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Washington, Nov 10 (IANS) US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Tuesday rejected a congressional effort to impeach him over US military operations, calling it a political stunt and saying the missions against Iran, Venezuela and drug cartels were lawful orders from President Donald Trump.

At a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth described the impeachment effort as the work of a defeated congressman pursuing a personal grievance.

"What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight and it's not accountability," he said. "It's a farce and it's a stunt and everybody knows it."

Military policy disagreements could not, by themselves, justify an impeachment effort, he said asserting that no previous Defence Secretary had been impeached for conducting lawful military operations.

"The proper remedy for a policy disagreement, it's legislation, it's debate, it's the next presidential election," he said.

Hegseth invoked Trump's two earlier impeachments, arguing that his opponents had failed to remove him from office. He said the current effort risked sending a signal to adversaries that Washington might punish commanders for carrying out orders.

Hegseth said operations against Iran, armed groups in Yemen and suspected drug traffickers had been ordered through the military chain of command. He said Congress had been notified, and rejected allegations that US personnel had committed crimes.

"As for the articles themselves, Iran, the cartels, Maduro, Yemen, everyone was a lawful operation ordered by the commander in chief, then ordered by myself, notified to Congress and executed by America warriors who did their jobs," he said.

He also rejected allegations that American forces deliberately targeted civilians. Such claims, he said, amounted to a slander against those who had flown, sailed and fought in the operations. The briefing offered no independent evidence to resolve the allegations.

"Their service was not a crime. These are heroes and no politician in Washington will tell them otherwise while I hold this office," he said.

Asked whether he was lobbying Congress to resist impeachment, Hegseth said his legislative affairs team was working with Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. He claimed there was broad support and that lawmakers regarded the articles as weak.

"We've been in touch with a lot of members. There, there's a, there's a ton of support," he said.

Hegseth also said the department was maintaining contact with Democratic members. Civilian and uniformed officials regularly briefed lawmakers, he said, even as the Pentagon pursued urgent funding during the lame-duck session.

His response came amid questions about the next Congress. Asked about Democratic threats to put him on trial, he said he would welcome a debate on Trump's national security record and the military operations undertaken by the administration.

The US Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to impeach federal civil officers and the Senate authority to try impeachment cases. A House vote to impeach would not, on its own, remove an official from office.

Congress separately exercises oversight over military operations and controls federal appropriations. Those powers can produce disputes with the executive branch over the use of force, military priorities and the resources allocated to the armed forces.

--IANS

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Abuja, Nov 10 (IANS) National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Justice V Ramasubramanian met Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi on Tuesday, exploring avenues for strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the fields of human rights, access to justice and the rule of law, the High Commission of India in Nigeria said.

“Hon’ble Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, met H.E. Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Federal Republic of Nigeria, today,” the High Commission posted on X.

The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest during the meeting.

“The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on matters of mutual interest and explore avenues for strengthening cooperation between India and Nigeria in the fields of human rights, access to justice and the rule of law,” it said.

The NHRC delegation, led by Justice Ramasubramanian, arrived in Abuja on Monday.

“High Commissioner Abhishek Singh welcomed a high-level delegation from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, led by Hon’ble Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairman, upon their arrival at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,” the High Commission had posted on X.

Last month, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh represented the Government of India as Chief Guest at Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day celebrations, noting that the two countries share longstanding historical ties and a robust Strategic Partnership.

“India and Nigeria share longstanding historical ties and a robust Strategic Partnership. We remain committed to further deepening our bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of our peoples,” he had said.

In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Vice President Kashim Shettima of Nigeria on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

“The discussion focused on key areas including trade and investment, defence and security, energy partnership, agriculture, health, and digital technologies. They reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-Nigeria Strategic Partnership,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had stated.

--IANS

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Sanaa, Nov 10 (IANS) The Houthis have blamed Saudi Arabia for airstrikes on a gas facility and an oil company building in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, on Tuesday, igniting fires and partially damaging nearby homes and shops.

The Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said the Saudi strikes hit the Al-Mafzar gas station in the Bani al-Harith district, north of the Houthi-run capital, setting several gas tanker trailers ablaze. Civil defence teams were working to bring the fires under control, it said.

In a separate attack, warplanes struck a building belonging to the Yemen Petroleum Company, a state-owned firm operating under Houthi control that distributes and markets fuel, in the southern part of Sanaa. The airstrikes also damaged nearby homes and shops, the channel reported.

A local resident told Xinhua that the explosions shook nearby neighbourhoods, partially damaging several houses and prompting families to leave their homes as fires continued to rage.

The full extent of the damage remained unclear, with no immediate reports of casualties. Saudi authorities had not immediately commented on the reported strikes.

