Tag: CHIEF

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-Top News PAKISTAN USA

Baloch Activist Seeks Justice During Pakistani Army Chief’s US Visit

The Pakistan Army Chief on Wednesday (US local time) met US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon…reports Asian Lite News

President of the Baloch Voice Association Munir Mengal has said that Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir should be questioned in the US about enforced disappearances, military operations, extrajudicial killings and systematic abuse of rights in Balochistan.

He said Pakistan should be asked to end its occupation of Balochistan.
“Pakistani Army Chief should be questioned in America about #enforceddisappearances , #militaryoperations, #extrajudicialkillings and systematic abuse of rights in #Balochistan. #Pakistan should be asked to end occupation of #Balochistan,” the Baloch Voice Association President wrote on ‘X’.

The Baloch Voice Association is an NGO registered in France.
This comes as Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir is currently on a visit to the US. The Pakistan Army Chief on Wednesday (US local time) met US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon.

A brief statement was issued by the Pentagon after the meeting, saying: “Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir at the Pentagon today, where the two officials discussed recent regional security developments and potential areas for bilateral defence cooperation.”

General Munir left Islamabad on Sunday, reached the US capital on Tuesday afternoon after spending two days in Britain. Details of his engagements in the UK have not been made public, as it was apparently a private visit, according to Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper.
The army chief’s visit was also discussed at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, where a journalist reminded press secretary Major General Patrick Ryder that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin would have his first face-to-face meeting with Pakistan’s new army chief and asked what the US defence chief was looking for in this meeting.
“Will they be talking about the deportation of Afghans from Pakistan or potentially buying munitions to go to Ukraine?” the journalist asked.
General Ryder replied, “I don’t have any meetings to read out from the podium. Certainly, as you know, when the secretary meets with foreign counterparts and leaders, we provide a readout. So if we have a readout to put out, we’ll certainly do that.”

Another journalist asked, “How would you assess US-Pakistan military relations at this point?” “Pakistan continues to be an important partner in the region. And so obviously, through Centcom, we continue to stay in close contact with them, particularly when it comes to issues like counter-terrorism,” General Ryder said, as per Dawn. As per Dawn, during his visit, General Munir is also expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
He may also meet senior members of the US House and the Senate. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Massive Turnout in Baloch March Against Genocide

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-Top News Asia News

Lukashenko: Wagner boss still in Russia

Under the deal to end the stand-off brokered by Lukashenko, charges against the Wagner chief were dropped and he was offered a move to Belarus…reports Asian Lite News

Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko on Thursday said that Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Russian Wagner mercenary group that staged a short-lived rebellion last month, is in Russia.

Since the rebellion on June 24, the whereabouts of Prigozhin remains unknown, the BBC reported.

Under the deal to end the stand-off brokered by Lukashenko, charges against the Wagner chief were dropped and he was offered a move to Belarus.

But on Thursday, the President said: “As for Prigozhin, he’s in St Petersburg. He is not on the territory of Belarus.”

His announcement came just over a week ago when he said that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus.

The BBC had tracked Prigozhin’s private jet flying to Belarus in late June, and returning to Russia the same evening.

It has since made several flights between St Petersburg and Moscow — although it remains unclear if the Wagner chief was on board. 

In his announcement on Thursday, the Belarusian President further said that “as far as I know” the rest of the Wagner fighters were still at their bases — which could include eastern Ukraine or a training base in Russia’s Krasnodar region.

He said an offer for Wagner to station some of its fighters in Belarus still stands and he has offered several Soviet-era military sites for their use.

“But Wagner have a different vision. Of course I won;t tell you about that. At present, the issue of their relocation has not been resolved,” the BBC quoted the President as saying.

ALSO READ-Belarusian President has a job for Wagner mercenaries

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-Top News Social Media UK News

WhatsApp chief slams British laws

Chinese hackers luring Indian WhatsApp users into 'part-time' jobs

The bill, introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is an attempt to force internet companies to remove illegal content…reports Asian Lite News

WhatsApp’s head, Will Cathcart, has penned an open letter against the controversial Online Safety Bill. In the letter, Mr Cathcart has addressed the risks that the Online Safety Bill poses to everyone’s privacy and safety.

In the letter, he urged the government to protect privacy rights and it highlighted the importance of end-to-end encryption as a robust defence against online threats and calls.

