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☆ India-Canada ties fray in dispute over Sikh separatist killing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside a Sikh temple on June 18 in a Vancouver suburb. * Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed strong concerns about Sikh separatist protests in Canada to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of a G20 summit in New Delhi on Sept. 10. * Canada postponed a trade mission to India planned for October led by Trade Minister Mary Ng, a spokesperson for the minister said on Sept. 15. * India suspended issuing new visas for Canadians on Sept. 22 and asked Ottawa to reduce its diplomatic presence in India. * India's steel secretary told reporters on Sept. 28 that Indian exports to Canada were marginal and have not been affected by the diplomatic row.

Persons: Nanak, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Chris Helgren, Justin Trudeau, Narendra Modi, Mary Ng, Trudeau, Nijjar, Shivam Patel, YP Rajesh, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Financial Times, Canadian, Trade, Reuters, JSW Steel, Teck Resources, YP, Thomson Locations: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, DELHI, India, Vancouver suburb, New Delhi, Canadian, U.S, Australia, Britain, Teck, Ottawa

No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts, one of which trapped dozens of people under rubble, media said. [1/4]People gather outside the Mastung hospital, following a deadly suicide attack on a religious gathering in Balochistan province, Pakistan, September 29, 2023 in this handout image. The TTP, responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan since its formation in 2007, denied responsibility for Friday's blasts. In July, more than 40 people were killed in a suicide bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at a religious political party's gathering. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for that attack.

Persons: Prophet Mohammed, Abdul Rasheed, Munir Ahmed, Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh, Fazal Akbar, Pakistan's, Saleem Ahmed, Mushtaq Ali, Shivam Patel, Gibran Peshimam, Miral Fahmy, Clarence Fernandez, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Reuters, Geo News, REUTERS Acquire, Militant, Islamic State, Thomson Locations: Afghan, QUETTA, PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Balochistan, Madina Mosque, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan province, Handout, Hangu, Afghanistan, Taliban Pakistan, Peshawar, Quetta, Shahid, Karachi

☆ India foreign minister says he spoke to Blinken, Sullivan about Sikh separatist murder
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar say a few words to the media as they meet at the State Department in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 29 (Reuters) - India's foreign minister on Friday said he spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about Canadian allegations on New Delhi's possible involvement in the June killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada. Ties between the two countries have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told parliament earlier this month that Canada suspected Indian government agents were linked to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has dismissed Canada's allegations as absurd and both countries have expelled a diplomat in a tit-for-tat move. A U.S. official confirmed that Blinken spoke to India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday and urged India to cooperate with the Canadian investigation, but a U.S. State Department statement made no mention of the issue.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Leah Millis, Jake Sullivan, Justin Trudeau, Hardeep Singh, Blinken, Jaishankar, Shivam Patel, Christina Fincher Organizations: State Department, REUTERS, U.S . National, Canadian, U.S, India's, U.S . State Department, Hudson Institute, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, DELHI, Canada, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, India, U.S, Washington

☆ India Stops New Visas for Canadians, Asks Ottawa to Downsize Missions as Spat Worsens
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

A blanket suspension of new visas by India for a Western country is unheard of and marks the lowest point of India-Canada relations. But Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Ottawa had been asked to reduce numbers at its diplomatic missions in India to bring parity between the missions of the two countries. Bagchi said India suspended issuing new visas to Canadian citizens due to "security threats" to its staff in its consulates in Canada. "You are aware of the security threats being faced by our high commission and consulates in Canada. Industry estimates show the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Canada and India could boost two-way trade by as much as $6.5 billion.

Persons: Krishn Kaushik, Rupam Jain, Rajesh NEW DELHI, Justin Trudeau's, Trudeau, Arindam Bagchi, Bagchi, Dominic LeBlanc, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Narendra Modi's, Sakshi Dayal, Shivam Patel, YP Rajesh, Alex Richardson Organizations: Rajesh NEW, Industry, YP Locations: India, Ottawa, New Delhi, Canada, Delhi, British Columbia, United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Washington, London, Canberra, Punjab

