity to its security forces from prosecution for human rights violations (Asian Centre for Human Rights, 2016).
Despite these human rights violations, the US government has maintained a close relationship with India and has not taken a strong stance on the Kashmir issue. This has led to criticism from human rights organizations and some members of Congress who have called for greater US involvement in promoting peace and justice in Kashmir (Human Rights Watch, 2020).
References:
1. Amnesty International. (2019). India: End crackdown in Kashmir and restore basic rights. Print.
2. Asian Centre for Human Rights. (2016). Torture in India 2016. Print.
3. Bose, S. (2003). Kashmir: Roots of conflict, paths to peace. Print.
4. Human Rights Watch. (2019). India: Abuses by security forces in Kashmir. Print.
5. International Commission of Jurists. (2018). India: The impact of Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act 1990 on human rights. Print.
Kashmir is a highly controversial and disputed territory between India and Pakistan. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives, and the situation remains tense. The United Nations has passed several resolutions calling for a plebiscite to determine the future of the region, but India has refused to comply.
Under the UN Charter, Kashmiris have the right to resist Indian occupation. However, the Indian government has consistently labeled Kashmiri resistance as terrorism and has used brutal force to suppress it. This has led to widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances.
The United States government's support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia raises questions about its stance on Kashmir. If the US government supports Ukraine's right to resist Russian occupation, why does it not support Kashmiris' right to resist Indian occupation?
It is essential for the United States to call upon India to respect UN resolutions and give Kashmiris their inherent right of self-determination. India's unilateral declaration of Jammu and Kashmir as its integral part is illegal under Article 370.
According to the print sources, the Kashmiri people have always resisted Indian occupation and will continue to do so until they achieve their freedom. They reject the idea of being considered as Indians and demand their right to self-determination. The US government's economic interests should not come at the cost of supporting the occupation of Kashmir and depriving its people of their rights. Pakistan has an obligation to strongly condemn the US government's act of condoning the occupation of Kashmir.
References:
1. Bose, Sumantra. "Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace." Harvard University Press, 2003. (Print)
2. Ganguly, Sumit. "Conflict Unending: India-Pakistan Tensions Since 1947." Columbia University Press, 2001. (Print)
3. Noorani, A.G. "Article 370: A Constitutional History of Jammu and Kashmir." Oxford University Press, 2011. (Print)
4. Rai, Mridu. "Hindu Rulers, Muslim Subjects: Islam, Rights, and the History of Kashmir." C. Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd, 2004. (Print)
5. Schofield, Victoria. "Kashmir in Conflict: India, Pakistan and the Unending War." I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd, 2010. (Print)
Doha, 22 June 2023
Recently, the Central Municipal Council (CMC) elections were held in Qatar, with 102 candidates participating, including four women. Two members were elected unopposed.
The voter register had a total of 34,527 registered citizens, comprising both male and female voters. Approximately 40.7% of the voters cast their votes in the elections.
The voting process took place in 27 electoral constituencies, with the candidates in the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth constituencies being elected unopposed.
Enthusiasm to serve the community in their constituencies and support for each other among the contesters was amazing and very interesting. All the contesters in each constituency were seen available during visiting some of the polling stations. Every one of the contesters said whether win or lose will work together with the winning Council member.
Following is the list of the elected Municipal Council members in Qatar :
Jassem Najm Ali Ahmed Al Khulaifi Jassem Ali Jaber BusuyoulAl Surour Mohammed Rashid Khamees Al Samkhan Al Kubaisi Badr Sultan Saad Sultan Al Rumaihi Mohammed Salem Mohammed Al Qamra Al Marri Abdullah Ghanem Hassan Sultan Al Ghanim Fahad Abdullah Abdulrahman Al Mulla Waleed Mohammed Abdulrahim Mohammed Al Emadi Hassan Ali Othman Mahmoud Al Ishaq Abdulrahman Abdullah Mohammed Ali Al Khulaifi Mohammed ManaAyed Al AbdKhuwar Mohammed Ali Mohammed Al Hamar Al Adhbah Abdullah Mohammed Mubarak Al-Nabit Mohammed Hamoud Shafi Al Shafi Mubarak Fresh Mubarak Saleh Al Salim Mohammed Saleh Rashid Al Khayarin Al Hajri Abdullah Khaled Qasim Al Yahri Al Yafie Hamad Khaled Khalifa Al Kubaisi Fahad Hamad Mohammed Hussein Al Breidi Saeed Ali Hamad Al Ghufrani Al Marri Nayef Ali Mohammed Mayqah Al Ahbabi Fahad Salem Dhaidan Al Qouz Al Marri Mohammed Dhafir Mohammed Al Mufqa'i Al Hajri Ali Kharbash Humaid Kharbash Al Mansouri Abdullah Muqlad Ali Ibrahim Al Muraikhi Hassan Lahdan Ali Abujamhour Al Muhannadi (Unaposed) Rashid Saria’Ghazwan Al Saria’ Al Ka'abi (Unaposed) Mohammed Abdullah Ali Mohammed Al Sadah
Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal Al-Thani, the Minister of State for Interior Affairs, praised the voter turnout and inspected the electoral process in the 15th constituency. During his inspection, he was briefed on all the equipment prepared by the Supervisory Committee to ensure the highest organizational standards in the electoral process.
