As India prepares for SCO Summit, a look at how New Delhi's association with bloc began



International Desk, Barta24.com
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As India prepares to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in virtual format on Tuesday, it is, perhaps, in order to hark back to how New Delhi's relationship with the group began.

As an observer country, India joined the SCO in 2005 and became a full member of the group at the Astana Summit in 2017, marking a watershed point in its relationship with the Organisation.

In the last six years, India has taken an active and positive role in all SCO operations.

At the SCO Summit in Samarkand in September 2022, India took over the chairmanship of the SCO for the first time from Uzbekistan.

During India's presidency, the SCO has reached new milestones in the depth and intensity of its engagements and interactions across wide-ranging sectors.

The theme of India's chairship of SCO- SECURE is derived from the acronym coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2018 SCO Qingadao Summit.

It stands for: S : Security, E: Economic development, C: Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, E: Environmental protection

India created five new pillars and focus areas of cooperation in SCO -- Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Digital Inclusion, Youth Empowerment and Shared Buddhist Heritage.

Two new mechanisms in SCO -- Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation and Experts Working Group on Traditional Medicine -- were created at India's initiative.

"On February this year, a virtual conference of experts and practitioners of traditional medicine was organised where experts from 25 countries of SCO participated. As per the vision of Hon'ble  PM Shri Narendra Modi ji, the draft terms of reference of Expert Working Group on Traditional Medicine was approved during a meeting of experts held at New Delhi last month," the official release of Ministry of Ayush stated.

In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said earlier that India is set to take an initiative for a new SCO working group on traditional medicines.

While addressing the extended format of the 22nd Summit of the Council of Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States (SCO-CoHS) in Uzbekistan's Samarkand, he said,

"In April 2022, WHO inaugurated its Global Centre for Traditional Medicines in Gujarat. This was the first & only global centre by WHO for traditional treatment. India will take an initiative for a new SCO working group on traditional medicines."

To achieve the Prime Minister Modi's vision of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakom (World is One Family), India emphasised more people-to-people connections.

A number of landmark events were held under the Indian Chair of SCO in order to deepen people-to-people connections. With its involvement in 14 socio-cultural events, the SCO Observers and Dialogue Partners under Indian Chair demonstrated new levels of engagement.

Further, events such as SCO Film Festival, SCO Millet Food Festival, SCO Cultural showcase at SurajKund Mela, SCO Tourism Mart, "Conference on Shared Buddhist Heritage", "B2B Conference on Traditional Medicine", SCO International Conference of Think Tanks also took place.

Drawing focus on India's cultural and civilisational heritage, Kashi/ Varanasi was celebrated as the 1st SCO Tourist and Cultural Capital of SCO 2022-23.

Youth Empowerment was another focus area of the Indian chair, with events such as Young Authors Conference, Young Scientist Conclave, Startup Forum, SCO Youth Council and Conference, and SCO Resident Researchers Programme where the SCO young scholar from Member State stayed in India for a month to conduct research activities.

Further, during India's presidency of the SCO, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar virtually opened New Delhi Hall in the SCO Secretariat in Beijing. To commemorate India's first SCO presidency, a commemorative stamp was issued.

On May 4-5 this year, India also hosted the Foreign Ministers of SCO in Goa, this was marked by a colourful cultural program and substantive discussions the following day. Goa showcased its warm hospitality, unique culture and distinct heritage.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State is all set to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a virtual format, according to the statement released by SCO.
Under India's leadership, the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in a virtual format on July 4, 2023.

All the SCO Member States -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- have been invited to attend the Summit.

In addition, Iran, Belarus and Mongolia have been invited as Observer States. As per the SCO tradition, Turkmenistan has also been invited as the guest of the Chair. Heads of the two SCO Bodies -- the Secretariat and the SCO RATS -- will also be present.

Further, heads of six international and regional organisations -- UN, ASEAN, CIS, CSTO, EAEU and CICA -- have also been invited to the summit.

India's chairmanship of SCO has been a period of intense activity and mutually beneficial cooperation between Member States. India has hosted a total of 134 meetings and events, including 14 Ministerial-level meetings. India remains committed to playing a positive and constructive role in the organization and looks forward to a successful SCO Summit as the culmination of its Chairmanship.

The rotational presidency remains with India until September 2023.

Source: Times of India

   

Netanyahu in fear of ICC arrest



International Desk, Barta24.com
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Israel's attack on Gaza did not stop. The death procession is increasing every day under the orders of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli army is not paying attention to the ongoing movement around the world. On the other hand, Tel Aviv is listening to the calls of pro-Palestinian world leaders.

Killing, torture and destruction are being carried out indiscriminately in violation of international law. The blockaded area is being gradually completed, including women and children. On the other hand, the world is not able to do anything about such activities in Israel.

