उत्तर प्रदेश समाचार: समाजवादी पार्टी के अध्यक्ष अखिलेश यादव ने उत्तर प्रदेश की राजधानी लखनऊ में शंकराचार्य स्वामी अविमुक्तेश्वरानंद सरस्वती से मुलाकात की. यह मुलाकात उनके कृष्णा नगर स्थित आवास पर हुई. इस दौरान समाजवादी पार्टी नेता और पूर्व सांसद अनु टंडन भी मौजूद रहीं. बैठक से पहले अखिलेश यादव ने दरवाजे पर मौजूद अन्य संतों का हाथ जोड़कर अभिवादन किया. इस मुलाकात के बाद अखिलेश यादव ने कहा कि वह शंकराचार्य से आशीर्वाद और मार्गदर्शन लेने आये हैं. उन्होंने यह भी कहा कि शंकराचार्य के आशीर्वाद से फर्जी संतों का अंत होने जा रहा है. इस मुलाकात को लेकर राजनीतिक गलियारों में भी चर्चा तेज हो गई है.

गौ-सम्मान जनजागरण अभियान के दौरान हुई बैठक
दरअसल, शंकराचार्य स्वामी अविमुक्तेश्वरानंद सरस्वती इन दिनों लखनऊ प्रवास पर हैं। उन्होंने यहां गो-प्रतिष्ठा जनजागरण अभियान शुरू किया है. बुधवार को हुई बैठक में उन्होंने गोरक्षा और गोसेवा के महत्व पर विस्तार से बात की. इस कार्यक्रम के बाद अखिलेश यादव उनसे मिलने उनके आवास पर पहुंचे. मुलाकात के दौरान दोनों के बीच कई मुद्दों पर चर्चा हुई. अखिलेश यादव ने कहा कि वह शंकराचार्य के आशीर्वाद और ज्ञान से प्रेरणा लेने आए हैं.

प्रदेश सरकार और सीएम योगी पर साधा निशाना
बैठक के बाद अखिलेश यादव ने प्रदेश की मौजूदा सरकार और मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ पर भी निशाना साधा. उन्होंने कहा कि पिछले कुछ दिनों से राज्य में सरकार ठीक से नहीं चल रही है. अखिलेश यादव ने दावा किया कि हाल ही में एक बैठक में दोनों उपमुख्यमंत्रियों को बाहर जाकर जनता के बीच जाकर स्थिति को समझने की सलाह दी गई थी. उन्होंने तंज कसते हुए कहा कि अगर वे जनता के बीच जाएंगे तो चुनाव भी हार सकते हैं.

गैस और महंगाई के मुद्दे पर भी सवाल उठाए
अखिलेश यादव ने कहा कि समाजवादी पार्टी सरकार के दौरान गोवंश की सेवा और संरक्षण को लेकर कई अहम फैसले लिए गए और उनकी पार्टी आगे भी इस दिशा में काम करती रहेगी. उन्होंने एलपीजी उपलब्धता के मुद्दे पर केंद्र और राज्य सरकार को जिम्मेदार ठहराया. उन्होंने कहा कि गलत नीतियों के कारण लोगों को फिर से लकड़ी के चूल्हे पर खाना बनाना पड़ सकता है. इसके अलावा उन्होंने जम्मू-कश्मीर के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री फारूक अब्दुल्ला पर हमले की कोशिश पर भी प्रतिक्रिया दी. उन्होंने कहा कि ऐसी घटनाएं नहीं होनी चाहिए और नेताओं को पर्याप्त सुरक्षा मिलनी चाहिए.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Iranian men’s national soccer team is welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup, but he does not believe it is appropriate for them to remain there “for the sake of their lives and safety.”

“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate for them to be there for the sake of their lives and safety,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Read the full story

Iran’s sports minister said on Wednesday it was not possible for his country’s athletes to participate after the US launched airstrikes against Tehran along with Israel. The attacks sparked region-wide conflict that shows no signs of abating.

The 48-team World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Iran’s matches will be held in Los Angeles and Seattle.

An official withdrawal by Iran from the showpiece event, which has not yet taken place, would be the first in the modern era and football’s global governing body FIFA will be left with the immediate task of finding a replacement team.

