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Khan's colleagues in his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his indictment. Mobile data services were shut for a second day on Wednesday as street protests continued, with federal ministers accusing Khan's supporters of torching several buildings and vehicles. MORE THAN 1,000 ARRESTS[1/8] Supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan throw stones towards police during a protest against Khan's arrest, in Peshawar, Pakistan, May 10, 2023. Khan, a cricket hero-turned-politician, was ousted as prime minister in April 2022 in a parliamentary no-confidence vote. In most of the cases, Khan faces being barred from holding public office if convicted.

☆ India builds more hospitals as population surges but doctors in short supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Shivam Patel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The problem is a lack of doctors, a shortage that is reaching crucial levels as India becomes the world's most populous nation. Inaugurating the first specialised medical institute in northeast India last month, Modi said his government had sought to increase the number of doctors by setting up more medical colleges. The number of public hospitals, excluding specialised institutes, has risen some 9% in Modi’s time at the top, government data shows. The government says there was a near 80% shortage of surgeons, physicians, gynaecologists and paediatricians at community health centres in rural India as of March 2022. Specialist doctors tend to go overseas or join the private sector in metropolitan and other large cities, said Dr K. Srinath Reddy, at the Public Health Foundation of India non-profit.

May 9 (Reuters) - Pakistan's anti-graft watchdog arrested former Prime Minister Imran Khan at Islamabad High Court on Tuesday, in a dramatic move that threatens fresh turmoil in the nuclear-armed country. You won't get any other opportunity," the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party wrote on Twitter. In most of the cases, Khan faces being barred from holding public office if convicted, with a national election scheduled for November. Previous attempts to arrest Khan from his Lahore home resulted in heavy clashes between his supporters and law enforcement personnel. Political infighting is common in Pakistan, where no prime minister has yet fulfilled a full term and where the military has ruled for nearly half of the country's history.

☆ Imran Khan, the cricket star who ditched playboy image to rule Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Pakistan security forces guard a vehicle carrying former Prime Minister Imran Khan after his arrest at a court in Islamabad, Pakistan, May 9, 2023. REUTERS/StringerMay 9 (Reuters) - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, a cricketing hero-turned-politician who was arrested on Tuesday, whipped up popular support amid decades-high inflation and a crippling economic slowdown before his ouster last year. Khan had for months averted arrest in a number of cases registered against him that include charges of instigating crowds to violence. His rise to power in 2018 came over two decades after he first launched his political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), or Pakistan Movement for Justice party, in 1996. Once in power, Khan embarked on his plan of building a "welfare" state modelled on what he said was an ideal system dating back to the Islamic world some 14 centuries earlier.

An IMF review of the budget presents a fresh hurdle before the lender approves the release of pending bailout funds, which are crucial for Pakistan to resolve an acute balance of payments crisis. Pakistan has struggled to strike a deal with the IMF to release funds critical to stabilise the struggling economy. On Thursday, Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar reiterated that Pakistan has already taken all the agreed steps to unlock the funding. The $1.1 billion tranche is a part of a $6.5 billion bailout package the IMF approved in 2019, which is due to end in June, prior to the budget. The government has removed caps on the exchange rate, imposed taxes, raised energy tariffs, and scaled back subsidies in an attempt to unlock the IMF funding.

☆ Sri Lanka trying to reduce overall debt by $17 bln, president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Asiri Fernando | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COLOMBO, April 26 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka is trying to reduce its overall debt by $17 billion through restructuring, its president told the parliament on Wednesday as he sought support of opposition parties for a nearly $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. President Ranil Wickremesinghe also said the country would discuss debt restructuring with India and the Paris Club of creditors on one platform and with China separately. Sri Lanka owes $7.1 billion to bilateral creditors, according to official government data, with $3 billion owed to China, $2.4 billion to the Paris Club and $1.6 billion to India. Wickremesinghe said no final decision had been taken yet on domestic debt restructuring. Sri Lanka needs to accelerate growth to 6% or higher by 2028 or 2029 to repay debt and develop, he added.

