Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Reserve Bank of India’s inter-departmental group constituted to look at the internationalisation of the rupee has suggested that in an increasingly polarised world, India should explore alternatives to the US dollar and the euro as strong forex reserves are not a sufficient defence against economic sanctions. The group has proposed a host of measures to increase the acceptance of the rupee outside Indian borders. One of the short-term recommendations is to allow foreigners to hold rupee accounts in overseas branches. It has also recommended round-the-clock trading in the currency market and increasing the use of united payments…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Offering a platform for ground-breaking innovation, the G20 takes center stage with the launch of Startup20 under India’s prestigious global presidency. Comprising an esteemed gathering of 20 influential nations, the G20 sets the tone for the world’s most powerful economies and leaders. Anchored by the overarching theme of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — one earth, one family, one future — this year’s summit emphasizes the intrinsic value of life and its interconnectedness with environmental sustainability, paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and bluer future on the individual. , national, and global scales. The G20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Sipping Kashmiri Khewa and fruit juice in a busy restaurant at Lal Chowk, a group of tourists from Czech Republic are on a maiden visit to Kashmir. Showering praises on the beauty of Srinagar, the group, however, were annoyed over keeping their visit confined to just three days but pledged to come again for a long trip soon to explore the natural beauty of the valley. “We had heard a lot about Kashmir from friends who would often visit this place. Somehow, we decided to visit Srinagar. This time our trip is confined to three days only. We…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The successful ‘Tourism Working Group Meeting’ of G20 delegates held in Srinagar from May 22 to May 25 this year marked a turning point for the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The summit, which saw the participation of representatives from the world’s most influential economies, has not only strengthened international relations but also served as a catalyst for the resurgence of tourism in the Himalayan region. In the first six months of this year, as per official figures, over 15000 foreign tourists arrived in Kashmir, which was more than the last year. The visitors also included tourists…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The US National Security Council’s coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs, Kurt Campbell, on Thursday said that Washington cannot or should not “lecture” India or any other country on matters of democracy and human rights. Campbell, who holds a prominent position in the Bidenadministration, addressed the challenges faced by both India and the United States and said, “each of our counties is imperfect. I think what President Biden sought to do was to suggest that for India to meet its full potential, it would need to become more of an example on a number of fronts. And I think that…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The seventh edition of the bilateral Japan-India Maritime Exercise 2023 (JIMEX 23) hosted by the Indian Navy, commenced on Wednesday at Visakhapatnam. It aimed to foster mutual cooperation and reaffirmed the shared commitment towards maritime security in the region, informed an official release. The edition, being conducted at Visakhapatnam from July 5-10, marks the 11th anniversary of JIMEX, since its inception in 2012. Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) units under the command of Rear Admiral, Nishiyama Takahiro, Commander Escort Flotilla One, and Indian Naval ships under the command of Rear Admiral Gurcharan Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A total of 67,566 pilgrims have visited the Amarnath cave shrine since the beginning of the Yatra on July 1, an official statement said on Wednesday. On Wednesday, 18,354 pilgrims left for the Amarnath cave shrine both from the Baltal base camp and Nunwan base camp performed the darshan. “These include 12483 males, 5146 females, 457 children, 266 sadhus and 2 sadhvis,” an official statement said. “The total number of yatris who performed Darshan since the beginning is 67566. More yatris will visit the shrine in the coming days,” it added. According to the official spokesperson, pilgrims are…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Taiwan will be establishing the ‘Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre’ in Mumbai to expand mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities between Taipei and New Delhi. “In recent years, cooperation between Taiwan and India has witnessed significant progress in numerous domains, including economics and trade, science and technology, critical supply chains, culture, education, and traditional medicine. In light of this development, the Taiwan government will establish the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in Mumbai in order to further deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two countries,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan stated.. In 2012, TECC was set…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Indian Railways has transformed train journeys in the country with the introduction of Vistadome coaches. These coaches, equipped with large glass windows and roofs, provide passengers with a 360-degree view of the scenic landscapes, offering a breathtaking and immersive travel experience. The introduction of Vistadome coaches has redefined train travel, allowing passengers to enjoy panoramic views of pristine nature during their journeys while also providing state-of-the-art passenger amenities. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has been at the forefront of implementing Vistadome services. On August 28, 2021, NFR introduced Vistadome services on two sections: Guwahati-New Haflong and New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar.…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has praised the recent Chinese diplomatic efforts that bore positive outcomes in the Middle East. He hoped China would continue to play important roles in mitigating many other crises in different parts of the world, “including ours.” Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen met FM Momen on Wednesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, Momen reiterated Bangladesh’s commitments for further enhancing the ‘South-South Cooperation’ for greater collective benefit of the global South, according to the foreign ministry. He referred to innovative approaches including that of the Community Clinics introduced…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday placed significant emphasis on the importance of connectivity for the advancement of member states within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). PM Modi, in an apparent dig at Pakistan and China, called on member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to maintain respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity while pursuing connectivity initiatives. “Strong connectivity is crucial for the progress of any region. Better connectivity not only enhances mutual trade but also fosters mutual trust. However, in these efforts, it is essential to uphold the basic principles of the SCO charter, particularly respecting…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In his address at the Shanghai Cooperation (SCO) meeting on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated Beijing’s stand of enhancing Belt and Road cooperation. He was virtually addressing the SCO meeting of heads of state and talked about “high-quality Belt and Road cooperation” with development strategies of various countries and regional cooperation initiatives, state news agency Xinhua reported. Xinhua News Agency, or New China News Agency, is the official news agency