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Saudi to purchase Pakistani nuclear weapons

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The Saudi-Pakistan talks come amid the P5+1 negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. (AFP/File)

The Saudi-Pakistan talks come amid the P5+1 negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. (AFP/File)

Saudi Arabia has reportedly held talks with Pakistan for the purchase of nuclear weapons amid the ongoing nuclear negotiations between world powers and Iran, according to a US senior official who spoke with The Sunday Times.

Tensions in the region have escalated in light of the framework agreement the United States and the other world powers have made with the Islamic Republic, with Saudi Arabia increasingly concerned with the repercussions of a deal that may see the easing of sanctions leaving Iran more legroom to continue developing weapons of mass destruction.

The strain in relations was evident when Saudi Arabia’s King Salman skipped a major summit in Washington this week, along with the leaders of three other Gulf nations.

“For the Saudis the moment has come,” The Sunday Times quoted a former US defense official as saying.

“There has been a long-standing agreement in place with the Pakistanis and the House of Saud has now made the strategic decision to move forward.”

Saudi Arabia is skeptical that any final, comprehensive deal with Iran will curb its nuclear ambitions, with the West’s engagement  having actually “opened the door to nuclear proliferation,” a military source told The Sunday Times

The agreement allows Iran to keep 5,000 uranium enrichment centrifuges at Natanz, and another 1,000 centrifuges at its underground enrichment facility in Fordow.

According to one senior British official who also spoke with The Sunday Times, military leadership from all Western countries “assume the Saudis have made the decision to go nuclear.”

“The fear is that other Middle Eastern powers — Turkey and Egypt — may feel compelled to do the same and we will see a new, even more dangerous, arms race.”

Fresh bombing in Yemen as humanitarian ceasefire ends

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Coalition warplanes target Houthi rebel positions in al-Sawlaban and al-Arish in Aden province, Saudi officials say.

Yemen

by Al Jazeera

Arab coalition nations have resumed air strikes against Houthi fighters in Yemen as a UN envoy called for an extension of a five-day humanitarian ceasefire that expired late Sunday.

The coalition targeted Houthi rebel positions in al-Sawlaban and al-Arish in Aden province, Saudi military officials said early on Monday.

Al-Masirah TV, a Houthi-backed channel, reported that Saudi troops were also shelling al-Manzala district in al-Dalih near the Yemen-Saudi border, in addition to Al-Ghawr mountain.

“I call on all parties to renew their commitment to this truce for five more days at least,” UN envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said earlier in Riyadh. “This humanitarian truce should turn into a permanent ceasefire.”

His appeal followed clashes between rebels and pro-government forces across south Yemen on Saturday despite the truce, which has largely held since starting on Tuesday at 2000 GMT.

Speaking in Seoul on Monday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the US continues to support the idea of a humanitarian ceasefire in Yemen, but that such a truce was difficult given the current circumstances.

The official Saudi Press Agency, meanwhile, reported that the UN envoy met Saudi chief of staff Lieutenant General Abdulrahman bin Saleh al-Bunyan and discussed “humanitarian aid efforts” in Yemen.

Aid groups have called for a lasting truce in the impoverished country, where a Saudi-led regional coalition has waged an air war Houthis and their allies since late March.

Yemeni political parties began talks on Sunday in the Saudi capital aimed at finding a solution to the crisis. But the Houthis stayed away from the meeting of some 400 delegates, including President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has taken refuge in Riyadh.

Hadi repeated accusations that the rebels had staged a “coup”.

“We are trying to regain our nation” from militias backed by “external” forces, he said in a reference to Iran, which has denied arming the rebels.

An Iranian aid ship bound for Yemen in defiance of US warnings has entered the Gulf of Aden and is expected to dock on Thursday, media in Tehran reported.

Clashes in Aden

Its mission has been overshadowed by US calls for it to head to a UN emergency relief hub in Djibouti instead of the Yemeni port of Hodeida.

Clashes raged overnight Saturday in the central city of Taiz between Houthis – supported by troops loyal to ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh – and pro-Hadi forces.

The rebels, who seized Sanaa in September and have since swept across many other regions, bombed a village south of Taiz, killing 14 civilians, a local official said.

Sporadic clashes also continued in Aden, the scene of fierce fighting since rebels advanced on the southern port in late March after Hadi took refuge there.

Aden health chief al-Khader Laswar said four people were killed in clashes Sunday and 39 were wounded, among them two children and four women.

Laswar has said that 517 civilians and pro-Hadi fighters have been killed there in the past 50 days. The toll includes 76 women and children, he said.

Quoted by the government news agency Sabanew.net, Laswar said he could not provide a toll for the rebels.

He added that 3,461 people were wounded, and said most Aden hospitals were currently out of service as “most” medics have fled.

