South Asia

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM), S Jaishankar, will embark on a three-nation tour to Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia from March 23 - 27 to strengthen bilateral relations.

The visit to the Southeast Asian nations will provide an opportunity for engagement on regional issues of mutual concern, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release said on Saturday.

Focused on enhancing bilateral relations, the visit comes just after EAM Jaishankar's trip to Japan to take stock of bilateral ties and explore ways to transform the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries.

Dr Jaishankar last visited Singapore in October 2023 to deepen the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, where he met President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

At the invitation of Dr Jaishankar, then Malaysian Foreign Minister, Zambry Abdul Kadir, paid an official visit to India in November 2023, to co-chair the sixth India-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi.

In June 2023, EAM Jaishankar and Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Enrique A. Manalo, co-chaired the fifth meeting of the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

The two leaders held wide-ranging and substantive discussions on regional and international issues of mutual concern, according to an MEA release.

Acknowledging that both countries have a shared interest in a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, the two nations underlined the need for peaceful settlement of disputes and adherence to international laws.

--IANS

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New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) Shane Watson, the former Australian all-rounder, has opted out of contention for the role of Pakistan's head coach, despite being the preferred candidate of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), says a report.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Watson, who recently coached the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), was in advanced discussions regarding the position but has decided to prioritize his current coaching and commentary commitments, including his role with the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket and his commentary deal at the IPL.

While Watson had initially considered the offer from PCB, thoroughly enjoying his time in Pakistan during the PSL, he ultimately chose to honor his existing commitments, citing family obligations and the need to balance multiple roles. His decision leaves Pakistan without a head coach ahead of their upcoming T20I series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup in June.

Despite reports suggesting a substantial financial offer from PCB, it is understood that the actual figure was lower than speculated and played no part in Watson's withdrawal. The rapid pace of developments regarding the coaching offer meant that accepting it would have required Watson to step down from his current roles abruptly, which was deemed impractical.

As head coach of Quetta Gladiators, Watson made significant changes to the team's structure and personnel, notably replacing long-time captain Sarfaraz Ahmed with Rilee Rossouw. Under his guidance, the Gladiators showed promising form in the PSL, reaching the playoffs for the first time in five seasons before being eliminated in the latter stages of the tournament.

--IANS

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Colombo, March 16 (IANS) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Saturday announced the appointment of former Pakistan pace bowler Aaqib Javed as the men’s cricket team fast bowling coach.

SLC in its announcement stated, “Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of former Pakistan pace bowler Aaqib Javed as the national team’s ‘fast bowling coach.’ He will work with the national team until the completion of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the West Indies and USA during June 2024.”

Aaqib is currently serving as the director of cricket operations and head coach of the Lahore Qalandars of the Pakistan Premier League and his role with Sri Lanka Cricket will resume, with immediate effect.

“We warmly welcome Aaqib and believe that his immense international experience, both in playing and coaching will help our bowlers come into good shape ahead of the upcoming major international competitions, such as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” said Ashley De Silva, CEO, Sri Lanka Cricket.

Aaqib had a successful international career where he played 163 ODIs and 22 test matches for Pakistan, capturing a tally of 236 international wickets. A member of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning team, Javed has worked for several national teams in different coaching capacities.

Among those stints are working as the bowling coach of the Pakistan national team, serving as the coach of the UAE national team, and also working with the Afghanistan national team in a development role.

During his tenure as coach, the UAE National Team has obtained ODI and T20I status, made the ICC Men’s 50 Over World Cup in 2015, and also featured in the qualifiers for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2014.

The former Pakistan pace bowler also coached the Pakistan U19 team to a World Cup win back in 2004 and served as the bowling coach when Pakistan won the 2009 T20 World Cup

in England.

--IANS

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United Nations, March 16 (IANS) Calling India "a proud champion of pluralism," India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj opposed the establishment of the post of "special envoy" on a special religion at the United Nations today.

This comes as the UN General Assembly adopted the Resolution on “Measures to Combat Islamophobia” which, inter alia, calls for the appointment of a UN Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia.

Explaining India's position during the adoption of the resolution, Ambassador Kamboj said that while the issue of Islamophobia is undoubtedly significant, one must acknowledge that other religions are also facing discrimination.

"Crucial to acknowledge that phobias extend beyond Abrahamic religions...anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, anti-Sikh elements...increasing attacks on Gurudwaras, monasteries, temples.." the Indian envoy to the UN said.

