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US senate passes bill to declassify all intelligence on Covid origins, a day after FBI said pandemic leaked from Wuhan lab

OpIndia Staff
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US senate passes bill to declassify all intelligence on Covid origins, a day after FBI said pandemic leaked from Wuhan lab

The United Senate has unanimously voted to call for a bill to declassify all intelligence regarding the origins of Covid 19, more than 3 years after the pandemic broke and killed millions of people around the world. As per reports, Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Mike Braun reintroduced the bill that requires Presiden Biden to declassify all intelligence related to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and possible origins of the SARS Cov 2 virus.

The development comes a day after the US Department of Energy and later the FBI confirmed that the ‘Wuhan lab leak’ is the most likely origin of the pandemic.

In an interview with Fox News, FBI director Christopher Wray confirmed that the probe agency has known for some time that a ‘Wuhan lab leak incident’ is the most probable origin of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Though the claim has just become mainstream, a number of journalists, scientists and politicians have been saying for more than a year that the SARS-COV 2 virus had most likely leaked from the BSL4 lab inside the Wuhan Institute of Virology where the US govt’s NIAID had funded a gain of function research through the EcoHealth Alliance and the Chinese government.

In a classified report provided to the White House, the US Department of Energy has also affirmed the same.

“For nearly three years, anyone asking whether COVID-19 originated as a lab leak outbreak was silenced and branded as a conspiracy theorist. Now, these prudent skeptics stand vindicated. The Biden administration must immediately declassify all intelligence reports pertaining to the origins of COVID-19 coronavirus and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The American people deserve to know the truth.” Senator Josh Hawley told Fox News.

US govt, media and so-called ‘scientists’, everyone had labelled the Wuhan lab leak theories as ‘conspiracy and false news’

It is notable here that despite repeated claims by several experts and journalists, the ‘mainstream’ government and media voices, including Dr Fauci, have been labelling the lab leak theory as a conspiracy.

A detailed report in OpIndia had explained how Peter Daszak, the head of EcoHealth Alliance, which was carrying out gain of function research in Wuhan lab, was one of the first persons to denounce the lab leak theories and had gone so far as to publish a letter in Lancet, declaring all ‘lab leak’ claims as baseless.

Interestingly, Daszak had also made himself a part of the WHO team sent to the very Wuhan lab to investigate the Covid origins, which was unsurprisingly unsuccessful in making any significant headways. Daszak was one of the most vocal influencers in setting down and dismissing the claims of ‘lab leak’.

Old videos and articles show Daszak even boasting about how his research is trying to ‘create’ antibody-resistant variants of the Coronavirus. Emails between Fauci and Daszak obtained by some media organisations under the Freedom of Information Act showed Daszak thanking Fauci for shutting down and dismissing the ‘lab leak’ theories.

Now that the US government is finally warming up to admitting the ‘lab leak’ claims, even validating them, the important question is, despite all the evidence, documentation and repeated claims, why had the same US government and media establishment worked for years to cover this up?

CM Yogi Adityanath registers new record, serves longest unbroken term in the state completing 5 years, 347 days in office

OpIndia Staff
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CM Yogi Adityanath registers new record, serves longest unbroken term in the state completing 5 years, 347 days in office

On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath registered a new record in his name of serving the longest unbroken term in the state after Independence. CM Yogi Adityanath completed 5 years and 347 days in the office yesterday and outlasted Dr Sampurnanand of the Congress, who had served the office for 5 years and 345 days from 1954 to 1960.

Dr Sampurnanand, Mayawati of the BSP was the first CM to serve out the entire tenure. Nonetheless, she served from 2007 to 2012, a period of 4 years, 307 days, until her party was defeated in the elections.

The following chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav of the SP, also served for the full term and his administration lasted 5 years, and 4 days. CM Yogi then became Chief Minister in 2017 when the BJP won the election with a landslide victory. The incumbent chief minister led the BJP to a record third straight victory in March 2022 as well.