The United Nations has expressed deep concern about the civilian death toll from the bombing as well as the humanitarian impact of an air and sea blockade imposed by the coalition.

It says more than 1,600 people have died in the conflict since late March.

Abdul Nasser Madani arrives in Kerala, says ray of justice now in sight

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ABDUL NASSER MADANI

Kochi: PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, who has been granted permission to visit his ailing mother, reached Kochi on Monday.

Talking to reporters outside the Cochin International Airport, Madani has said the ray of justice is now in sight.

“I’ve hope in the justice. The trial procedures have now picked up pace following the Supreme Court’s directive,” he said.

Madani was arrested on Aug 17, 2010, in connection with the conspiracy in serial bomb blast case.

He was granted bail on July 11, 2014, which was extended by two weeks August 11, 2014 and the same was extended by four months on November 14 as court had given Karnataka four months time to conclude the trial.

While granting bail to Madani on July 11, the court had asked him not to leave the city and furnish to police the address where he would be staying during bail period.

(Agencies)

Mumbai brush aside Hyderabad to march into IPL play-offs

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Mumbai Indians Sunrisers Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Mumbai Indians produced a clinical bowling display to brush aside the might of Sunrisers Hyderabad, winning by nine wickets in a group stage match to advance to the play-off stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Sunday.

Mumbai clinched the second spot in the standings with 16 points after the group stage with a superior run-rate, joining leaders Chennai Super Kings (18 from 14 matches), ahead of third-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore (16) and four-positioned Rajasthan Royals (16).

Mumbai made their task easier at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in a virtual knockout match when they bowled out Sunrisers for a mere 113 runs.

And then they had no problems in chasing down the small total, with their openers making short work of the task.

West Indian Lendl Simmons (48) and Parthiv Patel (51 not out) showed commendable understanding, mixing caution with aggression, to put together a solid 106-run opening stand that snuffed out any hopes Hyderabad might have harboured to make a match out of it after getting shot out at 113.

Earlier, a superb bowling display from Mumbai Indians enabled them to bowl out Sunrisers Hyderabad for a paltry total of 113 runs.

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner chose to bat. But their plans of capitalising on a pitch that was full of runs boomeranged spectacularly as they ran into trouble from the very first over of their innings.

Shikhar Dhawan, one of their batting mainstays departed after just 1 run, getting bowled by Sri Lankan pacer of the last ball of the first over, putting an end to his opening partnership with skipper David Warner (6) that has been SRH’s key to big totals in the tournament.

But that was just the beginning of what was a miserable batting performance as they lost their skipper on the very next delivery, caught by West Indian Kieron Pollard off a Mitchell McClenaghan delivery.

With their two best batsmen back in the hut, there was no way out for SRH who succumbed to the pressure losing wickets at regular intervals.

Credit must be given to the entire Mumbai bowling line-up who delivered in unison, keeping up the pressure on SRH batsmen.

They bowled a probing line and length and swiftly reduced SRH to 51 for five inside 10 overs with Hyderabad’s other two dependable foreign imports, England’s Eoin MOrgan (9) and Australia’s Moises Henriques (11) also back in the pavilion.

That broke the backbone of SRH’s batting. Any Hyderabad’s hopes of posting a strong total went up in smoke and they stomped and stumbled to 113.

Mumbai’s opening pacers Malinga (4/17) and McClenaghan (3/16) were spectacular. They bowled in tandem and struck crucial blows to their opponents.

Their good work was carried on by the slower bowlers, spearheaded by Harbhajan Singh (3/18).

(IANS)

Modi on historic visit to Mongolia; offers $1 bn credit

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Mongolia-Narendra Modi

Ulan Bator: India and Mongolia on Sunday elevated their 60-year-old diplomatic ties to a strategic partnership as Narendra Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit the landlocked northeast Asian nation, which has declared India as its “third neighbour and spiritual neighbour”.

The two countries inked 13 agreements, including in the sphere of air services and cyber security.

Modi, who was accorded a ceremonial welcome in the morning and held talks with Mongolian Prime Minister Chimed Saikhanbileg, also visited the Gandan Monastery and presented a sapling of the revered Mahabodhi tree to the head abbot Hamba Lama of the monastery.

More than half the population of Mongolia, which is sandwiched between China and Russia and shares frosty ties with both, follows Buddhism.

Saikhanbileg, in his media statement after the talks at the State Palace, said Mongolia “firmly regards India as our third neighbour and our spiritual neighbour”.

Modi announced a $1 billion line of credit to Mongolia for its infrastructure projects. He said: “Mongolia is an integral part of India’s Act East Policy. The destinies of India and Mongolia are closely linked with the future of Asia Pacific Region.”

