WEDNESDAY 19 FEBRUARY, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) at the meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Tuesday | AFP X.com/TheMornStandard RUSSIA, U.S. TO NAME NEGOTIATORS TO END UKRAINE WAR, SANS KYIV ELECTION TIGHT CHANCELLOR RACE IN GERMANY Russia and the US will name teams to negotiate a path to ending the war in Ukraine, leaders of both nations said on Tuesday in Riyadh WON’T ACCEPT OUTCOME OF TALKS: ZELENSKYY Four candidates are in fray for Sunday’s election in Germany, where dissatisfaction with living standards, housing crisis and migration are key poll issues. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9  NEW DELHI After Modi, Amir talks, Qatar ties in strategic zone Aim to double bilateral trade from $14 bn in five years, enhance energy, trade partnership J8.00 PAGES 12 ON A WING AND A PRAYER AS DELTA FLIPS Videograb of a Delta Airline plane upside down at Toronto Pearson Int’l Airport on Tuesday. The jet landed amid strong winds and snow, leading to it crashing and flipping over. Its right wing was missing. All 80 on board survived PREETHA NAIR & K S SREEJITH @ New Delhi / T’Puram PIC: SHEKHAR YADAV Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday Qatar is also a major investor in India, with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) holding around $1.5 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) across sectors like retail, power, IT, education, healthcare and affordable housing. Both leaders identified a number of areas in which the QIA can increase investments. This is the Amir’s second visit to India after Modi came to power. Regarding a Navy official who is still in Qatari jail Chatterjee said: “I would like to just mention that his matter still remains sub judice in the local courts in Qatar. And as I mentioned, the prime minister appreciated the work that Amir and his government is doing in the protection and the welfare of our Indian citizens.” EXPRESS READ Prez nod to prosecute AAP’s Jain in laundering case President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday gave her consent to prosecute former minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain in a case investigated by the ED under provisions of the PMLA, sources said. Last week, the MHA had sent a file to the Rashtrapati Bhawan seeking prosecution sanction against Jain, who was arrested in the case in May 2022. | P3 NIA arrests two for leaking naval info to Pakistan agents S U B H A S H C H A N D R A N S @ Karwar/Ankola SLEUTHS of National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Akshay Naik and Vethan Tandel from Karwar and Ankola on Tuesday for allegedly leaking crucial information about the Kadamba naval base to agents from Pakistan. The two worked on a contract basis at the naval base, and were found to have sent photographs of warships and aircraft carriers to the agents. The raid on Tuesday follows a two-year probe by NIA sleuths, who recovered incriminating information, photographs, and electronic gadgets from the two contract workers. NIA was closely watching the duo’s movements since they were interrogated in August 2024. Their involvement was revealed by Deepak, who was arrested by NIA sleuths in Visakhapatnam. The case is linked to a broader espionage ring involving employees of Shivam Marine Corporation and Ultra Marine Corporation, which supply skilled workers to the naval base. NIA has been investigating this case since June 5, 2023, and has made several arrests in Mumbai and other places. Naik and Tandel were taken to NIA headquarters in Hyderabad. AMID the row over Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent column in this newspaper backing the CPM-led Kerala government’s development initiatives, senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held a 30-minute oneon-one meeting with the fourtime MP from Thiruvananthapuram, who has come under fire from the party’s state unit. Sources said the Congress’ top leadership has decided to stand with Tharoor, who managed to convince Rahul about the facts in his column. Both leaders also agreed to meet more frequently . This is the first such meeting between Rahul and Tharoor in about three years and is seen as Rahul Gandhi Shashi Tharoor a reconciliatory effort on the part of the central leadership. “Tharoor has been trying for an appointment with Rahul ever since the latter contested for Congress president in 2022. It required an article for that to happen,’’ a close confidant of Tharoor said in half jest. However, the development is seen as a blow to the state leadership. Leader of Opposition V D Satheeshan, his predecessor S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi Vyapar Mandal and others. The plea accused the nodal agency, Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation Limited (SRDC), of failing to coordinate efforts among multiple agencies, including MCD, PWD, Delhi Po- Ramesh Chennithala, and senior leader K Muralidharan had buried their differences and united to condemn Tharoor. Sources said Tharoor raised the issues of non-cooperation from the Kerala leadership and lack of inclusiveness in discussions at the national level. Speaking to reporters later, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Veugopal said all is well in the party and that Tharoor shares the party’s views. Tharoor declined to comment on his meeting with Rahul Gandhi. “It