UK's partnership with India beacon in stormy seas: UK PM Boris Johnson
New Delhi(PTI): The UK's partnership with India is a beacon in stormy seas as the world faces growing threats from autocratic states which seek to undermine democracy, choke off fair trade and trample on sovereignty, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.
Ahead of his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Johnson said the India-UK collaboration, from climate change to energy security and defence, is of vital importance as both countries look to the future.
The British high commission said Johnson is expected to discuss with Modi the next-generation defence and security collaboration across the five domains -- land, sea, air, space and cyber -- as both nations face complex new threats.
This includes support for new Indian-designed and built fighter jets, offering the best of British know-how on building battle-winning aircraft and support India's requirements for new technology to identify and respond to threats in the Indian Ocean, it said in a statement.
"To support greater defence and security collaboration with India over the coming decade, the UK will issue an Open General Export Licence (OGEL) to India, reducing bureaucracy and shortening delivery times for defence procurement. This is our first OGEL in the Indo-Pacific region," the high commission said.
It said Johnson will also discuss new cooperation on clean and renewable energy aimed at supporting New Delhi's energy transition away from imported oil and increasing its resilience through secure and sustainable energy, and addressing climate change in both the UK and India.
The British prime minister arrived in India on Thursday on a two-day visit in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war.
"The world faces growing threats from autocratic states which seek to undermine democracy, choke off free and fair trade and trample on sovereignty.The UK's partnership with India is a beacon in these stormy seas," Johnson was quoted as saying by the high commission.
"Our collaboration on the issues that matter to both our countries, from climate change to energy security and defence, is of vital importance as we look to the future," he said.
The high commission said the UK and India are launching a virtual Hydrogen Science and Innovation hub to accelerate affordable green hydrogen, as well as new funding for the Green Grids Initiative announced at COP26.
It said the UK and India are collaborating as a force for good globally.
"Our governments are committing up to 75 million pounds (1 GBP= Rs 99.63) to roll out adaptable clean tech innovations from India to the wider Indo-Pacific and Africa, and working together on international development and girls education," it said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