“As end-to-end-encrypted communication services, we urge the UK Government to address the risks that the Online Safety Bill poses to everyone’s privacy and safety. It is not too late to ensure that the Bill aligns with the Government’s stated intention to protect end-to-end encryption and respect the human right to privacy,” the text read.

He emphasized, “End-to-end encryption is one of the strongest possible defenses against these threats, and as vital institutions become ever more dependent on internet technologies to conduct core operations, the stakes have never been higher.”

“As currently drafted, the Bill could break end-to-end encryption,opening the door to routine, general and indiscriminate surveillance of personal messages of friends, family members, employees, executives, journalists, human rights activists and even politicians themselves, which would fundamentally undermine everyone’s ability to communicate securely.

The Bill provides no explicit protection for encryption, and if implemented as written, could empower OFCOM to try to force the proactive scanning of private messages on end-to-end encrypted communication services – nullifying the purpose of end-to-end encryption as a result and compromising the privacy of all users,” the letter read.

The bill, introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is an attempt to force internet companies to remove illegal content such as child sexual abuse or terrorism. However, critics including Meta have said scanning for such content would be incompatible with the end-to-end encryption that is common protection offered by messenger apps.

According to Bloomberg, the bill doesn’t explicitly describe a blocking mechanism but calls for fines of as much as 10% of annual global revenue if companies don’t comply. It also could lead to criminal charges against executives if they don’t provide the regulator Ofcom details on how they run their services upon request.

WhatsApp, Session, Signal, Element, Threema, Viber and Wire have all signed a letter asking the government to “urgently rethink” the proposed law, according to BBC.

Last month, Cathcart told reporters that the Online Safety Bill before Parliament could effectively make the service’s privacy features illegal, according to Bloomberg.

Last month, Signal Foundation’s President Meredith Whittaker told the BBC her messaging service would leave the UK if the Online Safety Bill forced it to weaken its privacy protections.

ALSO READ-WhatsApp working on new ‘Lock chat’ feature for Android beta

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-Top News Defence UK News

Indian Army chief in UK to boost defence ties

Indian Army Chief M.M. Naravane (Photo: Bidesh Manna/IANS)

As per the Ministry of Defence, during the four-day visit, he will be meeting his counterparts and senior military leaders of these countries with an aim of enhancing India’s defence cooperation…reports Asian Lite News.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General MM Naravane is embarking on a four-day visit to the United Kingdom and Italy from July 5 to 8.

He will be inaugurating the Indian Army Memorial in the famous town of Cassino and will be briefed at the Italian Army’s Counter IED Centre of Excellence at Cecchingola, Rome.

As per the Ministry of Defence, during the four-day visit, he will be meeting his counterparts and senior military leaders of these countries with an aim of enhancing India’s defence cooperation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fiUgjQ5yxg

His visit to the United Kingdom is scheduled for two days (July 5 and 6) during which the COAS will interact with the Secretary of State for Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of General Staff and other dignitaries.

He will also be visiting various army formations where he will exchange ideas on issues of mutual interest.

During the second leg of his tour (July 7 and 8), the Army Chief will be holding important discussions with the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Staff of the Italian Army. (ANI)

ALSO READ-IAF Chief, B’desh military brass discuss boosting defence ties

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Community India News

DNA of all Indians is same, says RSS chief

The RSS chief said, “Hindu-Muslim unity is misleading as they both are not different, but one. DNA of all Indians is the same, irrespective of religion.”…reports Asian Lite News.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that the DNA of all Indians is the same, irrespective of religion, even as he condemned lynching.

“We are one on the basis of our motherland. So there is no need to fight here. We are all descendants of common ancestors. All of us Indians have the same DNA. Whatever may be our religion,” Bhagwat said.

Bhagwat said that the Sangh does not believe in the politics of votes. “We are in favour of the nation. We support those who are in favour of it. The work of connecting people cannot be done by politics. Politics is not a tool for this work, but is rather a weapon of destruction.”

He was speaking at a function in Ghaziabad organised by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch on the theme ‘Hindustani First, Hindustan First’ for the release of a book titled – ‘The Meeting of Minds: A Bridging Initiative’ – written by Khwaja Iftikhar Ahmed. The book is available in Hindi, Urdu and English.

