Ahead of the 2 + 2 ministerial dialogue later today, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Monday told his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, that the India-Russia partnership is special and ties between the two countries have been remarkably strong.

India-Russia ties are special, says FM Jaishankar ahead of crucial Modi-Putin meet

India's defence minister Rajnath Singh is currently speaking at the India-Russia meeting, the top agenda for both nations include discussing political and defence issues of mutual interests.

India-Russia defence ministries hold talks, focus on strengthening political and defence ties

The Russian president Vladimir Putin is all set for the traditional annual summit between leaders of both countries as India gears up for the much anticipated, Modi-Putin talks. Reports indicate that there are 10 bilateral agreements that are likely to be signed during Putin's visit to boost the nations' strategic partnership. Here we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest world news from all across the world. Today, we are joined by WION's correspondent Siddhant Sibal and international affairs expert Harsh V Pant.

India-Russia to hold first 'two plus two' dialogue, here's significance of Putin-Modi meet

On the day Russian President Putin is coming to India, business is one of the big discussions and possible points of focus in the meetings here; Russia is one of the biggest trade partners of India.

Putin-Modi Meet: India, Russia focus on trade, investment opportunities

Putin-Modi's bilateral meet will be held today, it's the 20th annual summit between the two nations. There are 10 bilateral agreements that are likely to be signed during Putin's visit to boost the nations' strategic partnership. Here we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest world news from all across the world.

A recap of Putin-Modi's relationship | India-Russia Meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a short visit to India on December 6. He is expected to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the evening during which the focus of the talks will be the ongoing delivery of the S-400 missile defence systems.&nbsp;

Putin will be in India for a period of six to seven hours.

Russian envoy Nikolay R Kudashev on Friday said that India and Russia will achieve “military understandings” during his visit.&nbsp;

The day will begin with defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu convening the Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation. Also, external affairs minister Jaishankar will be meeting his counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/military-understandings-will-be-achieved-during-putins-india-visit-russian-envoy-kudashev-433934">Also read |&nbsp;‘Military understandings’ will be achieved during Putin’s India visit: Russian envoy Kudashev</a>

After this, there will be an inaugural meeting of the newly instituted 2 + 2 mechanism.

The 21st India-Russia Annual Summit is expected to begin in the afternoon.&nbsp;This is being considered as an eventful day for India-Russia ties.

Earlier, Jaishankar had said that the relation between India and Russia have been among the steadiest&nbsp;in the world after the second world war.

During the meeting,&nbsp;both India and Russia, are expected to seal a few deals.&nbsp;

"One can expect a set of agreements and deals (to be signed). One could easily await some new understandings in the spheres like connectivity, space, science and technology, education, arts and culture, and also some military understandings, reflecting the growing level of confidence," said Kudhashev during his conversation with WION’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a short visit to India on December 6. He is expected to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the evening during which the focus of the talks will be the ongoing delivery of the S-400 missile defence systems.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a short visit to India on December 6. He is expected to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the evening during which the focus of the talks will be the ongoing delivery of the S-400 missile defence systems. Putin will be in India for a period of six to seven hours. Russian envoy Nikolay R Kudashev on Friday said that India and Russia will achieve “military understandings” during his visit. The day will begin with defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu convening the Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation. Also, external affairs minister Jaishankar will be meeting his counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Also read | ‘Military understandings’ will be achieved during Putin’s India visit: Russian envoy Kudashev After this, there will be an inaugural meeting of the newly instituted 2 + 2 mechanism. The 21st India-Russia Annual Summit is expected to begin in the afternoon. This is being considered as an eventful day for India-Russia ties. Earlier, Jaishankar had said that the relation between India and Russia have been among the steadiest in the world after the second world war. During the meeting, both India and Russia, are expected to seal a few deals. "One can expect a set of agreements and deals (to be signed). One could easily await some new understandings in the spheres like connectivity, space, science and technology, education, arts and culture, and also some military understandings, reflecting the growing level of confidence," said Kudhashev during his conversation with WION’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin to arrive in India on December 6 for a short visit

Indian capital&nbsp;Delhi, on December 5, reported its first-ever case of the new Covid variant Omicron, taking the country's total tally of new strain cases to five.

A Tanzanian returnee who had been admitted to a local hospital is positive for the new variant.

News agency PTI quoting an unnamed official said, "The patient's travel history is being collated and contacts being traced."&nbsp; 
The official further said that 12 samples had been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control. Out of those, one was found carrying the new Covid strain.&nbsp;

The first case was detected from India's western Gujarat state, where a 72-year-old man tested positive. A resident of Zimbabwe, he had returned to Jamnagar city on November 28.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/omicron-how-well-prepared-is-india-to-tackle-a-possible-spread-of-new-covid-variant-434064">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron: How well-prepared is India to tackle a possible spread of new Covid variant?</a>

The second case was reported from the neighbouring Maharashtra state. The person infected by the strain returned from South Africa to Kalyan Dombivali municipal area near Mumbai, Maharashtra state's health department said.&nbsp;

After that two people, including, a 66-year-old South African national and an Indian doctor, tested positive for the new strain in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The foreigner somehow managed to escape from India. However, the doctor is under quarantine at his home.

