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Straits Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Malta to recognise Palestinian state in September
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox VALLETTA - Malta will declare recognition of a Palestinian state during the general assembly of the United Nations in September, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday evening. Abela made the announcement hours after a similar declaration by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and days after France also announced its recognition plans. "Our position reflects our commitment to efforts for a lasting peace in the Middle East," Abela said in a Facebook post. The Malta government had been under increasing pressure from within its ranks to recognise a Palestinian state and the centre-right Opposition in mid-July also called for immediate recognition. The Mediterranean EU island has a history of support for Palestinian causes and has backed efforts for a two-state solution. Abela first announced plans for recognition of a Palestinian state in May, saying it would take place at a United Nations conference in June, but the conference was later postponed. Ireland, Norway and Spain recognised Palestine as an independent state in May. REUTERS
Reuters
an hour ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Malta to recognise Palestinian state in September
VALLETTA, July 29 (Reuters) - Malta will declare recognition of a Palestinian state during the general assembly of the United Nations in September, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday evening. Abela made the announcement hours after a similar declaration by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and days after France also announced its recognition plans. "Our position reflects our commitment to efforts for a lasting peace in the Middle East," Abela said in a Facebook post. The Malta government had been under increasing pressure from within its ranks to recognise a Palestinian state and the centre-right Opposition in mid-July also called for immediate recognition. The Mediterranean EU island has a history of support for Palestinian causes and has backed efforts for a two-state solution. Abela first announced plans for recognition of a Palestinian state in May, saying it would take place at a United Nations conference in June, but the conference was later postponed. Ireland, Norway and Spain recognised Palestine as an independent state in May.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opposition targets PM Modi: Vishwaguru failed his country, fix accountability
DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the government for choosing leaders from Opposition parties as members of delegations for Operation Sindoor's global outreach. Participating in the special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, she went on to say that it would have been better if the situation to send these delegations did not arise. The statement from the DMK MP came a day after Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it was his 'badappan (generosity)' that he showed faith in Opposition leaders to lead the delegations that went to different countries after Operation Sindoor to highlight the country's fight against terrorism. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Pahalgam attack, Kanimozhi said the 'vishwaguru' failed the people of his own country. 'Why did these delegations have to go, why did the attacks have to happen… Some opportunities are not to be celebrated but to be mourned… They arise because peace has failed us and it stems from the deepest of pain,' she said. 'We had to go because you failed the people of India. The vishwaguru failed us… Today it has become a blame game. Even the Home Minister (Amit Shah), in his speech, only intended and concentrated on blaming the Opposition,' she said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav asked the government to fix responsibility for the 'intelligence failure' that led to the Pahalgam terror attack. He said the government can't get away after such incidents by merely admitting to a lapse. 'Under whose pressure was the ceasefire done,' asked Akhilesh. He said India's foreign policy has 'collapsed' and called China a 'monster' that will 'take over our land and market'. Akhilesh also raised questions on the timing of Operation Mahadev, in which three Pahalgam terrorists were killed, coinciding with the special debate in Parliament. DMK's A Raja said it has become a habit of BJP to blame Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi and the Congress for everything. He said a comparison is not always correct as any decision will be taken by then Prime Minister and leader in the context and circumstances prevailing over. Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the closure of Attari border after every such incident affects small traders and transporters. 'You (government) said terror and talk will not go together… If we can play cricket with Pakistan, why can't Diljit Dosanjh's movie be released in India,' she asked. TMC MP Sagarika Ghose criticised PM Modi and said 'politics and not sindoor flowed in his veins'. 'If sindoor would have flowed in the Prime Minister's veins, such an incident would not have happened,' she said. AAP MP Sanjay Singh questioned PM Modi's visit to Bihar soon after returning from Saudi Arabia, where he was at the time of the attack. He said the PM's first priority should have been to visit Pahalgam but he instead went to Bihar for a political rally and also met some celebrities.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rajnath: India not a soft state anymore, Sindoor punishment for Pak's proxy war