He commended the Ministry of Interior for organizing the electoral process at the highest level and in accordance with the best standards. Sheikh Abdulaziz also praised the keenness of the CMC Elections Supervisory Committee in providing modern technologies to ensure a smooth electoral process. Additionally, he highlighted the employment of trained national cadres, transparency, and the application of all necessary controls to enable citizens to exercise their electoral rights in a safe and comfortable environment.
Abdullah bin Khalaf Al-Kaabi, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, confirmed after inspecting the first constituency that all procedures related to the electoral process have been conducted easily and efficiently since the initial stages of the seventh elections of the Central Municipal Council.
The Electoral Supervisory Committee at the Ministry of the Interior has endeavored to provide all the necessary means and support to ensure that elections are completed and conducted easily and accessibly for both voters and candidates.
He stated that all concerned bodies within the Ministry of the Interior are operating within a good working system, as they have gained experience in organizing elections. He also praised the keenness of voters to participate in selecting their representatives in the Central Municipal Council since its doors were opened for the election.
The Undersecretary of the Minister of Interior added that efforts to raise awareness of the electoral process by all concerned bodies, through the dissemination of numerous awareness messages in various media, websites, social media sites, and official newspapers, contributed to raising awareness among all parties involved in the electoral process.
Municipal Council elections are held in accordance with the laws, decrees, and ministerial decisions governing the electoral process. The supervisory committee, executive committees, and electoral committees have completed their preparatory, organizational, and procedural tasks for the seventh term of the Central Municipal Council elections."
23 June 2023
By Sudeep Sonawane Surat, Gujarat
Resumption of Test cricket series between India and Pakistan would be good business for the both South Asian cricket boards as well as the International Cricket Council. Fans, television channels and social media from both sides would love it, if this happens soon.
India last hosted Pakistan for a Test series in November-December 2007. India won the first Test by six wickets at Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi. Wasim Jaffer and Sachin Tendulkar scored half centuries as India successfully chased the target of 203 runs.
The next two Tests, in Calcutta and Bangalore, ended in a draw. The hosts won the series 1-0. After this series, because of political reasons, the two countries have not played a bilateral series, barring World and Asian Cup matches at third country venues.
A gap of 16 years is long in modern cricket. Many cricketers finish their careers in eight to ten years. A few talented exceptions last more than 15 years. This is a long gap in postmodern cricket calendar that now has a busy schedule.
The ICC’s 12 full members played 43 Tests in 2022. One can imagine how much action India and Pakistan cricket fans have missed all these years.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India and Pakistan Cricket Board and television channels, with broadcasting rights, are also losing the huge profits Indo-Pak matches raise.
A generation of talented cricketers from both countries have missed playing against each other. Fans from my generation were fortunate to watch on black-and-white PTV and Doordarshan television channels some famous cricketers when Pakistan and India resumed cricket ties in the late 1970s.
Top players like Mushtaq Mohammed, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Imran Khan, Asif Iqbal, Wasim Bari, Abdul Qadir and Sunil Gavaskar, G R Vishwanath, Mohinder Amarnath, Dilip Vengsarkar, Bishan Bedi, and Kapil Dev have etched their names in Cricket’s Hall of Fame with some Epic batting and bowling performances.
Thanks to social media channels like YouTube today’s generation can watch memorable performances of these stars named above. Why should today’s cricket fans be denied the joy of watching current stars like Babar Azam, Mohammed Rizwan, Harris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi from Pakistan and Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin, and Mohammed Shami.
Both countries federal governments could find a solution to this impasse. Resumption of sports ties would spur the economies of both countries. The governments of India and Pakistan should come up with an amicable common minimum agenda to resume bilateral sports ties, not just cricket.
Bilateral series of other sports like hockey, football, badminton, tennis, and table tennis should also restart.
If governments of both countries find out a working solution, then PCB’s Acting Chairman hmed Shehzad Farooq Rana, appointed this Tuesday, and BCCI President Roger Binny and their respective board secretaries could meet plan at least a three-Test series.
Both boards will have to squeeze in such a Test series because BCCI has already set the schedule of the next cycle of World Test Championship.
As the schedule stands today, India will not play Pakistan in any bilateral Test series in the 2023-2027 cycle.
