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Brazil police investigate Former President Bolsonaro’s son for alleged spying on opponents

Diplomat Times
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Brazil police investigate Former President Bolsonaro’s son for alleged spying on opponents

Brazil police investigate Former President Bolsonaro’s son for alleged spying on opponents

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL — Brazil’s federal police on Monday searched the home and office of Carlos Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and a Rio de Janeiro city councilman, two days after the Supreme Court granted the warrants.

Police said in a statement that they conducted nine searches Monday as part of a broader investigation into the nation’s intelligence agency and alleged spying on political opponents during Bolsonaro’s term, which ended in Dec. 2022.

In a decision made public Monday, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the police claim it has identified a group, of which Carlos Bolsonaro allegedly forms part, that “monitored ‘political enemies’ and sought information about the existence of investigations related to the children of the then President of the Republic Jair Messias Bolsonaro.”

READ MORE : US government pulls some of Venezuela’s sanctions relief after court blocks opposition candidate

Images broadcast on TV network Globo News showed Carlos and his father outside the latter’s residence in Angra dos Reis, south of Rio de Janeiro. Police searched the former president’s house for any electronic devices, including phones and laptops, belonging to Carlos.

The two men, along with two of Carlos’ brothers, lawmaker Eduardo and senator Flávio, had been on a fishing trip since 5:00 a.m. when they heard of the warrants, the former president’s lawyer, Fabio Wajngarten, said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, a federal lawmaker, complained on X that police also seized equipment belonging to an adviser of the former president, who happened to be in the house during the police raid, even though he was not targeted by a warrant.

Flavio Bosonaro, centre, and Carlos Bolsonaro, sons of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro (Photo : Eraldo Peres/PA)

In an interview with one of the country’s main independent newspapers, O Globo, Flávio accused the police of being on a “fishing expedition.”

Carlos Bolsonaro’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the AP, and had not publicly commented the raid.

Monday’s operation comes days after federal police searched the office and home of the former chief of Brazil’s intelligence agency under Bolsonaro, Alexandre Ramagem, and a dozen other people.

Police statements and Supreme Court documents show police are investigating an “organized crime” group that operated within the intelligence agency, known by its Portuguese acronym ABIN, during Bolsonaro’s term. The group allegedly used the agency’s tools and services for political use and personal gain.

The group is also suspected of seeking to interfere with ongoing police investigations, some of which targeted or involved two of Bolsonaro’s other sons, Jair Renan and Flávio.

Police suspect ABIN under Ramagem used a software known as FirstMile, developed by Israeli company Cognyte, “to monitor targets and public authorities … with the aim of creating false narratives,” according to Supreme Court documents.

The software allows the geolocalization of cellphones. De Moraes, the Supreme Court Justice, said in its decision that police had identified over 60,500 uses of the software between 2019 and 2021.

O Globo, which broke the story in May, reported that ABIN agents used to software to monitor political figures and journalists.

Alexandre Ramagem, the the former chief of Brazil’s intelligence agency under Mr Bolsonaro (Photo : Eraldo Peres/AP)

Monday’s police statement said the latest operation sought to advance the political side of the investigation, to “identify the main recipients and beneficiaries of illegally produced information.”

Sunday night, Jair Bolsonaro conducted a two-and-a-half-hour long live broadcast on social media, along with three of his sons, including Carlos. The broadcast was done from a house in the seaside city of Angra dos Reis.

In the video, the Bolsonaros defended Ramagem and criticized the investigation, with the former president calling the idea of a parallel intelligence unit “fantastical.”

Local outlets reported on Ramagem’s ties with the Bolsonaro family since the presidential campaign of 2018. Then a federal police officer, Ramagem served as one of Jair Bolsonaro’s security coordinators, O Globo reported. In one photo widely shared by local media, he appears all smiles at a 2018-2019 New Year’s Eve party alongside Carlos Bolsonaro and their then spouses.

Bolsonaro appointed Ramagem to lead ABIN in May 2019. The right-wing leader had previously appointed him to be federal police chief but quickly yielded to growing criticism around the nomination for Ramagem was widely seen as too close to the president’s family, and that he might give members preferential treatment.

In a March 2020 TV interview, Gustavo Bebianno, who had acted as one of the former president’s key aides and as a Cabinet minister before being fired, said Carlos had spoken to him about creating a parallel intelligence unit within the agency.

“One fine day, Carlos shows up with the name of a federal detective and three agents who would form a parallel ABIN, because he didn’t trust ABIN,” Bebianno told TV program Roda Viva shortly before his death in 2020. “We advised the president not to do anything of the sort… After I left, I don’t know if this was implemented or not.” Less than two weeks after the interview, Bebianno died suddenly from a heart attack, according to his family.

O Globo, which is based in Rio, reported that law enforcement had seized a computer that belonged to ABIN in one of the addresses mentioned in the warrants. The agency’s press department told the AP in an email it was investigating the claim.

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US government pulls some of Venezuela’s sanctions relief after court blocks opposition candidate

Mikey Peres
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US government pulls some of Venezuela’s sanctions relief after court blocks opposition candidate

US government pulls some of Venezuela’s sanctions relief after court blocks opposition candidate

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The U.S. government on Monday pulled back part of the sanctions relief it granted Venezuela last year, following through on its threat after the South American country’s highest court blocked the presidential candidacy of an opposition leader.

The Department of the Treasury gave companies transacting with Venezuela’s state-owned mining company until Feb. 13 to wind down operations. The department had allowed transactions with the mining company in October after President Nicolás Maduro’s government agreed to level the playing field ahead of this year’s presidential election.

READ MORE : Biden aide urges Bejing to press Iran over Houthi attacks. China warns US over Taiwan independence

On Friday, however, the prospect of a free presidential election was dealt a heavy blow when the country’s highest court upheld a ban on the candidacy of María Corina Machado, a longtime government foe and winner of the primary held by the U.S.-backed opposition faction.