Govind Ballabh Pant, the state’s first CM, held the position for the longest period of time without an interruption in the area, however from April 1, 1946, to January 23, 1950, he served as the chief minister of the United Provinces. After serving as the CM of Uttar Pradesh from January 24, 1950, to December 28, 1954, for a total of 4 years, and 336 days, he was appointed the Union’s home minister.

In terms of cumulative tenure, Mayawati, who held the position of chief minister of Uttar Pradesh four times, is in the lead with a total run of more than seven years. However, during three terms as chief minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav held office for little under seven years.

Yogi Adityanath has already broken the Noida jinx of the former UP CMs, which stated that going to the district guaranteed that the incumbent and their party would not be returned to power. Reports mention that Yogi Adityanath travelled to the district over a dozen times in his previous tenure and returned as the UP CM for a second historic time in March 2022.

“Due to his vision, the CM broke the Noida jinx It was believed in UP that if a CM visited Noida, he or she would lose their seat. Due to this fear, many CMS never visited Noida, However, in the past six years, Yogi Adityanath must have visited Noida at least 25 times and also took oath as CM for the second time on March 25, 2022,” a government spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Here’s the broad list of state Chief Ministers who held the office for more than 3 years

Yogi Adityanath (BJP) — 5 years 347 days (serving) — 2017-23
Dr Sampurnanand (Congress) — 5 years 345 days — 1954-60
Akhilesh Yadav (SP) — 5 years 4 days — 2012-17
GB Pant (Congress) — 4 years 336 days –1950-54
Mayawati (BSP) — 4 years 307 days — 2007-12
MS Yadav (SP) — 3 years 257 days — 2003-2007

‘Who did you vote for?’ Comedian asked people pleading for help amid Covid wave. Watch his genocidal views on those who voted for PM Modi

OpIndia Staff
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‘Who did you vote for?’ Comedian asked people pleading for help amid Covid wave. Watch his genocidal views on those who voted for PM Modi

On February 3, comedian Daniel Fernandes published a video, ‘Alive and Vaccinated’, on his YouTube channel, which was a recording of his live show. In the one-hour 39 minutes long video, Fernandes mentioned that during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, he would ask people whom they voted in reply to their DMs for help on Instagram. Without taking any party’s name, he said if they had voted for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he blocked them, and if they hadn’t, he would share their plea on his profile.

A snippet of that particular section was published on Instagram. He said, “If you were on social media, Instagram, for instance, it was very scary. Instagram looked like a hospital ward. Do you remember that? Every Instagram story was a cry for help. “I need an oxygen cylinder!”, “I need an ICU bed”, “I need a ventilator”, And I’m like, “but you voted for chai!” [audience applauded] “Drink it!” And anyone who had any amount of following on social media they were getting a lot of messages in their DMs asking for help. They were saying stuff like, “Hey, I need such and such thing. Can you please share this with your followers?” Can you please amplify my cry for help?” Now, as somebody who has a little bit of a following on social media, I got these messages too.”

“And as I said earlier, in a difficult time, I’m happy to help out if I can make a difference. But I also have an obligation to my own followers. I can’t blindly share anything that comes into my inbox. I have to verify the information, right? So whenever I receive these messages asking for help, saying I need such and such things, I will reply and ask them, “Who did you vote for?” And if they said, “Not chai”, I would share the message. But if they said they voted for chai, I would block them! That seems fair, right?” He added.

Notably, Fernandes is not the only one who has dreamt of BJP leaders or supporters dying of Covid-19. When Home Minister Amit Shah got Covid, there was a wave of hateful comments wishing for his death. The same goes for other BJP supporters. Not only during Covid, but the left-liberal ecosystem also has a habit of wishing for the death of BJP/RSS leaders and supporters. Not to forget, late journalist Vinod Dua’s daughter Mallika Dua once casually wished death for RSS/BJP supporters. On the contrary, when she cried for help on social media, BJP leaders rushed to help her. We covered how left-liberals were refusing to help “Sanghis” during Covid.

