Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: New York City on Wednesday banned TikTok on government-owned devices citing ‘security concerns’ thus joining the list of more than two dozen states that have restricted access to the short video app, New York Times reported. Notably, several government officials have been restricting access to TikTok in reaction to concerns that the app — owned by the Chinese company ByteDance — could give Beijing access to sensitive user data. Jonah Allon, a spokesman for Mayor Eric Adams, said in a statement on Wednesday that the city’s Cyber Command is determined that the app “posed a security threat to…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will host a mega multilateral military exercise next year that was originally planned for October. The exercise, ‘Tarang Shakti’, is likely to be held in the middle of 2024 as a number of participating air forces conveyed to the IAF that they will not be able to join the wargame if it is held this year, sources in the defence and military establishment said on Wednesday. The exercise is expected to witness participation of around 12 air forces and the focus of the wargame will be to improve military cooperation and enhance interoperability,…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Smita Pant was addressing an event commemorating the martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, reports Times Now News. Bangabandhu and his family members were killed in cold blood in 1975, said Pant, adding, the perpetrators, however, were unable to eliminate his values. The dreams of Bangabandhu, “who has few equals in history,” are coming true today, she said. The people have rejected extremism, Bangladesh is on its road to becoming a middle-income country, and it provides more UN peacekeepers than almost any other country, the MEA official said. The High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Mohammed Mustafizur Rahman, opened…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Ina Krisnamurthi, Indonesia’s Ambassador to India has hailed India’s G20 presidency saying that it has added value and expressed confidence and hope that India through its G20 Summit will bring all leaders together on the table. While speaking to ANI, the envoy pointed out that continuity and convergence of agenda of emerging economies are on the table and also between multilateral fora for the benefit of emerging economies. “It’s one of the biggest engagement of leaders. So, I wish India all the very best logistically and substantively. India has done tremendously in bridging all differences. This presidency has…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In a rare two-day military talks, India and China agreed to resolve the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in an “expeditious manner” besides maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas, a joint statement said on Tuesday, a day after conclusion of the dialogue. However, the readout on the 19th round of India-China Corps Commander-level meeting did not indicate any immediate breakthrough in disengagement of troops in remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh. It was for the first time, the high-level military talks on the lingering border row spanned two days,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s soaring levels of youth unemployment have heightened fears the world’s second-largest economy is heading for a crippling slowdown. Beijing has come up with a solution: It will stop releasing the numbers. The National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday said it would stop publishing age group-specific unemployment data this month, after China’s youth unemployment rate — for 16- to 24-year-olds — rose to a record high of 21.3 percent in June. Some experts believe that number is actually much higher. The announcement came amid a slew of data released Tuesday that fell short of expectations, further evidence that…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Russian President Vladimir Putin, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underlined their “special”, “privileged” and “strategic” partnership with New Delhi as they wished India on its 77th Independence Day on Tuesday. In a message of greetings to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Independence Day, President Putin said he is confident that the two nations will continue to boost fruitful bilateral cooperation in all areas through joint efforts, as well as constructive partnership in resolving pressing issues on the regional…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: On the 77th Independence Day, the Indian Army on Tuesday dedicated a bridge to locals of Danna, the last village on the Line of Control in Machhal Sector across Machhal Nala in Jammu and Kashmir, informed the Public Relations Officer, Defence, Srinagar. The 115feet long bridge has been named Bhagat Bridge in memory of the Late Major Bhagat Singh, Veer Chakra, who laid down his life defending this sector in the 1965 war. Danna Village is also known as Bhagat Village in memory of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. The event was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony signifying the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As India celebrates its 77th Independence Day, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and UAE’s Prime Minister, tweeted in Hindi to congratulate the people of the country. “As India celebrates its 77th Independence Day, I extend my congratulations to the leadership and the people of this great nation. On this joyous occasion, the UAE reaffirms its commitment to building a future of shared prosperity and growth, elevating our partnership to new heights, and exploring new horizons of political, economic, and cultural relations. Happy Independence Day, Swatantrata Diwas! Sheikh Mohammed posted on the social media platform…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Two people lost their lives and 85 others were injured in aerial firing in Karachi on the eve of Pakistan’s 76th Independence Day, reported Dawn citing officials. Jamshed Quarters Station House Officer (SHO) Gul Baig said that a 25-year-old woman was travelling with her family on a motorbike and was hit by a bullet fired from an unknown direction when she was passing through the People’s Chowrangi, Karachi. Following the incident, she was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) where doctors declared her dead, according to surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed. In another incident, Baghdadi Station House Officer…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The first community service centre by the Bhutan district administration was inaugurated by the Queen Mother Sangay Choden Wangchuck at Damphu in Bhutan’s Tsirang, The Bhutan Live reported on Sunday. The RENEW’s (Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women) Community Service Centre will enhance access to sexual and gender-based violence services in the community. The Bhutan Live reported that UNICEF’s country representative Andrea James accompanied the Queen Mother. The centre is set to become a hub for supporting individuals affected by various challenges including gender-based violence. The centre has been actively engaged in delivering comprehensive sexuality education, elimination of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Addressing the nation on the eve of the 77th Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said that inflation at global level remains to be a cause of worry but the Indian Government has succeeded in protecting its people from high inflation and the world looks up to India for global economic growth. “Inflation at the global level remains a cause for worry. But in India, the Government and the Reserve Bank have managed to contain it. The Government has succeeded in protecting the common people from high inflation while also providing a more extensive security cover to…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: At