China’s tensions with Indonesia may spike over Natuna Islands

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August 24, 2022

The joint combat exercise between Indonesia and US held this month has reminded China that it can’t afford to ignore Jakarta which is strategically critical to the Indo-Pacific region.

Under the banners of 14 nations, the 16th annual Garuda Shield exercise, the cornerstone of the military partnership between the US and Indonesia, was held this month. Expanding from a bilateral training event between the Indonesian Army and the US Army, this year’s “Super Garuda Shield” is now one of the biggest joint, multinational exercises in the Indo-Pacific region.

The strong and diverse Super Garuda Shield 2022 featured a number of “firsts,” including the first-ever trilateral airborne jump among the United States, Indonesia, and Japan, which concluded early today. The multinational exercise’s planning, operations, exchanges, and activities increase all participating nations’ military defence capabilities and work to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.

More than 4,000 combined forces personnel, including first-time participants Australia, Singapore, and Japan Ground Self Defense Force, are participating in support of the exercise. Other participating nations include Canada, France, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and the United Kingdom.

“When we’re together like this, we are stronger,” said Commanding General of the U.S. Army Pacific, General Charles Flynn. “Together as a multinational force, Garuda Shield is an important expression of our teamwork, our interoperability and our unity as a group of nations that seek to have a free and open IndoPacific and maintain a rules-based order.”

Indonesia is seemingly taking the lead in stopping arrogant China’s ‘unstoppable’ march decimating small and middle countries in and around the Indo-Pacific region, according to Global Strat View analysis.

While Indonesia and China enjoy generally positive ties, Jakarta has expressed concern about Chinese involvement in its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, which China claims virtually in its entirety.

Regional experts say that Indonesia’s ties to China seem to have taken a dip due to the Natuna Island issue. This has been exacerbated by reports of Jakarta’s plan to turn the Natuna Regency into a special economic zone (SEZ)

This prospect has not gone well in China but for Indonesia, the designation will introduce an array of incentives to bolster the region’s tourism, fishing, energy, and security sectors.

At the request of the Natuna Regency office, a government working group has conducted studies to convert the island group into an SEZ. Indonesian president Widodo Joko even signed an order to divide the Natuna marine area into regulated zones.

The declaration of Natuna island as SEZ will likely cause tension between China and Indonesia

Protests erupt in Karachi after prolonged load shedding

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ANI

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August 24, 2022

Protests erupted in different parts of Pakistan’s Karachi on Tuesday due to the unannounced and prolonged load shedding, local media reported.

In different areas of Karachi, residents participated in protests after an unannounced and prolonged load shedding in the city, ARY News reported.

Meanwhile, the resident also staged protests outside the K-Electric office and in Sir Syed Town Kalyana of the North Karachi area.

The residents of Quaidabad held a protest near Daud Chawrangi and blocked a road for traffic.

Earlier, on August 12, frustrated by prolonged and unannounced load shedding, angry residents of Sachal Goth had marched towards the K-Electric (KE) office and attacked it.

The protestors had pelted stones at the KE office and broke the windows of its vehicles. On their way to the office, the protestors also burnt tyres against the prolonged load shedding, reported ARY News.

Earlier, numerous people took to the streets on Monday and gathered in front of the Peshawar Electric Supply Company office in Saidu Sharif, after the excessive rise in fuel cost adjustment (FCA) charges on electricity bills.

Due to the imposition of taxes on energy bills, residents of Amankot, Faizabad, Rahimabad, Saidu Sharif, Gul Kada, Panr and other suburbs of Mingora marched from their respective areas and held protests and subsequently marched towards the Swat Press Club where their leaders, including local government members, claimed the current month’s bills were heavily laden with FCA and other taxes, reported Dawn.

Maha Council clears bills on direct election of sarpanches, municipal council, Nagar panchayat heads

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PTI

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August 24, 2022

The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Tuesday passed two bills that will enable the election of gram panchayat sarpanches, presidents of municipal councils and Nagar panchayats directly by voters.

The bills were cleared by the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Tabling the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, in the Upper House, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the move was aimed at increasing accountability of these local bodies.

So far, members of gram panchayats, municipal councils and Nagar panchayats had been electing chiefs of these bodies.

Opposing the bills, Ambadas Danve, the Leader of Opposition and Shiv Sena legislator, asked what would be the situation if the president is elected from one party, while councillors of another party have a majority.

Danve and Eknath Khadse (NCP) asked Shinde the reason behind changing his stand as it was the Urban Development Department under him in the previous Uddhav Thackeray government that had taken a decision to indirectly elect presidents of municipal councils and Nagar panchayats.

Replying to the debate, the chief minister said the decision to elect presidents of municipal councils directly was a collective stand of the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

During a debate on the bill amending the Maharashtra Village Panchayat Act, introduced by Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan, Danve said the move will lead to the concentration of power in the hands of one person.

The bill will enable direct election for the post of gram panchayat sarpanch.

India voices concern over situation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in UNSC

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ANI

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August 24, 2022

Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj — India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj

India on Tuesday said it remained concerned with the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, saying that any accident involving nuclear facilities could potentially have disastrous consequences.

Addressing a United Nations Security Council briefing, the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said that India continues to carefully follow developments regarding the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities and it attaches high importance to ensuring the safety and security of these facilities.

The ambassador said India also accords high priority to the discharge by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its safeguards and monitoring activities, in accordance with its Statute in an effective, objective and efficient manner.

“India remains concerned over the situation at the Zaporizhya Nuclear Power Plant. We support the ongoing efforts including that of the IAEA to reduce tensions and steps to ensure nuclear safety and security at the facility,” Kamboj said.

