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PM Modi wears Kerala attire, holds roadshows and inaugurations in South India state


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Kerala on Monday as part of a two-day official visit in what many say is a move to bring voters into the fold of the national ruling BJP party.

Kerala welcomes PM Modi with flowers and affection! pic.twitter.com/utZAMH4lcX

— BJP (@BJP4India) April 24, 2023

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has long made concerted efforts to expand its following in the South Indian state, including now for the 2024 lower house election.

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For years, the two main coalition parties – the presently-ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) – have administered Kerala.

But the recent formation of a new Christian party, the Kerala Congress, and the new warmth between the Catholic Church and the Sangh Parivar have rekindled the BJP’s electoral hopes in the state, local news media reported.

Modi’s two-day visit was packed with inaugurations, roadshows and meetings, including with senior Church leaders, who the prime minister hopes to court as part of an outreach campaign for youth and the state’s minority-classified communities.

Unparalleled affection in Kochi. Have a look… pic.twitter.com/FEFcMWHTwd

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2023

On Monday, wearing the Kerala traditional attire, Modi walked 20 minutes down a stretch of road in Kochi, waving to onlookers as he was showered with flowers, to the sounds of the ‘chenda melam’ – a percussion instrument used for all Kerala art forms and an integral part of festivals.

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

The walk concluded without mishaps. Kerala Police on Sunday arrested a Kochi native who wrote a letter threatening a suicide bomb attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, The Indian Express reported. Security was also beefed-up following media reports of a leak of the security arrangements during Modi’s visit.

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

At the end of the show, he addressed a thousands-large youth meeting where he praised the younger generation for their vibrancy, and called on them to lead India’s “developmental journey.”

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

On stage in Kochi were personalities from various walks of life, including film actor and politician Suresh Gopi, actors Aparna Balamurali, Unni Mukundan, Navya Nair, singers Vijay Yesudas and S. Harisankar, among others.

During his speech, Modi highlighted his governing policies with an emphasis on job creation, while taking a dig at the policies of the current state government, as well as that of the Congress-led United Front who are in the opposition.

He is said to have met with the leaders of various churches, including the head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Cardinal George Alencherry, Syro-Malankara Catholic Church head Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Syrian Orthodox Church head Baselios Marthoma Mathews III and Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Church Joseph Mor Gregorios, according to media reports.

Tuesday, he arrived in the state-capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, where he was once again welcomed with pomp.

He flagged off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express in Thiruvananthapuram, an indigenously produced, semi-high-speed electric train. The train will run between 11 districts: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod.

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

At this event, Modi met the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who reportedly thanked him for the allocation. Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan and BJP-opposition Congress MP Shashi Tharoor were also present.

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

Indian PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. (Twitter)

Modi also inaugurated the Kochi Water Metro, the first-of-a-kind ferry service that works in tandem with the city’s metro stations. The battery-operated hybrid boat will connect 10 islands around Kochi.

Additionally, Modi will also lay the foundation stones for the country’s first Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram, being developed for $183 million, and some other rail projects.

He is expected to depart Kerala late on Tuesday to travel to Silvassa via Surat, after which he will head back to the Indian capital city of New Delhi, concluding a 36-hour trip across eight cities.

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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