The RSS chief said, “Hindu-Muslim unity is misleading as they both are not different, but one. DNA of all Indians is the same, irrespective of religion.”

He urged the Muslims not to get trapped in the cycle of fear that Islam is in danger in India.

“Don’t get trapped in the cycle of fear that Islam is in danger in India,” he said.

He said all those involved in lynching are against Hindutava, Bhagwat said, “If a Hindu says that no Muslim should live here, then that person is not Hindu. The cow is a holy animal but the people who are lynching others are going against Hindutva. The law should take its own course against them without any partiality.”

Emphasising that development is not possible without unity, Bhagwat pointed out that the basis of unity should be nationalism. “The only solution to Hindu-Muslim conflict is dialogue, not discord. We are in a democracy. There can’t be a dominance of Hindus or Muslims. There can only be the dominance of Indians,” he said.

He mentioned that the RSS keeps working to strengthen the nation and for the welfare of all in society. He once again said that the RSS is not a political organisation.

ALSO READ-RSS: Secularism is a western, Semitic concept

READ MORE-RSS takes a dig at China; talks of new world order

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Kerala Politics

New KPCC chief Sudhakaran stresses on unity

Congress veteran K. Sudhakaran was on Tuesday appointed as the party’s new Kerala unit President.

“Rahul Gandhi called up and conveyed the news,” a beaming Sudhakaran told the media here.

“I see this as a huge responsibility and I accept the challenge and that is to bring back the Congress party in a big way. For this, I will seek the help and cooperation of all the leaders in our party and am sure I will be able to get their help and support,” he said.

Incumbent Mullapally Ramachandran had put in his papers after the party’s debacle in the April 6 Assembly polls.

Reacting to the news, senior leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said now that the decision has been made, all the Congress leaders and workers will abide by the high command’s decision and will work together with Sudhakaran.

The 73-year-old Sudhakaran has been a four-time legislator and is presently in his second term as Lok Sabha member from Kannur — the citadel of the CPI-M, and home of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

Known for his tirades against the CPI-M, he is seen as a Congress leader that the CPI-M dreads.

His battle with the CPI-M has become a byword in Kannur and the scene gets enlivened when the well-built Sudhakaran arrives at any place where there is a commotion between CPI-M and Congress cadres. There are also plenty of videos showing him taking on the police force.

Known for keeping himself fit, Sudhakaran daily spends more than an hour working out at his personal gym.

Meanwhile, a Congress statement in Delhi said that Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi had appointed Sudhakaran as state chief and MP K. Suresh and MLAs P.T. Thomas and T. Siddique as Working Presidents.

The changes comes after the party panel, set to analyse the party’s debacle in recently-concluded elections in five states, submitted its report to the Congress President, highlighting infighting, factionalism and flaws in candidate selection were the main reasons for the party’s defeat.

The committee, headed by Ashok Chavan and members including Salman Khurshid, Manish Tewari, Vincent Pala and Jothi Mani, said said that no state was untouched with the infighting while Kerala was the top, with two groups led by Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala at loggerheads

A media critic, speaking on condition of anonymity, contended that said under normal circumstances, Sudhakaran might be a wrong choice to lead the otherwise sober grand old party.

“But today the situation is different, as the party is at its lowest ebb and when Congressmen across the state were expecting to ride to victory in the April 6 Assembly polls, the party ended at the receiving end, humbled by Vijayan, who wrote himself into record books by retaining power.

“The party is passing through its worst times and the grassroots of the party appears to have vanished. If the party has to at least put up a fight, then there is none better than Sudhakaran, who can really pump in the much needed adrenalin to motivate the cadres. He is the one person who has taken the battle into the CPI-M camp for long and that in itself is his advantage and disadvantage because, if he does not maintain calm at crucial situations, he might be a liability more than an asset,” said the critic.

One reason why the party high command, despite knowing what stuff Sudhakaran is made of, decided to go for him is that they have realised that the formidable factions in the party led by Chandy and Chennithala have to be reined in. Even after Chennithala was seen as the first choice for a second term as Leader of Opposition, the leadership brought in V.D. Satheesan and hence, it was more or less clear that Sudhakaran might get the nod.

If Sudhakaran’s battlefield was hitherto Kannur, the scene is all set for a change as he moves to the state capital to take on his arch rival, the all powerful Chief Minister Vijayan, who very well knows that Sudhakaran is no push-over.

