New Delhi, Mar 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that multilateral institutions had failed to meet the world's most pressing challenges while opening the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi.
"The experience of the last few years -- financial crisis, climate change, pandemic, terrorism and wars -- clearly shows that global governance has failed," Modi said in a recorded statement opening the meeting.
Jeddah: In a significant step towards strengthening bilateral ties and religious collaboration, Saudi Arabia and India signed the 2025 Hajj agreement during a ceremony in Jeddah.
The agreement was formalized by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq F. Al-Rabiah, and India’s Minister for Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju. The event was attended by key dignitaries, including the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, and the Consul General of India in Jeddah, Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri.
Under the agreement, Saudi Arabia has allocated a quota of 175,025 pilgrims from India for the 2025 Hajj season. Of this, 70% of the slots will be managed by the Hajj Committee of India, while the remaining 30% (approximately 52,507 slots) will be facilitated by private Hajj Group Organizers in line with India’s Haj Policy 2025.
The agreement emphasizes improving the overall pilgrimage experience for Indian Hajjis, focusing on enhanced services, expanded facilities, and streamlined logistical arrangements.
Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed the Indian government’s commitment to providing the best possible services to pilgrims. “Our government is dedicated to ensuring an improved and hassle-free pilgrimage experience for all our Hajjis,” he stated. He also thanked Saudi authorities for their cooperation and support.
During his visit, Minister Rijiju met with Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, to discuss interfaith dialogue and global peace initiatives. He acknowledged Dr. Al-Issa’s impactful visit to India and praised his efforts in promoting harmony.
The minister also visited the Jeddah Hajj Terminal to inspect and review the arrangements and preparations for Hajj 2025. This visit underscored the commitment to ensuring a seamless and enhanced pilgrimage experience for Indian Hajjis through meticulous planning and improved facilities.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the agreement, describing it as “wonderful news” for Indian Hajis. In a post on X, he reiterated his government’s unwavering commitment to improving the pilgrimage experience for devotees.
(Inputs from Dr P A Hameed Padubidri, Riyadh)
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that at least 74 children were killed in Israel’s relentless violence in the Gaza Strip during the first week of 2025, marking a grim start to the New Year for children in the besieged territory.
In a recent report released on Wednesday, UNICEF said that the fatalities occurred within just eight days, emphasizing that the lack of adequate shelter, compounded by winter weather, poses severe risks to the children in Gaza.
“For the children of Gaza, the New Year has brought more death & suffering with at least 74 children reportedly killed,” Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell said, calling for an immediate ceasefire to end the violence.
She expressed deep concern over the number of children who have either been killed or have lost loved ones during the tragic beginning of the year.
Numerous fatalities have occurred during mass casualty events, including nighttime assaults in Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and al-Mawasi, which has been designated a "safe zone." The most recent attack claimed the lives of five children in al-Mawasi on Tuesday, according to UNICEF.
The situation is dire, with reports indicating that eight infants and newborns have died from hypothermia since December 26, highlighting the severe risk facing young children who are unable to regulate their body temperature amid the harsh conditions as Israel weaponizes cold against children in the Gaza strip.
“UNICEF has long warned that inadequate shelter, lack of access to nutrition and healthcare, the dire sanitary situation, and now the winter weather put the lives of all children in Gaza at risk. Newborns and children with medical conditions are especially vulnerable,” Russell emphasized.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached alarming levels. The number of aid trucks entering the region remains grossly inadequate to meet the basic needs of families, while civil order has largely unraveled, leading to the looting of humanitarian supplies.
According to UN reports, over a million children are currently living in makeshift tents, with almost all of the 2.3 million population displaced several times over the last 15 months.
Moreover, the few operational hospitals are overwhelmed, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure has severely hampered access to essential services, including food, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare.
Kamal Adwan Hospital, previously the only functioning medical facility in northern Gaza with a pediatric unit, has ceased operations following a raid last month, exacerbating the already critical healthcare situation.
A recent report from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics noted a 6% decline in Gaza's population in 2024, indicating that Israeli forces are intentionally targeting specific demographic groups, such as children and youth, resulting in a significant “distortion of the population.”
Since the onset of the genocide, Israel has killed 45,936 Palestinians, including over 17,600 children, as reported by the Health Ministry in Gaza, indicating a tragic loss of one child approximately every hour.
Bengaluru: An eight-month old baby has been detected with the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a Bengaluru hospital on Monday, with reports going viral online. This is likely the first reported case of HMPV in the country after the recent spike in China.
The baby is reportedly undergoing treatment in a private hospital in northern Bengaluru.
The Karnataka state health department has maintained that there is no cause for concern.
"We don't know what strain of virus is spreading in China. Without knowing that, we cannot say that this reported case is concerning. We have been reviewing all influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) from December to check for any strain that is concerning. There is no such concerning spike across the state or country," said a well-placed source in the state health department.
The HMPV is a known virus (first discovered in 2001) that causes respiratory symptoms similar to that of a common cold, largely affecting children below the age of five. It is not a new virus.
Cases have been reported in the past, especially in the winter season, note experts and health department officials, making it not an immediate concern, unless an unusual spike is observed.
In December 2024, 714 suspected cases of HMPV were tested in 16 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) across the country, of which only nine were confirmed positive.
Comments
Add new comment