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Colombo, July 13 (IANS) The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health’s secretary, Anil Jasinghe, on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an Indian grant to supply state-of-the-art medical equipment to Base Hospital, Deniyaya.

"Partnering for climate-resilient healthcare in India and Sri Lanka. Glad to sign an MoU with the Secretary, Ministry of Health Dr Anil Jasinghe today for a SLR 600M Indian grant to supply state-of-the-art medical equipment to Base Hospital, Deniyaya, in presence of Hon. Minister Nalinda Jayatissa," the High Commissioner wrote on X.

According to the High Commissioner, this grant will equip critical units, including Emergency, Operating Theatres, HDU, and the Special Care Baby Unit, supporting the hospital’s relocation to a secure, disaster-resilient zone.

"Part of India's USD 450M rehabilitation package for Sri Lanka's post-Cyclone Ditwah recovery, this initiative underscores India's enduring commitment to a safe and resilient neighbourhood," he highlighted.

Last month, the High Commissioner handed over military equipment to the Sri Lankan Army for their United Nations deployment under a grant of 5.5 million USD.

"Strengthening India-Sri Lanka defence bonds and enhancing operational readiness. Happy to hand over military stores from the Indian Army to the Sri Lankan Army for their UN deployment under a grant of 5.5 million USD. On Sri Lanka's request, India immediately mobilised these equipment for Sri Lanka's UN deployment- a testament to the confidence and trust in our defence relations," the High Commissioner said.

In April as well, India handed over two Personal Watercrafts (PWCs) and safety gear to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, assisting in enhancing the Sri Lanka Coast Guard’s capability in near-shore Search and Rescue (SAR).

As part of its continuous humanitarian outreach, India, on April 24, presented two BHISM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) cubes to the Sri Lankan authorities under India’s ‘Aarogya Maitri’ initiative.

–IANS

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Cairo, July 13 (IANS) Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Monday stressed the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law, and called for de-escalation as Iran and the United States exchanged a fresh round of attacks.

The remarks were made during a phone conversation between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The two ministers stressed the need to ensure the safety and security of international shipping and warned that any disruption to maritime traffic would have negative repercussions for the global economy and energy security, Xinhua news agency reported.

They discussed the recent regional escalation, reiterating their condemnation of Iran's attacks targeting Gulf Arab states and Jordan and calling for an immediate halt to all escalatory actions.

Meanwhile, Explosions were heard at noon on Monday around the port city of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported, citing local sources.

The report said the explosion sounds came from regions away from the urban area and appeared to be centred on the western coast of Bandar Abbas.

The explosions could be linked to ongoing clashes occurring in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters, it added.

Authorities of Hormozgan province have announced that no casualties or damage to residential and commercial infrastructure were reported in the fresh US attacks against Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, according to Mehr.

The Bahrain Defence Force said on Monday that its air defence systems had intercepted several Iranian aerial attacks.

In a statement, the Bahrain Defence Force accused Iran of continuing what it described as a "systematic hostile approach" through missile and drone attacks against the kingdom.

–IANS

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Hanoi, July 13 (IANS) The mortal remains of the 15 Indian nationals who died in a tragic boat accident near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam have left Ho Chi Minh City for Mumbai by a Vietnam Airlines flight and will arrive late Monday evening, the Embassy of India in Hanoi stated.

The state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will coordinate transportation of mortal remains to their final destinations in the respective states.

The Embassy of India in Vietnam also conveyed its gratitude to the Vietnamese authorities for the assistance provided.

"Embassy of India, Hanoi and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City wish to convey sincere gratitude to authorities of Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, An Giang Province as well as Department of Foreign Affairs, Ho Chi Minh City, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all other agencies for all the assistance provided following the tragic boat accident," the Embassy wrote on X.

"We are grateful for the many messages of condolences and prayers from our Vietnamese friends. Your prayers, efforts and presence gave us strength in this extreme hour of grief," it added.

