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New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Tuesday said that the "productive call" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Monday evening, along with a strong possibility of PM Modi visiting Washington soon, will take the India-US relationship significantly forward in the very first few weeks of Trump 2.0.

"Trump 2.0 offers us some unique opportunities for a number of reasons. One, of course, is that he has come in with an unfettered mandate this time. He has the scope, given the fact that this is a legacy term, and the opportunity to take the relationship significantly forward. And secondly, there's a desire on both sides to work on the comprehensive global strategic partnership," Shringla told IANS in an exclusive interview.

Following the phone call, the White House said in a readout on Tuesday, India time, that both leaders discussed plans for Prime Minister Modi to visit the White House, underscoring the strength of the friendship and strategic ties between the two nations.

"We have hit the ground running, both in terms of the presence of External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar at the inaugural ceremony at the Capitol Hill, and, at the same time, the invitation that has gone across to Prime Minister Modi for a separate standalone visit to the United States so soon after President Trump's assuming office. That will set the stage for all of the decisions to follow and the relationship that would see considerable enhancement ahead of a visit by President Trump later in the year for the Quad Summit that India will host," said Shringla.

The seasoned diplomat believes that even though there are a few issues that could be classified under the broad rubric of challenges - moving towards a fair bilateral trading relationship, deportation of illegal immigrants and India increasing its procurement of American-made security equipment - it can be deftly tackled as Trump 1.0 saw similar requirements for the American side.

Shringla emphasised that New Delhi has never supported illegal immigration and always proactively engaged with the authorities in Washington in deportation of those who have been identified by authorities as Indian citizens.

"At the same time, I think there is a push from the US side to try and ensure that legal migration is streamlined. This is an important source of talent for the US. At the same time, for us, a lot of our talented young people would have opportunities if these aspects are simplified, whether it is access to H-1b visas or green cards. I think this should be a part of the narrative with the United States," he said.

On having a "fair bilateral trading relationship", the former Foreign Secretary highlighted that India had already been in negotiations with the US under Trump 1.0 in a partial Free Trade Agreement that can be resumed and concluded soon.

"This would mean that, at the early stages of the Trump administration, we have the basis to secure greater market access for our exports to the US and US exports to India. I think that's a good way to start that term. It also deflects attention away from the issue of tariffs, which is high on Trump's mind," said Shringla.

On the issue of increasing procurement of American-made security equipment, Shringla, who has also served as India's ambassador to the US, believes that the purchase of quality defence equipment is something that has always been calibrated into discussions with the US side.

"I think the US can offer us equipment that we are seeking. I think we'd be happy to consider those. At the same time, it does put a little bit of pressure on us to buy more defence equipment from the US. So, this is something that has to be calibrated into the overall dialogue," he said.

The Chief Coordinator of India's G20 Presidency insists that all these issues can be handled in a smooth manner considering the excellent relationship between PM Modi and President Trump.

"Successive Prime Ministers and Presidents have put their own personal weight behind progress in the relationship and that has been done by Prime Minister Modi with successive US presidents. But there is a special chemistry between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. We have seen it during the heydays and success of the 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston, or the 'Namaste Trump' event in Ahmedabad that took place in early 2020. There is no doubt about the fact that they have a great relationship.

"They have a lot of mutual admiration, respect, and that is the basis for a very substantial enhancement of the bilateral relationship because you have to start from the level of the leaders and then take it down by everything else. So, I think from that point of view, we have got on to a good start. There was a good conversation from all accounts yesterday and this is something that will form the basis for high level visits and basic decisions to follow after that," remarked Shringla.

He mentioned that PM Modi's efforts to end the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine dovetails in a certain sense with that of President Trump's goal to end the war in the region.

"Prime Minister Modi has always been saying that this is not an era of war, that we should work through dialogue and diplomacy to secure peace. In that context, he has also invested personal capital in this by visiting both Russia and Ukraine on that endeavour. From that point of view, our efforts dovetailed with President Trump's vision of bringing an end to conflict. There is a positive sign already because the Middle East is seeing a ceasefire. There's been exchange of hostages and the situation has eased up in Gaza with people going back to their homes and humanitarian assistance coming in. So, it's a positive sign there. I am sure if that can be replicated in Europe, in Ukraine, then this will be another positive sign," opined Shringla.

--IANS

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Nicosia, Jan 27 (IANS) Israeli flights scheduled to land at Paphos airport in western Cyprus have been redirected to Larnaca airport on the island's southern coast, following a directive from Israeli authorities, according to a Cypriot official on Monday.

