cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/52554

Kathmandu [Nepal], July 12 (ANI): Nepal Foreign Minister NP Saud on Tuesday rejected the claims of the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal that an airport had been built under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Nepal.

FM Saud rejected the claims while addressing the International Relations and Tourism Committee stating the BRI project hasn’t been put into action in Nepal. Time and again, the Chinese Ambassador has been claiming that the Pokhara International Airport was built under the BRI framework.

Saud, while addressing the committee meeting denied the Chinese Ambassador's claim by saying that Nepal only has signed on the pact and no tangible plans or initiatives have been implemented so far.

Earlier this week, China's statement that the Pokhara International Airport is its flagship project in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) came as a surprise. Since then, confusion gripped Nepal's diplomatic circles after China is unilaterally listing one project after another in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative, Nepal-based The Kathmandu Post reported.

China made the claim at the inauguration of the new airport by Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nishan Khatiwada wrote in The Kathmandu Post report. On June 22, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song in a post on Twitter wrote, "Warm congratulation to Wechat Pay Cross-board Payment Service Inauguration in Nepal. A new step forward in financial connectivity, one of the five "connectivities" under #BRI initiative."

Earlier, last week too, while addressing the House of Representatives earlier, Nepal's Foreign Minister NP Saud said clarifying, "The project implementation plan of the BRI is at a stage of discussion between Nepal and China. Not a single project in Nepal under the BRI has been executed. The project implementation plan of the BRI is still under consideration," The Kathmandu Post reported. The relations between China and Nepal have of late become a saga of an exchange of words where one side claims that a specific project is under the BRI while the other side says it is not. According to foreign policy experts, the confusion will not serve Nepal.

Following the framework agreement between Nepal and China on Belt and Road Initiative in 2017, Nepal had initially chosen 35 projects to be implemented under it. Later, the total number of projects was reduced to nine and the list did not include the Pokhara airport, which Beijing has now placed under BRI. In 2016, the Nepal government signed a USD 215 million soft loan agreement with China for building a new airport in Pokhara without any mention of the BRI. As China has been placing its projects in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative, the two nations have not overtly agreed on whether the BRI projects will be loan-based or grant-based.

Even though Nepal has been asking for grants, the then-Chinese ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi on April 22 said that the BRI will include both grants and commercial loans, the report said. She further said that many projects that China is developing in Nepal fall under the BRI initiative. (ANI)

FM Saud rejected the claims while addressing the International Relations and Tourism Committee stating the BRI project hasn’t been put into action in Nepal. Time and again, the Chinese Ambassador has been claiming that the Pokhara International Airport was built under the BRI framework.

Saud, while addressing the committee meeting denied the Chinese Ambassador's claim by saying that Nepal only has signed on the pact and no tangible plans or initiatives have been implemented so far.

Earlier this week, China's statement that the Pokhara International Airport is its flagship project in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) came as a surprise. Since then, confusion gripped Nepal's diplomatic circles after China is unilaterally listing one project after another in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative, Nepal-based The Kathmandu Post reported.

China made the claim at the inauguration of the new airport by Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nishan Khatiwada wrote in The Kathmandu Post report. On June 22, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song in a post on Twitter wrote, "Warm congratulation to Wechat Pay Cross-board Payment Service Inauguration in Nepal. A new step forward in financial connectivity, one of the five "connectivities" under #BRI initiative."

Earlier, last week too, while addressing the House of Representatives earlier, Nepal's Foreign Minister NP Saud said clarifying, "The project implementation plan of the BRI is at a stage of discussion between Nepal and China. Not a single project in Nepal under the BRI has been executed. The project implementation plan of the BRI is still under consideration," The Kathmandu Post reported. The relations between China and Nepal have of late become a saga of an exchange of words where one side claims that a specific project is under the BRI while the other side says it is not. According to foreign policy experts, the confusion will not serve Nepal.

Following the framework agreement between Nepal and China on Belt and Road Initiative in 2017, Nepal had initially chosen 35 projects to be implemented under it. Later, the total number of projects was reduced to nine and the list did not include the Pokhara airport, which Beijing has now placed under BRI. In 2016, the Nepal government signed a USD 215 million soft loan agreement with China for building a new airport in Pokhara without any mention of the BRI. As China has been placing its projects in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative, the two nations have not overtly agreed on whether the BRI projects will be loan-based or grant-based.