Meanwhile, the Indian national undergoing treatment at Phu Quoc after the tragic boat accident successfully underwent a medical procedure on Sunday evening. According to the Indian Embassy, he was admitted in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday and his family members have also arrived in country.

The Vietnamese police in southern An Giang province on Sunday detained and initiated criminal proceedings against a local man over alleged legal violations linked to the tourist boat that capsized.

The detainee was identified as 57-year-old captain Nguyen Hong Hai, a resident of Thuan Tien hamlet in Son Kien commune, An Giang province, who was temporarily residing in the Phu Quoc special zone.

According to preliminary reports, the boat was carrying around 32 Indian tourists, including 17 from Tamil Nadu, while the remaining passengers were from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala.

The vessel reportedly overturned while cruising in waters south of Phu Quoc, a popular tourist destination in southern Vietnam.

Soon after the incident, rescue teams, local residents, and emergency personnel rushed to the scene and launched a large-scale rescue operation.

–IANS

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Kuwait City, July 13 (IANS) Condemning the ongoing attacks on its Consulate General in Iraq’s Basra, Kuwait on Monday questioned the efforts being made by the country's government to fulfill its international obligations as stipulated under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963).

Terming the attacks as an “unacceptable violation" of the inviolability of the consulate, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the Iraqi government to take immediate and decisive measures to hold accountable all those involved in these hostile acts.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the State of Kuwait's strongest condemnation and denunciation of the ongoing attacks targeting the Consulate General of the State of Kuwait in the city of Basra, in an unacceptable violation of the inviolability of the consulate and an undermining of the Iraqi government's efforts to fulfill its international obligations as stipulated under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), particularly Article (31), which obliges the host state to take all appropriate measures to ensure the complete protection of the premises of consular posts and to preserve their inviolability,” Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X.

“Despite the efforts exerted by the Iraqi government to attempt to counter these attacks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms, in the same context, the necessity for the Iraqi government to take immediate and decisive measures to hold accountable all those involved in these hostile acts, to ensure they are not repeated, and to adopt measures that guarantee the inviolability of the diplomatic and consular missions of the State of Kuwait accredited to the Republic of Iraq, as well as the security and safety of those working therein,” it added.

In April, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Acting Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Aziz Al-Daihani met Iraq’s Charge d'Affaires in Kuwait, Zaid Shanshul, to deliver an official note of protest over the attack on the consulate building in Basra, terming the incident a “flagrant violation” of international norms and agreements, especially the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, Kuwait Times reported.

He stressed the need for Iraqi authorities to take “urgent and decisive measures” to hold all perpetrators accountable, stop any recurrence and ensure increased protection for all Kuwaiti diplomatic missions in Iraq. He stated that Kuwait “will not hesitate” to take all necessary measures to protect its interests and missions as per the international law.

Kuwait lodged a formal protest as reports claimed that protesters had stormed the Kuwait's Consulate in Basra after rockets hit a house in Khor Al-Zubair area, killing at least three people and injuring five others. Security forces had fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, according to the report in Kuwait Times. Iraq’s foreign ministry had condemned the attack and announced the establishment of an investigative committee to find the circumstances of the incident and take legal action against the perpetrators.

--IANS

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Aden (Yemen), July 13 (IANS) Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV said Monday that Saudi Arabia launched several airstrikes on the runways of Sanaa International Airport in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital.

Yemen's armed forces urged the immediate evacuation of the airport.

The strikes came as an Iranian passenger plane carrying a Houthi delegation was heading toward the Yemeni Houthi-controlled airport from Tehran.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Saudi side, and the extent of the damage remains unclear, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, Yemeni Defence Minister Taher Al-Aqili warned in a televised statement that the armed forces would engage any hostile aircraft violating Yemeni airspace.

The Iranian passenger plane is the same one that landed at Sanaa International Airport on July 4, carrying more than 200 Yemeni patients and stranded passengers from Tehran. It later departed for the Iranian capital with a senior Houthi delegation that travelled to attend the funeral ceremonies of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

On July 3, the Houthi group said that its air defence forces intercepted Saudi warplanes which allegedly entered Yemeni airspace to prevent an Iranian civilian aircraft from landing at Sanaa International Airport.