Machado, a former lawmaker, won the opposition’s independently run presidential primary with more than 90% of the votes. Her victory came despite the government announcing a 15-year ban on her running for office just days after she formally entered the race in June.

The longtime government foe was able to participate because the primary was organized by a commission independent of Venezuela’s electoral authorities. Machado insisted throughout the campaign that she never received official notification of the ban.

In December, Machado filed a claim with the tribunal, Venezuela’s highest court, arguing the ban was null and void and seeking an injunction to protect her political rights. Instead, the court on Friday upheld the ban, which alleges fraud and tax violations and accuses her of seeking the economic sanctions the U.S. imposed on Venezuela in the last decade.

Opposition coalition presidential hopeful Maria Corina Machado gives a press conference outside her campaign headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, days after the country’s highest court upheld a ban on her presidential candidacy. Photo/Ariana Cubillos/AP

Machado on Monday called the court ruling blocking her presidential candidacy last week “judicial criminality” and vowed to stay in the race, declaring that the decision embodies the ruling party’s fear of having to face her at the polls.

Machado, surrounded by supporters and other opposition leaders, told reporters she expects government repression to increase against her and her team, because it is “the only tool they have left” to stop adversaries. But, she said, “the best option” for Maduro and his allies is “to negotiate with us a peaceful transition.”

“It cannot be called a sentence. It is not even an arbitrary decision. This is called judicial criminality,” Machado said of Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. “If they believe that they declared my disqualification, then let them know well, they declared the end of this tyranny … because people are clear and are not going to allow themselves to be stripped of their Oct. 22 decision.”

Friday’s ruling came more than three months after Maduro and the U.S.-backed opposition, known as the Unitary Platform, reached a deal to work on basic conditions for a fair election. They agreed to hold the election in the second half of 2024, invite international electoral observers and create a process for aspiring presidential candidates to appeal their bans.

The agreement triggered some sanctions relief in the oil, gas and mining sectors. But the U.S. government, aware that Maduro has breached agreements before, threatened to reverse some of the relief if Venezuela’s government failed to reverse bans preventing Machado and others from holding office and did release political prisoners.

The impact of Monday’s decision affecting Compañía General de Minería de Venezuela, C.A, known as Minerven, was not immediately clear. The license authorizing transactions was intended to see some of the illegal trading of gold in Venezuela move to the legal market.

Sanctions relief in the oil and gas sectors remain in place.

“They need to make the right decisions here and allow opposition members to run for office and release the political prisoners that they’re holding right now,” White House National Security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday, mentioning some of the steps Maduro agreed to take as part of the agreement signed in October on the Caribbean island of Barbados.

The Organization of American States and about 30 political leaders from Spain and Latin America have also condemned the court’s decision.

The court and the National Electoral Council, the country’s electoral body, are stacked with people affiliated with the ruling party. The head of the electoral council is now Elvis Amoroso, who signed Machado’s administrative ban last year.

Ruling-party loyalists also include Attorney General Tarek William Saab, who after the primary election opened criminal investigations against some of its organizers and later issued arrest warrants for three of Machado’s campaign staffers. In addition, a longtime collaborator of Machado, Roberto Abdul, with whom she co-founded a pro-democracy group more than two decades ago, was detained after the primary.

A high-profile prisoner swap between the U.S. and Venezuela led to Abdul’s release and allowed the three staffers to leave the foreign embassy where they sought refuge. But three other staffers were detained last week, and on Monday, Machado said that their whereabouts remain unknown.

Since the ruling was made public, the chief negotiators for the Unitary Platform, Gerardo Blyde, and the government, Jorge Rodríguez, have expressed their commitment to continue the negotiation process. But while Blyde on Saturday said the government has broken the terms of the Barbados agreement and it must reverse the ruling, Rodríguez on Monday insisted that his side has followed the accord, and the court’s decision “is a thing of the past.”

Rodríguez also warned the U.S. government to not “interfere” with Venezuela’s internal affairs.

“We will pay close attention to the actions they take in the coming days that may be considered aggressive toward the right of this country to live in peace, to progress and to have all unilateral cohesive measures, called sanctions, lifted,” he said.

Zeke Miller contributed to this report from Washington.

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Document spells out allegations against 12 UN employees Israel says participated in Hamas attack

Diplomat Times
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Document spells out allegations against 12 UN employees Israel says participated in Hamas attack

Document spells out allegations against 12 UN employees Israel says participated in Hamas attack

BY TIA GOLDENBERG, NAJIB JOBAIN AND JACK JEFFERY

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli document obtained Monday spelled out allegations against a dozen U.N. employees the country says took part in Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault — claiming seven stormed into Israeli territory, including one who participated in a kidnapping and another who helped to steal a soldier’s body.

The allegations against staffers with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees prompted the United States and several other countries to freeze funds vital for the body, which is a lifeline for desperate Palestinians in Gaza. The White House indicated that funding could be restored depending on the agency’s investigation and subsequent actions.

READ MORE : Israeli strike kills an elite Hezbollah commander in the latest escalation linked to the war in Gaza

The U.N. condemned “the abhorrent alleged acts” and fired nine of the accused workers, who include teachers and a social worker. Two are reportedly dead, and the last is still being identified.

The accusations come after years of tensions between Israel and the agency known as UNRWA over its work in Gaza, where it employs roughly 13,000 people.

UNRWA is the biggest aid provider in Gaza, where Israel’s war against Hamas has displaced the vast majority of the population within the besieged territory and plunged it into a humanitarian catastrophe. U.N. officials say a quarter of the population is starving.

With the majority of its budget in doubt, and because UNRWA spends contributions as they come in throughout the year, the agency says it will be forced to halt operations within weeks if funding isn’t restored.

