Nothing can beat the joy of ‘asli’ chaat. Madam chutney serves the most loved Indian street food items and a touch of contemporary. The exceptional and perfectly blended flavours transport diners to the streets of old Delhi and its age old authentic flavours. A feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian lite international.
This all-vegetarian Cafe in GK in New Delhi serves some best-loved dishes like noodles, momos, and tiffin combos with a modern twist while still maintaining the unique culinary traditions of India. The flavorful food at convenient prices strikes a nostalgic chord and adds to the Madam Chutney experience.
Treat your palate with its very extensive menu of matra kulcha, chatpate gol gappe, pyaz kachori, stuffed paneer kulcha, Amritsari kulcha, cheese veggie samosas and many more, each served in the most unique ways.
The beverage collection is well prepared to take you to the time of cold streets and warm drinks. The strongly spiced masala chai is brewed just the way a local teashop does it and is a ‘hot’ favourite.
The café is cozy with vibrant interiors that give good ole’ classic vibes. It makes for a perfect family setting with its warm mood lighting and chic seating.
Madam chutney serves every need of a chaat connoisseur. High in flavor and light on the stomach is their major vibe. The Cafe serves everything from yummy breakfast dishes to comfort street foods and masala chais. Inducing that nostalgic chord in the form for flavors is something Madam Chutney caters to.
Through Madam Chutney you get to experience the colourful perfect street food in one place. When it comes to comfort and good food, this Cafe gives you bright life element through Indian fabrics, pop graphics, 90s posters.
The food is amazing, portion size’s generous, presentation is charming and service is very attentive and friendly. Madam Chutney brings a modern approach to traditional chaat bringing to you an upgrade of India’s street food culture with a little spice & a lot of sass! This restaurant is undoubtedly a paradise for chaat loving discerning diners.
Exclusive feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International
The world of Interflora with an unfeigned passion for flowers and a rich, 99-year-long legacy in luxury flower gifting, they are the World’s largest and most experienced award-winning floral gifting and decor brand.
With time, Interflora has revolutionized the floral landscape of luxury gifting, weddings and events through signature flower bouquets, unmatched quality, and sheer exquisiteness in show-stopping floral collections. With a network of over 58,000 florists across the globe, and a presence in 150+ countries, they have managed to build a clientele that trusts them when it comes to creating unforgettable floral experiences.
Of Legacy & Lasting Impressions
Originating in America in 1923, with its headquarters in the UK, the brand started off by taking flower delivery orders via telegram. Apart from being ahead of their times; they adhere to international global standards and keep up with fashion seasons to create an exquisite appeal.
For about a hundred years now, Interflora has been delighted to successfully navigate the intersection between fashion and florals, to combine top-end design and flower quality and leave a lasting impression on its recipients.
It’s only been 5 years since they have entered the Indian terrain(2017), and yet, they have gained prominence like no other!
Interflora brings together handcrafted experiences and state of the art technology. With a keen focus on design and quality, Interflora India in particular, has built an in-house team of over 180 internationally-trained designers across 100 dark stores, and a network of over 200 farmers along with a robust logistics team that ensures fresh, handcrafted flowers are delivered right on time across 25+ cities in the country.
Every day, thousands of people count on them to convey their heartfelt messages along with their flowers that are curated to perfection by their in-house team of internationally trained designers. They report a returning customer rate of 25% and 350 average orders daily.
With collaborations with the likes of celebrated floral designers like Preston Bailey, Jeff Letham, Tomas De Bruyne, Karen Tran, Neil Wittekar and more with us, they live up to the promise of turning their patron’s floral dreams and vision into reality!
Iconic Milestones
Known globally as ‘The Flower Experts’, Interflora has designed and executed iconic floral décor for some of the biggest weddings and high-end luxury events in India. These have included decor for the likes of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal, Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra, Karan Johar and more. Interflora works closely with clients to create a vision that will leave a lasting impression in their memory as well as their guests.