was a longpending request I had made for a meeting to discuss various issues. Since it was a meeting where only the two of us were present throughout, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more,” he said. Westland case gets bail S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to alleged middleman Christian Michel James in the `3,600-crore AgustaWestland case being probed by the CBI. A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed James was in custody for the past six years while the investigation in the matter by CBI was still underway . James, however, cannot walk out of jail as he faces another money laundering case in the Delhi High Court. “The petitioner was extradited in 2018 and has been in custody for more than 6 years. Acc o rd i n g t o t h e C B I . . . t h e investigation is still on. We are inclined to grant bail,” said the bench. It said given the speed, the trial would not conclude in 25 years. The scam relates to irregularities in purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland. James is one among three middlemen in the case. Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa are the other two. The CBI chargesheet alleged a loss of `2,666 crore to the exchequer due to the deal signed on February 8, 2010. Diplomat’s son accused of rape, MEA seeks ‘immunity’ waiver IFRAH MUFTI & S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi A mother in the national capital is running from pillar to post, seeking justice for her five-yearold daughter, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a Class 12 student of the same city school, the son of a Kenyan diplomat posted in New Delhi. The minor is in Class 1, and the accused student is an adult, police said. Despite the gravity of the crime, the alleged police inaction due to diplomatic immunity has left the survivor’s family struggling for accountability . Sources told this newspaper that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has sought the removal of diplomatic immunity for the accused from the Kenyan government. The waiver of immunity is a prerequisite for The second hottest day of the season was recorded on Feb 17 at 29°C, compared to Feb 11 29.7°C Drizzle expected on Feb 20-21, with temperatures dropping by 2-3°C taking legal action against anyone enjoying such immunity . According to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the “immunity from jurisdiction of diplomatic agents and of persons enjoying immunity” can be waived by the sending state, in this case, Kenya. Under the Vienna convention, family members of a diplomatic agent who are part of his Only Kenya can lift immunity for action The Ministry of External Affairs has sought the removal of diplomatic immunity for the accused from the Kenyan government, according to sources. The Vienna Convention extends diplomatic immunity to the family, and in this case, only Kenya can lift it. SUMMER KNOCKS AQI levels in ‘poor’ category at 214 on Feb 17 According to IMD, there can be a change in the capital’s weather due to the active western disturbance over North India Humidity levels fluctuated between 42% and 100%, and wind speeds were recorded between 10 and 12 kmph City predicted to experience a minimum and maximum temperature of 17.82°C and 29.73°C, respectively, on Feb 19 HC moots panel for Chandni Chowk redevelopment THE Delhi High Court has proposed the formation of a highlevel committee of government officials to oversee the maintenance and redevelopment of the Chandni Chowk. The HC intervention comes in response to a plea highlighting the gross mismanagement and neglect of the area, despite a `140-crore redevelopment project. A bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya issued directives on a petition filed by the Chandni Chowk  Rahul, Tharoor thaw on TNIE col Extradited middleman in J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi INDIA and Qatar elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership on Tuesday, agreeing to double their annual trade from $14 billion in five years and focusing on enhancing cooperation in energy, investments and the technology sector following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Both sides signed agreements and five memorandums of understanding (MOUs), including a revised double taxation avoidance pact. India already has strategic ties with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “Had a very productive meeting with my brother, Amir of Qatar H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, earlier today . Under his leadership, Qatar has scaled new heights of progress. He is also committed to a strong India-Qatar friendship. This visit is even more special because we have elevated our ties to a Strategic Partnership,” Modi said on X. “Trade, investment and energy were among the major topics of discussion between the two leaders today,” said Arun Chatterjee, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.  