‘SIGNIFICANT GAPS’ REMAIN IN CEASE-FIRE TALKS

The threat to the U.N. agency came as Israel said cease-fire talks held Sunday were constructive but that “significant gaps” remained in any potential agreement. The talks are meant to bring about some respite to war-torn Gaza and secure the release of more than 100 hostages still held in the territory.

Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan told reporters in Beirut that discussions are continuing but that the group is still insisting on a more permanent cease-fire before releasing any more hostages.

The prime minister of Qatar, which has served as a key mediator with Hamas, was more upbeat, saying U.S. and Mideast mediators had reached a framework proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release to present to the militant group. Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the mediators had made “good progress.”

Israeli forces are meanwhile still battling Palestinian militants in different parts of Gaza, even in areas where the army has been operating for months.

Israel issued an evacuation order to residents in the western part of Gaza City, urging them to head south. The military also said it had battled militants and carried out airstrikes in recent days in other parts of northern Gaza, which was pummeled in the first weeks of the war and where Israel has claimed to have largely dismantled Hamas.

Militants also fired a barrage of around 15 rockets at central Israel for the first time in weeks. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The war was sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw some 250 people taken captive, according to Israeli authorities.

Israel responded with an intense air, sea and ground offensive that has killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, most of them women and minors, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.

The war has also threatened to set off a wider regional conflict. In the latest example of high tensions, the U.S. announced that three of its troops were killed in a strike blamed on Iran-backed militias in Jordan.

DETAILED ALLEGATIONS AGAINST UNRWA WORKERS

The Israeli document, which has been shared with U.S. officials and was obtained by The Associated Press, lists 12 people, their alleged roles in the attack, job descriptions and photos. The findings detailed in the document could not be independently confirmed.

The document said intelligence gathered showed that at least 190 UNRWA workers were Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives, without providing evidence.

It said of the 12 workers, nine were teachers and one a social worker. Seven of the employees were accused of crossing into Israel on Oct. 7. Of those, one was accused of taking part in a kidnapping, another of helping to take away a dead soldier and three others of participating in the attacks.

Ten were listed as having ties to Hamas and one to the Islamic Jihad militant group. Two of the 12 have been killed, according to the document. The U.N. previously said one was still being identified.

The allegations have stoked longstanding tensions between Israel and UNRWA. Israel says Hamas uses the agency’s facilities to store weapons and launch attacks. UNRWA says it does not knowingly tolerate such behavior and has internal safeguards to prevent abuses and discipline any wrongdoing.

Even before the latest allegations, the agency’s commissioner, Philippe Lazzarini, had announced that he was ordering an external review of the agency’s operations and its safeguards.

Israel has long been critical of the agency and accuses it of helping to perpetuate the 76-year-old Palestinian refugee crisis. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he canceled a Wednesday meeting between Israeli officials and Lazzarini, and called on the UNRWA head to resign.

CALLS TO RESUME FUNDING

The U.N. says the entire agency should not be penalized over the alleged actions of the dozen workers, who it says will be held accountable. It has called for the donors to resume funding.

A coalition of 20 aid groups, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam and Save the Children, also called for funding to be restored, saying UNRWA’s delivery of humanitarian assistance “cannot be replaced.”

The United States, the agency’s largest donor, cut funding over the weekend, followed by more than a dozen other countries. Together, they provided more than 60% of UNRWA’s budget in 2022.

But National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said it would be wrong to “impugn the good work of a whole agency because of the potential bad actions here by a small number,” He appeared to leave the door open for a resumption of aid.

“I think a lot of it’s going to depend on what the investigation finds and what accountability measures and corrective measures UNWRA is willing to make,” he said.

UNRWA provides basic services for Palestinian families who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding the country’s creation. Refugees and their descendants now number nearly 6 million across the Middle East. In Gaza, they are a majority of the population.

UNRWA is unique in the U.N. system because it is only focused on one national group, with refugees from other conflicts falling under the purview of the agency known as UNHCR.

Since the war began, most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have come to depend on UNRWA’s programs for “sheer survival,” including food and shelter, Lazzarini said.

Communications Director Juliette Touma warned that the agency would be forced to stop its support in Gaza by the end of February.

Jobain reported from Rafah, Gaza Strip, and Jeffery from London.

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Parliamentary proceedings halted in Maldives as opposition MPs engage in fight, video surfaces

Diplomat Times
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Parliamentary proceedings halted in Maldives as opposition MPs engage in fight, video surfaces

Parliamentary proceedings halted in Maldives as opposition MPs engage in fight, video surfaces

Male(ANI) – The Maldives Parliament witnessed violence when government MPs (PPM/PNC party) disturbed the proceedings of Parliament and the Speakers, according to local online news outlet Adhahdhu.

A key vote on parliamentary approval for the Muizzu government was scheduled for today.

As dramatic visuals surfaced on social media from Male, a fight between MDP MP Isa and PNC MP Abdullah Shaheem Abdul Hakeem was seen.

READ MORE : Conflict Erupts in Maldives Parliament: Opposition Launches Move to Impeach Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu

According to Adhadhu, one video showcased Shaheem gripping Isa’s leg and the two falling together, whereas another visual that went viral on social media showed Isa kicking Shaheem’s neck and pulling his hair.

The footage also shows other members pushing Shaheem out of the area. A member of parliament was brought to an ambulance after suffering injuries, the local media reported.

Notably, the ministers’ approval was slated for 1:30 pm. However, several PNC members barricaded the House and disrupted the session.

The demonstrators said that accepting the ministers would stymie progress, as they demanded the Speaker of Parliament to quit.

The ruling coalition parties, the PNC and the PPP, released a statement portraying the ministers’ refusal as an impediment to the delivery of public services, according to Adhadhu.