Modi thanked Mongolia for its “strong support” for India’s bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.

A joint statement issued here said India and Mongolia have agreed to offer reciprocal support for their bids for a non-permanent seat in the UNSC for the terms 2021-2022 and 2023-2024 respectively.

The government of India also confirmed its support to Mongolia’s candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council for the term 2016-2018.

“In a reflection of our commitment to further deepen our relationship, we have decided to upgrade our Comprehensive Partnership to ‘Strategic Partnership’. We also agreed to renew our Treaty of Friendly Relations and Cooperation,” he said.

Modi said India and Mongolia can boost cooperation in the field of civil nuclear as Mongolia is rich in uranium and in mineral resources. “I hope that location will not be a constraint on Mongolia’s right to choose its partners.”

In his address at the Mongolian parliament, or Great Hural, which was convened on Sunday as a special gesture in honour for the Indian prime minister, Modi said Mongolia terming India as its spiritual neighbour is a high form of honour.

There are “no bonds more sacred than this. We in India are honoured that you think of us this way”.

On terrorism, the joint statement said both prime ministers “noted that the nature and spread of international terrorism in recent years poses a threat to all humanity and requires global resolve and cooperative measures of the international community without double standards or selectivity”.

Both agreed to direct their officials to work together for the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

The two prime ministers “expressed hope that all safe havens and sanctuaries for terrorists will be wiped out without delay”.

In the field of defence, both sides agreed to continue to work towards further intensifying bilateral defence and security cooperation through exchanges of high and mid-level visits, regular consultations, military personnel exchanges and capacity building among other things.

Among the memoranda of understanding (MoUs) is one for setting up a Cyber Security Training Centre in Mongolia’s defence ministry, as part of which India will train Mongolian personnel in cyber security.

The national security councils of both countries are to hold consultations on traditional and non-traditional security issues, counter-terrorism, intelligence cooperation and exchange.

Both sides also inked an MoU on enhancing cooperation between their border guarding forces in capacity building, exchange of best practices, conduct of joint exercises, technologies for border guarding, surveillance and policing.

Modi later handed over Bhabhatron, a telecobalt machine developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for cancer treatment, at Mongolia’s National Cancer Centre here.

He also laid the foundation stone of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Centre for Excellence in Information Technology & Communication and Outsourcing.

Modi met Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, who gifted him a morin khuur, a traditional two-stringed fiddle.

Modi presented Elbegdorj with a specially commissioned reproduction of a rare 13th century manuscript on the history of Mongols from the Rampur Raza Library, Rampur.

(IANS)

Aruna Shanbaug dies, 42 years after brutal rape in Mumbai, that left her in coma

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Aruna Shanbaug

Mumbai: Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse who was raped in 1973 by a staff member at the hospital she worked in, has died after being in a coma for 42 years. She was 68.

Ms Shanbaug was in the Intensive Care unit of Mumbai’s state-run King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, where she had worked and was raped. Doctors had said a few days ago that Ms Shanbaug was suffering from pneumonia and was on ventilator support.

She was 26 years old and a junior nurse at the hospital when Ms Shanbaug was brutally assaulted and raped by a ward boy and cleaner named Sohanlal Bharta Valmiki. Her attacker also strangled her with a dog chain, which cut supply of oxygen to her brain resulting in irreversible damage.

She was discovered in the hospital’s basement, the iron chain around her neck, 11 hours after she had been sodomized and strangled.
Valmiki, who the young nurse had reportedly scolded for stealing food that was meant for stray animals adopted by the hospital, was not tried for robbery, not rape.

In 2011, the Supreme Court rejected a petition by author Pinki Virani to stop force feeding the Ms Shanbaug. Ms Virani, who had authored a book titled ‘Aruna’s Story,’ had argued for euthanasia.

But former and present staff members and nurses at KEM Hospital, who looked after her all these years, strongly opposed euthanasia.

Nurses who cared for her all these years ensured that despite being bed-ridden for four decades, Ms Shanbaug did not even get bed sores. They changed her diapers, fed her and calmed her when she got restless. There were always more than a few people in her ground floor room at the hospital.

Aruna Shanbaug hailed from Haldipur village in Honnavar taluk of Uttar Kannada district in Karnataka.

(Agencies)

5.5 magnitude aftershock in Nepal, minor tremors felt in Bihar, Bengal

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nepal-earthquake

Patna: Minor tremors were felt in several parts of Bihar and West Bengal after an aftershock measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale hit Nepal this evening.

The tremors were also reported from capital Patna, Siwan, Munger, Darbhanga and Purnea in Bihar. In West Bengal, tremors triggered fresh panic among residents in Siliguri, Malda and elsewhere in north Bengal besides Kolkata.

