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Modi, the first Indian PM to visit Israel

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Modi, the first Indian PM to visit Israel

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Netanyahu will be with Modi almost throughout the visit, says Israeli envoy

Next week Prime Minister Narendra Modi will create history by visiting Israel, first by any Indian Prime Minister since its creation in 1948. He will have detailed discussion with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on all matters of mutual interest and call on President Reuven Revlin.

He will also be the first Indian dignitary skipping a visit to Palestine while visiting Israel. Traditionally most foreign dignitaries visit both sides of the rival territories.

PM’s visit, coinciding with the completion of 25 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, will provide an impetus to bilateral engagement, sources in Ministry of External Affairs said. India and Israel established diplomatic ties in 1992.

Daniel Carmon, Israeli Ambassador to India, while speaking to an Indian journalist on Wednesday, said that PM’s visit is being accorded considerable importance by the Israeli government. Netanyahu will be at Modi’s side for almost the whole of two and a half day visit.  Some 40 to 50 Israeli dignitaries will receive him at the airport, an honor accorded only to Pope and the US President, he added.

The Israeli cabinet on Sunday passed a resolution outlining a strategic partnership with India in a host of non-security areas, such as water, agriculture, space, health, investment and even bringing Bollywood to Israel. The Israeli government has sanctioned 70 million dollars to facilitate the partnership.

Before the beginning of cabinet meeting Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted as saying, “In the 70 years of the country’s existence no Indian Prime Minister has ever visited and this is further expression of Israel’s strength.”

One of his official tweets said: “This is a very significant step in strengthening relations between the two countries. Ties between Israel & India are on a constant upswing.”

Among the most important deals expected to be signed during PM’s visit include 1.5 billion dollars agreement for buying Spike anti-tank missiles for the Indian army and Barak-8 air defense missiles for the Navy.  Recently Israel Aerospace Industries had announced a two billion mega missile pact that will give Indian forces an advanced defense system of medium range surface to air missiles. It was considered to be Israel’s biggest defense contract.

India is the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment, while Israel is India’s largest customer after Russia.

The Israeli enthusiasm of welcoming Modi was indicated by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu through a series of his tweets on June 25, three days before formal announcement by New Delhi.

Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, @NarendraModi will arrive in Israel, This is an historic visit to Israel.

– PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 25, 2017

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Tel Aviv in the afternoon of July 4. On the first day of his trip, PM is slated to tour Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial and an agricultural innovation center.

On July 5 PM will meet Prime Minsiter Bejnamin Netanyahu and President  Reuven Rivlin. He will also meet Indian Diaspora. About 80,000 Indian Jews live in Israel.  On July 6, Modi will pay homage to Indian soldiers killed in 1918 Haifa battle and will host a forum of thirty leading CEOs of Israeli companies.

According to analysis published in Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, “Modi, a Hindu nationalist, conservative and believer in free markets, enjoys unprecedented popularity at home, and may say he is all but destined to be reelected in 2019.”

It further introduces India to its readers saying, “India had traditionally been part of the non-aligned bloc of nations and closer to the Soviet Union than US and a firm supporter of the Palestinians.”

The Israeli daily further says, “Indians are fond of pointing out that between Bangladesh and Marrakesh (Morocco), India and Israel are only two non-Muslim states and two democracies. Notably, Modi’s two day visit next week does not include a trip to the Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah.”

The daily also said, “Israel is undertaking a campaign to lure Bollywood producers to film in Israel, and to bring more Indian tourists to Israel. Some 20 million Indians travel abroad every year, but only 45,000 visit our shores.”

PM Modi travelled to Israel in 2006 while he was Gujarat Chief Minister. President Pranab Mukherjee travelled to Israel in 2015 and addressed Israeli Parliament.

However, President was “advised” not to visit Al-Aqsa mosque, the third most sacred site for Muslims. Indian computers, supposed to be gifted by the President to the Palestinian University, were also denied customs clearance by Israeli authorities.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Israel in 2016.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Odisha train collision: Yeswanthpur Duronto rams derailed Coromandel Express, 50 dead, 100s injured

Some local channels of Odisha have reported, over 70 dead and around 350 injured.

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odisha coromandel express derail accident

On Friday evening, a tragic train accident took place in Odisha’s Balasore, when two Express trains collided that has already claimed the lives of over 50 people and more than hundreds of passengers are left inured, the rescue operations is underway.

Railway Spokesperson Amitabh Sharma said, at around 7 PM in the evening, about 10-12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed and fell on the opposite track, after a while, the Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express rammed into the derailed coaches of Coromandel express that resulted to the derailment of its own coaches.