"The destruction of Bamiyan Buddha, violation of Gurudwara premises, massacre of Sikh pilgrims, attacks on temples, glorification of breaking idols in temple contribute to rise of contemporary form of religio-phobia against non-abrahamic religions."

Ambassador Kamboj added that it is crucial to recognise that Hinduism, with over 1.2 billion followers, Buddhism more than 535 million, and Sikhism, with over 30 million followers worldwide, are all subject to religion-based phobia.

"It is time we acknowledge the prevalence of religious phobia rather than just single out one," she added.

Further, the envoy said: "Allocating resources solely to combat Islamophobia, while neglecting similar challenges faced by other kinds might inadvertently perpetuate a sense of exclusion and inequality."

The resolution was reportedly facilitated by Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The country's chief diplomat at the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, had said that Muslims around the world face discrimination, and "bold and decisive actions are needed to counter and combat Islamophobia."

--IANS

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Tel Aviv, March 16 (IANS) A six-week ceasefire is on the cards in the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel after both sides communicated to the mediators on stepping down from their earlier demands.

While Hamas has agreed to climb down from the demand for a permanent end of the war to a pause for six weeks, Israel has almost agreed to release 1000 Palestinian prisoners including 100 charged with grievous crimes including murder.

There were a series of meetings in Doha, Cairo, and Paris in the last two days with different negotiators brokering a truce between Israel and Hamas

Sources in Israeli intelligence agencies told IANS that Qatar has communicated to the Hamas leadership that it would "not hesitate to deport them from Qatar if they do not come down from unreasonable demands".

According to sources, the strong position taken by Qatar and Egypt to prevent any Gazan refugees on its soil if Israel invades Rafah has acted as a trigger for Hamas to rework its earlier demands of a permanent ceasefire.

As per the available information, Hamas would release all Israeli prisoners including soldiers in exchange for 1000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli intelligence agencies have communicated to the government that of the 134 remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, 32 have died.

Hamas, according to sources in the Israeli Prime Minister's office, would release the remaining 102 hostages and send the bodies of 32 hostages in exchange for 1000 Palestinian prisoners. However, it is unclear whether all the hostages would be released in a single go or multiple slots.

--IANS

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Rome, March 16 (IANS) Industry ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) have said that artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial for achieving sustainable development, but needs to be implemented in a balanced and safe way.

After a two-day meeting in the Italian cities of Verona and Trento, the G7 on Friday committed to achieving an appropriate balance between fostering innovation and the need for appropriate guardrails in promoting a safe, secure and trustworthy AI, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We recognize that AI and other emerging technologies, if shaped to be safe... can be pivotal for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," representatives to the meeting said in a final declaration.

These tools can have a positive impact on many sectors, and a "vast potential" to boost productivity, efficiency, business opportunities, and scientific discoveries, they said.

Meanwhile, the group also warned that digital technologies, including AI, are posing many complex challenges, including those concerning the respect of privacy, personal data protection, security and safety of intellectual property.

They also noted that online platforms, along with AI-enabled products, could be used to facilitate hate speech and disinformation, and other forms of manipulation, potentially fuelling social divides.

"These challenges and risks reinforce the need to integrate ethical considerations in relation to the development and use of such technologies," they said.

The G7 Ministerial Meeting on Industry, Technology and Digital was chaired by Italian Under Secretary of State for Technological Innovation Alessio Butti, as Italy is holding the G7 presidency this year.

The group comprises Canada, the US, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Japan, plus representatives of the European Union.

--IANS

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Tokyo, March 7 (IANS) Noting the reality of power shifts in the Indo-Pacific, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday referred to China and said that it is a cause for concern when a country does not observe written agreements with a neighbour.

Participating in the first Raisina Roundtable in Tokyo, Jaishankar said there are political and strategic consequences of "very big shifts" in capabilities, influence, and ambitions of nations in the Indo-Pacific and one has to "deal with that reality".

Illustrating New Delhi's own situation vis-a-vis China, he said for nearly 45 years, there was no bloodshed on the India-China border but things changed in 2020.

And today... we can disagree on many things, but when a country, sort of, does not observe written agreements with a neighbour, then I think you have cause for concern, because it then raises a question mark about the stability of the relationship, and frankly, about intentions," EAM Jaishankar said in response to a question.

He acknowledged that with shifting global dynamics, India's balance with other countries is changing as well and the challenge lies in creating "new equilibriums in a less frictional manner".

At a recent interactive session at a think-tank in New Delhi, Jaishankar said the government is focused on strengthening the border infrastructure and that there has to be an "equilibrium" in Sino-India relations.