Fernandes further said, “I told my friend I did this, and he was like “Bro, this is exactly what the hospitals should’ve done!” He’s like, “Yeah yeah, just think,  you have COVID, you go to the hospital, “Yeah, hi, I have Covid. I need an ICU bed.” “Who did you vote for?” “Not chai” “Come, come, come! Right, this way. We have an ICU bed for you. Come, come! There’s air conditioning, there’s Netflix, there’s Wi-Fi. Come come!! Acche din idhar hai!” (Good days are here!) “Next!” “Yeah, I have COVID. I need an ICU bed.” “Who did you vote for?” “Chai” “Aap wahan jaaiye” (Please move over there). “Kyun” (Why?) “Kyunki Hospital wahi banega” (Because that’s where the hospital will be built).”

“Chai” is often used to point towards PM Modi as he used to sell tea when he was a child. “Acche din idhar hai” was to mock “Acche Din Aayenge” slogan used by BJP. “Hospital wahin Banega” was to mock Hindus because of the slogan “Mandir Wahin Banayenge”, which was used as a vow to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Whether it is just a joke or not, the lack of empathy and the way Fernandes wished for the death of BJP/RSS supporters is beyond comprehension. Sadly, instead of calling him out, his audience applauded the dark “jokes”. Fernandes has over 76,000 followers on Instagram and over 2,20,000 subscribers on YouTube.

‘Abbu used to beat me for visiting Hindu temples’: Nargis becomes Nikki and marries her Hindu lover in Mainpuri

OpIndia Staff
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‘Abbu used to beat me for visiting Hindu temples’: Nargis becomes Nikki and marries her Hindu lover in Mainpuri

On February 28, a Muslim woman reverted to Hinduism and got married to a Hindu man from Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. Agra native Nargis got married to Alok in the Mainpuri district. They had been acquainted for a year. The two met on a social media platform and became friends and eventually decided to get married.

According to media reports, Nargis has stated that she has liked Sanatan Dharma since she was a young child. She occasionally visited the temple as well, which enraged Abbu (father) to thrash her. Following the Ghar Wapsi rituals, the newlywed Nargis changed her name to Nikki and said that she had never liked Islam. Nikki claims that she became friends with Alok on Instagram. After several days of interaction, they both decided to become life partners.

Nikki claims that now, she intends to remain a Hindu for the rest of her life. The wedding took place in a Laxmi temple in Mainpuri and was attended by Alok’s family and friends, while Nikki’s family members were not present there. Nikki’s mother is reportedly deceased. Nikki and Alok will soon be doing a court marriage as well.

Nikki’s Abbu reportedly opposed her relationship with Alok. After her mother passed away, it was just Nikki and her father in the family.  Nikki claims that once Alok arrived in Agra to meet her, her father learned about it and then assaulted Nikki. Alok after knowing about this brought Nikki to Mainpuri.

Nikki’s father filed a complaint against Alok. Following this, Alok was apprehended by the police, and Nikki was handed to her father. Alok and Nikki resolved to get married after Alok was released from police custody. 

“I am an adult, I have the right to marry the man of my choice. I got married to Alok on February 28,” Nikki said. Meanwhile, Alok asserted that he or his family did not exert any pressure to have Nargis change her name to Nikki adding that it was her own decision. 

Pakistan shows no interest in rescuing ‘Lady Al Qaeda’, Aafia Siddiqui

ANI
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Pakistan shows no interest in rescuing ‘Lady Al Qaeda’, Aafia Siddiqui

Addressing the press conference along with Aafia Siddiqui’s sister, Fauzia Siddiqui, lawyer Clive Stafford Smith said Aafia, who was ‘abducted’ in 2003, “holds no special importance for the US” and it’s the government of Pakistan that didn’t do enough to bring her back, the Dawn reported. 

