‘Russian woman may have left India with kid'
The two-judge Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi called the situation 'unacceptable' and observed that it was 'gross contempt of court'. The Bench said in its order on Monday: 'Her passport is seized. How could she get a duplicate passport? It could not have been possible without the help of some officials at the Russian Embassy. It is a gross contempt of court. It is totally unacceptable. We will be passing some harsh orders and direct for issuing a Red Corner Notice.'
The Centre's submission that the woman had left India came as a surprise, as it had previously told the SC that she had not left the country, at least through legal means.
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Hindustan Times
11 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Government meetings spark buzz of J&K statehood
High-level meetings on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir that led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories set off speculation on Monday that the Centre may start the process of restoring the region's statehood. Adding fuel to this was a meeting of NDA members of Parliament called for Tuesday morning and the separate Sunday meetings between President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. (PTI) Adding fuel to this was a meeting of NDA members of Parliament called for Tuesday morning and the separate Sunday meetings between President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Government officials and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries remained tight-lipped about the bunch of meetings, including the one Union home minister Amit Shah held with national security advisor Ajit Doval, Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka, and home secretary Govind Mohan on Monday. No details of this meeting, which was held in Parliament precincts, were shared. The speculation even prompted J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah to take to X and post: 'I've heard every possible permutation & combination about what to expect in J&K tomorrow so let me stick my neck out and say nothing will happen tomorrow - fortunately nothing bad will happen but unfortunately nothing positive will happen either. ' J&K was bifurcated into two UTs of J&K and Ladakh after Parliament on August 5, 2019 passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill and read down Article 370 and 35 (A) that gave the erstwhile state special powers to determine issues of domicile. Since the formation of the National Conference-led government in J&K almost 10 months ago, there has been a clamour to restore statehood in J&K. To be sure, both the Prime Minister and the home minister have stated that the region's statehood would be restored at the appropriate time. A senior BJP leader, while refusing to comment on the speculation said: 'This is a promise that the government has already made…and it will be done when the time is right.' This person, who asked not to be named, attributed the speculation of 'a big ticket announcement' to the two major events that took place on August 5. The first was the Bill for Abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and a year later, on the foundation ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Modi and Shah separately calling on President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan prompted rumours that the Centre may have a crucial bill on its agenda for the ongoing monsoon session that will end on August 21. To be sure, officials and party functionaries said the two leaders calling on the President was not unusual. 'The PM briefs the President on his foreign visits, the HM too meets her as required…' a second BJP functionary said. The meetings come in the backdrop of the impending vice presidential election that has been necessitated by the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar who announced his exit on July 21, citing ill health. The election to pick the new VP has been scheduled for September 9, with August 21 being the last date for filing nominations. The second party functionary said the process of shortlisting candidates and reaching out to the allies including the Telugu Desam Party and the Janata Dal (United) to elicit their support will be initiated by the BJP leadership. 'So far, all the names being mentioned in the media are speculative,' the second functionary said. Some party leaders however indicated that the candidate is unlikely to be a sitting Lok Sabha MP or someone who holds a gubernatorial position. A meeting of the NDA parliamentary party has also been scheduled for Tuesday, which is likely to be addressed by the PM. Although such meetings used to be routinely held during Parliament sessions, their frequency has dropped after 2024. The last such meeting of NDA lawmakers was held on July 2, 2024. All eyes are also on the announcement for the election of the BJP's new party president. The term of the incumbent JP Nadda was extended till June 2024, but the election process has been the party president is elected unopposed. While the constitutional requirements for the election have been met, elections to pick new state presidents in at least 50% of the states are over, but there has been no word on the reason for the delay in announcing the date for the election of the new party president. A few party leaders said the process may get underway after the election of the VP is over, while some others indicated that the incumbent may continue till state polls are held in Bihar later this year. But right now, everyone is holding their breath for August 5.
