Indian state explores strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia in mining, food security

Special Indian state explores strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia in mining, food security
Rajasthan Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore talks to Saudi delegates at the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit in Jaipur on Dec. 11, 2024. (AN Photo)
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Updated 11 December 2024
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Indian state explores strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia in mining, food security

Indian state explores strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia in mining, food security
  • Kingdom keen on attracting Rajasthani talent in technology, healthcare, engineering
  • Saudi Arabia sent the largest delegation to Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit

JAIPUR: The Indian state of Rajasthan is preparing for new collaborations with Saudi Arabia, its industry and commerce minister said, following meetings with the Kingdom’s delegation to the region’s first international investment summit in Jaipur.

India’s largest state by area hosted the first Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit this week to draw foreign cooperation, as it seeks to double its gross domestic product to $350 billion in the next five years.

Representatives from over 20 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, Australia, Japan and Russia, were present during the three-day event that concluded on Wednesday.

The Saudi Ministry of Investment, which set up an Invest Saudi pavilion at the forum, brought 16 delegates for prospective cooperation talks with Indian businesses.

“It was the biggest delegation. I must thank the Saudi Arabian government for this initiative,” Rajasthan Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore told Arab News after a meeting with Saudi delegates on Tuesday evening.

“I see the partnership between the two nations growing stronger. As it is very strong politically, I think even in terms of business, we can move much closer … We had a wonderful interaction. They have already begun to show their interest in mining.”

Rajasthan, with its expansive desert landscapes hosting numerous photovoltaic plants, leads India in solar energy production. The state is also the top producer of marble, home to the country’s largest lead mines, and holds rich deposits of copper and rare-earth elements.

“It’s one of the best places to invest in India … There are multiple sectors that Saudi companies could be interested in,” Rathore said.

“We have a lot of land, we have a lot of sun, and we have multiple sectors, including minerals, mining, renewable energy, petrochemical, logistics, infrastructure, education, agro-based products — innumerable (sectors).”

Cooperation in the hospitality industry was also on the table. Rajasthan has nine sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, including Jaipur city, six forts built between the fifth and 18th centuries, and Keoladeo National Park, which hosts thousands of native, resident and migratory birds.

“We have discussed if multiple hotels can be set up because tourism is quite big,” Rathore said. “We also discussed the possibility of a Saudi company investing in a luxury train.”

Abdullah Al-Arfaj, director of international relations for South and West Asia at the Saudi Ministry of Investment, told Arab News after talks with the industry minister that discussions “centered around key areas such as agriculture, food security, mining, healthcare, education, and human resources.”

Cooperation in agriculture would focus on innovative practices and establishing reliable supply chains, while in mining it would “develop Rajasthan’s mineral wealth, utilizing Saudi expertise in mining and resource management,” he said, adding that the Kingdom was also keen on attracting top talent from Rajasthan to the sectors of technology, healthcare and engineering.

“These collaborative areas align with our shared priorities and present significant opportunities for long-term economic and social impact,” Al-Arfaj said.

“We explored opportunities to leverage Rajasthan’s strengths in these sectors while aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to promote economic diversification and sustainable development.”


Indian forces kill 14 Maost rebels, including top commander

Indian forces kill 14 Maost rebels, including top commander
Updated 11 sec ago
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Indian forces kill 14 Maost rebels, including top commander

Indian forces kill 14 Maost rebels, including top commander
  • New Delhi has stepped up efforts to end the decades-long conflict
  • Tuesday’s clashes follow the killing of 12 Maoists on January 16
RAIPUR, India: Indian security forces shot dead at least 14 Maoist rebels, including a top commander, on Tuesday in what the interior minister said was one of the heaviest bouts of recent fighting.
The interior ministry said the commander killed was a leader known as Jairam or Chalpati, who had a $115,000 bounty on his head.
New Delhi has stepped up efforts to end the decades-long conflict. Tuesday’s clashes follow the killing of 12 Maoists on January 16, also in the guerrillas’ heartlands in the forests of India’s Chhattisgarh state.
More than 10,000 people have been killed in the decades-long insurgency waged by the rebels, who say they are fighting for the rights of marginalized people in India’s resource-rich central regions.
Around 287 rebels were killed in 2024, according to official figures.
The rebels, also known as Naxalites after the district where their armed campaign began in 1967, were inspired by the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
“Another mighty blow to Naxalism,” Interior Minister Amit Shah said in a statement, confirming that 14 rebels had been “neutralized.”
Shah, who has set a deadline of March 2026 to defeat the rebels, said that “Naxalism is breathing its last.”
Police said reinforcements had been sent to the area.
“Forces are still inside the forest,” said Vivekananda Sinha, head of Chhattisgarh’s anti-Maoist operation.
The Maoists demand land, jobs and a share of the region’s immense natural resources for local residents.
They made inroads in a number of remote communities across India’s east and south, and the movement gained in strength and numbers until the early 2000s.
New Delhi then deployed tens of thousands of troops in a stretch of territory known as the “Red Corridor.”
The conflict has also seen a number of deadly attacks on government forces. A roadside bomb killed at least nine Indian troops this month.