This concern comes as recent weeks have seen an escalation in shelling in and around Europe’s largest nuclear facility.

The UNSC meeting was requested by Russia, whose forces have occupied the plant since March, or shortly after the start of the war, while Ukrainian personnel continue to carry out their on-site operations.

“We have noted the latest information available with regard to the nuclear power plants and facilities in Ukraine, including the updates published on August 19 by the IAEA. We hope the proposed visit by a team from IAEA to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and its surrounding areas will be agreed by the two sides, as indicated in their recent statements,” she added.

The Indian envoy to the UN said that New Delhi will continue to reiterate that the global order is anchored on international law, the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.

Speaking at the same briefing, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said that an agreement is urgently needed to reestablish the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine as purely civilian infrastructure and prevent a potentially “catastrophic” disaster.

DiCarlo reiterated the UN’s ongoing grave concern over the dangerous situation, recalling the Secretary-General’s appeals for common sense, reason and restraint, as well as dialogue. The UN has again called for the parties to provide the IAEA with immediate, secure, and unfettered access to the nuclear plant.

Mining lease case: Arjun Munda hits back at Hemant Soren, says EC’s decision to come soon

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ANI

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August 24, 2022

Image: ANI | Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda

Taking a jibe at Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and Union Minister Arjun Munda said the Election Commission will soon make a decision regarding the stone mining case.

Speaking to ANI, Munda said, Jharkhand is going through a very poor time. I do not feel it appropriate to make political remarks on the matter which is under discussion with the Election Commission.

The system impacted the lives of people and the public work is not being handled. The state’s economy is in extremely poor shape. Reacting to the stone mining case, the Union Minister said people are keeping an eye on it and the investigation is ongoing.

The Election Commission’s decision will be revealed shortly. The Election Commission will make a decision in this matter. The BJP had complained to the Governor that the stone mining concession had been granted by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. His membership in the assembly should be revoked because this is against the Representation of the People Act, Munda said.

Meanwhile, rumours that Chief Minister Soren may step down from the position have grown more intense. The choices of CM are also being discussed at the same time.

There are speculations about Kalpana Soren perhaps succeeding her husband as Chief Minister. He further said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) charged Soren with abusing his position as Mining and Environment Minister to secure a 2021 stone mining lease in Ranchis Angara block.

Meanwhile, Nishikant Dubey, a BJP member, exacerbated the rumours in a tweet. Johar, Jai Shri Ram, finally, the work is done in Jharkhand, Dubey tweeted.

Munda commented on the present political commotion in Jharkhand by saying, I don’t want to comment on Nishikant Dubeys Twitter, this is his personal tweet, but yes, it is a matter of truth that the situation in Jharkhand is really pitiful.

BJP leader found hanging from tree in Kathua

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ANI

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August 24, 2022

A missing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was found hanging from a tree in Hiranagar Town in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua on Tuesday.

However, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the exact cause of the death.

As per police sources, a villager saw the body of BJP leader Som Raj hanging from a tree at some distance from his house in Hiranagar town in the morning and informed the police.

The body, which had blood marks, was sent to a Sub District Hospital (SDH) Hiranagar hospital for post-mortem.

Sources said Raj was missing since yesterday and was found hanging from a tree on Tuesday under mysterious circumstances.

Inquest proceedings under section 174 CrPC have been initiated by Hiranagar Police in this regard.

The family members and many BJP leaders demanded a probe into his death.

After completing medical and legal formalities, the body of the deceased was handed over to legal heirs for last rites.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua RC Kotwal said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by SDPO Border has been constituted to investigate the matter.

“Questioning of the leaders on whom the family has levelled allegation will also be conducted and whosoever will be found guilty will be dealt with iron hands”, SSP asserted.

65% of Ganpati mandals granted civic permission in Mumbai

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Web Team

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August 23, 2022

Ganesh Idols Photo — Image: PTI – Image for representative purpose

With around a week left for Ganeshotsav, the civic body has received 2,540 applications from mandals across Mumbai and has granted permission to 65% or 1,660 of them.

This number is already more than the total 2,507 applications received last year, of which 2,048 were granted permission.

FY Jr college cut-offs rise by 3-6% across colleges in third round

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Web Team

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August 23, 2022

The third First Year Junior College (FYJC) general merit list announced on Monday saw cut-offs rising by 3-6% across streams over the first and second rounds in this admission season.

Last year, cut-offs in the third round went up by 1-2%.

Principals said cut-offs tend to rise in the third round due to various reasons, the prime being students with high scores playing the waiting game to get colleges of their choice. New applications after every round contribute to this trend.

Parts of 8 structures near Mumbai airport to be razed in a month for height norm violation

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Web Team

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August 23, 2022

Parts of eight out of the 48 structures in the vicinity of the Mumbai airport will be demolished in a month for violating the height norms, Mumbai suburban district collector has told the Bombay high court.

A division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M S Karnik had last month directed the collector to specify the measures to be taken for razing parts of the 48 structures identified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) as violative of height regulations.

While periodical surveys are carried out to identify such structures, the MIAL in 2017 informed the suburban collector’s office that 48 such structures need to be demolished.

BEST to introduce separate queue for app, smartcard users for boarding digital buses

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Web Team

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August 23, 2022

BEST management announced that it will have a separate queue for passengers with a Chalo app and smartcard for boarding its digital buses with tap in and tap out facilities.

Other passengers can also board these buses by purchasing tickets from ground staff as there are no conductors in these buses.

The machines installed in digital buses can scan smartcards or QR code from the Chalo mobile app.