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☆ Indian states vote in key test for Modi and rivals ahead of 2024 general election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends an Innovation conference with Israeli and Indian CEOs in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 6, 2017. Modi and leaders of the main opposition Congress party headed by Rahul Gandhi have criss-crossed the five states, addressing campaign rallies and promising cash doles, farm loan waivers, subsidies and insurance covers, among others, to woo voters. But surveys suggest Modi remains popular after a decade in power and will likely win a third term. Votes in all five states will be counted on Dec. 3 and results expected the same day. The elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram states are mainly a contest between BJP and Congress.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Oded, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Gandhi, Raman Singh, Singh, Sachin, YP Rajesh, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Indian, REUTERS, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, Developmental Inclusive, BJP, Congress, Reuters, YP, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, DELHI, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Mizoram

☆ Indian States Vote in Key Test for Modi and Rivals Ahead of 2024 General Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Rupam JainNEW DELHI (Reuters) - Two of five Indian states due to elect new legislatures this month began voting on Tuesday, a big test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chances of winning a third term in a national election due by May. Modi and leaders of the main opposition Congress party headed by Rahul Gandhi have criss-crossed the five states, addressing campaign rallies and promising cash doles, farm loan waivers, subsidies and insurance covers, among others, to woo voters. But surveys suggest Modi remains popular after a decade in power and will likely win a third term. Votes in all five states will be counted on Dec. 3 and results expected the same day. The elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram states are mainly a contest between BJP and Congress.

Persons: Narendra Modi's, Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Gandhi, Raman Singh, Singh, Sachin, YP Rajesh, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: DELHI, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, Developmental Inclusive, BJP, Congress, Reuters, YP Locations: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Mizoram

☆ India probing iPhone hacking complaints by opposition politicians - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader of India's main opposition Congress party, addresses the media in New Delhi, India, August 11, 2023. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Nov 2 (Reuters) - India's cyber security agency is investigating complaints of mobile phone hacking by senior opposition politicians who reported receiving warning messages from Apple (AAPL.O), Information Technology Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw said. A senior minister from Modi's government also said he had received the same notification on his phone. Apple said it did not attribute the threat notifications to "any specific state-sponsored attacker", adding that "it's possible that some Apple threat notifications may be false alarms, or that some attacks are not detected". The government has declined to reply to questions about whether India or any of its state agencies had purchased Pegasus spyware for surveillance.

Persons: Rahul Gandhi, India's, Altaf Hussain, Ashwani Vaishnaw, Vaishnaw, Narendra Modi's, Apple, Gandhi, Rupam Jain, Munsif, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Apple, Information Technology, Indian Express, Reuters, Pegasus, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI

Each notification sounded its own little alarm, but was amplified many times over when the targets identified themselves publicly. The warning on their phones, sent by Apple on Monday, seemed stark: “State-sponsored attackers may be targeting your iPhone,” it said in part. This week’s episode seemed to fit into that pattern for his critics and many who got the warning from Apple. Rahul Gandhi, the foremost opposition leader, said many of his confidants in the Congress Party received the notification. Mr. Gandhi added that he takes illegal surveillance by the government for granted.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Apple’s, Modi’s, Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Gandhi, “ Organizations: Bharatiya Janata Party, Apple, Party Locations: India

☆ India opposition accuses govt of trying to hack lawmakers' iPhones
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader of India's main opposition Congress party, gestures as he addresses the media at Congress' headquarters in New Delhi, India, October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI Oct 31 (Reuters) - Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government of trying to hack into senior opposition politicians' mobile phones, after they reported receiving warning messages from Apple (AAPL.O). "Hack us all you want," Gandhi told a news conference in New Delhi, in reference to Modi. In 2021, India was rocked by reports that the government had used Israeli-made Pegasus spyware to snoop on scores of journalists, activists and politicians, including Gandhi. The government has declined to reply to questions whether India or any of its state agencies had purchased Pegasus spyware for surveillance.