The dreadful accident has taken place near the Bahanga railway station in Balasore district of Odisha, which is around 120 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar.

Reports said, a three-way accident took place and involves a good carriage train in the accident.

While no official confirmation has been received on the total death toll, reports claimed more than 50 people are already dead with the numbers substantially increasing and around 300 are injured.

Some local channels of Odisha have reported, over 70 dead and around 350 injured.

The Central and state government along with the railway department have mounted a huge rescue operation but is finding it extremely difficult to clear and rush the injured to the nearest medical facilities.

National and State Disaster Management teams along with fire fighting teams and other rescue operation teams are already in place carrying out the rescue operations.

At-least 50 ambulances and 15 fire operations team from the neighbouring districts were rushed to save the trapped passengers, said to be in hundreds in number.

The government has also issued dedicated helpline numbers for various affected regions.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed about compensation to the victims. Rs 10 lakh is announced for the deceased family members, Rs 2 lakh for critically injured and Rs 50,000 for minor injured victims.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik rushed to the state control room to personally take stock of the situation and direct measures for the rescue and relief operations.

Patnaik informed he will fly to the spot in the first thing in morning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing his grief over the terrible accident expressed his thoughts with the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the inured.

PM Modi assured all possible assistance to the affected.

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Mumbai man assaults girlfriend for refusing sex at Bandra bandstand, arrested

The accused Akash Mukherjee is a resident of Kalyan on the outskirts of Mumbai and the victim’s name is Lubna Javed Sukte, a resident of Bhiwandi.

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Man assaults girlfriend for refusing sex gets arrested by cops in Mumbai

A 28-year-old man has been arrested for beating up his girlfriend and banging her head on a rock for refusing to get intimate with him at a public place in Bandra, Mumbai. Reports said the seriously-injured woman has been hospitalised and her condition is improving and the attacker has been charged by police for trying to kill her.

The accused, Akash Mukherjee, is a resident of Kalyan on the outskirts of Mumbai and the victim’s name is Lubna Javed Sukte, a resident of Bhiwandi. They are both aged 28 years and have been working in the same company and had been romantically linked for the last few years.

On Wednesday, they took a train from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and visited the Gateway of India and Girgaon Chowpatty before heading to Bandra bandstand in the evening. They sat near the rocks by the sea. The police said it was Mukherjee’s birthday.

Sometime later, Mukherjee told his girlfriend that he had converted to Islam to marry her. He said he had a certificate saying this which he would show to her parents and get consent to marry her. Soon, he tried to get physical with her and the woman rejected his advances.

She started crying, when he tried to stop her by covering her mouth. During the altercation, she bit his left hand. She tried to scream, but he tried to choke her.

The woman’s refusal filled him with rage and he tried to attack her. He hit her head against the rock. He also tried to drown her in the drain. After this, she screamed for help.

On hearing the scream, people nearby called police who took the man into custody. They sent the woman to the hospital. Bandra Police are investigating the case after arresting Mukherjee.    

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War of words breaks out between BJP, Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s saying Muslim League is a secular party

Former Congress President and MP Mr. Rahul Gandhi got criticized by the BJP Leaders in India after his comment on the Muslim League is completely secular

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Rahul Gandhi

Several BJP leaders were quick to pounce on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s comment at the National Press Club in Washington DC calling the Muslim League a secular party.

In his interaction in Washington DC, Rahul Gandhi said the Muslim League is a completely secular party and is in alliance with the Muslim League in Kerala as part of the United Democratic Front. Gandhi said there is nothing non-secular about the Muslim League and questioned the reporter’s knowledge about the Muslim League.

Senior BJP leaders said Rahul Gandhi is insulting India from foreign shores. Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said Rahul Gandhi should apologise for his comments and should speak about it to the people in India once he is here.

Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said he does not take Rahul Gandhi seriously and blamed the comment on a Congress tendency. He said the comment was dangerous as such seeds of division can grow up to be challenges to the country.

Former Law Minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju criticised Rahul Gandhi’s statement on the Muslim League’s secular character. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya criticized Rahul Gandhi on Twitter.

In response, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera hit out at Malviya on Twitter and questioned the BJP IT Cell chief’s wisdom and awareness about the Muslim League. He schooled him about the difference between the Indian Union Muslim League in Kerala and the Muslim League of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

During the Washington DC interaction, Rahul Gandhi held forth on various topics including the party’s chances in the 2024 Lok Sabha, the move for Opposition unity to take on the BJP and the perils of unemployment that has been encircling India. Gandhi said his party was holding regular dialogue with all Opposition parties, there is a lot of good work happening in that regard.

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