TheNewsGuru

Tag: India

  • India’s Modi seeks African Union’s full membership in G20

    India’s Modi seeks African Union’s full membership in G20

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to the leaders of the G20 nations proposing the African Union (AU) be given full, permanent membership of the diplomatic group at its upcoming summit in India, an official source said.

    Modi’s proposal to grant the AU full membership in the G20 demonstrates India’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s representation and partnership in shaping global affairs, the source said.

    The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.

    The members represent around 85 per cent of global GDP, over 75 per cent of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

    The grouping comprises 19 countries and the European Union.

    The G20 this year also invited nine non-member “guest” countries, including Bangladesh, Singapore, Spain, and Nigeria, besides international organisations such as the United Nations, World Health Organisation, the World Bank and the IMF.

    “This will be a right step towards a just, fair, more inclusive and representative global architecture and governance,” the source said of the African Union proposal. “

    (The) prime minister is a strong believer in having a greater Voice of the Global South countries on international platforms, particularly of African countries.”

    This will be a right step towards a just, fair, more inclusive and representative global architecture and governance,” the source said of the African Union proposal.

    “(The) prime minister is a strong believer in having a greater Voice of the Global South countries on international platforms, particularly of African countries.”

  • Nigeria, India sign MOU to block illicit drug flow

    Nigeria, India sign MOU to block illicit drug flow

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Narcotics Control Bureau of India have agreed to collaborate to block the traffic of illicit drugs between Nigeria and India.

    The Director Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that the two agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said the Chairman of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, who signed the MoU on behalf of the agency, said the move represented a robust partnership in efforts to exterminate incidences of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the two countries.

    He said, “this bold step taken by the two agencies is an affirmation of our foresight and commitment to the task of ensuring the safety of our citizens and the global community at large.”

    According to him, the MOU constitutes a fundamental step towards positioning the two countries, India and Nigeria, at the forefront of confronting and dismantling transnational drug trafficking networks.

    “This is with brazen capabilities of outmaneuvering legitimate drug law enforcement.

    “With our understanding of the changing dynamics of the illicit drug problems, locally and globally, every major organisation around the world is working assiduously to curb the menace.

    “They also know that working with partners greatly helps in addressing the trafficking and abuse of narcotic and psychotropic substances,” he said.

    Marwa said the governments of both countries remained committed to eradicating the problem posed by illicit substances, notably synthetic opioids and Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) which posed a potent threat to our citizens.

    He acknowledged the courage exhibited by the two agencies in the course of past meetings that culminated in the MoU.

    The NDLEA boss stressed that the partnership would impact greatly on efforts to prevent illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, precursor chemicals and related matters between the two countries.

    The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria and Head of the Indian delegation, Ambassador Shri Balasubramanian, signed on behalf of his country.

    Balasubramanian said the negative impact of drugs on global financial and political systems was enormous, and that proceeds of drug trafficking were often directed towards terrorism financing.

    The Indian high commissioner observed that drug trafficking did not only affect the health of the individual that consumed it but equally the economy of the country as well as national security.

    He advised that both countries should take advantage of their similar demographic advantage to address substance use problems.

    He added that the liberal trade relations and educational advantages enjoyed by both countries had been negatively applied to further criminal drug trade.

    “I urge that all hands must be on deck to ensure that merchants of death do not succeed in their evil trade,” he said.

    Balasubramanian pledged the commitment of the Indian government to ensure the enforcement of the provisions of the MoU.

  • Pandemonium as dozens feared dead after train crash in India

    Pandemonium as dozens feared dead after train crash in India

    Pandemonium as dozens of people were feared dead, 132 were injured after an express passenger train derailed in India’s eastern Odisha state on Friday.

    Pradeep Kumar Jena, Odisha’s top official, confirmed that 132 injured people had been taken to three local healthcare centres, called CHCs.

    The train had left from eastern West Bengal state at 3.30pm and was scheduled to reach southern Chennai in Tamil Nadu city on Saturday.

    “Preliminary reports have revealed that several compartments went off the rails. Medical teams rushed to the spot,” said Aditya Kumar Chowdhury, chief public relations officer of Southeastern Railway.

    Balasore’s top officer Dattatraya Shinde said that about 100 people had been rescued but nearly 200 were still trapped.

    “The rescue operation is going on. We will know the exact figures tomorrow after the rescue operation is over,” Mr Shinde told Republic TV, a news channel.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while reacting to the incident said he was distressed by  his thoughts are with the bereaved families.

    January last year, nine people were killed and dozens injured after a dozen coaches of a train derailed in West Bengal state.

    In 2016, at least 150 people died and more than 150 were injured in one of the deadliest train accidents in the country after a train derailed in northern Kanpur city.

  • Indian Defence minister leads delegation to Tinibu’s inauguration

    Indian Defence minister leads delegation to Tinibu’s inauguration

    The Defence Minister of India, Mr Rajinath Singh, will lead India’s delegation to the inauguration of the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinibu on Monday in Abuja.

    India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had detailed Singh as a special envoy to Nigeria for the ceremony in a letter.