Persons: Rahul Gandhi, India's, Anushree, Narendra Modi's, Apple, Gandhi, Modi, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jairam Ramesh, Shivam Patel, Rupam, John Stonestreet Organizations: Congress, REUTERS, Apple, Information Technology, Pegasus, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI

NEW DELHI/DOHA, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Eight Indian former naval officers who were handed the death penalty by a court in Qatar on Thursday were charged with spying for Israel, a source in India and another in Qatar said. Neither New Delhi nor Doha has officially stated the charges against the eight who were arrested in August 2022. In India, a government official aware of Doha's stance said the Qatar authorities had accused them of spying for Israel. The eight Indians will be able to appeal the death sentence, the source briefed on the case in Qatar told Reuters, as well as also saying they had been charged with spying for Israel. A spokesperson for India's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment about the sources' comments.

Persons: Jairam Ramesh, Krishn Kaushik, Andrew Mills, Dan Williams, Alison Williams Organizations: NEW, Reuters, Palestinian, Hamas, Qatari, Thomson Locations: NEW DELHI, DOHA, Qatar, Israel, India, Delhi, Doha, Jerusalem, Gaza, New Delhi, Qatar's

NANDED, India, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Twelve infants died in one day at a hospital in the Indian state of Maharashtra, sparking a political storm on Tuesday with opposition politicians accusing the regional government and hospital authorities of negligence. "My brother's one-day old infant died on Sunday at the hospital, and he was the fifth baby to die. We saw four more babies die in front of us," said Yogesh Solanki, whose family brought the baby to the hospital. The dean of Shankarrao Chavan hospital, Shyamrao Wakode, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on this allegation or opposition accusations of negligence, saying in a brief phone call that he had no time because a government minister was visiting the premises. In Shankarrao Chavan hospital on Tuesday, patients crowded the corridors and pigs roamed the premises outside, underlining the disarray at most government-run hospitals in the world's most populous country.

Persons: Yogesh Solanki, Solanki, Shyamrao Wakode, Wakode, Francis Mascarenhas, Girish Mahajan, Narendra Modi's, Rahul Gandhi, Francis Mascerehnas, Sakshi Dayal, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Hospital, Reuters, Medical College, REUTERS, BJP, World Health Organisation, Thomson Locations: NANDED, India, Indian, Maharashtra, Nanded, Mumbai, Chavan, Thane, New Delhi

"Indefinite curfew had to be implemented in Imphal and in some other districts," L. Kailun, a senior police official based in the state capital, told Reuters. He added that the situation was "extremely tense" after armed mobs vandalised an office of the ruling political party and hurled petrol bombs at two police sites. More than half the state's population of 3.2 million belongs to the Meitei community, while the Kuki community, who make up about 43%, live mostly in the hills. Protests re-ignited over the alleged kidnapping and killing of two students of the Meitei community who had gone missing in July, after their bodies were found this week. Leaders of the opposition Congress party have accused the Modi government of failing to control the violence in a state governed by his nationalist party.

Persons: Stringer, Biren Singh, Narendra Modi's, Kuki, Modi, Rupam Jain, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Riot, REUTERS, Reuters, Mobile, Thomson Locations: Imphal, Manipur, India, DELHI, Myanmar, Kuki

☆ India's BJP, the world's biggest party, plots election drive of epic scale
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

[1/5] FILE PHOTO-Partha Chaudhury, 39, a worker of India's ruling Bharatiya Janarta Party (BJP), speaks with Reuters during the party's outreach program in Kolkata, India, May 30, 2023. "We want people to remember that the BJP knocked on their doors much before any opposition party worker did." "The BJP's challenge as the dominant national party is to manage voter fatigue and to sustain the enthusiasm among its cadres after two terms in power," Mehta added. "This time, the world's biggest party has launched the biggest-ever outreach to win the world's biggest elections." The BJP was beaten by a regional opposition party four years ago, even though it had strong support there, winning roughly 600,000 of the total 1.5 million votes cast.

Persons: Partha Chaudhury, India's, Avijit Ghosh, PM Modi, Chaudhury, Narendra Modi, It's, Tamoghna Ghosh, Modi, J.P, Nadda, Nalin Mehta, Mehta, isn't, Moitra, Mallikarjun Kharge, Long, Rupam Jain, Pravin Organizations: Bharatiya Janarta Party, BJP, Reuters, REUTERS, Party, PM, Bharatiya Janata Party, archrival Congress, UPES School of Modern Media, Trinamool, Krishnanagar, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Kolkata, India, KOLKATA, West Bengal, New Delhi, Uttarakhand, INDIA, India's, Calcutta

☆ Ghana Ex-Trade Minister Quits Ruling Party to Run for President
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Alan Kyeremanten, who has served twice as trade minister for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), made the announcement at a briefing and said his contributions were not appreciated. "The (NPP) party has been hijacked by a selected group of party leaders and elders," he said. Gold-, oil- and cocoa-producing Ghana's worst economic crisis in a generation was brought on by spiralling public debt. The NPP has yet to name its candidate to succeed President Nana Afuko-Addo, who will step down after serving two terms. Kyeremanten, 67, served as Akufo-Addo's trade and industry minister during both of his terms.

