Community Corner: A wish and a smile

Russia attacked two Kyiv petrol stations with jet-powered drones, killing two people. Ukraine also carried out drone attacks on Russia, killing two people in Tula. Both sides are increasingly striking logistics and economic targets to damage war efforts. Recent attacks have targeted online retailers and oil refineries deep inside Russia. Fighting on the front line remains largely stalled after more than four years.

BRICS nations propose new networks for agro-inputs, digital farming and genetic resources to strengthen agricultural cooperation and promote climate-resilient farming

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) India’s BRICS presidency is creating fresh momentum for trade, investment and economic cooperation among member and partner countries, with business and institutional representatives from Russia, Egypt and other BRICS Plus nations expressing confidence in the opportunities emerging from the platform, industry leaders said on Friday. Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the BRICS summit here, representatives from different sectors said the meetings had provided a valuable platform for businesses to explore partnerships in areas ranging from infrastructure and energy to technology, skills development and agriculture. Alexander Kokov, Founder and CEO of Russian company GSBI Ltd, described the event as highly energetic and positive, saying participants were keen to work together and explore new opportunities. He highlighted the business-to-business meetings organised during the summit, saying they had enabled entrepreneurs from different countries to engage directly and identify areas for cooperation. Kokov also praised the role of industry body FICCI in facilitating business engagement and said being in India offered participants an opportunity to better understand the country’s economic strength and growing market potential. Kokov said there was significant scope for expanding trade, investment and economic ties between India and Russia, adding that the two countries were entering a phase that could lay the foundation for a stronger economic partnership in the years ahead. He said his organisation works in the Global South Business Innovations and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector, which could serve as an important bridge for connecting the economic potential of BRICS countries. According to him, business conferences, exhibitions and other platforms for direct engagement could help turn discussions among member countries into concrete commercial projects. Alina Singh, Deputy Director of Russia’s Skills Development Agency, said BRICS brought together economies and societies with diverse cultures, experiences and perspectives. “Member countries can share their experiences and expertise, learn from each other and promote collective development. That is the greatest strength of BRICS,” she said. Maxim Andrianov, International Marketing Manager at Russian Helicopters Group, also welcomed India’s leadership of the grouping and praised the organisation of the summit. He said the BRICS engagement this year had been highly productive, with participants establishing new business contacts and initiating discussions on several important projects. Andrianov also pointed to the work of the BRICS Business Council, saying it had played an effective role in facilitating commercial engagement and strengthening business-to-business cooperation among participating countries. On the ‘Make in India’ initiative, Andrianov said projects where local manufacturing requirements apply would operate within that framework. At the same time, he noted that companies in the commercial sector generally assess factors such as cost, efficiency and competitiveness while making business decisions, with affordability for consumers also remaining an important consideration. Paroma Munshi Rebello, Head of Business Development at Pristine Logistics & Infraprojects Ltd, said her working group was focused on infrastructure, an area closely linked to investment. Islam Salem, a representative of Egypt-based Iskra Maiden for Investment and Agricultural Development, said the potential for cooperation among BRICS economies was expanding and that the private sector would have a crucial role in converting those opportunities into actual partnerships. “Discussions over the past two days on agriculture, technology, finance and several other sectors have clearly shown that there are significant opportunities for partnerships among member countries,” Salem said. --IANS pk

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday launched a scathing critique of the Congress for questioning the 'benefits and outcomes' of holding BRICS Summit and compared the country's progress and prosperity under Congress-led UPA and BJP-led NDA eras to dismiss the charge and also 'expose its duplicity'. BJP national spokesperson and MP, Ravi Shankar Prasad, digging out the 'dark and sluggish' growth index during UPA eras, said that Congress had sunk the economy and it was the Narendra Modi government that rebuilt it and made it shine. Addressing the press conference at BJP Headquarters, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that before 2014 the country was dubbed as "Fragile Five" but today it was among the world's top five economies. "During the Congress regime, India was part of the 'Fragile Five'; today, under the Modi government, it is among the world's top five economies and has emerged as a bright spot in BRICS," PM Modi said. The two-day BRICS Summit in the national capital, under the global spotlight, took a political turn today as the Congress leader and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram questioned the "tangible benefits" arising out of such Summits. Chidambaram, speaking ahead of BRICS, said that he wasn't aware of the global dignitaries visiting India for the high-profile Summit but then wondered, how much the BRICS Summits have resulted in tangible benefits for the nation. Referring to Congress leaders' claims of "what India will gain from the BRICS", Ravi Shankar Prasad hit back saying, "In 2011, 2012 and 2013, India's economy was described as one of the 'Fragile Five'. Many global institutions like Goldman Sachs and Standard & Poor's had said that the Indian economy was rapidly turning into a junk economy." He also remarked that it is important to remind Congress leaders about the sorry state of affairs that existed during their reign. He said that the country saw policy paralysis, rampant looting, declining confidence in Indian economy and an overall pall of gloom surrounded the economy. Besides all this, series of scams ruined the economy. "It was under Modi government that the country moved forward from fragile five to among world's top five economies. With the blessings of 140 crore people, India has today emerged as a bright spot in BRICS," the BJP MP added. Ravi Shankar Prasad also pointed to India's GDP growth of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of current financial year and added that the same has been endorsed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "Despite global shocks, the energy crisis and wars, at a time when global supply chains have been disrupted, the IMF has praised the resilience of the Indian economy. It has also appreciated the manner in which India is progressing in the services sector, manufacturing sector and trade," he noted. --IANS mr/khz