Even though Nepal has been asking for grants, the then-Chinese ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi on April 22 said that the BRI will include both grants and commercial loans, the report said. She further said that many projects that China is developing in Nepal fall under the BRI initiative.

Amidst the ongoing conflict in Manipur, Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi has revealed how illegal immigration, narco-terrorism and revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSA) contributed to the crisis in the North-eastern State.

During an interview with journalist Arihant of Vaad, the former Commanding officer of the Technical Support Division (TSD) of the Indian Army thanked the Naga groups living in Manipur for not being a party to the violence.

“Nagas and Meiteis have a long history of conflict, but they restrained themselves this time. Else the situation would have been much worse…The conflict between tribal groups is not a new phenomenon in Manipur but has been around for a long time,” the retired Colonel conceded.

While highlighting one instance of such violence, he said that Nagas set a village of Kukis on fire in 1993-1994. Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi emphasised that the lifting of AFSPA within the jurisdiction of 19 police stations by the Union Home Ministry between 2022-2023 has exacerbated the situation.

संवाद # 114: Col. Hunny Bakshi (@colhunnybakshi), who served in the North East, on why Manipur is burning, why Nagas should be appreciated, role of AFSPA removal, illegal immigrants, China, poppy cultivation behind current crisis, Church factor & more.https://t.co/U5yy9yhCvi

• Vaad (@VaadClips) July 10, 2023

“Armed Forces Special Powers Act does not imply that the security personnel can shoot anyone. It’s a protection granted to the armed forces. Remember, the army is a rigid institution. Anyone involved in wrongdoing will be punished,” he added.

He stated that the revocation took place following pressure from the vested interests within the civil society. Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi noted that the security forces now do not have ‘legal protection’ to operate in the interests of the nation.

“They cannot fire a bullet without the magistrate’s order. Without AFSPA, the situation in Manipur cannot be improved,” he said. Hunny Bakshi said that local magistrates, who live amidst these armed groups, will not easily sign orders that allow the army to fire and conduct their operations easily.

Colonel Bakshi recounted the time when army personnel had to let go of 12 terrorists after being gheraoed by a mob of women. “The same civil society, which wanted the rollback of AFSPA but crying today about the inaction of the army, must demand the reinstatement of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the State,” he added.

Role of China, Myanmar in the Manipur Conflict

“There are 55-56 separatist, armed pressure groups operating within Manipur. Where did they get their arms and ammunition? Big Brother, China, is sitting on top. Do you think they will let us live in peace?” he stated about the involvement of anti-India forces in the conflict.

He reiterated, “You catch ten people but more than 10 separatists are created. There has been no stoppage in the influx of weapons from China. The country is not going to let us live in peace.”

Colonel (retd.) Hunny Bakshi also talked about the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, which the State government wanted to stop in all earnest. He said that illegal weapons in Myanmar, procured indirectly from China, are making it into Manipur.

He pointed out how the BJP government in Manipur had warned about the menace of illegal immigration to the hilly areas of the State.

How locals help armed pressure groups

Colonel Bakshi pointed out how the ethnic groups have their organisations, which work in tandem to alert about the army presence in villages.

“Women start beating on utensils and provide support to armed groups. The planning of the Indian army has been foiled several times in this manner…The situation in Manipur is their own making. AFSA has to be implemented again to control the situation,” he added.

Women activists in #Manipur are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in Operations of Security Forces. Such unwarranted interference is detrimental to the timely response by Security Forces during critical situations to save lives and property. 🔴 Indian Army appeals to… pic.twitter.com/Md9nw6h7Fx

• SpearCorps.IndianArmy (@Spearcorps) June 26, 2023

On June 26 this year, the Indian Army informed that women activists in Manipur were interfering with the operation of the security forces and helping armed Meitei insurgents to flee.

The official Twitter handle of the ‘Spear Corps’ (a formation of Indian Army) shared a video wherein a mob of such activists were seen surrounding Indian army personnel. The incident took place in Itham in Manipur, on June 24, 2023.

The said video also exposed how roads were being dug up to delay the movement of the Indian security forces to an Assam Rifles base. The women activists were also seen accompanying the armed rebels in vehicles and even ambulances under the pretext of peaceful protests in the State.

