After being expelled from the Congress party Bishnoi met 2 BJP senior Leaders

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July 10, 2022

kuldeep Bishnoi 1 — Image: Twitter @bishnoikuldeep

On Sunday MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi from the congress party, Adampur met Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda who was warming to the BJP after the cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha polls.

As per the report, Bishnoi was expelled from all the positions of the congress party last month and recently he met BJP with two senior leaders in New Delhi and heaped praises on them.

MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi who is the younger son of former Harayana Chief Minister late Bhajan Lal had posted pictures of his meeting with two senior leaders of the BJP.

There are many speculations revolving around Bishnoi’s next move after being expelled from the Congress party and also when he cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha Polls.

Recently a tweet was been shared by Bishnoi on social media in Hindi which said “ It was a real Honor and Pleasure to meet Amit Shah”. He also stated, “ A true statesman, I felt his aura and charisma in my interactions with him. His vision for India is awe-inspiring.”

While sharing the information about meeting the leaders of the BJP, Bishnoi also wrote that “ He felt very proud to meet Nadda”. He also said, “ His easy-going and humble nature sets him apart”.

In a statement, Bishnoi said “ The BJP has seen unprecedented heights under Nadda who has ably led the party. “ I wish him good health and a long life”. After the cross-voting, Bishnoi which Bishnoi went through last month said, “ He was consulting with his supporters to decide on his next course of action”.

When the media asked if he was in touch with BJP leaders then Bishnoi replied “ His next step would be in the interests of the people of Haryana and his constituency”.

In Haryana, the main opposition party is the Congress party which is assured of one Rajya Sabha seat by virtue of the number of MLAs it has in the 90- member assembly. However, Congress candidate Ajay Maken failed to secure the berth after Bishnoi cross-voted but the vote of an MLA was declared invalid.

BJP’s Krishan Lal Panwar and the saffron party-backed independent candidate Kartikeya Sharma were elected for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Haryana.

Stranded 63 Beed pilgrims in Amarnath got rescued

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Web Team

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July 10, 2022

Security forces,camps, amarnath pilgrims — Image: Agencies

The district Administration on Sunday stated that 63 people from Beed in Maharashtra got stranded during the Amarnath pilgrimage visit and later people were rescued and taken to Jammu, Srinagar, and other places.

The administration official quoted to ANI “ A flash of flood occurred following a cloudburst in that a total number of 63 pilgrims -39 from Dhamangav village and 24 from Parli city in Beed district. The pilgrims had got stranded near the Amarnath temple shrine.

As per the report, quoted by ANI the administration official said “ They have now been rescued and taken to places like Jammu, Srinagar, Baital, and Delhi and now they are safe.

The officials earlier said to ANI “ A flash of flood triggered by a cloudburst near the cave shrine of Amarnath in which at least 16 people were killed and several others were missing due to the flood.

Maharashtra legislature’s show-cause notices to 53 Shiv Sena MLAs

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PTI

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July 10, 2022

eknath shinde, shinde, eknath, maharashtra, maharashtra assembly, maharashtra legislature — Maharashtra legislature's show-cause notices to 53 Shiv Sena MLAs 4

Maharashtra legislature secretary has issued show-cause notices to 53 out of the total 55 Shiv Sena MLAs in the state – 39 of the faction led by Eknath Shinde and 14 of the Uddhav Thackeray group.

One of the 14 MLAs from the Thackeray side, Santosh Bangar, joined the Shinde camp on the day of the floor test of the latter’s government on July 4.

MLAs from both sides confirmed having received the showcase notice.

Both sides have accused each other of defying the party whip during the Speaker’s election and the trust vote on July 3 and 4, respectively, seeking disqualification of the legislators from both sides.

The Shinde faction has not included the name of Aaditya Thackeray, son of former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in the list of MLAs against whom they have sought disqualification.

The notices have been issued under the Members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (disqualification on grounds of defection) rules.

