International
Ferry service between India and Sri Lanka set to resume on May 13 with slashed ticket prices
Colombo, May 1 (IANS) The halted ferry service between India’s Nagapattinam and Sri Lanka’s Kankesanthurai is set to resume from May 13 with a cut in passenger fares, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has announced.
The passenger ferry service that was restarted on October 14 last year after a break of nearly four decades had to be halted in November due to the North-East monsoon.
The ferry service will be relaunched with many waived-off charges so that it benefits the passengers from both countries, Lal Weerasinghe, Additional Managing Director (Operations), SLPA, told IANS.
“To encourage tourism and exchange of people between the two neighbouring countries, a Cabinet paper has been submitted to waive most of the charges. So the cost will be much cheaper. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority has a very limited charge, therefore it will act as an encouragement to cut down respective costs for the operators and the passengers eventually,” Weerasinghe said.
When the ferry service was resumed on October 14 last year, one of the complaints was the exuberant ticket rate with the one-way 60 nautical mile (110 km) trip costing around $78 excluding additional taxes.
Scheduled to be operated by a private entity – IndSri Ferry Services Private Limited – from May 13, a return ticket from the Nagapattinam port in Tamil Nadu to Kankesanthurai in Jaffna district in Sri Lanka’s northern province will now be priced at $50, plus taxes.
Weerasinghe, who handled the ferry service’s five calls last year, said the Ministry Secretary is scheduled to hold a final meeting with all the stakeholders involved for the resumption of the service.
While the SLPA handles the operations just like the airport authorities of flight service, there are other stakeholders – including government agencies such as immigration, Customs, health, and authorities like plant quarantine, etc. – that are needed for operating the ferry service.
Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Ministry Secretary, K.D.S. Ruwanchandra, confirmed with IANS that all arrangements have been made to resume the ferry service from May 13.
“We are ready to resume operations and all the government stakeholders are ready,” Ruwanchandra said.
He also revealed that permission has been granted to the new ferry with 150 seats for which seaworthiness has been assured by the Indian government.
The vessel will leave Nagapattnam early in the morning and arrive at the Kankesanthurai harbour before noon. The vessel will leave after two hours.
“They have given us only two hours for disembarkation and embarkation and we have to clear the loading facilities within that period,” Weerasinghe said.
Last month, the Indian government announced a grant of $61.5 million to fully develop the Port of Kankesanthurai (KKS) which has been constructed by the SLPA at a cost of 500 million Sri Lankan rupee ($1.7 million).
Meanwhile, the senior SLPA official also said that Sri Lanka is looking for investments to resume the Rameswaram-Talaimannar ferry service.
“We are encouraging the investors, including those from India, to invest in developing the infrastructure as the Talaimannar Pier is in a dilapidated condition. Without a concrete commitment to operate a service, the SLPA is also a little reluctant to invest money,” Weerasinghe said.
The process of acquiring land from the Sri Lanka Railways has also been initiated.
Started way back in 1914 under colonial rule, the service was operated by the Ceylon Government Railway and the South Indian Railway. It was first partially stopped due to a cyclone in 1964, and then came to a complete standstill when the civil war started between the Tamil rebels and the Sri Lankan army in 1984.
–IANS
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International
Lee Hsien Yang seeks refuge in United Kingdom
Lee Hsien Yang, the youngest son of Singapore’s founding father, the late Lee Kuan Yew, announced on Tuesday that he is now a political refugee in the United Kingdom after seeking asylum from the British government “as a last resort.”
“I remain a Singapore citizen and hope that someday it will be safe to return home,” Lee stated in a Facebook post, as reported by Channel News Asia (CNA).
Citing what he described as the Singapore government’s “attacks” against him, Lee, who is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, revealed that he sought asylum protection in 2022.
Lee Hsien Yang and his late sister, Lee Wei Ling, who passed away earlier this month, have been in conflict with their brother Lee Hsien Loong over the fate of their father’s home following his death in 2015, resulting in a public dispute that has estranged the siblings.
In an interview with the UK-based newspaper The Guardian, Lee alleged that a “campaign of persecution” compelled him to seek asylum in Britain.
In response to his claims, the Singapore government stated that there is “no basis” for his allegations of “a campaign of persecution” or other assertions regarding political repression in the country.
“Singapore’s judiciary is impartial and makes decisions independently. This is why Singaporeans have a high level of trust in the judiciary,” a government spokesperson remarked.