Menace of poppy cultivation, narco-terrorism and the role of Churches

On being asked about poppy cultivation, Colonel (retd.) Bakshi said, “Narcotics is involved where terrorism is present. It’s a commonly used word, ‘narco-terrorism’. Terrorist groups operating in the area collect hafta (taxes) from businessmen and government employees.”

“Easy money is narcotics…These two things (hafta collection and poppy cultivation) are running parallel. These armed groups are now used to the easy money. How will they let it go?” he emphasised.

The retired Colonel rubbished the argument that ‘ST reservation’ for Meiteis led to the conflict. “Reservation is just like a smoke screen. If Meiteis get reservation, then what’s the issue? They are, after all, from that area only. Just that they live in plains, and you (Kukis) live in the hills,” he added.

Lt. Colonel Bakshi refused to categorise the conflict as a ‘Hindu-Christian’ conflict but pointed out that the influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar with weapons is the primary contributing factor. He also touched upon the influence of the Church, for instance, the growing influence of the Church of North America.

Colonel Hunny Bakshi on solving the Manipur crisis

On being asked whether reorganisation of the States would solve the conflict, he said, “How many States will you create? There are tribes within tribes. We are living in a global village at this time…Division of this country along linguistic and ethnic lines was a mistake.”

The former Commanding officer of the TSD said, “The government is dealing with the situation in 3 ways – talks with such groups, ceasefire and suspension of operations.”

“Community leaders must come forward to stop this madness. The army can only act as a referee…Headhunting is not a new phenomenon there,” he added. Colonel (retd.) Bakshi suggested that retired army personnel from the conflict-torn areas must be roped in by the government to mediate the sensitive situation.

He also pointed out that violent clashes between tribes have been a ‘normal thing’, including the brutalities that we are currently witnessing in the North-eastern State of Manipur.

“Even if a single person is killed, human life is lost. This mindless violence must stop. Have Faith in your army. They are governed by democratic laws,” the retired Colonel concluded.

In an alarming incident in Rajkot, a cricket coach named Mehboob Bukhari has been arrested on charges of raping a Hindu girl, who has now gone missing. The accused, Mehboob, is accused of subjecting the victim to prolonged sexual abuse starting from her teenage years.

According to reports, Mehboob not only forcibly converted the girl but also changed her name to Nazneen. The police have taken swift action following the revelation, apprehending the accused and launching an intensive search operation to locate the girl missing since 26th June 2023. The police are also checking for a love jihad angle in this case.

The victim girl hails from a family originally from Talaja and settled in Rajkot for the last few years. She studied at Kundaliya College in Rajkot. The victim had joined Mehboob Bukhari’s coaching academy at a young age with a dream of becoming a cricketer. Mehboob Bukhari exploited the minor girl sexually under the guise of ‘love’. The victim’s family had lodged a complaint against Mehboob Bukhari after she went missing from home on 26th June 2023.

Hindu girl sexually exploited, converted by her cricket coach

The victim’s family said in the complaint, “Our daughter is studying at Kundaliya College. Since she was fond of cricket since childhood, we contacted Mehboob Bukhari, who runs a cricket coaching class in the city. When she was 17, we sent her to this cricket coaching academy. Instead of teaching her cricket there, Mehboob Bukhari trapped the minor daughter in a love trap and brainwashed her. Mehboob had also changed her name to Nazneen. Our daughter, who used to chant Jai Dwarikadhish, started offering namaz and shouting slogans of Allahu Akbar.”

Accused Mehboob said ‘I have been raping your daughter since she was 17, do whatever you can.’

According to the father of the victim Hindu girl, his daughter is now 21 years old. When she was at home, she also started going to the mosque and offering namaz. The family tried to convince her several times but she was under so much pressure from the accused Bukhari that she used to say, “My life has been ruined.”

When the girl’s father went to talk to Mehboob, he threatened to break his hands and legs and kill him. According to him, Mehboob said, “I have been raping your daughter since she was 17, do whatever you can.” Apart from this, the girl’s father said that the family of the accused was also threatening them.

The victim girl used to say, ‘My life has been ruined.’

According to the family of the victim girl raped by cricket coach Mehboob in Rajkot, the girl would often say, “My life is ruined now. If I marry someone else, Mehboob will kill me and if I stay with Mehboob, he will make my life hell. My career as a cricketer has also been finished.” According to the family, due to Mehboob’s instigation and threat, the victim stole gold ornaments worth Rs 1.5 lakh from the house and gave it to Mehboob. She also stole the cash and gave it to the cricket coach.