The legislators have been asked to explain their stand within seven days, sources said. The Shiv Sena has 55 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly, whose current strength is 287 due to the death of a Sena legislator.

In the trust vote, 164 MLAs voted for the confidence motion, while 99 voted against it.

After winning the trust vote in the state Assembly on July 4, the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena had issued a notice to 14 legislators from the Uddhav Thackeray camp for violating a whip issued by the Sena whip and Shinde loyalist Bharat Gogawale.

A day before the floor test, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar had recognised Gogawale as the Shiv Sena’s chief whip, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction. On July 3, Rahul Narvekar of the BJP was elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly. He had polled 164 votes, and he defeated Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rajan Salvi, who got 107 votes.

FIR lodged against police officer for blackmailing woman

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ANI

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July 10, 2022

A case was registered in Miryalguda 1 town PS against a Sub Inspector who is working in CCS Malkajigiri, Rachakonda Commissionerate under section 376 (2), 417, 420 IPC on July 7 for blackmailing a woman on the pretext of marrying her.

The accused had been identified as Vijay Dharawath. According to Nalgonda SP, Vijay Dharawath and the victim lady had been in a relationship since 2013. Vijay is a native of Miryalguda.

It further came to light that the victim was working as Panchayat Secretary in Miryalguda. According to the victim, they had been living together at different places since 2013.

She further said, “Vijay promised to marry her but he got married to another girl and when she confronted him, he started giving different versions with the passage of time and finally, she decided to file a case against him.

Impartial judicial system biggest need for democracy: BJP leader Gadkari

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PTI

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July 10, 2022

nitin, gadkari, nitin gadkari, — Impartial judicial system biggest need for democracy: BJP leader Gadkari 7

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said an impartial and fair judicial system is the biggest requirement for a free and fair democracy.

The road transport and highways minister was speaking at the inauguration of an amenities block of the Maharashtra National Law University in Nagpur. Hailing the four pillars of democracy – legislative, executive, judiciary, and media, Gadkari said, ” An independent, impartial and fair judicial system is the biggest requirement for a free and fair democracy.”

Time is the biggest capital, he said, adding that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi many administrative reforms have taken place.

”During cabinet meetings, when discussions on tribunals and other things are held, I often tell the law minister and the prime minister that whatever the decision may be, it is the right of the judiciary to give the decision and it should not be influenced by anybody,” the union minister said.

He also pitched for a time limit for development works and removing delays, which can save thousands of crores of rupees for the country. Justices Bhushan Gavai and P S Narasimha, both judges of the Supreme Court, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were also present on the occasion.

US urges Sri Lanka to act swiftly to seek long-term solutions for economic crisis

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ANI

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July 10, 2022

After a dramatic escalation in anti-government protests in Colombo over a dire economic crisis, the United States has urged Sri Lankan leaders to act quickly to seek long-term solutions.

The United States calls on “the Sri Lankan Parliament to approach this juncture with a commitment to the betterment of the nation – not any one political party,” a State Department spokesperson said as Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Thailand.

“We urge this government or any new, constitutionally elected government to work quickly to identify and implement solutions that will achieve long-term economic stability and address the Sri Lankan people’s discontent over the worsening economic conditions, including power, food and fuel shortages,” State Department spokesperson added, reported Sri Lankan Daily Newspaper, Daily Mirror. The United States also warned against attacks on protesters or journalists, but also criticized violence on Saturday.

“The Sri Lankan people have the right to peacefully raise their voices, and we call for the full investigation, arrest and prosecution of anyone involved in any protest-related violent incidents,” the spokesperson said. Several dramatic videos have been doing the rounds on social media after Saturday’s upheaval where thousands of protesters stormed into President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official residence in the capital of Colombo, forcing him to flee to an unknown location.

With the demand for the President’s resignation, the protestors stormed into the President’s house, tore down security cordons placed by police, took a dip in the swimming pool and romped through his kitchen and home.