Clive Stafford Smith is the lawyer who paved way for the return of two Pakistani brothers — Abdul Rabbani and Ahmed Rabbani — who were detained at the Guantanamo Bay prison for the last 20 years. They were released and returned to Pakistan last week. Responding to a question, he said if Shakeel Afridi had to be traded for Siddiqui’s release, the Pakistani authorities should do it. 
Afridi has been incarcerated for more than a decade after he was accused of helping the US in tracing the Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden who was killed in Abbottabad in 2012. 

As reported by Dawn news, Smith called on the Pakistan government to consider ‘prisoner swap’ for her release, while revealing horrific details of torture endured by Gitmo detainees. 

“If the Rabbani brothers [Abdul and Ahmed Rabbani] can be brought back, why not her,” he was quoted as saying in the report. 
Smith said he had visited Siddiqui in January at the Federal Medical Centre, Carswell in Texas where she was being detained. 

“I have engaged with over 80 Guantanamo Bay prisoners, but not one was in the condition as bad as her,” he said. 

He added that although the facility was a “medical centre”, in reality, it was as “ghastly as the other prisons in the US”. 

He said the commitment from the government and media support was needed to bring the incarcerated doctor back. 

He said 546 prisoners have been released from Guantanamo Bay, of which only one was released by courts. “The remaining 545 got their freedom through pressure exerted by the media and journalists,” he said. 

Fauzia said the last time she ever heard any report about her imprisoned sister was in 2016. 

“Since then, we have had no contact with her. We used to hear that she had died, but it was finally this year in January when Clive met her, we came to know that she is alive,” she was quoted as saying in the Dawn report. 

Further, according to the Dawn, she added that Siddiqui was subjected to many types of torture but the brutal act of “taking children away from a mother” was the worst of all. 

FMC Carswell is a high-security prison, and Aafia Siddiqui is slated to spend the rest of her life there, under US law, she will be well over 100 years old before she is eligible for release. Life expectancy in US prisons hovers around 60. 

She also said her six-month-old nephew had gone missing and to this day he hadn’t been found. 

“We want to make this a movement with a momentum that does not end until Aafia is back,” she said. 

Speaking to Dawn, Smith said Ahmed Rabbani was a skilled artist and an adept chef, the skills he learnt during his detention. 
The lawyer added that he is planning to hold an exhibition of Ahmed Rabbani’s artwork depicting his time in detention. 

“He made an imaginary Guantanamo Bay as he never saw it since they always kept him blindfolded,” he said. 

“We also have a great Guantanamo Cook Book coming along based on Ahmed’s recipes. The recipes are named after 62 torture methods he went through.” 

Smith also revealed horrific details about the torture inflicted upon the two brothers which left them with inexplicable physical and psychological trauma. 

He said the brothers were getting therapy which they would need for a long time to normally integrate into society. 

Detailing one of the torture techniques, Mr Smith said the inmates were subjected to the strappado, a medieval punishment in which a person is tied from shoulders and left hanging on tiptoes. 

“This was one of the 62 torture techniques the Rabbanis faced,” he said. “They were left hanging like that for weeks.” 

He added that Eminem’s song White America used to be blared at full volume for days to torture the inmates. 

Mr Smith, who was the brothers’ lawyer for the last 15 years, said Ahmed Rabbani’s son Jawwad, who is now 20 years old, was born seven months after his father was abducted. “At that time, Ahmed Rabbani didn’t even know his wife was pregnant.” 

Siddiqui is serving an 86-year prison sentence for shooting at US service members. She had been arrested in connection with an alleged Al Qaeda plot before she grabbed a soldier’s M4 and opened fire on her interrogators. She missed. 

David Grantham, a law enforcement professional with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office and author of “Consequences: An Intelligence Officer’s War,” said the police can also learn lessons from the case to improve their ability to thwart future attacks. 