The development came amid escalating hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, with Houthis claiming repeated missile and drone strikes on Saudi airports, oil installations and military facilities, while the Saudi-led coalition has intensified airstrikes on Houthi-held areas, Xinhua News Agency reported.

At least 11 people were killed Saturday in airstrikes on a village near Yemen's capital Sanaa, al-Masirah TV reported, blaming Saudi warplanes for the attacks amid escalating hostilities in the war-torn country.

The airstrikes destroyed five residential houses in Ash Sharyah village in Bani Hushaysh district, east of Sanaa, with women and children among the dead, according to the channel.

The head of the district's health office told al-Masirah that rescue teams had recovered 11 bodies from the rubble, adding that the death toll remained preliminary as search and recovery operations continued.

The channel also reported that Saudi warplanes launched two additional airstrikes targeting rescue workers and struck roads leading to the village, while military aircraft continued to fly over the area.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) A request to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi for travel and identity documents for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to return home from a self-imposed exile since August 2024 has reportedly invited severe reactions in Dhaka, where her safety and that of her colleagues appear to be under question.

A day after the application, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor Md Shahriar Alam has said that there is no alternative to executing the death sentence if Sheikh Hasina returns home, reported Dhaka’s Bengali newspaper ‘Prothom Alo’ on Tuesday.

The same day (Tuesday), Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman told the Parliament that 1,883 cases have been filed across Bangladesh since the July 2024 protests, of which 805 are murder cases, according to a report by ‘The Daily Star’.

It said that the minister added that 79 cases had so far been filed or registered with the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against “those accused of attacking participants” in the July 2024 student movement, the report said.

Of these, eight cases have been finally disposed of through full verdicts, with 73 defendants sentenced, it said further, adding that among these, 24, including Hasina, have been sentenced to death, while 49 others have received various prison terms, including life imprisonment.

The ICT is a court established in Bangladesh to prosecute serious crimes including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. In recent years, the tribunal has gained renewed prominence through proceedings against Sheikh Hasina and several former officials over allegations linked to the 2024 crackdown on anti-government protests.

The tribunal's actions have become a central element in Bangladesh's political transition and have attracted close international attention because of their implications for justice, accountability, and democratic stability.

Meanwhile, Dhaka appears to be intent only on an extradition process, dismissing the deposed premier’s request for travel documents to facilitate her voluntary return.

Quoting Prime Minister Tariq Rahman's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman, Bangladesh’s ‘The Business Standard’ reported that the government will bring Sheikh Hasina back from India through the extradition process, as it sees “no legal complications in securing her return under the existing treaty between the two countries”.

Zahed said legal complications could arise during an extradition process if the person concerned approached a court to challenge it, adding that he believes such a situation is unlikely if Hasina herself wants to return to Bangladesh.

Yet, regarding reports that Hasina had applied for a passport and national identity card, Zahed said she had not “personally submitted” any application so far, claiming that the High Commission’s press minister had received a letter from a law firm requesting arrangements to issue a passport to Hasina.

The report, however, did not explain why Dhaka does not see her legal firm moving the application as a legitimate request.

Incidentally, the request, submitted through a London-based legal firm, sought the issuance of a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card after the revocation of Hasina’s existing documents.

The lawyers argued that the application was based on her continuing Bangladeshi nationality and relevant legal obligations under Bangladeshi and international law. Reports indicate that the move is linked to Hasina’s stated intention to return to Bangladesh and face the legal process there.

Separate reports indicated that officials have questioned whether the lawyers were properly authorised to act on Hasina’s behalf, noting that the email reportedly lacked documentary proof of such authorisation.

The High Commission reportedly forwarded the correspondence to Dhaka for scrutiny, reports added.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) India is in touch with the UK High Commission in New Delhi as well as the UK Foreign Office regarding the arrest of Indian merchant navy master Captain Ajay Pant in the United Kingdom, and is doing its best for his safety and well-being, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.

“We have been in touch with the lawyers of Captain Pant as well as his family. The High Commission has paid several visits to Captain Pant to check on his well-being. We have also facilitated the visit of his family members, his wife in particular,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during the bi-weekly media briefing.

The Indian High Commission in London has been extending consular assistance to Captain Pant, who is in judicial custody in the UK.

“The last such visit by his wife took place on 9th of November. We have been in touch with the UK High Commission here as well as the UK Foreign Office in this particular matter. We are trying to do our best for his safety and well-being,” Jaiswal said.

Pant, a resident of Uttarakhand, was reportedly arrested in June after British forces and the UK’s National Crime Agency intercepted the oil tanker Smyrtos, which he was captaining, in the English Channel.