☆ India suspends visa services for Canadians as stand-off escalates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A security personnel stands guard outside the Canadian High-Commision in New Delhi, India, September 19, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 21 (Reuters) - India on Thursday suspended visa services for Canadian citizens, a foreign ministry spokesperson said, citing security threats to its staff in its consulates in Canada. BLS International(BLSN.NS), an Indian company offering visa facilities, said the notice from the Indian mission in Canada cited "operational reasons" for suspension of visa services "till further notice". Canadian officials have so far declined to say why they believe India could be linked to Nijjar's murder. Industry estimates show the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Canada and India could boost two-way trade by as much as $6.5 billion.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Narendra Modi's, Justin Trudeau, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Dominic LeBlanc, Sakshi Dayal, Shivam Patel, Rupam Jain, Krishn Kaushik, Shri Navaratnam, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Canadian, REUTERS, BLS, Global Affairs Canada, Canadian Bureau of International Education, Industry, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Canada, Ottawa, British Columbia, Punjab

☆ India, US collaborate on project to deploy 10,000 e-buses in India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NEW DELHI, Sept 20 (Reuters) - The United States and India will collaborate on a project to deploy 10,000 made-in-India electric buses in Indian cities, the U.S. embassy said in a statement on Wednesday. A key component of the project will be a new payment security mechanism that will "accelerate new and more sustainable investments by lowering financial risks," the embassy said. "The partnership announced today will mobilize financing for a fleet of 10,000 electric buses throughout India, expanding options for electric public transportation in India, creating cleaner cities and healthier communities," U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said. Reporting by Shivam Patel; editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: India Eric Garcetti, Shivam Patel, Christina Fincher Organizations: U.S, Thomson Locations: DELHI, United States, India, U.S

The Sikh religion was founded in Punjab in the late 15th century and currently has about 25 million followers worldwide. Sikh separatists demand that their homeland Khalistan, meaning "the land of the pure", be created out of Punjab. The Khalistan movement is considered a security threat by the Indian government. In April this year, India arrested a self-styled preacher and Sikh separatist Amritpal Singh for allegedly reviving calls for Khalistan, sparking fears of new violence in Punjab. Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng is postponing a planned trade mission to India.

Persons: Nanak, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Chris Helgren, Justin Trudeau, Indira Gandhi, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Gandhi, Amritpal Singh, Narendra Modi, Trudeau, Mary Ng, Rupam Jain, Shivam Patel, YP Rajesh, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Canadian, Air, Air India Boeing, Indian, India . Canadian Trade, YP, Thomson Locations: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, DELHI, India, Punjab, New Delhi, Air India, Britain, Australia, U.S

☆ New Mideast corridor would include trains to India, Delhi says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inspects the honour guard during his ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace in New Delhi, India, September 11, 2023. Asked about the proposals, Ausaf Sayeed, a secretary in the Foreign Ministry, spelled out that the corridor would include trains to India and not just links by port. Saudi Arabia is among the top exporters of petroleum to India. Sayeed said that new corridor will include ports, railways, better roads and also power, gas grids and optical fiber network. During their talks earlier in the day the Indian leader and the Saudi crown prince also discussed cooperation in space, semiconductors and collaboration in defence manufacturing as well.

Persons: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Stringer, Ausaf, Khalid Al Falih, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Sayeed, Shivam Patel, Krishn Kaushik, Ed Osmond, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Saudi, Crown, REUTERS, Foreign Ministry, European Union, United Arab, Initiative, Saudi Investment, Gulf Cooperation Council, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, East, South Asia, Indian, Delhi, United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Saudi

☆ India's Modi: there is need to expand mandate of multilateral development banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

World Bank President Ajay Banga, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and U.S. President Joe Biden pose for the group photo during G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 Evan Vucci/Pool via Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreNEW DELHI, Sept 10 (Reuters) - There is a need to expand the mandate of multilateral development banks and develop global standards to regulate cryptocurrencies, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told G20 leaders during a summit of the bloc on Sunday. The group of 20 major economies has pledged in a declaration at the New Delhi meeting to strengthen and reform the banks and has accepted a proposal for tighter regulation of cryptocurrencies. "We need to expand the mandate of multilateral development banks. Our decisions should be immediate and effective in this direction," Modi said during a G20 leaders' session. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ajay Banga, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi, Cyril Ramaphosa, Joe Biden, Evan Vucci, Modi, Shivam Patel, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Indian, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, cryptocurrencies

☆ India's Modi: There Is Need to Expand Mandate of Multilateral Development Banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - There is a need to expand the mandate of multilateral development banks and develop global standards to regulate cryptocurrencies, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told G20 leaders during a summit of the bloc on Sunday. The group of 20 major economies has pledged in a declaration at the New Delhi meeting to strengthen and reform the banks and has accepted a proposal for tighter regulation of cryptocurrencies. "We need to expand the mandate of multilateral development banks. Our decisions should be immediate and effective in this direction," Modi said during a G20 leaders' session. (Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Shivam Patel, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Indian Locations: DELHI, cryptocurrencies, New Delhi