The Houthi delegation has insisted on returning aboard the same Iranian aircraft, rejecting the government's proposal to facilitate its return on a different, non-Iranian plane operating under government supervision.

On Sunday, the Houthi group warned Saudi Arabia and Yemen's government against intercepting the flight.

The development comes amid an intensified Houthi mobilisation campaign in recent days, with the group organising tribal gatherings, armed rallies and public demonstrations across areas under its control while renewing calls to end what it describes as a Saudi-led blockade.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognised government.

–IANS

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Islamabad, July 13 (IANS) Pakistan has intensified its campaign against Afghan migrants by arresting and deporting them following the expiration of government's deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, local media reported.

An enforcement drive has begun after the expiration of the July 10 deadline for Afghans without valid visas to leave voluntarily.

"Afghan migrants in Pakistan said authorities are now detaining not only undocumented migrants but also Afghans whose visas or Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) have expired. Pakistani authorities say the campaign is underway in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," Amu TV reported.

According to the Pakistani government, people holding Afghan Citizen Cards and other temporary documents also face deportation.

Taliban's Secretariat of the High Commission for Addressing Returnees’ Issues said that more than 4,000 Afghans were deported from Pakistan in 24 hours over the weekend.

An Afghan migrant living in Pakistan confirmed that many families have been unable to renew their visas.

"Visas have effectively been unavailable for about a year," he said. "If we are arrested and deported, we all know what the situation is like in Afghanistan. We fear retaliation by the Taliban," the report quoted Ahmad as saying.

According to an Afghan journalist living in Pakistan, widespread anxiety among Afghan families has been created due to the Pakistani government’s latest directive. The figures from Pakistani media say that nearly 2.59 million Afghan migrants and refugees have been deported since the launch of Pakistan's repatriation campaign in late 2023.

Another Afghan journalist in Pakistan, stressed that many of those who fled after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 remain at risk.

"Those who sought refuge in Pakistan after 2021 are refugees, not ordinary migrants," she said. "Returning them to Afghanistan could cost them their lives," highlighted the report by Amu TV.

Pakistan has been warned by the United Nations and international human rights organisations to halt the forced deportations, warning that many returning Afghans could face persecution, arbitrary detention, torture or reprisals upon their return.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Pakistan’s top crypto regulator said digital assets should be assessed individually under Islamic law after meeting a prominent scholar whose recent fatwa broadly rejected purchases made with cryptocurrency, a new report has said.

Bilal bin Saqib, Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, said he held a “constructive discussion” with Mufti Taqi Usmani about the Sharia status of digital assets and that both agreed on the need to protect Pakistanis from “fraud, exploitation, and financial harm,” the report from The Block said.

Saqib argued that blockchains, stablecoins, tokenized real‑world assets and other digital instruments represent different technologies and use cases and “merit careful technical assessment alongside rigorous Shariah examination, rather than being viewed through a single lens.”

The comments came after a fatwa previous week by Usmani and other scholars of Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi’s Darul Ifta, that said cryptocurrencies do not qualify as “maal,” or wealth, under Sharia and are rather just fictitious numerical entries.

When asked if purchases of goods and services such as a book or an online course made with cryptocurrency are valid, the scholars said they do not amount to lawful transfer of ownership of the products.

Scholars asked the purchaser to return the books and delete the course materials and hence the ruling expanded its scope beyond speculative crypto trading to trade of physical goods and digital services.

Saqib called for continued engagement among religious scholars, regulators and industry experts as Pakistan develops its approach to emerging financial technology.

Pakistan's parliament passed the Virtual Assets Act in March, making PVARA a permanent federal regulator with powers to license exchanges, custodians and token issuers.

Regulators have room to distinguish between unbacked cryptocurrencies, fiat‑backed stablecoins and tokenized securities, the scholar said.

