India issues travel advisory for Iran
The advisory comes amid rising security concerns in the region over the past several weeks.
"In view of the security-related developments over the past several weeks, Indian nationals are advised to carefully consider the evolving situation before undertaking non-essential travel to Iran," the Indian Embassy said on X.
Further the embassy also wrote "advised to continue to monitor the latest regional developments and follow updated advisories issued by the Indian authorities."
For Indian nationals currently in Iran who wish to return, the embassy has noted that options are available. "Indian nationals already in Iran, and interested in leaving, may avail the commercial flight and ferry options which are available right now," it said.
The advisory follows a sharp rise in regional tensions after Israel launched air attacks on Iran, hitting military and nuclear sites as well as numerous civilian areas. The attacks were then followed by US air raids using bunker-buster bombs at key Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones at Israel, triggering a 12-day conflict.
The Iranian Armed Forces launched retaliatory strikes, targeting key positions across the Israeli-occupied territories and on the US military airbase in Qatar.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed into law a bill suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The state broadcaster of Iran reported that Pezeshkian ratified the bill after Parliament approved the legislation.
Iran's president has warned the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to abandon its 'double standards' if it intends to restore cooperation over the country's nuclear programme as the UN nuclear watchdog's refused to condemn the strikes undertaken by United States on nuclear sites.
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India Today
26 minutes ago
- India Today
Hounded for 10 years: Rahul Gandhi backs Robert Vadra amid ED crackdown
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Centre, accusing it of carrying out a decade-long "witch hunt" against his brother-in-law Robert Vadra, after the Enforcement Directorate filed its latest chargesheet against him."My brother-in-law has been hounded by this government for the last ten years. This latest chargesheet is a continuation of that witch hunt. I stand with Robert, Priyanka and their children as they face yet another onslaught of malicious, politically motivated slander and harassment," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X. advertisement"I know that they are all brave enough to withstand any kind of persecution and they will continue to do so with dignity. The truth will eventually prevail," he added. The Leader of Opposition's remarks came a day after the ED filed a charge sheet against Vadra, who is married to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Haryana. This is the first time any investigative agency has named the 56-year-old businessman in a criminal prosecution ED has attached 43 immovable properties across Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat worth over Rs 37 crore, allegedly linked to Vadra and his companies, including Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, sources told news agency case stems from a 2018 FIR registered by Gurugram Police, which accused Vadra's firm of fraudulently purchasing 3.53 acres of land in Shikohpur village, Sector 83, Gurugram, in February 2008 through what investigators claim was a false declaration. The land was reportedly bought for Rs 7.5 crore from Onkareshwar Properties Pvt. who was questioned by the ED for three consecutive days in April, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the case is part of a "political vendetta" targeting him and his family, which includes Congress matriarch Sonia Gandhi and Rahul a statement, Vadra's office described the latest chargesheet as "nothing more than an extension of the political witch hunt by the present government". "As a law-abiding Indian citizen, Mr Vadra has always and will continue to extend his fullest cooperation to the authorities. He is confident that at the end of it all, the truth will prevail and he will be cleared of any wrongdoing," the statement added. Backing Vadra, the Congress called the chargesheet another attempt by the Modi government to "intimidate and persecute" its leaders. "The witch hunting of Shri Robert Vadra is another vicious attempt of the Modi Government to intimidate and persecute, which will fail miserably," Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said.- Ends
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First Post
26 minutes ago
- First Post
Ukrainians Underground: How Zla Mavka wields art as armour and paints hope in occupied cities
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In several cities captured by Russian forces since, an underground Ukrainian struggle keeps the hopes of reunification alive. This is the story of Zla Mavka, a women's resistance group: Firstpost exclusive read more Firstpost speaks to an activist from the Ukrainian Women's Resistance group Zla Mavka, who shared the challenges of living in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. Firstpost via Zla Mavka Amid the grave war that has been raging on between Russia and Ukraine for three years, one would find beautiful artworks on the streets of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. The artworks will symbolise resistance and hope to countless Ukrainians living in the region that one day the war will be over and their homes will be free from any form of occupation. These artworks featured women standing their ground and 'fighting the evil'. When the need for discretion arises, the streets of occupied territories get filled with a tiny symbol, a circle over a triangle, once again representing a woman standing on her ground. The creator of these artworks is an all-woman non-violent resistance group, Zla Mavka. The name draws inspiration from a mythological story. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the first part of the Ukrainian Underground Series, we got to know about a resistance group called Yellow Ribbon, which has been raising its voice against Russia's occupation by tying yellow ribbons in different occupied territories. For the second part of the series, Firstpost's Bhagyasree Sengupta spoke to an activist from Zla Mavka. For safety reasons, the activist requested anonymity. The conversation was insightful as she spoke about the group, and what it takes to resist the Russian occupation. One of the posters of the Ukrainian resistance group Zla Mavka reads, 'I don't want flowers. I want my Ukraine'. Image Source: Firstpost via Zla Mavka Angry Mavkas Zla Mavka is an all-woman Ukrainian non-violent resistance movement, which was started in the occupied city of Melitopol in early 2023. When Moscow started its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, three Ukrainian women decided to stand against the Russian aggression. When asked by Firstpost why they call themselves Zla Mavka, the activist shared the story behind the name. 'The Mavka is a character from the Ukrainian mythology. It was a fairy tale about female spirits who protect the forest from bad guys, who try to come to their home,' she said. 'So, when we created our movement, we decided that it would be like a good state of this character.' The group also has a name for Russian soldiers who are deployed in the occupied territory. They often referred to the Russian troops as 'orcs', the brutish fighters from JRR Tolkien's famous series 'The Lord of the Rings'. 'It was fun, you know, like Mavka against orcs. And the only thing that we added was 'Zla' in the beginning, which means angry. So, it's like angry Mavka,' she said. A Zla Mavka poster is attached to a pole in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. Firstpost via Zla Mavka The group started creating posters based on the mythological character, which they discreetly put on walls and lamp posts across the street in occupied territories. One of the posts of the Ukrainian group that garnered attention in India was a video that paid homage to the 'Nitingal on India' Sarojini Naidu, who resisted the British colonisers in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When asked about the inspiration behind the post, the activist from the Ukrainian group said that they initially didn't have the skill for resistance, but later on, they took inspiration from around the world. 'We weren't prepared for this. It's just regular women with different kinds of professions, and we didn't have the skills. So when our movement started, we started to learn about experiences all over the world and especially the experiences of strong women in history. It was very inspiring,' she said. "Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind." #GandhiJayanti 100 years ago Sarojini Naidu protested, today @MavkaZla resist. #NonViolenceDay is an important reminder against what we fight. Times are changing – the women's resistance continues@kavita_krishnan — Зла Мавка (@MavkaZla) October 2, 2024 'So we decided to include her character in the video to tell her story, also because it can be a good example to other women here.' The story behind the artworks One of the USPs of the Zla Mavka movement is the fact that the group uses beautiful artworks as a symbol of resistance. They create beautiful illustrations of Mavaka (The Ukrainian mythological character) fighting Russian soldiers. While speaking to Firstpost, the Zla Mavka activist emphasised that these artworks are extremely important for the group. 'First of all, before the war started, one of us was an artist, and she started creating these posters and designs herself. Because you can't make a resistance here openly, for example, like going to the meeting hall or on the street. We decided that art will be very good for showing our messages on the streets, in the media, online and offline.' Zla Mavka put out their artworks, expressing their angst against Russian occupiers. Image Source: Firstpost via Zla Mavka 'So we also make jokes, we just laugh at the occupiers and this is what piss them,' she said. However, the Ukrainian activist pointed out that it is becoming difficult, year after year, to resist by putting out artworks due to intense Russian scrutiny. 'It's a huge problem because Russian occupiers are searching for activists. They put a huge number of cameras, patrols and so on and so on,' she said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite this, the resistance does not stop for Zla Mavkas as they find other ways to express their discontent with the draconian Russian regime. 'So we have to be creative and find new ideas to resist. 'For example, we use pumpkins and candles, you know, some stuff that everybody can find, just not to get caught by the occupiers and still spread the message,' the Zla Mavka explained. Due to heavy Russian surveillance, Zla Mavka's have to find innovative ways to resist. Firstpost So, how does the group work amid the Russian scrutiny Crackdown on dissenters and heavy surveillance have been a common theme in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. In the midst of this, adding people to a resistance movement and ensuring their safety can be a hard task. When asked about how the group recruits its members, Zla Mavka activist emphasises that they always stay on alert. 'Recruit would not be the right word because we don't ask somebody to do something. We just do what we do, and women come to us themselves, saying they would like to join. It doesn't mean that they will go, for example, tomorrow to burn the Russian flag or to make graffiti,' she said. 'Some of them are scared to do such things, so we ask them to sometimes write for our 'Diaries From Occupation'. So, women are writing their stories of a regular life in occupation. Some of them make graffiti and burn Russian flags.