    The minister is expected to arrive in Abuja on Sunday, ahead of the inauguration.

    “The visit of Mr Rajnath Singh reflects the growing bilateral relations between India and Nigeria and signifies India’s commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria.

    “Mr Singh is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

    “Mr Singh is a senior Minister in the Government of India, sending such a senior minister to Nigeria as a special envoy of the Prime Minister of India reflects India’s commitment to the deep-rooted bilateral relations with Nigeria,” the letter read in parts.

    The minister’s visit would also be an avenue to invite Nigeria’s president-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu for the G20 meeting in India in September.

    ”It is significant that given its special relations with Nigeria, the Government of India has invited Nigeria as a guest country to participate in all the G20 meetings during her G20 Presidency in 2023.

    “Minister Singh is expected to have a special message to the President-elect of Nigeria regarding the G20. The G20 summit, 2023 will be held in New Delhi on 9-10 Sept. 2023 with the Heads of State of the member countries and Invited guest Countries.

    “As India continues to enhance its engagements in Africa, the visit of Defence Minister Singh to Abuja marks a significant step in deepening the bilateral relationship between India and Nigeria, setting the stage for a new chapter of cooperation and partnership between the two nations,, the letter concludes.

  • Airline fines Pilot $36,496 for inviting friend into cockpit

    Airline fines Pilot $36,496 for inviting friend into cockpit

    India’s aviation regulator on Friday imposed a fine of 3 million rupees (36,496 million dollars) on Air India.

    The airline was fined after a pilot of the private airline was found violating safety norms by allowing a friend inside the cockpit during a flight.

    The investigation into the incident was carried out after a complaint was filed by a cabin crew member of the Dubai-Delhi flight in February, the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

    The DGCA also suspended the licence of the pilot for three months.

    Based on the complaint, the DGCA issued a show cause notice to the private airline in April .

    During the investigation, the DGCA found the pilot guilty of violating safety norms, and also warned the co-pilot for not being assertive in preventing the violation.

  • India overtakes China as most populous country in the world

    India overtakes China as most populous country in the world

    The Asian nation of India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous nation in the world this is according to the United Nation’s data published on Wednesday.

    Bloomberg reports that India’s population stands at 1.4286 billion as against China’s 1.4257 billion people, according to mid-2023 estimates by the UN’s World Population dashboard.

    With 142.86 crore people, India has surpassed China to become the world’s most populous nation, according to the latest United Nations data. China, with a population of 142.57 crore, is the second most populous country, the latest statistics show.

    The data from UN agency UNFP shows that 25 per cent of India’s population is in the 0-14 age bracket and 18 per cent in the 10-19 age group. Twenty-six per cent of India’s population is in the 10-24 age bracket and 68 per cent in the 15-64 age bracket. Seven per cent of the country’s population is above 65 years of age.

    Meanwhile, experts have said that Kerala and Punjab have an ageing population, while Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have a younger population.

    Several studies, carried out by different agencies, have shown that India’s population is expected to increase for nearly three decades before it peaks at 165 crore. It will then start to decline, as per reports.

    The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) India’s representative Andrea Wojnar says, “India’s 1.4 billion people must be seen as 1.4 billion opportunities.”

    “As the country with the largest youth cohort — its 254 million youth (15-24 years) — and can be a source of innovation, new thinking and lasting solutions,” says Wojnar.

    “The trajectory can leapfrog forward if women and girls, in particular, are equipped with equal educational and skill-building opportunities, access to technology and digital innovations, and most importantly with information and power to fully exercise their reproductive rights and choices,” the UN official said.

    The UN official further said that ensuring gender equality, empowerment and advancing greater bodily autonomy for women and girls are the key determinants for a sustainable future.

    “Women and girls should be at the centre of sexual and reproductive policies and programmes. When rights, choices and equal value of all people are truly respected and held, only then can we unlock a future of infinite possibilities,” Andrea Wojnar said.

  • Nigeria-India direct flight to commence March 31

    Nigeria-India direct flight to commence March 31

    Mr. Gangadharan Balasubramanian, Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria says the much anticipated direct flights from Nigeria to India is set to commence on March 31.

    Balasubramanian told NAN in Abuja that Air Peace, a private Nigerian airline had concluded plans for the inaugural flight from Lagos to Mumbai, Bombay.

    ”I can announce to you that Air Peace will be flying directly from Lagos to India on March 31st for the inaugural flight.

    “This is part of the implementation of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) aimed at deepening relations between both countries, so I have been invited for the inauguration, ” he said.

    Balasubramanian explained that the direct flight would further strengthen economic, trade, bilateral relations, and people-to-people ties between both strategic countries.

    “The volume of trade between both countries as at 2022 is 14.95 billion dollars, so we believe agreements such as this will go a long way in boosting our relations,” he said.

    He expressed optimism that the new route would increase the volume of trade between both countries, while opening new vista of opportunities for citizens of both countries.

    Nigeria and the Republic of India had in 2019 signed a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA), to deepen flight operations end to end.

    Minister for Aviation, Hadi Sirika had expressed optimism that the agreement would further deepen cooperation between both countries.