As part of rebuilding the Congress by bringing in new faces, the high command first brought in Satheesan, and now Sudhakaran. Now, all eyes are on to see who the new UDF Convenor will be. While no-nonsense veteran Congress legislator Thomas was a contender, he has been named a Working President.

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READ MORE-Cong appoints Satheesan as Leader of Opposition in Kerala

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-Top News Defence India News

Army Chief reviews security situation in Kashmir

Naravane was also briefed about the measures being taken to identify and target the network of the over ground workers’ (OGWs) involved in radicalisation and recruitment of youth into terrorist ranks…reports Asian Lite News.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General M.M. Naravane, reached Kashmir on Wednesday on a two-day visit to review the prevailing security situation in the Union Territory (UT), the army said in a statement.

The army said that on his arrival at Srinagar, General Naravane, accompanied by Lt Gen Y.K. Joshi, the Northern Army Commander, and Lt Gen D.P. Pandey, the Chinar Corps Commander, visited units and formations in the hinterland where he was briefed by the local commanders on the existing security situation.

Naravane was also briefed about the measures being taken to identify and target the network of the over ground workers’ (OGWs) involved in radicalisation and recruitment of youth into terrorist ranks. Efforts to prevent local recruitment and facilitate surrender of local terrorists were also discussed.

“While interacting with the troops, the COAS expressed his appreciation to the jawans and commanders who are relentlessly battling the dual challenges of Pakistan abetted terror and the global pandemic. He further reinforced the need to be prepared to meet the emerging security challenges effectively.

“Later, the COAS was briefed by the Chinar Corps Commander on the overall situation pertaining to the Line of Control and the hinterland,” the army said.

The Army Chief complimented the excellent synergy exhibited by all sections of the Civil Administration, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Armed Police Forces and other Security agencies in projecting a ‘Whole of Government’ approach that has resulted in improvement in the security situation conducive for fostering a new era of development in the UT.

“The army chief complimented the excellent synergy exhibited by all sections of the civil administration, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Armed Police Forces and other security agencies in projecting a ‘whole of government’ approach that has resulted in improvement in the security situation conducive for fostering a new era of development in the UT,” it added.

The army said that on Wednesday evening, the COAS called on Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhawan and discussed the emerging challenges and roadmap for long-term peace in J&K.

Pakistan Rangers open fire in Arnia sector, no casualty

Pakistani Rangers fired at an earth-mover machine engaged in cleaning bushes along the International Border on Wednesday in what could be the second ceasefire violation in nearly four months. There was no report of casualty. The BSF neither confirmed nor denied the incident. Sources said Pakistani Rangers fired a few rounds upon noticing the bullet-proof JCB machine clearing the bushes in Arnia sector’s Vikram post area around 8.15 am. The BSF also fired a few rounds in retaliation.

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-Top News Education UK News

Education recovery chief quits over lack of funding

The education recovery commissioner for England, Sir Kevan Collins, resigned last night as he accused ministers of “half-hearted” approach to helping children and underfunding Covid catch-up scheme, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s education catch-up tsar, Sir Kevan Collins, has resigned in a row over the lack of “credible” pandemic catch-up funding, media reported.

Sir Kevan took on the role as education recovery commissioner for England in February to develop a long-term plan to help pupils make up for lost learning during the pandemic.

According to a BBC report, Sir Kevan stepped down saying the government’s funding for the plan “falls far short of what is needed”.

The Education Policy Institute had calculated that a catch-up funding recovery would need £13.5bn – and Sir Kevan was reported as having put forward plans costing £15bn.

But the government’s proposal represents £50 per pupil per year.

“I do not believe it is credible that a successful recovery can be achieved with a programme of support of this size,” the BBC quoted Sir Kevan’s letter to Boris Johnson.

Meanwhile, Head teachers labelled the £1.4bn cash over three years as a “damp squib”, it was reported.

According to a Downing Street spokesman “the prime minister is hugely grateful to Sir Kevan for his work in helping pupils catch up and recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Boris Johnson(IANS)

“The government will continue to focus on education recovery and making sure no child is left behind with their learning, with over £3bn committed for catch up so far,” the spokesman said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the government announced an extra £1.4bn over three years for education recovery. It builds on the £1.7 billion already announced to help children catch up on what they missed during the pandemic, which includes summer schools and mental health support, bringing total investment to over £3 billion.