Persons: Alan Kyeremanten, Nana Afuko, Kyeremanten, Mahamudu Bawumia, Maxwell Akalaare, Sofia Christensen, Grant McCool Organizations: New Patriotic Party, NPP, International Monetary Fund, National Democratic Congress Locations: ACCRA, Accra, Ghana

☆ India's opposition Congress dismisses Canada's suspicions on Sikh leader's murder
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Yp Rajesh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Congress spokespersons backed what they called India's "fight against terrorism" and criticised Trudeau. Khalistan is the name of an independent Sikh state whose creation was the goal of a bloody Sikh insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s in India's northern state of Punjab during which tens of thousands were killed. "The Indian National Congress has always believed that our country's fight against terrorism has to be uncompromising, especially when terrorism threatens India's sovereignty, unity and integrity." New Delhi, which urged Ottawa to act against anti-Indian elements, has long been unhappy over Sikh separatist activity in Canada. Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside the Indian state of Punjab, with about 770,000 people reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census.

Persons: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Nanak, Chris Helgren, Justin Trudeau's, Trudeau, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Jairam Ramesh, Indira Gandhi, Beant Singh, FRANK, YP Rajesh, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Twitter, Indian National Congress, Research, Economic Times, Press Trust of India, Indian Express, YP, Thomson Locations: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, DELHI, India, Delhi, India's, Punjab, New Delhi, Australia, Britain, United States, Ottawa, Indian

☆ Nigerian state declares curfew after election tribunal sacks governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nigeria's newly declared winner of 2023 presidential election, Bola Tinubu speaks at the National Collation Centre in Abuja, Nigeria, March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Esa Alexander/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsKANO, Nigeria, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Nigeria's northern Kano state declared a 24-hour curfew on Wednesday after a tribunal overturned the election of an opposition candidate as governor and declared a member of President Bola Tinubu's party the rightful winner. Ahead of the election tribunal ruling, security forces occupied major roads in the capital of Kano, which shares the same name. The March gubernatorial vote had seen Abba Yusuf of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, a regional party, defeating ruling All Progressives Congress party candidate Nasiru Gawuna, who alleged fraud. It is not unusual for governorship election results to be overturned in Nigeria, which has 36 states that are presided over by state governments.

Persons: Nigeria's, Bola Tinubu, Esa Alexander, Bola Tinubu's, Wednesday's, Abba Yusuf, Nasiru Gawuna, Yusuf, Hamza Ibrahim, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Police, New Nigerian Peoples Party, Progressives Congress, Supreme, Thomson Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, Rights KANO, Kano

The legislation now requires approval from Parliament's upper house and half of the country’s 28 state legislatures, which is considered likely. Shah said it will be implemented in the 2029 national elections following a new census and an adjustment of voting districts after next year’s elections. Under the legislation, the reservation of seats for women would continue for 15 years and could be extended by Parliament. It covers the elected lower house of Parliament and state legislatures, in which only women will be allowed to contest 33% of the seats. In India's state legislatures, women hold about 10% of the seats.

Persons: Droupadi Murmu, Narendra Modi's, Amit Shah, Shah, India’s, Sonia Gandhi, ”, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Modi, God, “, Modi's, unrepresented, Ram Gopal Yadav, Dolly Verma Organizations: DELHI, —, Wednesday, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party . India Locations: Lok Sabha, India's, India, Bihar

☆ India's Opposition Congress Dismisses Canada's Suspicions on Sikh Leader's Murder
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By YP RajeshNEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's main opposition Congress party backed on Wednesday the government's rejection of Canada's suspicions that New Delhi's agents had links to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, and urged a stand against threats to the country's sovereignty. Congress spokespersons backed what they called India's "fight against terrorism" and criticised Trudeau. Khalistan is the name of an independent Sikh state whose creation was the goal of a bloody Sikh insurgency in the 1980s and 1990s in India's northern state of Punjab during which tens of thousands were killed. "The Indian National Congress has always believed that our country's fight against terrorism has to be uncompromising, especially when terrorism threatens India's sovereignty, unity and integrity." Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside the Indian state of Punjab, with about 770,000 people reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census.

