Ukraine



Ukraine Opposition Introduces Bill Decriminalizing St. George Ribbon

Ukraine's parliamentary faction "Opposition Bloc" introduced a bill seeking to cancel punishment for making or wearing Saint George ribbons, a symbol of World War II victory popular in the former Soviet countries, according to the parliament's w

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Ukraine Opposition Introduces Bill Decriminalizing St. George Ribbon

Ukraine's parliamentary faction "Opposition Bloc" introduced a bill seeking to cancel punishment for making or wearing Saint George ribbons, a symbol of World War II victory popular in the former Soviet countries, according to the parliament's website.

The bill proposes an amendment to the law approved by the parliament on Tuesday, which, if signed by President Petro Poroshenko, would introduce fines or arrest for making or wearing of the ribbon in Ukraine, with an exception made for war veterans whose medals or orders incorporate elements of the ribbon.

During the latest celebrations of the anniversary of World War II victory in Ukraine, several people were reportedly taken into police custody for wearing communism-related symbols forbidden in Ukraine. The Saint George ribbon was not forbidden at the time.

The symbol first became associated with the Victory Day celebrations in Russia in 2005.

Ukraine’s ban on the St. George ribbon, a symbol of the 1945 victory in WWII, amounts to blasphemy and bigotry, and points to a crisis in values plaguing the Kiev regime, Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Committee for Constitutional Law and State Building Andrey Klishas told reporters.

According to him, the decision to ban the St. George ribbon, made by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) on Tuesday, as well as other restrictions, will only spark a social crisis. "By banning the St. George ribbon, cultivating a culture of hate against Russia and denying their own history, they are openly celebrating bigotry," Klishas’ press service quoted him as saying.

The Russian senator also said that the hatred against everything Russian, encouraged by the Ukrainian authorities in order to solve domestic problems, was approaching its peak. "The use of force, lies and doubletalk to change society’s values can only lead to the state’s destruction. Attempts to present a symbol of the great victory as "a symbol of the enemy made up by Soviet propaganda," as Verkhovna Rada member Dmitry Linko said, are nothing more than an insult to society," Klishas added.

In the senator’s opinion, such laws and statements indicate that the Ukrainian ruling class has inherited its ideas from those who were convicted for war crimes at Nuremberg 70 years ago.

"A torchlight procession was held in Kiev to mark the birthday of Stepan Bandera, the Ukrainian "special battalions" use symbols reminiscent of those employed by the Nazi SS, participants in marches held ahead of the Victory Day carried portraits of Roman Shukhevich and Stepan Bandera, while arrests were carried out during the Immortal Regiment march in Kiev and veterans of the Great Patriotic War were bullied. All this highlights a deep crisis in values that the state has been facing," the Russian senator concluded.


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TASS


How an unlikely PR campaign made a ribbon the symbol of Russian patriotism

The St. George ribbons are ubiquitous in Russia, particularly in the weeks before the Victory Day celebration on May 9, when they symbolize patriotism and the memory of the war. The ribbon is one of the most successful stories in Russia’s search for unifying symbols under President Vladimir Putin, tying modern support for the state to the country’s Soviet-era contribution to the defeat of fascism.

But until 2005, the ribbon was rarely used as a symbol tied to the war at all. The Order of St. George wasn’t awarded during what Russians call the Great Patriotic War, or World War II, because it was abolished after the Communist revolution and only revived in 2000. (Other awards, like the Order of Glory, pictured below, were minted during the war and did carry an orange-and-black ribbon, as did elite “guards” units beginning in 1942.)

But what brought back the orange-and-black ribbon was a 2005 PR campaign at Russia’s RIA Novosti state-run news agency, where the head of Internet projects, Natalya Loseva, was tasked with coming up with a souvenir to accompany the site’s online project collecting family memories about the war. The ribbons were “not made up from nothing,” she said in a 2014 interview. “We took a familiar combination of colors, a familiar context. ... These factors came together and it evoked quite a natural reaction in society.” The ribbons were first handed out by student volunteers in 2005 but quickly found support from the city and federal government, which distributed the ribbons widely both in Russia and abroad.

By 2014, more than 100 million ribbons had been distributed. Columnists at RIA Novosti claimed that its “grass-roots” campaign had succeeded where top-down efforts to create unifying symbols of Russian identity had failed.