☆ Apple CEO meets India PM Modi, commits to growth and investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, April 19 (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook on Wednesday committed to growth and investment across India in meeting with the country's prime minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi. Cook is on a visit to India this week and inaugurated the iPhone maker's first retail store in the country on Tuesday in Mumbai. Apple will also open a retail store in New Delhi on Thursday. "Glad to exchange views on diverse topics and highlight the tech-powered transformations taking place in India," Modi said. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bangladesh to pay Russia in yuan for nuclear plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Ruma Paul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 17 (Reuters) - Bangladesh and Russia have agreed to use yuan to settle payment for a nuclear plant Moscow is building in the South Asian country, a Bangladesh government official said on Monday. Bangladesh is constructing the first of two nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russia's state-owned atomic company Rosatom in a $12.65 billion project, 90% of which is financed through a Russian loan repayable within 28 years, with a 10-year grace period. "Russia wanted us to make payment in rouble but that's not possible for us. So we have agreed to pay in Chinese yuan," Uttam Kumar Karmaker, a senior official in the Bangladesh Economic Relations Division, told Reuters. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ India says new IT fact-checking unit will not censor journalism
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, April 14 (Reuters) - A proposed Indian government unit to fact-check news on social media is not about censoring journalism nor will it have any impact on media reportage, a federal minister said on Friday. Recently amended IT regulation requires online platforms like Meta Platforms Inc's (META.O) Facebook and Twitter to "make reasonable efforts" to not "publish, share or host" any information relating to the government that is "fake, false or misleading". Rajeev Chandrasekhar, India minister of state for IT, said in an online discussion it was "not true" that the government-appointed unit, which press freedom advocates strongly oppose, was aimed at "censoring journalism". The Editors Guild of India last week described the move as draconian and akin to censorship. Reporting by Shivam Patel, Munsif Vengattil and Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Pakistan condemns India's decision to hold G20 meetings in Kashmir
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Danish Ismail/File PhotoISLAMABAD, April 11 (Reuters) - Pakistan on Tuesday condemned India's decision to hold Group of 20 meetings in the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir next month, calling the move "irresponsible". India currently holds the rotating year-long presidency of the G20 and is set to host a leaders' summit in New Delhi in early September. India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking comment on the statement from Pakistan. New Delhi has long accused Pakistan of stoking a decades-long separatist insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, the only Muslim-majority region in India. Pakistan also accuses India of human rights violations in the parts of Kashmir under its control, a charge New Delhi rejects.

☆ Dalai Lama apologises after video asking boy to 'suck my tongue'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, April 10 (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama, the Tibetans' 87-year-old spiritual leader, apologised on Monday after footage showed him asking a young boy to "suck my tongue" at a public event. "A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked his Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug," said a statement on the exiled leader's Twitter account, which has 19 million followers. The statement said the Dalai Lama leader "often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet, is regarded by Beijing as a dangerous separatist. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi, Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ukraine wants tighter ties with India, visit by Modi
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

India holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 this year and hosts a leaders summit in September. Dzhaparova, who is on a four-day visit to New Delhi, told the broadcaster: "We believe India should be engaged and involved in the Ukraine issue to a great extent". India has sought a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine, while Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin in September that now is "not an era of war". India has also boosted its purchases of Russian oil, taking advantage of the deep discounts following a European ban on Russian oil imports. Dzhaparova will meet India's deputy national security adviser and a junior foreign minister during her visit and address a world affairs think tank.

