SOURCE: REUTERS

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said dialogue was needed to resolve heightened friction between arch-rivals Pakistan and India during a meeting in Riyadh with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif was making his first overseas visit since winning power in elections in February. He met with bin Salman on Sunday. “The two sides stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to ensure peace and stability in the region,” a joint statement released by Pakistan’s foreign office and the Saudi government said.

SOURCE: ANI

Maldivian politician Mariyam Shiuna, who was among the three ministers suspended earlier this year over their remarks against Indian leadership, has offered her “sincerest apologies” for a fresh post that allegedly disrespected the Indian National Flag.

Shiuna, who has now deleted the said post, said she did not intend to disrespect the Indian Tricolour and regrets any misunderstanding it may have caused. She stated that Maldives deeply values its ties with India and the mutual respect between the two nations. She also committed to remain more vigilant in verifying the content in future.

SOURCE: ANI

Angelos Delivorias, an expert from the European Parliament asserted that India increased its diplomatic importance in emerging dynamics of Indo-Pacific, attributing it not only to India’s strategic evolution over the past decade but also to broader global dynamics and its amplified role in the Indo-Pacific region.

“India has increased its diplomatic importance as a part of its strategy over the last decade, but apart from its own evolution, its importance increases as a result of the current geopolitical evolutions,” Delivorias said while speaking on India’s positioning in the Indo-Pacific theatre.

SOURCE: ANI

As the Israel-Hamas war completed its six months, Moran, a survivor of the October 7 attack, conveyed appreciation towards India and its people for their steadfast support during a challenging period.

Moran’s words reflect the profound bond shared between the two nations in times of adversity. “I see the Indian support that started much before, years before October 7 and after October 7,” Moran expressed, highlighting the enduring nature of India’s solidarity, adding, “Thanks to Prime Minister Modi, all over the media. And we know that India is a true friend of Israel.”

SOURCE: ANI

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in the country, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led centre saying that there is a lot of anger and strong opposition among the youth of the country regarding the Agniveer scheme. He said that wherever the BJP ministers of the PM Modi government are going, they have to say that they will reconsider this, and make changes and improvements.

“You wake up early in the morning and do rigorous physical and mental preparations so that you can serve Mother India,” he slammed. Kharge called the Agniveer scheme an insult to the youth’s hard work. He said, “Agniveer Yojana has kept the value of your service for only 4 years. This is not only an insult to your hard work, it is also a breach of national security.”

SOURCE: ANI

A taxi driver was injured after terrorists fired at him in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Monday night, police said. According to the District Police Shopian, a taxi driver was fired upon by terrorists in the Heerpora area of Shopian and was admitted to a hospital. The search operation to nab the terrorists is on, the police added.

Further details are awaited. Earlier on February 16, a terrorist associate was arrested along with arms and ammunition in the Lalpora area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Kupwara Shobhit Saxena, while speaking to ANI said that a joint naka was laid by Kupwara Police, Army and CRPF at Gundimacher Bridge. He further said that during checking, a suspicious movement of one person carrying a white-coloured bag, coming from Lalpora towards Gundmacher was observed.

SOURCE: PTI

Twelve Naxalites were arrested from Sukma and Bijapur districts in Chhattisgarh on Monday, police officials said. Nine Naxalites, with a cumulative bounty of Rs 11 lakh on their heads, were nabbed in Sukma, Superintendent of Police Kiran G Chavan said.

“Madvi Ayata alias Sukhram, woman ultra Kalmu Deve, Sodhi Ayata, Madkam Bhima and five others, including one more woman, were held from the forest of Palodi village in Kistaram by a team of the District Reserve Guard, 212nd and 217 battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA’s 208th battalion,” he said.

SOURCE: PTI

Three men were booked under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities, police said on Monday.

According to a police spokesperson, Mysir Majeed Malik from Seriwarpora Pattan, Abdul Ahad Dar from Dar Mohalla Palhallan and Khursheed Ahmad Waza from Tantraypora Palhallan were booked after obtaining formal detention orders from competent authority.