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that India is keeping up its fast pace of growth amid global uncertainties, offering a source of confidence for growth and stability. Addressing the Leaders Session of the BRICS Business Forum alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, among others, the Prime Minister said: "India is growing when the world is going through instability. Amid global uncertainties, India today offers a source of confidence for growth and stability." His statement came against the backdrop of India posting a 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the April-June quarter of the current financial year to remain the fastest-growing major economy in the world. Highlighting India’s approach to global trade, PM Modi said: "Today, when trade barriers are rising around the world, India is building economic bridges." He highlighted India’s global manufacturing and innovation vision with the message, “Make in India, Innovate with India, Scale for the World." The Prime Minister said the economic strength of BRICS has grown at nearly twice the pace of the rest of the world. BRICS nations are also emerging as key hubs for global innovation and solutions. "New possibilities for innovation, spanning everything from grassroots initiatives to frontier technologies, are taking shape within our countries. The growing scale, speed, and optimism of BRICS are clearly evident among us. This forum, hosted in India, is the largest BRICS Business Forum to date," PM Modi added. "BRICS are becoming important centres for global innovations and solutions." He called for greater collective action from the grouping, saying: "Let's turn BRICS’ ambition into action and collective strength into global solutions. Let BRICS move forward, and take the world forward too." He further underlined the growing economic strength of the grouping, saying the grouping represents almost 50 per cent of the population globally. Elaborating further, the Prime Minister said BRICS nations make up 40 per cent of the global GDP. "Today, BRICS nations represent 50 per cent of the world's population, 40 per cent of its GDP, and over 25 per cent of global trade. Moreover, while global GDP has grown approximately two-and-a-half-fold over these years, the combined GDP of BRICS nations has expanded nearly four-and-a-half-fold," the Prime Minister added. --IANS sps/vd

Patna, Sep 11 (IANS) Bihar Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, has written to Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary seeking the installation of life-size statues of three late political stalwarts and former Union ministers Sharad Yadav, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Ram Vilas Paswan at prominent locations in the state. Tejashwi has also urged the government to observe their birth and death anniversaries as state-level functions to formally honour their contributions to Bihar. In his letter, Tejashwi described late Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Sharad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan as eminent personalities who made significant contributions to Bihar through their social commitments and decades of political engagement. He said the people of Bihar would continue to draw inspiration from their lives, work and achievements. Tejashwi also referred to demands raised by the late Raghuvansh Prasad Singh shortly before his death. According to Tejashwi, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh had written to the then Bihar Chief Minister expressing his desire for certain issues to be addressed. Tejashwi claimed that even after six years, no positive action had been taken on those demands. He urged Chief Minister Choudhary to examine the pending requests and take the necessary steps to fulfil them. In his letter, Tejashwi highlighted Sharad Yadav’s long political career in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. He described the veteran Socialist leader as an important figure in the politics of social justice and said Sharad Yadav worked for the uplift of marginalised and backward sections of society. Tejashwi also described Ram Vilas Paswan as a prominent champion of social justice and Socialism. He said Paswan devoted his public life to the social uplift, security and development of disadvantaged, oppressed and neglected sections of society. The demand comes amid a broader political debate in Bihar over the public recognition of the legacies of the state’s prominent leaders, with different political parties and leaders seeking memorials, statues and official honours for their respective political icons. --IANS ajk/rad

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that BRICS countries account for more than 40 per cent of global GDP, compared with 29 per cent for the G7, as the world undergoes deep structural and profound shifts. Speaking at the 'BRICS Business Forum' in the national capital, Putin noted that more than half of global economic growth over the same period came from BRICS nations, against 18 per cent from the G7, citing data from the past five years. "The world is always changing, and this is shown in the experience of the last five years. In the last five years, more than half of the world's growth has been accounted for by BRICS whereas G7 has only accounted for 18 per cent," the Russian President said. He also added that Western competitors were closely watching BRICS and attempting to restore their competitive edge, with the rivalry sometimes taking an "ugly" turn. Putin said that "We have been told that competition is sacrosanct by our Western competitors doing everything to get back their competitive edge and sometimes it has taken ugly forms". Addressing a packed house here, the Russian President added that BRICS countries have demonstrated their readiness to work hard towards building a shared future. "The global economy is undergoing "deep, profound shifts", with new engines of growth emerging," Putin said. The Russian President also proposed setting up a new investment platform through the New Development Bank to mobilise private-sector funding for BRICS economies, saying BRICS countries are ready to cooperate on an equal footing. BRICS countries have "great, dynamic, vibrant domestic markets," Putin said. The Russian President also referred to the sanctions imposed on Moscow, saying Russia faces more than 30,000 sanctions, stressing that the world was going through a period of change and such transformation was necessary for the well-being of humanity. --IANS na/khz