“The ribbons that symbolized martial glory and remembrance succeeded where Independence Day and many other symbols failed — they united the Russian people,” RIA Novosti wrote in an op-ed in 2007, when 10 million ribbons had been distributed abroad.

The ribbons quickly adopted a political meaning, too.

Oleg Kashin, a liberal journalist, wrote that Russian nationalists were already wearing the ribbon during protests in Estonia in 2007, when the NATO-aligned government of the former Soviet republic announced it wanted to remove a Soviet war memorial from a central square.

“The participants of that spring also wore the ribbon and it was an important episode in the transformation of the ribbon into a symbol of a concrete political partiality and views, and not just memory,” Kashin wrote in 2014 after the ribbon became controversial because of its use in east Ukraine. “The ribbon was a symbol of memory, then almost immediately became a symbol of the state, and then a symbol of loyalty to the authorities.”

There were rumors that the ribbons were invented as a counterrevolutionary symbol to Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution, although those seem untrue. Later, however, when a mix of Russian liberals, nationalists and other activists coalesced in a 100,000 person strong rallies under the symbol of a white ribbon, some presented the St. George ribbon as one of opposition. “St. George’s Ribbon stands against the White Ribbon," Dmitry Rogozin, a hawkish deputy prime minister, tweeted then.

Loseva, the inventor of the ribbon, said she was never comfortable with the ribbon’s use as a political symbol, particularly when separatists in Ukraine rallied around the colors orange and black as a symbol of their support for Moscow (and Moscow’s support for them).

“Now it’s suddenly and spontaneously being used against part of the Ukrainian people and the authorities of the Maidan,” the main square in Kiev where large protests are held, Loseva said in her 2014 interview. “I am not sure, that this kind of politicization of symbols and signs is good.”

This year the biggest issue is slightly more practical: how to properly wear the St. George ribbon. One group, Volunteers of the Victory, has declared that tying the ribbons to bags or car antennae (where they quickly become ragged) is no longer allowed. The ribbons can be tied in a bow, square or loop and attached to a jacket lapel or affixed elsewhere on one’s clothing, preferably “closer to the heart.” Putin’s press secretary Dmitri Peskov, however, balked at these new rules: “I have been wearing the St. George ribbon for eight years on my bag,” he said. “And I don’t want someone to punish me for how I wear the St. George ribbon.”


WashingtonPost

The bill proposes an amendment to the law approved by the parliament on Tuesday, which, if signed by President Petro Poroshenko, would introduce fines or arrest for making or wearing of the ribbon in Ukraine, with an exception made for war veterans whose medals or orders incorporate elements of the ribbon.

During the latest celebrations of the anniversary of World War II victory in Ukraine, several people were reportedly taken into police custody for wearing communism-related symbols forbidden in Ukraine. The Saint George ribbon was not forbidden at the time.

The symbol first became associated with the Victory Day celebrations in Russia in 2005.

Ukraine’s ban on the St. George ribbon, a symbol of the 1945 victory in WWII, amounts to blasphemy and bigotry, and points to a crisis in values plaguing the Kiev regime, Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Committee for Constitutional Law and State Building Andrey Klishas told reporters.

According to him, the decision to ban the St. George ribbon, made by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) on Tuesday, as well as other restrictions, will only spark a social crisis. "By banning the St. George ribbon, cultivating a culture of hate against Russia and denying their own history, they are openly celebrating bigotry," Klishas’ press service quoted him as saying.

The Russian senator also said that the hatred against everything Russian, encouraged by the Ukrainian authorities in order to solve domestic problems, was approaching its peak. "The use of force, lies and doubletalk to change society’s values can only lead to the state’s destruction. Attempts to present a symbol of the great victory as "a symbol of the enemy made up by Soviet propaganda," as Verkhovna Rada member Dmitry Linko said, are nothing more than an insult to society," Klishas added.

In the senator’s opinion, such laws and statements indicate that the Ukrainian ruling class has inherited its ideas from those who were convicted for war crimes at Nuremberg 70 years ago.

