Sajjad Hussain And Lalit K Jha

Stories by Sajjad Hussain And Lalit K Jha

US deploys 6000 troops at Kabul airport for evacuation

US deploys 6000 troops at Kabul airport for evacuation

Rediff.com   16 Aug 2021

Simultaneously more than 60 countries led by the United States and the European Union issued a joint statement urging those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan to bear responsibility and accountability for the protection of human life and property, and for the immediate restoration of security and civil order.

Biden deploys additional 1000 troops to Afghanistan

Biden deploys additional 1000 troops to Afghanistan

Rediff.com   15 Aug 2021

Biden's authorisation of 5,000 troops in his statement on Saturday included 1,000 who are already on the ground in Afghanistan, according to a defence official. A battalion of 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division were redirected to Kabul, instead of their original standby position in Kuwait.

US to send 3000 troops to help evacuate embassy staff in Kabul

US to send 3000 troops to help evacuate embassy staff in Kabul

Rediff.com   13 Aug 2021

"The embassy remains open and we plan to continue our diplomatic work in Afghanistan. The United States will continue to support consular services, and that includes the processing and operations of the Special Immigrant Visa Program, and we'll continue to engage in diplomacy with the Afghan government and the Afghan people. Additionally, we will continue our focus on counterterrorism," he said.

Afghan leaders must 'fight for their nation', says Biden as Taliban gains

Afghan leaders must 'fight for their nation', says Biden as Taliban gains

Rediff.com   11 Aug 2021

Biden has ruled out any change in the plan to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan despite the Taliban increasingly gaining control over large swaths of the war-torn country

'US need to give more Covid vaccine doses to India'

'US need to give more Covid vaccine doses to India'

Rediff.com   7 Aug 2021

The United States has so far allocated only 7.5 million doses of Covid vaccines to India, which is not enough, a top Indian-American Congressman said while urging the Biden Administration to do more.

Pak SC pulls up authorities for failing to stop attack on Hindu temple

Pak SC pulls up authorities for failing to stop attack on Hindu temple

Rediff.com   6 Aug 2021

The apex court took suo motu notice of the case after patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council Dr Ramesh Kumar met the Chief Justice on Thursday.

Pakistan has other 'options', Imran Khan's aide tells US

Pakistan has other 'options', Imran Khan's aide tells US

Rediff.com   5 Aug 2021

"We've been told every time that... (the phone call) will happen, it's technical reasons or whatever. But frankly, people don't believe it," he said. "If a phone call is a concession, if a security relationship is a concession, Pakistan has options," he added, refusing to elaborate.

US to hold rare 2nd lottery for H-1B visa applicants

US to hold rare 2nd lottery for H-1B visa applicants

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2021

In what can be good news for hundreds of Indian IT professionals seeking the H-1B work visa, the US' immigration agency has decided to conduct a rare second lottery for the most sought-after visas to decide on the successful applicants who could not make it in the first random selection. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said on Thursday that a decision was taken after determining that the computerised draw of lots for H-1B visas conducted early this year did not give them enough numbers of the Congressional mandated H-1B visas. The H-1B visa, the most sought-after among Indian IT professionals, is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

IMF cuts India's GDP growth forecast to 9.5% for FY22

IMF cuts India's GDP growth forecast to 9.5% for FY22

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2021

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday cut its economic growth forecast for India to 9.5 per cent for the fiscal year to March 31, 2022 as the onset of a severe second COVID-19 wave cut into recovery momentum. This forecast for 2021-22 is lower than the 12.5 per cent growth in GDP that IMF had projected in April before the second wave took a grip. For 2022-23, IMF expects economic growth of 8.5 per cent, larger than the 6.9 per cent it had projected in April.

Imran Khan's party wins violence-marred PoK polls

Imran Khan's party wins violence-marred PoK polls

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2021

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has won 23 seats while the Pakistan Peoples Party was second with eight seats and the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz secured just six seats, the state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

Blinken to raise human rights issue during India visit

Blinken to raise human rights issue during India visit

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2021

Blinken is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi late on July 27. He is scheduled to attend a full slate of engagements on July 28. During his stay in the country, he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Over 1 lakh Indian kids lost caregivers to Covid in first 14 months

Over 1 lakh Indian kids lost caregivers to Covid in first 14 months

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2021

The study estimates that 1,134,000 children lost a parent or custodial grandparent due to COVID-19. Of these, 10,42,000 children lost their mother, father or both. Most lost one, not both parents.

US eases travel recommendations on India as Covid cases fall

US eases travel recommendations on India as Covid cases fall

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2021

When last month's advisory was issued, India was struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported.

Afghanistan recalls envoy, senior officials from Pakistan

Afghanistan recalls envoy, senior officials from Pakistan

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2021

The diplomatic crisis between Pakistan and Afghanistan deepened on Sunday after Kabul announced that it will withdraw its ambassador and other senior staff from Islamabad after the abduction and torture of the daughter of its envoy to Pakistan.

Indian Navy gets 2 multi-role helicopters from US

Indian Navy gets 2 multi-role helicopters from US

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2021

The MH-60R helicopter is an all-weather maritime helicopter designed to support multiple missions with state-of-the-art avionics.

Afghanistan mission not yet over: US defence secretary

Afghanistan mission not yet over: US defence secretary

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2021

The commander of United States forces in Afghanistan General Scott Miller returned from the country almost winding up the longest American war, even as Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin assured that America's Afghan mission is not yet over and that it would continue to support Kabul.

Biden nominates LA Mayor Eric Garcetti as envoy to India

Biden nominates LA Mayor Eric Garcetti as envoy to India

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2021

If confirmed by the Senate, Garcetti, 50, would replace Kenneth Juster, who served as India's Ambassador to the US during the Trump administration.

US war in Afghanistan will end on August 31: Biden

US war in Afghanistan will end on August 31: Biden

Rediff.com   9 Jul 2021

he United States did what we went to do in Afghanistan, to get to terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 and deliver justice to Osama bin Laden, and to degrade the terrorist threat to keep Afghanistan from becoming a base, from which attacks could be continued against the United States.

US says Covaxin successfully neutralises Delta variant

US says Covaxin successfully neutralises Delta variant

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2021

The NIH said results of two studies of blood serum from people who had received Covaxin suggest that the vaccine generates antibodies that effectively neutralise the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B.1.617 (Delta) variants of SARS-CoV-2, first identified in the United Kingdom and India, respectively.

Indians feel many religions can live, practice freely: Pew

Indians feel many religions can live, practice freely: Pew

Rediff.com   29 Jun 2021

"Indians see religious tolerance as a central part of who they are as a nation. Across the major religious groups, most people say it is very important to respect all religions to be 'truly Indian'.