Another report has said that the State Bank of Pakistan had historically taken a cautious stance on crypto, but the agreement with US President Donald Trump’s family-linked crypto business, World Liberty Financial, gave quasi‑official legitimacy to a foreign‑controlled stablecoin ecosystem.

—IANS

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Naypyidaw, July 13 (IANS) India’s Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur, on Monday handed over solar systems for 50 households of earthquake-affected ethnic people in Taunggyi.

"50 household solar systems for earthquake-affected ethnic people of Inlay, a Quick Impact Project (QIP) under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Initiative, were handed over in Taunggyi today by Ambassador Abhay Thakur in the presence of Ethnic Affairs Minister U Than Maung and CM Shan State U Sai Htein Soe," the Embassy of India in Myanmar wrote on X.

In addition to the Union Ethnic Affairs Minister and Deputy Minister, several Ethnic Ministers of Shan State responsible for Inthar, Lisu and Kayan affairs joined the Mission team at the MGC QIP handover and site visit to beneficiary houses in earthquake-affected floating villages of Inle lake.

Development cooperation has long been a prominent feature in India’s overall bilateral engagement with Myanmar. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India's involvement and assistance extends from setting up of major connectivity infrastructure to significant initiatives in establishing long-term sustainable and relevant institutions for capacity building and human resource development in some of the critical areas such as agricultural research, rural infrastructure, healthcare and education, IT and skill development.

Under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) mechanism, Quick Impact Projects (QIP) were launched by Indian government to deliver short-gestation, high-visibility development outcomes across various countries including Myanmar.

"QIPs strive to deliver small, timely interventions that respond to local needs and produce visible benefits faster. Under the Framework Agreement of QIP, the Government of India has committed up to US$ 500,000 per year for such projects. As of March this year, over 25 QIPs have been sanctioned in states and regions all across Myanmar. These are in sectors such as renewable energy, civic infrastructure, agriculture, rural development, education, handloom, disaster risk reduction and cultural restoration," the MEA stated.

–IANS

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Tel Aviv, July 13 (IANS) The emergence of Pakistan as a mediator between Libya's rival eastern and western power centres adds a "cynical" dimension to the country's already fractured political landscape. With the explicit knowledge of Washington and several regional stakeholders, Islamabad has positioned itself in 2026 as a self-styled peace broker seeking to bridge the divide between the Libyan National Army in the east and the Government of National Unity in the west, a report has stated.

Yet this diplomatic initiative stems neither from a genuine commitment to North African stability nor from any longstanding strategic interest in the region. Rather, it reflects a transactional arrangement crafted by an economically distressed Pakistan seeking to leverage its defence infrastructure in exchange for much-needed hard currency, Amine Ayoub, a policy analyst and writer based in Morocco, wrote in The Times of Israel.

He argued that the mediation's underlying hypocrisy stems from a $4 billion weapons agreement signed between the Pakistan Army and Saddam Haftar, Deputy Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) in Libya’s Benghazi in December 2025.

“In a blunt display of realpolitik, Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir met with Saddam Haftar to seal one of Islamabad’s largest-ever military exports, an order encompassing sixteen JF-17 fighter jets, basic trainers, and long-term technical training. That this massive transaction moved forward in blatant defiance of the long-standing United Nations arms embargo highlights the hollow nature of international law when cash and weapons change hands. For Pakistan to now claim the mantle of an objective, neutral arbiter is structurally absurd,” said Ayoub.

“A state cannot act as a primary arms supplier to one faction in a civil war while simultaneously presenting itself to the other side as an unbiased peace broker. This double game has predictably triggered profound skepticism and open hostility across western Libya, where political and military factions in Tripoli and Misrata correctly perceive Islamabad as deeply compromised by its financial and military alliances with the Haftar family. The rhetoric of neutrality quickly dissolves when confronted with the physical reality of Pakistani-supplied hardware reinforcing the eastern military apparatus,” he added.

