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Kyiv, Jan 24 (IANS) Ukrainian forces launched drone attacks on oil facilities and a microelectronics plant in western Russia overnight Friday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed on Facebook.

The attack sparked fires at the production facilities of the Ryazan oil refining company and the Ryazan oil pumping station, it said.

Besides, drones hit Kremniy El microchip plant in the Bryansk region, which produces components critical for Russia's production of weapons.

According to the report, these components are used in the Topol-M and Bulava missile systems, the S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, and various combat aircraft.

The drone attacks were conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine and the Special Operations Forces in collaboration with other units, it said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his Telegram channel that Moscow's air defence systems were actively engaged in repelling a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks in the early hours of Friday.

Drone attacks occurred in multiple locations surrounding Moscow, including the Kolomna and Ramensky urban districts, southeast of the capital, where air defence forces successfully intercepted the drones, Sobyanin wrote.

Preliminary reports indicate no significant damage or casualties from falling debris. Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched to the affected sites, he wrote.

In the Podolsk urban district, two additional drones were shot down by air defence systems as they approached Moscow.

Russian forces also neutralized a drone in the Troitsky Administrative District and another in the Shchyolkovo urban district of Moscow, according to the Mayor.

As a precautionary measure, temporary restrictions on aircraft arrivals and departures were imposed at Moscow's Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports.

Earlier this week, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Centre for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council claimed that Ukraine's military had attacked a Russian aviation plant in Smolensk region in western Russia.

Kovalenko said on Tuesday that the plant participates in the production of military aircraft, particularly Su-25 attack aircraft, and is also involved in the overhaul and maintenance of aviation equipment.

"This plant is closely connected to other enterprises of the Russian defence industry, supplying components or participating in cooperation to create modern aviation systems," he said.

Kovalenko did not disclose the means used in the attack.

Separately, drones have also attacked an oil depot in Russia's western Voronezh region, the Ukrayinska Pravda media outlet reported.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived for a four-day visit in New Delhi on Thursday night during which he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will attend the 76th Republic Day Parade in India.

This is President Prabowo's first state visit to India. He was received by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita at the airport in New Delhi.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the visit will further strengthen the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

"A warm welcome to President Prabowo Subianto @prabowo of Indonesia as he arrives in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India. Received by MoS @PmargheritaBJP at the airport. President @prabowo will be the Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day celebrations. This visit will further strengthen the IndiaIndonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

President Prabowo, who is in India from January 23-26, will also be the Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day celebrations.

Apart from a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, discussions during the visit are also expected to include regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Before departing, President Prabowo shared the details of his visit on X, and said the visit is aimed to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas such as security, maritime, and digital technology development.

He also informed that he will depart for Malaysia after his Indonesia visit.

"Today, I depart for New Delhi, India, to attend the 76th Republic Day celebrations of India. During my visit, I will meet with the President and Prime Minister of India to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas such as security, maritime, and digital technology development," the Indonesian President said.

"After completing my agenda in India, I will continue my trip to Malaysia at the invitation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Close cooperation with friendly countries has always been our priority to build a stronger and more prosperous region together," he added.

During his visit, President Prabowo is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, the MEA said.

On Friday, he will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Taj Mahal Hotel at 4 p.m.

On January 25, President Prabowo will participate in a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10 a.m., followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at Rajghat.

He will later hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House at 12 p.m., which will include the exchange of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and press statements.

In the evening, he will meet with India's Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Taj Mahal Hotel at 4 p.m. At 7 p.m., he will meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

On January 26, President Prabowo will attend the Republic Day Parade as the Chief Guest. Later in the afternoon, he will attend the "At Home" Reception hosted by President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. At 5:30 pm, he will depart for Indonesia.

Notably, with President Prabowo as Chief Guest at this year's Republic Day, a 352-member marching and band contingent from the country will be participating in the Parade on the Kartvya Path in the national capital.

This will be the first time that an Indonesian marching and band contingent will participate in a national day parade abroad.

Several MoUs and announcements are likely to be concluded and the third CEO Forum will be held on the sidelines.