[1/2] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the G20 leaders summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. The amendments to the country's IT rules make it obligatory on platforms "not to publish, share or host fake, false or misleading information" about the government. The Guild again urges the ministry to withdraw this notification and conduct consultations with media organisations and press bodies." Digital rights organisation Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) said undefined terms such as "fake", "false" and "misleading" in the amendment make them susceptible to misuse by authorities. Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly and Shivam Patel Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ India's parliament disqualifies opposition leader Rahul Gandhi
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NEW DELHI, March 24 (Reuters) - India's parliament on Friday disqualified opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi as a lawmaker after a lower court found him guilty of defamation and sentenced him to two years in prison, according to a parliament notice. Gandhi, 52, a scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, was convicted on Thursday for a 2019 speech in which he referred to thieves as having the surname Modi. The court granted him bail immediately and suspended the sentence for a month. Reporting by Shivam Patel; Editing by Andrew CawthorneOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Most G20 members condemn Ukraine war, except China and Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NEW DELHI, March 2 (Reuters) - Most members from the Group of 20 nations (G20) strongly condemned the war in Ukraine on Thursday, with only Russia and China disagreeing, current president India said after a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in New Delhi. India's "chair's summary & outcome document" after the meeting largely stuck to the language used in a similar statement it released following a meeting of G20 financial leaders last week. In that gathering too, Russia and China disagreed with statements condemning the war. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi Editing by Gareth Jones and Krishna N. DasOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ India's top court overhauls election commissioner appointment in 'historic' judgment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Sakshi Dayal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Joseph, delivering the order of a constitution bench that heard several petitions calling for an independent committee to appoint election commissioners. "The election commission of India is to perform the arduous and unenviable task of remaining aloof from all forms of subjugation by and interference from the executive." "They have said the independence of the election commission is absolutely essential for democracy, and for that independence to be assured, you cannot have a system where the government alone appoints the election commissioners," he told reporters outside the court. India's former chief election commissioner, S.Y. Good for the perception of neutrality of the Election Commission."

☆ India to get heat waves this year after hottest February on record
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Rajendra Jadhav | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Enhanced probability of occurrence of heat wave during March to May season is likely over many regions of Central and adjoining Northwest India," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement. In March, the crucial month for the maturity of winter-sown crops, above normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country except peninsular India, it said. India grows only one wheat crop in a year, with planting in October and November, and harvesting from March. A heat wave curtailed India's wheat production in 2022 and forced the world's second largest producer to ban exports. Average maximum temperature in February was 29.54 degrees Celsius, the highest since 1901, when the IMD started keeping weather records.

☆ Top Delhi minister arrested in India liquor probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Feb 27 (Reuters) - India's federal investigating agency arrested a top local minister in the capital territory of New Delhi late on Sunday in connection with alleged irregularities in a liquor policy, the most high-profile arrest in the case so far. Manish Sisodia, the deputy chief minister in the Delhi government was arrested by India's federal crime agency, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) late Sunday night and will be produced in a local court on Monday. Sisodia was arrested in an ongoing investigation in "a case related to alleged irregularities in framing & implementation of the excise policy", the CBI said in a release. His arrest is dirty politics," Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi's chief minister and head of the Aam Aadmi Party said in a tweet hours after Sisodia's arrest. India's financial crime-fighting agency, the Enforcement Directorate is separately investigating French liquor major Pernod Ricard for allegedly violating the same liquor policy.

☆ World Bank promises 'concessionality' in debt restructuring
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENGALURU, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The World Bank will "provide as much concessionality to the debt treatment" for distressed economies as possible, its president told a meeting with the International Monetary Fund, India, China, and other creditor nations on Saturday. The United States, meanwhile, has repeatedly criticised China over its "foot-dragging" on debt relief for dozens of low-and middle-income countries. "The World Bank is committed to providing net positive flows in a way that maximizes concessionality in the restructuring process," David Malpass said at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable in India's Bengaluru city on the sidelines of the G20 financial leaders' meet. "We will provide as much concessionality to the debt treatment as possible." On Friday, Chinese Finance Minister Liu Kun told the G20 financial leaders that international financial institutions and commercial creditors should follow the principle of "joint action, fair burden" in debt settlements.