While their hand-delivered artisan arrangements and handcrafted floral decor continues to be their pride, they are delighted to venture into enabling clientele with more. At Interflora, they believe flowers are a lifestyle – whether it’s because of their vivid colors or their charming fragrance, there’s too much beauty and goodness in their petals to limit their use. Thus, as an extension of their brand, Interflora now houses a beautiful range of floral perfumes, teas, diffusers, candles and chocolates too. In this way, they hope that their valued patrons can enjoy life’s beauty with a touch of floral luxury!
Meet Anuja Joshi, Founder at Interflora, India
Anuja Joshi, an educationist turned entrepreneur has always been a go-getter! From setting up and running an IB school in Pune, Maharashtra, to heading a large, successful gifting solutions company, she has successfully worn many hats.
As Anuja traveled across the globe for work, she came across Interflora, a luxurious floral gifting brand, which sowed the seed of a new business venture. Identifying a huge gap in the floral gifting and luxury décor landscape in India,
Spearheading the India chapter for the legacy brand since then, she has been at the forefront of changing the way India experiences premium floral gifting & has conceptualized and produced floral décor for some of the largest weddings and social events for the Jindals, Gucci, Dior, Sonam Babbani, House Of Misu, Anamika Khanna, Ali Fazal & Richa Chadha and many more; filling the gap in the market for luxury floral solutions.
Being a visionary, Anuja has ensured that the company is powered by a seamless backend set up that ensures international standards of design, quality, right on time deliveries, while minimizing wastage, which makes them a unique category player unlike any other.
Under her able leadership, the business has grown by volumes, and Anuja has truly revolutionized the way patrons look at making memorable, tasteful statements.
As a responsible, conscious business owner, she is also focused on growing the sustainable practices at Interflora India across waste management & reduction, repurposing of flowers and reducing dependency on imports via educating local growers as well as setting up cold chain solutions.
Dr Singhal with UK's Defence Minister Alexander Chalk in UP
The BAPIO Training Academy Limited, UK’s premier educational institute led by BAPIO (British Physicians of Indian origin) has entered into collaboration with the state government of Uttar Pradesh in India with the aim of developing and providing world-class training and exchange programmes for doctors and nurses in the state of India to meet the growing demands of effective and safe delivery of emergency care.
The UP state government health department officials and Prof Dr Parag Singhal, Executive Director-BTA, National Secretary-BAPIO, signed a MoU in Uttar Pradesh. The delegation was felicitated by the UP state’s Finance Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Kumar Khanna.
BTA with its Indian partners aim to set up an advanced Emergency Medicine institute as part of the Indo-U.K. collaboration where the state doctors will receive excellent training in EM.
The State government officials and the minister said, “with this partnership we are taking a step forward in delivering and strengthening our commitment to promoting a continuous learning platform for our health care workers, enabling them to have access to outstanding learning tools from BAPIO Training Academy and an opportunity to get mentored and trained as per international protocols working alongside some of the most distinguished professionals in the UK.”
Dr Singhal with Finance minister of UP Suresh Khanna
On his recent visit to the state as a part of the delegation with the Defence Minister of the UK Alexander Chalk and on occasion of signing the MoU , Dr Parag Singhal, Executive Director at BTA said , “This partnership with the UP state government is aimed at bridging the gaps in understanding of research, medical advancements, creating training and exchange programmes to benefit the trainees and both the countries- India and the UK.” He said, “BTA curriculum will be delivered by professionals who have been trained in world class NHS hospitals. Modules on patient safety are incorporated in the course enabling trainees to practice the same in real life hence improving patient outcome.”
BAPIO Training Academy (BTA) is the training and education arm of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) and an important pillar of its strategic approach to promote professional and clinical excellence.
