The Greek Embassy in Delhi is set to host an event on Monday to showcase the situation in Mariupol, Ukraine. The event will include a photographic exhibition and musical performances by ethnic Greeks who are Ukrainian nationals but have been living as refugees since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.

The Greek Embassy in Delhi is set to host an event on Monday to showcase the situation in Mariupol, Ukraine. The event will include a photographic exhibition and musical performances by ethnic Greeks who are Ukrainian nationals but have been living as refugees since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. The event is supported by the European Union mission in Delhi and EUNIC (EU National Institutes for Culture). Mariupol, a city with a historic connection to Greece, has been at the frontline of the ongoing conflict. Pontic Greeks, the modern Greek indigenous people of the Pontus region on the southern shores of the Black Sea, have made the city their home for centuries. Before the conflict, Greeks formed a significant minority in the city, coming just after Ukrainians and Russians in terms of ethnicity. The event will feature photographs by Sergly Makarov, Alina Komarova, Victor Dedof, Lev Sandalov, Roman Harkusha, and Olena Sugak. It will also include musical performances by Nina Plechak, Anatolii Bahdasar, and Liudmyla Dolher. Plechak, a Ukrainian activist, is the president of the Greek Society of Kyiv and the deputy president of the Union of the Greek Community of Ukraine in Greece. Bahdasar, who was born in Mariupol and is ethnically Greek, now lives as a refugee in Romania. He is a member of the Greek traditional folk song dance group "Sartan Gems" and has represented Ukraine in many events around the world. Dolher, born in Maloyanisol village in Donetsk, founded by ethnic Greeks in 1779, now lives in Cyprus. She is a singer and follower of Roumei culture and folk songs. Watch: Ukraine downs Russian hypersonic missile with US Patriot system × Greek communities have been living in the area of Mariupol and the Azov Sea in the southeast of Ukraine since the 18th century. The communities have been preserving and developing their unique traditions, culture, music, and dialect, Roumeiki, within an independent Ukraine since 1991, where they have been peacefully coexisting with fellow Ukrainians. In 1995, the Federation of Greek Communities of Ukraine was founded with 106 communities in 21 different areas all over Ukraine. The president of the federation has been Alexandra Protsenko-Pichagi. Also Read | Greece and Bulgaria come together, sign energy deal to reduce dependence on Russia Before the conflict, Mariupol was a city bearing a lot of Greek heritage landmarks. Following the siege of Mariupol in February 2022, the city turned into rubble. Many villages in the surrounding area suffered the same fate, and many Ukrainians in the region became refugees. The event aims to raise awareness of the plight of ethnic Greeks in Ukraine and to celebrate their culture and heritage. It will be a chance for the community to come together and show solidarity in the face of adversity. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Greek embassy in India to host event highlighting plight of ethnic Greeks in conflict-torn Mariupol

An unusual shallow fog enveloped India's national capital Delhi on Thursday morning leaving the residents bemused, who generally expect sultry and hot&nbsp;weather in the month of May.

Historically, May has been the year's hottest month, recording a mean maximum temperature of 39.5 degree&nbsp;Celsius.

On Thursday, the minimum temperature decreased to 15.8 degree&nbsp;Celsius as it became the third coldest morning in the month of May since 1901.

Delhi has been witnessing an unexpected weather pattern with cool and windy weather, sporadic rain and cloudy skies for which the weather forecasters have held back-to-back western disturbances responsible.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/winter-fog-in-indian-capital-a-toxic-cocktail-of-pollutants-govt-study-549413">Winter fog in Indian capital a toxic cocktail of pollutants: Govt study</a>

Pictures and videos of the fog covering the skyline of the city were posted by the residents on social media.

“Fog on a May morning in Delhi. Never ever before have I experienced this in over 4 decades of living in this city. This is surreal!” said a Twitter user.

“Fog in Delhi on a summer morning! Same time last year, we were in a heat wave!” another person stated.

The weather department officials stated that calm winds, major differences between the nighttime and daytime temperatures and high moisture content in the air create conditions which are favourable for the fog's formation.

As per the IMD, shallow fog occurs when visibility ranges between 501 and 1,000 metres.

The primary weather station of Delhi, Safdarjung Observatory, recorded 30mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, ending at 8:30 am on Thursday.

A maximum temperature of 30.6 degree Celsius was recorded by the observatory, nine notches below normal, on Wednesday and it recorded a minimum temperature of 15.8 degree&nbsp;Celsius on Thursday, which was the third lowest in the month since they began recording the temperatures in 1901.

WATCH | India: Delhi-NCR engulfed in untimely fog, IMD issues warning for more rainfall in coming days

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On May 2, 1969, the observatory recorded an all-time low temperature of 15.1 degree&nbsp;Celsius. A minimum temperature of 15.2 degree&nbsp;Celsius was recorded by the city on May 2, 1982. At most places in Delhi, humidity levels changed between 80 per cent and 100 per cent. From Friday onwards, the city is likely to receive another spell of rain, said the weather officials.

More than 20 mm of rainfall was recorded in the national capital in April, which was the highest rainfall received in the month since 2017, because of back-to-back western disturbances. The maximum temperatures recorded by the Safdarjung Observatory were at least 10 degrees below normal temperature on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday because of intermittent rainfall and cloudy weather conditions.

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An unusual shallow fog enveloped India's national capital Delhi on Thursday morning leaving the residents bemused, who generally expect sultry and hot weather in the month of May.

An unusual shallow fog enveloped India's national capital Delhi on Thursday morning leaving the residents bemused, who generally expect sultry and hot weather in the month of May. Historically, May has been the year's hottest month, recording a mean maximum temperature of 39.5 degree Celsius. On Thursday, the minimum temperature decreased to 15.8 degree Celsius as it became the third coldest morning in the month of May since 1901. Delhi has been witnessing an unexpected weather pattern with cool and windy weather, sporadic rain and cloudy skies for which the weather forecasters have held back-to-back western disturbances responsible. ALSO READ | Winter fog in Indian capital a toxic cocktail of pollutants: Govt study Pictures and videos of the fog covering the skyline of the city were posted by the residents on social media. “Fog on a May morning in Delhi. Never ever before have I experienced this in over 4 decades of living in this city. This is surreal!” said a Twitter user. “Fog in Delhi on a summer morning! Same time last year, we were in a heat wave!” another person stated. The weather department officials stated that calm winds, major differences between the nighttime and daytime temperatures and high moisture content in the air create conditions which are favourable for the fog's formation. As per the IMD, shallow fog occurs when visibility ranges between 501 and 1,000 metres. The primary weather station of Delhi, Safdarjung Observatory, recorded 30mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, ending at 8:30 am on Thursday. A maximum temperature of 30.6 degree Celsius was recorded by the observatory, nine notches below normal, on Wednesday and it recorded a minimum temperature of 15.8 degree Celsius on Thursday, which was the third lowest in the month since they began recording the temperatures in 1901. WATCH | India: Delhi-NCR engulfed in untimely fog, IMD issues warning for more rainfall in coming days On May 2, 1969, the observatory recorded an all-time low temperature of 15.1 degree Celsius. A minimum temperature of 15.2 degree Celsius was recorded by the city on May 2, 1982. At most places in Delhi, humidity levels changed between 80 per cent and 100 per cent. From Friday onwards, the city is likely to receive another spell of rain, said the weather officials. More than 20 mm of rainfall was recorded in the national capital in April, which was the highest rainfall received in the month since 2017, because of back-to-back western disturbances. The maximum temperatures recorded by the Safdarjung Observatory were at least 10 degrees below normal temperature on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday because of intermittent rainfall and cloudy weather conditions. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Rare fog envelops Delhi in hottest month, city marks third coldest day in May since 1901

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly recap of some of the biggest stories from capitals around the world.

In New Delhi and rest of India, Olympic athletes are often associated with one defining moment. When the country's flag goes up, the national anthem is heard and the world stands up in the honour of two. All this happens amid spontaneous welling up of eyes of the patriots, including the one standing on the podium.

<img alt="Sakshi Malik" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8efcfffc-e7e8-4363-8537-bf49ef2ff2df" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2866%29.png" />

Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik got emotional after winning Gold medal in Women's 62kg freestyle wrestling in Commonwealth Games, Birmingham in August 2022 | Twitter

This week, the capital of the world's most populous nation saw some of its top athletes welling up, for the second time in the last four months as they relaunched their protest against alleged sexual abuse within India's wrestling federation.

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Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (L) and Sakshi Malik (R) break down while speaking to the reporters in New Delhi earlier this week | PTI

Read this, and more, in The Capitals this week.