The WHO has said that Omicron may spread more quickly than any other strain.

India expects the Omicron variant to cause less severe illness, due to rising vaccination rates.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian capital Delhi, on December 5, reported its first-ever case of the new Covid variant Omicron, taking the country's total tally of new strain cases to five.

Indian capital Delhi, on December 5, reported its first-ever case of the new Covid variant Omicron, taking the country's total tally of new strain cases to five. A Tanzanian returnee who had been admitted to a local hospital is positive for the new variant. News agency PTI quoting an unnamed official said, "The patient's travel history is being collated and contacts being traced." The official further said that 12 samples had been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control. Out of those, one was found carrying the new Covid strain. The first case was detected from India's western Gujarat state, where a 72-year-old man tested positive. A resident of Zimbabwe, he had returned to Jamnagar city on November 28. Also read | Omicron: How well-prepared is India to tackle a possible spread of new Covid variant? The second case was reported from the neighbouring Maharashtra state. The person infected by the strain returned from South Africa to Kalyan Dombivali municipal area near Mumbai, Maharashtra state's health department said. After that two people, including, a 66-year-old South African national and an Indian doctor, tested positive for the new strain in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The foreigner somehow managed to escape from India. However, the doctor is under quarantine at his home. The WHO has said that Omicron may spread more quickly than any other strain. India expects the Omicron variant to cause less severe illness, due to rising vaccination rates. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian capital reports first case of Omicron variant, taking country's total to 5

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance.

Japanese nationals and foreign residents travelling to Japan from India, Greece, Romania and four US states will have to undergo stringent quarantine regulations Sunday onwards, in order to control the spread of the Omicron variant, reported Kyodo news.

While, foreign residents, as well as Japanese nationals travelling from Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York to Japan, will have to mandatorily spend three days of their two-week quarantine at government-designated facilities, reported Kyodo news.

With emerging Omicron cases in the country and to curb the further spread, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Friday announced the expansion of the list addressing a press conference.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-capital-reports-first-case-of-omicron-variant-taking-countrys-total-to-5-434252">Also read |&nbsp;Indian capital reports first case of Omicron variant, taking country's total to 5</a>

A government task force made the decision to control the increasing number of new variant cases in Japan.

The list for three-day mandatory quarantine at government-designated facilities already includes countries such as Austria, Ecuador and France.

While many are being subject to stringent quarantine requirements, such as staying in government-designated facilities for over 10 days, reported Kyodo News.

The first Omicron case was reported on Tuesday in Japan, causing it to deny re-entry of all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been to any of 10 African countries likely to have widespread infections of the variant.

The country has further banned new entries by foreigners from around the globe.

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance. Japanese nationals and foreign residents travelling to Japan from India, Greece, Romania and four US states will have to undergo stringent quarantine regulations Sunday onwards, in order to control the spread of the Omicron variant, reported Kyodo news.

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance. Japanese nationals and foreign residents travelling to Japan from India, Greece, Romania and four US states will have to undergo stringent quarantine regulations Sunday onwards, in order to control the spread of the Omicron variant, reported Kyodo news. While, foreign residents, as well as Japanese nationals travelling from Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York to Japan, will have to mandatorily spend three days of their two-week quarantine at government-designated facilities, reported Kyodo news. With emerging Omicron cases in the country and to curb the further spread, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Friday announced the expansion of the list addressing a press conference. Also read | Indian capital reports first case of Omicron variant, taking country's total to 5 A government task force made the decision to control the increasing number of new variant cases in Japan. The list for three-day mandatory quarantine at government-designated facilities already includes countries such as Austria, Ecuador and France. While many are being subject to stringent quarantine requirements, such as staying in government-designated facilities for over 10 days, reported Kyodo News. The first Omicron case was reported on Tuesday in Japan, causing it to deny re-entry of all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been to any of 10 African countries likely to have widespread infections of the variant. The country has further banned new entries by foreigners from around the globe.