Setback to Pakistan as Taliban rejects Armyâs plea to arm-twist TTP. (IN)
Experts say armed groups have obtained advanced US weapons and equipment like M16 machine guns and M4 assault rifles, night-vision goggles, and military communication gear…reports Asian Lite News
Since Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban in August 2021, some of the American military gear and weapons have turned up in neighbouring Pakistan, where they have been used by armed groups, according to experts and security officials.
Observers say the influx of US weapons has boosted the military capabilities of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group and ethnic Baluch separatist groups that are waging insurgencies against the government in Pakistan, which has witnessed a surge in violence over the past two years, RFE/RL reported.
“These weapons have added to the lethality of such groups,” said Asfandyar Mir, a senior analyst at the US Institute of Peace, adding that a “robust and in many ways growing black market” for American weapons is thriving in Pakistan.
Experts say armed groups have obtained advanced US weapons and equipment like M16 machine guns and M4 assault rifles, night-vision goggles, and military communication gear, RFE/RL reported.
Abdul Sayed, a Sweden-based researcher who tracks the TTP, said the group’s access to sophisticated combat weapons has had a “terrifying” impact, especially on the lesser-equipped police force, in Pakistan.
A police officer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has borne the brunt of the TTP attacks said that they were sitting ducks for militants, RFE/RL reported.
“The fact is that they can see us in the dark while we can’t. That gives the terrorists an enormous advantage,” said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
When the UnS pulled out its forces from Afghanistan in 2021, it left behind around $7 billion worth of military equipment and weapons, including firearms, communications gear, and even armoured vehicles.
The Taliban seized the arms following the fall of the Western-backed Afghan government during the chaotic US withdrawal, giving the hard-line Islamist group a vast war chest, RFE/RL reported.
Moazzam Jah Ansari, a former police chief of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said in November that militants “picked up sophisticated weapons left behind by the Americans and waged war against (the province’s) police”.
The TTP’s attacks in Pakistan have surged since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan.
The two militant groups are ideological and organisational allies.
According to the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), a think tank in Islamabad, the number of terrorist attacks in the country increased by 27 per cent last year compared to 2021.
At least 419 people were killed, while 734 were injured in 262 terrorist attacks last year RFE/RL reported.
The TTP has released numerous videos of sniper attacks on security check posts along Pakistan’s western border with Afghanistan over the last two years.
Pakistani gun owners say the black market has been flooded by American weapons since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, RFE/RL reported.
“It’s like the 1980s, but this time, many Western weapons are now available,” said Gohar Bacha, a gun owner from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Bacha said the new US weapons available on the black market “are of excellent quality and very lethal”.
He said a US-made M4 assault rifle in good condition can be purchased for around $1,400.
American military communication gear such as Harris Engineering Falcon Three Radios, meanwhile, can be bought for around $3,500, RFE/RL reported.
Flood affected people are seen in Jamshoro district, Pakistan. (Xinhua/IANS)
Around 73 per cent of Pakistani individuals complained of dwindling savings in the latest survey…reports Asian Lite News
The high cost of living has badly affected the saving ability of Pakistani citizens as seven out of 10 persons are complaining of a decline in their savings.
It was revealed in a Consumer Confidence Index survey report issued by Gallup Pakistan and Dun & Bradstreet. As many as 2,000 respondents across the country participated in the survey, The News reported.
The majority of the respondents expressed concern over shrinking savings in the survey due to inflation.
Around 73 per cent of Pakistani individuals complained of dwindling savings in the latest survey as compared to 60 per cent, who were irked by reduction in savings amid crippling inflation, The News reported.
Besides, those who had claimed an increase in their savings in the last survey, their rate also went down by 7 per cent to 5 per cent in the latest survey.
Similarly, there was a 4 per cent decrease in the tally of those who had said in the last survey that inflation did not cast any impact on their savings.
In the latest survey, the savings of only 21 per cent individuals remained unfazed of inflationary pressure.
Unfortunately, a sizeable number of respondents did not foresee improvement in savings in the latest survey as 51 per cent of Pakistani citizens expressed dismay over better saving prospects, The News reported.