However, Chief Advisor to Muizzu and PNC Chairman Abdul Raheem Abdullah stated that the ministers have the right to be reappointed even if they are not authorised.

He criticised the refusal to approve the ministers as irresponsible.

Quite recently, two opposition parties in the Maldives came out against the current regime over its ‘stark’ anti-India pivot.

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Conflict Erupts in Maldives Parliament: Opposition Launches Move to Impeach Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu

Shasi Kumar
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Conflict Erupts in Maldives Parliament: Opposition Launches Move to Impeach Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu

Conflict Erupts in Maldives Parliament: Opposition Launches Move to Impeach Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu


Male, New Delhi (Agencies) -The primary opposition party in Maldives is gearing up to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Mohamed Muizzu, perceived as pro-China.

The Maldivian Democratic Party, the main opposition party, commands a majority in parliament and has already commenced the process of collecting signatures to initiate the impeachment filing.

The opposition parties have hit-out at President Muizzu for his pro-China position after a Chinese spy ship was granted permission by the government to dock in Male.

READ MORE : Judge says Donald Trump won’t give own closing argument at civil fraud trial after disputing rules

A massive scuffle took place in parliament on Sunday, after which the opposition decided to begin impeachment proceedings.

A key vote on parliamentary approval for the Muizzu government was scheduled on Sunday and the violence started as the government MPs (PPM/PNC party) disturbed the proceedings, reports NDTV online.

Over the last weeks, President Muizzu who came to power with a distinctly anti-India position, has been facing pushback, especially with the diplomatic row with New Delhi over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s widely circulated post about his visit to the Lakshadweep islands.

Three ministers who made harsh comments were removed.

Meanwhile, Maldivian lawmakers yesterday voted against the appointment of three cabinet members after Sunday’s unprecedented parliamentary punch-up over the ratification of the posts left at least one MP seriously injured.

Ruling party legislators attempted to block a vote by the main opposition — who with their allies hold the majority in parliament — on the new 22-member cabinet appointed by President Muizzu.

Videos shared on social media showed at least one MP bleeding from the neck after being caught up in a violent scrum inside the chamber on Sunday night, leading to the temporary suspension of sittings, reports AFP.

Legislators were seen yanking off microphones and using plastic trumpets to disrupt proceedings.

Another MP pressed his knee on the neck of a rival to pin him down till two others came to the rescue of the victim.

Sunday’s sessions were suspended close to midnight. A fresh meeting was called yesterday when a vote was taken on the presidential nominees to the cabinet.

Three key posts — the ministers for Islamic affairs and housing, and the attorney-general — were rejected by parliament. The opposition did not say why they opposed the trio.

It was the first time since the country adopted a new hybrid constitution in 2008 — with a president as the chief executive — that presidential nominees have been challenged.

Later yesterday, Muizzu said he had reappointed the three posts.

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce share a passionate kiss on the field as the Chiefs star leads his team to the Super Bowl

Endrit Pjetri
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce share a passionate kiss on the field as the Chiefs star leads his team to the Super Bowl

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce share a passionate kiss on the field as the Chiefs star leads his team to the Super Bowl

Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs have secured a spot in the Super Bowl, setting the stage for Taylor Swift’s whirlwind journey from Tokyo to Las Vegas to support her boyfriend in the quest for football’s ultimate prize on February 11.

The couple, widely recognized across America, shared an emotional embrace and kiss on the field at the M&T Bank Stadium following the Chiefs’ remarkable victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Despite the Ravens being favored to win, the Chiefs’ triumph sparked scenes of jubilation.

READ MORE : 2 climate activists arrested after throwing soup at “Mona Lisa” in Paris

In a heartwarming moment, Kelce sought out Swift amidst the chaos, leading to a tearful embrace as they celebrated together. Kelce’s exuberant speech during the AFC Championship trophy presentation, where he echoed the Beastie Boys by declaring, “You’ve got to fight for your right to party,” added to the euphoria surrounding the couple’s shared joy on the grand stage.

Swift now turns her attention to four nights of her blockbuster Eras Tour in Japan’s capital from February 7-10 before now having to race back to the Allegiant Stadium on the west coast for the biggest night in America’s sporting calendar. But she is expected to make the journey and be there for Kelce.

She and Travis took center stage for the post-game celebrations but during the showdown itself, the singer appeared frustrated at appearing on the CBS coverage around the midway stage. She could be seen clearly saying ‘go away, please’ with the camera lingering on her in a VIP suite while advertising next weekend’s Grammy’s.

America’s favorite couple had a moment to celebrate with the eyes of the world on them. Photo : AP

She’s going to have to accept it on February 11, though, given she will travel thousands of miles to make the game. The 17-hour time difference works in her favor on her return to the US from Japan and it will be the 13th Chiefs game this season that Swift will have cheered the team on for – her lucky number.

But with luck on their side or not, judging by Sunday’s showing Kelce and his Chiefs are going to take some stopping after a frankly sensational 17-10 win in Baltimore – the team that most people felt were nailed on to win the Super Bowl altogether, let alone the game today.

Kelce scored a touchdown in the first quarter and went on to pass Jerry Rice’s NFL postseason record of 151 receptions in another magnificent, career-defining display.

Swift was joined by Cara Delevingne in the VIP suite where she cheered the Chiefs on to victory – Jason Kelce was also there, as well as Travis’ parents Donna and Ed.

Travis’ older brother was seen high-fiving friends in the suite after his brother got his touchdowns but his celebrations were extremely subdued compared to the wild scenes last weekend in Buffalo.

The two brothers also had a moment on the field, with the older Kelce wearing a Chiefs wooly hat across the course of the day as he cheered Kansas City on. It one heartwarming picture, Swift was seen looking on and smiling as the Kelce bros shared a laugh together on the field.