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zla Mavka activists burn Russian flags in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. Image Source: Zla Mavka 'We have a chatbot, Telegram and a few other places where people can write, and we will answer them. But, of course, we never meet them, like, personally, you know, and we don't know each other,' she said. And that is where the key component of the movement lies. Not knowing each other, their names or any kind of information about each other is an extremely important component of the Zla Mavka movement. This ensures the safety and anonymity of all the members. The Ukrainian activist mentioned that the group has certain safety rules for all its members. When asked more about what those rules are, she said: 'We learn them from ourselves, it's like from our experiences. First of all, it's, of course, online safety, how to clean your phone, because your phone can be checked on the street or hacked. How to make calls and messaging safe. How to share information safely.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We also have safety rules on the ground. How not to be caught on the cameras, for example, there are some we can't share,' she averred, ensuring the safety of other activists. How locals are reacting to it Does the existence of such groups raise the morale of the Ukrainian people living in occupied territories? The Ukrainian activist emphasised that the existence of resistance groups like these is important not only to break the Russian propaganda but also to make Ukrainians feel that they are not alone. 'We are receiving a lot of messages from people, even those who are not in the group, saying 'thank you, I saw your poster, I feel so good because I know that I am not alone',' she said. Talking about the dire circumstances in the region, the Zla Mavka activist emphasised that these days Ukrainians in the region can't even speak to their friends or even sometimes their families. 'So when they see these resistance signs, they see that they are not alone, you know, and this is very important for them. They see that, while resistance is continuing, it means that the Russians haven't won yet. Because there is still resistance, and this gives them hope,' she said. In light of this, Zla Mavka has initiated a solidarity campaign in which people all over the world can join the resistance. 'People from all over the world, from India, also started to send us photos with their hands with the logo of the movement. We show them to activists. It's inspiring for them to know that people all over the world don't forget about them,' she furthered. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A woman with the Zla Mavka logo drawn on her hand. Firstpost via Zla Mavka She emphasised that a lot of Ukrainians who are still living in the region because they don't have choices. 'Movements like these show that people who are here didn't accept Russia; they are here because they just couldn't leave their homes.' Zla Mavka up against a mighty state The Zla Mavka activist told Firstpost that while there are no huge bombings in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, the lives of people who live here can be extremely hard. Some of these challenges are as follows: ### **The Russian 'misinformation machine'** In May, there were reports of a sabotage of a Russian military train in Meltiopol. When asked if Zla Mavka had anything to do with it, as some reports suggested, the Ukrainian activist made it clear that the reports were 'huge disinformation', and they just reported on the incident. 'We always say that Zla Mavaka is a non-violent resistance group. This is very important because we don't want to cause sabotage, especially with the military. We don't want to put women who joined us at risk,' she said. 'We just reported that some activists did this, some partisans and some media just picked this information, starting to say that this was our movement. But this is not true.' The Zla Mavaka activist emphasised that disinformation like this is often useful for Russians to accuse the group of doing something violent. Zla Mavka activist holding a botched 200 rouble. The real Crimea-themed 200 rouble note was issued by the Bank of Russia in 2017. Image Source: Zla Mavka ### **The wrath of Russian spies** While the war is being played out in regions that are still under Ukraine, the locals in Russia-occupied territories have to navigate throught Russian wrath and intelligence. 'The hard thing here is Russian intelligence, FSB and other military groups that try to search all activists and not even activists,' the Zla Mavaka told Firstpost. 'They are hunting pro-Ukrainian people. So, you can be arrested here for a post. In social media, if you say Putin is bad or anything pro-Ukraine, you can be arrested just for this.' The Ukrainian activist noted that the group is to give its activists support in the form of tips and rules on how to be safe. The group is also writing down and documenting a lot of violence and sexual abuse against women in the region by the Russian occupiers. Zla Maka poster in Russian Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. Firstpost via Zla Mavka 'I think it will be very important to document all these things, to report, to collect all information about their crimes in the occupied territories. But even to do this, you have to create a lot of safety rules for all activists who even want to share information,' she said. ### **Adapting to a still evolving crisis** With the rise of the Ukrainian resistance group in Russian-occupied territories, the Russian authorities have to change their tactics to curb the voices of the dissenters. The groups then have to adapt themselves to stay underground. 'There are more agents deployed in the region, and there are more searches and cases. So they have become angrier,' she said. 'We are a problem for their propaganda. They are saying that people here are happy with Russia and happy to have a Russian passport. Then, when you go to the internet, you see different groups making resistance, you get a different image,' the Ukrainian activist explained. Burned newspaper featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin. Image Source: Zla Mavka 'They try to find, arrest, and deport people from these territories,' she added. The Ukrainian activist warned that if these territories continue to remain under Russian occupation, the Russian forces will become 'freer' when it comes to unleashing their wrath. 