Egyptian FM, US envoys discuss Mideast situation

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Cairo, June 16 (IANS) Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed the tense situation in the Middle East with two senior US diplomats.

The discussions were held in two separate phone calls with the US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and US senior adviser for Africa and presidential adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs Massad Boulos, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The call with Witkoff focused on the rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly in light of the military confrontation between Israel and Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

During the call, Abdelatty stressed the “extreme danger” this escalation poses to regional security and stability. He emphasised the immediate need to reduce military escalation, contain the situation, and return to political and diplomatic solutions to prevent the region from spiraling into a cycle of violence.

He also stressed the importance of a ceasefire and resuming negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding the Iranian nuclear program.

The ongoing Israeli-Iranian conflict started early Friday, when Israel launched a series of large-scale air and drone strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, resulting in significant casualties among senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists.

In response, Iran retaliated with missile and drone barrages aimed at Israeli territory. The planned sixth round of the Oman-mediated US-Iranian nuclear talks, scheduled for Sunday in Muscat, was canceled following the surge in Israeli-Iranian hostilities.

In his conversation with Boulos, the Egyptian foreign minister addressed the latest developments in Sudan, Libya, and the Great Lakes region. Both sides agreed on the importance of intensifying cooperation and coordination between Egypt and the United States to advance political solutions for these crises.

–IANS

int/rs

Related Posts

JD(U) welcomes national Census notification; Cong demands detailed road map

New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) As the Centre issued a formal notification to conduct India’s 16th population census — that is set to include caste enumeration in 2027 — political reactions have begun pouring in.
While the Janata Dal (United) praised the move and hailed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s long-standing demand, the Congress expressed cautious support, demanding clarity on the execution model, timelines, and budget.

Welcoming the decision, Bihar’s Rural Works Development Minister Ashok Choudhary called it a “historic moment” for social justice.

“It’s a positive step. Leaders like Periyar Lalai Singh Yadav, and Nitish Kumar have fought for this for decades. Around 15 to 20 years ago, Nitish Kumar raised the issue of a caste census in Parliament. Today, the Government of India has given that demand real strength,” Choudhary told IANS.

He added, “We thank both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. This initiative fulfills the long-ignored dream of Dr Ambedkar — to bring into focus the sections of society that have remained socially, politically, and economically marginalised even after 75 years of Independence. The caste census will guide future policies of both the Centre and the states, ensuring fair representation and better allocation of resources.”

However, the Congress party responded with skepticism, urging the Union government to move beyond declarations.

Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka stated, “The government has acted under pressure. We don’t just want announcements. We want timelines, a clear budget allocation, and transparency on the model to be adopted. A national meeting led by the Prime Minister should be convened with leaders from all parties, to openly discuss and finalise the framework.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress MP Imran Masood added, “If the caste census follows a model like Telangana’s — detailed, scientific, and inclusive — it would be beneficial. But if it mirrors Bihar’s format, we’re not confident about its utility. Let the Centre present the structure, and we will review it accordingly.”

Meanwhile, according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ Census notification issued on Monday, the nationwide exercise will take place in two phases and include extensive data collection, including caste-based details.

The first phase will begin on October 1, 2026, covering the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, as well as the hilly states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The second phase of the Census is scheduled to start on March 1, 2027.

The notification, issued under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948, reads: “A census of the population shall be undertaken during the year 2027. The reference date for the said Census shall be 00:00 hours of March 1, 2027, except for the Union Territory of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.”

The upcoming Census will be India’s first to include comprehensive caste enumeration since 1931, potentially reshaping the country’s socio-political landscape.

–IANS

jk/rad

South Korea PM nominee says he expects to play role in developing ties with US, Japan

Seoul, June 10 (IANS) South Korean Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok said on Tuesday that he expects to play a role in developing South Korea’s relations with the United States and Japan if appointed to the Number 2 government post.

Kim made the remark during his first meeting with reporters since President Lee Jae-myung nominated him for the prime minister’s post on the day he took office, June 4.

“I have a relatively deep understanding of the United States and have had personal relationships with key members of the Trump administration for quite a long time,” the nominee said, citing his studies at Harvard University and qualification as a licensed US attorney.

“I think that my serving as prime minister of the South Korean government will in many respects contribute in certain ways to working out South Korea-US relations,” he said.

Kim, a four-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party and a former top campaign aide to Lee, dismissed rumours that he is anti-American and his entry to the US has been banned due to his involvement in a 1985 student protest at the US cultural centre in Seoul, Yonhap news agency reported.

He said the protest, which was staged to demand an apology from the US for allegedly overlooking a bloody crackdown by South Korea’s then military-backed regime on anti-government protests in the southwestern city of Gwangju, was a “very important incident.”

He also said he believes the incident helped shape the US government’s response to former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration in December, as it consistently expressed support for South Korea’s people and democratic systems while opposing the “military insurrection forces.”

On South Korea’s relations with Japan, the nominee stressed that he has long thought the bilateral relationship is “far more important than what the general public believes.”

In particular, he highlighted the importance of South Korea-Japan relations in finding a breakthrough for South Korea’s ailing economy and negotiating a tariff deal with Washington.

“I’ve had a wide interest in the US and especially the Trump administration, as well as Japan, China and other countries, and thought about the kind of personal relationships, diplomatic relations and foreign policies that would be right to realise South Korea’s national interest,” Kim said.

“If I become prime minister, I will work on those issues to the best of my ability.”

–IANS

int/jk/sd

‘Diwali for 140 crore Indians’: BJP welcomes Centre’s decision to conduct caste survey in next census

New Delhi, April 30 (IANS) The BJP has welcomed the Centre’s decision to conduct a caste census along with the next population census. The move was approved on Wednesday during a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Reacting to the development, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, expressed gratitude, saying, “I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Census Commission will carry out this exercise, and the inclusion of a caste census has been announced by the Union Cabinet. I welcome this and congratulate the entire Union Cabinet and the Prime Minister.”

He added that the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi, and the Congress, who pretended to demand a caste census, have been exposed, while the Samajwadi Party too only pretended about the survey.

“The BJP government under the leadership of the Prime Minister has taken a historic decision – possibly the biggest in the history of independent India. This decision brings joy to Dalits, tribals, backward and deprived classes, and the poor. It feels like Diwali for 140 crore Indians,” he said.

He added that India has seen the impossible become possible under the leadership of PM Modi. “That’s why the nation chants Modi Hai to Mumkin Hai.”

Meanwhile, BJP leader Ajay Alok said that after the Rohini Commission report was submitted and accepted by the President and the Cabinet, it was clear that a caste census was on the cards.

“Preparations had already begun. It has now become a reality. Congratulations to the Prime Minister and the entire Cabinet for taking this decision,” he said.

He added that for the Congress, the only tool they had left is now gone.

“This is a milestone moment – it’s the first time in independent India that such an exercise will take place, and it will bring about many dynamic changes,” he said.

BJP leader Pratul Shah Deo said that the BJP-led NDA government has always followed the principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas.’

“This caste census is a timely and much-needed step. Unlike the Congress, which suppressed the Mandal Commission report in the 1980s, we are committed to all sections of society – SC, ST, OBC, and the economically weaker sections,” he said.

He added that the census will help assess caste-based data and allow better governance, adding that the BJP wholeheartedly welcomes this decision of the Union Cabinet.

–IANS

jk/dan