Landslide kills 16 in Indonesia’s Central Java, official says

Landslide kills 16 in Indonesia’s Central Java, official says
Updated 11 min 7 sec ago
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Landslide kills 16 in Indonesia’s Central Java, official says

Landslide kills 16 in Indonesia’s Central Java, official says
  • The landslide was triggered by heavy rains in the area
  • The search for those missing has been hampered by rain

JAKARTA: A landslide in Indonesia’s Central Java city of Pekalongan killed 16 people and injured 10, an official at the country’s regional disaster mitigation agency and police said on Tuesday.
The landslide was triggered by heavy rains in the area, Bergas Caturasi, an official at the country’s regional disaster mitigation agency told news channel Kompas TV.
The search for those missing has been hampered by rain, Bergas said.
“The search continues on, because we don’t have a lot of time. We’re in a race with the weather,” he said.


Afghan Taliban announce Qatar-brokered prisoner swap deal with US

Afghan Taliban announce Qatar-brokered prisoner swap deal with US
Updated 21 January 2025
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Afghan Taliban announce Qatar-brokered prisoner swap deal with US

Afghan Taliban announce Qatar-brokered prisoner swap deal with US
  • Afghan fighter Khan Mohammad imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for US citizens 
  • Media named the Americans as William McKenty and Ryan Corbett, the latter in Taliban custody since 2022

KABUL: The Taliban government said Tuesday they had released American citizens from prison in return for an Afghan fighter held in the United States, in a deal brokered by Qatar.
Discussions about the prisoner exchange were confirmed last year, but the swap was announced after outgoing US president Joe Biden handed over to Donald Trump, who was inaugurated on Monday.
“An Afghan fighter Khan Mohammad imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said Mohammad had been serving a life sentence in the state of California after being arrested “almost two decades ago” in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.
Asked by AFP, the foreign ministry declined to provide further details or the number of American prisoners.
However, in July last year, the Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said two American prisoners were being held in custody in Afghanistan and that an exchange had been discussed with the United States.
US media named the Americans as William McKenty and Ryan Corbett, the latter in Taliban custody since 2022.
Biden came under heavy criticism for the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021, more than a year after Trump presided over a deal with the Taliban insurgents to end US and NATO involvement in the two-decade war.
After Trump’s election win in November, the Taliban government had said it hoped for a “new chapter” in ties with the United States.
Taliban authorities have repeatedly said they want positive relations with every country since sweeping back to power in 2021.
No state has officially recognized their government, with restrictions on women’s rights a key sticking point for many countries, including the United States.
The Taliban government on Tuesday called the exchange “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue, expressing special gratitude for the effective role of the brotherly country of Qatar in this regard.”
“The Islamic Emirate views positively those actions of the United States that contribute to the normalization and expansion of relations between the two countries,” it added, using the Taliban authorities’ name for their government.
Dozens of foreigners have been detained by the Taliban authorities since the group’s return to power.
It is unclear how many Afghan citizens are in US custody.
At least one Afghan prisoner remains in detention at the secretive US prison Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Muhammad Rahim, whose family called for his release in November 2023.
In February last year, two former prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017 were welcomed home to Afghanistan, more than 20 years after they were arrested.


