
Kerala leaders hail postponement of Nimisha Priya's execution
'I'm very happy that the punishment, which was set to be carried out, has been postponed. We all pray to God that the punishment is revoked. I am waiting for the best outcome. Let's hope for that,' he said, adding, 'Many people are involved in this effort (to save her). Everyone is doing their best. I believe the efforts will bear fruit.'
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan praised the intervention of Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar in securing the postponement of Nimisha's execution, describing the news as both comforting and hopeful.
'The decision came as a result of the tireless efforts and initiative of Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar. It is the outcome of hard work driven by humanity and brotherhood. I congratulate Kanthapuram and everyone, including the action council, who worked relentlessly to secure justice for Nimisha Priya.
I hope their collective hopes and efforts soon come to fruition,' he said. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said: 'May the intervention of Kanthapuram Ustad yield positive results. Let us hope his efforts, which led to discussions with Sufi leader Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz, will ultimately be successful. We will continue to offer sincere support to everyone working for Nimisha Priya's release. Now, we await the happy news of her release after overcoming all legal hurdles.'

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The Hindu
a minute ago
- The Hindu
Custody row: Supreme Court directs Centre to issue LOC against Russian wife, child on Indian man's plea
The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 17, 2025) directed senior Delhi Police officials to immediately trace a child of a Russian mother and an Indian father while asking the Centre to issue a look-out notice about the woman and the minor to ensure she did not leave the country. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed the authorities to seize her passport and inform all international airports and other ports within India, and the immigration authorities to ensure they did not leave the country. The father is fighting a custody battle for the child with the estranged Russian wife and alleged she wasn't complying with the court's order of custody of the minor. The man claimed being unaware of the whereabouts of his wife and the child since July 7. The man was observed to have made several complaints but no action was taken. "Father of the child apprehends that the petitioner has been facilitated to flee out of the jurisdiction of this court. She was statedly seen entering the Russian Embassy through a back door on July 4, 2025 along with a Russian diplomat, with whom she is alleged to have some relationship. It is further alleged that the police have failed to provide protection to the minor child, thereby defying the directions issued by this court," the bench said. The top court, therefore, directed the Ministry of External Affairs officials to liaise with the relevant authorities in the Russian embassy and seek permission to enter into the residential premises of the diplomat, who was last seen in her company on July 4, 2025. "Keeping in mind the comity, diplomatic relationship, and autonomy enjoyed on a reciprocal basis by different embassies, we are not issuing any directions in respect of the officers of the Russian Embassy in India. However, we do not hesitate to observe that if, on the basis of the police report, we find any diplomatic personnel attached or connected to the said embassy has prima facie committed an offence within the framework of the penal laws of this country, the law must take its own course." The bench for now advised the highest authority in the Russian embassy to assist the Indian authorities, including the Delhi police to ensure directions of this court, issued from time to time, were not violated. The top court further noted getting "very evasive and vague replies" upon inquiries made about the woman's whereabouts which raised "serious doubts" on the bonafide conduct of her counsel. The bench's order was directed to be shared with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, Delhi police commissioner for information and necessary compliance. "The officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs, Union of India are also directed to communicate this order to all international airports and other ports within India, and the immigration authorities be intimated to ensure that neither the petitioner (woman) nor the minor child is permitted to leave the country," the order said. The top court posted the hearing on July 18, when it asked the authorities concerned to file a status report. The bench had previously remarked that in a "furious fight" between the husband and wife over the child, several speaking orders were passed by the court from time to time. The top court on May 22, 2025 directed that the exclusive custody of the child was given to the mother for three days in a week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and for the remaining days, the child was directed to remain in the exclusive custody of his father. The mother of the child is a Russian citizen, who has been residing in India since 2019, initially coming to India on an X-1 Visa, which expired subsequently. However, during the pendency of the court proceedings, the top court directed the extension of the visa from time to time. On May 22, the top court directed the Deputy Commissioners of Police (South East and South) and the station house officers of Lajpat Nagar and Defence Colony Police stations to maintain a discreet but effective vigil over the residential premises of both parties.


