India backs UNGA resolution allowing Palestine's Abbas to address high-level session via video
United Nations (PTI): India on Friday voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution that allows Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address its upcoming high-level session through video after the US denied visas to Palestinian officials, preventing their participation in person.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution titled ‘Participation by the State of Palestine’ during its 80th session, with 145 nations voting in favour, five against and six abstentions. The US and Israel opposed the measure, while India was among those supporting it.
The resolution expressed regret over the US' decision to deny visas to and revoke visas of Palestinian representatives, which effectively barred them from participating in the UN meetings.
It decided that President Abbas can address the General Debate of the 80th UNGA session on September 25 via a “pre-recorded statement”, which will be played in the General Assembly Hall after introduction by its representative physically present in the venue.
The General Debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly will commence on September 23, with the Palestinian Head of State scheduled to address world leaders on September 25.
The resolution also allowed Palestine to deliver statements by videoconference or through pre-recorded messages at the September 22 international conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and Implementation of the Two-State Solution.
Palestine "may submit a pre-recorded statement of its President or other high-level representative" at any meeting or UN conference and at international conferences and meetings "convened under the auspices of the General Assembly or, as appropriate, under the auspices of other organs of the United Nations" if Palestinian representatives are prevented from participating in UN meetings, the resolution said.
Currently, Palestine, which has the status of a “non-member observer state” since 2012, can participate in UN proceedings but does not have voting rights. The only other non-member Observer State at the UN is the Holy See.
In 1988, India became one of the first countries to recognise the State of Palestine with firm support and commitment to the two-State solution.
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Blast at railway track in Patiala was attempted detonation, killed operator: Punjab Police
Chandigarh (PTI): A blast that took place at a railway track near the Shambhu area in Punjab's Patiala was an attempted detonation, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.
The person who was trying to carry out the detonation on Monday has died, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said.
The blast took place near the Shambhu-Ambala rail track. Police earlier said that an unidentified body, which was blown into pieces, was recovered from the spot.
Initially, it was considered a low-intensity blast. However, investigation has revealed that it was an attempted detonation.
The explosion occurred at around 10 pm at the rail track dedicated for freight trains, police said.
The explosion also caused some damage to the track.
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"Late night, we had received information about a low intensity explosion at a railway track near Shambhu-Haryana border. Immediately, I, along with the deputy inspector general of police and other senior officials, rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
"We found that it was not a low intensity explosion but an attempted detonation," the SSP said.
During the attempt, the person who was trying to carry out the detonation died, and his body has been recovered, he said.
Police said they have recovered a SIM card from the spot.
"After getting whatever scientific evidence including a SIM card from the spot, police have launched technical investigation," Sharma said.
"We expect that we will soon unravel the whole conspiracy," he said.
He further said the Government Railway Police, the Railway Protection Force and other agencies are involved in investigation.
Earlier in January, a blast on a dedicated freight corridor railway track in the Fatehgarh Sahib district's Sirhind had damaged the engine of a train and left a loco pilot injured.