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that Operation Sindoor's aim was to send a message that India will show zero tolerance against terrorism and punish Pakistan's use of terror for a proxy war. He said the operation was a game-changer as it changed the perception that India is a soft state and added that the country had sent a clear message that it will go to any extent to act against terror. Initiating the special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Upper House, Singh said that following the Pahalgam attack on April 22, the government gave a 'free hand' to the armed forces to respond. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the three service chiefs. I was also present; a free hand was given to use their wisdom, strategic understanding to decide on the response,' Singh said. 'Our action was in self-defence and not expansionist… The aim was to destroy terrorist bases and send a message of zero tolerance against terrorism. The overall political-military objective of Operation Sindoor was punishing Pakistan's use of terror for a proxy war.' On May 10 morning, Singh said, India's strong attack on Pakistan's multiple airfields forced them to accept defeat and offer an end to hostilities. 'We accepted only on the condition that the operation was suspended, not ended. We will not hesitate to resume the operation if there are terrorist activities in the future.' Responding to the Opposition's statement that India should have captured Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the minister expressed surprise. 'I am surprised at this demand, because when they were in power, they did just the opposite.' 'There would come a day, I cannot predict when, but a day would come when people in PoK would be able to say proudly that they are Indians,' he said. Criticising the Opposition's question on how many jets were shot down, Singh said, 'They never asked how many we shot down. I have information on each one of them and if I speak openly, the House will reverberate with applause for 10 minutes,' he said. The Defence Minister also said that past governments, too, should have taken action against Pakistan for harbouring terror… Quoting from former President and Union minister Pranab Mukherjee's book The Coalition Years, Singh said, 'India had evidence terrorists used Karachi port (during 26/11)… There was a demand for military intervention which I rejected, there was a heated debate in the Cabinet.' He said, 'The then government did what they felt was right. This is not a criticism of the government or ministers…but today's India thinks differently under (PM Narendra) Modi's leadership. India is not satisfied with just handing dossiers, we give a fitting response.' Singh also said Pakistan as the vice-chair of UNSC counter-terrorism committee was like 'having a cat guard milk'. An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change. Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
India Today
2 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Exposing nuke bluff, terror hubs: PM unveils 5-pronged Army success against Pak
From dismantling Pakistan's terror infrastructure to exposing its nuclear bogey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday presented the Army's paksh (side) of the success story during Operation Sindoor, after two days of constant back-and-forth between the Centre and the Opposition over the outcome of the four-day conflict in the first facet of Operation Sindoor before the Lok Sabha, PM Modi said that following the Pahalgam terror attacks, Pakistan had an inkling that India would not remain silent and would do something big. "They had already started issuing nuclear threats to us," PM their nuclear blackmail, PM Modi added that India went ahead as planned and struck terror bases inside Pakistan in the early hours of May 7. "Pakistan couldn't do anything," he said, adding that in just 22 minutes, the victims of the April 22 terror attack were avenged through precision the second side of the Army's success story during Operation Sindoor, PM Modi pointed out that this was the first time India had reached territories inside Pakistan where it had never ventured before, not even during previous wars, to raze their terror establishments in Bahawalpur and Muridke to the the third side, PM Modi declared that Pakistan can no longer hide behind the bogey of a nuclear threat. "We have proved Pakistan's nuclear threat to be a will no longer bow down to their nuclear blackmailing," he on to the fourth aspect of Operation Sindoor's success story, Prime Minister said that the four-day conflict witnessed India's technological prowess at play through precision strikes in the heart of Pakistan."Pakistan's airbases suffered major damages. And, till date, a lot of their airbases are lying in the ICU," quipped PM Modi. PM Modi reminded everyone present in the House that, had it not been for the preparations India had made in the defence sector over the past decade, the losses incurred in this era of technology could have been PM Modi pointed out that during Operation Sindoor, the whole world witnessed the power of Aatmanirbhar Bharat for the first time. He said that Made-in-India drones and missiles laid Pakistan's air defence bare, adding that the 'synergy' among the Air Force, Navy, and Army proved costly for the neighbouring country.- EndsTune InMust Watch
