Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Monday said that there was some progress in the talks with Maoists for the release of abducted Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon, with both sides agreeing on some points.
The first deadline set by Maoists for meeting their demands to set free abducted Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon passed Wednesday amid reports it has been extended till Friday to give talks between mediators of Chattisgarh government and Naxals a chance.
As the deadline set by two Maoist groups in the twin hostage crisis ends on Tuesday, the Odisha government seemed to have toughened its stance vis-a-vis their new demands.
Odisha's police force on Monday threatened to boycott anti-Naxal operations if hardcore Maoists are freed by the state government in a bid to end the twin hostage crisis which escalated with the abductors setting new demands before their deadline expires on Monday.
Alleging that the Odisha government is indifferent towards the Italian hostage crisis, Maoist mediators on Thursday threatened to pull out of talks if no response is received on the demands of the rebels who said they are ready to release the foreigner if three of their 13 conditions are met.
India abstained in the United Nations General Assembly on a resolution that demanded Israel end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within 12 months, with Delhi underlining that it is a strong advocate of 'dialogue and diplomacy' and efforts should be made towards 'building bridges', 'not furthering divides'.
With the hostage crisis getting complicated by the fresh demands made by Maoists, Orissa government and the mediators are likely to take the help of Naxalite leader Ganti Prasadam to secure the release of Malkangiri district collector R V Krishna, official sources said.
Inspired by the Olympics worlds away in Paris, some Palestinian youths played football against each other at a school sheltering the displaced in the war-torn Gaza Strip
The resolution did not include any explicit condemnation of the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas, they said, adding India abstained in the vote in absence of all elements of its approach not being covered in the final text of the resolution.
Captain Sharan and Flight Engineer Anil Jaggia both confirm that the hijackers seemed to know a lot about flying an aircraft. Without help from the ISI or the Pakistan army, it was impossible, points out Utkarsh Mishra.
Abducted junior engineer Pabitra Majhi was freed on Wednesday by Maoists in Orissa after a seven day ordeal but release of Malkangiri district collector R V Krishna was clouded in uncertainty with the rebels setting a new condition for his release.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who addressed the virtual meeting on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also pointed out that in response to the crisis in Gaza, India has sent 70 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and will continue its relief assistance.
A senior security official has claimed that the Maoists had carefully planned the detention of the New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express and the five-hour hostage crisis on Tuesday.
India, which remains a strategic partner for the United States, is free to decide on its stance on any particular crisis or contingency around the world, including in the Middle East, the White House has said.
India has voiced hope that Palestine's bid to become a full member of the United Nations, which was blocked by the United States last month, will be reconsidered and its endeavour to become a member of the world organisation will get endorsed.
The United States continues to monitor the situation in Israel very closely, President Joe Biden said Wednesday observing that the terrorist attack by Hamas has brought back painful memories of a millennia of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people.
In an update posted on X, the Israeli defense forces said that dozens of warplanes attacked more than 80 targets throughout Beit Hanon during the night.
The Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed, who is heading the group, said, "Negotiations are progressing very well. I am optimistic that there will be a positive outcome."
'It cost $4,000 to down the two airliners...the operation in Beslan cost 8,000 euros,' said Shamil Basayev.
'Never in the history of any government, the first 100 days have been characterised by the daily turmoil that we witness in Parliament,' according to the PM.
The Posco India hostage crisis came to an end late on Friday night, with the Gobindpur villagers releasing the company executives they had taken captive earlier in the day, according to TV channels.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas-led factions has killed more than 24,000 people on the Gaza side as affected people face pathetic living conditions sans water, power, food and medical aid.
If Michael's lucky number wasn't 15 it certainly is now. Michael -- who did not give his surname -- missed the Sydney siege at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe by just 15 minutes and his receipt was number 183.
Twelve Bharatiya Janata Party legislators were evicted from the council and assembly proceedings were stalled, forcing its adjournment for the day.
Harish Hitange, 37, of Nasik, Maharashtra, was abducted in April in Warsaw 2004 and his kidnappers, who are demanding a huge ransom, have reportedly cut off three of his fingers.
The war in Iraq was a 'completely unjust adventure based on misleading statements,' the former president said.
The Russian president said the militants had tried to incite inter-ethnic strife in the region and warned against succumbing to such provocation.
'The message that India has conveyed since the start of this conflict is clear and consistent. It is important to prevent escalation to ensure continued delivery of humanitarian aid and to work towards an early restoration of peace and stability. A peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward'
IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack begins by asking why the hijack lasted seven days and ends in wondering if the good guys fought the bad ones hard enough, observes Sukanya Verma.
The United Nations Security Council has called for urgent humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout Gaza to allow unhindered humanitarian access in the strip, finally overcoming deadlock and adopting a resolution in the month-long Israel-Hamas conflict.
Vishwakant Ankireddy, an Indian working for Infosys was one of the many who had been rescued by the Australian police force after an armed intervention in the 17-hour hostage scenario at a cafe in central Sydney.
Kerry called Hasina on Sunday to offer support in the wake of the "outrageous attack" on the Holey Artisan restaurant in Dhaka's high-security diplomatic zone, he said.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday failed to adopt a Brazil-led draft resolution that would have called for humanitarian pauses in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict to allow full access for aid to the Gaza strip after the US vetoed the text.
Telling his fellow countrymen that America is at an inflection point, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he has decided that the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.
Punjab government on Friday said that the Centre was making all efforts to locate the whereabouts of the 39 Indian youths who had been held hostage for nearly a year by ISIS militants.
India is 'deeply concerned' at the deteriorating security situation and astounding loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict.
'If Islamic State were to get entrenched in Bangladesh and Myanmar it will have disastrous implications for India as both countries border India's northeast, a restive and volatile region,' says Rajeev Sharma.
US authorities have been scrambling to establish how many Americans have been killed or taken hostage in the conflict.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jailtey on Tuesday defended the Vajpayee government's releasing the three most wanted terrorists in return for the safety of passengers of the Indian Airlines plane hijacked to Kandahar in 1999, saying the lives of all Indians were "more precious" than the release of the terrorists.