“If we see these trends in the future, anything like this, we need to consider that there could be violent action associated with this organized online activity,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“So that’s the most basic fundamental thing that law enforcement will look at from this report,” he added. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Pakistani actress Ushna Shah deactivates her Instagram account after outrage over her ‘Indian-style’ wedding lehenga

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistani actress Ushna Shah deactivates her Instagram account after outrage over her ‘Indian-style’ wedding lehenga

On Wednesday, 1st March 2023, Pakistani actress Ushna Shah deactivated her Instagram account after Pakistanis were outraged over the Indian-style lehenga she wore in her marriage ceremony on Sunday. The actress was attacked after photographs of her wedding were published on social media and people trolled her for wearing Indian-style costumes. Ushna Shah who was born in Lahore and raised in Canada married a half-Pashtun and half-Austrian golfer, Hamza Amin.

In an Instagram story, Ushna Shah wrote, “I haven’t reacted to online trolling for years, but I am a human being at a very vulnerable time of my life. A new bride in a new home. From hiring photography teams who signed NDAs to hiring security and strict guest lists at the door, I wanted to protect our union and only share what I was comfortable with, I worked very hard to make this time private. Several people invaded that privacy to exploit our happy occasion, including disrupting our nikkah. As any bride would be, I was mortified, only times a million. I had a human moment and I reacted, I exposed the first person I learned invaded my privacy, I defended myself, I even retracted because they apologized, and I learned others were also involved, in worse ways, and because the damage done to me couldn’t be undone either way.”

Ushna Shah’s Instagram posts. Image Source: Times Now

Ushna Shah added, “I have read many of the comments, they don’t seem to stop. Please believe that I did not get married to offend our culture, that was not the intention, and if that is what people feel I have done then I apologize for letting anyone down. I am going to sign off from this platform for a few days, for the sake of my mental health, and to spend this precious time and energy on my wonderful husband and my new family which is a blessing. I am also questioning if I am cut out for this job. Thank you for the love and prayers.”

Her reaction came after she was trolled for wearing a red lehenga to her wedding like a Hindu bride from India. She also posted a snapshot of a recent chat she had with the photographer, who reportedly brought a drone into her wedding and released her unauthorized wedding images online with the aid of a fashion blogger who was invited to the event.

Ushna Shah received massive outrage on social media

Many Muslims in Pakistan were outraged because Ushna Shah dressed like an Hindu bride from India at her wedding. Zunaira Mahum said in her video reaction that Ushna Shah’s marriage did not appear like that of a Muslim because she had invited Sikh singers to perform in her wedding ceremony.

Many others criticized her for dressing like an Indian bride and disrespecting Islam. Several social media users were unhappy with Ushna Shah because she also wore bangles and her husband was dressed like a Maharaja which is a Sanskrit word for a great king.

Hindu brides in India typically wear red lehengas on their wedding day. Since India and Pakistan have significant cultural similarities, certain rituals and dressings on some occasions overlap. While Ushna Shah had a nikah, a Muslim wedding ceremony, she was still brutally attacked by Muslim Twitter users in Pakistan for wearing something that ‘looked’ Indian, to imply she looked like a Hindu bride and sent abuses her way.

Watch: DMK worker gifts CM MK Stalin a camel on his 70th birthday

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: DMK worker gifts CM MK Stalin a camel on his 70th birthday

On Wednesday, as a birthday gift for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, DMK party workers hailing from the Thiruvannamalai district presented a camel at the party headquarters.

During a comical yet awkward incident for CM Stalin, an individual entered with a camel adorned with the DMK’s flag and presented it as a gift to him.

Zakir Shah, a DMK supporter from Tiruvannamalai, transported a two-year-old camel with him to Chennai. The camel was draped in the DMK’s flag as he made his way through the hall with some party members accompanying him towards the CM. However, he was quickly escorted offstage by security personnel.