The survey showed 7 per cent decline in the tally of those who had been optimistic for an increase in their saving in the last survey.
Now, only 17 per cent foresee hike in their savings.
In addition, those who were indifferent about a possibility of an increase in their savings in future, their rate jumped to 23 per cent from 19 per cent in the last survey.
The newly-appointed ministers took an oath of office and secrecy from President Ram Chandra Paudel at Sheetal Niwas, the President’s Office….reports Asian Lite News
Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Friday expanded the cabinet for the seventh time in three months, inducting ministers from five new parties including the Nepali Congress.
The newly-appointed ministers took an oath of office and secrecy from President Ram Chandra Paudel at Sheetal Niwas, the President’s Office.
Nepali Congress (NC), the major partner in the ruling coalition, has got eight ministries. However, it has sent only four names since the Shekhar Koirala-led faction demanded at least three ministers.
Likewise, the Maoist Center has five ministers, Janata Samajwadi Party and Unified Samajwadi two ministries each, and Nagarik Unmukti Party, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Nepal Samajwadi Party, and Aam Janata Party one minister each.
NC’s Purna Bahadur Khadka has been appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat as Finance Minister; Ramesh Rijal as Minister of Industries; and Sita Gurung as the Minister of Urban Development.
Likewise, Shakti Basnet of the CPN (Maoist Centre) has been appointed the minister for energy, water resource and irrigation. The prime minister assigned the home portfolio to Narayan Kaji Shrestha. Shrestha was looking after the ministry of physical infrastructure and transport.
CPN (Unified Socialist) vice chairman Beduram Bhusal has been appointed the minister for agriculture and livestock development and the party’s deputy general secretary Prakash Jwala the minister for physical infrastructure and transport.
Pakistan International Airlines (https://twitter.com/Official_PIA)
Explaining the reason, Official said that around 35 per cent tax was deducted from the salaries of the pilots…reports Asian Lite News
Khaqan Murtaza, Director General (DG) of Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), told a Senate panel that all pilots of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) wanted to leave the flag carrier.
Explaining the reason for this to the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation, the DG said around 35 per cent tax was deducted from the salaries of the pilots, reports The Express Tribune.
He added that in addition to that, there was a tax imposed on flying hours of pilots too.
“Most of the times you hear about flight cancellations, the reason for this is the shortage of pilots,” he said.
Senator Mohsin Aziz, a member of the panel, inquired that the PIA would ever turn profitable in their lifetimes.
PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Amir Hayat replied that the national carrier was making operational profit, The Express Tribune reported.
Senator Aziz told him to inform the panel about the overall profit of the airline, and not just that of its operational.
The PIA CEO then switched to the subject of pilots’ licences.
He said there were 141 pilots with questionable licences, adding that 69 of them had been cleared.
The DG told the panel that action was being taken against those who had acquired fake licences as well as those who assisted them.
He continued that the issue was blown out of proportion when former Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan had claimed on the floor of the National Assembly that 40 per cent of the PIA pilots had dubious licences, The Express Tribune reported.
Downing Street has denied Rishi Sunak had broken any rules by failing to mention his wife Akshata Murty’s shareholding in a childcare business…reports Asian Lite News
The Prime Minister did not declare Murty’s investment in Koru Kids when he was quizzed about his £4billion boost for the childcare sector at this month’s Budget.
She is listed as a shareholder in the London-based agency in Companies House documents as recently as March 6 this year.
Koru Kids is set to benefit from the major shake-up of the childcare sector by Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. The PM’s failure to notify MPs of his wife’s interest has led to demands for Sunak’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, to launch an investigation.
But No10 this afternoon dismissed any suggestion the PM had breached ministerial or parliamentary rules in neglecting to mention Murty’s shareholding.
The PM’s press secretary said, “The Ministerial Code sets out a process by which ministers declare their interests. “’They do that in writing, in this case to the Cabinet Secretary. That process was followed to the letter by the Prime Minister. He declared the interest in the usual way – he followed the process.”