Hindustan Times
11 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ukraine flags Indian-made parts in drones used by Russian forces
Ukraine has formally raised with the Indian government and the European Union (EU) the issue of electronic components made or assembled by firms in India being found on Iranian-designed drones used by Russian armed forces, people familiar with the matter said. The Shahed, a relatively inexpensive drone, has been used in large numbers by Russia to target Ukraine since late 2022. (REUTERS) The Ukrainian side raised the matter through formal diplomatic correspondence with the external affairs ministry on at least two occasions after these components were found on Shahed 136 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) since last year, according to the people cited above and documents reviewed by HT. Ukrainian diplomats brought up the issue with EU sanctions envoy David O'Sullivan when he visited New Delhi in mid-July, the people added on condition of anonymity. O'Sullivan travelled to India last month to brief Indian officials on the EU's latest sanctions package, which listed Vadinar refinery, jointly owned by Russian energy major Rosneft, and included an import ban on refined products made from Russian crude. According to the documents reviewed by HT, an investigation by Ukrainian authorities established that electronic components from Vishay Intertechnology and Aura Semiconductor – either assembled or made in India – were 'used by Russia in the production of the Shahed 136' UCAVs. The documents provided detailed information and images of specific components. A 'bridge rectifier E300359' of Vishay Intertechnology assembled in India was used in the Shahed's voltage regulator unit, while a PLL-based signal generator AU5426A chip made by Aura Semiconductor was used in the jammer-proof antenna for the drone's satellite navigation system, according to the documents. The people said, purely on a technical basis, the firms have not violated any Indian laws. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to a query on the matter by saying: 'India's exports of dual-use items are in keeping with its international obligations on non-proliferation, and based on its robust domestic legal and regulatory framework. Due diligence is conducted to ensure that such exports do not violate any of our laws.' There was no official word on the matter from the Ukrainian embassy in New Delhi. However, Ukraine's defence intelligence directorate or HUR has reported about the Indian-origin components found in Shahed drones on its official Facebook page and Telegram channel. Several requests for a comment from Vishay Intertechnology, a US-based manufacturer of chips, optoelectronics and sensors, elicited no reply. Kishore Ganti, co-founder of Aura Semiconductor Pvt Ltd, the Bengaluru-based subsidiary of Ningbo Aura Semiconductor Co, said the firm ensures its products are used lawfully and ethically, and fully complies with all applicable national and international export control laws. 'We are deeply disturbed by the possibility that any of our components may have reached defence manufacturers through unauthorised third-party channels, in violation of our stated compliance framework and distribution agreements. We strongly oppose such activity and are committed to taking action wherever compliance gaps are identified,' Aura Semiconductor said in a statement. Ganti said that on becoming aware of the use of an 'Aura buffer product' in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Aura undertook a limited audit to understand the end-use for the item in question. 'However, the findings of the audit were inconclusive with respect to supply chain/end-user visibility of the Aura buffer product,' Ganti said. The component is a 'plug-and-play' one and can be used without dependence on Aura for any kind of support, 'making it difficult for Aura to trace the end users in this instance', Ganti added. The people cited above said there were instances of electronic components made in India being legally exported to destinations in West Asia, from where they were diverted to Russia or Iran. After Ukraine raised the matter, representatives of Indian security agencies visited manufacturers of electronic components and chips in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai to sensitise them about international restrictions related to dual-use items, the people said. The Shahed, a relatively inexpensive drone, has been used in large numbers by Russia to target Ukraine since late 2022. According to Ukraine's Security Service or SBU, Iran initially supplied 2,000 fully assembled drones to Russia, which later established its own assembly system using Iranian ready-made parts. Data from Ukraine's air force showed Russia launched 6,129 Shahed-type drones in July. Ukraine's defence intelligence directorate has also reported that electronic components from firms in the US and China have been found on Russian drones and other weapons. Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), said the components may have been diverted by foreign buyers to Iran through third countries. 'India strictly prohibits the export of dual-use items to sanctioned destinations. However, once such goods are exported to legitimate third countries, tracing their end use becomes nearly impossible – a challenge every open economy faces,' he said. These incidents underline the need for India to strengthen exporter awareness, especially in sensitive sectors, Srivastava said. 'Exporters must be better informed about high-risk geographies and flagged entities. But no system, however rigorous, can guarantee full control once goods leave Indian borders,' he added. 'Export compliance must be enforced, but blame must not be misdirected.'
The Hindu
11 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Brazil's Supreme Court orders house arrest for former President Jair Bolsonaro
Brazil's Supreme Court on Monday (August 4, 2025) ordered the house arrest for the country's former President Jair Bolsonaro, on trial for allegedly masterminding a coup plot to remain in office despite his defeat in the 2022 election — a case that has gripped the South American country as it faces a trade war with the Trump administration. The trial is receiving renewed attention after U.S. President Donald Trump directly tied a 50% tariff on imported Brazilian goods to the judicial situation of Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. The U.S. leader has called the proceedings a 'witch hunt.' Prosecutors accuse Bolsonaro of heading a criminal organisation that plotted to overturn the election, including plans to kill President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and a Supreme Court justice, Alexandre de Moraes. Monday's order followed one from the top court last month that ordered Bolsonaro to wear an electronic ankle monitor and imposed a curfew on his activities while the proceedings are underway. A failed coup: Editorial on Bolsonaro and Brazil's politics Justice Moraes, who oversees the case against Bolsonaro in the court, issued the order, saying in his decision that the 70-year-old far-right leader had violated the precautionary measures imposed on him by posting content on the social media channels of his three lawmaker sons. Moraes added that Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil between 2019 and 2022, has spread messages with 'a clear content of encouragement and instigation to attacks against the Supreme Court and a blatant support for foreign intervention in the Brazilian Judiciary.' Bolsonaro supporters plead for pardon Tens of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters took the streets in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, pleading for Brazil's congress to pardon him and hundreds of others who are under trial for their roles in the destruction of government buildings in capital Brasilia on Jan. 8, 2023. The latest decision from the top court keeps Boslonaro under ankle monitoring, allows only family members and lawyers to visit him and seizes all mobile phones from his home.