Several journalists were also attacked by the security forces after which more protestors gathered in the area, Daily Mirror reported. Police resorted to water cannons to stop the enraged protestors.

The police also fired tear gas at the protesters but despite that, they entered PM’s house and set the house on fire. Meanwhile, Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) fire brigade said they were informed that the Prime Minister’s private residence in Colombo was set on fire and its teams were unable to reach the location due to the unrest, according to Daily Mirror.

Wickremesinghe, who was appointed as Prime Minister in May, has announced that he will resign from his post in order to ensure the continuation of the government and the safety of all the citizens. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also agreed to step down from his post on Wednesday.

Nepal celebrates Eid-Al Adha

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ANI

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July 10, 2022

Nepal celebrates Eid Al Adha with elan 1 — **Nepal celebrates Eid-Al Adha with elan**

Eid-Al Adha, the second biggest festival of the Islam community, is being marked with fanfare and gaiety in Kathmandu, Nepal. Hundreds of Islam followers on Sunday morning thronged the Kashmiri Takiya Mosque in the capital Kathmandu taking part in the mass namaz recitation ceremony. Eid-Al Adha is observed on the 70th day of Eid-Ul-Fitr or Ramadan. On this day, the Muslims visit the nearest mosque after a morning bath and attend a mass prayer to read the Namaz. After completing the reading of the Namaj, they exchange greetings by hugging one another.

“This year’s Eid is entirely different from those of earlier years because it is being observed in a gap of two years, after the gap of two years, we are observing it in the third year (since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic) which has made it different from the previous ones,” Ikrar Khan, participant of Namaj Ceremony in capital Kathmandu told ANI. Meanwhile, the government has given a public holiday on Sunday to mark the occasion of Eid-Al Adha, the Bakra Eid. The Ministry of Home Affairs has notified that as stated in the March 10 issue of Nepal Gazette the government has decided to grant a holiday on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha.

The festival is observed commemorating the moment when Ibrahim, the first of the Old Testament, became ready to sacrifice his son at the command of Allah, the Muslim God, some 1435 years back as per the Hijri calendar, said Nirdosh Ali, chairperson of the National Muslim Commission.

Reading Namaj, observing Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca Medina) and Roja (fasting), and offering donations and sacrifices are the five main good deeds that are supposed to be followed by the Muslim people.

Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has extended best wishes to all Nepali Muslim sisters and brothers living in the country and abroad on the occasion of the Bakar Eid festival today. He wished peace, prosperity, and happiness on this occasion. PM Deuba wished that the festival would help conserve traditions and cultural values, thereby building a cultured society.

He believed that the festival would further promote harmony, fraternity, and tolerance, thereby contributing to national unity. Likewise, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has wished peace, prosperity and happiness to the Nepali Muslim community living in the country and abroad on the occasion of the Bakar Eid today.

“Nepali society is a beautiful abode of diverse ethnicities, languages and culture,” she said, adding that unity among diversity is Nepal’s identity and strength. She also believed that the festival would further strengthen national unity and harmony.

Sri Lanka crisis: Enraged protestors storm President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s house

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ANI

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July 9, 2022

sri lanka, president house, sri lankan president, rajapaksha — Image: Twitter

After thousands of enraged protestors on Saturday barged into his residence in Colombo, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly fled his home, according to local media. Lankan local publication Daily Mirror reported that several gunshots were heard being fired in the air and police unsuccessfully used tear gas to ward off protestors who surrounded the presidential residence.

Protestors have entered the President’s House, tweeted the Daily Mirror. Sri Lanka’s police imposed a curfew in several police divisions in Western Province with effect from 9 pm local time Friday until further notice as ahead of a planned protest today demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Strict action will be taken on those violating the curfew, the police said. The Sri Lankan publication said travelling through the areas where police curfew is in effect is completely prohibited and police had advised people to use other alternative routes. The worsening economic situation in the country has led to increasing tensions and over the last few weeks there were reports of several confrontations between individuals and members of the police force and the armed forces at fuel stations where thousands of desperate members of the public have queued for hours and sometimes days. Police have used tear gas and water cannon at times in an unnecessary and disproportionate manner. On occasions, armed forces have also fired live ammunition.