The PM’s press secretary insisted Sunak was also happy he had abided by Parliamentary obligations on declaring financial interests when answering questions from fellow MPs.
Murty’s shareholding in Koru Kids emerged after the PM was yesterday quizzed by senior MPs on the Commons liaison committee about the Government’s new childcare package.
At the recent Budget, Hunt announced incentive payments of £600 for childminders joining the profession, a sum that doubles to £1,200 if they sign up through an agency.
Labour MP Catherine McKinnell on Tuesday questioned Sunak as to why the Budget was handing out a double bonus for childminders signing up through private agencies.
Asked by McKinnell if he had any interest to declare, Sunak replied, “No, all my disclosures are declared in the normal way. I think it’s a reflection of the fact that they are through intermediaries so there are additional costs. And, ultimately, we want to make sure the policy is effective in bringing additional people into the system.”
Sunak added he would ‘happily write back’ to the committee on ‘exactly what conversations were had and the rationale’. Koru Kids is one of six childminder agencies listed on the Government’s website.
The firm welcomed the Budget announcement on its website and hailed the ‘great’ new incentives open to childminders.
Sunak aware of security review at Indian mission
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is aware of India’s security concerns following violent clashes at its mission in London and a security review is underway, Downing Street said on Thursday.
The security review was announced by UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in a statement last week following windows being smashed and the tricolour being attacked by pro-Khalistan flag-waving protesters at India House.
The UK Foreign Office has since been leading on this review of the security at the diplomatic mission, along with the Metropolitan Police.
“Discussions are being led by the Foreign Office with our police in the UK and our Indian counterparts. The Prime Minister hasn’t been involved directly but he is aware of them [discussions],” Prime Minister Sunak’s spokesperson told PTI at a Downing Street briefing.
Asked if the issue is likely to impact the ongoing India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, which are now in their eighth round of talks, the spokesperson added: “The two issues are unconnected and the trade talks with India continue. Both sides want to see an enhanced relationship between our two countries.
“On security, we expressed our concerns about the scenes we saw outside the High Commission and a review is underway.” It came as the latest set of protests outside India House in London are expected over three days until Saturday, with a demonstration also planned outside the Indian Consulate in Birmingham on Sunday.
There has been a very visible Met Police presence around the Indian High Commission in London since the violent disorder on March 19, with protesters now confined behind barricades across the street from the mission premises.
During a planned demonstration there last Wednesday, protesters hurled coloured flares and water bottles towards the mission. They have since taken to social media to allege that the objects were hurled by the Indian mission instead, allegations which have been countered by India House.
India had registered a strong protest with the UK government and the issue was also raised in the House of Commons.
It followed UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s statement to condemn the “unacceptable” acts of violence and an assurance to conduct a security review.
“We will always take the security of the High Commission, and all foreign missions in the UK, extremely seriously, and prevent and robustly respond to incidents such as this,” said Cleverly.
Meanwhile, government ministers have also been holding talks with Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami to reiterate plans to review the security measures at India House.
Li sounded optimistic about the prognosis for the second-largest economy in the world, citing strong momentum for its growth…reports Asian Lite News
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday said he opposed bloc confrontation and a new “Cold War” in an obscure warning to the United States, which has been involved in escalating competition with China, Kyodo News reported.
In a keynote address at the Boao Forum for Asia, Li insisted China “will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of international order” despite growing concerns over China’s arms buildup and increased military pressure on Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own.
According to a report published in Kyodo News, Li’s remarks at the event on southern China’s Hainan Island is billed as Asia’s alternative to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, came as the US hosted a virtual summit on democracy amid an escalating rivalry between Washington and what it terms “autocracies” like China and Russia.
While Washington tries to tighten limitations on Beijing’s access to advanced technologies like semiconductors, the premier also declared that China opposes “trade protectionism and decoupling” and called for actions to safeguard the integrity of the global industrial supply chain.