He has been charged with offences related to sanctions on Russian oil, which carry a maximum prison term of 10 years. Pant was the only one of the 24 crew members on board to be charged, and he has denied any wrongdoing.

He is being held at HMP Winchester, and his trial is expected to begin on December 15.

His wife, Ritu Pant, has maintained that her husband was made a scapegoat and was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

–IANS

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Victoria, Nov 10 (IANS) India's High Commissioner to Seychelles Rohit Rathish on Tuesday handed over four advanced life support ambulances to the country's Health Minister Marvin Fanny.

The High Commission of India in Seychelles stated that the gift underlines the people-centric nature of bilateral ties and long-standing cooperation between the two nations in health sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had handed over six advanced life support and basic life support ambulances to Seychelles during his State Visit in June.

In a post on X, the High Commission of India in Seychelles stated, "High Commissioner Shri Rohit Rathish handed over 04 Advanced Life Support ambulances to Minister of Health H.E. Dr. Marvin Fanny."

"For recall, 06 Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support ambulances were handed over by PM Shri Narendra Modi during his State Visit to Seychelles in June 2026. The gift underlines the people-centric nature of bilateral relations between India and Seychelles and spotlights our longstanding cooperation in the health sector," it added.

In August, Rohit Rathish handed over five laser radial boats to the Chief of Defence Forces, Seychelles Defence Force, fulfilling PM Modi’s announcement during his State Visit to the archipelagic island nation in the Indian Ocean in June.

India also handed over specialised calibrated tools and repaired electronic units to Seychelles, strengthening defence and maritime cooperation between the two nations.

"Strengthening India-Seychelles Defence and Maritime Security Cooperation. 3 repaired Dornier Main Electronic Units (MEUs), 18 sets of calibrated specialised aircraft tools, 50 safety helmets and seamanship ropes were handed over by Defence Adviser Capt. Shravan Sareen to Maj. Gen. Michael Rosette, CDF, SDF," the High Commission stated on X.

According to the Indian mission, the items were repaired/calibrated at Indian Naval facilities free of cost and will enable in-house testing and faster repairs for the Dornier fleet that is used by the Seychelles Air Force for Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance, CASEVAC (Casualty Evacuation), and SAR (Search and Rescue).

“The safety and seamanship gear will elevate personnel safety and op readiness of the Seychelles Coast Guard,” the High Commission highlighted.

--IANS

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Colombo, Nov 10 (IANS) At least five people were killed and more than 50 others injured in a multiple-bus collision in Sri Lanka's North Central Province on Tuesday, police said.

The accident occurred on the Medawachchiya-Rambewa section of the A9 highway in the Anuradhapura district and involved two buses operated by the state-run Sri Lanka Transport Board and a private bus.

Police said the two state-owned buses collided head-on before the private bus crashed into the rear of one of them, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Police have launched an investigation into the accident.

On October 19, at least four people were killed and several others injured in a multi-vehicle road accident in central Sri Lanka's Kandy district, police said.

Police said the accident occurred when a cement mixer truck collided with several vehicles and pedestrians.

Several injured people were admitted to hospital following the crash. Two of them are in critical condition.

Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.

In September, Sri Lankan police identified 712 accident-prone and hazardous locations across the country following a nationwide survey, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya said.

Weerasooriya said the police had compiled information on locations where road accidents occur frequently and provided the data to relevant authorities to support road safety measures.

Sri Lanka has recorded 1,849 fatal road accidents so far in 2026, eight more than during the corresponding period last year, he said.

The number of road deaths has also increased by 16 compared with the same period in 2025.

Weerasooriya said pedestrians and motorcyclists remained the groups most affected by fatal road accidents.

Many pedestrian deaths involved people walking or standing along roadsides, while motorcycle fatalities frequently resulted from riders colliding with fixed objects or other roadside obstacles rather than with other vehicles, he said.

Road accidents are common in Sri Lanka. The country recorded a total of 2,562 fatal road accidents in 2025, according to police statistics.

--IANS

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Colombo, Nov 10 (IANS) Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda arrived in Sri Lanka's Colombo on Tuesday to participate in the first BIMSTEC Health Ministers' Meeting. India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, welcomed Nadda in the Lankan capital.

Nadda stated that he looked forward to engaging with my counterparts from BIMSTEC member nations to strengthen regional health cooperation, advance shared public health priorities and foster greater collaboration in healthcare.

"Arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to participate in the historic first BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting. Looking forward to engaging with my counterparts from BIMSTEC member nations to strengthen regional health cooperation, advance shared public health priorities and foster greater collaboration in healthcare," Nadda posted on X.

