Latest news with #Peña
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
India, Paraguay vow to boost ties; united against terror: PM
Hosting the first foreign head of state since Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the visiting President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña Palacios, that the two countries are 'united in the fight against terrorism' and there is immense possibility of cooperation to fight against 'shared challenges' such as cybercrime, organised crime, and drug trafficking. Welcoming President Peña at delegation-level talks, Modi said the Paraguayan leader's first visit to Delhi will add new strength to the pillars of trust, trade, and close cooperation in the relations and will also add new dimensions to India-Latin America relations. Peña, who arrived in Delhi Monday, is on a three-day visit to India to explore ways to expand overall cooperation. It is his first visit to India and only the second trip by a president of the South American country. 'India and Paraguay stand united in the fight against terrorism. There is immense possibility of cooperation to fight against shared challenges such as cybercrime, organised crime, and drug trafficking,' Modi said, describing the two countries as integral parts of Global South with similar 'hopes, aspirations, challenges.' 'We see new opportunities for cooperation in areas such as digital technology, critical minerals, energy, agriculture, healthcare, defence, railways, space and overall economic partnership,' he said. Briefing reporters, P Kumaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said: 'This visit comes soon after the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam, J&K. PM Modi expressed his deep appreciation to Paraguay for its strong condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, as well as for the sincere condolences and solidarity expressed with the people and the Government of India… On behalf of the Paraguayan people, President Peña expressed his deep solidarity with the victims and families of the terrorist attack.' Kumaran said the two sides welcomed the establishment of a joint commission mechanism (JCM) at the Secretary / Vice-Ministerial level, which will serve as 'a key platform to review and advance cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest.' The PM also referred to New Delhi's preferential trade arrangement with South American trading bloc MERCOSUR, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. 'We can work together to further expand it,' the PM said. On defence cooperation, Kumaran said while Paraguay's priorities are different to those of India, the 'logic driving their acquisition of defence hardware' is mainly law enforcement. He said one of the points discussed in the talks was 'AgriStack'. 'As a large agricultural country, the use of digital platforms to make agriculture more efficient… is of great interest to the Paraguayan side,' Kumaran said. Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism '2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury's special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban's capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More
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Business Standard
8 hours ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Indian firms should use Paraguay as launchpad for South America: MEA
Indian companies should consider Paraguay as a staging post and launchpad to expand their operations across South America, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday, following talks between the visiting Paraguayan delegation led by President Santiago Peña Palacios and the Indian delegation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two countries also agreed to 'explore holding technical talks' on expanding the India–Mercosur Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to enhance market access and boost both bilateral and inter-regional trade. At the meeting, Peña told the Indian delegation that Paraguay is one of the most open economies in the Mercosur region and South America more broadly, and urged India to take advantage of this. While Paraguay has a small population of around 7 million, and therefore a relatively small domestic market, it is strategically located adjacent to much larger markets. Owing to its central position in South America, Paraguay could serve as a launchpad for Indian companies seeking access to the broader region, said Secretary (East) P Kumaran at a press briefing after the talks. The Southern Common Market—Mercosur, by its Spanish initials—is a regional bloc with six members: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Venezuela is currently suspended from the group. 'Our companies would be looking at Paraguay as a kind of staging post, and therefore as a force multiplier,' Kumaran said. Indian companies already present in Paraguay include United Phosphorus Limited, which operates an agrochemicals production facility; Praj Industries, which produces biofuels; Aditya Birla Group, which has a trading office; and Tata Group, Mahindra, Royal Enfield, and Bajaj, which have distributorships for their vehicles. Peña, who arrived in India on Monday morning for a three-day visit, will travel to Mumbai on Tuesday to meet top Indian business leaders and companies. India is looking to collaborate with Paraguay in sectors such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals, defence, infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy, and mining. Kumaran noted that although there was no specific discussion on India's accession to the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), 'it is an idea that is being discussed within the ministry'. On the India–Mercosur PTA, Kumaran said India has expressed 'serious interest in expanding the scope and reach in terms of the range of products that the PTA covers', but that building consensus among Mercosur's five full members is necessary. 'We are talking to all the partners in the Mercosur region. What we need to do is also to agree on the terms of reference for those discussions, and then take it forward,' he said. During his talks with the Prime Minister, Peña also highlighted that Paraguay produces enough food to feed 70 million people—ten times its own population—and is therefore a major food exporter. 'We do buy soybean oil from them, and they are also willing to work with us on any other agricultural products we wish to import or collaborate on,' Kumaran said. Paraguay is the only country in South America that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, though it also maintains a trading relationship with China. However, its trade is highly concentrated, with imports mainly from China and Brazil, and exports mostly to Argentina and Brazil. Given that much of Paraguay's trade is with just three countries, there is a strong motivation to diversify trade to better manage risks. Kumaran said that India, as a large and growing economy, is a natural partner in this context. Peña said he viewed India as a major trade and investment partner. 'He invited Indian companies to invest in Paraguay and promised to facilitate such investments in an efficient manner,' Kumaran added. Earlier in the day, during delegation-level talks, Prime Minister Modi noted, 'You are visiting not just Delhi but also Mumbai, which shows your commitment to building stronger ties between the two countries.' Referring to the existing PTA with Mercosur, Modi said, 'We can work together to further expand it.'