☆ India makes clean energy push at G20 with global biofuel alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Nidhi Verma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A general view of the venue for the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 9, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - India announced on Saturday the launch of a global biofuel alliance at a G20 summit in New Delhi to boost the use of cleaner fuels. "We are launching the Global Biofuel Alliance. The push for a biofuels alliance mirrors the International Solar Alliance launched by New Delhi and Paris in 2015 to bring clean and affordable solar energy within the reach of all. The alliance will help by encouraging global biofuels trade, developing concrete policies on lesson-sharing and promoting provision of technical support for national biofuels programmes worldwide, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in July.

Persons: Amit Dave, Narendra Modi, Hardeep Singh Puri, Nidhi Verma, Shivam Patel, Jacqueline Wong, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Global, Alliance, India, Solar Alliance, New, International Energy Agency, Oil, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, United States, Brazil, Paris

☆ US, India, Saudi, EU to unveil rail, ports deal on G20 sidelines -White House official
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. President Joe Biden listens to the opening remarks of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the first session of the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Evan Vucci/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - A multinational rail and ports deal linking the Middle East and South Asia will be announced on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, a White House official said. A memorandum of understanding for the deal will be signed by the European Union, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and other G20 partners, Finer said. The move comes amid U.S. efforts for a broader diplomatic deal in the Middle East that would have Saudi Arabia recognise Israel. From the U.S. viewpoint, Finer added, the deal helps "turn the temperature down across the region" and "address a conflict where we see it".

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Evan Vucci, Jon, Nandita Bose, Krishn Kaushik, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Indian, REUTERS Acquire, White, Washington, European Union, United Arab Emirates, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, East, South Asia, U.S, Gulf, Europe, Saudi Arabia, United States, Israel

☆ G20 agrees to pursue tripling renewables capacity but stop short of major goals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Shivam Patel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A general view of GE Renewable Energy wind turbines, part of Pattern Energy’s Western Spirit Wind project, the largest wind project in the U.S., near Encino, New Mexico, U.S., March 15, 2023. REUTERS/Bing Guan/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - G20 leaders on Saturday agreed to pursue tripling renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 and accepted the need to phase-down unabated coal power, but stopped short of setting major climate goals. The world's 20 major economies have had disagreements on commitments to reduce fossil fuel use, cut green house gas emissions and increase renewable energy targets. The declaration adopted by G20 leaders on the first day of the two-day summit in New Delhi did not mention cutting green house emissions. It said member nations "will pursue and encourage efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally ... in line with national circumstances by 2030."

Persons: Bing Guan, Shivam Patel, YP Rajesh, Kim Coghill Organizations: GE Renewable Energy, REUTERS, Reuters, United Arab, YP, Thomson Locations: U.S, Encino , New Mexico, DELHI, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, India, New Delhi, United Arab Emirates

☆ EU's Michel says hard to predict if G20 can agree on declaration
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] European Council President Charles Michel attends a press briefing ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - It is difficult to predict if leaders of the G20 grouping gathering for a summit in New Delhi this weekend can reach consensus on a declaration, European Council President Charles Michel said on Friday. "It's difficult to predict if it will be possible to have an agreement on the declaration," Michel told a press conference in the Indian capital. He added, "I don't intend to say something that will make the efforts more difficult. Reporting by Manoj Kumar, Chris Thomas; Writing by Shivam Patel; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Charles Michel, Amit Dave, Michel, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Lavrov, Li Qiang, Manoj Kumar, Chris Thomas, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: European, REUTERS, Beijing, European Union, EU, UN, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Ukraine, Russia, China, Moscow, Russian

☆ 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

Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria, arrives for the closing session of the New Global Financial Pact Summit, Friday, June 23, 2023 in Paris, France. Lewis Joly/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Nigeria has secured nearly $14 billion of pledges from Indian investors and seeks an economic cooperation pact with the South Asian nation, a presidential spokesperson said on Wednesday. Skipperseil Ltd's founding Chairman Jitender Sachdeva and India's Bharti Enterprises each pledged $1.6 billion over four years to build power generation plants and $700 million in Nigeria, respectively, Ngelale said. Tinubu is attending at the invitation of India, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the bloc. "We are ready to give you the best returns for investment possible, there's nowhere else like our country," Tinubu said in the statement.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Lewis Joly, India's Jindal, Ajuri Ngelale, Skipperseil, Jitender Sachdeva, Ngelale, Tinubu, Nidhi Verma, Felix Onuah, Elisha Bala, Shivam Patel, Christina Fincher, Richard Chang Organizations: New Global Financial, South, India's Jindal Steel, Indorama Corp, India's Bharti Enterprises, Defence Industries Corporation, Thomson Locations: Nigeria, Paris, France, DELHI, West, New Delhi, India, Africa's, South Africa, Abuja

