SRINAGAR: On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir government appointed Joint Director of Information in Kashmir, Mohammad Aslam, as the nodal officer and single point of contact (SPOC) for the upcoming G20 Summit in Srinagar, starting from May 22.
According to an official order, Aslam’s appointment as nodal officer and SPOC was based on the minutes of a meeting held on February 16, 2023, and directions issued on May 8, 2023, during a review of preparations for the G-20 summit.
The order stated that Aslam, a JKAS officer, will oversee the proper implementation of the comprehensive media plan prepared by DIPR (Department of Information and Public Relations) and ensure information dissemination and appropriate coverage of the event.
He was also instructed to coordinate and liaise with the Tourism Department and other relevant stakeholders, as needed. (KNS)
SRINAGAR: Police on Tuesday said that a 14 Year-Old boy tried to self immolate over some “romantic issues” in Noorbagh area of Srinagar.
One Juvenile( identity hidden) aged 14 years of Rakh colony Noorbagh tried to self immolate himself, over some romantic relationship issue. He was rushed to SMHS hospital by responsible citizens. He has sustained minor burn injuries & is stable. Cognisance by safakadal PS taken.
In tweet Srinagar police said that “One Juvenile( identity hidden) aged 14 years of Rakh colony Noorbagh tried to self immolate himself, over some romantic relationship issue. He was rushed to SMHS hospital by responsible citizens. He has sustained minor burn injuries & is stable. Cognisance by safakadal PS taken,”.
Earlier, there was a rumour about acid attack in Noorbagh, which latter was found untrue. (GNS)
Srinagar, May 09: Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed Mohd Aslam, Joint Director Information, Kashmir, as the nodal officer and ‘single point of contact’ for upcoming G-2- summit in J&K UT.
“With reference to minutes of the meeting dated 16-02-2023 and directions issued on 8-05-2023 during review of preparations for G-20 summit, it is hereby ordered that Mr. Mohd Aslam (JKAS) Joint Director Information, Kashmir (Contact No. – +91-9419000155) shall be the Nodal officer & Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for the forth-coming G-20 Summit in the UT of J&K,” read an order issued today.
His roles and responsibilities would be “to ensure proper implementation of the Comprehensive Media plan prepared by DIPR, covering all activities for information dissemination and proper coverage of the G-20 event,” and “to ensure proper coordination and liaison with Tourism Department and other stakeholders as required.
New Delhi, May 09: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried searches at 16 locations across Jammu & Kashmir in a case linked to newly launched militant outfits in the Union Territory.
In a statement, issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said that the searches were carried in the premises of cadres of hybrid militants and over ground workers linked to newly formed offshoots and affiliates of several major banned Pak-backed outfits.
The statement reads were conducted in Anantnag, Srinagar, Budgam, Shopian, Kulgam and Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri and Kishtwar districts.
“The NIA has been investigating the activities of newly floated terrorist groups, such as The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (UL J&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF and others. These outfits are affiliated to Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda, etc,” it reads.
It added that the raids were part of NIA’s investigations into the activities of OGWs and cadres in support of these new outfits.
“These cadres and workers have been found involved in collection and distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, IEDs, cash, drugs and small weapons, as well as in spreading activities relating to violence and subversion in J&K. Investigations have further revealed that Pak-based operatives were using drones to deliver weapons, bombs, drugs etc. to their operatives and cadres in the Kashmir valley.”
It added that NIA had earlier on May 2 conducted raids at 12 locations in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the seizure of incriminating material and digital devices, in the terror conspiracy case it had registered suo motu on 21 June 2022.
“The case (RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU) related to the hatching of a conspiracy, both physical and cyber space, and plans by the proscribed militant organisations to unleash violent militant attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms.”