of the People’s Republic of China. Addressing the 23rd SCO summit, Xi Jinping said, “Efforts should be made to further promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Fake Police encounters have become a norm in Pakistan, according to Dawn. A resident of Karachi, Kashif fell victim to a fake encounter staged by the police. He has since been granted bail and returned to his hometown. One of Kashif’s legs had to be amputated following bullet injuries he suffered in an ‘encounter’ with police, all while he was in custody. Kashif’s mother Zarina said: “I just want to go home. Jo khuda ko manzoor tha ho gaya [what had to happen has happened].” Her son was a suspect in a crime being handled by the Cantonment…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Valley’s public parks and gardens, especially in Srinagar, witnessed a ten-fold increase of visitors – over two lakh people – in the four days of the Eid-ul-Adha festival. A senior official at the Floriculture Department said that during the Eid festival, the valley’s parks and gardens recorded a rush of 2.18 lakh visitors, which is ten times higher than the normal footfall. “During the Eid festival, especially Eid-ul-Adha, people visiting parks and gardens is normal, but this year, the footfall is much higher,” he said. According to the department’s officials, the paid parks and gardens in south Kashmir…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Iran, one of India’s neighbours in its extended neighbourhood, has formally become a full member of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who on Tuesday chaired the SCO Summit virtually, said Iran is going to join as new member of the organization and also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Obligation for the SCO membership of Belarus. “I am happy that today Iran is going to join the SCO family as a new member. For this, I convey my best wishes to President Ebrahim Raisi and the people of Iran. Also, we welcome the signing…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Addressing the Council of Heads of States summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) virtually, Russian President Vladimir Putin today thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for organising this Summit and lauded the work India has done under its presidency. He said, “I would like to thank PM Modi for organising this Summit. The implementation of a lot of documents and the decisions that were prepared for this Summit is going to enhance the strategic partnership with India,” adding that Russia supports the New Delhi declaration which gives a consolidated approach to international issues. Russia supports the New Delhi…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar here on Tuesday held a meeting with United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J Mohammed and discussed G20 issues, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) status and climate changes. “Glad to meet UN Deputy SG @AminaJMohammed today morning in New Delhi. Discussed G20 issues, SDG status and climate challenges,” Jaishankar tweeted. On Monday, Amina J Mohammed arrived in India on a three-day visit from July 3-5. It is her first visit to India since her reappointment as the UN Deputy Secretary General for a second five-year term in January 2022. Taking to Twitter, the official spokesperson…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: When a country’s foreign diplomats fear for their safety, it indicates a severe dereliction of international standards of diplomatic immunity and security. Adding fuel to the ongoing tension, a “Kill India” poster released by Pro-Khalistani leaders in Canada has elicited a wave of outrage. The controversial poster directly accuses Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and Consul General of India in Toronto, Apoorva Srivastava, of being involved in the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist and the head of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), was recently possibly killed due to inter-gang warfare…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Mumbai will host the G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Summit and Research Ministers’ Meeting from July 4 to 5. The G20 Research Ministers’ Meeting (RMM) on Wednesday will be chaired by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, according to a release issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology. A total of about 107 foreign delegates including Research Ministers from 29 G20 members, invited guest countries and international organizations are likely to participate in the meeting. The RIIG Summit will take place on Tuesday in Mumbai and will be chaired…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Ulemas or religious scholars have asked the Kashmiri Muslims to follow the path of the Prophet Muhammad, who has always preferred peace over violence and promoted amity and brotherhood at all cost. They participated in a seminar titled “Ulema’s Responsibility in the Safety of the Country” organised by Jammu & Kashmir People’s Justice Front (JKPJF) in Srinagar. The seminar was attended by various religious scholars from different states of India which included Molana Syed Saayim Mahdi, Molana Mirza Yasoob Abbas, Syed Hussain Mahdi Razvi, Syed Hussain Mahdi Razvi and others. In the seminar Molana Syed Saayim Mahdi, a…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Film producer Ashok Sawhny ‘Sahil’ expressed happiness on seeing Kashmir becoming a film-shoot hub again and hoped that it will become a prime destination for the film industry. “I appreciate the J-K government’s move of rolling out a film policy for the smooth film shootings in the valley. This is definitely bringing more films, tourism and employment to the pristine valley,” Sawhny said in a statement. Sawhny also talked about his plans for shooting his next film amidst the snow-capped mountains of Kashmir. “Whether it is the film ‘Haider’ or my upcoming film, I believe that Kashmir is…

Sanjay Pulipaka: On July 04, India will host a virtual summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Considerable preparatory work preceded the virtual summit meeting. In April, there was a meeting of the SCO Defense Ministers, followed by SCO foreign ministers’ meetings, in May, in India. The SCO virtual summit meeting is happening in a specific geopolitical context. The Russia-Ukraine conflict constitutes a significant backdrop. There are concerns that Moscow is increasingly tilting towards Beijing because of the war. There is a debate as to whether international politics is witnessing the emergence of a new Cold War, with Russia and…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: UN Secretary General’s Special Representative (SRSG) on Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori on Monday urged Bangladesh to share some of the country’s best practices with other countries vulnerable to floods, cyclones and other natural disasters. She suggested that Bangladesh has internationally championed in the areas of disaster-related legislations, inter-agency coordination for disaster preparedness while the nation is successfully practising inclusiveness, especially for persons with disabilities during disasters. Mami Mizutori met Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at his office. The minister requested the UN to help raise public awareness about earthquake preparedness. The foreign minister reaffirmed the country’s…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Traditional Performing Arts and Music Division, formerly known as the Royal Academy of Performing Arts, has taken a new initiative to safeguard and popularise Bhutanese folk songs. Their goal is to make these traditional songs known worldwide and ensure they are accessible for future generations. To achieve this, the division has started creating musical notations for 250 folk songs. Musical notation is a system of representing musical sounds or notes on paper or other media. These notations allow musicians to play the songs on any instrument, preserving their cultural importance even as contemporary music gains more prominence.…