Persons: YP Rajesh NEW DELHI, Justin Trudeau's, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Trudeau, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Jairam Ramesh, Indira Gandhi, Beant Singh, FRANK, YP Rajesh, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: YP Rajesh NEW, Twitter, Indian National Congress, Research, Economic Times, Press Trust of India, Indian Express, YP Locations: India, British Columbia, Delhi, India's, Punjab, New Delhi, Australia, Britain, Canada, United States, Ottawa, Indian

Although some analysts said the meeting showed few concrete results, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now cashing in on Modi's enhanced image ahead of a series of state elections and national elections due by May 2024. In the run-up to the summit, Modi's face was plastered on G20 hoardings across the country. The BJP plans to highlight the "success of the summit" during fortnight-long celebrations of Modi’s birthday starting on Sunday, a party official said. Modi's contribution to India's rising global stature will be a key theme of a special five-day parliament session beginning next week, the official said. NATIONAL PRIDE"It’s really a fact that India's image has transformed under Prime Minister Modi," BJP vice president Baijayant Jay Panda told Reuters.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Anushree, Modi, Joe Biden, India's, Sanjay Kumar, psephologist, Baijayant Jay Panda, Yashwant Deshmukh, Jairam Ramesh, Ramesh, Manmohan Singh, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: International Media Centre, REUTERS, BJP, Bharatiya Janata Party, New Delhi's, NATIONAL, Reuters, India Today, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Manipur

New Delhi CNN —When Indian prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit on Saturday, he sat behind a country name placard that piqued the interest of many. “PM Modi uses placard Bharat for G20 inaugural address,” ran a headline in the Times of India, one of the country’s largest English-language outlets, moments after. Both India and Bharat are used officially in the nation of 1.4 billion people, which has more than 20 official languages. Bharat is also the Hindi word for India and is used interchangeably – both feature on Indian passports for example. But the use of “Bharat” on the G20 invites has raised eyebrows among opposition leaders.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Bharat, Modi, ”, “ Bharat, “, –, ’, ” Harnath Singh Yadav, Virender Sehwag, Bharat ”, ” Shashi Tharoor, Raghav Chadha, Jaishankar Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, “, Bharat, Group, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Cricket, Developmental, INDIA, Aam Aadmi Locations: New Delhi, ’, India, Times of India, Britain, British, Indian, INDIA

☆ Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu prince who roiled South African politics, dead at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

South Africa's leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Mangosuthu Buthelezi speaks to supporters ahead of the national elections, in Richards Bay, north of Durban, in South Africa, April 19, 2009. REUTERS/Rogan Ward Acquire Licensing RightsSept 9 (Reuters) - Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a veteran South African politician, Zulu prince and controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle, has died, the presidency said on Saturday. South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party described Buthelezi as a "great leader". "Prince Buthelezi was a giant on South Africa's political landscape," DA leader John Steenhuisen said. Critics dubbed Buthelezi a war lord but to his legion of followers in the rural Zulu heartland, he was a visionary.

Persons: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Rogan Ward, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, Buthelezi, Nelson Mandela, Prince Buthelezi, John Steenhuisen, ANC Buthelezi, Critics, Inkatha, Thabo Mbeki, King Cetshwayo, Henry Kissinger, Peter Carrington, Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Matoli Buthelezi, Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu, Irene Mzila, Bhargav Acharya, Nelson, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry Organizations: Freedom Party, IFP, REUTERS, South, Home Affairs, African National Congress, Zulu Monarch, ANC, Nelson, Nelson Mandela Foundation, Mandela's, Democratic Alliance, Reuters, British, Black University of Fort, ANC Youth League, U.S, Thomson Locations: Richards Bay, Durban, South Africa, KwaZulu, Natal, Zulu, Johannesburg, Black University of Fort Hare, Lesotho, Mahlabathini

☆ Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu Prince Who Roiled South African Politics, Dead at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

(Reuters) -Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a veteran South African politician, Zulu prince and controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle, has died, the presidency said on Saturday. Critics dubbed Buthelezi a war lord but to his legion of followers in the rural Zulu heartland, he was a visionary. A Zulu chief, Buthelezi became KwaZulu's chief minister in the 1970s, where he tried a delicate balancing act: refusing outright independence and criticising Pretoria's racial policies while still playing a role in the homeland farce. Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi was born on Aug. 27, 1928, in Mahlabathini, the son and heir of Chief Matoli Buthelezi and Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu. In 1953 he was installed as acting chief of the prominent Buthelezi clan and four years later was confirmed as chief.