It added the plans are part of a larger conspiracy by these outfits to commit acts of terror and violence, in association with local over ground workers, to disturb peace and communal disharmony in J&K—(KNO)
Here’s how the four corners of Capitol Hill leadership, plus the president, will come into today’s White House meeting and what they’ll look to get out of it:
President Joe Biden
Biden is looking for Republicans to acquiesce to his demand that they raise the nation’s debt limit without conditions — a point that the White House has publicly and privately insisted the GOP will cave on.
“He’s going to make it clear to Speaker McCarthy what’s at stake,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said. “The President is willing to have that conversation” about spending, but “they have to pass a clean debt ceiling.”
The White House remains confident it’s winning the political battle over the debt ceiling, especially as Biden balances his demands on the debt limit with openness to a compromise on the federal budget later this year. And there’s little expectation that Biden or McCarthy will present a specific budget proposal during the meeting, or even that they’ll emerge with anything more than an agreement to keep talking.
The Biden administration has already suggested that the talks won’t lead to any substantial movement. The president has already scheduled a trip to New York’s Hudson Valley on Wednesday to discuss why Congress should raise the debt limit.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy
While all four corners of congressional leadership will meet Tuesday to discuss the debt limit, it’s McCarthy who will be the key negotiator from Capitol Hill. The speaker heads to the White House satisfied that House Republicans have already done their part, passing a package of spending cuts coupled with a one-year debt ceiling increase. Many of his House GOP colleagues framed the bill as a negotiating position for these talks.
There was broad expectation at the time of passage that the bill would be winnowed, through negotiations with the White House, to something that could win Democratic votes in the Senate and the president’s signature.
But with a narrow majority and mounting frustration that Biden did not agree to sit down earlier, McCarthy could try to stick closer to his House-passed proposal, which he clocked as a victory in uniting his conference. Some on the right flank of the House GOP, including Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), will view McCarthy compromising or departing from their bill at all as failure to execute on his promise to rein in federal spending. Norman told POLITICO last month that McCarthy made promises to keep intact all of the red meat spending provisions that the House already approved.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the other Republican at Tuesday’s table, has long insisted that he will not be the one to hammer out any deal, nor will he back any deal cooked up on the Senate side in a bipartisan “gang” by self-appointed negotiators. Legislation that could get 60 votes in the Senate can’t necessarily pass the House, where hard-line corners of McCarthy’s conference don’t want him to budge from what they’ve already passed while others only signed onto that bill with confidence that parts they didn’t like would be negotiated out.
McConnell is letting McCarthy lead, knowing that the speaker needs to strike an agreement that he can take back to his fractious, four-seat-majority conference. There’s no way around the House here, a senior Senate GOP aide told Huddle on Monday evening.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) heads into the meeting in alignment with Biden and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), intent on separating discussions on spending from a path forward to raise the debt limit. The Democratic mantra has been “take the threat of default off the table” to pave the way for talks about federal spending.
Beyond that Democratic negotiating position, Schumer holds another card: the House-passed bill that marries significant spending cuts with a debt limit increase wouldn’t survive the Democratically controlled Senate and would likely lose some Senate GOP votes, too. The Senate majority leader, along with everyone else in the room, will be looking for McCarthy to articulate some sort of flexibility to move towards something that could potentially pass both chambers, a senior Senate Democratic aide told Huddle.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Jeffries arrives at the White House with a still-developing relationship with Biden. For years, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) led the relationship between House Democrats and the White House, but Jeffries, who does not have the former speaker’s long history of deal making, is still building his rapport and trust with the president.
The minority leader described himself this weekend as being in “lockstep” with the president on the debt ceiling, but is expected to evaluate what role he needs to play in the meeting and ensuing negotiations based on where Biden and McCarthy take the conversation. Jeffries will be expected to deliver the Democratic votes needed in the House to move any kind of compromise that emerges in the coming weeks.
Daniella Diaz and Jennifer Haberkorn contributed to this report.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
SRINAGAR: The drama continues in Pakistan as the former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, was caught off guard and arrested while heading to his court hearing today. The 70-year-old ex-cricket star turned politician was taken into custody by paramilitary forces at the Islamabad High Court.