"A torchlight procession was held in Kiev to mark the birthday of Stepan Bandera, the Ukrainian "special battalions" use symbols reminiscent of those employed by the Nazi SS, participants in marches held ahead of the Victory Day carried portraits of Roman Shukhevich and Stepan Bandera, while arrests were carried out during the Immortal Regiment march in Kiev and veterans of the Great Patriotic War were bullied. All this highlights a deep crisis in values that the state has been facing," the Russian senator concluded.


SputnikNews

TASS


How an unlikely PR campaign made a ribbon the symbol of Russian patriotism

The St. George ribbons are ubiquitous in Russia, particularly in the weeks before the Victory Day celebration on May 9, when they symbolize patriotism and the memory of the war. The ribbon is one of the most successful stories in Russia’s search for unifying symbols under President Vladimir Putin, tying modern support for the state to the country’s Soviet-era contribution to the defeat of fascism.

But until 2005, the ribbon was rarely used as a symbol tied to the war at all. The Order of St. George wasn’t awarded during what Russians call the Great Patriotic War, or World War II, because it was abolished after the Communist revolution and only revived in 2000. (Other awards, like the Order of Glory, pictured below, were minted during the war and did carry an orange-and-black ribbon, as did elite “guards” units beginning in 1942.)

But what brought back the orange-and-black ribbon was a 2005 PR campaign at Russia’s RIA Novosti state-run news agency, where the head of Internet projects, Natalya Loseva, was tasked with coming up with a souvenir to accompany the site’s online project collecting family memories about the war. The ribbons were “not made up from nothing,” she said in a 2014 interview. “We took a familiar combination of colors, a familiar context. ... These factors came together and it evoked quite a natural reaction in society.” The ribbons were first handed out by student volunteers in 2005 but quickly found support from the city and federal government, which distributed the ribbons widely both in Russia and abroad.

By 2014, more than 100 million ribbons had been distributed. Columnists at RIA Novosti claimed that its “grass-roots” campaign had succeeded where top-down efforts to create unifying symbols of Russian identity had failed.

“The ribbons that symbolized martial glory and remembrance succeeded where Independence Day and many other symbols failed — they united the Russian people,” RIA Novosti wrote in an op-ed in 2007, when 10 million ribbons had been distributed abroad.

The ribbons quickly adopted a political meaning, too.

Oleg Kashin, a liberal journalist, wrote that Russian nationalists were already wearing the ribbon during protests in Estonia in 2007, when the NATO-aligned government of the former Soviet republic announced it wanted to remove a Soviet war memorial from a central square.

“The participants of that spring also wore the ribbon and it was an important episode in the transformation of the ribbon into a symbol of a concrete political partiality and views, and not just memory,” Kashin wrote in 2014 after the ribbon became controversial because of its use in east Ukraine. “The ribbon was a symbol of memory, then almost immediately became a symbol of the state, and then a symbol of loyalty to the authorities.”

There were rumors that the ribbons were invented as a counterrevolutionary symbol to Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution, although those seem untrue. Later, however, when a mix of Russian liberals, nationalists and other activists coalesced in a 100,000 person strong rallies under the symbol of a white ribbon, some presented the St. George ribbon as one of opposition. “St. George’s Ribbon stands against the White Ribbon," Dmitry Rogozin, a hawkish deputy prime minister, tweeted then.

Loseva, the inventor of the ribbon, said she was never comfortable with the ribbon’s use as a political symbol, particularly when separatists in Ukraine rallied around the colors orange and black as a symbol of their support for Moscow (and Moscow’s support for them).

“Now it’s suddenly and spontaneously being used against part of the Ukrainian people and the authorities of the Maidan,” the main square in Kiev where large protests are held, Loseva said in her 2014 interview. “I am not sure, that this kind of politicization of symbols and signs is good.”

This year the biggest issue is slightly more practical: how to properly wear the St. George ribbon. One group, Volunteers of the Victory, has declared that tying the ribbons to bags or car antennae (where they quickly become ragged) is no longer allowed. The ribbons can be tied in a bow, square or loop and attached to a jacket lapel or affixed elsewhere on one’s clothing, preferably “closer to the heart.” Putin’s press secretary Dmitri Peskov, however, balked at these new rules: “I have been wearing the St. George ribbon for eight years on my bag,” he said. “And I don’t want someone to punish me for how I wear the St. George ribbon.”


WashingtonPost

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Protect Freedom of Expression and Media Pluralism

Europe is not happy with this decision.