a time when tourism activities in Kashmir are in limelight, the Union Territory administration has also shifted its focus to promote centuries old rich literature, art, culture, heritage and traditions of the Valley. Kashmir’s geographical location partly explains its cultural history and it may be that its natural beauty and temperate climate are the reasons that Kashmiris have a strong tradition in the arts, literature, painting, drama and dance. Last week, as part of J&K administration’s efforts to take literary activities from cities and towns to the hinterland, a maiden two-day “Veshow Literary festival” was organized in…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party President and Former Pakistan’s Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was rearrested in an asset reference case after he was released from Adiala Jail, Samaa News reported on Monday. The National Accountability Beauru (NAB) received one-day transit remand of the PTI Leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in an asset reference case, Samaa News said in a report. Samaa News reported that the leader was released after his initial period of detention has expired and was rearrested by NAB Lahore in connection with assets beyond known sources of income case. PTI leader was produced in District and…

INTERNATIONAL DESK:  Jubilant Kashmiris holding the National Flag and the tricolour flying high at the iconic Ghanta Ghar in the heart of Srinagar’s Lal Chowk today have disproved the statement made in 2019 by Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, that if article 370 is tinkered with, there would be no one left in Kashmir to hold the tricolour in their hands. Upbeat Kashmiris have now decided to carry forward the vision of Prime Minister Modi to make India a developed Nation by 2047. Four years after 2019, Jammu and Kashmir is decked…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As India prepares to celebrate its 77th Independence Day on Tuesday, the spirit of patriotism is in full swing particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. In Doda, the Ganpat Bridge was illuminated in the colours of the Tricolour on Sunday evening, and a Tiranga rally was organized to mark the occasion. A video shared by the Doda District Administration shows scores of people carrying a long Indian flag above their heads while chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Earlier on Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the ‘Tiranga Rally’ from Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) to…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The navies of India and the United Arab Emirates carried out a military exercise as part of efforts to boost maritime security cooperation. Indian naval ships INS Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand were part of the exercise. The ships arrived at Port Rashid in Dubai on August 8. After two days of detailed planning, the two navies conducted the bilateral maritime partnership exercise today, aimed to enhance the interoperability and synergy between the two navies by cross training on tactics, techniques and procedures,” the Indian Navy said. It said INS Visakhapatnam, commanded by Captain Ashok Rao, is one of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that China will resume outbound group tours for Chinese citizens to around 80 countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Mexico, etc. It is the third batch of destinations in China’s pilot program for outbound group tours. The move to expand the number of destinations comes as China’s overseas tourism industry has been on a firm trajectory of quick recovery during the past month, China Economic Net (CEN) reported. The return of more Chinese travelers is also expected to provide a much-needed boost to the global tourism industry and channel optimism into the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The government has deployed three public sector hydro power companies to fast-track 12 languishing hydel projects in Arunachal Pradesh, including the 2,000MW Upper Subansiri project, as a strategic response to China’s dam-building spree near the northeast border. Three public sector hydel companies – NHPC, SJVN and NEEPCO, a subsidiary of thermal power giant NTPC – signed MoUs with the Arunachal government in Itanagar for taking over the projects with aggregate capacity of 11,517MW. The government has approved the country’s largest ever hydropower project in the region bordering China as it seeks to build renewable generation to meet rising…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Reacting to the appointment of Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar as Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson expressed hope that that caretaker PM-designate Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar will ensure free, fair and transparent election within the constitution limit of three months in the country, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. PTI spokesperson’s remarks come after Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Anwarul Haque Kakar as Caretaker Prime Minister for the country. Taking to Twitter, the President’s Office said that under Article 224 A of Pakistan’s constitution, Alvi appointed Anwarul Haque Kakar as caretaker PM. “President Dr Arif Alvi…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: German Air Force chief Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz has proposed a joint exercise with the Indian Air Force (IAF) – a move that is not surprising as Berlin is refocusing its future engagement in the Indo-Pacific and, like France, has put New Delhi at the centre of its maritme strategy. Concerned about China’s geostrategic striving for supremacy, which is challenging the other neighbouring countries, the navies of both countries are also scheduled to hold a joint exercise later this year during the Indo-Pacific deployment of German warships. As they step up bilateral defence ties and engage in more…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Jammu Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday flagged off a bike rally with digital vehicle services and launched a number of online service portals under the ‘Badalta Jammu Kashmir Program’ in Srinagar. The Lieutenant Governor flagged launched a variety of online service portals and flagged off a bike rally with digital vehicle services as part of the ‘Badalta Jammu Kashmir Program’ at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) today in Srinagar. While speaking on the occasion, LG Manoj Sinha said, “With the help of this digital service, people can make their Aadhaar Cards, Golden Cards, Domicile Certificates, Labour…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday stressed on faster extradition of fugitive economic offenders and recovery of their assets, besides achieving a “corruption-free world” during the crucial G20 anti-graft ministerial meeting in Kolkata. He said that a whopping USD 1.8 billion has been recovered and brought back to India from abroad in the past few years. Singh said that the “gender aspect of corruption” was also deliberated during the meeting and a headway has been made in this direction at the behest of India. On fugitive economic offenders, he said they pose a significant challenge to both national…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Political tension is rising in Bangladesh ahead of the country’s next round of national elections, due by January 2024. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is boycotting elections to extract concessions from the government on election management; rampant inflation is increasing citizens’ daily struggles; and both the BNP and ruling Awami League (AL) are holding large rallies across the country to mobilize their supporters. Yet in this tumultuous political scenario, there is little publicly available polling to understand the state of race. The International Republican Institute (IRI) recently released a national survey and focus group discussion (FGD) study…