As per reports, Zakir Shah ensures to present a living animal as a gift to CM Stalin every year on his birthday.

The leader of DMK celebrated by cutting a cake in the company of other party members and offered floral tributes at the memorial of reformist leader Periyar E V Ramasamy. Afterwards, the leader proceeded to lay wreaths at the samadhis of past Chief Ministers M Karunanidhi and CN Annadurai located on the Marina beachfront.

In addition to planting a sapling himself, Stalin also generously distributed saplings as gifts to party members and individuals he encountered.

Several opposition party leaders, including Congress chief Mallikarajun Kharge, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and JKNC chief visited Chennai to partake in the celebrations.

Maharashtra: Malegaon Court orders a convict to offer Namaz 5 times a day and plant trees near a mosque instead of imprisonment in a road rage case

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Malegaon Court orders a convict to offer Namaz 5 times a day and plant trees near a mosque instead of imprisonment in a road rage case

On 27th February 2023, a court in Malegaon in the Nashik district of Maharashtra ordered a convict of a road accident dispute to offer namaz five times a day and plant trees. It is notable that the crime he committed was punishable by imprisonment, still, the court has ordered him to plant trees and offer namaz instead of putting him behind the bars.

Magistrate Tejwant Singh Sandhu noted in his order that provisions of the Probation of Offenders Act granted powers to a magistrate to release a convict after admonition or appropriate warning to ensure he or she does not repeat the offence. The court said in the order, “According to me, giving appropriate warning means, to give an understanding that the crime had been committed, the accused has been proven guilty and he remembers the same so that he does not repeat the offence again.”

The convict in this case, Rauf Khan, aged 30, was arrested in 2010 for allegedly attacking and injuring a person after a vehicle accident skirmish. While convicting Khan in the case, the court observed that during the entire trial, Khan stated that he did not offer regular namaz. As a result, the court ordered him to perform namaz five times a day for 21 days beginning February 28, plant two trees on the Sonapura Mosque grounds, and care for the plants.

The court in the order said that since the offence was committed near the Sonapura Masjid premises, it would be appropriate for Khan to plant the trees there. The court appointed the Agriculture Officer of Malegaon is appointed as Special Probation Officer to supervise Khan during this period. The officer has been authorised to use police force if it becomes necessary. The court also ordered to send a copy of the judgement to the Iman of Sonapura Masjid in Malegaon to ensure that the order is complied with.

Rauf Khan was charged under Indian Criminal Code Sections 323 (voluntarily causing harm), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 504 (intentional insult to cause a breach of peace), and 506 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) (criminal intimidation). He was found guilty by the court under IPC section 323 and was acquitted of other charges.

Section 323 of the IPC carries the punishment of imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of up to Rs 1000, or both.

It is notable that Malegaon in the Nashik district is a Muslim-majority city. It is more known for the Malegaon bomb blast case. The Malegaon court ordering a criminal to perform religious duties instead of punishment has caused people to raise their eyebrows.

‘Give up drugs and alcohol to get married easily, don’t use music and fireworks in weddings’, clerics at Tehrik-e-Bedari in Ranchi

OpIndia Staff
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‘Give up drugs and alcohol to get married easily, don’t use music and fireworks in weddings’, clerics at Tehrik-e-Bedari in Ranchi

The 14th assembly of Tehrik-e-Bedari was organized by the Sunni Barelvi Central Committee and Edara-e-Sharia in the Doranda Markazi Mosque of Ranchi in Jharkhand on 28th February 2023. Many maulanas were present in this meeting. Maulana Aftab Ziya was the president of this meeting. While addressing the Muslims in this meeting, Maulana Ala Qutubuddin said that giving up alcohol may help Muslim youths get married easily.