<h2>Khartoum, Sudan</h2>

<img alt="Sudan conflict" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aae3f924-6521-4c96-800c-6211a05503d6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2859%29_0.png" />

An aerial view of black smoke rising over Khartoum | AFP

The fighting between Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered third week, as the two warring sides failed to honour the 72-hour truce that was agreed upon earlier this week. Reports of prison break amid the conflict have gripped the country, stoking speculations related to the revival of Sudan's political Islamic movement.&nbsp;

So far, neither side has gained the control of capital Khartoum.

Meanwhile, thousands of foreign nationals, including nearly 3000 Indians, have been evacuated from conflict-ridden Sudan so far.&nbsp;

<h2>Washington D.C., United States of America</h2>

<img alt="Joe Biden and Yoon Suk-Yeol" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ee30318-7408-46aa-bbe2-33d4157851e1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2860%29_0.png" />

US President Joe Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in the White House this week | Twitter/@JoeBiden

US President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. aka Joe Biden, 80, announced his presidential bid for 2024.&nbsp;

But Biden's ageing profile and a prospective presidential contest against former US President Donald Trump was not the biggest story from the US capital this week.&nbsp;

Instead, the state visit of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol became the geopolitical event with most consequential optics in the power corridors of the United States.

Yoon and Biden signed a landmark deal to deter nuclear belligerence in the Korean peninsula.&nbsp;

With that the two leaders, for now, have managed to limit the nuclear proliferation as South Korea reiterated its commitment to the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Dubbed 'Washington declaration', the deal assured Seoul that the United States will regularly deploy its strategic assets in the region. The declaration also called for the advancement of achieving the 'complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.'

South Korean president's visit's high was a state dinner hosted by Biden. President Yoon Suk Yeol belted out his own <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-i-had-no-damn-idea-you-could-biden-stunned-as-s-korean-prez-sings-american-pie-at-white-house-586628">rendition</a> of Don McClean’s classic song, 'American Pie'. The impromptu performance went viral, and became a diplomatic highlight of Seoul-Washington ties on social media.&nbsp;

<h2>Asunción, Paraguay</h2>

<img alt="Paraguay Elections" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6b7df2c0-3bcb-4931-bcc5-a8d8b1971c38" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2861%29_1.png" />

A municipal worker removes a political advertising in Asunción on April 29, 2023 | AFP

Paraguay went to polls this Sunday as 4.8 million eligible voters in the South American nation geographically triangulated between Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina began stamping their ballets.&nbsp;

But a new president in Asunción may mean geopolitical consequences two oceans away in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, the self-ruled island which China claims as its own.

Paraguay is one of the only 13 countries that recognises Taipei over Beijing.

Lawyer Efrain Alegre, 60, of the Concertacion center-left coalition is leading narrowly in opinion polls against the ruling Colorado Party's Santiago Pena.&nbsp;

Alegre has vowed to reconsider country's diplomatic positioning of choosing Taipei over Beijing. &nbsp;

"Relations with Taiwan mean the loss of one of the largest markets, which is China," Alegre told news agency AFP.&nbsp;

"Paraguay makes a very big effort, a very big sacrifice to have relations with Taiwan, but we are not seeing from Taiwan the same effort."

<h2>Baku, Azerbaijan-Yerevan, Armenia</h2>

<img alt="Armenia-Azerbaijan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c42eb3f0-ff45-4b11-98bb-f0ffbdbadffa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2862%29_0.png" />

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna and Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan hold a press conference following their talks in Yerevan on April 28, 2023 | AFP

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna visited the capitals of Azerbaijan and Armenia this week in an effort to cool down the reignited tensions between two West Asian rivals. Colonna's visit ensured that the two nations sit across each other in Washington on Sunday, when the Azeri and Armenian foreign ministers are scheduled to discuss the "agreement on normalisation of relations."

Both the countries went to war over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2020 in which Baku emerged overwhelmingly victorious. The mountain region is now internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians.

The tensions reignited after Azerbaijan set up a new checkpoint last Sunday on the road to Karabakh, the Lachin corridor, in a move that Armenia that called a gross violation of a 2020 ceasefire.

<h2>Tokyo, Japan</h2>

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Employees of 'ispace'&nbsp;bow their heads after the company announced they lost signal from the lander in HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program | Reuters

World's first private moon landing failed this week. Japan's commercial space startup ispace lost contact with its Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1), and said that it probably crashed on the lunar surface. &nbsp;

The M1 lander was launched on December 11, 2023 from Cape Canaveral, Florida on a SpaceX rocket.

Soon after ispace lost contact with its L1 lander, its employees at a venue in Tokyo bowed their heads in respect of the lost lander.&nbsp;

The Japanese government expressed disappointment at the failure of ispace mission. But said that the country wants ispace to "keep trying" as its efforts were significant to the development of a domestic space industry.

<h2>New Delhi, India</h2>

<img alt="Indian wrestlers" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="697c0b6c-dd32-4c4b-88f9-c81d69bf595d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2865%29.png" />

Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, left, Bajrang Punia, centre, and Sakshi Malik take part in a sit-in New Delhi demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief | Reuters

In New Delhi, thirty Indian wrestlers, including country's Olympic medalists, relaunched their sit-in protest against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, also a lawmaker of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Led by Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Anshu Malik and Bajrang Punia, the protesting athletes have accused Singh of sexual abuse of vulnerable female wrestlers for years.&nbsp;

After the grapplers approached India's Supreme Court this week, the police in New Delhi filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the wrestling federation boss. One of the incidence reports have been filed under the charges related to India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, meaning the supposed victim was less than 18 when the sexual abuse allegedly took place.&nbsp;

The wrestlers had first launched their protest earlier this year on January 18. Back then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government quickly sprung into action, formed an investigation body led by some of India's most decorated athletes, and sought a report in four weeks.&nbsp;

While the findings of the investigation into sexual assault accusations have not been made public, soon after wrestlers relaunched their protest this week, the government released its "major findings". One of them point to the absence of a duly constituted Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the federation mandated within India's sexual harassment prevention law.

Amid the second round of protest in over three months, Singh continues to be the chief of India's Wrestling federation.

The wrestlers have vowed they will continue to protest until Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is arrested and a host of reforms are brought within the wrestling federation.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly recap of some of the biggest stories from capitals around the world. In New Delhi and rest of India, Olympic athletes are often associated with one defining moment.