Iran was not the only nation at the FIFA planning summit for World Cup participants held in Atlanta last week.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Late last year it awarded Trump — who has campaigned aggressively for the Nobel Peace Prize — its own inaugural peace prize.

Earlier this week, Australia granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian female soccer players after they sought asylum out of fear of persecution upon returning home after refusing to sing the national anthem at an Asia Cup match.

Trump had urged Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to grant asylum to members of the Iranian women’s team and said that if Australia would not do so, the US would.

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The shooter at Old Dominion University in Virginia has been identified as Mohammed Baylor Jallow, 36, a former Army National Guard soldier who was previously convicted of supporting ISIS. In 2017, Jallow was sentenced to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Jalloh walked into a classroom inside ODU’s Constant Hall on Thursday and asked if it was an ROC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) classroom. As soon as someone confirmed, he started shooting and killing the professor. After Jalloh murdered the professor, who was a retired military officer, an ROTC cadet sprang into action and stabbed Jalloh to death. The shooting is being investigated as terrorism related. Jallow left the National Guard and became a follower of Anwar al-Awlaki, the slain leader of the branch of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. He once linked up with ISIL members during a six-month stay in Africa. The DOJ said that during a meeting during the trip, unknowingly observed by an FBI informant, Jalloh mentioned a desire to launch his own terrorist attack.Jalloh told the FBI source that he believed it was better to plan the attack during the month of Ramadan – which runs from mid-February to mid-March – because it was “100 percent the right thing” according to the DOJ.When he returned to the United States, Jalloh tried and failed to obtain firearms in North Carolina. He then went to a gun dealership in his native Northern Virginia, which sold him an assault rifle but it was deactivated before he could leave. Jalloh was arrested the day after purchasing the assault rifle and released in 2024. It is not known why his sentence was reduced. Jalloh was from Sierra Leone and a naturalized US citizen. FBI Director Kash Patel said, “Earlier today, an armed man opened fire at Old Dominion University, killing one person and injuring two others. The attacker has now died thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – with law enforcement’s quick response undoubtedly saving lives.” Patel said, “The FBI is now investigating the shootings as an act of terrorism. Our Joint Terrorism Task Force is fully engaged with local authorities and providing all necessary resources to the investigation.”

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that parents’ income cannot be the sole criterion for excluding a candidate from the OBC quota on the basis of being part of the ‘creamy layer’, stressing that the status and category of parents’ jobs should be considered, along with the income/assets test as an additional criterion for exclusion. Currently, the income limit to determine the ‘creamy layer’ is Rs 8 lakh per annum.The court’s judgment will have a major impact on the children of PSU and private sector employees as for them income was taken as the sole determining factor to decide on ‘creamy layer’ status, whereas in the case of children of government employees, their job category is the deciding factor. A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and R Mahadevan said that children of Group A and B government employees are barred from availing the benefits of OBC reservation due to their job status, but children of Group C and Group D employees are eligible to get the benefit of OBC reservation due to promotion and time loss, even if their income level exceeds the limit.The court rejected the Centre’s contention that it insisted on the income/asset test criteria and accepted the plea of ​​the aggrieved children of PSU employees, who had fought the case through their lawyer Shashank Ratnu for over a decade.An office memorandum issued by the Center in 1993 stated that the same principle would be applied to employees of public sector undertakings, banks, insurance organizations, universities and similar bodies holding equivalent or comparable posts. But “equality of positions” has not been carried out as contemplated in the OM, and a clarification letter was issued by the Government in 2004, making the income/asset test the sole criterion for PSU and private sector employees.The Supreme Court said that placing excessive emphasis on the 2004 letter, regardless of the status or category of service of the parents, would defeat the structural framework of exclusion envisaged under the 1993 OM.There cannot be double standards for children of government employees: Supreme CourtIt is also clear from a wide reading of the 1993 Office Memorandum along with the explanatory letter that salary income alone cannot be the sole criterion to decide whether a candidate falls in the creamy layer or not. Along with the position, the category of post to which the parents of the candidate belong is also required. Exclusions under Categories I to III of the Schedule are status-based rather than being entirely income-based, reflecting the policy understanding that advancement within the government service hierarchy reflects social progress independent of fluctuations in pay levels. The status of a candidate, whether he falls in the creamy layer of OBC or the non-creamy layer, cannot be decided on the basis of income alone,” Justice Mahadevan, who wrote the judgment, said. “Thus, determination of the creamy layer status solely on the basis of income group, without reference to the categories of posts and position parameters mentioned in the 1993 OM, is clearly untenable in law.”Highlighting that there cannot be different standards for children of government employees and others, the court said this would amount to discrimination which cannot be permitted.“Adopting an interpretation that disadvantages a section of the same backward class without rational justification would amount to treating similar people unequally and would thus become antithetical to equality… Keeping in mind the specific facts of the present cases, the logic adopted by the HC that treating similar employees of private entities and PSUs differently from government employees and their wards, while deciding their entitlement to reservation, would amount to hostile discrimination, certainly inspires the confidence of this court,” it said. Said.

