Qatar all set to expand US airbase

Arab News
January 30, 2018

Visiting Washington DC, Qatar's Defence Minister Khalid Bin Mohammad Al Attiyah said his country will expand the American airbase that currently houses about 10,000 US military personnel.

The expansion at the Al Udeid base - home of the US Central Command - will allow for 200 more housing units for officers and their families, Attiyah said.

"It will very soon become family oriented place for our American friends there. We want more of the families to be stable and feel more comfortable in their stay," Attiyah said at an event held by the Heritage Foundation, a US-based think-thank.

Al Udeid serves as one of the most important overseas US military bases with operations throught the Middle East launched from Qatar.

In the aftermath of the Gulf War in 1991, the United States and Qatar signed a military cooperation agreement that deepened defence.

The US military moved to Qatar in 2003 after evacuating the Prince Sultan air force base in Saudi Arabia.

Al Udeid also houses military personnel from the United Kingdom and other allies.

"Qatar is strategically placed. Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria - these are all hotspots in region. I am not exaggerating when I say 80 percent of aerial refuelling in the region is from Udeid," Attiyah said.

"We're the ones that keep your birds flying."

Attiyah added the US presence has been beneficial for Qatar's armed forces. "We're learning a lot on the military side by flying side-by-side. We are learning from the Americans, it's a real operational environment."

In June, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar and imposed a land, sea and air blockade after accusing it of supporting terrorism and extremism.

Qatar has strongly denied the allegations.

"What's happening in the region in the past seven months isn't good for the secure flow of energy. Keeping the GCC in coherent status is very important for a safe and smooth flow of energy," said Attiyah.

Attiyah reiterated Qatar wants to end the GCC crisis and the United States plays an important role.

"At the moment, I think the only person who can solve the GCC crisis is President Trump. And I think he can solve it in a phone call," he said.

"Nobody is benefiting from what is happening in the GCC except for terror groups," Attiyah added.

"We're open to dialogue. We can discuss anything. The only thing we don't accept is imposing conditions on us or tampering with our sovereignty."

"We're tough people. We don't accept pre-conditions. But at the same time, we're very open to discuss issues that worry them."

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News Network
February 13,2020

Feb 13: Two Indian crew on board a cruise ship off the Japanese coast have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Indian Embassy in Japan said on Wednesday as authorities confirmed that 174 people have been infected with the deadly disease.

The cruise ship Diamond Princess with 3,711 people on board arrived at the Japanese coast early last week and was quarantined after a passenger who de-boarded last month in Hong Kong was found to be the carrier of the novel virus on the ship.

A total of 138 Indians, including passengers and crew, were on board the ship.

“Due to the suspicion of novel coronavirus (nCoV) infection, the ship has been quarantined by the Japanese authorities till February 19, 2020,” the embassy said in a statement.

“Altogether 174 people have been tested positive for nCoV, including two Indian crew members,” it said.

All the infected people have been taken to hospitals for adequate treatment, including further quarantine, in accordance with the Japanese health protocol, it said.

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News Network
May 30,2020

New Delhi, May 30: As the NDA government completes one year of its second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi listed several achievements and initiatives taken by his government in the past year in an audio message addressed to the people of the country.

PM Modi said, "This day last year began a golden chapter in the history of Indian democracy. It was after several decades that the people of the country voted back a full-term government with a full majority."

"Your role has played a pivotal role in creating this chapter. In such a situation, this day is an opportunity for me to bow to the citizens of the country and the democratic ethos of our nation," said PM Modi.

"Had the situation been normal, I would have got the chance to meet you. Your affection and active support in the past year have given me new energy and inspiration. During this period, the way you have shown the collective powers of democracy, they have become an example for the whole world," he added.

PM Modi talked about several important initiatives taken by his government in 2014 as well as India's demonstration of its mettle through the surgical strike and airstrike.

"Six years ago in 2014, the people of this country voted to bring a major change in the country. You voted to change the country's policy and manner. During that tenure where surgical strike and airstrike took place, one rank one pension, one nation one tax GST, and better MSP for farmers were also fulfilled. That period was dedicated to fulfilling many needs of the country."

He further said that in these years the country has seen systems coming out of the quagmire of inertia and corruption. The country has seen governance change to make life easier for the poor.

"During that period, India's stature in the world increased. By opening bank accounts of poor people, by giving them gas connections, by providing free electricity connections, by building washrooms, by building houses, the dignity of the poor has also been increased," said PM Modi.

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News Network
February 4,2020

New Delhi, Feb 4: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday accused Arvind Kejriwal of having a "partnership" with Pakistan and appealed to the people in Delhi to not vote for the AAP chief as it will make Pakistan happy.

Ramping up his attack on the Shaheen Bagh protest, Adityanath said that the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is merely an excuse for people to vent their anger against the scrapping of Article 370.

"You must have seen their partnership on 370. Arvind Kejriwal used to speak in the same voice as Imran Khan on Article 370. You must have heard it.

"Now when elections are taking place in Delhi, who is speaking in favour of Arvind Kejriwal? It is the ministers of Pakistan. They are aware that Kejriwal is feeding 'biryani to protesters at Shaheen Bagh'," he said, referring to Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry's tweet asking Indians to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Adityanath addressed three rallies on Monday in the national capital ahead of assembly elections.

"Will Pakistan decide who Indians should vote for. If voting for Kejriwal will make Pakistan happy, should it be done," he asked at a rally in Mehrauli.

Adityanath said his Delhi counterpart Kejriwal has become a "toy in the hands of anti-social and anti-India elements".

Addressing a rally in Vikaspuri in west Delhi, he said that Kejriwal is not bothered about key issues such as providing clean drinking water but is concerned about Shaheen Bagh, the anti-citizenship amendment act protest site.

At another rally in Uttam Nagar in west Delhi, Adityanath said Kejriwal has played with the emotions of the people of Delhi for the last five years.

"He obstructed the development of Delhi. And knowingly and unknowingly, he became a toy in the hands of anti-social and anti-India elements," Adityanath said.

The protest at Shaheen Bagh, he said, has disrupted traffic across the capital.

"A guest with an appointment to meet him at 9.30 am could only reach at 11. He told me he had left as early as 7 am but got stuck because of the traffic in Shaheen Bagh," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister also slammed Kejriwal for "sympathising" with elements who he said gave anti-India slogans in Jawaharlal Nehru University.

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