Omicron scare: Japan imposes strict quarantine rules for travellers from India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to hold its 90th Annual General Meeting on Saturday to discuss a host of&nbsp;issues, which might give the board a chance to discuss India's tour of South Africa, which at the moment looks doubtful due to the newly emerged coronavirus (COVID-19) variant Omicron.&nbsp;

Due to the new variant fears, some events in South Africa&nbsp;shut down last week as rugby teams and golfers scrambled to leave the country.&nbsp;

As per media reports, India's tour of South Africa for a three-Test series, followed by three one-day internationals (ODI) and four Twenty20 matches might get pushed back by a week.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mayank-agarwal-most-attacking-indian-batter-since-sehwag-in-tests-says-former-india-batting-coach-433915">Mayank Agarwal most attacking Indian batter since Sehwag in Tests, says former India batting coach</a>

The Test series is scheduled to start on December 17 in Johannesburg. It is expected that the Indian cricketers will know the decision in the next few days whether the tour will go ahead or not.&nbsp;

In BCCI's 24 point agenda, point (T) pertains to "Update on Future Tours Programme' and under this provision, the discussion can happen. Although the series is not part of the meeting's official agenda, it can be brought up during the Future Tours Program discussion.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/commandos-sharpshooters-over-1500-security-personnel-paks-arrangements-for-wi-home-series-revealed-report-433585">Commandos, sharpshooters, over 1500 security personnel? PAK's arrangements for WI home series revealed: Report</a>

Even Kohli spoke&nbsp;about the doubts as he said that his side were seeking clarity about the SA tour. Virat said, "We have spoken to all the senior members of the squad. Obviously, Rahul bhai [head coach Rahul Dravid] has initiated a conversation within the group, which is very important to know."

He added, "At the end of the day we understand - our focus from the Test match will not shift regardless - but you want to have clarity and want to be in a situation where you know exactly what's going on. We've been talking to the board and we are pretty confident that within a day or two, or pretty soon we'll have absolute clarity as to what is going on."

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to hold its 90th Annual General Meeting on Saturday to discuss a host of issues, which might give the board a chance to discuss India's tour of South Africa, which at the moment looks doubtful due to the newly emerged coronavirus (COVID-19) variant Omicron.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to hold its 90th Annual General Meeting on Saturday to discuss a host of issues, which might give the board a chance to discuss India's tour of South Africa, which at the moment looks doubtful due to the newly emerged coronavirus (COVID-19) variant Omicron. Due to the new variant fears, some events in South Africa shut down last week as rugby teams and golfers scrambled to leave the country. As per media reports, India's tour of South Africa for a three-Test series, followed by three one-day internationals (ODI) and four Twenty20 matches might get pushed back by a week. ALSO READ | Mayank Agarwal most attacking Indian batter since Sehwag in Tests, says former India batting coach The Test series is scheduled to start on December 17 in Johannesburg. It is expected that the Indian cricketers will know the decision in the next few days whether the tour will go ahead or not. In BCCI's 24 point agenda, point (T) pertains to "Update on Future Tours Programme' and under this provision, the discussion can happen. Although the series is not part of the meeting's official agenda, it can be brought up during the Future Tours Program discussion. ALSO READ | Commandos, sharpshooters, over 1500 security personnel? PAK's arrangements for WI home series revealed: Report Even Kohli spoke about the doubts as he said that his side were seeking clarity about the SA tour. Virat said, "We have spoken to all the senior members of the squad. Obviously, Rahul bhai [head coach Rahul Dravid] has initiated a conversation within the group, which is very important to know." He added, "At the end of the day we understand - our focus from the Test match will not shift regardless - but you want to have clarity and want to be in a situation where you know exactly what's going on. We've been talking to the board and we are pretty confident that within a day or two, or pretty soon we'll have absolute clarity as to what is going on."

BCCI might discuss the fate of India's tour of South Africa in AGM amid COVID-19 Omicron variant fears

Life in India was coming back to normal after experiencing a deadly second wave earlier this year. Just when everyone thought things are going to be just how they were before the Delta variant hit the nation, another variant of Covid, namely Omicron, emerged in South Africa. It rapidly spread to various parts of the world, including India.

On Thursday, the Central government reported two cases of the Omicron variant in the Southern state of Karnataka.

As fears of the new variant have engulfed the nation, there is one question that needs to be answered- Is India prepared to tackle the spread of the growing Omicron variant?

One of the most concerning things about this new variant is its transmissibility rate. While experts have been warning of its low virulence, there is a fear that it may cause more infections than any previous variant.&nbsp;

Earlier, on Friday, the World Health Organization's chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan said that the Omicron variant could become dominant because it is highly transmissible.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-variant-highly-transmissible-could-become-dominant-says-whos-top-scientist-433999">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron variant highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist</a>

"It is possible that it could become dominant variant," Swaminathan said. She further added that it is too early to predict if the Omicron variant is milder than other variants of the deadly coronavirus. "How worried should we be? We need to be prepared and cautious, not panic, because we're in a different situation to a year ago," Swaminathan said.&nbsp;

As per the scientists, the symptoms, as of now, are mild. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry said, "All Omicron related cases are found to have mild symptoms so far...In all such cases in the country and across the world so far, no severe symptom has been noted. WHO has said that its emerging evidence is being studied."

Will the vaccines work against new variant? 
India, in October, achieved a new milestone of administering a billion vaccine doses. However, with the emergence of this new variant, there has come a big question mark on the vaccination status.

While ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava has said that at this stage it is very premature to comment on the efficacy of the vaccines, WHO Chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has said that a new vaccine may not be needed.&nbsp;

Swaminathan in her interview with Reuters said that as of now, there is conclusive evidence about Omicron's impact on the effectiveness of antibodies.&nbsp;"It does seem to be able to overcome some of the natural immunity from previous infection."

"The fact that they're not getting sick ... that means the vaccines are still providing protection and we would hope that they would continue to provide protection," she said.

The head of India’s Covid task, Dr V K Paul has said that the vaccine manufacturers are also examining the issue of vaccine efficacy.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/omicron-in-india-dont-need-fear-says-health-ministry-as-first-2-cases-found-one-patient-fully-vaccinated-433526">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron in India: Don't need fear, says health ministry as first 2 cases found; one patient fully vaccinated</a>

Elaborating on the importance of getting vaccinated, he said that vaccination remains “the most critical tool”. 
He said that Indians are fortunate enough to have the tool in abundance.

Are there any chances of a third wave?&nbsp;

As of now, the severity of the variant is not clear. But keeping in mind the pace at which it is spreading, it is likely to move to more states in India. The scientific evidence, pertaining to the new variant, is still evolving.

(With inputs from agencies)

Life in India was coming back to normal after experiencing a deadly second wave earlier this year. Just when everyone thought things are going to be just how they were before the Delta variant hit the nation, another variant of Covid, namely Omicron, emerged in South Africa.

Life in India was coming back to normal after experiencing a deadly second wave earlier this year. Just when everyone thought things are going to be just how they were before the Delta variant hit the nation, another variant of Covid, namely Omicron, emerged in South Africa. It rapidly spread to various parts of the world, including India. On Thursday, the Central government reported two cases of the Omicron variant in the Southern state of Karnataka. As fears of the new variant have engulfed the nation, there is one question that needs to be answered- Is India prepared to tackle the spread of the growing Omicron variant? One of the most concerning things about this new variant is its transmissibility rate. While experts have been warning of its low virulence, there is a fear that it may cause more infections than any previous variant. Earlier, on Friday, the World Health Organization's chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan said that the Omicron variant could become dominant because it is highly transmissible. Also read | Omicron variant highly transmissible, could become dominant, says WHO's top scientist "It is possible that it could become dominant variant," Swaminathan said. She further added that it is too early to predict if the Omicron variant is milder than other variants of the deadly coronavirus. "How worried should we be? We need to be prepared and cautious, not panic, because we're in a different situation to a year ago," Swaminathan said. As per the scientists, the symptoms, as of now, are mild. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry said, "All Omicron related cases are found to have mild symptoms so far...In all such cases in the country and across the world so far, no severe symptom has been noted. WHO has said that its emerging evidence is being studied." Will the vaccines work against new variant? India, in October, achieved a new milestone of administering a billion vaccine doses. However, with the emergence of this new variant, there has come a big question mark on the vaccination status. While ICMR DG Dr Balram Bhargava has said that at this stage it is very premature to comment on the efficacy of the vaccines, WHO Chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan has said that a new vaccine may not be needed. Swaminathan in her interview with Reuters said that as of now, there is conclusive evidence about Omicron's impact on the effectiveness of antibodies. "It does seem to be able to overcome some of the natural immunity from previous infection." "The fact that they're not getting sick ... that means the vaccines are still providing protection and we would hope that they would continue to provide protection," she said. The head of India’s Covid task, Dr V K Paul has said that the vaccine manufacturers are also examining the issue of vaccine efficacy. Also read | Omicron in India: Don't need fear, says health ministry as first 2 cases found; one patient fully vaccinated Elaborating on the importance of getting vaccinated, he said that vaccination remains “the most critical tool”. He said that Indians are fortunate enough to have the tool in abundance. Are there any chances of a third wave? As of now, the severity of the variant is not clear. But keeping in mind the pace at which it is spreading, it is likely to move to more states in India. The scientific evidence, pertaining to the new variant, is still evolving. (With inputs from agencies)

Omicron: How well-prepared is India to tackle a possible spread of new Covid variant?

International flights arriving in Tamil Nadu from Singapore and the UK have been put under close watch after two passengers tested positive for COVID-19. The two passengers have been isolated and admitted to the hospital.&nbsp;

According to the Tamil Nadu government, samples for genome sequencing and identifying the COVID-19 variant are also being tested. This comes a day after two cases of the new variant of concern Omicron were detected in the neighbouring state Karnataka.&nbsp;

Elaborating on this, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Subramanian said that the Singapore returnee had tested positive at the Trichy airport and the 10-year old boy, returning from the UK had&nbsp;tested positive at Chennai. He also added that the passengers who sat in adjoining rows, air attendants, other close contacts, and families of the two travellers were being tested and monitored.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/omicron-in-india-dont-need-fear-says-health-ministry-as-first-2-cases-found-one-patient-fully-vaccinated-433526">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron in India: Don't need fear, says health ministry as first 2 cases found; one patient fully vaccinated</a>