मुजफ्फरनगर राजकीय पेंशनर्स कल्याण संगठन, मुजफ्फरनगर की जिला शाखा की मासिक बैठक भोपा रोड स्थित। पेंशन भवन में आयोजित की गई। इस बैठक में पेंशनभोगियों से संबंधित विभिन्न समस्याओं और मांगों पर विस्तार से चर्चा की गई।

बैठक की अध्यक्षता कर रहे हैं इंजीनियर बीआर शर्मा जबकि संचालन संस्था महासचिव इंजीनियर डीके गुप्ता इसे करें। बैठक में उपस्थित पेंशनभोगियों ने पेंशन संबंधी मुद्दों पर अपने विचार व्यक्त किये और सरकार से कई महत्वपूर्ण मांगें भी रखीं.

8वें वेतन आयोग में पेंशन संशोधन की मांग

बैठक इस दौरान वरिष्ठ उपाध्यक्ष डीपी जैन उन्होंने अपने विचार व्यक्त करते हुए कहा कि सरकार बनी आठवां वेतन आयोग पेंशन पुनरीक्षण को लेकर अभी कोई स्पष्ट आदेश नहीं दिए गए हैं।

उन्होंने कहा कि पेंशनभोगी संगठन की मांग है कि जिस तरह से वेतनभोगी कर्मचारियों के वेतन में संशोधन किया जाता है, उसी तरह किया जाना चाहिए. पेंशनधारियों की पेंशन भी पुनरीक्षित की जाए.

उन्होंने कहा कि पेंशनभोगी भी सरकारी सेवा का महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सा रहे हैं, इसलिए उनके हितों को भी बराबर ध्यान में रखा जाना चाहिए।

चिकित्सा प्रतिपूर्ति पर आयकर कटौती जारी करना

बैठक में यह मुद्दा भी उठा कि मेडिकल रीइंबर्समेंट पर इनकम टैक्स कटने से पेंशनर्स को परेशानी हो रही है.

डीपी जैन ने कहा कि संगठन इस समस्या को लेकर लगातार प्रयास कर रहा है और सरकार से अनुरोध किया जा रहा है चिकित्सा प्रतिपूर्ति पर आयकर कटौती बंद की जाए.

उन्होंने कहा कि बुजुर्ग पेंशनभोगियों के लिए स्वास्थ्य देखभाल का खर्च पहले से ही एक बड़ी चुनौती है, इसलिए इस तरह की कटौती उन पर अतिरिक्त वित्तीय दबाव डालती है।

देशभर में पेंशनर्स का आंदोलन चल रहा है

बैठक के दौरान अध्यक्ष मो इंजीनियर बीआर शर्मा कहा कि आठवें वेतन आयोग में पेंशन पुनरीक्षण को शामिल करने की मांग को लेकर पूरे देश में पेंशनभोगी संगठनों द्वारा आंदोलन चलाया जा रहा है।

उन्होंने कहा कि सभी संगठनों को पेंशनभोगियों के अधिकारों और हितों की रक्षा के लिए एकजुट प्रयास करना चाहिए।

उन्होंने उम्मीद जताई कि सरकार इस मुद्दे पर गंभीरता से विचार करेगी.