The world community quite sharply reacted to the decision by Ukrainian authorities to block access to Russian Internet resources, which fell under the sanctions.

Europe, which regularly suffered

Новости - mainAssistant.com

Protect Freedom of Expression and Media Pluralism

Europe is not happy with this decision.

The world community quite sharply reacted to the decision by Ukrainian authorities to block access to Russian Internet resources, which fell under the sanctions.

Europe, which regularly suffered from acts of Russian propaganda and kiberd, alert has responded to the Ukraine’s struggle with Russian aggression by means of restrictions to the Russian sites, through which the Russian intelligence agencies surely felt in Ukraine.

As you know, yesterday the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has put into action the decision of the Council about the ban in Ukraine a number of online resources, including popular social networks and websites as “Vkontakte”, “Odnoklassniki”, “IMDb”, “Yandex” and others. Under the sanctions also got famous software products of “1C”, “Kaspersky”, “Mail.ru”.

So, first and foremost, of course, commented on the situation of the country, against which imposed sanctions. The Kremlin said that Ukraine is not so much some powerful information resources and popular in Russian-speaking countries, however, continue to “closely monitor the situation in Ukraine.”

But the international human rights organization Freedom House believes that blocking Russian sites restricts the freedom of free expression of opinions and beliefs.

“We are concerned about the decision that Ukraine might block access to the media resources, websites and the media. This can lead to restriction of access to information, debate political and social issues of citizens in a pluralistic media sector”, – said the Director of the Ukrainian representative office of the organization Matthew Schaaf.

The German foreign Ministry was concerned to take the news from Ukraine. So, the official representative of the German foreign Ministry Martin Schaefer said that “much of what is accepted in respect of the media… causes us issues in the field of freedom of the press and the media.”

“We very carefully and with some concern noted yesterday’s new sanctions of the Ukrainian government, the Ukrainian President and the national security Council against Russia”, – he said.

In the same spirit spoke and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe thorbjørn Aged, which worries that sanctions against Russian sites violate the freedom of expression in Ukraine.

“Blocking social networking, search engines, email services and news websites is contrary to our common understanding of freedom of expression and freedom of media. In addition, such broad prohibitions do not meet the principle of proportionality, ” said the European politician.

Harsh comments about the sanction against the Russian Internet resources, the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch, which believes that Ukraine should repeal the ban on Russian Internet platforms.

Petro Poroshenko struck a terrible blow to freedom of speech in Ukraine. It is inexcusable violation of the rights of Ukrainians to information of their choice. EU and other international partners of Ukraine should immediately call on Ukraine to cancel it,” – said the representative of the NGO Tanya Cooper.

Representatives of the European Union was more restrained and yet just want to get away from Ukraine for additional information regarding the adopted sanction decisions.

To enter the position of Ukraine could only NATO military bloc, where it is believed that blocking Russian sites in Ukraine – it is a safety issue, not freedom of speech.

“The Ukrainian government has made clear that this decision is a safety issue, not freedom of speech. NATO is working with Ukraine to strengthen its reforms, including issues of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights. Freedom of the press is included in this dialogue. We believe in Ukraine’s commitment to its international obligations and the existing in Ukraine system of checks and balances,” – said the press service of the Alliance.

Revoke Ban on Dozens of Russian Web Companies

“This is yet another example of the ease with which President Poroshenko unjustifiably tries to control public discourse in Ukraine,” said Tanya Cooper, Ukraine researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Poroshenko may try to justify this latest step, but it is a cynical, politically expedient attack on the right to information affecting millions of Ukrainians, and their personal and professional lives.”

Ukrainian internet service providers would be required to block access to internet companies that are on a government sanctions list. The decree includes an appendix with a widely expanded list of individuals and companies under sanction in Ukraine. Experts said it would be hard to enforce.

The decree imposes a ban on access to popular Russian social media networks, such as VK (formerly VKontakte) and Odnoklassniki, both owned by the Mail.Ru Group. Alisher Usmanov, an oligarch with close ties to the Kremlin, owns stakes in the Mail.Ru Group. As of April, 78 percent of all internet users in Ukraine, or around 20 million, had a VK account.

