PM Modi arrives in UAE for final leg of two-nation visit
Abu Dhabi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Saturday on a day-long visit to the UAE during which he will meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and review the burgeoning bilateral ties between the two strategic partners.
Modi arrived in Abu Dhabi following his successful two-day visit to Paris where he joined French President Emmanuel Macron for the Bastille Day parade as the Guest of Honour and signed several agreements to bolster bilateral ties.
Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Sheikh Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
"I look forward to meeting my friend, H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan," Prime Minister Modi said in his departure statement on Thursday.
"Our two countries are engaged across a wide range of sectors such as trade, investments, energy, food security, science and technology, education, fintech, defence, security, and robust people-to-people ties," he said.
Energy, food security, and defence are expected to be the focus areas of Modi's visit to the UAE during which the two countries will review the progress in bilateral relations after they inked a landmark trade agreement.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which gave a new thrust to the economic engagement between the two countries, was signed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
India and the UAE are engaged across various sectors such as trade, investments, energy, food security, science and technology, education, fintech, defence, security, and robust people-to-people ties.
The Indian expatriate community is the largest ethnic community in UAE constituting roughly 30 per cent of the country's population. The number of resident Indian Nationals was estimated to be 3.5 million in 2021 as per the UAE records.
Landed in Abu Dhabi. I look forward to the deliberations with HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which will further deepen India-UAE cooperation. @MohamedBinZayed pic.twitter.com/l3alPoKjXK
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2023
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
