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US supports Defense cooperation with India, punishes Pakistan

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US supports Defense cooperation with India, punishes Pakistan

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]House of Representatives passes amendments in NDAA-2018

The US political leaders across their affiliation are growingly turning in favor of India and expressing their displeasure with Pakistan for its alleged ongoing support to the terrorist groups involved in trans-border activities. On Friday, the US House of Representatives (lower house) has passed a 621.5 billion dollar defense expenditure bill to advance defense cooperation with India.

At the same time, the House voted for three legislative amendments to impose tougher conditions for reimbursement of defense funding to Pakistan, 400 million dollars, making it conditional to Islamabad showing “satisfactory progress” in fight against terrorism.

Islamabad is also criticised for persecution of minorities seeking political and religious freedom and imprisonment of  Shakil Afridi, a physician who helped in locating Osama bin-Laden before he was shot in Abbotabad in May 2011.

India related recommendations were incorporated in National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2018, while amendments imposing tougher sanctions for reimbursement of defense funding to Pakistan would be implemented in retrospect for the period of NDAA-2017.

The India related amendment was moved by Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera and was adopted by a voice vote by the House with 344 in favor and 81 against the proposal. Now it requires the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with Secretary of State to develop a strategy for advancing defense cooperation between US and India.

Ami Bera, while supporting the India related amendment said, “The US is the world’s oldest democracy and India is the world’s largest democracy. It is vitally important to develop a strategy that advances defense cooperation between the two countries.”

After the amendment was passed, Bera was quoted saying, “I am grateful this amendment passed and look forward to the Defense Department’s strategy that addresses critical issues like common security challenges, the role of partners and allies, and areas for collaboration in science and technology.”

He specifically mentioned about how it was useful for US defense in the region. He said, “Cooperation between US and India enhances our own defense and our ability to meet the evolving security challenges of the 21st century.”

According to US law, Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State have to develop strategy for advancing defense cooperation between the two countries within 180 days. It needs to be passed by the Senate before sending to President Donald Trump to sign into law.

The previous NDAA-2017 had designated India as a major defense partner which brings India at par with closest American partners in terms of defense trade and technology transfer.

Cara Abercrombie, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia, on Thursday, said that India and US Defense relationship is on positive track. She reportedly said “… [As] we look at the global order, and when we look at the evolving security environment within Asia, India’s rise and role [is] evolving, [and] we see the United States and India increasingly viewing the region in the same way and our interests are very much aligned.”

While addressing a New York gathering she said, “This is all rooted in when we look at the region and [what] we share. We have the same [aerial] security interests, the same counter-proliferation, counter-piracy, and counter- terrorism [interests].”

Alongside, the House of Representatives, voted for three legislative amendments to impose tougher sanctions for reimbursement of 400 million dollars defense funding to Pakistan. The conditions are reportedly imposed because of the Islamabad’s alleged ongoing support to terrorists and terror outfits, about which several top US officials and lawmakers have repeatedly expressed concern in the past.

Following the passage of the amendments by the House of Representatives to the NDAA-2018, Secretary of Defense has to certify that Islamabad was maintaining security along the Ground Lines of communication through Pakistan, taking demonstrable steps to support counterterrorism operations, disrupting cross border attacks and countering the threat of improvised explosive devices. He has to certify that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations against the Haqqani Network in North Waziristan in coordination with Afghanistan government.

The Pakistan related amendments will negatively affect Pakistan retrospectively.  The amendment specifies that the total reimbursement and support authorised for Pakistan during the period beginning on October 1, 2017, and ending on December 31, 2018, 400 million dollars, would not be eligible for national security waiver.

The Pakistan related amendments were moved by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Ted Poe, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-proliferation and Trade.  Poe was quoted as saying, “Today, Congress took a step forward to end Pakistan’s betrayal of the US with the addition of an additional certification requirement.”

US has also raised the issue of persecution of minority groups seeking political and religious freedom and imprisonment of Shakil Afridi, a physician who helped locating Osama bin Laden before he was finally killed in Abbotabad. The amendment said that Afridi was a hero to whom the people of US, Pakistan and world owe a debt of gratitude for the help.

In April this year, US national Security Advisor Lieutenant General HR McMaster visited New Delhi to pick up strings of defense and security ties that had blossomed during Barack Obama administration.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to US recently and developed close chemistry with US President Donald Trump. Defense cooperation also figured during the 5-hour engagement at White House.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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World Earth Day 2024: Google Doodle showcases aerial view of planet’s natural beauty

Google celebrated Earth Day 2024 with a special doodle featuring an aerial view of our planet’s biodiversity.

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Google shared a doodle today to celebrate World Earth Day 2024, which showcased aerial photos of the planet’s biodiversity and natural beauty. Google reminded us of the importance of protecting planet earth for future generations with the help of this doodle.

The Google letters depict specific locations across the globe where people, communities, and governments work every day to help protect the planet’s natural beauty, biodiversity, and resources, according to the explanation of the annual Earth Day 2024 doodle on their website.

It said, these examples remind us that there’s much more to do to address the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, but also offer the promise of hope and optimism.