According to a report by Live Hindustan, the clerics and preachers present in this meeting also advised Muslims not to deploy Disc Jockies and music systems in wedding ceremonies. They also condemned the practices like drinking and dancing at a marriage function. The General Secretary of the meeting Maulana Qutubuddin said, “There is no place in the community for those who involve in drugs, gambling, persecution of laborers, etc. The youth should come forward to help the oppressed and to protect the dignity and safety of the people of their community. Quit drugs and alcohol to make marriages easier.”

He said that playing DJ and using fireworks are wasteful expenditures, and called for a strict ban on them.

Another speaker in this program, Maulana Rashid ul Qadri said, “We have forgotten our culture. Our culture and traditions are on the path of progress by adopting others and our society is lagging behind, the root cause of which is a lack of education. Every person has to take responsibility for educational awareness and educate the community, only then we can overcome the evils spreading in the community.”

Maulana Manzoor Hasan Barkati said that dowry, intoxication and gambling have three big curses for society and said that intoxication is the mother of all evils. He asked Muslims to stay away from dowry and intoxicants, saying they both lead the path of inhumanity.

Maulana Dr. Tajuddin Rizvi, Hafiz Shadab Manjar, Hafiz Abdul Gafar, Maulana Shams Tabrez, Maulana Abid Hussain, Maulana Ghulam Farooq, Maulana Sher Mohammad Qadri, Maulana Abdul Salam, and others were also present in this program.

UK to appoint Tech Envoy for Indo-Pacific region in India, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announces scheme for exchange of professionals

OpIndia Staff
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UK to appoint Tech Envoy for Indo-Pacific region in India, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announces scheme for exchange of professionals

The UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who is in India for the G-20 Foreign Minister’s meeting, said that the UK will appoint a special Tech Envoy for the Indo-Pacific with a specific focus on India. Earlier in 2020, the UK had appointed a Tech Envoy to the US, based in San Francisco. The Tech Envoy for Indo-Pacific will be only the second of his kind, and it demonstrates the UK’s commitment to the region and tech diplomacy.

The tech envoy will work in the region to collaborate on setting global technology standards and helping to solve challenges through innovative technology. The new Tech Envoy role will boost the UK’s status as a science and tech superpower while working with its partners in the region in areas of shared interest, including setting global technology standards and helping to solve challenges through innovative technology, according to a statement issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Recognising the enormous opportunities that India offers in the field of technology, he said that India is home to the world’s third-highest number of Unicorn Tech Startups. There are more than 100 tech startups in India that have surpassed the golden mark of 1 Billion Dollars.

“India is also an emerging global leader on technology and there are immense opportunities for better collaboration between us in this sector. That is why we will be basing our first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific region, to maximise the tech expertise of both countries,” the statement said.

It also said that “India is a hugely important partner to the UK and the deeper ties we are forging now will help to grow the UK economy and boost industries for the future”.

The Foreign Secretary also declared during his visit to IIT Delhi an arrangement for 3000 Indians and Britons to come and live in the other country for education or work for up to 2 years. “During a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi today (Wednesday), the Foreign Secretary will mark the opening of the Young Professionals Scheme, an ambitious new partnership between the UK and India which allows up 3,000 Brits and 3,000 Indians a year the right to live and work in the other country for up to two years,” the statement issued ahead of the visit said. “This landmark migration scheme will enable the brightest and best in both our countries to benefit from new opportunities,” it further added.

James Cleverly will attend the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting on Thursday in New Delhi, under the presidentship of India. Foreign Ministers and delegations from more than 30 countries have arrived in India for the meeting. According to the FCDO, the UK Foreign Secretary will “continue to call Russia out at the G20 and work with partners to mitigate the global impacts of Russian aggression in Ukraine”.

The UK Foreign Secretary will also address an India-Europe business event in Delhi where he will reaffirm the UK’s commitment to conclude a Free Trade Agreement with India. With more links than almost any country in the Indo-Pacific region, the UK-India trading relationship is already worth £34 billion, growing by £10 billion in one year. 

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