☆ Global warming link to intense rains in India's Himalayas - scientists
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Shivam Patel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

At least 240 people have died this year in the mountainous region as landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rains buried homes and destroyed crops and infrastructure. Seasonal monsoon showers are vital for India's $3-trillion economy, bringing nearly 70% of the rain the country needs to water farms and refill reservoirs and aquifers. But the monsoon's convergence with a low-pressure weather system in the Himalayas in recent years has caused extremely heavy rains, something that scientists and officials have blamed on rising temperatures. Rains battered the two states following the convergence of the monsoon system with Western Disturbances, a weather system that originates in the Mediterranean Sea and moves east, bringing moisture-laden winds that cause winter rain and snow in the Himalayas. "The most significant change is that instead of having moderate rains spread out through the monsoon season, we have long dry periods intermittent with short spells of heavy rains," Koll said.

Persons: Stringer, Kuldeep Srivastava, Rains, Dimri, Roxy Mathew Koll, Koll, Shivam Patel, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, India Meteorological, HP, Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Indian, Meteorology, Thomson Locations: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, New Delhi, Uttarakhand, India's

☆ India says spacecraft heading to moon working 'perfectly'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A view of the moon as viewed by the Chandrayaan-3 lander during Lunar Orbit Insertion on August 5, 2023 in this screengrab from a video released August 6, 2023. ISRO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT./File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Aug 21 (Reuters) - All systems on an Indian spacecraft heading to the moon are working "perfectly" and no contingencies are anticipated on the landing day, the country's space agency said on Monday, days after the failure of a Russian lander. India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is on course to land on Aug. 23 on the lunar south pole, a region where shadowed craters are thought to contain water ice which could support a future moon settlement. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shivam Patel, Ed Osmond Organizations: ISRO, Handout, REUTERS, DELHI, Thomson Locations: Russian, New Delhi

☆ India landslides block trucks taking supplies to strife-torn Manipur
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rescue workers remove the debris as a search operation continues in the aftermath of a landslide following torrential rain in Shimla in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India, August 17, 2023. Rocks and mud engulfed part of a highway near Imphal, the capital of Manipur, following Wednesday's rains, stranding 400 trucks, police said, adding that incessant rain was hampering efforts to clear the road. In the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand, at least 16 people died in landslides this week with 15 missing by Wednesday, government figures showed. At least 88 people died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh last month, with 74 dying since June in Uttarakhand in events triggered by natural disasters, official data shows. Reporting by Zarir Hussain in Guwahati and Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Stringer, Praveen Bhardwaj, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Zarir Hussain, Shivam Patel, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Indian Express, Thomson Locations: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, DELHI, Manipur, Pakistan, Nepal, Imphal, Uttarakhand, Guwahati, New Delhi

☆ Death toll after landslides in Indian Himalayas rises to 57; 10 still missing
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A damaged portion of Shimla-Kalka heritage rail track is pictured following torrential rain in Shimla in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India, August 15, 2023. REUTERS/StringerNEW DELHI, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Rescuers pulled out more bodies on Tuesday after landslides in India's Himayalas over the weekend buried homes and buildings, killing at least 57 people and leaving 10 still trapped or missing, officials said. The destruction from the landslides was severe in India's Himachal Pradesh, where structures were swept away under rocks and falling trees, roads had caved in, and power and the railway network disrupted. Two people also died in neighbouring Uttarakhand state in rain-related incidents. Heavy rain is forecast to continue until Wednesday in parts of Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring Uttarakhand.