The BCCI left the columns for games against Pakistan blank in the Future Tours Programme (FTP) sent earlier this week to all its provincial cricket associations, Besides, multi-nation tournaments, the Indian men’s team will play 38 Tests (20 home and 18 away), 42 ODIs (21 each home and away) and 61 T20Is (31 home and 30 away) in the 2023-2027 cycle.
Cricket fans are missing matches between talented players of Pakistan and India. Matches between these two teams are full of high pressure and always thrilling to watch.
They attract record television audiences worldwide. World cricket seems incomplete without Indo-Pak Test, ODI and T20 series. The sooner they restart, the better it would be for world cricket.
Surat, Gujarat-based Indian journalist Sudeep Sonawane has worked in five countries in the Middle East and Asia.
Email: sudeep.sonawane@gmail
23 June 2023 (Media)
Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his 19-year-old son Suleman are among five people who perished aboard the Titanic tourist submarine.
Dawood studied Law at the University of Buckingham in 1998, and was holding Master’s degree in Textile Marketing from University of Philadelphia in 2000. Son Suleman Dawood is a university student.
Pakistani businessman and his family members survived a 'plane plunge' in 2019.
As per the media reports, the family described Dawood as a loving father and said Suleman was a university student. He left behind daughter Alina, wife Christine, brother to three siblings, and son to Hussain & Kulsum Dawood.
“Shahzada has been actively advocating a culture of learning, sustainability, and diversity in his capacity as Vice Chairman of Pakistan’s Engro Corporation. Passionate about social impact, he works extensively with the Engro Foundation, The Dawood Foundation, the SETI Institute, and Prince’s Trust International.
“Out of the office, he has spoken passionately at the United Nations in 2020 on International Day for Women & Girls in Science and Oxford Union in 2022. His interests include photography, especially wildlife photography, and exploring different natural habitats while Suleman is a big fan of science fiction literature and learning new things.
“Suleman also takes a keen interest in solving Rubik’s Cubes and enjoys playing volleyball.”
Dawood, who was a business advisor serving on the board for Prince’s Trust International, lived in a Surrey mansion with his wife Christine, son Suleman and daughter Alina, according to MailOnline.
Among other passengers included British billionaire Hamish Harding, French adventurer Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush, the CEO and founder of OceanGate Expeditions, company owns Titan submarine that imploded after going missing on Sunday en route to the wreck of HMS Titanic around 370 miles east of the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
The company was founded in Washington state in 2009 by US adventurer and former investment banker Stockton Rush.
The US Coast Guard announced on Thursday that the remains of the submersible vessel lost in the Atlantic Ocean had been found by an ROY (remotely operated vehicle) on the ocean bed near the wreck of the famed liner.
Its support vessel, the Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, lost contact with it approximately one hour and 45 minutes after it submerged on Sunday morning.
The wreckage of the Titanic which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after it hit an iceberg – is located at a depth of 12,500 feet. First discovered in 1985, the ship’s remains sit in two separate parts southeast of Newfoundland, the most easterly province of Canada.
A former employee had earlier filed a complaint, reads as “The viewport at the forward of the submersible was only built to a certified pressure of 1,300 meters, although OceanGate intended to take passengers down to depths of 4,000 meters'.
The trained aerospace engineer began offering underwater tours in specially designed submersible vessels that were developed with NASA.
In an interview with ' The Independent' in 2017, he said he had originally wanted to become an astronaut but was later drawn to underwater exploration.
“In the vacuum of space, by definition there is nothing. That means a great view, but the final frontier for new life forms and discovery is undersea – for the next 200-300 years at least.”
Rush had personally piloted many of the Titan’s 13 previous trips to the famed shipwreck and had insisted the submersible was safe in interviews.
Washington, 22 June 2023 (Media)
The fanfare around Narendra Modi's visit to the US has been punctuated by protests over accusations that his right-wing administration is cracking down on human rights in India.
Modi’s visit also faces heat from human rights groups that criticized Biden for hosting a state dinner, an honor he's bestowed on only two others since taking office—for a leader who was banned from the U.S before he was prime minister for supporting Hindu extremist groups who rioted and targeted Muslims.
White House officials have said Biden will privately question Modi over human rights concerns
Dozens of lawmakers in both houses of Congress signed a letter urging President Joe Biden to address human rights concerns with Modi during his visit. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib in her Tweet on 20th June said ' It’s shameful that Modi has been given a platform at our nation’s capital—his long history of human rights abuses, anti-democratic actions, targeting Muslims & religious minorities, and censoring journalists is unacceptable. I will be boycotting Modi’s joint address to Congress'.
Trucks bearing banners calling upon Joe Biden to question the Hindu leader were seen in the streets of New York on Wednesday even as several Democratic lawmakers urged Mr Biden to “directly” put across questions about human rights violations to Mr Modi.