The decree also orders a block on public access to the Russian search engine Yandex and its various services, such as Yandex.Music, Yandex.Money, and dozens of others with .ua and .ru domains. As of March, 48 percent of internet users in Ukraine used Yandex daily.

Various software programs, such as the language processing software ABBYY and accounting software 1C, used by many Ukrainian companies, have also been banned. Other companies affected are the Russian media companies RBC, Ren-TV, TNT, NTV Plus, the 1 Channel, Zvezda, Moscow 24, a Russian state news agency Rossiya Segodnya, and internet security companies Kaspersky Lab and DrWeb. Russian banks, airlines, oil companies, defense industry companies, and Crimean businesses are also affected.

The presidential decree, which enacts a decision by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, was published on May 16, 2017. It is one in a series of measures imposing economic sanctions on individuals and legal entities with ties to the Russian government. Such sanctions include freezing of assets in Ukraine and other economic and financial restrictions; for individuals, it also means a ban on people on the sanctions list entering the country.

The decree expands the list of those under sanction in Ukraine to 1,228 individuals and 468 legal entities in Russia, Russia-occupied Crimea, areas in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions controlled by Russia-backed separatists, and other countries. The duration of sanctions varies from one to three years.

The decree assigns monitoring the sanctions to Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, the National Security Service, and the National Bank of Ukraine.

Oksana Romaniuk, executive director of Kyiv-based Institute of Mass Information, told Human Rights Watch that the government had not provided a valid justification for why such a broad ban on online companies was necessary. She also insisted that the decree would be hard to enforce without changing the law. Currently, only a court can order internet service providers to take action against a website. The head of Ukraine’s internet association, Oleksandr Fedienko, said in a media interview that Ukrainian internet service providers don’t have the technical ability to block Russian social media and news websites. He also said the ban would be ineffective due to a variety of ways to circumvent online censorship.

Ukraine is a party to the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which guarantee freedom of expression, including access to information. Only restrictions that are necessary and proportionate for a legitimate purpose may be imposed, and the ban set out in the decree does not pass that test.

In the past two years, Poroshenko has signed similar decrees introducing sanctions. In June 2016, a presidential decree banned 17 Russian journalists, editors, and media executives from traveling to Ukraine. In September 2015, the government banned several hundred Russian individuals and legal entities from entering Ukraine for a year. Among them were 41 journalists and bloggers from several countries, including Russia, Israel, the United Kingdom, and Germany. In May 2016, Poroshenko removed 29 people from the list of those sanctioned.

“In a single move Poroshenko dealt a terrible blow to freedom of expression in Ukraine,” Cooper said. “It’s an inexcusable violation of Ukrainians’ right to information of their choice, and the European Union and Ukraine’s other international partners should immediately call on Ukraine to reverse it.”

Vkontakte, the Russian version of Facebook, on Wednesday sent its millions of Ukrainian users instructions on how to circumvent a ban by the Ukrainian government.

Kiev on Tuesday forbade Ukrainian web hosts to provide access to popular Russian social networks, part of a package of restrictions on Russian internet firms that it said was intended to guard against cyber threats.

Critics said the move amounted to censorship; Vkontakte is the second most visited site in Ukraine and part of the web empire of Russia's Mail.ru Group (MAILRq.L), which estimated that 25 million Ukrainian users could be affected.

In a statement to Reuters, Vkontakte said it had sent its users a link to instructions for accessing its website once the ban comes into effect.

"We love our Ukrainian users and want you to be able to remain in touch with your friends and close acquaintances always," the message said.

The instructions included links to virtual private networks and to Tor software, which is designed to protect user privacy.

Ukraine said the ban was necessary to guard against Russian propaganda and cyber attacks following a collapse in relations due to Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and an ensuing conflict with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

But Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Council of Europe said restricting access to social media amounted to an attack on freedom of expression.

"This is yet another example of the ease with which President Poroshenko unjustifiably tries to control public discourse in Ukraine," HRW's Ukraine researcher, Tanya Cooper, said in a statement.

In Ukraine, a petition calling for the ban to be revoked was posted on the president's website on Wednesday, while small protests were held in Kiev and the eastern city of Kharkiv.

Shortly after announcing the measures on Tuesday, Ukraine said Russia had mounted a cyber attack on President Petro Poroshenko's website. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday dismissed the accusation as baseless.

Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko said the authorities in Kiev had gone too far.

"If the aim was to fight Russian influence, there are ways to work within the networks rather than blocking them entirely," he said in an opinion piece published on the website of the Ukrainian magazine Novoye Vremya.


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HRW

Reuters

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Un vent de renouveau souffle sur le ciel gabonais. L'aéroport international Léon-Mba de Libreville a accueilli ce mercredi un événement symbolique : l'atterrissage du tout premier Airbus A320 de Fly Gabon, marquant le grand retour de la compagnie nationale sur le devant de la scène aérienne. Peint aux couleurs du drapeau national, l'appareil a été chaleureusement salué par les autorités aéroportuaires, les responsables de la compagnie et de nombreux curieux venus assister à ce moment (...) - TRANSPORTS / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

Le Gabon célèbre l'œuvre d'Albert Schweitzer à l'Expo 2025 Osaka et met en lumière l'impact des femmes dans le développement de l'écotourisme au Parc de Moukalaba-Doudou

Osaka, Japon – 23 juillet 2025. Dans le cadre de la Semaine du Gabon à l'Exposition Universelle 2025 Osaka, organisée du 23 au 30 juillet, le Pavillon gabonais a inauguré ce mardi une vitrine exceptionnelle dédiée au Docteur Albert Schweitzer, Prix Nob
GABONEWS

Le Gabon célèbre l'œuvre d'Albert Schweitzer à l'Expo 2025 Osaka et met en lumière l'impact des femmes dans le développement de l'écotourisme au Parc de Moukalaba-Doudou

Osaka, Japon – 23 juillet 2025. Dans le cadre de la Semaine du Gabon à l'Exposition Universelle 2025 Osaka, organisée du 23 au 30 juillet, le Pavillon gabonais a inauguré ce mardi une vitrine exceptionnelle dédiée au Docteur Albert Schweitzer, Prix Nobel de la Paix 1952 et fondateur de l'hôpital de Lambaréné. Cette exposition met en lumière son engagement humaniste, son éthique du respect de la vie, et son combat pour la paix, notamment contre l'arme atomique. La journée du 23 juillet, (...) - SOCIETE / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON

Sloganeering against country is unlawful activity, liable to be treated as seditious: J&K HC

The J&K high court overturned a sessions court's decision that dismissed proceedings against two Kashmiri men accused of anti-India sloganeering. The court stated that inflammatory slogans targeting the country are unlawful and prejudicial to national interes
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Sloganeering against country is unlawful activity, liable to be treated as seditious: J&K HC

The J&K high court overturned a sessions court's decision that dismissed proceedings against two Kashmiri men accused of anti-India sloganeering. The court stated that inflammatory slogans targeting the country are unlawful and prejudicial to national interest. The accused were charged under the UAPA for allegedly making anti-national speeches intended to instigate the public and advocate for J&K's separation.

Amarnath Yatra crosses 3.35L mark, foreigners also join in

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced that over 3.35 lakh pilgrims have participated in the Amarnath Yatra this year, including nine young foreigners. The 38-day yatra, which began on July 3 and concludes on August 9, proceeds smoothly v
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Amarnath Yatra crosses 3.35L mark, foreigners also join in

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced that over 3.35 lakh pilgrims have participated in the Amarnath Yatra this year, including nine young foreigners. The 38-day yatra, which began on July 3 and concludes on August 9, proceeds smoothly via Pahalgam and Baltal routes. The LG has directed medical officials to analyze health incidents among pilgrims and take preventive measures.

Putting speculation to rest, Chirag says party not taking 2020 solo route in Bihar polls

Chirag Paswan, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief, has clarified that his party will not repeat its 2020 solo performance in the upcoming Bihar assembly election. He affirmed that LJP (RV) will support all NDA candidates, aiming for a collective victory in all 243 seats.
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Putting speculation to rest, Chirag says party not taking 2020 solo route in Bihar polls

Chirag Paswan, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief, has clarified that his party will not repeat its 2020 solo performance in the upcoming Bihar assembly election. He affirmed that LJP (RV) will support all NDA candidates, aiming for a collective victory in all 243 seats. Paswan dismissed concerns about Prashant Kishor appropriating his 'Bihar first, Bihari first' agenda, acknowledging Kishor's efforts in Bihar's interest and welcoming diverse political options for the people.

