Month: February 2022

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the United Nations Security Council will convene Sunday at 3 PM (local time) to vote on a resolution calling for a special session of the General Assembly.

Notably, the United States and Albania have requested a meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday for a procedural vote to appoint a special session of the General Assembly over the events in Ukraine, a UNSC source told Sputnik.

In the case of a procedural vote, the right of veto is not valid and 9 votes out of 15 members of the Security Council are required to make the decision, as per a source.

The emergency special session of the UN General Assembly will be requested for Monday, the source said.

As many as fifty countries have issued a joint statement saying that Russia “abused” its veto power by blocking a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution condemning the Russian military action in Ukraine. This comes after Russia on Friday vetoed a draft UN resolution on Ukraine.

The joint statement, which was read aloud by the US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said this resolution was “vital and straightforward.”

“Fundamentally, it was about whether the countries on the Security Council – charged with maintaining international peace and security – believe in upholding the UN Charter,” the statement said.

Holding Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible, the signatories said that Russia’s action amounts to “violation of the UN Charter.”

“Russia has abused its power today to veto our strong resolution. But Russia cannot veto our voices. Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people. Russia cannot veto their own people protesting this war in the streets. Russia cannot veto the UN Charter. Russia cannot, and will not, veto accountability,” the statement added.

“We will be taking this matter to the General Assembly, where the Russian veto does not apply and the nations of the world will continue to hold Russia accountable,” it added.

The vote on Russia was 11 in favour, one against, and three abstentions. India, China, and UAE abstained from voting on the draft resolution. India has abstained from the vote but New Delhi has called for immediate de-escalation of the situation in Ukraine and advocated for a diplomatic solution. (ANI)

A key border crossing in Chaman between Pakistan and Afghanistan is still closed two days after a deadly clash between the security forces of both countries that left at least three dead.

Hundreds of people were stranded on Saturday days after fighting between security forces, reported The Frontier Post.
Border tensions have risen since the Taliban’s return to power last year, with Pakistan alleging terrorist groups are planning attacks from Afghan soil.

The Taliban deny harbouring Pakistani terrorists and are also infuriated by a fence Islamabad is erecting along their 2,700-kilometre (1,600-mile) border, drawn up in colonial times and known as the Durand Line, reported The Frontier Post.

Each side blamed the other for Thursday’s fighting at the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing.

Differences between the Taliban and Pakistan continue to persist over the issue of the Durand Line and bilateral relations between Pakistan and the Taliban are turning hostile over the issue of Durand Line and cross-border “terror activities” of groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against Islamabad.

Pakistan intends to bring the tribal areas near the Durand Line under its control and complete its Durand barbed wire fencing.

Following deadly attacks on Pakistani troops, the Pakistani military has launched an operation along the Durand Line near Afghanistan.

Notably, the Taliban have not accepted the Durand Line as the ‘official’ boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan. (ANI)

Ahead of the Manipur Assembly elections, Janata Dal (United) candidate from Kshetrigao, Rojit Wahengbam was attacked by unidentified persons, and is reported to be stable now while being admitted in ICU.

“We do not know who tried to kill him but they should be caught. He was targeted out of political rivalry,” said Wahengbam Surbala Devi, his mother.

Earlier on Saturday, the high-octane poll campaigning in Manipur came to an end, setting the stage for the first phase of Assembly elections in the state where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to retain power while Congress is pinning hope on its six-party coalition to oust the Biren Singh government.

Elections for the 60-member Manipur Assembly will take place in two phases on February 28 and March 5. As many as 38 seats will go to the polls in the first phase while voting in 22 constituencies will take place in the second phase. (ANI)

Six Assamese students stranded in Ukraine arrived in separate flights in New Delhi and Mumbai on Sunday morning as part of the evacuation program launched by the government of India under “Operation Ganga”.