The PTI leaders claim that the police went full smash mode, breaking a glass window and forcibly dragging him outside while taking his biometric data. It gets even juicier as this all went down just one day after the army accused Khan of levelling false accusations against a top spy agency officer.
According to a tweet by the Islamabad Police, Imran Khan has been taken into custody in relation to the Qadir Trust case. This case involves allegations that Bahria Town granted land worth millions to Al-Qadir Trust, which is owned by Mr. Khan and his wife.
عمران خان کو قادر ٹرسٹ کیس میں گرفتار کیاگیا ہے۔ آئی جی اسلام آباد ۔
حالات معمول کے مطابق ہیں ۔ آئی جی اسلام آباد
دفعہ 144 نافذ العمل ہے خلاف ورزی کی صورت میں کارروائی عمل میں لائی جائے گی ۔
The police mentioned that the situation is currently “normal,” but the manner in which the arrest was carried out has caused many to question whether it was solely based on the merits of the case. The police also cautioned that Section 144 is in effect and violators will face consequences. Meanwhile, PTI has urged its supporters to take to the streets in protest.
In a tweet, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated that Imran Khan had been issued multiple notices but failed to appear in court. Sanaullah also mentioned that the arrest was carried out by the National Accountability Bureau due to allegations of causing losses to the national treasury. Furthermore, he emphasized that no harm or violence was inflicted upon Imran Khan during the arrest.
نوٹسز کے باوجود عمران پیش نہیں ہوئے، قومی خزانے کو نقصان پہنچانے پر نیب کی جانب سے گرفتاری کی گئی ہے۔ ان پر کسی قسم کا کوئی تشدد نہیں کیا گیا۔
— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@RanaSanaullahPK) May 9, 2023
Imran Khan’s party tweeted a video of him hours before heading to court, in which he reiterated his accusations against Major-General Faisal Naseer, a high-ranking officer in the ISI. Khan claims that Naseer was involved in the attempted assassination against him in Wazirabad.
SRINAGAR: A woman lost her life, and four others were injured in a road accident in Doda district of Jammu division.
According to a police officer, the accident occurred at Pull Doda when a Celerio car bearing registration no. JK 06 1453 met with an accident on Satwas road.
Among the five injured persons, Payal Devi, wife of Sandeep Singh, died before reaching the hospital.
The other injured individuals have been identified as Sandeep Singh, Santosha Devi (wife of Vicky, resident of Jammu), Arundeep Rakwal (son of Rajinder Singh, resident of Satwas), and Prayanshi Devi (daughter of Sandeep Singh, resident of Satwas). All have been shifted to GMC Doda for medical treatment, as per officials.
The police have taken cognizance of the incident and started an investigation. (KS)
SRINAGAR: The Indian Army is gearing up to turn their soldiers into real-life ‘Iron Man’ with the help of jet pack suits that will provide them with enhanced surveillance capabilities at the country’s borders with China and Pakistan, as well as in the conflict ridden region of Jammu and Kashmir, The EurAsian Times reported.
These suits are propelled by engines running on gas or liquid fuel and can carry a person weighing at least 80 kilograms while flying at a speed of at least 50 kilometers per hour for a minimum of eight minutes. The Indian Army recently got a demonstration of the technology from the UK-based company, Gravity Industries, owned by ex-marine and innovator Richard Browning.
Quoting an Indian Army official, The EurAsian Times reported that the jet pack suits are coming as an aerial surveillance platform, and their effectiveness will vary depending on the terrain, wind factor, and vegetation. However, the army is also exploring the possibility of equipping soldiers with infrared goggles to scan through thick vegetation to identify enemy combatants.
The Indian Army’s requirements for the purchase specify that the equipment should be suitable for desert, marine, and mountain warfare. Military strategists are also considering the use of jet pack suits as another significant disruptor in the tactical battle space, similar to drone technology on the battlefield.