"Guided by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of Neighbourhood First and Act East, India remains committed to building a healthier, more resilient and prosperous BIMSTEC region," he added.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare noted that Nadda's visit to India marks an "important step" towards strengthening regional health cooperation, advancing shared public health priorities and deepening India’s healthcare partnership with Sri Lanka and other BIMSTEC member nations.

"Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri J P Nadda arrives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to participate in the historic first BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting.

The visit marks an important step towards strengthening regional health cooperation, advancing shared public health priorities and deepening India’s healthcare partnership with Sri Lanka and other BIMSTEC member nations," the ministry posted on X.

The BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting on Health began in Colombo on Tuesday, as part of preparations for the first BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting.

Discussions are focusing on identifying common regional health challenges, strengthening collective responses and facilitating the exchange of technical expertise among member states, Sri Lanka-based 'Ada Derana' reported.

During the meeting, discussions will include the prevention and control of communicable diseases and pandemics, preparedness and response to public health emergencies, strengthening disease surveillance systems and enhancing the resilience of healthcare systems.

The discussions will also cover digital healthcare, medical research, antimicrobial resistance, the health impacts of climate change, the One Health approach, which acknowledges the connection between human and animal health, and the promotion of traditional medicine.

IANS

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Paris, Nov 10 (IANS) India and France on Tuesday held the 3rd Strategic Space Dialogue and the inaugural meeting of the India-France Economic Security and Critical Technologies Dialogue in Paris, co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Martin Briens, Secretary General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Indian Embassy in France said.

“Today, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri co-chaired with Secretary General of French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Mr Martin Briens the 3rd India-France Strategic Space Dialogue as well as the inaugural meeting of India-France Economic Security and Critical Technologies Dialogue, respectively,” the Embassy posted on X.

The two sides also reviewed the full range of relations between the two countries.

“Both sides also held bilateral talks, reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations. They also exchanged views of regional and global issues of mutual interest,” the Embassy said.

Misri arrived in Paris on Monday for the dialogues, which are aimed at expanding cooperation between the two countries, with a particular focus on resilient supply chains.

“These discussions will deepen cooperation between India and France in space, critical technologies and economic security, particularly in the area of resilient supply chains,” the Embassy had said.

In September, Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh met his French counterpart, Philippe Baptiste, and said that cooperation in the space sector between India and France has entered a new phase, with a focus on human spaceflight, start-ups, and a new space ecosystem.

India-France space cooperation has evolved from the early sounding rocket experiments of the 1960s into a broad and expanding partnership encompassing joint satellite missions, launch vehicle technologies, human spaceflight and emerging space applications, the minister had said.

The third joint satellite, TRISHNA, will soon be developed, the minister had said, and appreciated CNES support to India’s Gaganyaan programme, including supply of consumables and training of flight surgeons.

On September 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invited France and other countries to partner with India in its next phase of space exploration, while addressing the first International Space Summit in Paris via video conferencing.

“Cooperation over confrontation, sustainability over short-term gain, and inclusion over exclusion” should guide the future of the global space sector, the Prime Minister had said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) India will emerge as a key source of skilled talent for the global economy as it is projected to remain the only major economy with a surplus workforce through 2030 even as 85 million jobs worldwide could remain unfilled by then because of skill shortages, a new report has said.

The report from India Narrative cited Korn Ferry estimates that global skills shortages could result in $8.5 trillion in unrealised annual revenue.

India's demographic profile is expected to play a major role in this advantage, the report said, adding that the country's median age is nearly 28 years, against 38 years in the United States and 39 years in China.

Over 40 per cent of India's population is under 25 years of age, while around 68 per cent, or nearly 961 million people, are of working age, the report said.

Global Capability Centres (GCCs) will play a key role in transforming India's position in the global economy. India had 2,117 GCCs in FY26, employing 2.36 million professionals and generating $98.4 billion in revenue, up from $64.6 billion in FY24.

GCCs added nearly 2 lakh net employees during FY26, driven by demand for artificial intelligence, machine learning engineers, cloud experts and product developers.

The report said that India's projected skilled workforce surplus of 45 million by 2030 could address roughly 53 per cent of the anticipated global talent shortfall.

The talent can either work from established hubs such as Hyderabad or Pune for clients abroad, or it can move to Frankfurt, Toronto or Houston on a work visa.

Overseas Indians sent home a record $129.4 billion in remittances in 2024, accounting for 14.3 per cent of global remittance flows and the number of Indians working abroad has increased to 18.5 million from 6.6 million in 1990.

“Universities and vocational programmes must teach AI, cloud, cybersecurity, healthcare and advanced manufacturing, not only coding. The 2025–26 Union Budget announced a national framework to promote GCCs in tier II cities. That should be funded and carried out,” the report noted.

--IANS

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