The change in destination, which will last several days, comes after the Israeli government cited "various security reasons" for the decision.

Victor Papadopoulos, Director of the Cyprus President's press office, confirmed the alteration in flight routes, stating, "We were informed that the Israelis decided to operate their flights to and from Larnaca airport instead of Paphos." However, Papadopoulos refrained from providing further details on the reasons behind the move.

Israeli media first reported the change late on Sunday night, mentioning security concerns as the primary factor. According to Cyprus' state-run Cyprus News Agency, the decision was made by Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency. The directive is expected to remain in place until further notice.

There are about 17 flights per week from Tel Aviv and Haifa to Paphos, while approximately 60 flights operate weekly between Israel and Larnaca, according to the winter flight schedules, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Israeli embassy in Nicosia also confirmed the diversion, explaining that flights operated by Israeli carriers, including EL AL and Arkia, would temporarily land at Larnaca due to "various security issues." The embassy assured that the situation would be closely monitored and evaluated in full cooperation with Cypriot authorities.

Cypriot authorities have tightened security measures at the Israeli embassy in Nicosia and other possible Israeli targets around the island since the start of the conflict in Gaza last year.

--IANS

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Warsaw, Jan 27 (IANS) Auschwitz survivors and global leaders gathered at the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp in southern Poland to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its liberation.

The ceremony drew an array of international dignitaries, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, King Charles III of the United Kingdom, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish President Andrzej Duda, along with representatives from approximately 60 countries and international organizations.

The main commemoration took place at 4 pm local time in a large tent erected near the iconic main gate of Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the largest of the extermination camps. Around 3,000 attendees, including Holocaust survivors, their families, and world leaders, joined to honor the victims and reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust.

Polish President Andrzej Duda paid tribute to the victims during the ceremony, emphasizing Poland's role in preserving these historical sites.

"Poland takes care of those sites to protect the memory, to keep it alive, so people always remember," he said. Duda also highlighted that Jan. 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, established in 2005 by the United Nations General Assembly.

He added, "Today, we commemorate all those who were murdered during the Holocaust, including over 3 million Polish citizens of Jewish nationality who were killed by the Germans during World War II," Xinhua news agency reported.

The Auschwitz concentration camp was established by the Nazis in 1940. At least 1.1 million people were murdered there. The camp was liberated by the Soviet Army on Jan. 27, 1945, a date now recognised globally as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

--IANS

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Abuja, Jan 27 (IANS) At least 22 Nigerian soldiers have been killed and several others wounded by suspected terrorists in a remote town in the country's northeastern state of Borno, the military said on Monday.

Edward Buba, spokesperson for the military, confirmed the casualties in a statement obtained Monday by Xinhua in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, without revealing where and when the attack took place.

He said the suspected terrorists planned an ambush and deployed improvised explosive devices, such as person-borne explosive devices and vehicle-borne explosive devices, to ward off advancing ground troops during an anti-terror raid.

The recent attack on troops followed the thwarting of several terrorist attempts on military bases in Borno, with the military "shooting down the amateur drones used by the terrorists" in some of the attacks, Buba said, recalling that at least 70 suspected terrorists, including a brigade commander and a special forces commander for an armed group in the northeast region, had been killed earlier.

On Sunday, local media outlets reported that another high-ranking commander was also among those killed during the attack on an army base in Borno, Xinhua news agency reported.

Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in Nigeria's northern and central regions, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months.

Kenyan President William Ruto, who is also the champion of the African Union (AU) institutional reforms, said on Monday that conflict continues to deny Africa of its potential, costing the continent an estimated 18 billion US dollars annually and displacing millions of people.

Ruto said Africa currently hosts 35 million internally displaced persons, 8.9 million refugees, 1.1 million asylum seekers, and one million stateless persons.

"Between April and June 2024 alone, a total of 1,000 terrorism incidents were recorded across Africa, resulting in 4,818 deaths," he said during the high-level Extended Bureau Retreat on AU Institutional Reforms held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

The day-long event brought together presidents from Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Ghana, and the Comoros, as well as Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the AU Commission, to accelerate reforms of the 55-member continental organisation.

Ruto noted that the AU security architecture in its current configuration is incapable of addressing the continent's complex dynamics and challenges, and there is an urgent need for immediate revitalization of the peace and security architecture.

He also said the pan-African bloc's presence in regional hotspots remains weak, fragmented, and under-resourced.

