India-U.S. sign pact, Nicaragua protests, and other news in pictures

 

India, U.S. sign landmark military communications, security agreement COMCASA

India and the United States began a new generation of military and security cooperation by signing Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA).

An announcement on the significant agreement came at the end of the inaugural 2+2 ministerial dialogue between the two countries that also focused on ensuring maritime freedom and international law in the India-Pacific region.

 

Nicaragua protests

 

A report released last Wednesday by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights on four months of unrest in Nicaragua described government repression that stretched from the streets to courtrooms, where some protesters face terrorism charges.

The United States on Wednesday called on Nicaragua to release all detained students and political prisoners, declaring the country's five months of civil unrest a threat to the region's security.

More than 300 people have been killed and 2,000 injured in crackdowns by Nicaraguan police and armed groups in protests that began in April over an abortive plan by leftist President Daniel Ortega's government to reduce welfare benefits.

Return from the Asian Games

 

A joint team of athletes from North and South Korea reached an emotional women's basketball final — before falling at the final hurdle in a tense match against China. Nevertheless, the Unified Korea team was a resounding success in Jakarta.

The neighbours marched together at the opening ceremony and also formed joint teams in canoeing, in which they clinched a gold and two bronze medals.

The athletes even learnt a thing or two about each other: one South Korean basketball player said she'd realised that North Koreans aren't “scary” after all.

Protest against the amended SC/ST Act in Patna

 

Protests and rail rokos marked the 'Bharat bandh' in Bihar and other states on Thursday, called by over 30 upper castes outfits, against the amendments to the SC/ST Act passed in Parliament last month. In view of this Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed in five districts of Madhya Pradesh.

“Around 30-35 organisations have come together and given a bandh call on social media. As a precautionary measure, Section 144 has been imposed in Gwalior (city), Bhind, Shivpuri, Guna and Ashok Nagar districts,” Inspector General (law and order) Makrand Deoskar told media persons here on Tuesday. Section 144 prohibits assembly of more than four persons in a public place.

 

Indian and multinational companies on same platform

 

A three-day defence and homeland security expo began in New Delhi on Thursday. The expo, inaugurated by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, brings over 200 Indian and multinational companies together on one platform to enable engagement with the country’s premier defence establishments.

BJP's novel protest

 

The BJP MLAs and lone MLC staged a protest outside Assembly premises against leakage in Assembly building by wearing rain coats and holding umbrellas. "The government created rainfalls in the Assembly. The government spent huge amount per each sq. ft. We are wearing raincoat and brought umbrellas to save ourselves from rains. We fear rainfall and leakage in the building as it is monsoon season," an MLA said.

Djokovic beats Millman to reach U.S. Open semis

Two-time champion Novak Djokovic ended John Millman's fairytale US Open run on Wednesday, beating the 55th-ranked Australian in straight sets to book a semi-final clash with Kei Nishikori.

The Serbian star, who ended a 54-week title drought with his 13th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, defeated the tenacious Aussie 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to reach his 11th US Open semi-final in his last 11 appearances.

He lifted the trophy in 2011 and 2015.

 

Google skips Senate meet on social media

Facebook and Twitter executives assured Congress on Wednesday that they are aggressively working to root out foreign attempts to sow discord in America, and they pledged to better protect their social networks against manipulation during the 2018 midterm elections and beyond.

Facebook’s No. 2 executive, Sheryl Sandberg, and Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey, testified before the Senate intelligence committee in the morning, but there was an empty chair for Google parent company Alphabet, which refused to send its top executive.

 

Quake in northern Japan kills 2

A Japanese government spokesman says two people have been confirmed dead after a powerful earthquake rocked the northern main island of Hokkaido. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the search was ongoing for those missing after the quake triggered dozens of landslides in the mountainous region near the epicenter. The magnitude 6.7 earthquake on Hokkaido early on Thursday morning also knocked out power across the northern island.

 

 

North, South Korea leaders to hold summit on Sept 18-20

 

North and South Korea agreed to hold a summit of their leaders in Pyongyang on Sept. 18-20, and discuss “practical measures” to realise denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, a senior South Korean official said on Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “reconfirmed his determination to completely denuclearise” the Korean peninsula, and expressed his willingness for close cooperation with South Korea and the United States in that regard, the South's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, told reporters a day after meeting Mr. Kim in Pyongyang.

 

South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent Mr. Chung and other envoys to the North Korean capital on Wednesday to set the timing and agenda for the third inter-Korean summit this year, and to break the impasse in the talks between Washington and Pyongyang over dismantling the North's nuclear programme.

 

(With inputs from Agencies)