☆ G20 chair India says most members condemn Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENGALURU, Feb 25 (Reuters) - G20 chair India on Saturday said most members of the bloc "strongly condemned" the war in Ukraine and reiterated their positions demanding Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine. In a statement at the end of financial leaders' meet near Bengaluru, India said the statement condemning Russia's war was endorsed by all members except Russia and China. "The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today’s era must not be of war," the statement said. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Krishna N. DasOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BENGALURU, Feb 24 (Reuters) - G20 financial leaders must condemn Russia's aggression against Ukraine, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Reuters in an interview on Friday, adding that Europe was working on new sanctions against Moscow. Speaking on the first day of the G20 financial leaders meeting near Bengaluru, Le Maire said, "Sanctions will be more and more efficient, more and more effective". Le Maire said that India's purchase of discounted Russian oil has reduced Moscow's oil revenues. On the G20 communique, Le Maire said, "The purpose is to stick to the wordings of 2022 in Bali. Russia, which is a member of the G20, refers to its actions in Ukraine as a "special military operation", and avoids calling it an invasion or war.

☆ G7 raises Ukraine support to $39 bln for 2023, urges IMF programme by March
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] FILE PHOTO-Flags are pictured during the first working session of G-7 foreign ministers in Muenster, Germany, November 3, 2022. Ukraine is hoping to clinch a $15 billion programme with the International Monetary Fund that will cover immediate financial assistance and support for structural reforms to underpin efforts at post-conflict rebuilding. "For 2023, based on the Government of Ukraine's needs, we have increased our commitment of budget and economic support to $39 billion," the statement said. The bloc's financial leaders have gathered in India's Bengaluru ahead of a meeting of financial chiefs of the Group of 20 (G20) nations. Japan's Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki also told reporters that the G7 needs to assess the effectiveness of current sanctions on Russia before deciding on further action.

☆ Yellen says U.S. to resume discussions on economic issues with China at 'appropriate time'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, Feb 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Thursday the United States would resume discussions with China on economic issues "at an appropriate time" but is continuing to warn Beijing of the consequences of violating U.S. sanctions on Russia. At a news conference ahead of a G20 financial leaders meeting in Bengaluru, Yellen said communication between the United States and China was important for "the sake of the entire globe." Yellen said she did not have any details on timing of her visit focused on economic and financial issues, but said: "I believe we will resume at an appropriate time those discussions." Turning to U.S. sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine, Yellen reiterated Washington's warnings. Reporting by David Lawder; Writing by Shivam Patel; Editing by Alex Richardson and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ India finance minister and U.S. Treasury's Yellen discuss debt, crypto
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks during a side event on the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, 14 July 2022. Made Nagi/Pool via REUTERSBENGALURU, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discussed strengthening multilateral development banks, global debt vulnerabilities and crypto assets on the sidelines of the G20 finance chiefs meeting on Thursday, the finance ministry said. India is hosting the first major G20 event under its year-long presidency at the summer retreat of Nandi Hills near tech hub Bengaluru. "The two leaders discussed their perspectives on strengthening MDB (multilateral development banks), global debt vulnerabilities, crypto assets besides the Just Energy Transition Partnership," New Delhi's finance ministry said in a tweet. Under the partnership, the United States and its allies, as well as multilateral development banks and agencies, provide funding to developing economies to move away from coal production and consumption.

☆ Sri Lanka investment board approves $442 mln Adani Green wind power plants
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

COLOMBO, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's Board of Investment on Wednesday approved two wind power plants by India's Adani Green Energy Ltd (ADNA.NS) with a total investment of $442 million, a statement issued by the board said. "The two wind power plants of 350 MW are scheduled to be commissioned in two years and accordingly, they will be added to the national grid by 2025," the statement added. The Adani Group has denied any wrongdoing. The Sri Lankan Board of Investment statement said the Adani wind power project will generate 1,500 to 2,000 new job opportunities. Sri Lanka also aims to export renewable energy from its northern areas to southern India.

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