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly recap of some of the biggest stories from capitals around the world. In New Delhi and rest of India, Olympic athletes are often associated with one defining moment. When the country's flag goes up, the national anthem is heard and the world stands up in the honour of two. All this happens amid spontaneous welling up of eyes of the patriots, including the one standing on the podium. Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik got emotional after winning Gold medal in Women's 62kg freestyle wrestling in Commonwealth Games, Birmingham in August 2022 | Twitter This week, the capital of the world's most populous nation saw some of its top athletes welling up, for the second time in the last four months as they relaunched their protest against alleged sexual abuse within India's wrestling federation. Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat (L) and Sakshi Malik (R) break down while speaking to the reporters in New Delhi earlier this week | PTI Read this, and more, in The Capitals this week. Khartoum, Sudan An aerial view of black smoke rising over Khartoum | AFP The fighting between Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered third week, as the two warring sides failed to honour the 72-hour truce that was agreed upon earlier this week. Reports of prison break amid the conflict have gripped the country, stoking speculations related to the revival of Sudan's political Islamic movement. So far, neither side has gained the control of capital Khartoum. Meanwhile, thousands of foreign nationals, including nearly 3000 Indians, have been evacuated from conflict-ridden Sudan so far. Washington D.C., United States of America US President Joe Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in the White House this week | Twitter/@JoeBiden US President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. aka Joe Biden, 80, announced his presidential bid for 2024. But Biden's ageing profile and a prospective presidential contest against former US President Donald Trump was not the biggest story from the US capital this week. Instead, the state visit of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol became the geopolitical event with most consequential optics in the power corridors of the United States. Yoon and Biden signed a landmark deal to deter nuclear belligerence in the Korean peninsula. With that the two leaders, for now, have managed to limit the nuclear proliferation as South Korea reiterated its commitment to the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Dubbed 'Washington declaration', the deal assured Seoul that the United States will regularly deploy its strategic assets in the region. The declaration also called for the advancement of achieving the 'complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.' South Korean president's visit's high was a state dinner hosted by Biden. President Yoon Suk Yeol belted out his own rendition of Don McClean’s classic song, 'American Pie'. The impromptu performance went viral, and became a diplomatic highlight of Seoul-Washington ties on social media. Asunción, Paraguay A municipal worker removes a political advertising in Asunción on April 29, 2023 | AFP Paraguay went to polls this Sunday as 4.8 million eligible voters in the South American nation geographically triangulated between Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina began stamping their ballets. But a new president in Asunción may mean geopolitical consequences two oceans away in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, the self-ruled island which China claims as its own. Paraguay is one of the only 13 countries that recognises Taipei over Beijing. Lawyer Efrain Alegre, 60, of the Concertacion center-left coalition is leading narrowly in opinion polls against the ruling Colorado Party's Santiago Pena. Alegre has vowed to reconsider country's diplomatic positioning of choosing Taipei over Beijing. "Relations with Taiwan mean the loss of one of the largest markets, which is China," Alegre told news agency AFP. "Paraguay makes a very big effort, a very big sacrifice to have relations with Taiwan, but we are not seeing from Taiwan the same effort." Baku, Azerbaijan-Yerevan, Armenia French foreign minister Catherine Colonna and Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan hold a press conference following their talks in Yerevan on April 28, 2023 | AFP French foreign minister Catherine Colonna visited the capitals of Azerbaijan and Armenia this week in an effort to cool down the reignited tensions between two West Asian rivals. Colonna's visit ensured that the two nations sit across each other in Washington on Sunday, when the Azeri and Armenian foreign ministers are scheduled to discuss the "agreement on normalisation of relations." Both the countries went to war over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2020 in which Baku emerged overwhelmingly victorious. The mountain region is now internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated mainly by ethnic Armenians. The tensions reignited after Azerbaijan set up a new checkpoint last Sunday on the road to Karabakh, the Lachin corridor, in a move that Armenia that called a gross violation of a 2020 ceasefire. Tokyo, Japan Employees of 'ispace' bow their heads after the company announced they lost signal from the lander in HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program | Reuters World's first private moon landing failed this week. Japan's commercial space startup ispace lost contact with its Hakuto-R Mission 1 (M1), and said that it probably crashed on the lunar surface. The M1 lander was launched on December 11, 2023 from Cape Canaveral, Florida on a SpaceX rocket. Soon after ispace lost contact with its L1 lander, its employees at a venue in Tokyo bowed their heads in respect of the lost lander. The Japanese government expressed disappointment at the failure of ispace mission. But said that the country wants ispace to "keep trying" as its efforts were significant to the development of a domestic space industry. New Delhi, India Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, left, Bajrang Punia, centre, and Sakshi Malik take part in a sit-in New Delhi demanding the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief | Reuters In New Delhi, thirty Indian wrestlers, including country's Olympic medalists, relaunched their sit-in protest against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, also a lawmaker of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Led by Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Anshu Malik and Bajrang Punia, the protesting athletes have accused Singh of sexual abuse of vulnerable female wrestlers for years. After the grapplers approached India's Supreme Court this week, the police in New Delhi filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the wrestling federation boss. One of the incidence reports have been filed under the charges related to India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, meaning the supposed victim was less than 18 when the sexual abuse allegedly took place. The wrestlers had first launched their protest earlier this year on January 18. Back then, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government quickly sprung into action, formed an investigation body led by some of India's most decorated athletes, and sought a report in four weeks. While the findings of the investigation into sexual assault accusations have not been made public, soon after wrestlers relaunched their protest this week, the government released its "major findings". One of them point to the absence of a duly constituted Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in the federation mandated within India's sexual harassment prevention law. Amid the second round of protest in over three months, Singh continues to be the chief of India's Wrestling federation. The wrestlers have vowed they will continue to protest until Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is arrested and a host of reforms are brought within the wrestling federation. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

The Capitals: Sudan's capital on boil, Washington's 'American Pie' for Seoul, and more

India's Covid tally increased to 4.49 crore with 7,533 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.

The number of active cases dropped to 53,852 on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The ministry's statistics updated at 8 am showed that the death toll rose to 5,31,468 with 44 deaths, including 16 fatalities reconciled by Kerala.

According to the report, the number of active cases represents 0.12% of all infections. The statistics posted on the ministry's website showed that the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.69%.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudanese-army-rsf-agree-to-extend-truce-by-72-hours-586826">Sudanese army, RSF agree to extend truce by 72 hours</a>

A total of 4.49 crore Covid cases have been reported in India so far.

Additionally, 220.66 crore doses of the COVID vaccine have reportedly been given across the nation thus far as part of the statewide COVID-19 immunisation campaign, according to the ministry's website.

<h2>Delhi Covid cases&nbsp;</h2>

With 865 new infection cases recorded on Thursday, Delhi saw a slight decrease in daily Covid cases compared to previous day. For the second day in a row, seven deaths were reported Thursday, and the daily positive rate was 16.90%, according to the health department of the national capital.

The number of new cases brought the total number of infections in the national capital to 20,37,061 Thursday, while the death toll was increased to 26,620.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-may-restrict-export-of-semiconductor-supplies-to-china-report-586820">Germany may restrict export of semiconductor supplies to China: Report</a>

According to the data, Delhi had 4,279 active cases on Thursday, 3,143 of which were patients being isolated at home.

The government carried out roughly 5,117 testings, including 3,599 RT-PCR/CBNAAT/True Nat tests.&nbsp;

Only 296 of the 7,974 Covid beds that are now accessible in the nation's capital are being used, according to the statistics cited Thursday.&nbsp;

Watch | Gravitas: This Canadian chef sold poison to suicidal youngsters

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To determine the hospitals in Delhi's readiness for any situation, simulated exercises were performed on April 11. According to medical professionals, the Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.16 may be the cause of the city's recent spike in cases.

On January 16, the number of Covid-19 cases reached zero for the first time since the pandemic. However, during the last month, there has been an increase in new cases in the city.

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India's Covid tally increased to 4.49 crore with 7,533 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The number of active cases dropped to 53,852 on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

India's Covid tally increased to 4.49 crore with 7,533 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The number of active cases dropped to 53,852 on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry. The ministry's statistics updated at 8 am showed that the death toll rose to 5,31,468 with 44 deaths, including 16 fatalities reconciled by Kerala. According to the report, the number of active cases represents 0.12% of all infections. The statistics posted on the ministry's website showed that the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.69%. Also Read | Sudanese army, RSF agree to extend truce by 72 hours A total of 4.49 crore Covid cases have been reported in India so far. Additionally, 220.66 crore doses of the COVID vaccine have reportedly been given across the nation thus far as part of the statewide COVID-19 immunisation campaign, according to the ministry's website. Delhi Covid cases With 865 new infection cases recorded on Thursday, Delhi saw a slight decrease in daily Covid cases compared to previous day. For the second day in a row, seven deaths were reported Thursday, and the daily positive rate was 16.90%, according to the health department of the national capital. The number of new cases brought the total number of infections in the national capital to 20,37,061 Thursday, while the death toll was increased to 26,620. Also Read | Germany may restrict export of semiconductor supplies to China: Report According to the data, Delhi had 4,279 active cases on Thursday, 3,143 of which were patients being isolated at home. The government carried out roughly 5,117 testings, including 3,599 RT-PCR/CBNAAT/True Nat tests. Only 296 of the 7,974 Covid beds that are now accessible in the nation's capital are being used, according to the statistics cited Thursday. Watch | Gravitas: This Canadian chef sold poison to suicidal youngsters × To determine the hospitals in Delhi's readiness for any situation, simulated exercises were performed on April 11. According to medical professionals, the Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.16 may be the cause of the city's recent spike in cases. On January 16, the number of Covid-19 cases reached zero for the first time since the pandemic. However, during the last month, there has been an increase in new cases in the city. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India records 7,533 new Covid cases, 44 deaths in last 24 hours

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday chaired the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in New Delhi. Defence Ministers of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took part in the meeting. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif attended the meeting virtually.

SCO Meet: Rajnath Singh chairs SCO Defence Ministers meeting in New Delhi

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday held bilateral meetings with the defence ministers of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and China. The ministers discussed bilateral defense-related issues and other matters of mutual interest during the meeting.

SCO Meet: India holds bilateral with China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday held bilateral meetings with the defence ministers of Kazakhstan, Iran, Tajikistan and China. The ministers discussed bilateral defense-related issues and other matters of mutual interest during the meeting.

India holds bilateral with China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday chaired the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in New Delhi. Defence Ministers of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took part in the meeting. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif attended the meeting virtually. The main focus of the meeting is regional security situations and development.

SCO Meet: Focus on regional security issues and regional development

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will chair the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers Meeting on Friday (28 April) in New Delhi. Defence Ministers of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan will participate in the event. India has also invited Belarus and Iran, currently observers in SCO, to participate in the meeting. Defence Minister of Pakistan would be participating virtually.

India to host crucial SCO Defence Ministers meeting this week

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu, on Thursday, ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting. This will be Li's first visit to Delhi since the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.

SCO Summit 2023: The theme of India's 2023 chairmanship is 'secure-SCO'

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly round-up of some of the biggest stories from the corridors of power all over the world.