An official statement of the Assam government stated, “Officials of Assam Bhawan in Mumbai and New Delhi have received the students and have done the necessary arrangements to send them home. Assam government is in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs for hassle-free evacuation and safe travel of the students.”
The students who have been evacuated are Tanmayee Parashar, Siya Das, Daisy Basumatary and Kritika Basant (Guwahati), Anurag Bhuyan (Gohpur) and Himashree Kakati (Sualkuchi).

Tanmayee and Siya who arrived in Mumbai are in Assam Bhawan in Mumbai and all the arrangements are being done to send them home by the Assam government officials.

Anurag and Kritika were received by officials from Assam Bhawan, Delhi on their arrival in the national capital today.

They will be staying with their relatives in Delhi and air travel from Delhi to Guwahati will be arranged accordingly.

The tickets have been arranged by the Assam government.

Himashree and Daisy arrived in New Delhi today morning and they were received by officials from Assam Bhawan, Delhi.

They will be staying in Assam House, Delhi, and their air travel from New Delhi to Guwahati is arranged accordingly by the Assam government.

All the students were studying medicine in different universities and colleges in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

“Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely,” Jaishankar said in a Tweet.

Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary’s Budapest under Operation Ganga.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts. (ANI)

Google has banned the download of the mobile application of the Russian RT channel in Ukraine at the request of Kyiv, the broadcaster said on Sunday.

“Google, at the request of Kyiv, has banned the download of the RT mobile application on the territory of Ukraine,” the broadcaster said in a statement published on its official Telegram channel.

Earlier in the day, Google announced its decision to pause the ability of Russian state-owned media to monetize content with ads on all of its platforms amid Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)

A clash between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers broke out during civic polls in the state on Sunday.

The BJP West Bengal vice-president Arjun Singh alleged that two Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were vandalised in ward 9 and there is a similar situation across the state.
“Police is arresting the BJP workers, and not letting them vote. All booths have been captured. Only police and goons are voting here. Voters are scared to vote, especially the Bengali population, who are not being allowed to vote. Even TMC’s core vote bank, Muslims are not able to vote. Police here is playing one of the three monkeys of Gandhiji,” added Singh.

Voting for 108 municipalities across West Bengal has begun from 7 am on Sunday.

The polling will be held till 5 pm, informed the West Bengal State Election Commission.

About 95 lakh (95,59,790) voters are slated to exercise their franchise to elect ward representatives and mayors that are spread across 2,276 wards over 108 municipalities.

The districts where polling is underway are Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Purba Burdwan and Birbhum.

The heavy police force has been deployed at every polling booth, and polling is being conducted with tight security. The civic polls were earlier slated to be held on January 22, 2022. However, the High Court had postponed the elections for 4-6 weeks, citing that the third wave of COVID-19 has hit the state and that the life of the residents of the state will be put to threat if the elections were held. (ANI)

With voting for the fifth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections underway, State Election Commission on Sunday informed that 34.83 per cent voter turnout has been recorded till 1 pm on Sunday.

Of the 12 districts where polling is being held, Chitrakoot recorded the highest voting percentage of 39.08 per cent followed by Ayodhya with 38.74 per cent.
Other districts like Amethi recorded a voting percentage of 35.93, Baharaich with 37.25, Barabanki with 36.23, Gonda with 34.36, Kaushambi with 37.23, Pratapgarh with 33.59, Prayagraj with 30.30, RaeBareli with 33.64, Shrawasti with 36.50 and Sultanpur with 34.85.

Polling for the fifth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began in 61 constituencies at 7 am on Sunday morning and will go on till 6 pm.

A total of 61 Assembly constituencies spread across 12 districts, including Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Barabaki, Bahraich, Shrawasti, Gonda, Amethi, and Raebareli, are undergoing polling today.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the government will do whatever possible to bring back all the citizens stranded in Ukraine.

Addressing a rally in Basti, PM Modi said, “By running Operation Ganga, we are bringing back thousands of Indians home. Our sons, daughters still stranded in Ukraine will be brought back. The government is working day and night for them…Wherever there is trouble, we left no stone unturned to bring our citizens back.”
He further said, “For decades these ‘Parivarwadis’ let our Armies dependent on other countries, destroyed India’s Defence (sector)…But today, we have a Defence corridor being set up in Uttar Pradesh.”

