National News
Taiwan tensions spur US and Philippines to cement military cooperation
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With Chinese extensive military deployment around Taiwan rattling the region, the Philippines is eager to strengthen defence cooperation with the US. The US, which already has troops in bases on Filipino territory, has assured the south-east Asian nation of protection in case of an armed attack.
In the Philippines on Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Philippines is an “irreplaceable ally” while the Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reflecting on the Taiwan Strait tensions said: “…the visit of your House Speaker Nancy Pelosi coming here… I did not think it raised the intensity; it just demonstrated how the intensity of the conflict has been…”.
China’s aggressive posturing towards Taiwan, in the wake of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, has shaken up the region. Countries in south-east Asia are worried as Beijing has territorial conflicts with many in the South China Sea (SCS).
In Blinken’s visit, the highest-ranking US official to visit Manila after Ferdinand Marcos Jr became President this June, the two nations reaffirmed their decades-old defence alliance. They are governed by the Mutual Defence Treaty (MDT)–an agreement signed on 30 August 1951 that states that if either of the allies faces an armed attack, the other would come to its defence.
Emphasising that the US would defend its allies in south-east Asia, Blinken told journalists: “An armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft will invoke US mutual defense commitments under that treaty. The Philippines is an irreplaceable friend, partner, and ally to the United States.”
US and the Philippines relations had come under strain under previous President Rodrigo Duterte, who was opposed to the continued presence of US troops on Filipino soil. Duterte had tried to move closer to China at the cost of bilateral relations with the US. That scenario changed as Beijing began to assert itself in the region.
Duterte even watered down the historic arbitration case that the Philippines had won against Beijing over islands in the disputed SCS that belonged to Manila rather than Beijing. During his rule he also decided to unilaterally end the US-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement that allowed for the deployment and rotation of American soldiers on bases in the country.
For almost a hundred years, the country has fallen back on the US for its security and defence needs. To that extent, Ferdinand Marcos Jr has restored the nation’s foreign policy to what it had been for a long time–go back to the US.
The new president seems keen to restore ties with the US not just in the fields of defence but also in areas of technology and health cooperation.
With China unleashing live-fire drills with a vengeance and a blockade of Taiwan, the public mood in the Philippines which has largely always been positive towards the US is now beginning to swing further to the US. For President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. it will be a tight rope walk – doing the balancing act between two warring powers.
National News
J&K Heading For ‘Historic’ Assembly Elections Under National Flag & Constitution: Amit Shah
![J&K Heading For 'Historic' Assembly Elections Under National Flag & Constitution: Amit Shah](https://mumbaipress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-1-27.jpg)
Jammu, Sep 7: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday assured restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly polls, which he said are the first under the national flag and the Constitution following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Modi government.
He accused the Congress-National Conference alliance of making attempts to revive the “old system”.
The NDA government will not allow the revival of terrorism, “autonomy”, and injustice with any community including Gujjars, Pahari, Bakerwals and Dalits who were granted reservation by the BJP dispensation, he said.
Shah is in Jammu on a two-day visit to boost the BJP’s election campaign for the three-phase assembly elections, beginning September 18.
He released the party’s manifesto on his first day of visit on Friday and also chaired two crucial meetings with senior leaders to discuss the campaign strategy.
“The coming elections in J-K are historic because after Independence, the polls are happening the first time under our national flag and Constitution, unlike in the past practice of two flags and two constitutions. We have only one prime minister from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and he is Modi,” the home minister told a BJP workers’ rally here on Saturday.
Taking a dig at the National Conference-Congress alliance, Shah alleged they are trying to push Jammu and Kashmir into the fire of terrorism once again when the government has brought down terror incidents in the union territory by 70 percent.
“The National Conference and the Congress will never be able to form a government in J-K, be confident about it,” Shah told the party workers, encouraging them to ensure the success of the BJP candidates to form the next government.
National News
Chandrababu Naidu Narrowly Escapes As Speeding Train Passes Inches Away From Him During Flood Inspection In Vijayawada
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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had a narrow escape while inspecting flood-affected areas in Vijayawada. On September 3, Naidu was on a small bridge evaluating the damage caused by recent floods when a speeding passenger train passed dangerously close to him.
Naidu, along with his security personnel and officials, was standing near the railing on a narrow platform when the train whizzed by. A video of the incident has gone viral, showing the Chief Minister and his team standing just inches away from the fast-moving train. Passengers aboard the train were seen waving at Naidu as it sped past. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident.
Situation worsens due to heavy rains
Meanwhile, the flood situation in Andhra Pradesh has worsened due to heavy rains, claiming the lives of at least 32 people.
Vijayawada and surrounding areas have been particularly hard-hit, with thousands displaced from low-lying regions.
The NTR district, which encompasses Vijayawada, has suffered the most, with 24 fatalities. Other severely affected areas include Guntur, with seven deaths, and Palnadu, with one reported death.
More than 40,000 people have been moved to relief camps across the state as water levels continue to rise. Farmers, too, have borne the brunt of the flooding, with over 2.35 lakh farmers reporting significant crop damage due to the unrelenting rains.
In response to the crisis, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has donated Rs 5 crore for flood relief. His contribution is aimed at supporting recovery efforts across the state, with 400 panchayats set to receive Rs 1 lakh each.
“I will make sure these funds are directly deposited into the panchayats’ accounts, ensuring they are used for immediate flood recovery,” said Kalyan in a statement.
The Andhra Pradesh government continues to monitor the situation closely, working to provide relief and assistance to affected areas as rains persist across the region.
National News
PM Modi To Not Address UNGA Debate This Time, Jaishankar To Represent India
![PM Modi To Not Address UNGA Debate This Time, Jaishankar To Represent India](https://mumbaipress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-1-26.jpg)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be addressing United Nations General Assembly debate scheduled to take place later this year and India’s Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar will be representing India instead on September 28. PM Modi will be travelling to New York though, to attend a major community event at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island. The event is slated to take place on September 22. PM Modi will also be attending United Nations’ ‘Summit of the Future’ on September 22-23. This summit is focused on global co-operation for challenges that await humanity.
The general debate of the 79th UNGA session is scheduled to be held between September 24 and September 30. The summit will see major world leaders addressing the world. US President Joe Biden will address the assembly as well. This will be his last address to the UNGA as president of the United States as a new president will be elected in the presidential elections slated to take place in November this year. The contest will be between Republican Party nominee Donald Trump and Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris.
Modi’s last address to the UNGA came in September 2021. He visited UN headquarters in June 2022.
The community event in Long Island has seen registration from over 24,000 Indian-Americans. PM Modi held his first such event at Madison Square Garden in 2014. This upcoming event marks the 10-year anniversary of the event.
That registrations for PM Modi’s event came through 590 community organisations in the US. There was a huge response from the tri-state area.
PM Modi’s community outreach events in the US have in past, drawn huge crowds. Last such event was ‘Howdy Modi’ which was held in Houston in 2019. The event had witnessed enthusiastic participation from Indian-Americans.
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