US Will Work Closely With "Great Ally" India: Trump Administration

Agencies
May 29, 2019

Washington, May 29: India is a "great ally" of America and the US will continue to work closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trump administration has said, asserting that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was looking forward to have a "robust discussion" with his Indian counterpart on a wide range of issues.

State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told reporters during an off-camera news conference here on Tuesday that the US was confident in the fairness and integrity of the just-concluded general elections in India.

The Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Mr Pompeo, congratulated PM Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party on the spectacular electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections whose results were declared on May 23.

"We, of course, will work closely with Modi, as we have many times," Mr Ortagus told reporters in response to a question.

"We''re confident in the fairness and integrity of the elections, and I think that Secretary Pompeo will have a very robust discussion on a range of issues. India is a great ally and partner of the United States," Mr Ortagus said.

The US Lawmakers and senior government officials continue to congratulate PM Modi on his grand electoral victory.

Indian-Americans organised victory celebrations in various parts of the US. Several more are in the pipeline on a large scale in the coming weeks.

According to a compilation made by the Indian Embassy here, more than 50 Congressmen, Senators and the senior government officials have sent congratulatory messages to PM Modi.

"India continues to have amazing potential and is a strong US partner. Congratulations to Narendra Modi on your success with the elections and the direction you are taking India. We look forward to seeing our partnership continue to strengthen," tweeted Indian-American politician Nikki Haley.

"Congratulations to Modi ''on being re-elected'' as Prime Minister of India, said Congressman Al Green.

"I wish peace and prosperity for India and its neighbours and look forward to seeing you at India House in my congressional district in Houston, Texas, USA," he said.

In the first back-to-back majority for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party won 303 out of the total 542 Lok Sabha seats, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress Party and many other political opponents.

"Prime Minister Modi has led India and has brought lot of credibility in foreign affairs and made India a power to reckon with. He has travelled all the continents and made friends and has a given the prestige to India that was long overdue," said Sampat Shivangi, president of Indian American Forum.

"India is a no more a third world country and has stood the test of time and has been recognised as one of the top six economies in the world," Mr Shivangi said.

The Indian-Americans will put pressure and use the political clout to impress upon the US the importance of a balanced and fair trade agreement with India.

"We do not want another impasse as we see with US-China trade and we do not want India to be another China," he said.

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News Network
February 17,2020

New Delhi, Feb 17: Two alleged criminals were killed in an exchange of fire with the Special Cell of Delhi Police at Pul Pehlad Pur area in New Delhi on Monday morning, officials said.

The encounter took place around 5 am, they said.

Raja Qureshi and Ramesh Bahadur, who were injured during the encounter, were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were declared brought dead by doctors, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) P S Kushwah said.

According to police, the two men were involved in multiple cases of murder and robbery.

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Agencies
July 29,2020

Dubai, Jul 29: Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday begin the annual Haj, downsized this year as the Saudi hosts strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage.

The Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, is usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

But this year only up to 10,000 people already residing in the Kingdom will participate in the ritual, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world that attended last year.

"There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but (downsizing) is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic," said Khalid bin Qarar Al Harbi, Saudi Arabia's director of public security.

Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in the holy city of Makkah and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.

Those selected to take part in the Haj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine as they began trickling into Makkah at the weekend.

State media showed health workers sanitising their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.

Workers, clutching brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Haj authorities have cordoned off the Holy Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection.

They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims.

Saudi authorities said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the Kingdom would be permitted for the Haj. Some 70 per cent of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the Kingdom, while the rest will be Saudi citizens, authorities said.

All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in the holy city of Makkah and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the Kingdom nears 270,000.

They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the Ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a Haj ministry programme document.

"I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval," Emirati pilgrim Abdullah Al Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry.

"It is an indescribable feeling... especially since it is my first pilgrimage."

The Haj ministry said non-Saudi residents of the Kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process but it did not say how many people applied.

Despite the pandemic, many pilgrims consider it safer to participate in this year's ritual without the usual colossal crowds cramming into tiny religious sites, which make it a logistical nightmare and a health hazard.

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News Network
April 26,2020

Apr 26: The Chinese city of Wuhan, where the global coronavirus pandemic began, now has no remaining cases in its hospitals, a health official told reporters on Sunday.

"The latest news is that by April 26, the number of new coronavirus patients in Wuhan was at zero, thanks to the joint efforts of Wuhan and medical staff from around the country," National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said at a briefing.

The city had reported 46,452 cases, 56% of the national total. It saw 3,869 fatalities, or 84% of China's total.

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