This week, Riyadh’s successful efforts towards the evacuation of foreign nationals from conflict-hit Sudan became a crucial moment of geopolitical respite in at least 12 capitals. The Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov tried to shore up support for Moscow’s offensive against Ukraine with his visits to four Latin American capitals.

In New Delhi, India tried to leverage its legacy as birthplace of Buddhism as country organised the maiden Global Buddhist Summit.

Here’s what all happened in the capitals this week:

<h2>Khartoum, Sudan</h2>

<img alt="Saudi Arabia rescue from Khartoum" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e11383fd-2512-4d53-97dd-11e617a5061a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2853%29_4.jpg" />

Members of the armed forces passing out chocolates and flowers to Saudi citizens and other nationals upon their arrival in Jeddah, following their rescue from Sudan | AFP

Riyadh’s naval operations led the first successful evacuation of foreign nationals from the conflict-hit Sudan, where since nearly two weeks, the battle for control over the country between its army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded.&nbsp;

The main airport in the Sudanese capital Khartoum continues to be the site of heavy fighting, and that has left only one route left for the evacuation: the sea route.&nbsp;

Riyadh carried out the evacuation from Port Sudan on the Red Sea, 850 km east of Khartoum. It announced the “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 countries: Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, India, Pakistan, Bulgaria, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso.

The United States could extract fewer than 100 people. Several thousand US citizens including dual nationals are stranded in the conflict-ridden country. France, Britain, Turkey, European Union, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia continue to be on standby to extract their citizens at the earliest.

<h2>Havana (Cuba), Caracas (Venezuela), Brasilia (Brazil), Managua (Nicaragua)</h2>

<img alt="Lavrov in Brazil" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e9c4532e-9d6d-469e-8711-1c37e7d7feb4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2823%29_1.png" />

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, left, talks with Brazilian foreign minister Mauro Vieira in Brasilia, Brazil, on April 17, 2023. | AP Photo

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov this week concluded his five-day trip to the countries in Latin America, most of whom were perceived to be the allies of earstwhile Soviet Union during cold war. While the host capitals called for a peaceful political settlement to the Ukraine crisis, Lavrov repeatedly emphasised Russian opposition to “foreign interference in national affairs and unilateral sanctions”.&nbsp;

Rio ended up as the most significant of all geopolitical pitstops that Lavrov took in Latin America this week. In Rio, Russia managed to extract a crucial assertion against American support to the Ukrainian war-effort.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the United States and European allies should stop supplying arms to Ukraine, arguing that they were prolonging the war. "If you are not making peace, you are contributing to war," Lula said.

<h2>London, United Kingdom</h2>

<img alt="Dominic Raab" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0eb065ec-e816-4d50-832d-f328337bd931" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2854%29_5.jpg" />

Former UK Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab was forced to resign from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's cabinet this week | Reuters

London’s Downing Street had a politically significant moment with a yet another scandelous exit. The deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab resigned from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet soon after an inquiry revealed that Raab bullied civil servants at multiple ministries in recent past. Raab has been replaced by Oliver Dowden as the UK deputy prime minister. Raab’s exit comes just weeks before local pay will test Rishi Sunak’s political leadership as a Conservative Party headman in Britain.

<h2>New Delhi, India</h2>

<img alt="Global Buddhist Summit" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b2c8c13-fc28-43ac-85de-af5412d210c5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2824%29_1.png" />

Delegates at Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi | @sidhant/Twitter | WION

India hosted first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi that saw delegates from about 30 countries participating in the event, including Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader living in-exile in India since 1959. The Tibetan leader spoke of “compassion, wisdom and meditation” during the event. India intends to leverage its legacy as the birthplace of Buddhism by amplying its calls to promote peace amid raging conflicts worldwide.&nbsp;

<h2>Lima, Peru</h2>

<img alt="Peru former president" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ded39af1-9327-40b9-b9f4-80d88e830d1c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2825%29_3.png" />

Peru's former President Alejandro Toledo walks with others after his arrival at the airport following his extradition to Peru, in Callao, Peru | Reuters

Peru’s former President Alejandro Toledo arrived in Lima in what his detractors called “to face the law”. Toledo, who was Peru’s president from 2001 to 2006, surrendered to the US authorities on Friday, ending a yearslong legal battle against his extradition which started in 2019 when he was first arrested in California.&nbsp; 
Peru’s former president will serve 18 months of preventative detention while an investigation will probe his alleged role in a bribery scandal. Toledo is accused of taking at least $20 million in bribes and kickbacks from a Brazilian construction company that has previously admitted to have bribed officials to win contracts throughout Latin America.&nbsp;

<h2>Tunis, Tunisia</h2>

<img alt="Tunisia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a0fe0b32-aa37-49d8-a115-48888bd54a02" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2826%29_2.png" />

Rached Ghannouchi | Reuters image

The first bud of Arab Spring, which unleashed a bloom of democratic transitions in West Asia and parts of Africa, continues its struggle towards a democratic blossom.

This week, country’s top opposition figure Rached Ghannouchi was arrested, on charges of incitement against state authorities led by President Kaid Saied.

The 81-year-old leader’s arrest marks a week of dramatic developments in the capital Tunis which saw nearly 100 policemen&nbsp;raiding the house of Ennahdha party leader while he was reportedly breaking his Ramadan fast. Hours later, the headquarters of Ghannouchi’s party, ‘Ennahdha’, a self-styled “Muslim democrat” party, were closed. &nbsp;

The arrest of Ghannouchi has drawn global condemnation, with the United States saying that the rise in arrests of Tunis opposition figures ‘represent a troubling escalation by the Tunisian government against perceived opponents’.&nbsp;

That's all from The Capitals this week. See you next weekend.

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Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly round-up of some of the biggest stories from the corridors of power all over the world. This week, Riyadh’s successful efforts towards the evacuation of foreign nationals from conflict-hit Sudan became a crucial moment of geopolitical respite in at least 12 capitals.

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly round-up of some of the biggest stories from the corridors of power all over the world. This week, Riyadh’s successful efforts towards the evacuation of foreign nationals from conflict-hit Sudan became a crucial moment of geopolitical respite in at least 12 capitals. The Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov tried to shore up support for Moscow’s offensive against Ukraine with his visits to four Latin American capitals. In New Delhi, India tried to leverage its legacy as birthplace of Buddhism as country organised the maiden Global Buddhist Summit. Here’s what all happened in the capitals this week: Khartoum, Sudan Members of the armed forces passing out chocolates and flowers to Saudi citizens and other nationals upon their arrival in Jeddah, following their rescue from Sudan | AFP Riyadh’s naval operations led the first successful evacuation of foreign nationals from the conflict-hit Sudan, where since nearly two weeks, the battle for control over the country between its army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded. The main airport in the Sudanese capital Khartoum continues to be the site of heavy fighting, and that has left only one route left for the evacuation: the sea route. Riyadh carried out the evacuation from Port Sudan on the Red Sea, 850 km east of Khartoum. It announced the “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 countries: Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, India, Pakistan, Bulgaria, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso. The United States could extract fewer than 100 people. Several thousand US citizens including dual nationals are stranded in the conflict-ridden country. France, Britain, Turkey, European Union, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia continue to be on standby to extract their citizens at the earliest. Havana (Cuba), Caracas (Venezuela), Brasilia (Brazil), Managua (Nicaragua) Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, left, talks with Brazilian foreign minister Mauro Vieira in Brasilia, Brazil, on April 17, 2023. | AP Photo Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov this week concluded his five-day trip to the countries in Latin America, most of whom were perceived to be the allies of earstwhile Soviet Union during cold war. While the host capitals called for a peaceful political settlement to the Ukraine crisis, Lavrov repeatedly emphasised Russian opposition to “foreign interference in national affairs and unilateral sanctions”. Rio ended up as the most significant of all geopolitical pitstops that Lavrov took in Latin America this week. In Rio, Russia managed to extract a crucial assertion against American support to the Ukrainian war-effort. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the United States and European allies should stop supplying arms to Ukraine, arguing that they were prolonging the war. "If you are not making peace, you are contributing to war," Lula said. London, United Kingdom Former UK Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab was forced to resign from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's cabinet this week | Reuters London’s Downing Street had a politically significant moment with a yet another scandelous exit. The deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab resigned from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet soon after an inquiry revealed that Raab bullied civil servants at multiple ministries in recent past. Raab has been replaced by Oliver Dowden as the UK deputy prime minister. Raab’s exit comes just weeks before local pay will test Rishi Sunak’s political leadership as a Conservative Party headman in Britain. New Delhi, India Delegates at Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi | @sidhant/Twitter | WION India hosted first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi that saw delegates from about 30 countries participating in the event, including Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader living in-exile in India since 1959. The Tibetan leader spoke of “compassion, wisdom and meditation” during the event. India intends to leverage its legacy as the birthplace of Buddhism by amplying its calls to promote peace amid raging conflicts worldwide. Lima, Peru Peru's former President Alejandro Toledo walks with others after his arrival at the airport following his extradition to Peru, in Callao, Peru | Reuters Peru’s former President Alejandro Toledo arrived in Lima in what his detractors called “to face the law”. Toledo, who was Peru’s president from 2001 to 2006, surrendered to the US authorities on Friday, ending a yearslong legal battle against his extradition which started in 2019 when he was first arrested in California. Peru’s former president will serve 18 months of preventative detention while an investigation will probe his alleged role in a bribery scandal. Toledo is accused of taking at least $20 million in bribes and kickbacks from a Brazilian construction company that has previously admitted to have bribed officials to win contracts throughout Latin America. Tunis, Tunisia Rached Ghannouchi | Reuters image The first bud of Arab Spring, which unleashed a bloom of democratic transitions in West Asia and parts of Africa, continues its struggle towards a democratic blossom. This week, country’s top opposition figure Rached Ghannouchi was arrested, on charges of incitement against state authorities led by President Kaid Saied. The 81-year-old leader’s arrest marks a week of dramatic developments in the capital Tunis which saw nearly 100 policemen raiding the house of Ennahdha party leader while he was reportedly breaking his Ramadan fast. Hours later, the headquarters of Ghannouchi’s party, ‘Ennahdha’, a self-styled “Muslim democrat” party, were closed. The arrest of Ghannouchi has drawn global condemnation, with the United States saying that the rise in arrests of Tunis opposition figures ‘represent a troubling escalation by the Tunisian government against perceived opponents’. That's all from The Capitals this week. See you next weekend. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