Currently, passengers from 21 high-risk countries including the UK, South Africa, Hong Kong, Botswana, Israel, Singapore etc, are undergoing mass fever screening, after landing in Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

Following the fever screening, the passengers undergo RTPCR tests. Those who test positive are admitted and isolated in government hospitals, while those testing negative would have to undergo 7-day home quarantine and monitoring.&nbsp;

Requesting the public to not panic, the Minister assured that the Tamil Nadu government would immediately announce if an Omicron case is detected.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-free-covid-treatment-if-not-vaccinated-in-this-southern-indian-state-433657">Also read |&nbsp;No free Covid treatment if not vaccinated in this southern Indian state</a>

He also urged the public to follow standard COVID-19 protocols and ensure that all eligible people had taken both jabs of the COVID-19 vaccines.&nbsp;

In terms of daily RTPCR testing, he said that Tamil Nadu was performing over one lakh tests, of which only around 700 persons were testing positive.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

International flights arriving in Tamil Nadu from Singapore and the UK have been put under close watch after two passengers tested positive for COVID-19. The two passengers have been isolated and admitted to the hospital.

International flights arriving in Tamil Nadu from Singapore and the UK have been put under close watch after two passengers tested positive for COVID-19. The two passengers have been isolated and admitted to the hospital. According to the Tamil Nadu government, samples for genome sequencing and identifying the COVID-19 variant are also being tested. This comes a day after two cases of the new variant of concern Omicron were detected in the neighbouring state Karnataka. Elaborating on this, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Subramanian said that the Singapore returnee had tested positive at the Trichy airport and the 10-year old boy, returning from the UK had tested positive at Chennai. He also added that the passengers who sat in adjoining rows, air attendants, other close contacts, and families of the two travellers were being tested and monitored. Also read | Omicron in India: Don't need fear, says health ministry as first 2 cases found; one patient fully vaccinated Currently, passengers from 21 high-risk countries including the UK, South Africa, Hong Kong, Botswana, Israel, Singapore etc, are undergoing mass fever screening, after landing in Tamil Nadu. Following the fever screening, the passengers undergo RTPCR tests. Those who test positive are admitted and isolated in government hospitals, while those testing negative would have to undergo 7-day home quarantine and monitoring. Requesting the public to not panic, the Minister assured that the Tamil Nadu government would immediately announce if an Omicron case is detected. Also read | No free Covid treatment if not vaccinated in this southern Indian state He also urged the public to follow standard COVID-19 protocols and ensure that all eligible people had taken both jabs of the COVID-19 vaccines. In terms of daily RTPCR testing, he said that Tamil Nadu was performing over one lakh tests, of which only around 700 persons were testing positive.

Two people from UK and Singapore test positive for Covid in South India; further tests underway

India's online gaming industry is worth more than $1 billion. By 2022, there will be more than 500 million online gamers in the country. Is it time to regulate this cash-rich sector? Palki Sharma tells you what happened when the parliament debated online gaming.

Gravitas: Will India regulate online gaming?

European Union's special envoy on Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, who is in Delhi, has welcomed the Indian government's offer to send humanitarian support of 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The Indian support offer comes as onset of winter in Afghanistan is worsening the situation in the war-torn country for many residents. The country witnessed a Taliban takeover in August. &nbsp;

Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Niklasson said, "There is a very strong overlap in way, or a very similar analysis of the situation" by India and EU when it comes to Afghanistan and both are "looking to see if there are concrete areas where we can work." In Delhi, the EU special envoy met India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and JS PAI JP Singh. &nbsp;