‘Finish this motherf***er,’ Jason told Travis as they embraced. The older Kelce brother would later address his own future in the NFL in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.Com.

Now, they will all clear their calendar and head to Vegas in two weeks as the Chiefs bid to win the Super Bowl for a second straight season and round out a fairytale campaign that has seen Travis and Taylor become America’s favorite and most famous couple.

Kelce is widely considered as one of, if not the very best, in his position of tight end in NFL history and is now going for his third Super Bowl title. 

‘The Chiefs are still the Chiefs,’ Travis said in brief comments on the field after making 11 receptions on top of his touchdown. ‘And believe it – you´ve got to fight for your right to party! Believe it, baby, we´re going to Las Vegas.’ 

Last year, it felt impossible for the Kelce family to dominate the headlines any more than they did as Travis and his Chiefs team prepared to play against his brother Jason and the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Their mom, Donna, hilariously wore a 50-50 jersey made up of Eagles green and Chiefs red to the game. 

But this time around, with the added dimension of Swift racing back for the game, Kelce’s star will rise even higher. 

This report is auto-generated from Daily Mail. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

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2 climate activists arrested after throwing soup at “Mona Lisa” in Paris

Rania Lampou
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2 climate activists arrested after throwing soup at “Mona Lisa” in Paris

2 climate activists arrested after throwing soup at “Mona Lisa” in Paris

PARIS (AP) — Two climate activists hurled soup Sunday at the glass protecting the “Mona Lisa” at the Louvre Museum in Paris and shouted slogans advocating for a sustainable food system.

In a video posted on social media, two women with the words “FOOD RIPOSTE” written on their T-shirts could be seen passing under a security barrier to get closer to the painting and throwing soup at the glass protecting Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece.

“What’s the most important thing?” they shouted. “Art, or right to a healthy and sustainable food?”

“Our farming system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work,” they added.

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The Louvre employees could then be seen putting black panels in front of the Mona Lisa and asking visitors to evacuate the room.

Paris police said that two people were arrested following the incident.

On its website, the Food Riposte group said the French government is breaking its climate commitments and called for the equivalent of the country’s state-sponsored health care system to be put in place to give people better access to healthy food while providing farmers a decent income.

Angry French farmers have been using their tractors for days to set up road blockades and slow traffic across France to seek better remuneration for their produce, less red tape and protection against cheap imports. They also dumped stinky agricultural waste at the gates of government offices.

This report is auto-generated from AP NEWS. Diplomat Times holds no responsibility for its content.

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Biden aide urges Bejing to press Iran over Houthi attacks. China warns US over Taiwan independence

Marietta Reformado
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Biden aide urges Bejing to press Iran over Houthi attacks. China warns US over Taiwan independence

Biden aide urges Bejing to press Iran over Houthi attacks. China warns US over Taiwan independence

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan pressed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during talks in Thailand to use China’s influence with Iran to ease tensions in the Middle East. The officials also agreed to work toward arranging a call between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The meetings Friday and Saturday in Bangkok, which followed up on the presidents’ discussions in November in California, took place after a ruling-party candidate opposed by Beijing won Taiwan’s recent presidential election and U.S. and Chinese military officials resumed a once-frozen dialogue. They played out as attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to threaten global shipping in the Red Sea.

READ MORE : North Korea says Putin willing to visit Pyongyang

A senior U.S. official said Sullivan cited China’s extensive economic leverage over Iran and emphasized that the destabilizing effect of the Houthi attacks on international commerce. The official noted that China has publicly called for lower tensions, but said it was too soon to tell whether Beijing was using its diplomatic muscle to press Tehran on the matter. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss the private conversations between Sullivan and Wang and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wang said Washington should stand by a commitment not to support independence for Taiwan. Wang said Taiwan’s election, won by Lai Ching-te, the current vice president, did not alter the Chinese position that the island is part of China and that the biggest challenge in U.S.-China relations is the issue of “Taiwan independence,” according to a statement from the ministry.

Biden has said he does not support independence, but U.S. law requires a credible defense for Taiwan and for the U.S. to treat all threats to the island as matters of “grave concern.”

The U.S. official said it was not clear when the next Biden-Xi conversation would happen, but that the officials hoped it would take place in the coming months.

Wang and Sullivan previously met on the Mediterranean island nation of Malta and in Vienna last year before the Biden-Xi meeting in California.

In November, both sides showcased modest agreements to combat illegal fentanyl and reestablish military communications, keeping the relationship from growing any worse. The U.S.-China Counternarcotics Working Group is set to hold its first meeting on Tuesday. American officials say fentanyl and its precursors are largely manufactured in China.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and in recent years has shown its displeasure at political activities in Taiwan by sending military planes and ships. Earlier Saturday, Taiwan’s defense ministry said China had sent more than 30 warplanes and a group of navy ships toward the island during a 24-hour period, including 13 warplanes that crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait — an unofficial boundary that’s considered a buffer between its territory and the mainland.

Wang also said China and the U.S. should use the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year as an opportunity to reflect on past experiences and treat each other as equals, rather than adopting a condescending attitude.

The countries should “be committed to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, building a correct way for China and the U.S. to interact,” the statement quoted Wang as saying.

Taiwan has said six Chinese balloons either flew over the island or through airspace just north of it, days after the self-governing island held its election. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party largely campaigned on self-determination, social justice and a rejection of China’s threats.

Apart from cross-strait issues, Sullivan and Wang also discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Middle East, North Korea, the South China Sea, and Myanmar, the White House said. Sullivan and Wang talked about progress toward holding a dialog this spring between U.S. and Chinese officials on artificial intelligence.

Sullivan highlighted that although Washington and Beijing are in competition, both sides have to “prevent it from veering into conflict or confrontation,” according to a White House summary of the meeting.