The Capitals: Riyadh leads Sudan evacuation effort, Moscow’s Latin America outreach, and more

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu will be visiting India's capital New Delhi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting. The upcoming visit by both the ministers will be the first.

Russia & China Defence Ministers to visit India, to attend SCO meet in Delhi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi today (April 20). The summit is being organized by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with its grantee body International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).

Indian PM Modi to inaugurate first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi

Gopal Rai, the environment minister, announced on Wednesday (April 19), that the Delhi government planned to offer free saplings and pots to residents' doorsteps in order to increase the amount of greenery in the capital.

In an interview, he told PTI that a team is being formed to identify plant species that have a high mortality rate after transplantation and to determine the impact of the soil type and other factors on the relocated trees in an effort to increase their survival rate.

The green cover of Delhi has increased from 21.88 to 23.06 per cent of its geographic area, according to the most recent India State of Forest Report.

Rai noted, however, that the government is preparing other methods, including urban farming, to increase the amount of greenery.

"The forest department and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are going to launch a pilot project to provide plants and pots free of cost to people at their doorsteps," he said.&nbsp;

"We are conducting a ward-wise survey, asking people what type of plants they want. A survey is underway in one ward in my assembly constituency (Babarpur in northeast Delhi)," he added.&nbsp;

In Delhi, there are roughly 10,000 residences per ward.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;India records 12,591 new Covid cases in a day, highest in around 8 months

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/data-lab-making-sense-of-indias-forest-cover-change-both-gains-and-losses-579663">Data Lab: Making sense of India's forest cover change, both gains and losses</a>

Accordingly, more plans to give people in other places plants and pots would be set up, Rai said, adding "if the project is successful, we will be able to create an alternative green belt."

Small plants are simpler to maintain and use fewer resources than larger ones, say specialists on biodiversity. According to them, this makes smaller plants a more sustainable option for boosting the amount of greenery in particular places.

The environment minister for Delhi claimed that some species have very low survival rates and that some soil types are not suitable for transplanting trees.

Only 33.33 per cent of the 16,461 trees that were transplanted in Delhi over the previous three years have survived, according to data that the forest department submitted to the Delhi High Court in May of last year.

Due to the Delhi government's tree transplantation policy, the affected agencies are required to relocate at least 80 per cent&nbsp;of the trees impacted by their development activities. After a year after transplantation, the benchmark tree survival rate is 80 per cent.

As noted by Rai, the Delhi government has successfully reduced air pollution to a significant degree and is currently focusing on a smaller scale, "trying to ascertain which sources are contributing to air pollution under what conditions."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Gopal Rai, the environment minister, announced on Wednesday (April 19), that the Delhi government planned to offer free saplings and pots to residents' doorsteps in order to increase the amount of greenery in the capital.

Gopal Rai, the environment minister, announced on Wednesday (April 19), that the Delhi government planned to offer free saplings and pots to residents' doorsteps in order to increase the amount of greenery in the capital. In an interview, he told PTI that a team is being formed to identify plant species that have a high mortality rate after transplantation and to determine the impact of the soil type and other factors on the relocated trees in an effort to increase their survival rate. The green cover of Delhi has increased from 21.88 to 23.06 per cent of its geographic area, according to the most recent India State of Forest Report. Rai noted, however, that the government is preparing other methods, including urban farming, to increase the amount of greenery. "The forest department and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are going to launch a pilot project to provide plants and pots free of cost to people at their doorsteps," he said. "We are conducting a ward-wise survey, asking people what type of plants they want. A survey is underway in one ward in my assembly constituency (Babarpur in northeast Delhi)," he added. In Delhi, there are roughly 10,000 residences per ward. ALSO WATCH | India records 12,591 new Covid cases in a day, highest in around 8 months ALSO READ | Data Lab: Making sense of India's forest cover change, both gains and losses Accordingly, more plans to give people in other places plants and pots would be set up, Rai said, adding "if the project is successful, we will be able to create an alternative green belt." Small plants are simpler to maintain and use fewer resources than larger ones, say specialists on biodiversity. According to them, this makes smaller plants a more sustainable option for boosting the amount of greenery in particular places. The environment minister for Delhi claimed that some species have very low survival rates and that some soil types are not suitable for transplanting trees. Only 33.33 per cent of the 16,461 trees that were transplanted in Delhi over the previous three years have survived, according to data that the forest department submitted to the Delhi High Court in May of last year. Due to the Delhi government's tree transplantation policy, the affected agencies are required to relocate at least 80 per cent of the trees impacted by their development activities. After a year after transplantation, the benchmark tree survival rate is 80 per cent. As noted by Rai, the Delhi government has successfully reduced air pollution to a significant degree and is currently focusing on a smaller scale, "trying to ascertain which sources are contributing to air pollution under what conditions." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Delhi government to offer free plants at doorstep in bid to promote greenery. Details here

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the first Global Buddhist Summit in New Delhi. This summit marks the significance and importance of India in Buddhism. Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama is also likely to attend the summit. Delegates from about 30 countries will participate in the event.

Global Buddhist Summit begins in New Delhi, Dalai Lama likely to attend

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday (April 16) for nearly nine hours in the liquor policy case. Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other party leaders when he reached the CBI headquarters. So far, he hasn't been given another date for the second round of questioning.&nbsp;

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was questioned as a witness in the same case in which former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested last month.&nbsp;

Kejriwal told reporters: "The CBI asked me a total of 56 questions. Everything is fake. The case is fake. I am convinced they don't have anything on us, not a single piece of evidence."&nbsp;

The CBI recorded Kejriwal's statement in connection with the case and also noted that it will be verified and collated with the "available evidence".&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> | Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal leaves the CBI office after nine hours of questioning in the liquor policy case. <a href="https://t.co/6KTfu5RB8H">https://t.co/6KTfu5RB8H</a> <a href="https://t.co/yHVay3w7uM">pic.twitter.com/yHVay3w7uM</a>
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Kejriwal said that the investigating agency does not have evidence against the AAP government to prove that "it has committed any wrong in the framing of now scrapped new excise policy."&nbsp;

While speaking to the reporters, Kejriwal further said: "CBI questioning was conducted for 9.5 hours. I answered all the questions. The entire alleged liquor scam is false and is out of bad politics. AAP is 'kattar imaandaar party'. They want to finish AAP but the country's people are with us."&nbsp;

The news agency ANI reported quoting sources that while Kejriwal was being questioned by the CBI, the AAP called an emergency meeting of senior leaders this evening amid concerns that he could be arrested.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday (April 16) for nearly nine hours in the liquor policy case.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday (April 16) for nearly nine hours in the liquor policy case. Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other party leaders when he reached the CBI headquarters. So far, he hasn't been given another date for the second round of questioning. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was questioned as a witness in the same case in which former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested last month. Kejriwal told reporters: "The CBI asked me a total of 56 questions. Everything is fake. The case is fake. I am convinced they don't have anything on us, not a single piece of evidence." The CBI recorded Kejriwal's statement in connection with the case and also noted that it will be verified and collated with the "available evidence". #UPDATE | Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal leaves the CBI office after nine hours of questioning in the liquor policy case. https://t.co/6KTfu5RB8H pic.twitter.com/yHVay3w7uM — ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2023 × Kejriwal said that the investigating agency does not have evidence against the AAP government to prove that "it has committed any wrong in the framing of now scrapped new excise policy." While speaking to the reporters, Kejriwal further said: "CBI questioning was conducted for 9.5 hours. I answered all the questions. The entire alleged liquor scam is false and is out of bad politics. AAP is 'kattar imaandaar party'. They want to finish AAP but the country's people are with us." The news agency ANI reported quoting sources that while Kejriwal was being questioned by the CBI, the AAP called an emergency meeting of senior leaders this evening amid concerns that he could be arrested. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Liquor policy case: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says case 'fake'; CBI asked 56 questions

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly round-up of news and views from the corridors of power all over the world.&nbsp;

This week, the capitals of Sudan, Yemen, India, Northern Ireland, United States, Ghana and Japan witnessed among the most significant of all events of reckoning.