This included £1bn for 100 million hours of tutoring, aimed at disadvantaged pupils, and £250m for teacher training and development.

The government announced children and young people across England will be offered up to 100 million hours of free tuition to help them catch up on learning lost during the pandemic.

As part of the package, a total of £1.4 billion is being invested, including £1 billion to support up to 6 million, 15-hour tutoring courses for disadvantaged school children, as well as an expansion of the 16-19 tuition fund, targeting key subjects such as maths and English.

The government said £400 million will help give early years practitioners and 500,000 school teachers across the country training and support, and schools and colleges will be funded to give some year 13 students the option to repeat their final year.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this step in the long-term catch up plan “should give parents confidence that we will do everything we can to support children who have fallen behind and that every child will have the skills and knowledge they need to fulfil their potential.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the package will not just go a long way to boost children’s learning in the wake of the disruption caused by the pandemic but also help bring back down the attainment gap that we’ve been working to eradicate.

According to BBC, the resignation statement from Sir Kevan, reported by The TES, said: “A half-hearted approach risks failing hundreds of thousands of pupils.

“The support announced by government so far does not come close to meeting the scale of the challenge and is why I have no option but to resign from my post,” Sir Kevan was quoted in the report.

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USA

Biden picks new border chief

Chris Magnus has served as the police chief in Tucson since 2016, and has a career in law enforcement that spans over three decades….reports Asian Lite News

US President Joe Biden will nominate Chris Magnus, the chief of police in the city of Tucson, Arizona, to lead the Customs and Border Protection, the country’s border enforcement agency that is currently dealing with a migrant influx.

On Monday, the White House announced the nomination of Magnus, a critic of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

His nomination is one of several top posts of the Department of Homeland Security, according to the White House’s announcement.

“I am, of course, very honoured to be nominated by the President to lead Customs and Border Protection. I look forward to speaking with senators and hearing their thoughts and concerns,” the Phoenix-based AZ Central newspaper quoted Magnus as saying in a statement issued on Monday through the Tucson Police Department.

Magnus has served as the police chief in Tucson since 2016, and has a career in law enforcement that spans over three decades.

“The confirmation process is never a certainty. As the Senate moves forward with its deliberations, I remain committed to serving as your Chief of Police to the best of my ability,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.

Also read:Biden to curb US gun violence epidemic

His appointment must get US Senate confirmation, Xinhua news agency reported.

If confirmed by the Senate, he would step into a politically divisive challenge facing the Biden administration, how to handle a record number of border crossings that are projected to increase in the coming months, the report said.

The US is expected to encounter about 2 million migrants at the southern border by the end of the 2021 fiscal year, a record high since 2010.

Up to 1.1 million single adults are expected through September, along with around 828,000 families and more than 200,000 unaccompanied children, according to internal government estimates reviewed and published by CNN last week.

Customs and Border Protection officials project that some 159,000 to 184,000 unaccompanied migrant children could arrive at the southwest border in fiscal year 2021, according to a Reuters report.

Also read:Biden lauds Korean battery dispute settlement

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-Top News India News

Army welcomes Lt Gen Dimri as new Command Chief

He has also served as Military Observer in UNTAC, Cambodia and as Directing Staff at Defence Service Staff College…reports Asian Lite News.

 Lt Gen Yogendra Dimri on Thursday took over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Army’s Central Command on Thursday.

After assuming charge, he paid tributes at the Smritika War Memorial to all soldiers who lost their lives in operations. He later reviewed a Guard of Honour.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Dimri was awarded the President’s Gold Medal at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun for having passed out first in the order of merit. He was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers) on December 17, 1983.

He was awarded the ‘Silver Grenade’ in the Young Officers Course and the Gold medal in the Engineers Degree Course.

During his long and illustrious career of over 37 years, he has held several key posts including command of a corps and as Chief of Staff of the Western Command. He went on to attend various prestigious courses at the Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, the Defence Services Command & Staff Course at Dhaka, at the Army War College, Mhow & the National Defence College, New Delhi.

He has also served as Military Observer in UNTAC, Cambodia and as Directing Staff at Defence Service Staff College

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