Niklasson has come to Delhi from Doha where he had held talks with Taliban delegation led by its Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. One of the key issues raised by EU during the meet was human rights, women's rights, lack of inclusivity of Taliban-led government, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Asked about if EU plans to recognise the regime, he said, "We are not rushing into recognition, we are not recognising, we haven't recognised the Taliban regime, the interim government. We do, however, see the need to engage with them". &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: What kind of conversations you had in Delhi with the India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and JS PAI JP Singh? &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: We had a very good meeting on Wednesday with the foreign secretary and also with the joint secretary working on Afghanistan, whom I have met before. Basically, the purpose of my visit is to explore with Indian officials, understand better how they see the situation, what challenges they see are coming from Afghanistan, what solution they see, how we can work together and I am pleased to see what we basically knew from before that there is a very strong overlap in way or a very similar analysis of the situation and now looking to see if there are concrete areas where we can work. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: What are these concrete areas where India and EU can work on Afghanistan? &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: To start with, we need to have a common understanding of the situation, that we already have. We should also, try to harmonise the messages that we are sending to the Taliban appointed interim government, in terms of what is expected from them, respect for human rights, Afghanistan not again being a threat to other countries, inclusivity of the government and some other issues and that is something we can work on but not exclusively between EU and India and I see convergence among partners in the region and beyond. It is the same thing we tell and that is a good thing. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: What kind of conversation you had in Doha with Taliban FM Muttaqi and do you plan to recognise the Taliban government in Kabul? &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: I will start with second question because that is the easiest and shortest one. The answer is no, we are not rushing into recognition, we haven't recognised the Taliban regime, the interim government. We do, however, see the need to engage with them and our conversation in Doha this weekend, with acting Taliban foreign minister and the delegation from Kabul touched on the areas I just mentioned. We talked on inclusivity of the government, human rights, counter terrorism, access to humanitarian assistance and safe passage, which means Afghans under threat, people, which need safe passage to be able to leave the country. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: But do you think Taliban is serious about these issues, like human rights, women's education? &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: We have discussed the issue of inclusive government and I made it very clear, you are absolutely right that there are no women in the leading position that is something we talked about. On inclusivity, there are other aspects, such as ethnicity, non-Taliban and non-Pashtuns, should have a stronger role if they want government to be recognised by its own people. There is a lot of talk about international recognition but equally important or some would say even more important is to be recognised by own people. When it comes to the right of women, long way to go. We talked about education and there was a clear commitment and clear declaration that it is a policy of the interim government that women and girls should go to school. But obviously this is not happening and we need to see it, we need to push and monitor and ensure girls get access to education. We could even see or support the payments of stipend, to incentivise teachers, so that education can be provided but that can only happen if girls have access. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: India is keen to send humanitarian aid to Afghan people, but there are some hindrances. &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: Humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan is absolutely crucial. EU has raised its pledges of humanitarian assistance from 60 million euros to 300 million euros. Our member states have pledged another 400 million euros and we appreciate contributions from other countries and also appreciate India's offer to send 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan. There were some references in our conversation that there were talks going on to solve the issue between India and Pakistan. I am not aware how these talks are progressing, I am not aware of specific details but obviously for the sake of people of Afghanistan, we will very much hope that a solution can be found quickly. &nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Pakistan has influence when it comes Taliban. What role do you see of the government in Islamabad when it comes to making sure Taliban fulfills its commitment. Do you think Taliban is playing a negative role or it is playing a certain positive role? &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: I don't think it is constructive to try to put countries in either of those categories. The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is complex and long and we can talk about history, how the countries suffered. Pakistan has paid a heavy price. It has been very clear to me that many Indian voices consider Pakistan to have played negative role but we have seen positive elements. They have generously hosted large number of Afghanistan refugees for decades at a very high price, in terms of how it has impacted the country. They have played a constructive role now in helping the Afghan people and foreign citizens leave the country. So, I would not like to or don't find it helpful to try to draw up a net value. We try to work with countries including India and Pakistan and see that the messaging and the identification of these messages we need to send to the Taliban are very similar and we all need to make progress from words to action. So rather than qualifying, who is playing negative or positive role, we should look as to how each can contribute for the sake of people and for peace and stability. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: What do you think is the biggest challenge, one is of course, humanitarian aid, and what EU can do about it? &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: In short term, winter is already in Afghanistan and humanitarian challenge is a priority. We already have people on the ground in Kabul, we have international humanitarian staff working day and night to make sure our pledges of 300 million euros are translated into medicine, food, cloths and the essentials people need to survive. We work through international organisations, UN organisations and NGOs to make sure that this happens and it is. We see fast progress and there are significant challenges in getting resources into the country, not just the Indian wheat, but liquidity problem, but my basic message is we never left Afghanistan in terms of the humanitarian assistance, we have worked with Afghanistan for more than 20 years and we continue to do everything we can to help the Afghan people because our commitment to it remains very strong. &nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Any plans to open full-fledged mission of EU in Kabul? &nbsp;

Tomas Niklasson: There are no plans to open full-fledged mission in Kabul. We had a quite substantial presence; we were providing development assistance of 200-300 million euros per year. This is not happening; this is not possible. What we are considering is if we can have very small number of colleagues, no ambassador, no head of delegation but few people, who can help on the one hand when it comes to humanitarian assistance and second to help Afghans whom we have obligations and big responsibility for, in terms of safe passage. This will depend, if we can do that and when we can do that, on the security situation, how it evolves and it depends on the mechanism we can put in place to secure our staff. which is an absolute priority for us but provided we can solve these issues; this can happen sooner or later.&nbsp;

European Union's special envoy on Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, who is in Delhi, has welcomed the Indian government's offer to send humanitarian support of 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan.

