India's entry into the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member has kicked off a flurry of consultations with the world powers over issues related to the powerful world body, including its reforms, under which New Delhi is seeking permanent membership.
Israel's fiercest attack on Gaza in recent years killed 97 people on Sunday as the Palestinian death toll in the conflict rose to 435, and also left 13 Israeli soldiers dead in the air and ground assault.
The talks between the two leaders covered the entire gamut of bilateral ties as well as key regional and global issues, including the Ukraine conflict.
'The Pakistani move to ban militant outfits and placate international opinion and Islamabad's openness to a UN security council resolution on Azhar -- instead of beseeching China to cast yet another veto -- enables Islamabad to occupy the high ground,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
A significant bid by the United States in the United Nations for designating Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist has been stymied by China which has again opposed the ban against the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief.
Modi, who met Putin last week on the sidelines of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan's Samarkand, had told the Russian leader that "today's era is not of war".
The UN decision came after India provided detailed evidence about Saeed's activities.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived on Monday night on his way back home from New York after concluding a five-day visit during which he attended the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly.
"Reports of PM Modi not meeting Putin due to nuclear threat is baseless. The meeting is not taking place due to scheduling issues," sources told ANI.
China on Thursday said it was in "close" contact with India over its efforts to put Masood Azhar on the United Nations list of proscribed terrorists, as it expressed willingness to step up bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation in response to President Pranab Mukherjee's call.
India is a great power that determines its national interests and chooses its partners, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, describing as "completely unjustified" the "enormous pressure" on New Delhi due to its energy cooperation with Moscow.
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the collapse of a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, asking Israel and the Palestinians factions to reach an immediate understanding on a durable truce.
'We condemn recent illicit missile launches in the region that violate UN Security Council resolutions. We express serious concern over recent dangerous and aggressive actions in the maritime domain. We seek a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated one where all countries are free from coercion, and can exercise their agency to determine their futures,' the declaration said.
The United States has said it wants Pakistan to implement UN curbs against three key financers who raised money for the Taliban and Haqqani network, a day after slapping sanctions on the leaders of these outfits.
"It is the responsibility of all members of the council to make sure that these requirements are followed," Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN said.
The President of the Security Council for December said India has taken the side of peace and favours de-escalation through diplomacy and dialogue.
The decision to target the Pakistani Taliban comes at a time when the UN is seeking to encourage the Afghan Taliban to pursue peace talks with the government there, a prelude to a US withdrawal from the war-ravaged country.
You don't want to fight and do trade at the same time. Meanwhile, diplomacy is going on and sometimes solutions to difficult situations do not come in haste, Jaishankar asserted.
Thailand has prepared a list of 291international terrorists and terrorist organisations to be banned from conducting financial transactions in the country, a senior official said on Tuesday.
The United Nations Security Council and world leaders have strongly condemned the Mumbai serial blasts, saying terror acts are "criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation."
India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reform of the Security Council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member.
The United States enjoys a 'close and cordial' relationship with India, a senior official in the Joe Biden administration has said here on Monday, even as he voiced his country's 'concerns' to New Delhi about Russia.
Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters on Wednesday that the group of about 100 UN personnel from across the system travelled from Kabul to Almaty, where they will continue their work remotely.
We are sure that when talks take place, some way or the other will come out, Singh said.
United States President Barack Obama has announced his decision to take military action against the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons
In a post on X, Modi said, "Happy to have welcomed @POTUS @JoeBiden to 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Our meeting was very productive."
Deputy PM of Israel said he had met with more than ten Arab and Muslim ministers.
In a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the President of the UN Security Council Ruhakana Rugunda, Israel accused an Indian contingent of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) of having done nothing to prevent the demonstrators from crossing the border and even cooperating with the group, The Jerusalem Post reported.
India and other G4 countries have expressed their common vision for a reformed UN Security Council, seeking a concise working document which will serve as a basis for further negotiations on expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories.
The US hopes India will "reconsider" its decision to ban wheat exports, with Washington "encouraging" countries not to restrict exports as that will exacerbate food shortages, amidst Russia's invasion of Ukraine. India, the world's second-biggest wheat producer, has banned wheat exports in a bid to check high domestic prices amid concerns of wheat output being hit by scorching heat waves. The decision would help control retail prices of wheat and wheat flour, which have risen by an average 14-20 per cent in the last one year, besides meeting the foodgrain requirement of neighbouring and vulnerable countries.
The Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh are and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India, the MEA said.
Over the past few days, the Biden administration has been reaching out to its friends and allies to support it against Russian aggression in Ukraine.
India has strongly protested the inclusion of the Naxal issue under the realm of 'armed conflict' in a United Nations report, saying the violence being perpetrated by these groups does not make it a zone of armed conflict, as defined by international law.
Stepping up pressure on the United Progressive Alliance government on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday demanded that India move a resolution in the UN Security Council for a referendum for separate Tamil Eelam and stop calling Colombo a friendly nation.
In a set of recent tweets, Khan said that "Kashmiris must be allowed to decide their future".
India has abstained on a draft resolution tabled in the United Nations Security Council which condemned Russia's 'illegal referenda' and annexation of four Ukrainian territories and called for an immediate cessation of violence while underlining the need to find pathways for a return to the negotiating table.
'I believe that the grounds for my listing are based on heresy and disinformation by the Indian government'
While the US stayed away, the remaining 14 members voted in favour of the resolution which came after three days of intensive negotiations.
Iran has threatened to review its economic and political relations with the countries that voted for the referral to UNSC.
"Are they ready to review their decisions? If they do, we can also review our decisions. Review will be on both sides," Qureshi said.
