Republic Top 10 Headlines: India-Russia to hold 2+2 ministerial dialogue; UP polls & more

India Wins Re-election To UNESCO Executive Board For 2021-25 Term, Bags 164 Votes

India on Wednesday was re-elected to the executive board of the United Nations' cultural and education organisation for the 2021-25 term. India won the re-election with 164 votes. India’s election was done to Group IV of Asian and Pacific States which also includes countries like Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Cook Islands and China.

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India, Russia To Hold First-ever 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Alongside Annual Summit

The very first edition of the India-Russia '2+2' defence and foreign ministry conversation may take place alongside a summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is expected to take place on December 6, according to PTI. Due to schedule constraints, the two parties are considering holding the '2+2' dialogue around the time of the summit. At the summit, the two sides are expected to finalise a number of agreements in the fields of defence, trade and investment, and science and technology. The summit will also announce a joint committee on technology and science, as well as refresh a framework for military-technical cooperation for the next decade.

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Sidhu Not To Accompany Punjab Cabinet To Kartarpur; Visit Likely After Guru Nanak Jayanti

Even as the Punjab Cabinet led by Charanjit Singh Channi and other Congress MLAs will visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara on Thursday, Navjot Singh Sidhu will not accompany them. Speaking to the media on Wednesday night, the Punjab Congress president's media advisor Surinder Dalla revealed that Sidhu had been given permission by the Centre to go to Kartarpur on November 20. This implies that he can pay obeisance at the historic shrine only after Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurpurab which will be observed on November 19.  

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'Kashmir Drifting Away Due To BJP's Strong-arm Tactics; Jammu Must Be A Bridge': Mehbooba

People's Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti called on the people of Jammu to 'be a bridge' and maintain a strong bond with Kashmir that is 'drifting' away due to the ruling BJP government's "strong-arm tactics." The former chief minister said she would continue her peaceful struggle for the restoration of the special status that was enjoyed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir until August 2019.

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UP Polls: SP's Vijay Rath Yatra Ends; Akhilesh Yadav Asserts Party Will Win 2022 Elections

The 'Samajwadi Party Vijay Rath Yatra' led by Akhilesh Yadav from Ghazipur to Lucknow culminated on Thursday night, in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, scheduled for next year. Yadav however stated that the 'real journey' will end after the ruling BJP is overthrown and the SP forms the government in the state.

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Pakistan Passes 33 New Bills Including Kulbhushan Jadhav's 'Right To Appeal'

On Wednesday, the Pakistani administration passed 33 bills in a joint sitting of Parliament, with the opposition rejecting the legislation, claiming that the Treasury benches bulldozed the bills. One of the bills passed grants India's Kulbhushan Jadhav the opportunity for review and reconsideration. Pakistan also passed a bill to amend the Elections Act, 2017, authorising the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) to allow Pakistanis abroad the right to vote in general elections.

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Sharad Pawar Defends Anil Deshmukh Again As Court Declares Param Bir 'proclaimed Offender'

After Param Bir Singh was declared 'proclaimed offender' by a court on Wednesday, Sharad Pawar asserted that this was a vindication of NCP's stance on Anil Deshmukh. Addressing a gathering in Nagpur, he reiterated that the former Maharashtra Home Minister was framed at the behest of BJP. Lashing out at Param Bir Singh for not cooperating with the authorities, Pawar lamented that Deshmukh was still in jail despite the former's failure to corroborate his 'extortion' allegations. On this occasion, the NCP supremo predicted that the saffron party will have to pay a price for allegedly falsely implicating Deshmukh. 

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India Ready To Send Wheat To Afghanistan; Consignment Likely To Be Shipped Via Pak: Report

India has agreed to step forward and ease Afghanistan’s worsening hunger crisis, and food insecurity by supplying 50,000 tons of wheat in order to mitigate the neighbouring country’s ongoing woes that have spiralled for worse since the Taliban’s political takeover, reports revealed on Wednesday. The consignment is expected to be shipped via a route in Pakistan, an Afghan government official confirmed in a report carried by The New York Times.

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Israel Dismisses US Proposal For Interim Deal To Buy Time For Nuclear Talks With Iran

In fresh efforts to buy time for talks over stalled Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal with Iran, United States National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan has floated the idea of a short-term agreement with Tel Aviv. Citing its sources from Israel and US, Axios said Sullivan has discussed the idea of the interim deal with his Israeli counterpart Eyal Hulata. The talks are currently at a preliminary stage and are likely to hit further developments in the Vienna summit on 29 November.

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Coimbatore: Heavy Rains Bring Down Giant 50-year-old Tree; IMD Issues Red Alert In Chennai

A 50-year-old big tree toppled in Coimbatore's Ukkadam neighbourhood last night. Four motorcycles were damaged. Heavy rains with thunder and lightning pounded the whole Coimbatore district over the previous few days, and now, the 50-year-old tree collapsed yesterday evening. People in the vicinity did not come out owing to the rain, therefore there were no casualties. The fire department arrived on the site with logging machines and earthmovers to clear the road.

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