पेंशनधारियों से एकजुट रहने का आह्वान किया

बैठक में डिप्लोमा इंजीनियर वेलफेयर एसोसिएशन के अध्यक्ष इंजीनियर पीके गुप्ता ने भी अपने विचार साझा किये.

उन्होंने कहा कि भारत सरकार पेंशनर्स की समस्याओं पर विचार कर रही है, इसलिए पेंशनर्स को एकजुट रहकर अपनी मांगों को मजबूती से रखना चाहिए।

उन्होंने कहा कि एकजुटता से ही पेंशनभोगी अपने अधिकारों के लिए प्रभावी ढंग से आवाज उठा सकते हैं।

पुरानी पेंशन योजना लागू करने की मांग

पेंशनर्स बैठक मुजफ्फरनगर इस दौरान संगठन के महासचिव मो इंजीनियर डीके गुप्ता एक और अहम मांग उठाई.

उन्होंने कहा कि 2000 के बाद नियुक्त सरकारी कर्मचारियों के लिए पुरानी पेंशन योजना (ओपीएस)। लाभ मिलना चाहिए।

उन्होंने कहा कि नई पेंशन प्रणाली के कारण कई कर्मचारी अपने भविष्य की वित्तीय सुरक्षा को लेकर चिंतित हैं, इसलिए पुरानी पेंशन योजना को लागू करना जरूरी है.

दिवंगत साथियों को दी गई श्रद्धांजलि

बैठक के दौरान संगठन के दिवंगत साथियों की याद में दो मिनट का मौन रखकर श्रद्धांजलि दी गयी.

उपस्थित सभी सदस्यों ने दिवंगत साथियों की आत्मा की शांति के लिए प्रार्थना की।

कई सदस्य मौजूद थे

पेंशनर्स बैठक मुजफ्फरनगर संस्था के कई सदस्य उपस्थित रहे और अपने विचार साझा किये।

बैठक में सुभाष चंद्र अग्रवाल, योगेश कुमार, गजपाल शर्मा, प्रेमचंद, बृजमोहन अग्रवाल, उमेश चंद्र वर्मा, करन सिंह कई अन्य सदस्यों ने भी हिस्सा लिया.

बैठक के दौरान सभी सदस्यों ने पेंशनभोगियों के हितों से जुड़े मुद्दों पर एकजुट होकर आवाज उठाने का भी संकल्प लिया.

मुजफ्फरनगर में आयोजित राजकीय पेंशनर्स कल्याण संगठन की इस मासिक बैठक में पेंशनर्स की समस्याओं और मांगों को प्रमुखता से उठाया गया. आठवें वेतन आयोग में पेंशन संशोधन और पुरानी पेंशन योजना लागू करने जैसे मुद्दों पर चर्चा करते हुए पेंशनरों ने सरकार से सकारात्मक कदम उठाने की उम्मीद जताई. संगठन के पदाधिकारियों ने यह भी आश्वासन दिया कि पेंशनरों के अधिकारों और हितों के लिए निरंतर प्रयास जारी रहेंगे।

Qatar News: Travel influencer flees Doha with 12-hour desert drive to Riyadh amid Iran vs US-Israel war chaos

As the Iran vs. US-Israel conflict continues to disrupt air travel throughout the Middle East, one travel influencer’s desert trip from Doha to Riyadh has gone viral On social media. Singapore-based digital creator SuperAdrianMe shared a video documenting his experience of leaving Qatar by road after flights were disrupted, offering a first-hand glimpse of how travelers are improvising escape routes during the regional crisis.The creator posted the video on his social media handle and captioned it, “Leaving from Doha to Riyadh by land. Here’s my experience crossing by land. It was safe and smooth, but much longer than Google Maps suggests.” He advised travelers to prepare for a 10 to 12-hour journey, obtain a Saudi e-Visa before boarding and expect delays at border checkpoints before arriving. saudi arabia.He added, “Arriving in Riyadh and finally having a confirmed flight home felt like a real relief. For Saudi visas visit https://visa.visitsaudi.com/ #Middle EastWar #IsraelIranConflict #IranWar #doha #diyadh (sic).”

