US approves support deal with Taiwan for Patriot missiles

Wednesday February 9, 2022

The Biden administration has approved a $100 million support contract with Taiwan aimed at boosting the island’s

US approves support deal with Taiwan for Patriot missiles

The Biden administration has approved a $100 million support contract with Taiwan aimed at boosting the island’s missile defense systems as it faces increasing pressure from China.

The State Department announced the engineering and maintenance agreement on Monday as China plays host to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

China, which is sharply critical of any American arms sales to Taiwan, called on the U.S. to revoke the deal and stop any military interaction with the self-governing island.

“U.S. arms sales to Taiwan ... seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, and seriously damage China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Tuesday.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a renegade province, has not ruled out the use of force to unify the island with the mainland and has in recent months escalated fighter jet flights near Taiwan.

The support agreement is meant to help Taiwan maintain its existing air-defense missiles and advanced U.S.-made Patriot missiles that Taiwan is acquiring.

Taiwan's defense ministry tweeted its thanks to the U.S. for the agreement's approval.

Sri Lanka to import 300,000 tonnes of rice from India to counter price rise: report

Wednesday February 9, 2022

Sri Lanka has decided to import 400,000 metric tonnes of rice from India and Myanmar in a bid to stabilise the price of rice in the

Sri Lanka to import 300,000 tonnes of rice from India to counter price rise: report

Sri Lanka has decided to import 400,000 metric tonnes of rice from India and Myanmar in a bid to stabilise the price of rice in the local market, the official media on Tuesday quoted a senior official as saying.

"Moves are underway by the Trade Ministry to import 300,000 metric tonnes of rice from India and 100,000 metric tonnes from Myanmar until May," Trade Ministry's Additional Secretary Gilma Dahanayake told state-run Daily News newspaper.

The ministry made this decision to help the consumers who are continuously forced to buy rice at higher prices in the market due to cartel tactics by several large rice millers, the report said.

The rice supplies will be imported in tranches of 20,000 metric tonnes.

They will be released to the market on a regular basis, the report said as the island nation faced a severe forex crisis.

In Sri Lanka, one person eats 104.5 kilograms of rice each year. The national rice demand is estimated to be 2.1 million tonnes, the report said.

"Four million metric tonnes of paddy are required to meet this need. A tonne of rice shipped is expected to cost USD 445 million. The Central Bank has been requested by the Trade Ministry to issue foreign exchange to meet the requirement of envisioned rice import," the report said.

Maldives govt considering law to criminalise 'India Out' campaign launched by ex-President

Tuesday February 8, 2022

The Maldives government is considering bringing in a law that would criminalise the ongoing

Maldives govt considering law to criminalise 'India Out' campaign launched by ex-President

The Maldives government is considering bringing in a law that would criminalise the ongoing 'India Out' campaign that was launched by former President Abdullah Yameen.

Authorities in Maldives feel that this campaign could pose a threat to national security and endanger the lives of Indians (nearly 29,000) living in the island nation and Maldivians (around 5,000) living in India.

In November 2019, Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison for money laundering, where he allegedly pocketed $1 million by a private company that was meant for the government. In December 2021, the Maldives Supreme Court overturned the conviction and he was released following which the 'India Out' campaign gained momentum. Yameen, while he was in power, had an open preference for China and hostility towards India.

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), headed by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, is drafting a bill that will criminalise any act by individuals that is diplomatically disruptive.

The draft bill is named as the 'Bill to stop all actions that could negatively affect relations established by Maldives with foreign countries.' The legislative body Majlis has resumed and this bill is likely to be submitted soon.

The draft has proposed a fine of Rs 20,000 Maldivian Rufiyan, six months imprisonment or a year-long house arrest.

Meanwhile, as part of its annual financial aid, the Indian government has earmarked Rs 360 crore for Maldives. This was announced during the Union Budget on February 1st.

More than 2.65 lakh posts lying vacant in Indian Railways

Tuesday February 8, 2022

Amidst growing unemployment in the country, more than 2.65 lakh gazetted and non-gazetted posts under

More than 2.65 lakh posts lying vacant in Indian Railways

Amidst growing unemployment in the country, more than 2.65 lakh gazetted and non-gazetted posts under various categories are vacant in the Indian Railways (IR) for several years. Contrary to claims of employment generation, the Railways has been recruiting at a snail’s pace.

A couple of days ago, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw admitted that there are vacancies in 2,65,547 posts, including 2,177 for gazetted posts, in various zones. This is in spite of 1,89,790 recruitments in the last five years through the Railway Recruitment Board and Railway Recruitment Cells. The railway minister said that filing up of existing vacancies is an ongoing process in the Railways, depending on operational requirements.

According to official figures, Northern Railway has the highest of 37,436 non-gazetted vacancies, followed by Eastern Railway with 28,204, Central Railway with 27,177 and Western Railway 26,227.

The highest of 195 gazetted-post vacancies are in Eastern Railway, followed by Western Railway with 172, East Central Railway with 170 and Southern Railway with 161. These posts have been lying vacant for several years.