President Prabowo will be the fourth Indonesian President to attend India's Republic Day celebrations.

PM Modi paid an official visit to Indonesia in 2018. During the visit, India-Indonesia bilateral ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and a shared vision of India-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was also adopted.

PM Modi also met President Prabowo on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November last year. This was the first meeting between the two leaders.

Indonesia is now part of the BRICS group and has expressed its appreciation for India's support towards its membership of the forum of emerging economies.

Sources said Indonesia is interested in learning from India and other countries to strengthen its defence system and is keen on technology transfer. They also said a defence deal is unlikely to be finalised during this visit and that India and Indonesia also have robust defence cooperation with the Defence Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018.

Both India and Indonesia are close maritime neighbours with cultural and trade ties spanning over a millennia. The annual Bali Yatra festival, which commemorates the historic voyages by Indian seafarers who would set sail to Bali, is one such example of these cultural linkages.

Indonesia is one of India's largest trading partners in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade in 2023-24 reached $29.40 billion. Indian investments in Indonesia amount to $1.56 billion in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining, banking and consumer goods sectors.

--IANS

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Washington, Jan 23 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, has clarified India's stance, saying that New Delhi is open to the "legitimate return" of Indian nationals living 'illegally' abroad, including in the US.

"We have always taken the view that if there are any of our citizens, who are not here legally, if we are sure that they are our citizens, we have always been open to their legitimate return to India. So it's not a position unique to the US," EAM Jaishankar said at a press conference in Washington DC on Wednesday (local time).

He affirmed that India's position on the issue has been "consistent" and "principled" and he did clearly convey this to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"I understand right now that there is a certain debate going on and a resulting sensitivity which is there. But we have been consistent, we have been very principled about it, and that remains our position, and I conveyed that very clearly to US State Secretary Marco Rubio," he added.

EAM Jaishankar, however, also emphasised that India is very much supportive of 'legal mobility' between two countries and wants Indian skills and talent to have great opportunity at the global level.

He said that India is firmly opposed to illegal migration, adding it is not "reputationally good" and also leads to several illegal activities.

"As a government, we obviously are very much supportive of legal mobility because we do believe in a global workplace. We want Indian talent and Indian skills to have the maximum opportunity at a global level," the EAM said.

"At the same time, we are also very firmly opposed to illegal mobility and illegal migration. because you also know that when something illegal happens, many other illegal activities get joined into it... this is not desirable. It's certainly not reputationally good... So we have with every country, and the US is no exception," he added.

The Foreign Minister, during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also pointed out the long waiting period for getting US visas, and said it is not serving the relationship well.

"I also told him (Rubio) that, while we understand all of this, and I also accept that these are autonomous processes, it is in our mutual interest to facilitate legal and mutually beneficial mobility. If it takes 400 odd days waiting period to get a visa, I don't think the relationship is well served by this. So I think he also noted that point," he also said.

EAM Jaishankar represented India at the US President Donald Trump's inaugural function. He also carried a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for President Trump.

Donald Trump took oath as the 47th US President on January 20.

--IANS

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Washington, Jan 23 (IANS) Addressing the status of India's trade relations with Pakistan, External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar, has clarified that it was the Islamabad administration that decided to halt trading with New Delhi in 2019.

He said in a press conference in Washington DC on Wednesday (local time) reiterating India's longstanding concern regarding the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, which India had extended to Pakistan but which the latter didn't reciprocate.

"We did not stop trading. Their administration made the decision in 2019 to not continue trading with us," Jaishankar said in the press statement

"Our concern about this issue was from the beginning that we should get MFN status. We used to give this status to Pakistan but they did not give it to us," the EAM added.

Noting that there have been no recent discussions or initiatives on trade from either side, he added,

"So, neither such talks have taken place with Pakistan regarding trade from our side, nor did they take any initiative from their side."

Higlighting India-US ties, EAM Jaishankar said both nations have a "very strong degree" of trust and convergence.

"We have a very strong degree of trust today between India and the United States, a very high level of convergence of our interests," he said.

He also noted that the two nations share a sense of global good and are committed to serving their national interests while building their bilateral partnership.