No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed his nation’s exclusion from the Riyadh gathering, which lasted more than four hours. He said that any talks aimed at ending the Ukraine war should be “fair” and involve European countries, including Turkey — which had offered to host negotiations lice, and Traffic Police. The petition paints a grim picture of the 1.3-km-long Chandni Chowk road, from Red Fort to Fateh Puri Masjid and its surrounding areas, including Chandni Chowk Metro station. It describes the region as a hub of lawlessness, plagued by encroachments, traffic chaos, and mounting garbage. “Despite multiple reports in newspapers and public outcry, authorities have done nothing. The infrastructure, on which `140 crore of taxpayer money was spent, is crumbling due to sheer neglect,” the plea said. The petitioners argue that with nearly five lakh visitors daily, including thousands of foreign tourists, Chandni Chowk deserves constant upkeep. “The lack of waste management, illegal encroachm e n t s, a n d p o o r t r a f f i c enforcement pose a severe threat to both public health and the area’s heritage,” they said. As per HC directions, the proposed panel will be tasked with ensuring maintenance, enforcing traffic regulations, preventing encroachments. household and are not nationals of the receiving state enjoy the same privileges and immunities as the diplomatic agent. “The accused has been rusticated by the school. I know that the MEA has asked the Kenyan embassy to revoke the accused father’s diplomatic immunity ,” the survivor’s mother said told this newspaper on Tuesday . The alleged incident took place last August and an FIR was lodged on September 18 under Section 75(2) (sexual harassment) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 10 (aggravated sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act in Greater Kailash police station. The survivor’s father said, “The accused sexually abused my daughter twice in August last year. When she complained Parents waiting for action since last year A five-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a Class 12 student of a city school last August. The accused, son of a Kenyan diplomat, also studied in the same school before being rusticated. An FIR was lodged in Greater Kailash police station last September. of discomfiture, we took her to a doctor. We also took a second opinion. Both confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted. We then went to the school. They called all students who travelled in the bus except the accused. We were told that he was on a field trip.” The parents filed a police complaint on the basis of which a case under the POCSO Act was lodged. “My daughter was terrified to take the accused’s name initially Later, she revealed the . name of the accused, after which we went to the school and police,” the father said. “After we completed all the formalities, the police assured us that the accused would be arrested soon. We got an update from the Child Welfare Committee on December 16 that the case for arrest has been moved by the IO to MEA for which we expected a reply by January 15. The latest update from the IO is that MEA has taken it up through legal channels and the case could take months to move as he’s a foreign citizen,” he added. Despite repeated calls, messages and emails, the school did not respond till the time of going to press. IIT study: 40% of Himachal at high risk of landslides, floods & avalanches H A R P R E E T BA J WA @ Chandigarh FORTY-NINE per cent of Himachal Pradesh is prone to medium-risk and 40% to highrisk landslides, floods and avalanches, according to a recent study by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Ropar. The conclusions were presented at the Indian Cryosphere Meet (ICM) held at the IIT-Bombay last week, attended by 80 glaciologists, researchers, scientists, and other experts from around the world. The IIT is now conducting similar studies in the Northeast, J&K and Uttarakhand, adding another criterion to examine GOLF (Glacier Lake Out Burst Flood). MTech scholar Daishisha Lawphniaw conducted the study under the guidance of Reet Kamal Tiwari from IITRopar, using GIS-based mapping, the study classified hazard-prone regions. Tiwari told this newspaper, “The state’s upper reaches are more prone to avalanches, whereas the middle and lower parts of the state are more prone to flood and landslides.” The study stated that highaltitude areas in Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti districts are highly prone to avalanches, while Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Chamba districts are prone to flood and landslides. The study highlights that steep mountain slopes and elevations above 3,000 meters are at the highest risk. Higher-altitude regions with slopes between 16.8 degrees and 41.5 degrees are more likely to experience both avalanches and landslides. “Areas with mean slopes ranging from 5.9 degrees to 16.44 degrees and mean elevations up to 1600 meters are predominantly prone to both landslides and floods, whereas the combined occurrence of avalanches and landslides is most likely in regions with slopes of 16.86 degrees to 41.54 degrees at higher elevations,” states the study . The study highlights importance of knowledge about the cascading effects of disasters. HILL TALE 49% prone to medium-risk High-altitude areas in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti highly prone to avalanches Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Chamba prone to flood and landslides Steep mountain slopes and elevations above 3,000 metres at highest risk Higher-altitude regions with slopes between 16.8 degrees and 41.5 degrees more likely to experience both avalanches and landslides Areas with mean slopes and elevations predominantly prone to both landslides and floods