Travel chaos across the Gulf amid Iran vs. US-Israel war

The video immediately attracted attention as it reflected a broader trend of thousands of passengers stranded across the Gulf due to widespread airspace closures and flight suspensions due to the war. Airlines across the region have been forced to cancel or divert flights as security risks increase and governments tighten aviation restrictions. Major hubs such as Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have faced unprecedented disruptions, leaving travelers scrambling for alternatives, including land routes through neighboring countries. In many cases, travelers are choosing to cross the border into Saudi Arabia to catch flights from cities such as Riyadh, where few international routes are operational.

Desert route from Doha to Riyadh

The route shown in the viral video generally starts from Doha and heads south towards the Abu Samarra border crossing, which is Qatar’s primary land gateway to Saudi Arabia. From there, travelers enter Saudi territory near Salwa before continuing the long drive through desert highways towards Riyadh.Under normal circumstances, the journey takes about six to seven hours but travelers say border formalities and security checks can stretch the journey to 10 hours or more, especially during the current crisis. SuperAdrianMe described the crossing as safe but slow, advising travelers to be prepared for long waits and to ensure all visa documents are ready before attempting the journey.

Trend rising among travelers stranded amid Iran vs US-Israel war

The Singapore manufacturer is not the only traveler on this path. Similar stories have emerged in recent days of stranded passengers trying to escape the disrupted flight network. In one widely reported case, an Indian traveler whose flight was stopped in Doha walked across the desert to Riyadh to continue his journey to Europe.The story immediately attracted global attention as an example of the travel chaos caused by the conflict. Governments and airlines are also arranging limited repatriation flights, but the scale of the disruption means many travelers are still looking for alternative routes out of the region. In the absence of reliable flight schedules, social media posts like SuperAdrianMe’s video are becoming an unlikely source of information for stranded passengers. Travel influencers and ordinary travelers alike are sharing border crossing tips, visa requirements, road trip experiences and real-time updates at checkpoints.Such material has helped many passengers understand the realities of navigation in the Gulf during the crisis. For example, the influencer’s video highlights practical advice such as applying for a Saudi eVisa before departure, allowing extra time for border processing, preparing for long drives on desert highways. These details can make the difference between crossing easily and getting stuck at the border.

The Iran vs. US-Israel war is reshaping travel in the Middle East

The viral journey also shows how the Middle East conflict is reshaping travel patterns across the region. With many air corridors closed and security alerts issued in several Gulf states, travelers are being forced to rethink traditional routes. Some are flying through alternate hubs, while others are using land routes to reach airports that are still operating international flights. Experts say such travel improvements are likely to continue as long as the conflict disrupts aviation networks. For SuperAdrianmi, the long journey through the desert finally ended with relief. After crossing the border and completing the extended drive, the influencer said reaching Riyadh and securing a fixed flight home was a “real relief” after hours of uncertainty on the road. His story reflects the emotional reality faced by many travelers during the crisis: uncertainty, long detours and the hope of eventually reaching home.The viral video may seem like a simple travel vlog but it represents a much bigger story taking place in the Middle East. As geopolitical tensions continue to rise, ordinary travelers are being forced to navigate an increasingly unpredictable travel landscape, relying on creativity, flexibility and sometimes a long road through the desert to reach safety. At the moment, trips like the Doha-to-Riyadh escape route are becoming one of the most talked-about travel experiences of the current Middle East crisis.

अयोध्या में नगर निगम ने शहर को स्वच्छ और पर्यावरण अनुकूल बनाने के लिए एक महत्वपूर्ण कदम उठाया है। सामग्री पुनर्प्राप्ति सुविधा (एमआरएफ) केंद्र का पुनर्विकास किया गया है और मौशीवाला में शुरू किया गया है। इस केन्द्र के माध्यम से ठोस अपशिष्ट के बेहतर प्रबंधन की व्यवस्था की गई है। इस परियोजना का संचालन स्वयंसेवी संस्था चिंतन एनवायरमेंट रिसर्च एंड वर्किंग ग्रुप द्वारा किया जाएगा। इस एमआरएफ सेंटर का उद्घाटन अयोध्या के मेयर महंत गिरीश पति त्रिपाठी ने समारोह पूर्वक किया. इस पहल का उद्देश्य अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन में सुधार करना और शहर में स्वच्छता को बढ़ावा देना है।