European Union's special envoy on Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, who is in Delhi, has welcomed the Indian government's offer to send humanitarian support of 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan. The Indian support offer comes as onset of winter in Afghanistan is worsening the situation in the war-torn country for many residents. The country witnessed a Taliban takeover in August. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Niklasson said, "There is a very strong overlap in way, or a very similar analysis of the situation" by India and EU when it comes to Afghanistan and both are "looking to see if there are concrete areas where we can work." In Delhi, the EU special envoy met India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and JS PAI JP Singh. Niklasson has come to Delhi from Doha where he had held talks with Taliban delegation led by its Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. One of the key issues raised by EU during the meet was human rights, women's rights, lack of inclusivity of Taliban-led government, etc. Asked about if EU plans to recognise the regime, he said, "We are not rushing into recognition, we are not recognising, we haven't recognised the Taliban regime, the interim government. We do, however, see the need to engage with them". Sidhant Sibal: What kind of conversations you had in Delhi with the India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and JS PAI JP Singh? Tomas Niklasson: We had a very good meeting on Wednesday with the foreign secretary and also with the joint secretary working on Afghanistan, whom I have met before. Basically, the purpose of my visit is to explore with Indian officials, understand better how they see the situation, what challenges they see are coming from Afghanistan, what solution they see, how we can work together and I am pleased to see what we basically knew from before that there is a very strong overlap in way or a very similar analysis of the situation and now looking to see if there are concrete areas where we can work. Sidhant Sibal: What are these concrete areas where India and EU can work on Afghanistan? Tomas Niklasson: To start with, we need to have a common understanding of the situation, that we already have. We should also, try to harmonise the messages that we are sending to the Taliban appointed interim government, in terms of what is expected from them, respect for human rights, Afghanistan not again being a threat to other countries, inclusivity of the government and some other issues and that is something we can work on but not exclusively between EU and India and I see convergence among partners in the region and beyond. It is the same thing we tell and that is a good thing. Also Read: India announces 'first if its kind' nuclear programme, to have 9 nuclear reactors by 2024 Sidhant Sibal: What kind of conversation you had in Doha with Taliban FM Muttaqi and do you plan to recognise the Taliban government in Kabul? Tomas Niklasson: I will start with second question because that is the easiest and shortest one. The answer is no, we are not rushing into recognition, we haven't recognised the Taliban regime, the interim government. We do, however, see the need to engage with them and our conversation in Doha this weekend, with acting Taliban foreign minister and the delegation from Kabul touched on the areas I just mentioned. We talked on inclusivity of the government, human rights, counter terrorism, access to humanitarian assistance and safe passage, which means Afghans under threat, people, which need safe passage to be able to leave the country. Sidhant Sibal: But do you think Taliban is serious about these issues, like human rights, women's education? Tomas Niklasson: We have discussed the issue of inclusive government and I made it very clear, you are absolutely right that there are no women in the leading position that is something we talked about. On inclusivity, there are other aspects, such as ethnicity, non-Taliban and non-Pashtuns, should have a stronger role if they want government to be recognised by its own people. There is a lot of talk about international recognition but equally important or some would say even more important is to be recognised by own people. When it comes to the right of women, long way to go. We talked about education and there was a clear commitment and clear declaration that it is a policy of the interim government that women and girls should go to school. But obviously this is not happening and we need to see it, we need to push and monitor and ensure girls get access to education. We could even see or support the payments of stipend, to incentivise teachers, so that education can be provided but that can only happen if girls have access. Sidhant Sibal: India is keen to send humanitarian aid to Afghan people, but there are some hindrances. Tomas Niklasson: Humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan is absolutely crucial. EU has raised its pledges of humanitarian assistance from 60 million euros to 300 million euros. Our member states have pledged another 400 million euros and we appreciate contributions from other countries and also appreciate India's offer to send 50,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan. There were some references in our conversation that there were talks going on to solve the issue between India and Pakistan. I am not aware how these talks are progressing, I am not aware of specific details but obviously for the sake of people of Afghanistan, we will very much hope that a solution can be found quickly. Sidhant Sibal: Pakistan has influence when it comes Taliban. What role do you see of the government in Islamabad when it comes to making sure Taliban fulfills its commitment. Do you think Taliban is playing a negative role or it is playing a certain positive role? Tomas Niklasson: I don't think it is constructive to try to put countries in either of those categories. The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is complex and long and we can talk about history, how the countries suffered. Pakistan has paid a heavy price. It has been very clear to me that many Indian voices consider Pakistan to have played negative role but we have seen positive elements. They have generously hosted large number of Afghanistan refugees for decades at a very high price, in terms of how it has impacted the country. They have played a constructive role now in helping the Afghan people and foreign citizens leave the country. So, I would not like to or don't find it helpful to try to draw up a net value. We try to work with countries including India and Pakistan and see that the messaging and the identification of these messages we need to send to the Taliban are very similar and we all need to make progress from words to action. So rather than qualifying, who is playing negative or positive role, we should look as to how each can contribute for the sake of people and for peace and stability. Also Read: No free Covid treatment if not vaccinated in this India’s southern state Sidhant Sibal: What do you think is the biggest challenge, one is of course, humanitarian aid, and what EU can do about it? Tomas Niklasson: In short term, winter is already in Afghanistan and humanitarian challenge is a priority. We already have people on the ground in Kabul, we have international humanitarian staff working day and night to make sure our pledges of 300 million euros are translated into medicine, food, cloths and the essentials people need to survive. We work through international organisations, UN organisations and NGOs to make sure that this happens and it is. We see fast progress and there are significant challenges in getting resources into the country, not just the Indian wheat, but liquidity problem, but my basic message is we never left Afghanistan in terms of the humanitarian assistance, we have worked with Afghanistan for more than 20 years and we continue to do everything we can to help the Afghan people because our commitment to it remains very strong. Sidhant Sibal: Any plans to open full-fledged mission of EU in Kabul? Tomas Niklasson: There are no plans to open full-fledged mission in Kabul. We had a quite substantial presence; we were providing development assistance of 200-300 million euros per year. This is not happening; this is not possible. What we are considering is if we can have very small number of colleagues, no ambassador, no head of delegation but few people, who can help on the one hand when it comes to humanitarian assistance and second to help Afghans whom we have obligations and big responsibility for, in terms of safe passage. This will depend, if we can do that and when we can do that, on the security situation, how it evolves and it depends on the mechanism we can put in place to secure our staff. which is an absolute priority for us but provided we can solve these issues; this can happen sooner or later.