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India vs. England: Ollie Pope’s century provides cheerfulness for tourists in Hyderabad

Shasi Kumar
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India vs. England: Ollie Pope’s century provides cheerfulness for tourists in Hyderabad

India vs. England: Ollie Pope’s century provides cheerfulness for tourists in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, INDIA(EUROSPORT) – LIVE text coverage of day three of the inaugural Test match between India and England in Hyderabad. With England posting a modest 246 runs, they now confront a daunting challenge to regain momentum in the game as India surged to 421-7, establishing a lead of 175 runs. Consequently, India finds themselves on the cusp of extending their unbeaten Test series streak, which spans over 12 years.

ENGLAND SURVIVE SCARES AND TAKE 126 RUN INTO DAY 4

That felt like a lot of cricket, and it was certainly fascinating, containing more than a few moments of drama and swings back and forth between the two teams. England’s solid session with the bat was set up with the ball – taking India’s three remaining wickets for less than twenty runs.

England’s openers got up and running at a fine lick, Zak Crawley the first wicket to fall with England on 45 from just 56 balls. Pope and Duckett put on a 68 run partnership before India claimed three more valuable wickets for less than 50 runs.

READ MORE : ICC Awards 2023 :Virat Kohli clinches the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Award for the fourth time

When Ben Stokes fell, England looked doomed, but the Surrey pair of Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes stood up to put on 112 runs from 183 balls between them. That still might not have been enough to give England a fighting chance, but Rehan Ahmed came in to bat like a number 5, helping Pope to continue playing his game, while adding to the total where he could. This match could easily have been well over already. Thanks largely to Ollie Pope, it isn’t.

STUMPS! ENGLAND 316-6 (REHAN 16, Ollie Pope 148) OVERS: 77

It’s Ravichandran Ashwin who will bowl the last over of the day, and Rehan Ahmed who will put him away for the final boundary of the afternoon, a very positive shot all the way through midwicket. One final, simple, studied single into the covers and that’s stumps. What a day of cricket, a truly admirable innings from Ollie Pope that ensures there will be a tomorrow. England will resume tomorrow with a lead of 126 runs and more, most assuredly to come.

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ENGLAND 311-6 (REHAN 11, POPE 148) OVERS: 76

The penultimate over of the day and the siren signals another no-ball bowled by Jadeja, while Pope and Rehan exchange singles to advance the score. Pope closes out the over with a crack to deep cover that is rescued but nonetheless delivers a valuable two runs.

‘HE CAN BE MIGHTY PROUD’ – Ollie Pope BRINGS UP HIS 100

ENGLAND 305-6 (REHAN 9, POPE 145) OVERS: 75

Bumrah starts his (possibly last?) over with a bouncer into the body, which Rehan stands up to and deflects down into the pitch. The priority for him is survival, while for Pope it must be runs, but the secondary batter will add to the score where he can. A misfield from Siraj at point gifts him one of them.

ENGLAND 304-6 (REHAN 8, Ollie Pope 145) OVERS: 74

Jadeja looking to improve on his figures of 91-1 in this innings, but the pitch, plus a long day in the field is making it hard for him. Rehan is playing like he should be further up the order, showing he’s got all the shots that are needed for this situation. Two each for the batters in that over as the ground clock shows 4:33.

ENGLAND 300-6 (REHAN 6, POPE 143) OVERS: 73

Jasprit Bumrah is brought back into the India attack, with five over remaining. With perfect timing and footwork Pope shows what he thinks of that, taking a four at the square leg boundary. Bumrah seems to be struggling a bit with cramp, as the physio comes out and some supplements are taken on. Ollie Pope brings up the 300 for England with a nice angled shot off the front foot, giving Bumrah a chance to test Rehan. The batter passes decisively, without adding to the England total.

ENGLAND 295-6 (REHAN 6, POPE 138) OVERS: 72

Jadeja gets to appeal for an Lbw on Popel, but it was pitching well outside the line of leg stump so India opt not to review it. It would have been a waste, and at this stage you’d say they want to keep them in hand. A single for him brings Rehan up, who clubs one over extra cover. Only one from it, but a confident shot. Singles are the order of the day, with the scoreboard ticking gradually upwards.

ENGLAND 289-6 (REHAN 5, POPE 133) OVERS: 70

As Jadeja looks to find something, Ollie Pope plays the ramp! Over the head of Rehat and racing away to the boundary. he didn’t even look where he was playing it – just flipped it over the top. Brilliant cricket.

ENGLAND 284-6 (REHAN 5, POPE 128) OVERS: 69

Axar hoping to double up, and stamp on what remains of those aforementioned shoots. But both Rehan and Pope are batting without fear, without taking undue risks. It’s an aggressive field placement for Rehan, which seems to be designed to unsettle him before he can settle.

ENGLAND 281-6 (REHAN 4, POPE 126) OVERS: 68

Rehan gets off the mark with a classy cut to the boundary through point. No settling in for him, as England reach 281 and the lead is 91.

WICKET! ENGLAND 275-6 (FOAKES 34, POPE 120) OVERS: 67

Axar finally gets his man, with the final ball of the over. Just when it was starting to look hopeful for England, the ball skips underneath his bat and onto the stumps.

It came right after Pope audaciously flipped him behind to the boundary for his cheekiest shot of the session, but India are now surely back on top.

ENGLAND 270-5 (FOAKES 34, POPE 120) OVERS: 66

The runs are coming as easy as they have all afternoon now, as that man plays that shot over the Bharat and his slip fielder. Possibly it came off the glove, but that won’t worry him. Jadeja responds with two delightful deliveries but the ball doesn’t seem to like the stumps

ENGLAND 264-5 (FOAKES 33, POPE 115) OVERS: 65

The hundred partnership is up, barely any time after the fifty it seems. One from Foakes to backwards square then a solid Pope single to get them to the line.

