Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was awarded the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.
Chemical weapons from the Muammar Gaddafi era have been found in Libya and the new government has sought international help in securing them, National Transitional Council Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril has said.
The United Nations said on Friday it has received documents from Syrian government on joining the chemical weapons convention, which outlaws their production and use.
The Chemical Weapons Convention (Amendment) Bill was taken up for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha as Opposition NDA raised slogans demanding resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over alleged irregularities in coal block allocation.
In a major breakthrough, the United Nations Security Council on Saturday voted unanimously on a resolution to destroy Syria's chemicals weapons stockpile and warned of strong action in case of non-compliance by Damascus.
European nations say their findings show that his death was not a natural result of ill health but the consequence of deliberate poisoning.
US defence secy James Mattis said that Syria will pay a 'very, very stiff price' if it used chemical weapons again.
The White House said it has 'a large body' of evidence indicating that the Assad regime was responsible for the April 7 chemical attack in Duma.
A major breakthrough has been achieved in the Red Fort car blast case, with intelligence agencies uncovering a Rs 20 lakh fund trail linked to three doctors, Umar, Muzammil, and Shaheen.
Pakistan is allegedly working on an offensive chemical and biological warfare program with the help of its 'all-weather friend' China.
While advancements in biotechnology hold immense promise for health and innovation, they also come with significant risks if misused.
The Nobel Prize for Malala may have caused deep divisions across the globe and disturbed the peace, while the award to OPCW, though not without critics, may have served the cause of peace by eliminating a weapon of mass destruction from the face of the earth, says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
Ambassador Pankaj Sharma, Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament (CD), Geneva, said India has been drawing the attention of the world towards these threats and the need to strengthen international cooperation to address them through its annual consensus UNGA resolution titled 'Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction'.
Calling the US "the anchor of global security," Obama in a televised address offered moral, political and strategic arguments for being ready to launch limited military strikes while trying to negotiate a diplomatic solution.
Opposing any external military intervention in Syria, India today said all parties to the conflict should join an inclusive political dialogue to find a comprehensive political solution to the crisis.
In a veiled reference to Pakistan Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said that some countries believe that they can buy peace at home by supporting groups for terror outside, which he said, was "delusional".
Syria has agreed with the Russian proposal to place its chemical weapons stocks under international control to "uproot US aggression", hours after President Barack Obama said he would "absolutely" put on hold any military strike on the country if it does so.
Russia and the US began second round of negotiations on securing Syria's chemical arsenal, hoping the high-stakes talks would lead to broader peace efforts, even as Damascus submitted application to UN for joining the chemical weapons convention.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the passage of the amendment will strengthen India's national security and its global position.
Two US warships fired at least 50 cruise missiles at the Ash Shai'rat airfield in Homs province in western Syria, from where the US administration believes Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad fired the chemical weapons against his own people, media reports said.
US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameroon have jointly warned Syria that it would face a "serious response" if it is found that Syrian forces used chemical weapons on civilians.
Trump said that America's relationship with Russia 'may be at an all-time low', but he hoped that it would have been wonderful if the two countries could get along.
Despite a year seemingly filled with gloom and near constant reminders of humanity's failings, the Nobel Peace prize will reward a person, or organisation, who's worked tirelessly for peace despite the world's many hurdles.
Addressing world leaders at the 68th session of the UN General Assembly, Obama said if the international community cannot be united against forcing Syria to give up its chemical weapons, "then it will show that the United Nations is incapable of enforcing the most basic of international laws".
It also said that the UK's decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats in retaliation for the alleged attack was a 'just response'.
The measures announced by the Treasury Department were also aimed at 17 senior Russian government officials. The state-owned Russian weapons trading company, Rosoboronexport, which has long-standing ties to Syria and its subsidiary, Russian Financial Corporation Bank were also targeted under new sanctions.
The Syria war resolution drafted by members of the powerful US Senate Foreign Relations Committee permits up to 60 days of military action against the Bashar al-Assad regime and does not permit any boots on the ground, Congressional aides said.
'The most striking thing about the US strike on Syria is its futility of purpose beyond a symbolic value to impress the domestic constituency that Trump is a forceful decision-maker,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Although the pact would focus mainly on the Pacific and the South China Sea region, any action designed to deter China with or without New Delhi's active participation is a welcome move, notes Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Despite four disarmament section talks and six strategic dialogues between the two foreign ministries, China's intransigence on recognising Indian nuclear status resulted in no confidence building measures in the nuclear field between the two, says Srikanth Kondapalli.
'Today, when Kailash Satyarthi is being honoured with the most prestigious global award, reports appear to the effect that many millions of Indian children are in 'slavery'. This is hardly the reputation that India should have when we are basking in the glory of 'Mangalyan',' says T P Sreenivasan.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Indian diplomatic sources said that India abstained from voting on the resolution in line with its traditional approach that it does not mix humanitarian issues with political issues.
'Vietnam has become an adjective as well as a verb -- the Americans, for instance, were driven by the passion to do a 'Vietnam' on the Soviet Union when that country invaded Afghanistan in 1979.'
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