Sri Lanka is suffering its worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948, which comes on the heels of successive waves of COVID-19, threatening to undo years of development progress and severely undermining the country’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The oil supply shortage has forced schools and government offices to close until further notice. Reduced domestic agricultural production, a lack of foreign exchange reserves, and local currency depreciation have fuelled the shortages. The economic crisis will push families into hunger and poverty – some for the first time – adding to the half a million people who the World Bank estimates have fallen below the poverty line because of the pandemic.

Some 6.26 million Sri Lankans, or three in 10 households, are unsure of where their next meal is coming from, according to the latest food insecurity assessment from the World Food Programme (WFP), released on Wednesday. In the wake of record food price inflation, skyrocketing fuel costs and widespread commodity shortages, some 61 per cent of households are regularly using coping strategies to cut down on costs, such as reducing the amount they eat and consuming increasingly less nutritious meals.

Amid the ongoing economic crisis and shortage of fuel and gas, Sri Lanka’s Church of Ceylon has called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to immediately resign alleging they have failed to take any meaningful steps to alleviate the suffering of the people.

Ex-Japan PM Shinzo Abe was fatally shot dead during campaigning

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PTI

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July 8, 2022

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Japan’s NHK television says former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot during a campaign speech.

Abe was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech Friday in Nara in western Japan. He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment but was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

The 67-year-old Abe was Japan’s longest-serving leader before stepping down for health reasons in 2020.

Police arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of the attack, which shocked people in a country known as one of the world’s safest.

China wishes to penetrate Africa’s political landscape

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ANI

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July 8, 2022

After offering loans to countries in Africa, China is now leveraging the “debt trap” to strategically penetrate the continent’s political landscape.

Chinese financiers have so far committed more than USD 153 billion to African public sector borrowers between 2000 and 2019 which is pushing the continent into debt, according to researchers.

China has recently emerged as a major lender in more than 32 African countries including Angola (USD 21.5 billion in 2017), Ethiopia (USD 13.7 billion), Kenya (USD 9.8 billion), Republic of Congo (USD 7.42 billion), Cameroon (USD 5.57 billion) and Zambia reaching USD 11.2 billion in 2019.

Notwithstanding, the debt Africa owes to China is persistently on the rise. Research historically has shown that soaring debt has the ability to compromise the sovereignty of African states, owing to the complexity of corruption and frequent political instability in the continent.

An article by an online International Journal, IJSER, seeks to interrogate the impact of Chinese loans to Africa through a review of secondary data.

The article provides a different lens (negative impact) of Chinese loans in Africa in the 21st century.

During the wave of African independence post-the second world war, African economies incurred substantial debts from to the dictates of Britton wood institutions (International Monetary Fund and the World Bank) which they could not repay.

The debt kept African countries at a vulnerable position. Hence, by mid-1990s, Africa was booted out of the global financial system due to unpaid loans.

There were various attempts to address the debt. Africa again, is presently confronted with another side of the same coin- “debt-trap”. This time from China.

The notion of the debt-trap was coined by graduate students who attempted to describe the nature of China’s loans to developing countries. It was later popularized in the context of “China debt-trap diplomacy” by scholars who have proven that China is deliberately offering loans to developing countries with high debt risks in order to put them in a position where they are subjected to the dictates of Beijing.

One scholar argued that even the “aid” that China offers to promote education in Africa has severe colonial implications. Thousands of scholarships that China offers to African students to study in various Chinese universities are aimed at shaping and cultivating Africa’s next generation of leaders to remain loyal to future Chinese policies toward Africa.

Another scholar highlights the fact that to understand the broader implications of China’s debt-trap diplomacy in Africa, one must weigh the risks and the benefits of Chinese loans across Africa. The peril of Chinese debt in Africa is evident.