The spokesperson added that there are no legal restrictions preventing Lee and his wife, lawyer Lee Suet Fern, from returning to Singapore. “They are and have always been free to return to Singapore,” the spokesperson said.
Lee and his wife have been outside of Singapore since 2022, having opted not to attend a scheduled police interview regarding potential offenses related to providing false evidence in judicial proceedings concerning their father’s will and the family home.
Lee and his late sister, who had been living at the property, alleged they felt threatened while trying to fulfill their father’s wish to demolish the house. They also accused their elder brother, former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, of abusing his governmental influence to advance his personal agenda.
International
Indo-Russian ties are stronger than ever before at BRICS
Kazan, Russia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit.
During the meeting, President Putin remarked, “I recall our meeting in July, where we had productive discussions on various issues. We’ve also spoken over the phone several times. I am very grateful you accepted the invitation to come to Kazan. Today, we will attend the BRICS Summit’s opening ceremony, followed by dinner.”
PM Modi responded by expressing his appreciation, saying, “I sincerely thank you for your friendship, warm welcome, and hospitality. It’s a great pleasure to visit such a beautiful city as Kazan for the BRICS Summit. India shares deep historical ties with this city, and the opening of our new embassy here will further strengthen these connections.”
International
Laos seeks to enhance nutrition amid climate change concerns
Vientiane (Laos), Aug 22 (IANS) Representatives from the Lao government and development partners have attended a conference here titled “Climate Change and Nutrition in Laos: Intersections and Interventions” to discuss the impact of climate change on nutrition in the Southeast Asia country and potential solutions.
Speaking at the conference, deputy director general of the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion under the Lao Ministry of Health Viengkhan Phixay, said, “We gather to address a critical and interwoven issue: the impact of climate change on nutrition and how we can work together to tackle these challenges,” Xinhua news agency reported.
The Lao government is actively engaged in this endeavor, with numerous policies and initiatives aimed at addressing both climate change and nutrition, Lao National Television reported on Thursday.
“By leveraging the Scaling Up Nutrition network in Laos, which is led by the government, and supported by civil society, donors, and the United Nations, we have a robust platform to tackle the negative impacts of climate change while improving nutrition and overall health for everyone in Laos,” Viengkham said at the conference held on Monday.
The conference featured a series of presentations that not only detailed evidence-based research but also introduced innovative tools for measuring and enhancing nutrition under the impact of climate change.
The conference stressed the critical need for integrated approaches to tackle the intertwined challenges of climate change and nutrition, and setting the stage for impactful future collaborations.
–IANS
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International
One killed, seven injured in shootout in Iraq
Baghdad, Aug 22 (IANS) A civilian was killed while seven others were injured on Thursday in a tribal shootout in Iraq’s holy Shiite province of Najaf, according to a local security source.
The shootout erupted in the early hours between armed men from the local tribe in the al-Zarga area in northern Najaf, some 160 km south of Baghdad, a local police officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The clash resulted in the killing of an Iraqi civilian and the injury of seven others, including three Iranian Shiite pilgrims, the source added.
A joint force from the Interior Ministry’s emergency response division and Najaf provincial police arrested 53 gunmen from both sides of the shootout and seized weapons and ammunition, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
It added that search operations are ongoing to locate additional gunmen and weapons, with more details to be released later.
The incident took place as numerous pilgrims traveled to the city of Karbala to observe Arbaeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for the killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.
Typically, these pilgrims also visit Najaf as part of their journey to Karbala.
–IANS
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International
Bangladesh seeks $1 billion budget support from World Bank
Dhaka, Aug 22 (IANS) Bangladesh’s interim government has sought $1 billion from the World Bank as budgetary support.
The call came from the country’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan’s meeting with Abdoulaye Seck, the World Bank’s Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, in Dhaka on Wednesday.
He made the plea as the ministry owes more than 2 billion dollars to suppliers in import costs of power and energy, Xinhua news agency reported.
Khan mentioned that the interim government, which was formed with many pressing mandates, is due to settle a $2 billion debt left by the previous government in the power sector.
He said they have already suspended activities under the much-criticized Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply Act 2010 and abolished the government’s power to set energy prices without any public hearing.
On August 5, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted from her country and power, ending her rule since January 2009.
This event was seen as a massive escalation, with what initially started as student’s protests and resulted in a major crisis in Bangladesh.
Earlier on August 8, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government.
–IANS
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