
President Murmu to attend Pope Francis's funeral, pay homage on India's behalf
Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Easter Monday. He was 88."Pope Francis will be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world," the MEA said.Murmu will pay homage to Pope Francis by laying a wreath at Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City on Friday, it said."On April 26, the president will attend the funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis at Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City, which will be attended by dignitaries from around the world," the MEA said in a statement.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed condolences at the demise of Pope Francis and noted that his affection for the people of India will always be cherished.Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh had visited the Apostolic Nunciature (Embassy of the Holy See) in New Delhi on April 22 and signed the condolence book.India declared three days of state mourning on the passing of Pope Francis.Tune InMust Watch
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The Hindu
13 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Russia says captured three settlements in Ukraine's east
The Russian army said Wednesday (August 20, 2025) it had captured three villages in eastern Ukraine, claiming fresh territorial gains despite U.S.-led peace efforts and a flurry of diplomacy to end the conflict. Also Read | Russian attack on Poltava shows Putin does not want peace, Ukraine says Russia's Defence Ministry said on Telegram its troops had "continued to advance deep into the enemy defences" in the embattled Donetsk region, taking the villages of Sukhetske and Pankivka. They are near a section of the front where the Russian army broke through Ukrainian defences last week, between the logistics hub of Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka. In the neighbouring central-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region the Russian army said it had captured the village of Novogeorgiivka. Moscow's troops first entered the region — previously spared from fighting — in July. These latest advances come amid accelerated efforts by the U.S. and European leaders to broker a peace deal that would end the offensive, now in its fourth year. U.S. President Donald Trump said his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, had agreed to meet the Ukrainian leader and accept some Western security guarantees for Kyiv. These promises were met with caution in European capitals. According to three sources familiar with a Monday call between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin, the Russian leader proposed holding the summit with Volodymyr Zelensky in Moscow — an idea rejected by the Ukrainian President.


The Print
43 minutes ago
- The Print
Dhaka flags concerns over Awami League operations from Indian soil; MEA says concerns ‘misplaced'
It added that the Indian government 'does not allow political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil'. Hours after Dhaka formally urged New Delhi to act against exiled Awami League members allegedly operating from Indian soil and engaging in 'anti-Bangladesh activity', the MEA said in a statement issued Wednesday that the Government of India 'is not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action that is contrary to Indian law'. New Delhi: Responding to Dhaka's concerns about exiled Awami League members operating from Indian soil, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Wednesday dismissed these concerns as 'misplaced'. The Awami league, led by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was banned in May by the interim administration of which Muhammad Yunus is chief adviser. Many of its members fled to India and were thereafter declared absconding. Terming Dhaka's concerns 'misplaced', the MEA also reiterated India's stance: 'We expect that free, fair and inclusive elections will be held at the earliest in Bangladesh to ascertain the will and mandate of the people.' Earlier in the day, the Bangladesh foreign ministry had in a statement said continued presence and operations of exiled Awami League members on Indian soil risk undermining the 'mutual trust and respect' that underpin the two countries' close bilateral relations. It labelled the actions as 'an unambiguous affront against the people and State of Bangladesh,' adding that it 'may also trigger public sentiment in Bangladesh which may in turn impact the ongoing efforts of the two countries in further enhancing the relationship between the two closest neighbors'. Dhaka's concerns come amid reports of growing activity by exiled Awami League leaders in India, particularly in Kolkata's New Town area, where many former ministers, MPs, and senior leaders of the party have allegedly taken refuge following the political transition in Bangladesh. A BBC Bangla report mentioned that according to senior Awami League leaders, 'it is a commercial office now being used as a party office' in Kolkata. According to Bangladeshi officials, many of these leaders are facing serious criminal charges, including accusations of crimes against humanity, and are evading arrest by remaining abroad. According to the statement, on 21 July, senior members of the banned party attempted to hold a public outreach event under the banner of a non-governmental organisation at Delhi's Press Club where booklets critical of the Yunus administration were reportedly distributed, drawing sharp condemnation from Dhaka. The said event was supposed to take place on 22 July but was later cancelled on account of the Milestone air crash in Bangladesh, where a military jet crashed into the premises of a school, killing at least 35. As ThePrint reported earlier, a former central committee member of the party, speaking anonymously, claimed that more than 2,000 individuals including politicians, journalists, civil society activists, army officers, and diplomats, have fled the country since the change in power. Of these, around 1,300 are believed to be in India, most of them settled in New Town, Kolkata. The area's modern infrastructure and proximity to the airport have reportedly made it an attractive base for the exiled political class. In October 2024, public attention in Bangladesh was drawn to the issue when reports surfaced that former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan had been seen at Nicco Park, a well-known amusement park in Kolkata. Khan, who had been implicated in several cases linked to the July-August 2024 Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, had not officially left Bangladesh, prompting questions over how he crossed the border. There are contested claims on the office space. A former legislator from Cox's Bazar, now living in New Town, acknowledged renting a common meeting space but rejected the notion that it was a formal office. 