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña begins 3-day India visit, meets PM Modi
New Delhi: India and members of the Global South can learn from each other's experiences in tackling challenges such as terrorism and organised crime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he held talks with visiting Paraguayan President Santiago Peña on bolstering cooperation in areas ranging from trade to digital technology and defence. The Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which prompted India to target terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan, figured in talks between the two leaders. Modi said India and Paraguay 'stand united' in the fight against terror and Peña expressed solidarity with the victims of the terror attack. Both leaders unequivocally condemned all forms of terrorism and violent extremism, officials said. Peña began a three-day visit to India on Monday, the first by a Paraguayan president since 2012. Besides holding talks with the Indian leadership, he is also set to meet top business leaders in New Delhi and Mumbai to urge them to invest in diverse sectors in Paraguay. 'India and Paraguay stand united in the fight against terrorism. There is immense possibility of cooperation to fight against shared challenges such as cybercrime, organised crime and drug trafficking,' Modi said in his opening remarks at the meeting with Peña, speaking in Hindi. Modi noted that India and Paraguay are integral parts of the Global South with similar aspirations and challenges and said: 'This is why we can learn from each other's experiences to deal with these challenges effectively.' Modi also expressed his deep appreciation for Paraguay's strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and expressing solidarity with the people and government of India. 'Both leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations,' P Kumaran, secretary (East) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing. 'We see new opportunities for cooperation in areas such as digital technology, critical minerals, energy, agriculture, healthcare, defence, railways, space and overall economic partnership,' Modi said. 'We have a preferential trade agreement with Mercosur. We can work together to further expand it.' In addition to setting up a joint commission as a key platform to review and advance cooperation in priority areas, the two sides are working on two separate memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to enhance collaboration in agriculture and space technology. The two countries are working on a MoU for Paraguay to collaborate with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop and launch small and nano satellites, Kumaran said. While Paraguay's priorities in the defence sector are different from those of India, Kumaran said there is scope for bilateral cooperation in the context of Paraguay's efforts to secure large network of inland waterways, including bolstering law enforcement to tackle trans-national crimes such as human and drug trafficking. Peña also expressed keen interest in attracting Indian investments and enhancing bilateral cooperation in health, pharmaceuticals, defence, infrastructure, mining and renewable energy. Peña urged Indian firms to take advantage of Paraguay's position as one of the most open economies in the Mercosur region and promised to facilitate investments, officials said. 'Given their central location in South America, it would be possible for us to use Paraguay as a launching pad to try and access other markets in the region. Our companies would be looking at Paraguay as...a staging post and therefore, look at it in a way that is a force multiplier,' Kumaran said. 'We will be looking at expanding our presence in South America, using Paraguay as a staging post.' India and Paraguay also wish to expand trade links under the India-Mercosur preferential trade agreement. The members of Mercosur, a trade bloc that currently includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, are holding technical talks with India on enhancing market access and boosting bilateral and inter-regional trade. There is serious interest in expanding the scope and reach of the India-Mercosur preferential trade agreement in terms of the range of products, though consensus has to be built up among the five members on the bloc on the terms of reference for further discussions, Kumaran said. Two-way between India and Paraguay was worth $477 million during 2022-23, with Indian exports accounting for $317 million. India's main exports were motor vehicles, agro-chemicals, auto parts and pharmaceutical products, while the key imports from Paraguay were soya oil, iron and steel, aluminium and animal products.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Julianna Peña: Kayla Harrison PED use possible with UFC drug testing 'more lax than ever'
Julianna Peña: Kayla Harrison PED use possible with UFC drug testing 'more lax than ever' No matter what Kayla Harrison or her team says to the contrary, nothing will convince Julianna Peña that her UFC 316 title challenger is bending the system. Since the stars aligned for Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) to challenge for gold on the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view), reigning champion Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has not been shy with accusations of performance-enhancing drug use. Peña is convinced that two-time Olympic gold medalist Harrison has been cheating since well before she found success in MMA competition, and even though there are no positive results for banned substances throughout more than a decade of documented testing, that doesn't change the champion's mind. "They act like there's never been an Olympian who has busted for steroids," Peña told MMA Junkie on Friday. "Then you look at that Icarus documentary and you see the lengths these Russians and other teams would go to pass these drug tests because they know they would piss hot if they took a real drug test. People that do these kinds of things are so smart that they know it down to a science, how to get off, when to cycle off, when to go on and when not to. " After Peña's latest comments, Harrison's head coach, Mike Brown of American Top Team, told MMA Fighting that all accusations are entirely unfounded and that his student is a one-of-a-kind athlete. Peña admits she would probably back off the topic if she were alone in perspective. However, she said she looks around at the opinions of fight fans and others in the MMA community and has a hard time being convinced that she's wrong. "In the history of my entire career since 2013 in the UFC, never has PED use or steroids ever been a hot topic or something that's ever been discussed about any opponent that I've ever had," Peña