Addressed to Mr Biden, digital posters on the trucks carried slogans like “Did you know mob lynching of Muslims, Christians and Dalits have surged under Modi’s rule. With almost no accountability” and “Hey Joe! Ask Modi why student activist Umar Khalid has been in prison for 1000+ days WITHOUT Trial?”
Another banner addressed to Mr Biden asked “Why was Modi banned from the USA from 2005-2014?” and provided an answer for him.
It read, for “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” and added that the Indian prime minister was the “only person ever to be denied a visa on these grounds”. The banners also labelled Mr Modi as the “Crime Minister of India”.
As Mr Biden and Mr Modi enter the second day of the latter’s high-profile state visit and look to ink new partnerships in defence, semiconductor manufacturing and more, the visit has been overshadowed with calls to address violence and crimes against minorities in India.
Notable progressive voices, like Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, have said they will boycott Mr Modi’s address to the US Congress, stating that a “joint address is among the most prestigious invitations and honours the United States Congress can extend”.
“We should not do so for individuals with deeply troubling human rights records – particularly for individuals whom our own State Department has concluded are engaged in systematic human rights abuses of religious minorities and caste-oppressed communities,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement.
More than 70 lawmakers earlier wrote to Mr Biden and called on him to use his meeting with Mr Modi to raise concerns about the erosion of religious, press and political freedoms.
“It is an important country to me, and we must call out some of the real issues that are threatening the viability of democracy in all of our countries,” said representative Pramila Jayapal, who was born in India and helped organise the lawmakers’ letter.
“If India continues to backslide, I think it will affect our ability to have a really strong relationship with the country.”
A week before Mr Modi was due to arrive in the country, US rights groups planned protests over what they call India’s deteriorating human rights record.
The Indian American Muslim Council, Peace Action, Veterans for Peace and Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition planned to gather near the White House when the two leaders were expected to meet.
The protesting groups prepared flyers that said “Modi Not Welcome” and “Save India from Hindu Supremacy”.
Another event is planned in New York, featuring a show titled “Howdy Democracy”, a play on Mr Modi’s 2019 “Howdy Modi!” rally in Texas with Donald Trump.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch invited policy makers, journalists and analysts to a screening in Washington of India: the Modi Question, a BBC documentary that questioned Mr Modi’s leadership during the 2002 communal Gujarat riots.
The documentary was banned in India, with the Indian government calling it a “propaganda piece” that displays “bias, [a] lack of objectivity, and frankly a continuing colonial mindset” on the part of the BBC.
The BBC defended itself and said it adhered to the “highest editorial standards”.
Since Mr Modi came to power in 2014, India has plummeted from 140th in the World Press Freedom Index, to 161st this year, its lowest dip ever, while also topping the list for the highest number of internet shutdowns globally for five consecutive years.
Advocacy groups have also raised concerns over alleged human rights abuses under Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
Modi arrived in New York Tuesday for his first state visit since becoming Prime Minister and immediately met with Elon Musk, who told reporters he plans for Telsa to make a "significant investment" in India "as soon as humanly possible," news that came on the same day India's cabinet approved Micron Technology's $2.7billion plan for a new semiconductor testing and packaging unit.
Micron Technology's plans come as the White House presses U.S. chip companies to invest in India to “decrease the risks of doing business in China,” Reuters reported, adding that Modi has a vision of making India a hub for semiconductor manufacturing and testing. Modi is to meet US CEOs during his visit.
22 June 2023 (Anadolu Agency)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the White House Thursday for a ritzy state visit with US President Joe Biden that is slated to be replete with pomp and circumstance.
Modi was feted with a lavish arrival ceremony on the South Lawn, greeted by the Marine Corps band playing Hail to the Chief as throngs of White House visitors shouted his name.
But overshadowing the visit was an outpouring of criticism from human rights advocates that prompted three prominent Democratic US lawmakers to boycott his upcoming congressional address. Progressive Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are slated to skip the event.
Separately, 70 Democrats from both the House of Representatives and the Senate wrote a letter to Biden to discuss the need to protect human rights and democratic values in India as he meets with Modi this week.
After a marching band clad in colonial-era garb concluded a performance on the South Lawn that included a rendition of Yankee Doodle, Biden welcomed Modi back to the White House, saying he has "long believed that the relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century."
"The challenges and opportunities facing the world in this century require that India and the United States work together and lead together, and we are," he said, touting the growing importance the nations are placing on a multinational group they are part of alongside Australia and Japan.
Appearing to address some of the rights criticism from his fellow Democrats, Biden said "equity under the law, freedom of expression, religious pluralism and diversity of our people -- these core principles have endured and evolved even as they have faced challenges throughout each of our nations' histories, and will fuel our strength, depth and future."
Speaking after Biden, Modi said the "grand welcome ceremony at the White House is an honor and pride for 1.4 billion people of India."
"For this honor, I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden," he said. "
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