Maldivian ministers resign following insults toward Indian prime minister

SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - Two deputy ministers of the Maldives resigned months after being suspended for insulting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with derogatory language, according to news reports. A Maldives government official said the two ministers resigned for personal reasons, AFP said Tuesday. One of the ministers had insulted Modi, calling him a "clown," after a video showing the Indian leader visiting Lakshadweep, an island north of the Maldives, was pos

September 12, 2024

Workers go on strike at Samsung Electronics plant in southern India

SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) - Employees at a Samsung Electronics factory in southern India, have gone on strike, causing some disruption to production. Reuters reported Monday, hundreds of workers at the Samsung plant in Sriperumbudur have initiated an indefinite strike, demanding wage increases and improved working hours. The factory employs fewer than 2,000 people and produces refrigerators, washing machines and other home appliances. Sources cited by Reuters indicated that the

September 11, 2024

At least nine children die in wolf attack in northern India

SEOUL, September 11 (AJP) - At least nine children lost their lives to wild wolves in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, northern India. BBC reported Thursday that wolf attacks have occurred in about 30 villages in the Barabanki district, resulting in the deaths of nine children and one adult and injuries to more than 34 people since mid-April. A one-year-old boy was among the victims. This is not the first time children in Uttar Pradesh have been attacked by wolves. In the

September 11, 2024

India's Supreme Court directs doctors to return to work amid rape outrage

SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - India's Supreme Court has instructed protesting doctors to return to work by Tuesday, cautioning that those who fail to comply may face "adverse action," according to news reports. In August, a 31-year-old female resident doctor was raped and murdered after entering a seminar room to rest following dinner at a national hospital in Kolkata. The suspect, identified as a hospital volunteer responsible for assisting patients, has since been det

September 10, 2024

Putin to discuss peace negotiations for Ukraine war with Indian national security advisor

SEOUL, September 10 (AJP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to discuss peace negotiations for the Russia-Ukraine war with Indian national security advisor this week, according to news reports. Russian state media outlet RT, citing India Today, reported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is expected to visit Moscow on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sources indicated that Doval will meet with President Putin to discuss India

September 10, 2024

Adani Group, Tower Semiconductor join hands to build semiconductor plant in India

SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - India's Adani Group and Israeli semiconductor foundry Tower Semiconductor have agreed to build a semiconductor manufacturing plant in India. On Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of Maharashtra announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Adani Group and Tower Semiconductor will invest $10 billion to establish a semiconductor plant in Panvel, a city in Maharashtra. Initially, the two companies plan to invest 587.6 billion rupees ($6.9 billio

September 9, 2024

Flight makes emergency landing in Turkey after false bomb threat

SEOUL, September 9 (AJP) - A passenger plane en route from India to Germany made an emergency landing in Turkey due to a false bomb note. On Friday, a Vistara Airlines flight carrying 13 crew members and 234 passengers took off from Mumbai, India, en route to Frankfurt, Germany, when a crew member discovered a note in the restroom stating, "Bomb on board." The aircraft changed its course and made an emergency landing at Erzurum, about 870 kilometers from Ankara, the cap

September 9, 2024

At least 12 die during physical fitness test for government recruitment in India

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (AJP) - At least 12 people have died during a physical fitness test for government recruitment in India, prompting an investigation by the authorities. The deaths occurred during the physical fitness test for government positions in Jharkhand state in eastern India, which began on Aug. 22. Over 500,000 people reortedly applied for the government positions in Jharkhand. The incident appears to be caused by the combination of conducting the test under extremely ho

September 6, 2024

India considering measures to prevent use of Chinese-made components in military drones

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (AJP) - India is devising measures to ensure that drones deployed by its military do not contain Chinese-made components, according to news reports on Thursday. Sources from India's Ministry of Defence explained that although procurement regulations prohibit the inclusion of Chinese-made parts in drones, these components were used due to a systemic loophole that allows drone manufacturers to self-verify compliance. The Indian Army has been deploying drones acqu

September 6, 2024

India was largest emitter of plastic waste in 2020: study

SEOUL, Sept. 5 (AJP) - A study found that India was the largest emitter of plastic waste as of 2020, accounting for about one-fifth of the total global generation of 52 million tons annually. The research team, led by Costas A. Velis, a civil engineering professor at the University of Leeds, discovered that global plastic waste generation reaches 52 million tons annually, with India being the largest emitter. India contributes 18 percent of the global plastic waste, amounting to 9.3

September 5, 2024