'The resistance won't stop' Throughout the interview, the Ukrainian activist made it clear that her group would not stop resisting until the Russians leave the Ukrainian territories. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went to Rome to garner support from Kyiv's Western allies. While the idea of a peace deal has been floating for a while, the hope for Russia's leaving the already occupied territories looks bleak. When Firstpost asked about the grim prospects, the Zla Mavka activist said, 'Resistance will not stop here because the only option that we will accept is that we will be part of Ukraine again. We are Ukrainians, we would like to see Russians out of our homes. Because people will not stop resisting until then.' Zla Mavka conducting its sabotage operation in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. Image Source: Zla Mavka 'People here are listening to our president Zelensky a lot on the internet, for them, what he is saying is very important. They are seeing that our president is on our side, and he is doing everything he can.' 'The thing is that we need more support. The world should unite to kick out the Russians and put them in their place. Because the Russian invasion will not stop here in Ukraine. It will go to different countries,' she said. What Zla Mavka wants to tell the world When asked about what Zla Mavka's message to the world is, the group's activist first started off by thanking people around the world for their support. 'I want to thank all of them, we hear them, we see how the international community supports Ukraine and supports people in occupied territories. We received all their messages. A lot of people all over the world, from America to India, write us messages with solidarity, with supportive words, asking how they can help,' she said. 'The only message I can send is that people really have power, and if we are all united, we can win against any evil. So, good guys have to win. We will continue to fight. The Ukrainian activist also had a message for US President Donald Trump, who threatened 100% sanctions against Russia earlier this week. Zla Mavka posters. Image Source: Zla Mavka 'We really hope that finally he understands who Putin is and that Putin is just a big liar. Maybe he just doesn't have enough information about things that are going on here, especially the occupation with all the crimes of Russians here. We don't have any messages, just hope,' she concluded.
The Wire
26 minutes ago
- The Wire
To Russia and China's Push for Revival of Trilateral Platform, India Gives a Tepid Response
New Delhi: India on July 17 gave a lukewarm public reception to the recent push by Russia and China to revive the trilateral format that has remained dormant for several years due to tensions between the two Asian giants. The Russia-India-China (RIC) format, initiated by then Russian foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov in 1996, has not held a meeting in recent years, largely due to the military standoff between India and China in Eastern Ladakh since 2020. While both Moscow and Beijing have expressed fresh interest in restarting the mechanism, India appears to be treading carefully. At the weekly media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the RIC was a consultative platform, but avoided confirming any imminent meeting. 'Look, this consultative format is a mechanism where the three countries come and discuss global issues and regional issues of interest to them. As to when this particular RIC format meeting is going to be held, it is something that will be worked out among the three countries in a mutually convenient manner, and we will let you know as and when that happens at an appropriate time when the meeting is to take place,' Jaiswal said. Indian official sources were more categorical that no meeting of the RIC format has been agreed to so far. 'There are no discussions underway on its scheduling,' said a source. Meanwhile, both Russia and China publicly threw their weight behind efforts to restart the format. Russian deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko told Russian news portal Izvestia that Moscow had raised the issue with both India and China. 'This topic appears in our negotiations with both of them. We are interested in making this format work, because these three countries are important partners, besides the founders of BRICS,' he said. He added that the absence of the trilateral forum 'looks inappropriate' and expressed hope that it could be revived 'when relations between these states reach a level that allows them to work in a trilateral format.' In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian endorsed Rudenko's comments. 'China-Russia-India cooperation not only serves the respective interests of the three countries but also helps uphold peace, security, stability and progress in the region and the world,' he said in answer to a question from Russian state news agency TASS at the daily briefing. Lin added that China is ready to maintain communication with Russia and India to advance trilateral cooperation. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, who has consistently advocated for reviving the RIC over the years, reiterated his support for the format, which had been first disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and then stalled by the India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh. 'Now that tensions along the India-China border have significantly eased, in my assessment, and the situation is normalising with ongoing dialogue between New Delhi and Beijing, I believe we can revive this trilateral format,' Lavrov said in June. Bilateral exchanges between India and China came to a standstill following the 2020 standoff and the clash in Galwan, but dialogue has gradually resumed over the past nine months after prime minister Narendra Modi met Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan last year.