The technology can be used as a force multiplier to counter terrorists in urban and semi-urban settings. According to Gravity Industries, the military version of the jet suit is powered by five gas turbine engines that generate more than 1,000 horsepower and produce 144 kilograms of thrust, allowing vertical lift of up to 12,000 feet.
The Indian Navy’s marine commando (MARCOS) also sees potential in the jet pack suits as a mode of insertion, allowing soldiers to gain vantage points for reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, or placing a sniper. Additionally, the suits can be used for quick exhilaration.
The UK’s Royal Navy and the US Marine Corps already use these jet pack suits in various limited roles. The Indian Army’s interest in this innovative technology comes in the backdrop of skirmishes with the People’s Liberation Army along the Line of Actual Control between India and China.
Tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions are normal in international diplomacy, but relations have been rocky between the two countries for years and China has targeted Canadian trade in the past. Canola exports, for instance, were banned for years in the wake of Canadian authorities detaining Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in 2018.
This latest move comes after Canada declared diplomat Zhao Wei persona non grata on Monday over his alleged involvement in an attempt to pressure Conservative MP Michael Chong through his extended family living in Hong Kong.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement Monday Canada has “zero tolerance” for “any form of foreign interference,” and that Canada has warned diplomats in the country that they could be sent packing over such actions.
It followed a story in The Globe and Mail newspaper that described a Canadian intelligence report warning China is targeting Canada to interfere in domestic politics. An anonymous source quoted in the article accused Zhao of working on the influence campaign against Chong, who had sponsored a motion in 2021 decrying China’s abuses of the Uyghur Muslim minority population as a genocide. Following those revelations, the head of Canadian intelligence then informed Chong in person last week that he and his family were being targeted.
Chong and others have accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of taking too long to expel Zhao. But Trudeau maintained he had to weigh the possible repercussions.
Chong’s case is just the latest to rock political circles. Foreign interference has been a wider controversy simmering in Canada for a long time — until March, when it exploded into one scandalous revelation after another, putting the Liberals on the defensive ever since.
Leaked reports from Canadian intelligence have singled out Chinese meddling in Canadian affairs as the greatest threat to national security, and warned that Beijing has tried to influence outcomes of local races in elections in 2019 and 2021. What’s more, China allegedly tried to bolster support for Liberal candidates and defeat Conservatives.
Canadian lawmaker Han Dong resigned from the governing Liberal Party that month and now sits as an independent, following allegations in a Global News report alleging he advised a Chinese diplomat to hold off on releasing two high-profile Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were held captive by China at the time. He is suing the news outlet for defamation for publishing the allegations, which he denies.
The House of Commons has also called on the government to call a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s elections, heaping more pressure onto the beleaguered Liberals over the matter.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
SRINAGAR: Kashmiri women journalist Safina Nabi on April 22, 2023 won the prestigious Fetisov Journalism Award for her article published on Scroll about how countless women in Kashmir, whose husbands disappeared and could never be traced, have been cut out of inheritances and left to fend for themselves.
Safina Nabi Wins Fetisov Award at Dubai on April 22, 2023
Nabi won the second prize in the “Outstanding Contribution to Peace” category, and the Fetisov Journalism Awards praised her reporting for providing a “comprehensive and impressively detailed picture” of the issue.
According to a press release from the awards, Nabi’s story “highlights what is not known, shows the human consequences of neglect, and most emphatically gives voice to the people totally disregarded by their own authorities and whose ordeal is largely invisible to international audiences.”
The Fetisov Journalism Awards have four categories in total, and each winner in the three categories shares a cash prize of 130,000 Swiss francs (Rs 11, 94,371).
Nabi’s award-winning reporting brings attention to an often-overlooked issue and highlights the struggles faced by “half-widows” in Kashmir, whose stories are often ignored.
