‘You have big influence, can stop Putin’: Volodymyr Zelenskyy to India on Ukraine war

HindustanTimes,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is “ever ready” to play an active role in ensuring peace in Ukraine. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said India will play its role, referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“India will play its role. I think that India began to recognise that this is not just conflict, this is real war of one man and his name is Putin against whole country whose name is Ukraine. You are a big country.

You have a big influence and you can stop Putin and halt his economy, and put him really in his place,” Zelenskyy told ANI. Zelenskyy made the remarks after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kyiv. Modi said India is “ever ready” to play an active role in ensuring peace in Ukraine.

“We (India) are not neutral. From the very beginning, we have taken sides. And we have chosen the side of peace. We have come from the land of Buddha where there is no place for war,” the prime minister told reporters with Zelenskyy seated next to him.

PM Shehbaz offers support to Bangladesh as floods claim 15 lives

The News,Pakistan,

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday offered Pakistan assistance to Bangladesh to help it deal with devastating floods that affected millions and left at least 15 dead.

According to disaster management and relief ministry, at least 15 people have been killed in the neighbouring country while 4.5 million affected by floods following heavy rains.

letter to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, PM Shehbaz expressed deep grief and sorrow over the recent disastrous flood situation and said the sympathies of the entire Pakistani nation were with the government and people of Bangladesh.

We stand with the people of Bangladesh who lost their loved ones, homes and jobs due to flood,he said.

He also acknowledged the bravery and courage of the Bangladeshis in the face of adversity, expressing hope that the country will come out of this challenge soon under Yunus’ leadership.

The prime minister asserted that Pakistan was ready to help Bangladesh in every way in this difficult time.

The South Asian country of 170 million people, crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers, has seen frequent floods in recent decades and is among the countries most vulnerable to disasters and climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index.

Xi to address key forum on China- Africa cooperation

Global Times,

Chinese and African leaders will meet in Beijing in early September for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) – the largest diplomatic event to be hosted by China in recent years with the highest attendance of foreign leaders.

The event will showcase the sincere friendship and achievements from decades of China-Africa collaboration and set the new direction for future cooperation, said analysts from China and African countries, stressing that the gathering is also expected to set an example for Global South cooperation and contribute to global development and stability.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend FOCAC opening ceremony on September 5 and deliver a keynote speech. During the summit, President Xi will host a welcoming banquet and related bilateral events for the leaders of FOCAC African members and representatives of related African regional organizations and international organizations invited to the summit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday.

The 2024 FOCAC will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. Chinese and African leaders will discuss the theme of Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future, focusing on friendship, cooperation, and future prospects, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong said at a briefing on Friday.