The islands of Turks and Caicos are represented by the letter “G.” The islands’ conservation efforts are concentrated on protecting important regions for biodiversity and addressing persistent environmental problems.

The largest reef in the southern Gulf of Mexico and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, Scorpion Reef National Park, is represented by the letter “O” in the Mexican flag.

The letter “O” features Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park, which was designated as a national park in 2008 following decades of advocacy. The ecology within and surrounding the biggest glacier in Europe is safeguarded by this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The letter “G” has the Jau National Park in Brazil on it. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the biggest forest reserves in South America.

The Great Green Wall of Nigeria is represented by the letter “L,”  and the Pilbara Islands Nature Reserves of Australia are represented by the letter “E.”

Meanwhile, Earth Day is a worldwide event that promotes protection of the environment every year. April 22 serves as a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts and sustainable practices to guarantee a healthier world and a brighter future.

The occasion inspires people across the world to come together and take action to protect the environment, strengthening our bonds with nature and promoting good change.

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Bigg Boss 14 contestant Rahul Vaidya struggles walking in knee deep water, compares Dubai rains with Mumbai floods

Singer and TV personality Rahul Vaidya was recently stranded in the Dubai rains.

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Rahul Vaidya, who was in Dubai ahead of his show which was scheduled to take place today, left the country due to heavy rains and reached Kolkata. The artist shared on social media his encounters in the UAE city, including challenges like walking through knee-deep water. Rahul provided an update regarding the heavy rainfall in Dubai on his Instagram profile.

The Bigg Boss 14 contestant revealed that he was in Kolkata and prepared to do an evening performance. Recalling the terrifying period he went through, Vaidya said there was a lot of confusion and panic in Dubai. The situation was similar to that when heavy floods hit Mumbai in 2005.

Vaiday also posted seval other images and videos of cars that were underwater and flooded roadways. The Bigg Boss 14 contestant, who shared his ordeal, claimed that even though it had just rained for two hours, the situation was dire.

In one of the video, which went viral he can be seen struggling in walking in knee-deep water. He can be also seen holding his sneakers in one hand and with other hand he was seen managing other things.

This is the result of the two hours of rain that it had, he can be heard saying in the video. Vidya also said he dosen’t believe Dubai is accustomed to a lot of rain. Everything had stopped working, he remarked.

After taking part in the first season of the singing reality show Indian Idol, Rahul Vaidya gained widespread recognition. In addition to Bigg Boss, he took part in Khatron Ke Khiladi 11.

Meanwhile, heavy rains that triggered flooding in the UAE and Bahrain, which left 18 people dead in Oman on Sunday and Monday, have paralyzed the financial hub of the Middle East, Dubai.

A lot of incoming flights were diverted from Dubai’s international airport because of the rain. At 7:26 p.m., the busiest airport in the world for foreign visitors stopped accepting new arrivals; a gradual resumption was announced for more than two hours later.

Images of planes navigating flooded tarmacs are making the rounds on social media.

According to pictures shared on social media, the flagship malls Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates both experienced heavy floods, while at least one Dubai Metro station had water up to the ankles.

There were several road collapses, severe flooding in residential areas, and numerous reports of leaks from windows, doors, and roofs.

Due to the unfavourable weather, schools around the United Arab Emirates were forced to close, and as more storms are predicted, the closures are anticipated to last until Wednesday. The government of Dubai allowed its staff to work remotely till this Wednesday.

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Dubai sky turns green during storm in UAE, video goes viral

The UAE witnessed record-breaking rainfall on Tuesday and the National Centre of Meteorology recorded 254 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hrs in the Khatm Al Shakla area in Al Ain.

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1 person was killed in UAE as it witnessed heavy rainfall on Tuesday, stranding commuters, flooding roads, disrupting trains and flights and resulting in water leakage from mall ceilings. The UAE witnessed record-breaking rainfall on Tuesday and the National Centre of Meteorology recorded 254 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hrs in the Khatm Al Shakla area in Al Ain. It is being said that the rainfall was the highest documented since the start of data collection in 1949.

The heavy rainfall in UAE came days after a similar situation in neighbouring Oman, where 13 people were killed in flash floods. Many parts of Oman saw torrential rains, which caused students to be trapped in buses and swept away motorists and trapped people in their homes.

Videos from Dubai circulating on social media showed widespread waterlogging on roads in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other important cities. This left daily commuters in cars and other vehicles struggling to get back home. Dubai metro station too was seen flooded and closed.

One such video circulating on social media shows the aerial view of the city of Dubai from the top of a building. In the video the stormy winds are seen blowing over the city of Dubai. As the storm intensifies the Dubai sky turns green and ultimately gets covered by heavy rainfall. The video has gone viral on social media with more than 1.1 million views.

Another video showed water leakage from the ceilings of shopping malls, flooding the floors and destroying goods. A video which was shot in the famous Mall of the Emirates, showed pieces of ceiling falling as the rainwater gushed inside. Videos from many outlets of the Deira City Centre mall chain showed escalators being rendered unusable. Majid Al Futtaim, the company which owns the Mall of Emirates, said that the shopping complexes have been kept open and the customers are being sent away from the flooded areas. 

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