international

19 Aug

Taliban Open Fire, Beat Up Women, Kids Outside Kabul Airport

editor0 Commentsinternational

Taliban promised safe passage to the Kabul airport for people trying to flee the country, there have been incidents of violence at the checkpoints on airport roads. Photographs of women and children being beaten and whipped by the Taliban fighters have surfaced showing the brutal face of the insurgents. Reports of civilians – women and children – being beaten, houses being ransacked have been pouring in since August 15 – the day the Taliban seized control of capital Kabul. According to reports, the US troops who have taken over the control of the Hamid Karzai International airport in Kabul on…

16 Aug

Taliban sweep into Afghan capital after government collapses

editor0 Commentsinternational

The Taliban swept into Afghanistan’s capital Sunday after the government collapsed and the embattled president joined an exodus of his fellow citizens and foreigners, signaling the end of a costly two-decade U.S. campaign to remake the country. Heavily armed Taliban fighters fanned out across the capital, and several entered Kabul’s abandoned presidential palace. Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman and negotiator, told The Associated Press that the militants would hold talks in the coming days aimed at forming an “open, inclusive Islamic government.” Earlier, a Taliban official said the group would announce from the palace the restoration of the Islamic Emirate…

10 Aug

India played a constructive role in Afghanistan: Pentagon

editor0 CommentsIndia, international

India has played a constructive role in Afghanistan in the past, the Pentagon acknowledged on Monday. “India has played a constructive role in Afghanistan in the past in terms of training and other infrastructure improvements,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference. “That kind of work, that kind of effort to help Afghanistan maintain stability and good governance is always welcome,” he said when asked about India-US cooperation on Afghanistan. Responding to a question, Kirby said the United States continues to have conversations with Pakistani leadership about the safe havens that exist along that border…

10 Aug

After UNSC maritime session, Pak threatens continued militarisation

editor0 CommentsBreaking News, India, international

Pakistan has threatened to continue militarising citing what it claimed was a “geo-strategic competition and the pursuit of military dominance by some states”, while mentioning India. After Monday’s high-level meeting on maritime security at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Munir Akram sent a written statement to the Indian Mission to be included in the record of the session. India is the current President of the Council and the meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Akram asserted that “India has nuclearised the Indian Ocean and continues to induct advanced weapons systems and naval delivery platforms” with…

08 Aug

UK eases travel restrictions for Indians, compulsory institutional quarantine rule removed

editor0 CommentsIndia, international

The United Kingdom has moved India to the ‘Amber’ category, reopening travel visas for Indian citizens. The U.K. had placed India under the ‘Red’ category in view of a surge in COVID-19 cases that came along with a stringent quarantine requirement, which too will be relaxed under the new set of rules. A statement from the British High Commission informed that as part of the ‘Amber’ list, visitor visas will be available to Indian travellers, along with “other long-term visas that have remained open”. According to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) all arrivals from India who have…

07 Aug

Taliban captures capital of Afghanistan’s Nimroz province

editor0 Commentsinternational

The Taliban has captured the Afghan provincial capital of Zaranj, according to reports, and assassinated the government’s top media officer in Kabul, on a day of high-profile setbacks for the country’s Western-backed administration. A police spokesperson in southern Nimroz province said on Friday that Zaranj had fallen to the hardline Islamist group due to a lack of reinforcements from the government. Zaranj, in the south-western province of Nimroz, fell after just three hours of fighting becoming the first provincial capital to be taken by the insurgents who have intensified their nationwide offensive as foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan after 20…

06 Aug

Johnson & Johnson applies for emergency use authorisation of its single-dose Covid-19 vaccine in India

editor0 CommentsHealth, India, international

Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson today said it has applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India.On Monday, the company had said that it remained committed to bringing its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to India and looks forward to ongoing discussions with the Indian government. "On August 5, 2021, Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of its single-dose covid-19 vaccine to the Government of India," read the statement. Johnson & Johnson claimed that its single-shot vaccine, in clinical trials, proved to be 85 per cent effective in preventing severe disease.…

06 Aug

Indian, Chinese armies disengage from Gogra, 6 months after Pangong pullback

editor0 CommentsIndia, international

In a major breakthrough, India and China have withdrawn troops from the friction Patrolling Point (PP) 17A in Gogra along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army said Friday. The Indian Army said that both the countries have ceased forward deployments in this area in a phased, coordinated and verified manner. “The disengagement process was carried out over two days, i.e., August 4 and 5. The troops of both sides are now in their respective permanent bases,” the Indian Army said in a statement. The disengagement has taken place around Patrol Point 17A in eastern…

06 Aug

Pakistan trainer aircraft crashes in Punjab province

editor0 Commentsinternational

A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) trainer aircraft crashed on Friday during routine training exercise near Attock area of Punjab province."Both pilots have ejected successfully. No loss of life or property has been reported so far on ground," the PAF said in a statement. It said a Board of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident. This is the third such crash reported by the PAF in the last 18 months. In September 2020, a PAF trainer aircraft crashed in the Attock district during a routine flight.That same year in February, a PAF Mirage aircraft crashed near…

05 Aug

Afghan Forces Prevent Taliban’s Attack On India-Built Salma Dam In Herat Province

editor0 CommentsIndia, international

The Afghan forces thwarted the Taliban's attack on India-built Salma Dam in Herat province, said the Afghan government, adding that the terror group has "suffered heavy casualties and fled the area as a result of counter-attacks".In a tweet, Afghan defence ministry spokesperson Fawad Aman said Taliban terrorists attempted an attack on Salma Dama, popularly known as the India-Afghanistan friendship dam, on Tuesday night. "The Taliban attack on Salma Dam failed! Terrorist Taliban attacked the #Salma Dam in Herat province to destroy it last night. But, fortunately, they have suffered heavy casualties and fled the area as a result of counter-attacks…