Li sounded optimistic about the prognosis for the second-largest economy in the world, citing strong momentum for its growth, despite recent US bank failures and global economic worries brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increased financial risks.
Li said, “Judging from the situation in March, it is better than in January and February. In particular, major economic indicators such as consumption and investment continue to improve, while employment and prices are generally stable”, Kyodo News reported.
China’s economy, which suffered last year as a result of the negative effects of its strict “Zero-Covid” policy, which involved lockdowns and quarantines, has been slowly recovering.
The premier, who took office earlier this month, vowed that Beijing will “always adhere to reform and opening up” in order to “inject new impetus and vitality” into the global economy and permit other nations to share the advantages of China’s development.
The first entirely in-person gathering since the COVID-19 outbreak, the four-day annual conference has attracted around 2,000 attendees from about 50 nations and regions as of Friday.
The meeting, which was first convened in 2002, is being attended by the prime ministers of Singapore, Malaysia, and Spain as well as Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Kyodo News reported. (ANI)
China under fire for alleged election meddling
Allegations are piling up against China for interloping in Canada’s most recent federal elections to support Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party. A Conservative candidate, who ran close to Vancouver, said his defeat in 2021 was caused by a systematic misinformation campaign.
In 2019, a member of Conservative Party of Canada, Kenny Chui, got elected as a member of Parliament for Steveston Richmond-East. Well over 50 per cent of the people in his Vancouver suburb are of Chinese descent. Nevertheless, he was defeated by a Liberal Party candidate, who is now the constituency’s MP, in the subsequent election held 22 months later. The Liberal Party gained almost 1,800 votes in the district in the 2021 election over the previous year.
Contrarily, Chiu saw a decrease in support of over 4,400 votes from the previous election.
Beyond the figures, Chiu observed a change in the way people responded to him during the 2021 election. According to him, in 2019 people were kind and engaged him in discussion but not so in 2021.
Chiu recalled, “Some of them were obviously disturbed, frustrated, and yet some of them are even showing signs of being angry,” adding, “And at the time, I was quite puzzled. What was that all about? Because, I mean, again, it’s only been 22 months and it’s during a pandemic.”
Chiu, who was born in Hong Kong and moved to Canada, said he later learned using Disinfo Watch, McGill University in Quebec, and the Atlantic Council that he had been the target of a disinformation campaign intended to sway Chinese voters. He claimed that false allegations about the Conservative Party and Chiu himself planning to ban the Chinese instant messaging app WeChat in Canada.
Many members of the Chinese community in Canada can only contact friends and family in China using WeChat.
Remembering some of the specific rumours, Chiu said, “He is anti-Chinese. He hates Chinese. He’s a traitor.”
Chiu added, “And all these labels are levelled on me personally. There have also been articles written saying that the Conservatives leader back then, is going to ban WeChat.”
Not everyone sees it as a conspiracy. Veteran Liberal Party worker Mark Marissen said the 2021 Conservative campaign and then leader Erin O’Toole did, in fact, take a stronger stance against China. Marissen has handled numerous campaigns at the federal, provincial, and local levels.
Mariseen told VOA, “There was a real opposition amongst many people within the community to the way that O’Toole was campaigning about China.”
In the future, organisations like CSIS, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, should be more vigilant in their examination of potential foreign interference in elections, said Kareem Allam, who has managed multiple campaigns for Conservative candidates.
Allam said, “But if I have a concern about a candidate, potentially with regards to foreign interference related matters, CSIS is legally bound to not report on any Canadian nations,” adding, “And if you’re running for Canadian office, you have to be a Canadian citizen. So there’s no way for me to clarify whether this person – who could end up being a member of parliament who could end up being a cabinet minister.”
Earlier also, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had revealed the ways in which the Chinese government has attempted to tamper with Canadian elections.
This gives support to a number of allegations regarding the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) behaviour that has been circulating for years.