<h2>Khartoum, Sudan</h2>

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Smoke billows above residential buildings in Khartoum on April 16, 2023, as fighting in Sudan raged for a second day in battles between rival generals | AFP

Sudanese capital's uneasy calm was wrecked by gunfire and shelling this week as a deadly power struggle broke out between the erstwhile power-sharers, Sudan's army and a paramilitary group. The Rapid Support Force (RSF) is the paramilitary group infamous for many human rights violations in the country located at the crossroads of Sub-Saharan Africa and West Asia.&nbsp;

So far at least 56 civilians are reported to be dead in the deadly fight between the Sudanese army and the RSF.&nbsp;

Here is a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-whats-happening-in-sudan-what-caused-the-clashes-583043">WION&nbsp;explainer</a> to&nbsp;what all is happening in Sudan, and the exact genesis of the ongoing battle between the two warring armed factions of contested authorities.&nbsp;

<h2>Sana'a, Yemen</h2>

<img alt="Yemen prisoners' exchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5129fea7-62c8-42c1-b5b1-e41ef467e0a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_229.jpg" />

Prisoners formerly held by Yemen's Houthi rebels board an aircraft of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) before it takes off from Sana'a International Airport on April 16, 2023 | AFP

The Yemeni capital saw boosted hopes of the end to its civil war, as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/times-of-truce-major-prisoner-swap-underway-in-yemen-icrc-582486">a three-day exchange of nearly 900 prisoners</a> between Yemen's Houthi rebels and government forces concluded on Sunday.&nbsp;

It is still not known how many prisoners the both sides have.&nbsp;

But both the rebels and government forces are still honouring a ceasefire that expired in October 2022 after a seven-month period. The current exchange of prisoners is being seen as a measure that West Asia watchers expect to formalise into an end to the war.&nbsp;

<h2>New Delhi, India</h2>

<img alt="Narendra Modi Cabinet Committee on Security" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2df8790a-a3c1-49aa-994b-fec8a1f7c70f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_177.jpg" />

File photo of India's Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security | @PMOIndia/Twitter

In New Delhi, India's big space dreams were unveiled in the form of the Indian Space Policy 2023, a formal expansion of space sector reforms India launched in 2020. While the 2020 reforms allowed private sector firms to perform end-to-end space activities, this week's policy release is aimed at providing greater clarity on the specific activities that private firms can carry out, Sidharth MP, WION correspondent covering Space and Defence sectors told The Capitals.

"The Space Policy is said to be a stepping stone to a Space Activities Bill and a Space Activities Law in India, which will codify the roles and responsibilities of the government and private sector in greater detail," Sidharth pointed out.&nbsp;

India aims to constitute at least a tenth of $360 billion global space economy by the end of the decade.&nbsp;

<h2>Belfast, Northern Ireland</h2>

<img alt="Joe Biden" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="10d2400f-9ff6-4861-93c4-08149a317f08" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%283%29_148.jpg" />

US President Joe Biden delivered a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast on April 12, 2023 | AFP

US President Joe Biden went down the lane of his Irish ancestory in Northern Ireland's capital Belfast this week. He <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-lands-in-northern-ireland-to-mark-25-years-of-good-friday-agreement-581514">commemorated 25 years of Good Friday peace agreement</a>, a 1998 agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which ultimately&nbsp;diluted the previously concentrated calls for Northern Ireland's separation from Britain.&nbsp;

The four-day visit to Ireland was marked by pomp as Biden was seen acting on behalf of his British allies to strengthen Northern Ireland's union with Britain. "Northern Ireland will not go back [to violence]," Biden said at the Ulster University campus in Belfast while referring to pre-1998 calls for separation.

<h2>Washington&nbsp;D.C., United States of America</h2>

<img alt="White House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a0d9af-933f-40e4-8518-fbed6e52d751" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_131.jpg" />

File photo of the White House in Washington D.C. superimposed with the images of Jack Teixeira, 21, arrested in classified document leak row this week | Reuters

The world's most powerful corridor of power was marred by the most explosive document leak of the decade. This time, it wasn't a Snowden or Assange but a 21-year-old newly minted member of the US Air Force, who unleashed a diplomatic storm of embarrassment over White House. Why embarrassment? Well, for one, the leak of highly classified US military documents revealed how Washington spies on countries it calls its allies and partners. Two, it exposed gaps in Ukrainian air defences amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.&nbsp;

Here is a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-jack-teixeiras-game-of-pentagon-declassifieds-means-for-internet-surveillance-582483">WION explainer</a>, detailing upon Jack Teixeira, the young man arrested this week, who has been charged with unauthorised removal of classified national defence information.&nbsp;

<h2>Accra, Ghana</h2>

<img alt="Representative image for children's Malaria vaccination | Reuters" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9fbb17e7-ae65-4c70-827a-6f627c4e7cc0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%285%29_95.jpg" />

Representative image for children's Malaria vaccination | Reuters

This week, the Ghanaian capital <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ghana-approves-oxfords-new-malaria-vaccine-582251">approved</a> the use of Oxford University-Serum Institute of India's&nbsp;anti-malaria vaccine Mosquirix developed by the British drugmaker GSK. Children under the age of three will be inoculated with the anti-malaria vaccine while the exact timeline of the rollout has not been revealed.&nbsp;

Annually, about 600,000 people die due to Malaria, most of them in Africa. Children under the age of three, for whom the anti-malaria vaccine with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/oxford-university-serum-institute-of-india-tie-up-delivers-high-efficacy-malaria-vaccine-582185">77 per cent efficacy</a> has been approved, remain most vulnerable to the disease.

<h2>Tokyo, Japan&nbsp;</h2>

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People line up to purchase the fresh copies of Japanese writer Haruki Murakami's new book&nbsp;'The City and Its Uncertain Walls'&nbsp;at a book store in Shinjuku district of Tokyo early on April 13, 2023 | AFP

Legendary Japanese writer Haruki Murakami's first novel in six years, 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' hit the shelves in Tokyo this week. A Murakami novel is often considered 'an Olympic event' in Japan. While Japanese language readers can score through the 661-page novel, Murakami admirers worldwide will have to wait for some time more for the English translation of the novel.&nbsp;

My colleague Tashneem Chaudhury dissects her 'eternal love story' with Japanese author's works in this piece. '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-i-fell-for-the-murakami-magic-582618">How I fell for the Haruki Murakami magic: My eternal love story</a>'.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly round-up of news and views from the corridors of power all over the world. This week, the capitals of Sudan, Yemen, India, Northern Ireland, United States, Ghana and Japan witnessed among the most significant of all events of reckoning.