The college management informed the police commissioner about the entire matter after the Hindu girl’s father narrated the whole incident to the college management. The police have started an investigation from the angle of love jihad in this case. Mehboob has been arrested by the police and his interrogation is underway. On the other hand, the police have also launched a search operation to trace the missing girl.

A man was apprehended by Shivajinagar police in Bengaluru after he made a hoax call claiming that a bomb had been planted in a Mosque in the area. The accused has been identified as Syed Qazi Mohammad Anwarullah Khan, a 37-year-old native of Maharashtra.

It turns out that the incident happened when Syed arrived in Bengaluru on July 5 and went to a nearby mosque to begin collecting donations for a madrasa from unknown individuals.

According to the police, the arrested person had asked for permission to stay the night at the Azam mosque near Russell Market in the Shivajinagar area of Bengaluru after collecting the donations, but was refused.

Furious Anwar boarded the bus and traveled to Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. He then dialed the emergency telephone number 122 after passing Devanahalli and reported that terrorists had placed a bomb in the mosque.

The call created panic and tension in the area. The police along with the bomb disposal squad and dog squad rushed to the spot to investigate the so-called bomb threat. However, later it was found that the call was a hoax. The accused was nabbed from Kurnool later.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Zone), Bheemashankar Guled confirmed the incident to the media and said, “The accused has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody. During the interrogation, we got to know that the accused was collecting funds in the name of a madrasa outside a mosque from the devotees. He asked permission to sleep in the mosque, but the security denied him permission. So, enraged by this he made a hoax call. We got to know about this person from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh police.”

The DCP also said that the Shivajinagar police registered a suo-motu case in this regard after obtaining permission from the court. The accused during the interrogation confessed that he had made a hoax call after he was denied permission to sleep inside the mosque.

The accused is said to have obtained a BSc degree but wasn’t employed. He used to visit mosques and hound people for cash in order to support his own needs.

On Monday (July 10), a student of Std 10 committed suicide after she was slapped, humiliated and expelled from St. Xavier’s School for sporting a bindi. The incident took place in the Teltulmari neighbourhood in the Dhanbad city of Jharkhand.

The 17-year-old reportedly went to the convent school, wearing a bindi on her forehead. Identified as Usha Kumari, she was humiliated by a teacher during the school assembly. She was also slapped twice in full public display.

This was even though the student removed the bindi as soon as she saw the teacher. The underage girl was taken to the principal’s office, who expelled her from the school.

Jharkhand | A class 10 student died by suicide allegedly after being slapped by a teacher for coming to school with a 'bindi' on her forehead

We received information that a student has died by suicide. A suicide note has been recovered in which she alleged that she was tortured… pic.twitter.com/i5du989GKT

-ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2023

Thereafter, the girl returned home and committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling of her room on Monday (July 10) at 11 am. She also left a suicide note in her school uniform, holding the teacher and school principal responsible for her death.

A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Tetulmari Police Station based on the complaint of the family members. The accused teacher was arrested by the police and a probe was initiated into the matter.

While speaking about the matter, DSP (Baghmara) Nishra Murmu said, “A class 10 student of St Xavier’s School in Tetulmari committed suicide on Monday leaving a suicide note in which she has held the principal and teacher responsible for her death.”

Villagers block road, protest outside St. Xavier’s school On Tuesday (July 11), the villagers and the family members of the deceased girl blocked a road and also protested outside the gate of St. Xavier’s School.

The victim’s mother said, “My daughter removed the bindi as soon as she saw the teacher. But the teacher slapped her twice in front of the assembly. I explained everything to the principal, but he did not listen and expelled my daughter.”

“Embarrassed by being slapped by the teacher in public during assembly, my daughter committed suicide after returning from school by hanging from the ceiling in her room,” she added.

“I want justice and want everyone, who is named in the suicide note, to get arrested” the victim’s mother reiterated. The teacher defended the decision to slap the student and claimed that the 17-year-old did not respond ‘politely.’

NCPCR takes cognisance of the matter

While taking cognisance of the matter, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said, “In Jharkhand’s Dhanbad, a girl student has been reported to have committed suicide after being thrashed for going to school wearing a bindi.”