Attacking the Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders, PM Modi said, “Those who have sympathy towards terrorists will never strengthen the country. Our country will become powerful only when the states become powerful. Our country will be powerful only when UP will become powerful.”

He further said, “However, these ‘parivarwadis’ have only one formula which is money in the treasure box of families. These family members will never allow our country to become powerful. They make oppressors, goondas and mafias powerful.”

He added, “The voters from marginalised communities defeated these ‘pariwarwadis’ in 2014, 2017 and 2019. In the 2022 Assembly elections, they are finding it difficult securing their own seats.”

The Prime Minister added, “We import crude oil… They (Opposition) never paid attention to it… Now, with the help of sugarcane, ethanol can be made. Our government is establishing a network of ethanol plants.”

PM Modi added, “These people only want commission in every deal. They do not want to make India an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). This is the difference between ‘Rashtra bhakti’ and ‘pariwar bhakti’.”

He also said, “In Pipraich, a distillery has been set up. In this distillery, every day hundreds of litres of ethanol would be produced. Using cow dung and wastes from houses, the government is installing hundreds of biogas plant in the country.” (ANI)

The fourth flight has left Bucharest (Romania) for Delhi to bring back 198 stranded Indians from Ukraine safely under operation Ganga, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

“Operation Ganga continues. The fourth flight has left to bring our 198 Indians from Bucharest to Delhi safely,” Jaishankar said in a Tweet.
Earlier in a Tweet, the Foreign Minister said that the third flight to Delhi with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Hungary’s Budapest under Operation Ganga.

“The third flight of #OperationGanga with 240 Indian nationals has taken off from Budapest for Delhi,” he said tweeted.

Amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has advised Indian citizens against moving to any of the border checkpoints without prior coordination with government officials at border posts.

So far, a total of 469 Indian nationals have been evacuated from war-hit Ukraine, out of which 250 landed in Delhi on Sunday morning and 219 landed in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

In an advisory to Indian nationals on Saturday, the embassy stressed that the situation at various border checkpoints is sensitive and it is working continuously with Embassies in the neighbouring countries for coordinated evacuation of our citizens.

“All Indian Citizens in Ukraine are advised to not move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with Government of India officials at the border posts and the Emergency numbers of Embassy of India, Kyiv,” the advisory read.

“Embassy is finding it increasingly difficult to help the crossing of those Indian nationals who reach border checkpoints without prior intimation,” it added.

The embassy further advised Indians to stay in western cities of Ukraine where access to water, food, accommodation, and basic amenities is relatively safer.

This comes as the Russian military continues to advance in the capital city of Ukraine, according to media reports. Explosions in parts of Kyiv were heard on Friday as Russian forces approached the city, media reports said on Saturday.

Videos from eyewitnesses show explosions taking place in the Ukrainian capital city as some media reports said Ukraine and Russia are discussing a place and time for talks. (ANI)

Local train movement was affected between Andheri and Churchgate after the power outage from 9.42 am.

However, the services were restored after an interim measure supply from the Jogeshwari substation was extended.
“There was no train movement between Churchgate and Andheri from 9.42 am due to the failure of the M/s TATA power supply,” said a statement by the Western Railways.

However, as an interim measure supply was extended from the Jogeshwari substation and Services were restored at 10.44 am, added the statement.

“The power supply was restored at 10.53 am. Train No 12954 August Kranti Rajdhani Express arrived late at Mumbai Central by approximately 30 minutes,” as per the statement.

Approximately 50 suburban trains were cancelled and 140 trains delayed, added the statement.

“Today morning, the MSETCL transmission line from Kalwa to Trombay had massive voltage fluctuations, causing tripping of Trombay Salsette-1 on overload,” said the statement. (ANI)