But now it is known that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue an arrest warrant against the Prime Minister of Israel.

This is what the country's local media reported on Saturday (April 27). According to The New Arab, citing unnamed sources, Maariv newspaper reported that Netanyahu is under stress and panic over the threat of an ICC arrest warrant.

Not only Netanyahu, but also some of his prominent officials may receive this arrest notice, according to reports in the Israeli media.

According to Israeli media reports, the names of the country's Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi will be included in the list. Senior government officials held an emergency meeting in Tel Aviv this week to discuss that possibility.

In the meantime, Netanyahu has spoken on the phone with international friends, especially US President Joe Biden, to prevent the arrest warrant. It is not clear when an arrest warrant may be issued, and it is not standard for courts to disclose such information.

But fears of an arrest warrant against Netanyahu were first aired on Thursday by British-pro-Israel commentator Douglas Murray in an opinion piece in the US tabloid New York Post.

A warrant could be issued within days, Murray wrote. Netanyahu will not immediately face trial. But it would be a major blow to the prime minister on the world stage and put pressure on Israel's allies and ICC members to act.

Earlier in an interview on Friday, Netanyahu wrote, "Israel's natural and self-defense rights are undermined, and this country will not accept any such efforts by the ICC under my leadership." Threats to seize military officers of the Middle East's only democracy and the world's only Jewish state are outrageous. We will never bow down to it.'

Senior Israeli officials are said to be concerned about what such a warrant would mean for military operations against Hamas in Gaza.

Israel's Channel 13 broadcaster quoted officials as saying they believed the tribunal would target policy makers rather than junior soldiers.

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20 soldiers were killed in an explosion at an army base in Cambodia



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An ammunition explosion at a military base on Cambodia's western border has killed 20 soldiers. Prime Minister Hun Manet said the explosion happened on Saturday afternoon.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Facebook that the explosion occurred at a military base in Kampong Speu province in western Cambodia.

He said, we are deeply shocked by this. However, the cause of the explosion is not yet known.

Expressing his condolences to the families of the slain soldiers, he said that the funeral expenses of the deceased would be paid.

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Endangered hippos stranded in dry rivers in Botswana amid severe drought



International Desk, Barta24.com , Dhaka
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African countries are suffering from severe drought. A herd of endangered hippos trapped in the mud of a dry reservoir in the drought-stricken African country of Botswana is at risk of dying.

South Africa has been hit by severe drought due to El Nino weather, AFP reported. Crops in the region are under threat, millions of people are starving. Several countries in the region have recently declared national disasters.

Herds of hippos become trapped in dried-up rivers near the vast wetlands of the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana.

Lesego Moseki, spokesman for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) in Botswana's capital Gaborone, said the river system had dried up and the animals were in a compromised situation.

Botswana is home to the world's largest population of hippos living in the wild. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are approximately 2,000 to 4,000 hippos.

Moseki said hippos in Ngamiland (North West District) depend on water flowing through the Okavango Delta system. They are still investigating how many hippos died in the pools.

Hippos have thick but sensitive skin. They need to bathe regularly in water to avoid sunburn and they usually live in humid areas.

Without water they can become aggressive and approach villages. Local authorities have called for the hippos to be relocated to protected areas to avoid conflict with humans.

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern usually associated with global warming, leading to drought in some parts of the world and heavy rainfall in others.

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India has allowed onion export to 6 countries including Bangladesh



International Desk, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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India has approved the export of 99 thousand 150 tons of onions to 6 countries including Bangladesh. Other countries are - United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.

This information was given on the website of the Government of India on Saturday (April 27).

It said onion exports were banned to ensure domestic supply due to lower kharif and rabi seasons in the country in 2023-24 compared to the previous year. This increases the demand in the international market. Indian agency National Cooperation Exports Limited (NCEL) exports onions to these countries. They procure onions from internal sources through e-platform at lowest price (L1). Then, on a 100% advance payment basis, the rates are negotiated and supplied to the agencies or government-designated agencies in the destination countries.

NCEL fixes the prices with the buyers taking into consideration the prices of the countries where onion is bought, international and domestic prices. Now the quotas are allocated according to the demand of the countries where onion export is allowed.

Maharashtra is the largest onion producer in India. They are the largest supplier of onions to NCEL for export.

Earlier, Bangladesh had sent a formal letter to the Indian government to allow the export of certain quantities of onion to reduce the price of onion in the country's market during the holy month of Ramadan.

In addition, the country's government has allowed the export of additional 2000 metric tons of white onion. These onions are mainly exported to Middle East and some European countries. Due to the high production cost of white onion, its price is relatively high.

India is the world's largest onion exporter. The country's government had imposed a ban on onion exports till March 31, 2024 in December last year to maintain supply in the domestic market. Later it was extended indefinitely. The new decision to export onions is good news for India's friendly countries.

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