झारखंड के धनबाद में स्कूल में बिंदी लगाकर जाने पर पिटाई किए जाने से आहत हो कर एक छात्रा के आत्महत्या किए जाने की सूचना मिली है। मामले का संज्ञान लिया जा रहा है, जाँच के लिए @NCPCR_ की टीम धनबाद जाएगी।

-प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) July 11, 2023

He added, “The cognisance of the matter is being taken, the team of @NCPCR_ will go to Dhanbad for investigation.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.run/post/52545

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the launch of Chandrayaan-3 on Friday. The spacecraft is loaded with more fuel, a number of fail-safe measures, and a bigger landing site than its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2. This time, ISRO is determined to land on the moon successfully. Chandrayaan-3, scheduled to be launched from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota, will make India the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon after the United States, Russia and China.

According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will reach the lunar orbit about a month after its launch on Friday. The lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyaan, are expected to land on the moon on August 23.

The Mission

The spacecraft will be launched by the LVM3 rocket from SDSC SHAR in Sriharikota. According to ISRO, the propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration to a 100 km lunar orbit, where the lander will separate and attempt a soft landing.

The propulsion module will also carry a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload, which will study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of earth from the lunar orbit.

The Objectives

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2 that aims to demonstrate India's ability to safely land a spacecraft on the moon and have a rover roam the lunar surface. The rover will collect data on the composition and geology of the moon.

Additionally, it will conduct scientific experiments to study the moon's environment, including its history, geology, and potential for resources.

The Challenges

Landing on the moon is a complex and challenging task.

In July 2019, India's previous attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon, Chandrayaan-2, was met with a major setback when the Vikram lander crashed during its descent to the lunar surface.

According to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 has been designed with more fuel, which will give it the ability to travel farther, handle dispersion, or move to an alternate landing site if necessary.

"We looked at very many failures - sensor failure, engine failure, algorithm failure, calculation failure. So, whatever be the failure we want it to land at the required speed and rate. So, there are different failure scenarios calculated and programmed inside," ISRO chief S Somanath said as quoted by news agency PTI.

The ISRO chief said that the Vikram lander has been modified to ensure that it generates power no matter how it lands. The lander has also been tested for its ability to withstand higher velocities and has additional solar panels on other surfaces.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for the launch of Chandrayaan-3 on Friday. The spacecraft is loaded with more fuel, a number of fail-safe measures, and a bigger landing site than its predecessor, Chandrayaan-2. This time, ISRO is determined to land on the moon successfully. Chandrayaan-3, scheduled to be launched from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota, will make India the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the surface of the moon after the United States, Russia and China.

According to ISRO, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft will reach the lunar orbit about a month after its launch on Friday. The lander, Vikram, and the rover, Pragyaan, are expected to land on the moon on August 23.

The Mission

The spacecraft will be launched by the LVM3 rocket from SDSC SHAR in Sriharikota. According to ISRO, the propulsion module will carry the lander and rover configuration to a 100 km lunar orbit, where the lander will separate and attempt a soft landing.

The propulsion module will also carry a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload, which will study the spectral and polarimetric measurements of earth from the lunar orbit.

The Objectives

Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2 that aims to demonstrate India's ability to safely land a spacecraft on the moon and have a rover roam the lunar surface. The rover will collect data on the composition and geology of the moon.

Additionally, it will conduct scientific experiments to study the moon's environment, including its history, geology, and potential for resources.

The Challenges

Landing on the moon is a complex and challenging task.

In July 2019, India's previous attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon, Chandrayaan-2, was met with a major setback when the Vikram lander crashed during its descent to the lunar surface.

According to ISRO, Chandrayaan-3 has been designed with more fuel, which will give it the ability to travel farther, handle dispersion, or move to an alternate landing site if necessary.

"We looked at very many failures - sensor failure, engine failure, algorithm failure, calculation failure. So, whatever be the failure we want it to land at the required speed and rate. So, there are different failure scenarios calculated and programmed inside," ISRO chief S Somanath said as quoted by news agency PTI.

The ISRO chief said that the Vikram lander has been modified to ensure that it generates power no matter how it lands. The lander has also been tested for its ability to withstand higher velocities and has additional solar panels on other surfaces.