"A sense that while we serve our national interest, while we build our bilateral partnership, definitely on regional issues and global issues, there is a lot of good that we can do. So that sense of global good was also very evident conceptually in what we discussed."

"In terms of the bilateral ties, this was the first day of the administration, so we had sort of essentially a broad brush conversation, didn't get too deep into details, but there was an agreement, a consensus between us that we need to be bolder, bigger and more ambitious," he added.

EAM Jaishankar represented India at US President Donald Trump's inaugural function. He also carried a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for President Donald Trump.

Trump took oath as the 47th US President on January 20.

--IANS

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Washington, Jan 23 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met with key members of the Trump administration on Wednesday.

The minister, who attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration and related events as a special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a Quad ministerial and a bilateral interaction on Tuesday and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz for the second time since their first meeting last December.

He also met other members of the cabinet, Republican congressional leaders, Speakers Mike Johnson and Senate majority leader John Thune.

“I think now you do understand this was the first day of the administration,” the External Affairs Minister said of his meeting on Tuesday.

“So obviously we had essentially a broad brush conversation. Didn't get too deep into details, but there was, I think, an agreement, a consensus between us that we need to be bolder, we need to be bigger, we need to be more ambitious,” he said.

Speaking of his broad impressions from the meetings, he said, “Firstly, it was very clear that the Trump administration was keen to have India's presence at the inauguration, and they were “clearly prioritising the bilateral relationship.”

“Secondly, it was also evident that they would like to build on the foundation of the relationship, the foundation to which the first Trump administration also contributed a lot to the building,” he said.

He added that President Trump and Prime Minister Modi at that time took a number of initiatives and ‘we have seen that matured in many ways’.

“Thirdly, it was, with regard to the quote, again, a very strong sense that the current administration would reciprocate our desire as well to take the quad further, to intensify its activities,” he said.

He noted that it was the first Trump administration that had “restarted” the Quad — as a group comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia calls itself — in 2017.

The group founded after the 2004 Tsunami had essentially fallen apart by 2008 as Australia left it under pressure from China.

Jaishankar said that the fact that a meeting of the Quad foreign ministers was held on the first day of the administration at work and within hours of Secretary Rubio assuming office “was the message”.

--IANS

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Sanaa, Jan 22 (IANS) Yemen's Houthi group on Wednesday said it had released the crew of Galaxy Leader vessel to support the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

"Based on the directives of leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi, the crew of the vessel, Galaxy Leader, was released today (Wednesday) in coordination with the Hamas movement and the mediation of the Sultanate of Oman," said the Houthi television.

"The crew of the Galaxy Leader vessel was handed over to our brothers in the Sultanate of Oman in coordination with Hamas as part of the ceasefire arrangements," it added.

The Houthi Supreme Political Council said in a statement that the seizure of the vessel on November 19, 2023, and the arrest of its crew were "part of the battle to support Hamas in its fighting against Israel in Gaza."

Neither the Houthi statement nor the Houthi television mentioned when the commercial vessel would be freed.

On November 19, 2023, the Houthi fighters, flying on a military helicopter, landed on the deck of the Galaxy Leader while it was sailing in the international waters off Yemen's Houthi-held Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

The Houthi fighters broke the doors of the vessel's control room, took the vessel's 25 crew members hostages, and forced the vessel to Hodeidah.

The Houthi rebel group has been controlling much of northern Yemen, including Hodeidah, since late 2014 after the civil war broke out in Yemen, forcing the internationally-recognized Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa.

Since mid-November 2023, the Houthi group has been launching rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea to show solidarity with Palestinians amid their war with Israel in Gaza.

The Houthi group stopped its attacks against Israeli cities on January 19, when the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement went into effect, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, the Houthi group reportedly said in an email to shipping companies on Jan. 19 that it "will continue to launch rocket attacks" against any ship linked to Israel, carrying goods to Israel, or raising the flag of Israel, in the Red Sea.

In the message, the Houthi group also threatened the Western shipping companies that any air strike by the United States, Britain, or any European countries against the group in northern Yemen, would be responded to by targeting that country's commercial ships in the Red Sea.