There are reports of many people running out of their offices and houses on to the streets after the tremors.

The epicenter of today’s aftershock was at a depth of about 10 kilometres in Nepal’s Dolkha, which lies in the same faultzone that has been experiencing several aftershocks since April 25, when a massive earthquake of 7.9 magnitude struck the Himalayan nation, killing over 8000 people there and 50 in Bihar.

Just four days ago, on Tuesday, Nepal experienced another quake measuring 7.3 on the Richer scale, which killed 15 people in Bihar.

AAP government again at loggerheads with Lieutenant Governor over Chief Secretary appointment

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Najeeb Jung Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: The Delhi government, headed by Arvind Kejriwal, has landed in fresh controversy by taking on Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. Today, in a press release, the government accused Mr Jung of bypassing it and unconstitutionally appointing senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as the acting Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government. The Governor has defended his decision.

Chief Secretary KK Sharma in currently on leave and Mr Jung made the appointment today after Ms Gamlin wrote a scathing letter to Jung claiming that she was pressurised by a senior bureaucrat in CM’s office not to be in race for the post due to her alleged proximity to BSES discoms, reported news agency Press Trust of India.

In its statement, the government said there were reservations about Ms Gamlin. “She was perceived to be extremely close to electricity companies in Delhi and was lobbying for their interests within the Government,” read the release from the Directorate of Information and Publicity.

But the Lieutenant Governor, it went on to add, appointed Ms Gamlin “in a completely unconstitutional manner”.

Within hours, Mr Jung’s office responded, saying the LG was authorised by the Constitution to make appointments in consultation with the Chief Minister.

In this case, the Governor approved the name of Ms Gamlin against the name proposed by the Chief Minister as “she was senior and has a proven track record”, said the statement.

The file containing the Governor’s advice was pending in the Chief Minister’s office for 36 hours, after which the appointment was made “since the office of the Chief Secretary cannot be left inordinately vacant,” the statement read.

The fresh controversy comes days as the party puts behind a month-long internal feud that ended with the expulsion of founder members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. The acrimony had been bitter and public, marked by comments on social media and media conferences from both sides.

“Mr Kejriwal and his colleagues need to understand that there is a constitutional mandate by which a government runs,” said BJP leader Nalin Kohli.

(Agencies)

Agreements worth $22bn inked in India-China business forum

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Modi_china_CEO

Shanghai: As many as 26 business agreements worth over USD 22 billion were signed today between Indian firms — including Adani group, Bharti Airtel and Welspun — and thier Chinese counterparts on the last day of Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to China.

These MoU and agreements span a wide range of industries, including renewable, energy, power infrastructure, steel and small & medium industries.

Among major agreements is Bharti Airtel’s tie-up for credit facility of USD 2.5 billion with China Development Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

The Adani Group also inked an agreement with Golden Concord Holdings to establish an integrated photovoltaic industrial park in Mundra SEZ and to explore investments in gas power generation and natural gas sector.

In another pact, Adani Ports & SEZ and Guangzhou Port Authority agreed to establish “sister port relationship” between Mundra Port and Guangzhou Port.
Welspun Energy entered into a memorandum of understanding with Trina Solar of China to jointly set up a PV industry park for production of 500 MW of Photovoltaic (PV) cell and 500 MW of PV solar module in India.

“(These) are a reflection of the strong interest of Chinese companies to invest in India and contribute towards ‘Make in India’ initiative,” an official statement said.
It further said the agreements would also facilitate cooperation between Indian and Chinese companies in the film and entertainment industry and “will help in making more Chinese friends/audiences aware of India’s strength in this area.”

The other significant MoUs include, IL&FS and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC); IL&FS Energy Development Co and China Huaneng Group for 4,000 MW Nana Layja Thermal Power (Coal) project; and Jindal Steel and Power and ICBC on development of potential projects.

Technology major Infosys also entered into an MoU with People’s Government of Qiannan Autonomous Prefecture to jointly build ‘China India Information Service Industry Corridor’ in Qinnan.

Bhushan Power and Steel too signed a pact with China National Technical Import and Export Corporation for an integrated steel project in Gujarat.

Speaking at the India China Business Forum, Modi had reached out to Chinese investors asking them to take advantage of the “winds of change” in India with a much more transparent, responsive and stable regulatory regime.

(PTI)

Egypt sentences ex-leader Mohammed Morsi to death

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Verdict against former president referred to the Grand Mufti for confirmation.

(AFP/File)

(AFP/File)

by Al Jazeera

An Egypt court sentences former President Mohammed Morsi to death for passing state secrets for mass prison break, the Associated Press agency said.

The court ruled on Saturday that the sentencing of Morsi and 105 others will be referred to the Grand Mufti for confirmation.

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