Scroll.in
a minute ago
- Scroll.in
Israel-Iran conflict grounds Pakistan's fishing industry
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Allaudin Kakkar, a senior official from the Balochistan Fisheries and Coastal Development Department, told Dialogue Earth that the province's fishers contribute around 340,000 tonnes of catch annually, with a market value of nearly PKR 19.9 billion (USD 70.1 million). This includes high-value species such as tuna, Spanish mackerel, croaker, Indian oil sardine, and Indian mackerel. With over 16,000 registered and 6,000 smaller, unregistered boats operating in its waters, fishing provides livelihoods to tens of thousands of families in the province. 'Despite this valuable contribution, the sector remains poorly regulated, underfunded, and deeply exposed to external shocks,' says Kakkar. Such a shock arrived when tensions escalated between Iran and Israel during the 12-day war. Before the conflict, fishers relied heavily on Iranian petrol and diesel, which although imported illegally by smugglers, was both affordable and easily accessible. 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He fears that the sudden halt in fishing due to the fuel-price increase, especially the catching of top predatory fish such as tuna, could disturb the balance of the marine ecosystem. The current geopolitical tension is severely impacting Pakistan's coastal and pelagic fisheries, particularly tuna, says Khan. Every year, Pakistani fishers harvest approximately 50 to 60 tonnes of tuna and tuna-like species, most of which is sold directly to Iran. Although this export is illegal, like the fuel that moves in the opposite direction, the fish fetch high prices over the border. Balochistan tuna is generally not high enough quality for most international markets, says Khan, leaving Iran one of the few places willing to pay well for it. Iran offers prices ranging from PKR 300 to 700 ($1.06-$2.47) per kg, and the total annual value of this export trade is estimated at around PKR 15-35 million ($52,900-$123,300). 'Without access to the Iranian market, the entire tuna fishery is on the brink of collapse, threatening both income and employment for the affected communities,' says Khan. Tahir Rasheed agrees. He is the CEO of Balochistan Rural Support Programme, an NGO that supports rural poor and marginalised people in the province. 'Most of the tuna and other commercial [fish] are exported from Balochistan to Iran through barter trade, where fishers often exchange their catch, including tuna, for petrol and diesel,' says Rasheed. The barter trade typically operates through Iranian speedboats that are registered in both Iran and Pakistan. They obtain fish from Pakistani fishers by journeying offshore to locations around the border of the two countries, as well as landing sites in Balochistan such as Gwader and Jiwani. Poor fishers, now poorer In addition to tuna sales, the swim bladders of some fish caught in the region are sought after as a delicacy in East and Southeast Asian markets. With fuel prices surging due to the border closure leading to higher land and sea transportation costs, thousands of kilograms of high-value fresh catch are going unsold. The domestic market is too weak to absorb the surplus, and cold-storage facilities are extremely limited, especially in remote coastal towns, notes Nakuda Dad Karim, a fisher from Gwadar. A lack of ways to preserve fish for exports – such as canning or freezing – means the crisis is rippling through the Balochistan economy. 'Without formal trade routes or preservation infrastructure, the entire supply chain is collapsing,' says Kalmati. 'Ice factories, fish transporters, fish-processing owners, boat mechanics … everyone is affected. This isn't just a fisheries crisis. It's a full-blown economic emergency.' All this has further depressed the price for fishers' catches. 'I have been going to sea for over 40 years,' says Karim. 'But I have never seen it this bad. We used to spend PKR 15,000 ($53) on a trip and return with enough fish to make a small profit. Fuel cost alone has now exceeded PKR 30,000 ($106) and we can't even sell our catch at a good price. Each trip feels like gambling our future.' Many like Nakuda Dad Karim are now struggling to feed their families. His younger son, a crew member on the same boat as him, is considering moving to construction work, where prospects are better. Jumait Jangir Baloch is a fisher and 'mole holder' – someone who is certified as a fish trader by the government – in Gwadar. 'Some of us have stopped going to sea. It's not worth the loss,' he says. 'We used to sell Spanish mackerel, barracuda, large croakers, and tuna to Iranian buyers. They paid us good rates in cash. Now, no one is buying, and even local traders offer half the price.' On land, women suffer While those who go to sea are mainly men, women are also affected by the crisis. 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If this continues, it could trigger a serious food security and nutrition crisis.' Kalmati, of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce, wants federal and provincial governments to intervene swiftly with fuel subsidies and reopen the border to properly regulated trade. Provincial official Kakkar acknowledges the severity of the crisis. 'We've submitted a proposal for a PKR 380 million ($1.34 million) endowment fund to support emergency fuel subsidies, welfare schemes, and compensation for affected fishermen,' he says. Rasheed, from the Balochistan Rural Support Programme, says that with cold-storage and canning facilities and other modern infrastructure, the province could transform its fishing industry into a lucrative export sector. This would reduce dependency on bartering and boost the economy. But 'we must act quickly', he says. Balochistan's fishing industry, once a pillar of its coastal economy, teeters on the edge. Without swift and coordinated action, its collapse could reverberate far beyond its shores. Shabina Faraz is an award-winning environmental journalist with more than 20 years of experience in journalism. She writes for BBC Urdu, The Third Pole and Pakistani newspaper Dawn, and has worked as an editor at monthly magazine Jareeda, published by IUCN Pakistan. Her X handle is @Shabinafaraz Abdul Rahim is an environmental journalist who contributes to national and international platforms including The Express Tribune, Dialogue Earth, and various environmental magazines. He has collaborated with IUCN on conservation reporting and environmental management initiatives. His X handle is @rahimgwd.


New Indian Express
a minute ago
- New Indian Express
'Sensitive matter,' making efforts to reach 'mutually agreeable solution' with Yemen: MEA on Nimisha Priya case
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday said it is in touch with Yemeni authorities as well as certain friendly nations as part of efforts to reach a "mutually agreeable solution" in the case relating to Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse on death row in Yemen. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government is making concerted efforts to seek more time for Priya's family to reach some kind of an understanding with the family of the Yemeni man Priya is convicted of killing. The 38-year-old Indian national's execution was scheduled for July 16, but it was postponed following intervention of Indian officials. She is presently lodged in a jail in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital city that is under the control of Iran-backed Houthis. "This is a sensitive matter and the government of India has been offering all possible assistance in the case," Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. The nurse, hailing from Kollengode in Kerala's Palakkad district, has been found guilty of murdering a Yemeni citizen in July, 2017. In 2020, a Yemeni court handed her the death sentence and the country's Supreme Judicial Council dismissed her appeal in November 2023. "We have provided legal assistance and appointed a lawyer to assist the family. We have also arranged regular consular visits and been in constant touch with the local authorities and the family members to resolve the issue. "This included concerted efforts in recent days to seek more time for the family of Nimisha Priya to reach a mutually agreeable solution with the other party," the MEA spokesperson said. Jaiswal said local authorities in Yemen have postponed carrying out Priya's sentence that was scheduled for July 16.