--IANS

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Jerusalem, Jan 27 (IANS) The Israel Police said in a statement on Monday that it had arrested two 21-year-old Israeli reserve soldiers on suspicion of security offenses related to Iran, in collaboration with the Israel Security Agency.

According to the police, the two, Yuri Eliasfov and Georgi Andreyev from northern Israel, are suspected of transferring classified information about the Israeli Iron Dome air defence system to Iran.

The police added that during their regular and reserve military service, the two carried out missions for an Iranian operator, including filming a video of the air defence system, spraying graffiti in Tel Aviv and northern Israel, and hanging posters.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported that the suspects received a few thousand US dollars from the Iranian operator for their actions, Xinhua news agency reported.

The police noted that the two admitted their actions and will be charged with aiding the enemy in war, which is punishable by life imprisonment or death, contacting a foreign agent, and passing classified information to a foreign agent.

Last month, the Hamas militant group claimed that they have arrested some Palestinians who were working for Israeli intelligence agency, Shin Bet in the Gaza Strip and were providing inputs on the whereabouts of top Hamas leaders.

Hamas' al-Majd internal security forces, part of the Qassam Brigades, claimed that they have arrested the spy who was working for Israel.

The group said that one of the Palestinians arrested has admitted to being assigned by the Shin Bet to monitor the homes of Hamas leaders across the Strip.

In addition, it was claimed that they were ordered to report on any movement observed by Hamas terrorists in the area.

The suspects, according to the Hamas intelligence wing, were arrested after they received data and documents from these suspects that were described as dangerous.

Hamas also said that they have received data that included the names of all Gazans who were collaborating with Israeli forces.

--IANS

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Islamabad, Jan 27 (IANS) Six people were killed and over 31 others injured when fire engulfed a resident colony in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province in the early hours of Monday, officials said.

The incident happened at about 12:25 am local time (GMT 1925 Sunday) in the Multan district where a massive explosion caused by a Liquefied Petroleum Gas container leakage rocked the colony, sources from the district's police revealed.

The gas leakage triggered the fire, and the force of the blast scattered debris over a wide area, severely impacting the densely populated colony.

The police confirmed that the blaze has been brought under control, following extensive firefighting efforts. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals, and several of them are in critical condition.

Local media reported that the gas tanker explosion at an "illegal" LPG warehouse in Multan’s Hamid Pur Kanora area reduced 20 homes to rubble and partially damaged 70 others.

"The explosion occurred during refilling operations at the Industrial Estate, triggering a massive fire and sending debris into nearby residential areas. Among the dead are a minor girl and two women, while 13 of the injured remain in critical condition," reported Pakistan's Express Tribune.

The country's leading daily reported that the tanker was reportedly transferring smuggled LPG to smaller bowsers and cylinders at the site. Five other bowsers at the warehouse were also destroyed in the explosion.

Officials are conducting an assessment of the total damage caused by the explosion, which also disrupted daily life in the vicinity, Xinhua news agency reported.

Incidents involving gas explosions remain a concern in Pakistan due to inadequate safety measures and poor infrastructure, often leading to tragic consequences.

--IANS

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Tel Aviv, Jan 26 (IANS) Israel recorded 439 traffic fatalities in 2024, a 21.6 per cent rise compared to the 361 deaths registered in 2023, according to a statement issued by the Israel Bureau of Statistics on Sunday.

The bureau noted that the number of fatalities last year was the highest since 2006, when 439 people were killed in traffic accidents in Israel, Xinhua news agency reported.

The number of fatal accidents in the country rose by 19.8 per cent year-on-year, from 338 in 2023 to 405 in 2024.

The main causes of traffic accidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries in 2024 were failure to yield to pedestrians, ignoring traffic lights, lane crossing, and excessive speed, Israel's National Road Safety Authority revealed in a press release in early January.

Israel recorded 351 road deaths in 2022, 1.7 per cent above the pre-Covid-19 period. The traffic volumes resumed at the 2019 level. The most significant increase was recorded among the powered two wheeler users, mainly due to their use as a means of transport.

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mobility and road crashes, the data for 2020 and 2021 represent a poor reference point for benchmarking.

Israel recorded 351 road deaths in 2022, an increase of 1.7 per cent compared with the average for 2017-19. The traffic volumes in 2022 resumed to the level of 2019.

In 2024, Israeli former National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was injured in the central city of Ramle Friday when his official car flipped over in an accident.

Ben-Gvir's daughter, one of his bodyguards and the driver of the other vehicle were all lightly injured.