    BASA covers the basic framework under which airlines are granted bilateral rights to fly two countries. The frequency, designated airlines of the signatories, origin, intermediate points as well as traffic rights, type of aircraft and tax issues are normally covered by Memoranda of Understanding.

    The new route is expected to further boost relations between both countries, as more than 135 indian companies currently operate in Nigeria.

    India is becoming the prime destination for Nigerians seeking medical tourism, studies, businesses among others.

  • Camel chews off its owner’s head, beaten to death by angry villagers

    Camel chews off its owner’s head, beaten to death by angry villagers

    A camel has been beaten to death by angry villagers after it reportedly decapitated its owner in India.

    The owner, Sohanram Nayak, tried to recapture the enraged animal after it broke free from its rope constraints, trying to chase down another camel in Panchu village, Bikaner, in Rajasthan State on Monday night.

    The animal then picked its owner up by the neck, threw him on the ground, and ‘chewed off his head’, according to The Times of India.

    Camel chews off its owner's head, beaten to death by angry villagers

    Angry villagers armed with sticks tied the camel to a tree before bludgeoning it to death.

    According to local reports, the victim’s family members were involved in the beating of the camel. The body of Sohanram Nayak was handed over to his relatives after a post-mortem.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that no complaint has so far been made over the killing of the state animal.

    Rajasthan, a state in northern India, banned the slaughter and injury of camels in 2015. The crime, outlined in the aptly-named Rajasthan Camel Bill 2015, is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine.

    Camel chews off its owner's head, beaten to death by angry villagers

    The bill noted an ‘alarming’ decline in the number of camels in the region in recent years, observing that the camel was ‘an integral part of the desert eco-system of the State’.

  • knife-wielding chickens kill two men during brutal cockfights

    knife-wielding chickens kill two men during brutal cockfights

    Two men have been killed by -wielding chickens during brutal cockfights in India.

    They bled to death at shows in India after being slashed by the birds, which had blades strapped to their feet.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the men were killed on Sunday during cockfights in India

    The first victim was tying blades to his prized rooster’s feet ahead of a fight in Andra Pradesh when scared by the crowd, it started flapping.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that cockerel sliced Rao’s leg and wrist, causing him to start bleeding heavily.

    Rao, 43, was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

    Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man was in the audience of a cockfight in East Godavari when he was pounced on by one of the featured critters.

    It left deep cuts on his body, and he died on the way to the hospital, reports New Indian Express.

    Cops are investigating both deaths.

    Cockfighting is popular in India’s South-East, with many people watching shows during the Hindu festival Sankranti – which falls on January 15.

    Indian authorities made the vicious sport illegal in 1960, with courts upholding the ban in 2016.

    In 2018, however, the Supreme Court gave the green light for cockfighting to be held in a traditional way – without blades and gambling.

    But despite it being forbidden many still opt to strap knives to their prized birds.

    One fan said: “Cockfights are the biggest attractions in Godavari and parts of Krishna and Guntur districts during the three-day Sankranti festival. My family and I have come to Bhimavaram all the way from Bengaluru to witness the game live.”

    It came after six people were horrifically sliced to death by glass-encrusted kite strings after a blood-drenched festival in India.

    Three children, including a baby, are among the dead after the day of celebration in Gujarat turned sinister on Saturday.

    The spectators’ throats were sliced open by the razor-sharp strings used by “kite fighters” at the annual Uttarayan festival.

    Huge crowds had gathered to watch the spectacle in the sky, where participants battle to slice their opponent’s cords.

    The mid-air tussle for triumph tragically saw two baby girls, aged two and three, and a boy, seven, bleed to death in front of their helpless parents.

  • Delhi Police attacked by mob over detention of three Nigerians for ‘overstaying’

    Delhi Police attacked by mob over detention of three Nigerians for ‘overstaying’

    A large crowd of Africans have clashed with the police on Saturday in a South Delhi neighbourhood, India, after 3 Nigerians were arrested for allegedly overstaying their visas.

    The police said that two of Nigerians managed to free themselves in the chaos but the one of them was caught.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that a police team, including officers from narcotics team, again visited the area later in the evening and arrested 4 Nigerians with expired visas.

    This time too a crowd of 150-200 Africans, according to police estimates, tried to help the detainees escape but the team was better prepared for crowd control.

    The police said on Saturday they sent a narcotics cell team to complete the deportation proceedings of three Nigerians who had been “overstaying” in the country.

    Chandan Chowdhary, DCP (South) said, “The team was trying to bring them to the police station but suddenly about 100 Africans gathered there and obstructed the police team. In the meantime, two of those detained managed to escape. One was successfully apprehended later.”

    Officials said the group manhandled them and forced them to leave, while “obstructing” their duties.

    Visuals from the spot show a group of young men and women clashing with the police. The police are seen pulling the detainees, while the African youths are pushing them and shouting at them. The officers are also seen trying to make a human chain and attempting to stop the protesters using their lathis.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that no action has been initiated against the mob yet. The police said they are looking into the matter and will register a case.