Afghan prisoner in US custody freed in exchange for American citizens, Kabul says

Afghan prisoner in US custody freed in exchange for American citizens, Kabul says
Updated 21 January 2025
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Afghan prisoner in US custody freed in exchange for American citizens, Kabul says

Afghan prisoner in US custody freed in exchange for American citizens, Kabul says

KABUL: The Taliban government said Tuesday it had released American citizens from prison in return for an Afghan fighter held in the United States, in a deal brokered by Qatar.
Discussions about the prisoner exchange were confirmed last year, but the swap was announced after outgoing US president Joe Biden handed over to Donald Trump, who was inaugurated on Monday.
“An Afghan fighter Khan Mohammed imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said Mohammed had been serving a life sentence in California after being arrested “almost two decades ago” in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar.
The foreign ministry declined to say how many US prisoners had been released, but last year government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said two American prisoners were being held in custody. US media reported that two other Americans remain in detention.
The family of US citizen Ryan Corbett, who was detained by the Taliban in 2022, confirmed he was released and expressed “overwhelming gratitude” that he was coming home.
“Today, our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” the family said on their website.
They thanked both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as Qatar, for Corbett’s freedom, and called for two other Americans held in Afghanistan to be released.
US media named William McKenty as the second American detainee, noting little was known about what he was doing in Afghanistan and that his family had asked the US government for privacy in his case.
The New York Times said two other Americans remain in detention in Afghanistan, former airline mechanic George Glezmann and naturalized American Mahmood Habibi.
Biden came under heavy criticism for the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021, more than a year after Trump presided over a deal with the Taliban insurgents to end US and NATO involvement in the two-decade war.

After Trump’s election win in November, the Taliban government had said it hoped for a “new chapter” in ties with the United States.
Taliban authorities have repeatedly said they want positive relations with every country since sweeping back to power in 2021.
No state has officially recognized their government, with restrictions on women’s rights a key sticking point for many countries, including the United States.
The Taliban government on Tuesday called the exchange “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue, expressing special gratitude for the effective role of the brotherly country of Qatar in this regard.”
“The Islamic Emirate views positively those actions of the United States that contribute to the normalization and expansion of relations between the two countries,” it added, using the Taliban authorities’ name for their government.
A 2008 US Department of Justice statement named Mohammed — aged 38 at the time — as a member of “an Afghan Taliban cell” and said he was arrested in October 2006 and sentenced in December 2008 to “two terms of life in prison on drug and narco-terrorism charges.”
It was the first narco-terrorism conviction in a US federal court, the statement said.
Dozens of foreigners have been detained by the Taliban authorities since the group’s return to power.
It is unclear how many Afghan citizens are in US custody.
At least one Afghan prisoner remains in detention at the secretive US prison Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Muhammad Rahim, whose family called for his release in November 2023.
In February last year, two former prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017 were welcomed home to Afghanistan, more than 20 years after they were arrested.


Malaysia seeks gag order on talk of jailed ex-PM’s bid to reveal royal document 

Malaysia seeks gag order on talk of jailed ex-PM’s bid to reveal royal document 
Updated 21 January 2025
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Malaysia seeks gag order on talk of jailed ex-PM’s bid to reveal royal document 

Malaysia seeks gag order on talk of jailed ex-PM’s bid to reveal royal document 
  • Najib Razak claims that a document exists allowing him to serve his remaining prison sentence under house arrest
  • Former PM was found guilty in 2020 of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power for illegally receiving funds

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s attorney-general’s chambers has sought a gag order to ban public discussion of former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s judicial review claim that a document exists allowing him to serve his remaining prison sentence under house arrest, according to state news agency Bernama.
Najib, jailed for his role in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal, is pursuing a legal bid to compel authorities to confirm the existence of and execute an “addendum order” that he said was issued last year as part of a pardon by then-King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, entitling him to serve the remainder of his sentence at home.
The issue has caused a huge stir in Malaysia, with disgraced political heavyweight Najib insisting the former king’s addendum order was ignored by authorities when they announced the halving of his sentence last year.
The former king’s palace has issued a letter saying the document does exist, but Malaysia’s law ministry said it has no record of it, its home minister has denied knowledge and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said “we did not hide anything.”
Bernama on Monday quoted Shamsul Bolhassan, deputy chief of the chambers’ civil division, as saying the gag order request had been filed to a court.
The official had previously said the case touched on sensitive issues, according to Bernama.
Najib was found guilty in 2020 of criminal breach of trust and abuse of power for illegally receiving funds misappropriated from a unit of state investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
He is on trial for corruption in several other 1MDB-linked cases and denies wrongdoing. Najib this month hailed as “one step forward” the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn the dismissal of his attempt to access the document. The case will go back to court to be heard by another judge.