According to the report, for the United States, involving Pakistan in the process is a calculated strategy aimed at managing risks while maintaining plausible deniability. Rather than committing its own personnel or political capital to the difficult task of militia disarmament and institutional integration, it said, Washington has shifted these security tasks to a Pakistani military establishment that is “eager to please and desperate for revenue.”

“Pakistan is essentially acting as a low-cost security subcontractor, brought in to handle the volatile field logistics of collecting weapons and policing rival militias while the primary Western architects remain safely insulated from direct exposure if the deal unravels. This arrangement relies on the illusion that external enforcement can substitute for domestic legitimacy. In reality, it guarantees that Libya’s stabilisation remains a distant mirage, sacrificed to satisfy the financial necessities of a broken South Asian economy and the geopolitical convenience of a detached American foreign policy,” the report noted.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Seychelles was not only aimed at strengthening ties but to also reiterate India's commitment to serving as a net service provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a report has claimed.

"Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, lies near vital sea lanes of communication connecting East Africa, West Asia and the wider Indian Ocean region. The security of these sea lanes is therefore crucial to India, making maritime cooperation with Seychelles indispensable," a report in India Narrative highlighted.

During his visit to Seychelles last month, PM Modi held a meeting with Seychelles President Patrick Herminie, discussing new opportunities in industries, connectivity, technology, and digital infrastructure

"President Herminie and I took stock of the economic partnership between India and Seychelles. We discussed new opportunities in industries, connectivity, technology, digital infrastructure and more. India will keep working with Seychelles in sectors such as housing, healthcare, transport, skilling, food security, education and defence," PM Modi wrote on X.

PM Modi also noted that he and Seychelles’ President agreed that the security, sustainability, and prosperity of the Indian Ocean are shared responsibilities.

"Dr. Patrick Herminie and I agree that the Indian Ocean is our shared home and therefore, its security, sustainability and prosperity are our shared responsibility. India envisions an Indian Ocean where maritime security advances alongside economic prosperity. Our partnership is based not on size, but on mutual respect and trust. We do not merely live close to one another, but move forward together. Our vision is to make the Indian Ocean an Ocean of Opportunity," PM Modi wrote on X.

During the visit, the two nations enhanced their defence and maritime partnership by strengthening cooperation in maritime security, surveillance and capacity-building. PM Modi handed over 'Made in India' Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) PS LESPWAR, six ambulances, 10 utility vehicles and five laser radial boats to strengthen Seychelles' maritime surveillance and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) priorities.

"Strategically, the island countries of the Indian Ocean are becoming increasingly important to India as New Delhi reinforces its commitment to being a net security provider in the region. The international security architecture is currently experiencing considerable disorder, with established norms being undermined by regional conflicts and deeper uncertainty marked by periodic episodes of coercion and retaliation," the India Narrative report mentioned.

India acknowledges the need to create a comprehensive maritime-security strategy which has the ability to respond to emerging contingencies. India cannot manage the region's maritime-security challenges alone and it cannot afford to create unease among its maritime neighbours through an overtly aggressive naval strategy. India has the option to invest in defence diplomacy and promote cooperative security mechanisms with Indian Ocean littoral states by bolstering their defence capabilities, the report detailed.

India has supported Seychelles Coast Guard in enhancing its operational capabilities by gifting and providing maritime assets. India gifted patrol boats PS Topaz to Seychelles in 2005 and PS Constant in 2014. India gifted the Fast Interceptor Boat C-405 to Seychelles in 2016 while in 2018, India gifted a second Dornier 228 aircraft to Seychelles in 2018 to enhance its maritime-reconnaissance capabilities. In 2021, India handed over the Fast Patrol Vessel SCG PS Zoroaster to the Seychelles Coast Guard, further strengthening the country’s maritime fleet.

"Since India is not yet the sole security provider in the Indian Ocean Region, it has developed a cooperative-defence strategy with littoral states through defence assistance. This reinforces India’s commitment to serving as a net security provider by helping these countries improve their security preparedness,” the report added.

--IANS

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