According to a recent televised report by the group's al-Masirah TV, the Houthi group has launched attacks against more than 100 commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November 2023, including two vessels sunk in the Red Sea, off Hodeidah.

The Houthi attacks forced international shipping companies to change routes to the southern tip of Africa to escape rocket and drone strikes, leading to significant drop in revenues for the Egypt-run Suez Canal.

--IANS

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Cairo, Jan 22 (IANS) A total of 1,114 trucks of humanitarian aid have so far been sent to the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing since the border was reopened Sunday, Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV channel reported on Wednesday.

A convoy of 174 trucks of humanitarian aid, including 14 trucks carrying fuel, was sent on Wednesday, the fourth day of a truce between Israel and Hamas, into the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing, the report added.

The Rafah crossing is a vital entry point for international aid destined for Gaza. Israel has controlled the Palestinian side of the crossing since May 2024 and reopened it under the terms of the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, an Egyptian security source and another one with the Egyptian Red Crescent told Xinhua news agency that Egypt has sent dozens of heavy machines to rehabilitate the roads around the crossing, as well as those leading to Palestinian cities nearby, to facilitate the delivery of aid trucks and the reception of wounded Palestinians from Gaza.

On Sunday, a long line of trucks, laden with humanitarian aid, snaked its way towards the heavily-guarded Rafah crossing, hours after the ceasefire agreement came into effect.

The trucks, carrying food, clothes, medical equipment, tents, mobile toilets, and other relief materials, had been parked in several cities in Egypt's North Sinai Governorate, mainly Arish, Sheikh Zuweid, and Rafah, some of which had been waiting for months to reach Palestinians in need.

"I have brought in a lot of aid to the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war in October 2023, until the entry of aid to the Strip became almost non-existent due to the harsh Israeli policies," said 65-year-old truck driver Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed.

"Today, I feel happy not only because I will be able to bring in this aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip, but also because the people of Gaza will be able to sleep without fear for the first time in more than a year after the ceasefire came into effect this morning," he told Xinhua.

Ibrahim said his truck was carrying clothes and blankets, noting that "the residents of the Strip need them greatly due to the bitter winter cold they suffer from while living in tents."

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, with its first stage spanning 42 days, was reached on Wednesday through the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. It began taking effect on Sunday.

--IANS

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Mogadishu, Jan 22 (IANS) An estimated 71,000 people may have died between January 2022 and June 2024 due to the devastating drought that affected large parts of Somalia in 2022, according to a report released Wednesday in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.

The report, launched by Somalia's Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), revealed that about 40 per cent of these "excess" deaths were children under the age of five.

The study, titled "From Insight to Action: An Update on Mortality Patterns in Somalia," noted that most of the excess deaths occurred in the south-central regions of the country, while the northeast regions experienced relatively low mortality despite high food insecurity.

This report offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of droughts on population mortality over a 30-month period, which includes the 2022 drought that affected 7.9 million people, nearly half of Somalia's population, and brought the nation to the brink of famine.

UNICEF Representative in Somalia Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef emphasised the severe and lasting impact of climate change on vulnerable Somali families.

"Given the recurring nature of climate-induced crises, we must also scale up investments in community resilience to future shocks, anticipatory action, and prevention of disease outbreaks," Saeed said.

She said as resources to address humanitarian needs have become more limited, both the government and its partners must continue to explore innovative ways to expand access to life-saving services such as health, nutrition, water, and sanitation, Xinhua news agency reported.

Minister of Health and Human Services of Somalia Ali Hadji Adam Abubakar said that the ministry focuses on building a robust health system as the foundation for a healthy and thriving Somali society. "At the heart of this approach is delivering health and nutrition services in an integrated manner, at the lowest unit of the health delivery chain, and in a way that gives priority to vulnerable children and women," Adam said.

WHO Representative in Somalia Reinhilde Van de Weerdt said the deaths of more than 70,000 people, mostly children, are a stark reminder of the urgent need for continued support and resilience-building efforts.

"This also underlines the critical importance of strengthening Somalia's health emergency prevention, preparedness, readiness, and resilience system to effectively respond to emergencies and provide sustained care for people in need," she said.