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the 18th BRICS Summit. He was warmly received by the Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, at the airport. “Warmly welcome Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He was received by MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh at the airport,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on X. “The visit will be an opportunity to further strengthen India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership centred on robust trade and energy security for shared prosperity,” it added. Earlier in the day, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi arrived in New Delhi to attend the BRICS Summit. He was warmly received at the airport by the Minister of State (MoS) Sanjay Seth. “Warmly welcome the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He was received by MoS Sanjay Seth at the airport. India and Egypt share deep bonds of friendship, as we work together to build a stronger BRICS partnership,” the MEA stated on X. As BRICS chair in 2026, India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, bringing together leaders of BRICS members, partner countries and outreach invitees. BRICS comprises Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. BRICS partner countries are: Belarus, Cuba, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said leaders from across the world will gather in New Delhi over the next few days for the BRICS Summit, expressing confidence that the high-level meeting will witness positive and meaningful discussions on various issues with the welfare of the world in mind. “Over the next few days, leaders from around the world will gather for the BRICS Summit. I am confident that the Summit will see positive and meaningful discussions on various issues with the welfare of the world in mind,” PM Modi said in a post on X. –IANS ksk/as

The major US stock indexes saw a positive opening on Friday providing a hopeful close to what had been a tumultuous week in the markets even as the latest data showed consumer prices rose more quickly in August

<p>Occupied Jerusalem: Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed Friday prayers at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the heightened security measures and restrictions imposed by Israeli occupation forces on worshippers.</p> <p>The Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem said that tens of thousands of worshippers performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque.</p> <p>It reported that the Israeli occupation forces imposed strict restrictions on worshippers&rsquo; access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and erected metal barriers around the gates of the Old City and the mosque.</p> <p>The department added that the occupation forces prevented dozens of young men from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers after stopping them, checking their identification documents and recording their details.</p> <p>Earlier on Friday, dozens of settlers entered the Bab al-Rahma Cemetery, adjacent to the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque, where they performed Talmudic rituals and blew the shofar near the graves of Muslims, under the protection of Israeli occupation police, on the eve of what is known as the Jewish New Year.</p> <p>The Jerusalem Governorate said the rituals were conducted from the outside of the cemetery for the third consecutive week, amid growing demands by groups affiliated with the so-called Temple movement to impose their religious rituals inside Al-Aqsa Mosque during Jewish holidays.</p> <p>It added that, amid restrictions preventing them from conducting some of these rituals inside Al-Aqsa Mosque, settlers have resorted to carrying them out around the mosque, at its gates and in areas adjacent to its walls, particularly Bab al-Rahma Cemetery, in an attempt to establish a new reality on the ground, expand manifestations of Judaization from inside the mosque to its surrounding areas, and target its Islamic identity and the status of the holy sites and landmarks surrounding it.</p>

The post Mumbai: Modi Express Special Train for Konkan Residents #Gallery appeared first on Social News XYZ .

Bhubaneswar: Odisha took a decisive step towards expanding its clean energy infrastructure as the Energy Department, GRIDCO Limited and knowledge partner iFOREST jointly hosted a high-level stakeholder dialogue in the capital city on Friday. The event brought together policymakers, project developers, financiers, and sector experts to fast-track the implementation of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s (MNRE) Small Hydro Power Development Scheme (2026–27 to 2030–31). With India tapping only 5,171 MW of its estimated 21,133 MW small hydro potential, the dialogue focused on turning policy guidelines into a concrete, investment-ready pipeline for Odisha. The newly launched Rs 2,584.60-crore national scheme targets 1,500 MW of new small hydro capacity across roughly 200 projects, supported by Rs 30 crore in Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation funding. Odisha, which holds nearly 11 per cent of India’s surface water resources, aims to leverage this central support to diversify its thermal-heavy generation portfolio. To enable smooth grid integration, the state government has planned an investment of approximately Rs 16,000 crore, which has recently got approval by state cabinet to expand transmission infrastructure across the state, introducing three new 765 kV networks. Inaugurating the session, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo highlighted that small hydro projects offer significant environmental and developmental advantages by utilizing existing irrigation canals and water flows without requiring extensive land acquisition. Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Vishal Dev emphasized that the state is actively building the regulatory, financial, and departmental ecosystem necessary to convert raw potential into bankable projects. The event concluded with the signing of a landmark Renewable Energy banking agreement, setting the stage for an official action roadmap focused on priority site selection, streamlined clearances, and community benefit-sharing. Principal Secretary, FE&CC and CMD OPTCL Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, GRIDCO Managing Director Satya Priya Rath, Director Program Development, iFOREST, Mandvi Singh and other dignitaries attended the dialogue.

Solar-Powered mobile charging stations for six villages in the Dampa Landscape of Mizoram were also inaugurated during a stakeholder meeting conducted at

The Central Bureau of Investigation filed its first supplementary chargesheet in the Reliance Commercial Finance Limited case on 7 September 2026 before the Special Judge for CBI Cases in Mumbai. The CBI filing named 17 additional accused. These include three senior executives of the Reliance ADA Group eight group companies and six bank officials. With ...