This includes the Conservative Party of Canada’s claim that the interference cost it seats in the 2021 federal election, along with allegations about the operation of illegal “police stations” used by China to gather information on the Chinese diaspora in Canada, Asian Times reported.
Prime Minister Trudeau had announced that his government will appoint a “special rapporteur”, who will work with two national security committees to probe the details of the controversy, Asian Times reported.
The allegations not only raise questions about the integrity of Canadian democracy itself but also the complicity of the government in not properly addressing it and the appearance that the Liberals deliberately underplayed, denied or buried allegations of interference because they benefited from it, Asian Times reported.
The recent leaks not only prove this is happening in Canada but, more seriously, demonstrate that Canadian security organisations are struggling to find ways to manage it as Chinese interference strategies continue to develop. The leaks damaged the organization’s international credibility and will likely make it more difficult for CSIS to acquire sensitive information. (ANI)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua/IANS)
US official asked Americans residing or travelling in Russia should depart immediately…reports Asian Lite News
US State Department Secretary Antony Blinken on Thursday requested the Americans living in Russia to leave the country “immediately”, after the reporter was arrested in Moscow.
Taking to Twitter, Blinken said, “We are deeply concerned over Russia’s announcement it has detained a U.S. citizen journalist. The @StateDept’s highest priority is the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad. If you are a U.S. citizen living or travelling in Russia – please leave immediately.” These remarks came after an American reporter for Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Evann Gershkovich was arrested in Russia on espionage charges, according to Al-Jazeera.
In a statement, Blinken said, “We are deeply concerned over Russia’s widely-reported detention of a U.S. citizen journalist. We are in contact with the Wall Street Journal on this situation. Whenever a U.S. citizen is detained abroad, we immediately seek consular access, and seek to provide all appropriate support.”
“In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the Kremlin’s continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists and civil society voices,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also expressed concern over the arrest of Evan Gershkovich in Russia. She also stated that last night, White House and State Department Officials spoke with Gershkovich’s employer, the Wall Street Journal.
“The Administration has also been in contact with his family. Furthermore, the State Department has been in direct touch with the Russian government on this matter, including actively working to secure consular access to Gershkovich,” the press secretary said in a tweet.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich detained in Russia( https://www.instagram.com/p/CK379j5gCqo/)
“The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Gershkovich in the strongest terms. We also condemn the Russian government’s continued targeting and repression of journalists and freedom of the press,” she added.
She also stated that the US government should heed the warning to not travel to Russia.
US citizens residing or travelling in Russia should depart immediately, as the State Department continues to advise, Pierre tweeted.
WSJ in a statement said, “The Wall Street Journal is deeply concerned for the safety of Gershkovich.”
The Federal Security Service (FSB), a top KGB successor agency, said that the WSJ reporter was detained from the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg while he allegedly tried to obtain classified information.
In a statement, the FSB said, “Gershkovich acting on the instructions of the American side, collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex”, read a WSJ report.
The FSB has also alleged that Gershkovich “was collecting classified information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex that constitutes a state secret”, according to Al-Jazeera.
The local media stated that he was covering the war in Ukraine and the Wagner mercenary group before getting detained.
The mention of the date of arrest was not there in its statement, however, Gershkovich could be imprisoned for about 20 years if he gets convicted of espionage.
Ever since the Cold War, he is the first journalist from an American news organisation to be detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage, and his detention comes at a time of intense international concern due to the conflict in Ukraine, according to Al-Jazeera.
Gershkovich covers Russia and Ukraine and was duly accredited as a journalist as a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal’s Moscow office.
His most recent assessment, which was released last week, concentrated on the stagnation of the Russian economy in the face of Western sanctions.
The Wall Street Journal hired Gershkovich, 31, who was formerly employed by AFP in Moscow. Before, he worked as a reporter for The Moscow Times, according to his bio in Wall Street Journal. (ANI)