The minister also stressed on China adhering to border management pacts and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to ensure smooth ties.

The minister's remarks came weeks after the 21st round of the India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting, seeking complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh as an essential basis for the restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

The two sides agreed to maintain communication through relevant military and diplomatic mechanisms and also committed to peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas, according to a Ministry of External Affairs release.

A border standoff erupted between the two Asian giants on May 5, 2020, after a violent clash in the Pangong lake area with relations reaching a low point.

The two sides completed the disengagement process from several areas in 2021 after extensive diplomatic and military talks.

--IANS

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Tokyo, March 7 (IANS) Japanese workers' real wages in January shrank for the 22nd straight month, as salary gains continued to fall short of outpacing inflation, government data showed on Thursday.

Inflation-adjusted real wages were down 0.6 per cent from a year earlier, following a revised 2.1 per cent fall in December, logging their smallest decline in 13 months on weakening price pressures, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Nominal wages, the average total monthly cash earnings per worker including base and overtime pay, grew 2.0 per cent year-on-year in January to 282,270 yen ($1,900), up for the 25th consecutive month, the data showed, Xinhua news agency reported.

Average base pay and other scheduled wages went up 1.3 per cent to 269,359 yen, while overtime pay and other nonscheduled wages edged up by 0.4 per cent to 18,604 yen.

The country's wages are seen as a major indicator whether a cycle of pay increases above inflation is likely to be established, factors the central bank considers in phasing out its massive stimulus programme.

The Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, said it aims to negotiate pay hikes of 5 per cent or higher, Kyodo news reported.

Though some major companies have announced big increases, with automaker Honda Motor Co. agreeing to a 5.6 per cent annual pay hike, it remains to be seen whether medium-sized and small businesses, which employ around 70 per cent of the country's workforce, will increase wages.

--IANS

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Tel Aviv, March 7 (IANS) Close relatives of 'wanted' Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar have reportedly crossed over to Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

Media reports said that Sinwar’s sister’s children crossed into Egypt only recently. Several other top Hamas leaders have also managed to smuggle out their nears and dears out of Gaza into safe zones in Egypt.

According to a report by the Israeli news channel N12, Hamas police spokesman Ayman al Batanji had used his influence to smuggle his two children out into Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

Four children of Hamas political bureau member Shameh Elsraj also managed to escape to Egypt. Israeli media reported that Shameh Elsraj may have been killed in an Israeli missile attack. However, Hamas nor other militant groups have announced his death till now.

It may be noted that senior Hamas political leaders, including Khaled Mashal, Ismael Haniyeh and Moussa Abu Marzouk, were living in comfort zones of Doha, the capital of Qatar and are billionaires themselves.

Interestingly, Hebrew and Arabic media have reported that crossing the Rafah border for an ordinary Palestinian was costing anywhere between 6,000 to 7,500 US dollars which is an astronomical sum for the beleaguered Palestinian.

--IANS

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Gaza, March 7 (IANS) The Israeli military has announced that it killed the chief of the Hamas rocket unit in an operation in the central Gaza Strip.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on Wednesday in a post on social media platform X that IDF forces, based on information from the Military Intelligence Directorate and Shin Bet security service, killed Amar Atiya Darwish Aladini, who was in charge of the Hamas rocket unit in central Gaza.

He said Aladini had been working for Hamas for decades and was active in the current war, noting that the man was responsible for equipping rockets for the faction and launching rocket attacks as early as 2008 against the IDF operation Cast Lead in Gaza.

The statement claimed that Aladini played a major role in the "bloody" Hamas attack on October 7 last year, during which he "promoted intensive firing" towards Israel's manoeuvring forces while directing rocket launches targeting Tel Aviv and other Israeli border towns.

There has been no comment from Hamas on Aladini's killing.

Adraee added that over the past few days, the Israeli air force attacked several Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets in northern Gaza, including apartments used by "saboteurs" as hideouts, warehouses for storing combat equipment, launching pits and tunnels.

Meanwhile, in another statement, the Israeli military said its troops raided "terrorist infrastructures" in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis, arresting 250 Hamas and Islamic Jihad members and seizing combat equipment, Xinhua news agency reported.

It claimed that some of the seized personnel had participated in the October 7 attack, adding that in a joint operation in the Hamad City neighbourhood west of Khan Younis, Israeli commando units and the 13th Marine Commando arrested "many saboteurs," including the chief of a Hamas sniper cell and two Hamas team leaders.

--IANS

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