कई अधिकारी व संगठनों के प्रतिनिधि मौजूद थे
इस अवसर पर नगर निगम एवं अन्य संस्थाओं के कई अधिकारी एवं प्रतिनिधि उपस्थित थे। कार्यक्रम में अपर नगर आयुक्त भरत भार्गव, सहायक नगर आयुक्त गुरु प्रसाद पांडे, एसबीआई फाउंडेशन के प्रबंध निदेशक स्वपन धर, रितेश सेन और मुस्कान शर्मा भी उपस्थित थे. इसके अलावा चिंतन संस्था की संस्थापक एवं निदेशक भारती चतुर्वेदी के साथ अपूर्व अग्रवाल, मोहित गर्ग, आलोक सिंह राणा, एकता भटनागर, विमल कुमार और विनय कुमार भी कार्यक्रम में शामिल हुए।

चार वार्डों के कचरे का प्रबंधन किया जायेगा
नगर निगम के जनसंपर्क अधिकारी मुकेश पांडे ने बताया कि मौसीवाला में स्थापित यह एमआरएफ सेंटर शहर के चार वार्डों से आने वाले कचरे का प्रबंधन करेगा. इनमें शिवनगर, चित्रगुप्तनगर, कृष्णानगर और लाला लाजपत राय नगर शामिल हैं। इन क्षेत्रों से एकत्र किए गए कचरे को इस केंद्र में लाकर अलग किया जाएगा। प्लास्टिक, कागज और अन्य पुनर्चक्रण योग्य सामग्री को पुनर्चक्रण के लिए भेजा जाएगा।

गीले कूड़े से जैविक खाद बनाई जाएगी
इस सेंटर में घरों से निकलने वाले गीले कचरे को कंपोस्टिंग प्रक्रिया के जरिए जैविक खाद में बदला जाएगा। तैयार इस खाद का उपयोग शहर में पौधारोपण और हरियाली बढ़ाने में किया जाएगा। इस प्रकार कचरे का समुचित उपयोग हो सकेगा और पर्यावरण संरक्षण को भी बढ़ावा मिलेगा।

प्रतिदिन 10 टन कूड़ा निस्तारण की क्षमता
नगर निगम के मुताबिक इस सेंटर के जरिए हर दिन करीब 10 टन कूड़े का निस्तारण किया जा सकता है. चिंतन संस्था ने इस काम के लिए 14 कर्मचारियों को तैनात किया है। अधिकारियों का कहना है कि इस प्रोजेक्ट की मदद से हर साल करीब साढ़े आठ लाख किलोग्राम कचरे को लैंडफिल में जाने से रोका जा सकेगा.

स्वच्छता रैंकिंग में सुधार की उम्मीद
महापौर महंत गिरीश पति त्रिपाठी ने कहा कि इस पहल से शहर के ठोस अपशिष्ट प्रबंधन को मजबूती मिलेगी और अयोध्या स्वच्छता रैंकिंग में बेहतर स्थान हासिल कर सकेगी. उन्होंने एसबीआई फाउंडेशन के अभियान “वेस्ट नो मोर इन अयोध्या” को सफल बनाने के लिए जन सहयोग की भी अपील की। उनका कहना है कि भविष्य में यह सेंटर अन्य शहरों के लिए भी प्रेरणादायक मॉडल बन सकता है.

Everybody sayin’ itmiddle east‘, whether it’s in a book or on television. But no one paid attention to why it was ‘East or West’. There is a history behind it that is important to know when this particular phrase is spoken at a high level. This term was popular during the British Empire. As reports suggest, this phrase was first used in 1902 by an American naval strategist, Alfred Thayer Mahan. That time. He described the land between India and the Persian Gulf as the ‘Middle East’. What happened was, Europe centered the map, measuring identity by distance from London. In this Eurocentric worldview the “Middle” East was strategically located between the Near East (Balkans) and the Far East (China and Japan).

The man behind the name ‘Middle East’: Alfred Thayer Mahan

Right after that day in 1902, when Alfred Thayer Mahan popularized the phrase ‘Middle East’, it became a global headline. He did this because he wanted to describe the land between India and the Suez Canal that the British Navy had to control to protect its empire. Currently, many scholars and popular political leaders debate about the phrase ‘Middle East’.