ENGLAND 261-5 (FOAKES 32, Ollie Pope 114) OVERS: 64

Another delightful boundary as Pope brings out the reverse sweep for the umpteenth time this innings, then almost gets caught by Axar at deep backwards square. He leapt up and palmed it, but it should have been the breakthrough wicket. Instead Pope takes himself to 114 with another four through the covers. Expensive over that one.

ENGLAND 252-5 (FOAKES 31, POPE 106) OVERS: 63

Good length from Axar is met by patience from Pope, until he floats up the full toss. The Surrey man couldn’t be more grateful for it, advancing down the pitch and bashing it to the midwicket boundary for four. Showing his class, Axar’s next ball is as good as you’ll see without a wicket falling, just dancing by the bat’s edge and into his wicketkeepers’ gloves.

A minimum of 16 overs left today. Can this pair take it all the way? A bye, swept at and missed by Pope, plus one more each takes them six balls closer. Having seriously slowed the scoring, they’re back up to four an over now.

ENGLAND 245-5 (FOAKES 30, POPE 101) OVERS: 61

This wicket definitely seems to be slowing and it’s giving the batters a bit more time to judge their shots. A fine example of that is the ball which brings up Ollie Pope’s hundred. He spits the full ball from Jadeja through the onside – it doesn’t quite reach the boundary before being picked up but they return for a third and he can finally take his helmet off, raise his bat. What a fine innings this has been from the 26 year-old. England lead by 55 runs. It looks like we’re going to get a chance of balls, and drinks.

ENGLAND 239-5 (FOAKES 28, POPE 97) OVERS: 60

Another reverse sweep from Pope to deep backward point. It’s only enough for a single, but they really do all count at this stage. Foakes picks up a pair of runs as he opens up, and finds a bit of outside edge to see the ball past the slips.

ENGLAND 235-5 (FOAKES 25, POPE 96) OVERS: 59

A fifth no-ball from Jadeja in this match, who is maybe just trying a little too hard and overstretching. Which is no sleight on his bowling in that over, which was varied and testing. Pope four away from his century.

ENGLAND 233-5 (FOAKES 25, POPE 95) OVERS: 58

Ashwin is increasingly frustrated, as the runs have started to come for England, not thick and fast but at a decent tempo. Some assured shooting from both batters in that over.

A CLASSIC TWO-CARD TRICK – BAIRSTOW OUTSMARTED BY JADEJA

Just the one over from Siraj then as Jadeja is brought back in to the India attack. Pope plays another reverse sweep which is fielded at backward point, before taking the single from the last ball of the over to keep the strike.

ENGLAND 226-5 (FOAKES 21, POPE 92) OVERS: 56

Pope moves into the 90s, the first batter to manage that in this test, with what is increasingly his trademark reverse sweep. The ball dashes through the covers for four, as England add seven to the score. Fine knock from this pair, whatever happens now.

ENGLAND 219-5 (FOAKES 19, Ollie Pope 87) OVERS: 55

India fancy a bit more pace, bringing right arm fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. Pope cuts a length ball behind point for two runs, taking this partnership to a very fine 50 runs. Four more byes from a ball going down leg which Foakes can’t connect with but which is too fast for the gloveman. Pope getting ever closer to that century – hope the nerves don’t set in now.

AN ABSOLUTE RIPPER – ASHWIN TAKES STOKES’ WICKET YET AGAIN

Ashwin returns to the attack and his first ball is a beauty, but it’s difficult for the keeper and it goes right through. past the leg stump and too quick for him to get his gloves across, so going for four byes. That seems to inspire Ben Foakes, who finds the square leg boundary with a sweep. That’s got to be the highest score off an over for a while.

ENGLAND 200-5 (FOAKES 12, POPE 83) OVERS: 53

Bumrah sending some full balls to Foakes, who digs them out (and in), even as he’s unable to find the gaps in the field. 28,570 souls watching (some sleeping) in the Hyderabrad ground. No big surprises from the bowler in that over, but a maiden for him all the same.

ENGLAND 200-5 (FOAKES 12, POPE 83) OVERS: 52

Less than three runs an over from this session, but that reflects well on this pair, who are growing in confidence. All they can do is pick their shots – there’s no urgency. Two simple singles and a no ball brings up the 200 for England.

ENGLAND 197-5 (FOAKES 11, POPE 82) OVERS: 51

A need for speed means Bumrah again, although he starts with a slower ball, which Foakes has the measure of. His second ball is more dangerous, staying low and Pope breathes a sigh of relief as it passes off stump. A very good one, full and fast, bounces just in front of the batter’s toe before whipping by leg stump. A good dive from the wicket keeper prevents a near certain boundary. Two from that over, as England’s lead is now 7.

ENGLAND 195-5 (FOAKES 10, POPE 81) OVERS: 50

The partnership passes the thirteen over mark, but only just as Jadeja sends some balls up that turn sharply away, and very late. Ollie Pope judges them well, avoiding, blocking and then making good contact. Through midwicket with two fielders chasing it shouldn’t have gone for four, but each left it for the other.

ENGLAND 191-5 (FOAKES 10, POPE 77) OVERS: 49

Bumrah’s back, with an open field, including a slip and a gully, that suggests he might deliver some slower balls. He looks eager to add to his two wickets, for just 21 runs. Foakes will defend length all day (famous last words) but Bumrah will also wear the batters down and vary the swing incrementally. Can he do for Foakes what he did for Duckett? Not in that over, but almost with the yorker. A maiden for Bumrah who wound up the pace towards the end.

ENGLAND 191-5 (FOAKES 10, POPE 77) OVERS: 48

Jadeja still to find his rhythm in this session and some lose balls allow England to finally draw level. Now we’ll see how much of a lead these county team-mates can build for their country.