Persons: Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, Buthelezi, Nelson Mandela, Critics, Inkatha, Thabo Mbeki, King Cetshwayo, Henry Kissinger, Peter Carrington, Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Matoli Buthelezi, Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu, Irene Mzila, Bhargav Acharya, Nelson BanyaEditing, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry Organizations: Reuters, South, Freedom Party, Home Affairs, African National Congress, Zulu Monarch, IFP, ANC, British, Black University of Fort, ANC Youth League, U.S Locations: KwaZulu, Natal, South Africa, Zulu, Johannesburg, Black University of Fort Hare, Lesotho, Mahlabathini

☆ On G20 Summit Eve, India's Rahul Gandhi Says Democratic Institutions Under Attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's democratic institutions and minority groups are under a "full-scale assault", opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on the eve of a high-profile G20 summit in New Delhi. "There's a full-scale assault on democratic institutions...of course minorities are under attack, but so are other communities...tribals, lower caste communities," he said. Gandhi said he would meet European lawmakers in Brussels during his visit and talk to them about their views on India. He indicated, however, that India's opposition parties would agree with the largely-neutral position taken by New Delhi on Russia's invasion of Ukraine - avoiding blaming Moscow for the war and seeking a solution through dialogue and diplomacy. "We have a relationship with Russia, I don't think the opposition would have a different view than what the government is currently proposing," Gandhi said.

Persons: Rahul Gandhi, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Gandhi, Shivam Patel, YP Rajesh, Alex Richardson Organizations: Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Brussels Press, Gandhi's, YP Locations: DELHI, New Delhi, Civil, India, China, Brussels, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia

Both India and Bharat are used officially in the nation of 1.4 billion people, which has more than 20 official languages. “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States,” the country’s constitution states. Bharat is also the Hindi word for India and is used interchangeably – both feature on Indian passports for example. “The word ‘India’ is an abuse given to us by the British, whereas the word ‘Bharat’ is a symbol of our culture,” Harnath Singh Yadav, a BJP politician, told Indian broadcaster ANI. Some opposition politicians said the government’s use of Bharat was a response to the formation of the INDIA alliance.

Persons: Bharat, ”, Droupadi Murmu, Narendra Modi, Modi, –, ’, ” Harnath Singh Yadav, Virender Sehwag, Bharat ’, Bharat ”, ” Shashi Tharoor, “, it’s, Raghav Chadha, Jaishankar Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Indian, of States, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Cricket, Developmental, INDIA, Aam Aadmi Locations: New Delhi, India, Delhi, Britain, British, Kingsway, Nicobar, INDIA

☆ India or Bharat? President's G20 dinner invitation sparks name-change row
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Murmu is hosting a reception for G20 leaders during the group's summit on Saturday and invitations were sent from her office. India is also called Bharat, Bharata, Hindustan - its pre-colonial names - in Indian languages and these are used interchangeably by the public and officially. High offices in the country have typically stuck to titles such as President of India, Prime Minister of India and Chief Justice of India while communicating in English. Supporters of the name change in the invitation said British colonial rulers had coined the name India to overshadow Bharat and forge a British legacy. Hindu groups linked to BJP said the G20 summit provided the best opportunity to shed India's colonial baggage.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Droupadi, Bharat, Narendra Modi's, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Mamata Banerjee, Shashi Tharoor, Rupam Jain, YP Rajesh, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Bharat, INDIA, Developmental, Alliance, Reuters, YP, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Bharata, Hindustan, British, INDIA

☆ South Africa's Ramaphosa urges enforcement of laws over 'hijacked' buildings
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A police officer walks past the apartment block where a deadly fire broke out, in Johannesburg, South Africa, September 1, 2023. "Local government has to enforce the laws," Ramaphosa said at a governing African National Congress party event. Municipal officials have said efforts to evict residents in illegally occupied buildings are often hamstrung by court orders stopping the evictions. Ramaphosa said he has asked government ministers to look into ways of enforcing laws without violating people's rights. Ramaphosa said he collected his passbook at the building about 50 years ago, when he worked in the city.