Why does India officially use the term ‘?west asia‘

according to Middle East Institute (MEI)Former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the first to suggest naming it ‘West Asia’, indicating that the term is geographical and does not depend on London as the center of the map. By using ‘West Asia’, India places the region precisely within the Asian continent. This policy was established to promote Asian solidarity and to view the region through a post-colonial lens rather than a British strategy.

How the Phrase ‘Middle East’ Changed During World War II

According to Britannica and meiIn 1939 the definition of this word expanded significantly. The British established the phrase ‘Middle East’ in Cairo, which accounted for a vast region stretching from North Africa to Iraq. Because this military command was so successful and its reports were published around the world, the term “Middle East” began to be used by the general public to describe the entire region, eventually completely replacing the older “Near East” in American and British English.

What is the change from ‘Middle East’ to ‘MENA’

As soon as India favored the term ‘West Asia’, globally people started adopting the acronym ‘MENA’, which stands for Middle East and North Africa. According to Britannica and world bankThis shift recognizes that the cultural and economic nexus of the region extends from the Sinai Peninsula to Africa. By using ‘MENA’, organizations attempt to move beyond the colonial ‘middle’ label while recognizing the interconnected nature of the modern Arab world. However, like the phrase coined by Alfred Thayer Mahan, even ‘MENA’ is criticized for being a ‘Western-centric’ group that prioritizes trade and security over local indigenous identity.Ultimately, the phrase ‘Middle East’ is a colonial map still in transition. While the label remains a global standard, the rise of ‘West Asia’ and ‘MENA’ signals a shift towards geographical sovereignty.

An Indian passenger was welcomed by family members upon taking off from Saudi Arabia at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat, amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. (PTI photo)

New Delhi: With the Israel-Iran war escalating by the day, Indian missions in West Asia, including Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, are working hard to evacuate as many compatriots as possible. While Bahrain has had no air connectivity since February 28, Doha and the UAE have some flights. But since they are clearly not close to the travel demand, given the fact that more than one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, these missions are coordinating with the Indian embassies in Saudi Arabia and Oman (for those residing in the UAE) to obtain transit visas so that people can travel to Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh and Muscat. Can go out of.But given the odds amid the war, Indians in the GCC are feeling the heat. A Doha-based Indian said, “I applied for a Saudi pass (transit) visa for myself, wife and my child on March 2. He has not yet arrived. I keep buying Qatar Airways tickets for Delhi flights but am unable to go out. Every time there is an explosion, our child gets very scared and we have difficulty consoling him.”

According to the aviation ministry, more than 1.5 lakh people have flown from the GCC to India between February 28 and March 11. Indian carriers resumed Riyadh flights from Thursday, with the first day seeing four flights each from Air India, IndiGo and AI Express.Aviation analytics company Cirium says that between March 6 and 12, Dubai International (DXB) saw a maximum of 167 departures to India, with Mumbai accounting for the highest number of departures at 62, followed by Delhi at 56; Hyderabad at 25th and Bengaluru at 24th. India has been the largest market for DXB for years.The Indian Embassy in Qatar on Thursday said Qatar Airways is expected to operate 1-2 daily flights to India in the coming days. “Indian nationals wishing to travel out of Qatar have the option of either taking a limited number of flights operated by Qatar Airways or transiting to Saudi Arabia via the Salwa border if a valid Saudi visa is available. We continue to facilitate temporary transit visas valid for 96 hours to Saudi Arabia for Indian nationals who were on a visit visa to Qatar and wish to transit through Saudi Arabia.”The UAE does not have regular flights and is giving slots to airlines as per availability. India is trying to get as many slots as possible but the demand is very high.Those who managed to reach home narrated their ordeal and also spoke about the pressure under which Indian Mission staff in the GCC are working. An Indian who returned to Mumbai on Thursday said, “The situation at Saudi embassies is strange in other GCC countries. Indian embassies are coordinating in getting Saudi transit visas which is a big help. We are really grateful to the embassy officials in Bahrain for helping us with our Saudi visas.”The Embassy in Qatar has set up a war room from where requests to get confirmed seats on Qatar Airways flights or Saudi visas are being handled.