Persons: Stringer, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Praveen Bhardwaj, Bhardwaj, P.L, Sharma, Lata, Shivam Patel, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, DELHI, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, India's Himayalas, Pakistan, Nepal, India's Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, New Delhi

☆ Over 50 killed in Indian Himalayas as rain triggers landslides
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Shivam Patel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW DELHI, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Torrential rain in India's Himalayas triggered landslides over the weekend that have killed over 50 people, with the death toll expected to rise as more than 20 remain trapped or missing, officials said on Monday. Television footage from India's Himachal Pradesh state showed houses flattened by landslides, buses and cars hanging on the edge of precipices after roads gave way, and hundreds of people at rescue sites as emergency workers struggled to clear debris. [1/3]Rescue workers remove the debris as they search for survivors after a landslide following torrential rain in Shimla in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India, August 14, 2023. Schools and other educational institutes were ordered to close in Himachal Pradesh and people in vulnerable areas were being moved to relief shelters, state officials said. Uttarakhand state authorities announced that the Char Dham pilgrimage route would be closed until Tuesday following landslides.

Persons: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Sukhu, Stringer, Praveen Bhardwaj, Bhardwaj, Shivam Patel, Saurabh Sharma, Sakshi Dayal, Robert Birsel, Christina Fincher, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Twitter, Reuters, REUTERS, Uttarakhand Disaster Management, India Meteorological Department, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Himachal Pradesh, precipices, Shimla, Solan, Mandi district, Himachal, Uttarakhand, New Delhi, Lucknow

☆ India passes data protection law amid surveillance concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017 REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File PhotoNEW DELHI, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Indian lawmakers on Wednesday passed a data protection law that will dictate how tech companies process users' data amid criticism that it will likely lead to increased surveillance by the government. The law will allow companies to transfer some users' data abroad while giving the government power to seek information from firms and issue directions to block content on the advice of a data protection board appointed by the federal government. The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 gives the government powers to exempt state agencies from the law and gives users the right to correct or erase their personal data. The new legislation comes after India withdrew a 2019 privacy bill that had alarmed tech companies like Facebook and Google with its proposals for stringent restrictions on cross-border data flows. The Internet Freedom Foundation, a digital rights group, has also said that the law does not contain any meaningful safeguards against "over-broad surveillance", while the Editors Guild of India has said it affects press freedom and dilutes the Right to Information law.

Persons: Kacper, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Blassy Boben, Shivam Patel, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Facebook, Google, Freedom Foundation, Guild of India, Thomson Locations: India

☆ Rescuers search for missing pilgrims after north India landslide
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Rescuers were searching for missing pilgrims on Friday after a landslide in a northern Indian state crushed some shops on a hilly pathway and washed away structures into a river below, officials said. The incident occurred Thursday night after part of a hill broke apart amid heavy rains in Gaurikund area of the mountainous Uttarakhand state, said Nandan Singh Rajwar, a disaster management official. At least 12 to 13 people, who were on the trek route to the Kedarnath temple - a holy site for Hindus - could be missing, Rajwar added. Reporting by Krishn Kaushik; Writing by Shivam PatelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Nandan Singh Rajwar, Rajwar, Krishn Kaushik, Shivam Patel Organizations: Thomson Locations: DELHI, Gaurikund, Uttarakhand

After the Supreme Court's ruling, the lower house of parliament should now formally reinstate Gandhi. Lower courts and the high court in Gujarat, where the BJP holds power, had rejected appeals by Gandhi to suspend the conviction, prompting the appeal to the Supreme Court. Besides seeking suspension of the conviction, Gandhi has also sought to overturn it. That challenge has yet to be heard by the lower court in Gujarat. Gavai said the lower court had not given any reasons for handing down the maximum sentence of two years' jail which led to his disqualification from parliament.

Persons: Rahul Gandhi, Anushree, Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi's, Narendra Modi, Modi, B.R, Gavai, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Chowdhury, Purnesh Modi, YP Rajesh, Arpan Chaturvedi, Shivam Patel, Sakshi Dayal, Kim Coghill, Simon Cameron, Moore, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Supreme, Developmental, YP, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Gujarat, Manipur

REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File PhotoNEW DELHI, Aug 3 (Reuters) - India has restricted imports of laptops, tablets and personal computers with immediate effect, according to a government notice on Thursday, in a bid to push local manufacturing. In April-June, electronics imports, which include laptops, tablets and personal computers, was $19.7 billion, up 6.25% year-on-year. Electronics imports range between 7% to 10% of the country's total merchandise imports. "The move's spirit is to push manufacturing to India. India has been trying to push local manufacturing by giving production-linked incentives in over two dozen sectors, including electronics.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, It's, Ali Akhtar Jafri, Madhavi Arora, Shivam Patel, Shivangi Singh, Sudipto Ganguly, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, Electronics, Dell, Samsung, LG Electronics, Apple Inc, Lenovo, HK, HP Inc, Dixon Technologies, Emkay, India Cellular and Electronics Association, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, China, Mumbai

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