Persons: Siphiwe, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, Carien du, Olivia Kumwenda, Ros Russell Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Saturday, African National Congress, Government, Black, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Africa, Carien du Plessis

☆ Adani blasts ‘Soros-funded interests’ after media raise new questions about business empire
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Mark Thompson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The documents were unearthed by the non-profit Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which counts billionaire George Soros’ Open Society Foundations among its financial backers, and its research was shared with media including The Guardian and the Financial Times. It is also backed by the US State Department, the UK Foreign Office and the Ford Foundation. The Financial Times said people familiar with the structures had claimed “parallel sets of books and a Russian doll of companies and funds” at the investment firm were used to mask the trades. When Hindenburg published its report in late January, it pitched 88 questions to Adani that cast doubt on his conglomerate’s financial health. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi, a prominent lawmaker from India’s main opposition Congress party, urged Modi to investigate the allegations put forward by the Financial Times and The Guardian and criticized his silence on the matter.

Persons: Gautam, “ Soros, George Soros, OCCRP, Narendra Modi, Adani, “, OCCRP’s, Drew Sullivan, Hindenburg, —, ”, SEBI, ” Adani, Modi, Rahul Gandhi, ” Gandhi, Michelle Toh, Rhea Mogul Organizations: London CNN, Adani, Guardian, Financial Times, CNN, Soros, US State Department, Foreign Office, Ford Foundation, Indian, Adani Group, Hindenburg Research, Society Foundations, Securities and Exchange Board of India, ” Reuters, India’s Locations: Adani, Bermuda, Russian, Mauritius, India, Mumbai

☆ China’s new national map has angered its neighbors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The Philippines has become the latest of China’s neighbors to object to its new national map, joining Malaysia and India in releasing strongly worded statements accusing Beijing of claiming their territory. The map is the “latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones (and) has no basis under international law,” the Philippines Foreign Affairs department said in a statement. India was the first to complain on Tuesday when it lodged a “strong protest” about the inclusion of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai-Chin plateau in Chinese territory. “In this climate, while both sides may publicly express their interest in easing tensions, I do not see this happening. This map issue is very serious … the prime minister should speak about it,” he added.

Persons: “, Arindam Bagchi, China’s, Wang Wenbin, ”, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Xi, Modi, Akhil Ramesh, Aksai Chin, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Organizations: CNN, Beijing, South China, Philippines Foreign Affairs, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry, Indian, Pacific Forum, Modi, Huawei Locations: Philippines, Malaysia, India, China, Beijing, South, Manila, Arunachal Pradesh, Chin, Asia, South Africa, New Delhi, Honolulu, ”, Galwan, Tawang, LAC, Ladakh, United States, Japan, US, Australia, Jammu, Kashmir, Pakistan

The Dharavi slum, about three-quarters the size of New York's Central Park, featured in Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning 2008 movie "Slumdog Millionaire". Only those who already lived in Dharavi before 2000, mostly ground-floor residents, will get free homes within the redevelopment. In interviews with Reuters, some Dharavi residents cited the billionaire's financial troubles as contributing to their concerns. Last month, a Mumbai court allowed SecLink to add Adani to its lawsuit, forcing the conglomerate to defend its position before judges. In early August, about 300 opposition supporters and residents gathered in Dharavi to object to Adani's involvement.

Persons: Adani, Gautam Adani's, Narendra Modi's, Danny Boyle's Oscar, SecLink, Eknath Shinde, Modi, Maharashtra's, Sandeep Shastri, Rajendra Korde, Radha Pawar, Srinivas, Mohammad Hasmat Ullah, Ullah, Dhwani Pandya, Aditya Kalra, Arpan Chaturvedi, Francis Mascarenhas, David Crawshaw Organizations: Adani, Consultancy, Reuters, SecLink Technologies Corporation, The, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Modi's BJP, India's, Trust, Reuters ., Dharavi, Committee, Authority, Dhwani, Thomson Locations: Dubai, MUMBAI, rehouse, Dharavi, Maharashtra, The Dubai, Mumbai, Gujarat, snowballing

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