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. Your weekly round-up of news and views from the corridors of power all over the world. This week, the capitals of Sudan, Yemen, India, Northern Ireland, United States, Ghana and Japan witnessed among the most significant of all events of reckoning. Khartoum, Sudan Smoke billows above residential buildings in Khartoum on April 16, 2023, as fighting in Sudan raged for a second day in battles between rival generals | AFP Sudanese capital's uneasy calm was wrecked by gunfire and shelling this week as a deadly power struggle broke out between the erstwhile power-sharers, Sudan's army and a paramilitary group. The Rapid Support Force (RSF) is the paramilitary group infamous for many human rights violations in the country located at the crossroads of Sub-Saharan Africa and West Asia. So far at least 56 civilians are reported to be dead in the deadly fight between the Sudanese army and the RSF. Here is a WION explainer to what all is happening in Sudan, and the exact genesis of the ongoing battle between the two warring armed factions of contested authorities. Sana'a, Yemen Prisoners formerly held by Yemen's Houthi rebels board an aircraft of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) before it takes off from Sana'a International Airport on April 16, 2023 | AFP The Yemeni capital saw boosted hopes of the end to its civil war, as a three-day exchange of nearly 900 prisoners between Yemen's Houthi rebels and government forces concluded on Sunday. It is still not known how many prisoners the both sides have. But both the rebels and government forces are still honouring a ceasefire that expired in October 2022 after a seven-month period. The current exchange of prisoners is being seen as a measure that West Asia watchers expect to formalise into an end to the war. New Delhi, India File photo of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairing a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security | @PMOIndia/Twitter In New Delhi, India's big space dreams were unveiled in the form of the Indian Space Policy 2023, a formal expansion of space sector reforms India launched in 2020. While the 2020 reforms allowed private sector firms to perform end-to-end space activities, this week's policy release is aimed at providing greater clarity on the specific activities that private firms can carry out, Sidharth MP, WION correspondent covering Space and Defence sectors told The Capitals. "The Space Policy is said to be a stepping stone to a Space Activities Bill and a Space Activities Law in India, which will codify the roles and responsibilities of the government and private sector in greater detail," Sidharth pointed out. India aims to constitute at least a tenth of $360 billion global space economy by the end of the decade. Belfast, Northern Ireland US President Joe Biden delivered a speech on business development at Ulster University in Belfast on April 12, 2023 | AFP US President Joe Biden went down the lane of his Irish ancestory in Northern Ireland's capital Belfast this week. He commemorated 25 years of Good Friday peace agreement, a 1998 agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which ultimately diluted the previously concentrated calls for Northern Ireland's separation from Britain. The four-day visit to Ireland was marked by pomp as Biden was seen acting on behalf of his British allies to strengthen Northern Ireland's union with Britain. "Northern Ireland will not go back [to violence]," Biden said at the Ulster University campus in Belfast while referring to pre-1998 calls for separation. Washington D.C., United States of America File photo of the White House in Washington D.C. superimposed with the images of Jack Teixeira, 21, arrested in classified document leak row this week | Reuters The world's most powerful corridor of power was marred by the most explosive document leak of the decade. This time, it wasn't a Snowden or Assange but a 21-year-old newly minted member of the US Air Force, who unleashed a diplomatic storm of embarrassment over White House. Why embarrassment? Well, for one, the leak of highly classified US military documents revealed how Washington spies on countries it calls its allies and partners. Two, it exposed gaps in Ukrainian air defences amid its ongoing war in Ukraine. Here is a WION explainer, detailing upon Jack Teixeira, the young man arrested this week, who has been charged with unauthorised removal of classified national defence information. Accra, Ghana Representative image for children's Malaria vaccination | Reuters This week, the Ghanaian capital approved the use of Oxford University-Serum Institute of India's anti-malaria vaccine Mosquirix developed by the British drugmaker GSK. Children under the age of three will be inoculated with the anti-malaria vaccine while the exact timeline of the rollout has not been revealed. Annually, about 600,000 people die due to Malaria, most of them in Africa. Children under the age of three, for whom the anti-malaria vaccine with 77 per cent efficacy has been approved, remain most vulnerable to the disease. Tokyo, Japan People line up to purchase the fresh copies of Japanese writer Haruki Murakami's new book 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' at a book store in Shinjuku district of Tokyo early on April 13, 2023 | AFP Legendary Japanese writer Haruki Murakami's first novel in six years, 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' hit the shelves in Tokyo this week. A Murakami novel is often considered 'an Olympic event' in Japan. While Japanese language readers can score through the 661-page novel, Murakami admirers worldwide will have to wait for some time more for the English translation of the novel. My colleague Tashneem Chaudhury dissects her 'eternal love story' with Japanese author's works in this piece. 'How I fell for the Haruki Murakami magic: My eternal love story'. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

The Capitals: Sudan's Khartoum a battleground for power, New Delhi's big space dreams, and more

A school in India's national capital Delhi was evacuated on Wednesday (April 12) for a security check after the school administration received a bomb threat in its email and promptly alerted the police and authorities.

The bomb disposal squad reached ‘The Indian School’ which is located in South Delhi’s Sadiq Nagar and checked the premises thoroughly after the evacuation, only to conclude that the threat&nbsp;“appears to be a hoax”.&nbsp;

DCP Chandan Chaudhary said that BDS, BDT, and SWAT teams conducted thorough checking of the school premises after evacuating it.&nbsp;“At 10:50 am, the school received a bomb threat via e-mail. We evacuated all the students. We deployed BDT and BDS teams. We informed the Special Cell and Special Branch. We have done a visual search with the SWAT team,” she said.

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— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1646070869985464320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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According to&nbsp;the police, after the school authorities received the email,&nbsp;the school administration immediately called the police and contacted the parents to pick up their children. 
&nbsp;

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The Indian School in Sadiq Nagar received an bomb threat via email. As a precautionary measure, the school has been vacated. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad informed: Delhi police 
 
More details awaited. <a href="https://t.co/p6DKKeSXsl">pic.twitter.com/p6DKKeSXsl</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1646044695385067521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-government-school-teachers-to-be-stationed-at-airport-on-covid-duty-546801">Delhi government school teachers to be stationed at airport on Covid duty</a>

In a message to the parents, the administration stated, “On account of some unexpected security reasons, we are having to close school early. Kindly arrange to pick up your ward as per details...Front Gate…self pickup…Back gate van users. School will resume as usual tomorrow.”

The police said that the school was evacuated as a precautionary measure. The video from outside the gate of the school showed a huge crowd of parents eagerly waiting for the children.

"We received a message from the school asking us to bring our children home," said one of the parents.

WATCH |&nbsp;India: Sanskrit and Lithuanian words adorn the school wall in Delhi

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In November 2022, a similar email was received by the school. The police said that the students were then evacuated from the school premises and the threat was later found to be a hoax.

“This is not the first time the school admin received a bomb threat. Last year in November, the admin received a similar email from an unknown sender. That was a hoax email. Our teams are at the spot with Bomb Disposal Sqaud and dog squad,” said DCP (South) Chandan Chowdhary, speaking on the bomb threat. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

You can&nbsp;now write for wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>. 
 
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A school in India's national capital Delhi was evacuated on Wednesday (April 12) for a security check after the school administration received a bomb threat in its email and promptly alerted the police and authorities.

A school in India's national capital Delhi was evacuated on Wednesday (April 12) for a security check after the school administration received a bomb threat in its email and promptly alerted the police and authorities. The bomb disposal squad reached ‘The Indian School’ which is located in South Delhi’s Sadiq Nagar and checked the premises thoroughly after the evacuation, only to conclude that the threat “appears to be a hoax”. DCP Chandan Chaudhary said that BDS, BDT, and SWAT teams conducted thorough checking of the school premises after evacuating it. “At 10:50 am, the school received a bomb threat via e-mail. We evacuated all the students. We deployed BDT and BDS teams. We informed the Special Cell and Special Branch. We have done a visual search with the SWAT team,” she said. #WATCH | SWAT team arrives at the school in Delhi's Sadiq Nagar where an email regarding a bomb threat was received. pic.twitter.com/qtJ3x9VlDs — ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 × According to the police, after the school authorities received the email, the school administration immediately called the police and contacted the parents to pick up their children. The Indian School in Sadiq Nagar received an bomb threat via email. As a precautionary measure, the school has been vacated. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad informed: Delhi police More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/p6DKKeSXsl — ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2023 × ALSO READ | Delhi government school teachers to be stationed at airport on Covid duty In a message to the parents, the administration stated, “On account of some unexpected security reasons, we are having to close school early. Kindly arrange to pick up your ward as per details...Front Gate…self pickup…Back gate van users. School will resume as usual tomorrow.” The police said that the school was evacuated as a precautionary measure. The video from outside the gate of the school showed a huge crowd of parents eagerly waiting for the children. "We received a message from the school asking us to bring our children home," said one of the parents. WATCH | India: Sanskrit and Lithuanian words adorn the school wall in Delhi In November 2022, a similar email was received by the school. The police said that the students were then evacuated from the school premises and the threat was later found to be a hoax. “This is not the first time the school admin received a bomb threat. Last year in November, the admin received a similar email from an unknown sender. That was a hoax email. Our teams are at the spot with Bomb Disposal Sqaud and dog squad,” said DCP (South) Chandan Chowdhary, speaking on the bomb threat. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India: School in Delhi receives bomb threat on e-mail, evacuated; turns out hoax

Abdulnasser Alshaali, the ambassador of UAE to India, expressed his country's honour at being invited to the G20 Summit by the Indian government. As the president of the grouping, India has extended the invitation to UAE, and Ambassador Alshaali praised the Indian government's efforts in organizing the summit.

Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, the ambassador said, "We are honoured by the invitation by the Indian government and the Indian government has been doing great and I'm sure they will continue to do so until the Summit in September."