--IANS

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Kampala, Jan. 26 (IANS) A Turkish Airlines plane with flight number TK612 en route from Uganda's Entebbe International Airport to Istanbul did not proceed to its final destination over safety precautions, an air transport regulator said here on Sunday.

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), a state-run air transport regulator, posted on X that the A333 aircraft successfully returned and landed at Entebbe International Airport at 1050 hours on Sunday after safely circling Ugandan airspace for more than three hours to reduce fuel to the required safe landing weight, Xinhua news agency reported.

The UCAA said all the 269 people on board were safe. The regulator did not mention what the safety issue was but said, "The precautionary measures taken are standard safety procedures in the aviation industry."

Turkish Airlines is the flag carrier of Turkey and as of June 2024, it operates scheduled services to 352 destinations (including cargo) in Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas.

The airline serves more destinations non-stop from a single airport than any other airline in the world and flies to 131 countries, more than any other airline.

With an operational fleet of 24 cargo aircraft, the airline's cargo division Turkish Cargo serves 82 destinations.

The airline also owns a low-cost subsidiary, AJet.

The airline's corporate headquarters are on the grounds of Istanbul Atatürk Airport in Yesilkoy, Bakırkoy, Istanbul.

The airline's main base is Istanbul Airport in Arnavutkoy. It has been a member of the Star Alliance network since 1 April 2008.

--IANS

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Kyiv, Jan 26 (IANS) Ukrainian forces have struck facilities of the Ryazan Oil Refining Company in western Russia for the second time in less than a week, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, explosions and fire were recorded in the targeted area following the attack, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Ryazan Oil Refinery is one of the four largest refineries in the Russian Federation. The enterprise, in particular, produces diesel fuel and TS-1 jet fuel," the statement said.

Ryazan was involved in supplying fuel to the Russian military, it said.

The General Staff reported that Ukrainian missile forces also struck the forward command post of the Russian Pacific Fleet's operational group near the Korenevo settlement in Russia's western Kursk region. No further details regarding the attack were provided.

The General Staff said that Ukrainian drone strikes on Friday caused fires at Ryazan's production facilities and oil pumping station.

The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia occupied and annexed Crimea from Ukraine and supported pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian military in the Donbas War. These first eight years of conflict also included naval incidents and cyberwarfare. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and began occupying more of the country, starting the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. The war has resulted in a refugee crisis and tens of thousands of deaths.

In early 2014, the Euromaidan protests led to the Revolution of Dignity and the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. Shortly after, pro-Russian unrest erupted in eastern and southern Ukraine, while unmarked Russian troops occupied Crimea. Russia soon annexed Crimea after a highly disputed referendum.

In April 2014, Russian-backed militants seized towns in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and proclaimed the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as independent states, starting the Donbas war. Russia covertly supported the separatists with its own troops, tanks and artillery, preventing Ukraine from fully retaking the territory.

In February 2015, Russia and Ukraine signed the Minsk II agreements, but they were never fully implemented in the years that followed. The Donbas war settled into a violent but static conflict between Ukraine and the Russian and separatist forces, with many brief ceasefires but no lasting peace and few changes in territorial control.

--IANS

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Damascus, Jan 26 (IANS) The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said on Sunday that it has documented 91 incidents of assassinations and retaliatory crimes by armed groups in Syria since the beginning of 2025, many motivated by political or sectarian hatred.

According to a statement released by the observatory, the wave of violence has reached its worst levels in provinces such as Homs, Hama, and Latakia, home to many Shiite and Alawite minority communities, Xinhua news agency reported.

The observatory stressed the "urgent need for decisive measures to protect civilians and hold perpetrators accountable."

Rami Abdul Rahman, the observatory's director, attributed much of the turmoil to "undisciplined groups" who joined the new Military Operations Administration after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Abdul Rahman singled out incidents in the village of Fahal in northern Homs, alleging that at least 15 people -- mostly former officers who had undergone so-called reconciliation with the new authorities -- were executed after security forces reportedly stormed the area.

Despite Homs Governor Abed al-Rahman al-Ama and Police Chief Ubada Arnaout have expressed a commitment to curbing the violence, Abdul Rahman suggests that new volunteer militias "carry out retaliatory acts, not true justice."

Sectarian killings have increased since the downfall of Assad's regime in December, amid political upheaval and shifting territorial alliances.

Syrian officials from the new leadership have repeatedly pledged to unify security operations under a single chain of command. However, the situation on the ground remains fragile, largely due to years of prolonged crisis in Syria, where Shiite and Alawite officers and militias were pitted against a Sunni insurgency nationwide.

--IANS

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