EU special envoy on Afghanistan lauds India's humanitarian support offer to Kabul  

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European Union's special envoy on Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson who is in Delhi has welcomed the Indian govt's offer to send humanitarian support of 50,000 MT of wheat to the people of Afghanistan. The Indian support comes even as the onset of winters in Afghanistan is worsening the situation in the country for many common Afghans. The country saw a Taliban takeover in the month of August. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Niklasson said," there is a very strong overlap in a way, or a very similar analysis of the situation" by India, EU when it comes to Afghanistan, and both are "looking to see if there are concrete areas where we can work." In Delhi, the EU special envoy met India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and JS PAI JP Singh. Niklasson has come to Delhi from Doha where he had talks with the Taliban delegation led by its Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. One of the key issues raised by the EU during the meet was human rights, women's rights, lack of inclusivity of Taliban-led govt, etc. Asked about if EU plans to recognise the regime, he said, "we are not rushing into recognition, we are not recognizing, we haven't recognized the Taliban regime, the interim govt. We do however see the need to engage with them".

WION Exclusive: EU Special envoy on Afghanistan lauds India's offer of humanitarian support to Kabul

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EU special envoy Tomas Niklasson lauds India's humanitarian support offer to Kabul

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As India's capital Delhi continues to battle pollution that has engulfed the region, in the latest announcement, all schools will remain shut, news agency ANI reported citing Environment Minister Gopal Rai. This comes after the Supreme Court slammed the Capital's government for reopening schools amid increasing air pollution levels.&nbsp;

"All schools in Delhi to be closed from tomorrow till further orders, due to current air pollution levels in the city," said Rai.&nbsp; 
Meanwhile, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the

Indian capital slipped to 368 in the 'very poor' category on Friday morning.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pollution-indian-capitals-overall-air-quality-slips-to-very-poor-category-432089">Also read |&nbsp;Pollution: Indian capital’s overall air quality slips to 'very poor' category</a>

In a bulletin, SAFAR said, "Local surface winds are relatively low for the next three days that reduce the dispersion of pollutants leading to the deterioration of air quality but within the 'upper end of very poor' category." &nbsp;

An AQI of 350 and 463 were recorded in Gurugram and Noida respectively in the "very poor" and "severe" categories.&nbsp;

Earlier, about 50 per cent of the Delhi government staff was asked to work from home. Private companies were also encouraged to do the same.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

As India's capital Delhi continues to battle pollution that has engulfed the region, in the latest announcement, all schools will remain shut, news agency ANI reported citing Environment Minister Gopal Rai.

As India's capital Delhi continues to battle pollution that has engulfed the region, in the latest announcement, all schools will remain shut, news agency ANI reported citing Environment Minister Gopal Rai. This comes after the Supreme Court slammed the Capital's government for reopening schools amid increasing air pollution levels. "All schools in Delhi to be closed from tomorrow till further orders, due to current air pollution levels in the city," said Rai. Meanwhile, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in the Indian capital slipped to 368 in the 'very poor' category on Friday morning. Also read | Pollution: Indian capital’s overall air quality slips to 'very poor' category In a bulletin, SAFAR said, "Local surface winds are relatively low for the next three days that reduce the dispersion of pollutants leading to the deterioration of air quality but within the 'upper end of very poor' category." An AQI of 350 and 463 were recorded in Gurugram and Noida respectively in the "very poor" and "severe" categories. Earlier, about 50 per cent of the Delhi government staff was asked to work from home. Private companies were also encouraged to do the same. (With inputs from agencies)

As India's capital continues to battle pollution, schools closed again till further notice

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