Apart from all these vacant posts in different zones, around 507 gazetted posts and 12,760 non-gazetted posts are vacant in other units of the Railways. In the Metro Railways, there are 22 vacancies in gazetted posts and 856 in non-gazetted posts

Santishree Pandit appointed JNU Vice Chancellor

Tuesday February 8, 2022

Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit will be the first woman Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University with the

Santishree Pandit appointed JNU Vice Chancellor

Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit will be the first woman Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University with the Ministry of Education (MoE) appointing her to the top post on Feb 7 .

Pandit is currently a political science professor at the Savitribai Phule University in Maharashtra.

The 59-year-old Pandit is also an alumna of JNU where she pursued her MPhil as well as PhD in International Relations.

Pandit began her teaching career from Goa University in 1988 and moved to Pune University in 1993. She has held administrative position in various academic bodies.

She has also been a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and Visitor's nominee to central universities. In her career, she has guided 29 PhDs.

M Jagadesh Kumar, who was holding the charge of acting VC at JNU after his five year term ended last year, was last week appointed as the chairman of the UGC.

CBI gets govt nod to prosecute former Sudan Ambassador Deepak Vohra in financial bungling case

Tuesday February 8, 2022

The CBI has received sanction from the government to proceed with the prosecution of former Ambassador to Sudan Deepak Vohra and

CBI gets govt nod to prosecute former Sudan Ambassador Deepak Vohra in financial bungling case

The CBI has received sanction from the government to proceed with the prosecution of former Ambassador to Sudan Deepak Vohra and Under Secretary Ajoy Ganguly in a case of alleged financial bungling in Indian diplomatic missions there.

The agency had to seek the sanction on the directions of a special court which has rejected two closure reports filed by the agency against Ganguly, who was accused of financial impropriety during his tenure as the Consul General of India at Juba, South Sudan from October, 2007 to May 6, 2009.

The court had directed the CBI to get sanction to prosecute Ganguly for criminal conspiracy (120-B IPC) and fraudulently using forged documents as genuine (471 IPC) and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

It had directed to seek sanction for Vohra to be prosecuted as Section 108 IPC (Abettor) along with provisions of the anti-graft law PC Act.

The CBI has now received the sanction from the government to prosecute the former offiicals.

The central probe agency had started the probe against Ganguly and Indian national Prakash based in Juba in 2011 on the complaint of External Affairs Ministry Vigilance Department.

Ganguly was accused of misappropriating USD 10033.79 (over Rs 7 lakh as per present exchange rates) and Sudanese Pound SDG 235, submitting false TA bills, purchasing diesel at a higher rate than market; payment of agency charges for hiring office of the Indian Consulate to a fictitious person/agent, hiring of Consulate premises at a higher rate, hiring of private car despite availability of official car among others.

2 CM-baiter BJP MLAs quit in Tripura, likely to join Congress

Tuesday February 8, 2022

Two MLAs of the ruling BJP in Tripura resigned from the Assembly as well as

2 CM-baiter BJP MLAs quit in Tripura, likely to join Congress

Two MLAs of the ruling BJP in Tripura resigned from the Assembly as well as the party after falling out with Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

Sudip Roy Barman and Ashis Kumar Saha submitted their resignation letters to the Assembly Speaker and state president of the party. Another rebel MLA Ashis Das had quit the party last year and joined the Trinamool Congress but he was disqualified under the Anti-Defection Law.

Roy Barman, who is a former minister, slammed Deb, describing him as “autocratic”. He said he and Saha quit the BJP as they were unable to work for the people.

The BJP had wrested power from the Left Front in 2018 by winning 36 of the 60 seats. Its ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura has eight MLAs.

First group of US troops lands in Poland in response to Ukraine crisis

Tuesday February 8, 2022

The first group of American soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division arrived in Poland on Feb 5 following Pentagon

First group of US troops lands in Poland in response to Ukraine crisis

The first group of American soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division arrived in Poland on Feb 5 following Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby's announcement about 1,700 additional troops from the United States to be sent to the country.

Kirby said that the US will temporarily deploy additional forces to Europe amid escalating tensions with Russia. The deployment includes 1,700 soldiers to be sent to Poland and 1,000 US personnel based in Germany will be relocated to Romania and another 8,500 troops will "remain ready to move if called for the NATO response force," Kirby said.

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US approves support deal with Taiwan for Patriot missiles

US approves support deal with Taiwan for Patriot missiles

Sri Lanka to import 300,000 tonnes of rice from India to counter price rise: report

Sri Lanka to import 300,000 tonnes of rice from India to counter price rise: report

Maldives govt considering law to criminalise 'India Out' campaign launched by ex-President

Maldives govt considering law to criminalise 'India Out' campaign launched by ex-President

More than 2.65 lakh posts lying vacant in Indian Railways

More than 2.65 lakh posts lying vacant in Indian Railways

Santishree Pandit appointed JNU Vice Chancellor

Santishree Pandit appointed JNU Vice Chancellor

CBI gets govt nod to prosecute former Sudan Ambassador Deepak Vohra in financial bungling case

CBI gets govt nod to prosecute former Sudan Ambassador Deepak Vohra in financial bungling case

2 CM-baiter BJP MLAs quit in Tripura, likely to join Congress

2 CM-baiter BJP MLAs quit in Tripura, likely to join Congress

First group of US troops lands in Poland in response to Ukraine crisis

First group of US troops lands in Poland in response to Ukraine crisis

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