said. "This is the first and only time. So it's not just me. Make her answer, because I think that everybody is seeing the same thing that I'm seeing and I'm the one saying it out loud, but you guys are bringing the questions to me. You should be bringing the questions to her. And I don't care how much she says she's been tested and how clean she is, that's what Lance Armstrong said too, and you would've believed him every freaking time he said it. He wasn't. It's one of those things where people are smart. They know how to cheat the system and it's a question she needs to answer, not me." Peña, 35, is clear that unless Harrison, 34, is taken out of UFC 316 by outside forces, they will be fighting for the belt regardless of her opinion. That said, she admits she could enter the first defense of her second 135-pound title reign with more confidence in competing on an even playing field. That comes down to the oversight of the contest, which Peña doesn't think is at the standard it should be. From June 2016 to the end of 2024, the UFC's drug-testing program was regulated by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which has also had Olympic oversight for decades. At the start of 2025, however, the UFC switched its testing program to Drug Free Sport International, which Peña thinks is a lesser system. "I feel like it's not that great," Peña said. "I felt more comfortable actually with this Icarus bottles, peeing into those Icarus bottles than I do now. Honestly. It's just this little plastic cup that you just barely flip the tab on, and it would be so easy (to cheat). I can only focus on myself, and I can only speak in 'I' statements, and I only know what I'm doing. But I don't like the way that the testing system is now. I think that it is a lot more lax than ever before." Regardless of whether Harrison is at an advantage or not, Peña said she is going to successfully defend her title. She thinks Harrison doesn't present much danger, and as long as she gets past the early pressure, it will be smooth sailing. "She's going to try to lay on top of me for 25 minutes," Peña said. "She might try to throw me one time, but after that is where she is going to have a lot of contention with me. She's not going to be able to hold me down for 25 minutes. The longer this fight goes, the better it is for me."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Julianna Peña: Kayla Harrison PED use possible with UFC drug testing 'more lax than ever'
No matter what Kayla Harrison or her team says to the contrary, nothing will convince Julianna Peña that her UFC 316 title challenger is bending the system. Since the stars aligned for Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) to challenge for gold on the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view), reigning champion Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has not been shy with accusations of performance-enhancing drug use. Advertisement Peña is convinced that two-time Olympic gold medalist Harrison has been cheating since well before she found success in MMA competition, and even though there are no positive results for banned substances throughout more than a decade of documented testing, that doesn't change the champion's mind. "They act like there's never been an Olympian who has busted for steroids," Peña told MMA Junkie on Friday. "Then you look at that Icarus documentary and you see the lengths these Russians and other teams would go to pass these drug tests because they know they would piss hot if they took a real drug test. People that do these kinds of things are so smart that they know it down to a science, how to get off, when to cycle off, when to go on and when not to. " After Peña's latest comments, Harrison's head coach, Mike Brown of American Top Team, told MMA Fighting that all accusations are entirely unfounded and that his student is a one-of-a-kind athlete. Peña admits she would probably back off the topic if she were alone in perspective. However, she said she looks around at the opinions of fight fans and others in the MMA community and has a hard time being convinced that she's wrong. Advertisement "In the history of my entire career since 2013 in the UFC, never has PED use or steroids ever been a hot topic or something that's ever been discussed about any opponent that I've ever had," Peña said. "This is the first and only time. So it's not just me. Make her answer, because I think that everybody is seeing the same thing that I'm seeing and I'm the one saying it out loud, but you guys are bringing the questions to me. You should be bringing the questions to her. And I don't care how much she says she's been tested and how clean she is, that's what Lance Armstrong said too, and you would've believed him every freaking time he said it. He wasn't. It's one of those things where people are smart. They know how to cheat the system and it's a question she needs to answer, not me." Peña, 35, is clear that unless Harrison, 34, is taken out of UFC 316 by outside forces, they will be fighting for the belt regardless of her opinion. That said, she admits she could enter the first defense of her second 135-pound title reign with more confidence in competing on an even playing field. That comes down to the oversight of the contest, which Peña doesn't think is at the standard it should be. From June 2016 to the end of 2024, the UFC's drug-testing program was regulated by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which has also had Olympic oversight for decades. At the start of 2025, however, the UFC switched its testing program to Drug Free Sport International, which Peña thinks is a lesser system. Advertisement "I feel like it's not that great," Peña said. "I felt more comfortable actually with this Icarus bottles, peeing into those Icarus bottles than I do now. Honestly. It's just this little plastic cup that you just barely flip the tab on, and it would be so easy (to cheat). I can only focus on myself, and I can only speak in 'I' statements, and I only know what I'm doing. But I don't like the way that the testing system is now. I think that it is a lot more lax than ever before." Regardless of whether Harrison is at an advantage or not, Peña said she is going to successfully defend her title. She thinks Harrison doesn't present much danger, and as long as she gets past the early pressure, it will be smooth sailing. "She's going to try to lay on top of me for 25 minutes," Peña said. "She might try to throw me one time, but after that is where she is going to have a lot of contention with me. She's not going to be able to hold me down for 25 minutes. The longer this fight goes, the better it is for me." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Julianna Peña: UFC drug testing 'not great' before Kayla Harrison bout