'There are almost 1,300 party leaders in Kolkata. We can't possibly meet at the former Home Minister's living room,' he said, referring to Khan's apartment where party meetings are also held. 'But to call it an office would be a gross exaggeration.' Despite these denials, Bangladeshi officials insist that such activities pose a direct challenge to the nation's political stability and bilateral ties with India. They warn that public sentiment in Bangladesh could be adversely affected, potentially derailing ongoing efforts to deepen cooperation between the two neighbors. 'The Government of Bangladesh would urge upon the Government of India to take immediate steps to ensure that no anti-Bangladesh activity is undertaken by any Bangladeshi national from being on Indian soil, including not permitting or supporting any such activities in any manner and an immediate closure of the political office(s) of the banned Bangladesh Awami League on Indian soil,' the statement read. (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also Read: 'Bangladesh polls may not be held in February'—Hasina-era minister warns 'Yunus may not walk the talk'


Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
How Europe tried to speak Trump
A careful selection of cast and roles and a clear strategy to avoid deadlocks. European leaders' charm offensive on Donald Trump to foster Ukraine's cause this week was hastily arranged but followed a scripted plan, say European sources. France's Emmanuel Macron and Britain's Keir Starmer were among seven European leaders who accompanied Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Monday for high-stakes talks with the US President. "There's truly never been anything like it," Trump enthused in an interview Tuesday. "There's never been such a group," he told Fox News. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Protect Your Car Without Delay – Renew on Acko Acko Car Insurance Sign Up Undo The summit came on the heels of a meeting between Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which raised concerns in Europe that Kyiv would be pressured into making painful political and territorial concessions to Moscow. With nine leaders sitting around a long wooden table at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, the dynamics changed. Live Events Trump began the discussions by greeting his guests with a few words before the cameras. "You look great with your tan," he told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, while Starmer was introduced as "my friend, doing really well". EU chief Ursula von der Leyen was told she was "probably more powerful than anyone else around this table". 'Well prepared, well coordinated' Often criticised for their difficulties in communicating with Trump, the Europeans were hoping to steer the famously volatile US president closer to their position on the conflict, ahead of possible peace talks with Putin. "We were well prepared and well coordinated," Merz said after the meeting. "I think that really appealed to the American president, in the sense that he noticed that we Europeans were speaking with one voice here." Preparations for the meeting began Saturday when Trump debriefed Zelensky on his Alaska talks. The US president invited his Ukrainian counterpart to the White House and opened the door for a few European leaders to tag along, according to a European official. The proposal was discussed in a series of calls between European capitals. Some were wary of exposing themselves to an ambush in the Oval Office, the kind Zelensky suffered in February during his prior, explosive visit to the White House, according to the source. A team bringing together the leaders of major European powers France, Germany, Italy and Britain was nevertheless put together and announced on Sunday morning. Finland's Alexander Stubb, who has befriended Trump playing golf and leading a country that shares a long border with Russia, was also included. A few hours later, Zelensky made a detour to Brussels and appeared alongside von der Leyen, who completed the line-up with NATO's head Mark Rutte. 'Clumsy attempts' Each had a pre-scripted role, according to one participant at the summit. Rutte, who has long cultivated his relationship with Donald Trump, was responsible for starting discussions with Trump, the source said. Each leader then addressed a different aspect of the conflict. Von der Leyen, a mother and grandmother, for example emphasised the plight of Ukrainian children abducted by Russian forces. Whenever Trump seemed to get stuck on an issue, someone would chime in trying to present the matter from a different perspective and refocus the discussion, the source said. In a semantic shift, some avoided using the word "ceasefire" -- disliked by Trump who after meeting Putin has pivoted to seeking a full peace deal -- calling for Russia to "stop the killing" instead. Talk of security guarantees for Ukraine similarly deliberately saw the use of the vague term "presence", the source said. Whether such adjustments will help successfully resolve what promises to be an extremely difficult negotiation process on the future of Ukraine remains to be seen. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticised Europe's "clumsy attempts to change the position of the US president" -- a possible sign that Moscow is concerned about their impact.