UK Foreign Secretary

UK Foreign Secy Runs For Cover Amid Rocket Fire During Israel Visit

UK’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday was forced to run for cover amid rocket fire during a visit to southern Israel, Sky News reported.

Sky News is a British free-to-air television news channel and organisation.

A video showed James Cleverly and a group running into a building as air sirens blared in Ofakim.

Cleverly was seen running towards the entrance at the start of the clip. The Israeli foreign ministry said the siren was warning citizens of incoming Hamas rocket fire.

The UK Foreign Secretary arrived in Israel this morning as part of a trip to “demonstrate the UK’s unwavering solidarity” with the country, a foreign office spokesman said earlier today.

Cleverly on Wednesday said the UK stands with Israel. “I’m here in Israel today to show that the UK’s support for the Israeli people is unwavering,” he wrote on ‘X’.

Meanwhile, all of Northern Israel has been ordered to take shelter in safe houses/bunkers amid drone infiltration, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Red alerts and sirens blared as hostile aircraft entered Tiberias, Beit Shean, Tzfat and northern Israeli communities.

Incoming drone alerts are continuing to sound in northern Israel, as per The Times of Israel.

The sirens are sounding in every town and city in the north, including the Golan Heights. Early reports suggest dozens of drones were launched from Lebanon at Israel.

The military says it is looking into the details.

The head of the Galil Elyon Regional Council, Giora Zaltz, tells Channel 12 news some of the aircraft that infiltrated from Lebanon are carrying people, and residents need to seek shelter.

“This is what we feared, what we were preparing for,” he said as per The Times of Israel.

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus on Wednesday said that 1200 Israelis were killed and more than 2,700 wounded and emphasised that the Israeli soldiers are ready to execute the mission in Gaza.

“Four days after Hamas breached into Israel, attacked Israeli communities, murdered and massacred Israeli citizens and took dozens of Israeli hostages into Gaza. The death toll is staggering, a 1200 dead Israelis. The overwhelming majority of them civilians and more than 2700 wounded and sadly something tells me that these are not final numbers,” he said.

The IDF spokesperson said that about 300000 soldiers had been deployed at the Gaza border and claimed that they would ensure that Hamas would not have any military capabilities at the end of the war.

In a live video posted on X, Lieutenant Colonel Conricus added, “We have sent our inventory, armoured soldiers, our artillery cores and many other soldiers from the reserves. 300000 in numbers in different brigades and divisions and they are now close to the Gaza strip getting ready to execute the mission that the Israeli government and that is to make sure that Hamas at the end of the war won’t have any military capabilities by which they can threaten or kill Israeli citizens.”

As part of the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighters struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood.

In a post shared on X, IDF stated, “Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood–a terrorist hotspot from which Hamas devises and executes their attacks. This is the 3rd counterstrike in the area during the last 24 hours, in which 450 targets were struck.” (ANI)

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Jaishankar Meets UK FS Cleverly, Discuss Young Professional Scheme

Jaishankar Meets UK FS Cleverly, Discuss Young Professional Scheme

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, holding discussions on the commencement of the Young Professional Scheme.

He also exchanged views on the global situation as well as the G20 agenda.
“Began the morning with a bilateral meeting with Foreign Secretary @JamesCleverly of the UK. Reviewed the progress in our relationship since our last discussion. Noted in particular the commencement of the Young Professional Scheme. Also exchanged views on the global situation as well as the G20 agenda,” tweeted Jaishankar.

“During a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi today (Wednesday), the Foreign Secretary will mark the opening of the Young Professionals Scheme, an ambitious new partnership between the UK and India which allows up 3,000 Brits and 3,000 Indians a year the right to live and work in the other country for up to two years,” read a release from the UK Embassy.

Foreign Secretary Cleverly said India is a hugely important partner to the UK and “the deeper ties we are forging now will help to grow the UK economy and boost industries for the future”.

Cleverly is in Delhi to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting.

“He will also launch the new UK-India Young Professional Scheme and announce the creation of UK’s first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific region,” the British embassy in India tweeted.

Jaishankar also met Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard and Foreign Minister of Comoros, Dhoihir Dhoulkamal.

He welcomed the opening of the Mexican Consulate in Mumbai.

“A warm meeting with FM @m_ebrard of Mexico on #G20FMM sidelines. Noted our strong multilateral cooperation and discussed the G20 agenda. Focused on issues related to growth and development. Bilateral ties have progressed significantly in recent years. Welcomed the opening of the Mexican Consulate in Mumbai. Exchanged ideas on mobility, sustainability and innovation,” tweeted Jaishankar.

Meanwhile, he assured Dhoulkamal that India’s G20 Presidency will prioritize the voice of the Global South.

“Glad to welcome Dhoihir Dhoulkamal, FM of Comoros and Chair of African Union at the #G20FMM. Reiterated our steadfast support to our maritime neighbour, guided by our SAGAR policy. Assured him that India’s G20 Presidency will prioritize the voice of the Global South,” tweeted the EAM.

The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) is scheduled to kick off in physical format from March 1-2, 2023 in New Delhi, under India’s presidency.

The New Delhi meeting will be attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, however, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi will not attend the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the foreign ministers of the member countries of G20 and he will talk about India’s growing influence globally. (ANI)

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