Age of consent for sex cannot be less than 18 years, Centre tells SC

The Union government has informed the Supreme Court that lowering the age of consent from 18 is not feasible, emphasizing its role in safeguarding minors from sexual abuse, often within trusted environments. While advocating for strict enforcement to uphold c
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Age of consent for sex cannot be less than 18 years, Centre tells SC

The Union government has informed the Supreme Court that lowering the age of consent from 18 is not feasible, emphasizing its role in safeguarding minors from sexual abuse, often within trusted environments. While advocating for strict enforcement to uphold child protection laws, the Centre acknowledged judicial discretion in adolescent romantic relationships. Data indicates most offenses are by known individuals, making consent a problematic defense.

Amicus counters government stand, says it violates right to autonomy

Senior advocate Indira Jaising argued in Supreme Court against the government's stance on the age of consent, asserting that criminalizing consensual sexual activity between 16-18 year olds violates their autonomy. She highlighted that the age of consent rema
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Amicus counters government stand, says it violates right to autonomy

Senior advocate Indira Jaising argued in Supreme Court against the government's stance on the age of consent, asserting that criminalizing consensual sexual activity between 16-18 year olds violates their autonomy. She highlighted that the age of consent remained static at 16 for 80 years without rational justification for its increase. Jaising proposed an exception for 'close in age', non-abusive consensual relationships, citing early puberty and sexual awareness among adolescents.

Uttar Pradesh CM reviews assembly-wise action plan, road proposals in detail in Gorakhpur

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a comprehensive review meeting on Thursday with MPs, MLAs, and senior officials to discuss upcoming road infrastructure projects across all assembly constituencies in the Gorakhpur and Basti divisions, as per
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Uttar Pradesh CM reviews assembly-wise action plan, road proposals in detail in Gorakhpur

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a comprehensive review meeting on Thursday with MPs, MLAs, and senior officials to discuss upcoming road infrastructure projects across all assembly constituencies in the Gorakhpur and Basti divisions, as per the official statement.

Showdown over Bihar SIR: Oppn unites to raise pitch; JD(U) sends notice to MP who said EC move will raise questions on 2024 LS verdict

A political firestorm has erupted over Bihar's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with the opposition accusing the Election Commission of favoring the ruling coalition. Tejashwi Yadav has threatened an election boycott, while Mamata Banerjee has w
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Showdown over Bihar SIR: Oppn unites to raise pitch; JD(U) sends notice to MP who said EC move will raise questions on 2024 LS verdict

A political firestorm has erupted over Bihar's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with the opposition accusing the Election Commission of favoring the ruling coalition. Tejashwi Yadav has threatened an election boycott, while Mamata Banerjee has warned against similar measures in West Bengal.

Russia plane crash: PM Modi offers condolences after tragedy kills nearly 50 on board; says India ‘stands in solidarity’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his sorrow over the fatal plane crash in Russia's Far East, which resulted in the loss of all lives on board. The Soviet-made Antonov-24 aircraft, carrying nearly 50 individuals, crashed in the Amur region, prompting an i
India News, Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India: TOI

Russia plane crash: PM Modi offers condolences after tragedy kills nearly 50 on board; says India ‘stands in solidarity’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his sorrow over the fatal plane crash in Russia's Far East, which resulted in the loss of all lives on board. The Soviet-made Antonov-24 aircraft, carrying nearly 50 individuals, crashed in the Amur region, prompting an investigation by Russian authorities.

Russia detains nine over calls to murder soldiers and families

FSB says nine Russian citizens have been arrested for online calls to murder military personnel and are now facing terrorism charges Read Full Article at RT.com
RT - Daily news

Russia detains nine over calls to murder soldiers and families

FSB says nine Russian citizens have been arrested for online calls to murder military personnel and are now facing terrorism charges Read Full Article at RT.com

Candace Owens responds to Macrons’ lawsuit over transgender allegations

The US pundit says she’s “fully prepared to take on this battle on behalf of the entire world” Read Full Article at RT.com
RT - Daily news

Candace Owens responds to Macrons’ lawsuit over transgender allegations

The US pundit says she’s “fully prepared to take on this battle on behalf of the entire world” Read Full Article at RT.com

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