--IANS

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Jerusalem, Jan 22 (IANS) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied on Wednesday media reports claiming that Israel has allowed the Palestinian Authority (PA) to manage the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

The Rafah crossing serves as a critical gateway for humanitarian aid and allows Gazans to travel abroad for essential medical treatment.

Earlier reports from Israeli and Palestinian media indicated that officials from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the European Union discussed preparations for the PA to take control of the Palestinian side of the crossing, following the ceasefire agreement that went into effect on Sunday after 15 months of Israeli onslaught that devastated the enclave.

"The report is incorrect," Netanyahu's office said in a statement, accusing the PA of attempting "to create a false picture to the effect that it controls the crossing."

The statement notes that the Israeli military forces are currently deployed at the crossing point and "nobody passes through it without supervision and approval from the military and Shin Bet security agency."

The technical management at the crossing is handled by "Gazans unaffiliated with Hamas," who, according to Netanyahu's office, "have been managing civilian services in the enclave, such as electricity, water and sewage, since the start of the war." The European Union Border Assistance Mission is designed to support Palestinian efforts at monitoring and securing the crossing.

However, the office acknowledged that although the PA is not directly involved in managing the crossing, it is responsible for stamping passports. This action is essential, as international agreements stipulate that Palestinians can leave the Gaza Strip only with the PA's stamp.

"This arrangement is valid for the first phase of the agreement and will be reviewed later," the office said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Gaza has been under a blockade imposed by Israel since 2007. At the onset of the war in October 2023, Israel cut all water, food, electricity, and fuel supplies to Gaza, while allowing some aid to enter via trucks.

--IANS

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Washington, Jan 22 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said in his first remarks after taking office that he wants the department to be "relevant" and at the "centre" of how America engages the world and not be relegated to a secondary position.

Rubio has taken over as the 72nd Secretary of State after being confirmed unanimously by the US Senate on Monday. He was administered the oath of office on Tuesday morning by Vice President J.D. Vance, erstwhile colleagues from their days in the Senate.

Rubio told the employees of the State Department in remarks that were streamed live to embassies and missions abroad, that he wants the department "to be relevant" and the centerpiece of US diplomacy.

"I don't mean that it's irrelevant now, but I want it to be where it belongs," he said.

"I want the Department of State to be at the centre of how America and Great gage the world, not just how we execute on it, but how we formulate it."

To that end, he explained that he wants to ensure that the Department has an environment here that's conducive to creativity, boldness, and new ideas, to recognise the dynamic world in which we live, one that is changing faster than it has ever changed before, and we need to be ahead of it.

"When the time comes for the principals to gather or even deputies," Rubio said referring to a meeting of key Cabinet members or their deputies, "I want the Department of State to have the best ideas and the best options available for the President, and then I want us to be able to execute them better than any agency in our government. That will also be a task of mine."

As a member of the US Senate and member of a committee interacting with the State Department, he said he has "watched from the Congressional side from time to time, administrations in both parties, in which sometimes the Department of State has been sort of relegated to a secondary role because some other agency can move faster or seems to be bolder or more creative".

Rubio did not name the agencies that have competed with the State Department without intending to. Such as the National Security Council which works out of the White House and has the advantage of physical proximity and familiarity with the President.

The National Security Council, headed by a National Security Adviser to the President, has emerged as a competing centre of US foreign policy.

He added: "We're going to change that. We want to be at the centerpiece. We want to be at the core of how we formulate foreign policy because we're going to have the best ideas of any agency and because we're going to execute it better and faster and more effectively than any other agency in our government, and I know we have the right team to do it. There's no other agency in our government that I'd rather lead because of the talent that's collected here in this room and those watching around the world, that will be our mission, and I hope you'll be able to do it together."

The new Secretary of State reminded the employees that the Department will be implementing President Donald Trump's vision of foreign policy, which he "defined through his campaign, as anything that makes us stronger or safer or more prosperous, and that will be our mission, that will be our job across the world, is to ensure that we have a foreign policy that advances the national interest of the US".

--IANS

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