Iran’s FM Zarif to visit Moscow
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif will visit Moscow on Monday and is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Second Asian Department Director Zamir Kabulov said on Friday. A source in the Iranian Foreign Ministry also told TASS that Zarif will pay a visit to Moscow on May 14 for consultations on the nuclear deal. Zarif will visit China on Saturday, before traveling to Moscow on Monday. Zarif will also take part in a meeting of the European parties to the deal in Brussels on May 15, the source said.
India and Nepal build “Ramayan Circuit”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli jointly inaugurated direct bus service between Janakpur in Nepal and Ayodhya in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Modi said India and Nepal will work towards building ‘Ramayan’ circuit between both the countries. He said this will act as the foundation for strong people to people contact between the two nations. He thanked his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli for accompanying him during this visit to Janakpur.
He also paid a visit to Janaki temple earlier and offered special prayers. Mr Modi is also going to address a civic reception in a short while from now. The Prime Minister reached Janakpur this morning on a two-day visit to the Himalayan nation.
He was received by Defence Minister of Nepal Ishwor Pokhral, Chief Minister of Province two, and Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Manjeev Singh Puri.
During the visit to the Himalayan nation, Mr Modi will hold bilateral talks with his Nepalese counterpart KP Sharma Oli besides meeting the President and Vice President of the country.
Mr Modi and Mr Oli will jointly lay the foundation stone for Arun 3 hydropower project. The two leaders will have the opportunity to take forward the recent wide-ranging discussions in New Delhi on issues of mutual interest, and to advance partnership across diverse sectors.
This is Mr Modi’s third visit to Nepal as Prime Minister. In his departure statement prior to the visit, Mr Modi said, the visit reflects the high priority that India attaches to the age-old, close and friendly ties with the Himalayan Nation.
He said these high-level and regular interactions reflect his government’s commitment to the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, in consonance with the motto of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. Mr Modi stated that India will continue to remain a steadfast partner of the neighbouring country to implement its vision of ‘Samriddha Nepal, Sukhi Nepali’.
Abe and Li to promote infrastructure
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the country aims to work closely with China in responding to growing demand for infrastructure in Asian countries.
Abe was speaking on Thursday at a welcome party for Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a Tokyo hotel, hosted by Japanese business organizations. Li was visiting Japan for the first time since taking office in 2013.
Abe said he agreed with Li during their talks the previous day to set up a forum for bringing together the 2 nations’ public and private sectors with the aim of responding to the huge demand for infrastructure in Asia.
Abe said he believes both countries stand to gain more from cooperating with each other than competing for overseas infrastructure projects.
Li called for active participation by Japanese firms in China’s Belt and Road economic initiative, which covers Asia, Africa and Europe. He said China wants to deepen pragmatic cooperation with Japan so the 2 countries’ development strategies can be linked effectively.
Li called for active participation by Japanese firms in China’s Belt and Road economic initiative, which covers Asia, Africa and Europe. He said China wants to deepen pragmatic cooperation with Japan so the 2 countries’ development strategies can be linked effectively.
Li also said he believes China and Japan can complement each other in technological innovation.
He added that he wants to promote bilateral financial cooperation and ways to increase private-sector investment opportunities between them.
Li expressed hope to visit Japan again fairly soon and spend more time in the country, and said he has invited Abe to China.
Li added that frequent reciprocal visits by the 2 nations’ leaders will help deepen bilateral economic ties.
47 dead after dam bursts in Kenya
Heavy rain is forecast to continue over the next few weeks, leading to fear that the flooding could get worse. Kenyan authorities say at least 47 people died after weeks of torrential rain caused a dam to collapse on Wednesday night.
The “sea of water” from the dam in the western town of Solai tore into 2 villages.
The reservoir was used for agriculture and fish cultivation.
Many people were reportedly asleep at the time. Almost half of the dead are said to be children.
Residents are working to rescue people buried under mud. They are also clearing away debris and farm produce.
Israel airstrikes Syria,Iranian attacks Golan Heights
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran had crossed a “red line” by firing rockets at Israeli forces from Syria, leading to major Israeli air strikes on Thursday in the neighbouring country.
“Iran has crossed a red line. Our reaction was a consequence,” the Israeli leader said in a video posted on social media.
“The Israeli army carried out an extensive attack against Iranian targets in Syria.”
Iran has not claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.
Israel carried out widespread deadly raids against what it said were Iranian targets in Syria after rocket fire towards its forces which it blamed on Iran, marking a sharp escalation between the two enemies.
Israel said 20 rockets, either Fajr or Grad type, were fired from Syria at its forces in the occupied Golan Heights at around midnight.
It blamed the rocket fire on Iran’s Quds force, adding that Israel’s anti-missile system intercepted four while the rest did not land in its territory.
No Israelis were wounded.
“We are in a prolonged campaign and our policy is clear: We will not allow Iran to establish itself militarily in Syria,” Netanyahu said.
Israel launched air strikes on military installations in neighboring Syria on Thursday, killing at least 23 people.Israel says the attacks were retaliation for about 20 rockets it claims were fired into the Golan Heights by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps deployed in Syria.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the Israeli strikes reached a wide area, including the vicinity of Damascus, the southern province of Quneitra and the central province of Homs. Iran’s military installations were among the targets, along with those of the Shia Muslim group Hezbollah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Israel is reportedly alarmed by Iran’s increasing military presence in Syria and has repeatedly targeted Iranian installations there.
The reported Iranian attacks in the Golan Heights were the first since the United States announced its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
Concerns are growing that the US pullout may deepen the conflict between Israel and Iran in Syria.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Thursday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was following the situation with utmost concern.
He noted that the UN Disengagement Observer Force, or UNDOF, has maintained contact with forces from both sides.
Dujarric said Guterres urged an immediate halt to all hostile acts and provocative actions to avoid a new conflagration in the region, which is already embroiled in “terrible conflicts with immense suffering of civilians.”
Mahathir sworn in, the Malaysian PM
Kuala Lumpur, on Thursday night, the king administered the oath of office to Mahathir. He had previously been the prime minister of Malaysia for more than 20 years.
The opposition alliance won a majority of seats in Wednesday’s parliamentary election, beating the governing coalition led by Najib Razak.
Najib conceded defeat at a news conference. He pledged to accept the people’s decision in the election and respect parliamentary democracy.
Najib also expressed his intention to cooperate in a smooth change of government.
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