Also Read | <a href="UK invites international community, including India, to King Charles III and Camilla's coronation">Three injured in shooting at Christiana Mall in US state of Delaware: Police</a>

Regarding investments in India, including in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Alshaali noted that the private sector and businesses have their own strategies and ways of investing. He spoke to WION at a mega iftar hosted by the UAE embassy which has the entire diplomatic community converging and breaking bread together as the month of Ramzan is celebrated. The Iftar saw the participation of India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar as well showing the strong momentum in ties between the 2 countries.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-uk-invites-international-community-including-india-to-king-charles-iii-and-camillas-coronation-580555">UK invites international community, including India, to King Charles III and Camilla's coronation</a>

Here is the complete interview:

WION: You hosted this iftar, which saw the participation of Delhi's diplomatic community, and the EAM Jaishankar. Truly a momentous occasion...

Abdulnasser Alshaali: My special thanks to everyone who made it here today, especially to Dr Jaishankar for taking the time out of his busy schedule to make it here. Ramadan is about bringing people together and this is what the words behind me say. It's just about bringing everyone together. And so, we all fast in our different ways, regardless of where we come from, and Ramadan is the month of fasting for us. So there are quite a few things that we can connect in and nothing is better to connect than during breaking fast together or having a meal together.

WION: So how do you characterize India UAE relationship because this is a relationship which has really grown in the last five years.

Abdulnasser Alshaali: That has, I can tell you that we're only starting. There will be so many exciting things that will come up. We've been working on quite a few things. There are multiple tracks in different sectors that we are keen on. India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was the beginning of putting some sort of an economic framework to increase bilateral trade and to achieve certain targets. But CEPA is not everything and there are quite a few things coming up in the pipeline.

World at War | Russia welcomes Finland's NATO membership with nuclear Iskander missiles

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WION: I2U2 has been the outcome of the Abrahim accords, given it led to the normalization of relations between Israel and UAE and then the emergence of this grouping. Where do you see this grouping? Going ahead and do you see a summit-level meeting happening, or an in-person summit happening very soon?

Abdulnasser Alshaali: Well, I2U2 is an economic platform and so there are quite a few projects that are being discussed among the four countries and a couple of them would see the light of day soon enough. In terms of a summit. I cannot confirm this at this moment, but I'm sure the details will come out whenever that has been decided.

WION: So the Abraham Accords, were talking about that there have been a lot of dividends but today we are seeing a conflict that has happened in West Asia in terms of Israel and Palestine and other countries as well. Do you think that it's going to impact the Abraham accord, the good vibe that it has created?

Abdulnasser Alshaali: Well, the Abraham Accords have been joined by countries who are keen on establishing bilateral ties with Israel and expanding their economic relations with that country. That being said, this means that we are still interested in the same things that we have been always interested in. We still believe in a two-state solution. We're still going to pursue that and push for that. Whenever there is some sort of escalation, our main purpose and our main goal is&nbsp;to make sure that the region does not go through such escalation, and does not go into turmoil, because it isn't the region's interest and in our interest that we are in a neighbourhood that is peace, prosperous and stable.

WION: So, India is the president of the G 20 and as the President of the grouping, it has invited your country as well. How do you see India the invitation and India hosting the meetings under its mega presidency?

Abdulnasser Alshaali: We are honoured by the invitation from the Indian government. The Indian government has been doing great and I'm sure they will continue to do so until the Summit in September. We have been invited as a guest country in the past and I can tell you that the work that we have seen on the ground, and I have attended a few of those meetings myself, is just phenomenal. It's a testament to the work, effort and time that the Indian government has been putting into this.

WION: So my last question is you we have been investing a lot in India, including in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir recently. We saw the mega investment plan that has been announced, what more we can expect from UAE for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of investment are also for the people of the Union Territory?

Abdulnasser Alshaali: Well, I cannot speak on behalf of the private sector, on behalf of businesses. Businesses and the private sector they have their own strategies or their own way of doing things. And it will also depending on the investment initiatives, incentives, whatever facilities are being given to investors. So yes, there have been a couple of businesses present. But whether this will mean that will be higher, that there will be higher investments in the future is up to the businesses themselves.

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Abdulnasser Alshaali, the ambassador of UAE to India, expressed his country's honour at being invited to the G20 Summit by the Indian government. As the president of the grouping, India has extended the invitation to UAE, and Ambassador Alshaali praised the Indian government's efforts in organizing the summit.

Abdulnasser Alshaali, the ambassador of UAE to India, expressed his country's honour at being invited to the G20 Summit by the Indian government. As the president of the grouping, India has extended the invitation to UAE, and Ambassador Alshaali praised the Indian government's efforts in organizing the summit. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal, the ambassador said, "We are honoured by the invitation by the Indian government and the Indian government has been doing great and I'm sure they will continue to do so until the Summit in September." Also Read | Three injured in shooting at Christiana Mall in US state of Delaware: Police Regarding investments in India, including in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Alshaali noted that the private sector and businesses have their own strategies and ways of investing. He spoke to WION at a mega iftar hosted by the UAE embassy which has the entire diplomatic community converging and breaking bread together as the month of Ramzan is celebrated. The Iftar saw the participation of India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar as well showing the strong momentum in ties between the 2 countries. Also Read | UK invites international community, including India, to King Charles III and Camilla's coronation Here is the complete interview: WION: You hosted this iftar, which saw the participation of Delhi's diplomatic community, and the EAM Jaishankar. Truly a momentous occasion... Abdulnasser Alshaali: My special thanks to everyone who made it here today, especially to Dr Jaishankar for taking the time out of his busy schedule to make it here. Ramadan is about bringing people together and this is what the words behind me say. It's just about bringing everyone together. And so, we all fast in our different ways, regardless of where we come from, and Ramadan is the month of fasting for us. So there are quite a few things that we can connect in and nothing is better to connect than during breaking fast together or having a meal together. WION: So how do you characterize India UAE relationship because this is a relationship which has really grown in the last five years. Abdulnasser Alshaali: That has, I can tell you that we're only starting. There will be so many exciting things that will come up. We've been working on quite a few things. There are multiple tracks in different sectors that we are keen on. India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was the beginning of putting some sort of an economic framework to increase bilateral trade and to achieve certain targets. But CEPA is not everything and there are quite a few things coming up in the pipeline. World at War | Russia welcomes Finland's NATO membership with nuclear Iskander missiles × WION: I2U2 has been the outcome of the Abrahim accords, given it led to the normalization of relations between Israel and UAE and then the emergence of this grouping. Where do you see this grouping? Going ahead and do you see a summit-level meeting happening, or an in-person summit happening very soon? Abdulnasser Alshaali: Well, I2U2 is an economic platform and so there are quite a few projects that are being discussed among the four countries and a couple of them would see the light of day soon enough. In terms of a summit. I cannot confirm this at this moment, but I'm sure the details will come out whenever that has been decided. WION: So the Abraham Accords, were talking about that there have been a lot of dividends but today we are seeing a conflict that has happened in West Asia in terms of Israel and Palestine and other countries as well. Do you think that it's going to impact the Abraham accord, the good vibe that it has created? Abdulnasser Alshaali: Well, the Abraham Accords have been joined by countries who are keen on establishing bilateral ties with Israel and expanding their economic relations with that country. That being said, this means that we are still interested in the same things that we have been always interested in. We still believe in a two-state solution. We're still going to pursue that and push for that. Whenever there is some sort of escalation, our main purpose and our main goal is to make sure that the region does not go through such escalation, and does not go into turmoil, because it isn't the region's interest and in our interest that we are in a neighbourhood that is peace, prosperous and stable. WION: So, India is the president of the G 20 and as the President of the grouping, it has invited your country as well. How do you see India the invitation and India hosting the meetings under its mega presidency? Abdulnasser Alshaali: We are honoured by the invitation from the Indian government. The Indian government has been doing great and I'm sure they will continue to do so until the Summit in September. We have been invited as a guest country in the past and I can tell you that the work that we have seen on the ground, and I have attended a few of those meetings myself, is just phenomenal. It's a testament to the work, effort and time that the Indian government has been putting into this. WION: So my last question is you we have been investing a lot in India, including in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir recently. We saw the mega investment plan that has been announced, what more we can expect from UAE for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of investment are also for the people of the Union Territory? Abdulnasser Alshaali: Well, I cannot speak on behalf of the private sector, on behalf of businesses. Businesses and the private sector they have their own strategies or their own way of doing things. And it will also depending on the investment initiatives, incentives, whatever facilities are being given to investors. So yes, there have been a couple of businesses present. But whether this will mean that will be higher, that there will be higher investments in the future is up to the businesses themselves. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UAE envoy Abdulnasser Alshaali praises India's G20 leadership, says honoured by New Delhi's invitation

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