ENGLAND 188-5 (FOAKES 9, POPE 76) OVERS: 47

A flick of Popel’s wrist and then some good running gets England a couple and keeps him the strike. A hairy moment for him as he darts towards the ball and finds himself out of the crease with India throwing at the stumps. A direct hit and he’d have been gone. India bizarrely ask for a review, as the original ball was to pad, but it was well outside the line. Not sure why they indulged that one to be honest – because they could?

ENGLAND 186-5 (FOAKES 9, POPE 74) OVERS: 46

Another chase for Ashwin and this time he opts not to dive and just crouches over to rescue the ball. Three runs for Foakes from that one, and five from the over as England trail by four.

Axar keeps the ball and largely keeps Foakes defending from the back foot. The wicketkeeper does have something to prove here, but he’s already doing a decent job of proving it. A maiden over for Axar as the deficit is now 9 runs.

ENGLAND 181-5 (FOAKES 6, POPE 72) OVERS: 44

Back with Jadeja at the other end, and Pope is still sweeping before sending one to mid-on for a boundary. It slowed up, and Aswin looked to have it but his slide was… not the most elegant and he missed it completely with a wafting right hand.

ENGLAND 177-5 (FOAKES 6, POPE 68) OVERS: 43

Back out for the crucial final session of the day finds England closing in on parity, but a very very long way from any sort of lead. If you want our estimate, they’re going to need the better part of the same again to be in with any chance of taking something from this match.

The first over after tea and Ollie Pope is looking as lively as he was before the break. We start with the spin of Axar, with Foakes facing him. He’s not the batting gloveman that Bairstow is, but he needs them, at least enough to help Ollie Pope along. In that over he gets them thanks to a confidence-inspiring cover drive for four.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Diplomat Times staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

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Global leaders extend their congratulations to India on its 75th Republic Day, praising the advancements in bilateral relations

Shasi Kumar
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Global leaders extend their congratulations to India on its 75th Republic Day, praising the advancements in bilateral relations

Global leaders extend their congratulations to India on its 75th Republic Day, praising the advancements in bilateral relations

LONDON/CANBERRA(PTI) – Presidents, Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of several countries on Friday wished India on its 75th Republic Day and expressed their hope for progress in bilateral relations and close people-to-people ties.

These leaders included those from the immediate neighbourhood in South Asia and some from far-flung nations such as Australia. Almost all of them posted their greetings on social media handles and some of them wrote letters or messages to Indian leaders.

READ MORE : 75th Republic Day : French President Macron to arrive in India, will tour pink city, Jaipur with PM Modi today

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended his warm wishes to the people of India on the same day as his country celebrates its national day and said, “We have an opportunity to celebrate the depth of our friendship. Australia and India have never been closer.”

“I am confident that our ties will continue to flourish in this very special seventy-fifth anniversary year of the Commonwealth — a fitting reminder of the enduring values and aspirations that unite us,” he wrote.

Congratulating India on a successful G20 presidency last year, King Charles said, “I look forward to our countries continuing to work together to tackle the world’s most pressing global challenges.” Russian President Vladimir Putin commended the privileged strategic partnership with India and he congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Republic Day in a telegram message.

“We value the privileged strategic partnership between our countries. I am confident that, through joint efforts, we will continue to systematically boost the constructive cooperation between Russia and India across the board,” the Russian leader said in his message published on the Kremlin website.

“This fully meets the interests of our friendly peoples as it in line with strengthening security and stability both regionally and globally,” he added.

Nepal Prime Minister Pushapakamal Dahal Prachanda posted on his X handle, “On the occasion of 75th Republic Day of India, I extend my best wishes to PM Shri @narendramodi ji, the government and friendly people of India for good health, peace and prosperity.

Israel Katz, Minister of Foreign Affairs and member of the political-security cabinet, Likud in Israel, extended his respect to his Indian counterpart Jaishankar, and the people of India as he said, “Our nations’ bond is strong, and we continue to strive for shared growth and enduring friendship between India and Israel.” M U M Ali Sabry, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka echoed the same greetings to Jaishankar and the people of India. His Ministry’s official X handle too posted: “Best wishes and sincere greetings from the people and the Government of #SriLanka to the people and the Government of the Republic of #India on the occasion of the 75th Republic Day of India | 26 January 2024! l ” Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have written to India’s leaders, congratulating them on the country’s 75th Republic Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Friday.

In a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, President Tharman recalled his last visits to India as Senior Minister in 2022 and 2023. “Singapore and India share a long and warm partnership, underpinned by close people-to-people ties and strong cooperation in a multitude of fields,” he wrote.

Prime Minister Lee, in his congratulatory letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the friendship between the two nations was underpinned by “wide-ranging cooperation in trade, finance, defence, and close people-to-people ties.” Moosa Zameer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives congratulated his counterpart Dr S Jaishankar and the friendly people of India with “warmest greetings and sincere good wishes” and said, in a post on X, “I am confident that the close bonds of friendship and cooperation between Maldives and India will continue to flourish in the years ahead.” Multiple Embassies and High Commissions in New Delhi, such as that of Sri Lanka, extended their warm greetings to the Government and people of India on the 75th Republic Day.

Sending my heartfelt wishes to Jai Shankar, India’s Foreign Minister, and to the people of India as they celebrate the momentous occasion of India’s 75th Republic Day. May the enduring friendship between Singapore and India flourish even more in the years to come.

Warm greetings to #India on the occasion of its Republic Day! We extend our heartfelt wishes to our esteemed friends in India, celebrating unity, diversity, and growth. May freedom and democracy continue to lead your nation on the path of progress. – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia on X

French President Emmanuel Macron, who was the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade at New Delhi thanked India after the celebrated event: “A great honour for France.”

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Diplomat Times staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

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