Russia, UAE call for immediate end to Israel-Iran conflict
Moscow, Jun 18 (PTI): Russia and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday called for an immediate cessation of the Israel and Iran conflict and an intensification of political and diplomatic efforts to resolve Tehran’s nuclear issue.
According to the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin discussed the issue during a telephonic conversation with his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“The imperative of an early cessation of hostilities and intensification of political and diplomatic efforts in the interests of resolving controversial issues related to the Iranian nuclear programme was emphasised,” the Kremlin said in a statement after the talks.
During the call, Putin also highlighted Russia’s readiness to provide mediation assistance in promoting dialogue between Israel and Iran, and briefed his UAE counterpart on his contacts with a number of foreign leaders about this.
As Israel and Iran continued to strike each other for the sixth day, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the nuclear threat is no longer hypothetical but real in West Asia.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel is pursuing two goals -- to foil Iran's nuclear ambitions and to neutralise its missile production and attack capabilities.
“All this leads not just to escalation, but to a direct threat to the region and the world because attacks are being carried out on peaceful atomic or nuclear facilities,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a radio interview.
She underscored that the nuclear threat has a practical dimension, not a hypothetical one and upheld Tehran’s right to have peaceful nuclear facilities that were now under attack.
Israel launched Operation Rising Lion last week, targeting Iran's nuclear, missile and military infrastructure. Iran later launched retaliatory strikes on Israel.
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson, Brig Gen Effie Defrin, at a press conference, said the Israeli Air Force has hit over 1,100 Iranian assets in hundreds of strikes in Iran since Friday.
Iran launched some 30 ballistic missiles at Israel in two barrages overnight, the IDF spokesperson confirmed, claiming that most of the projectiles were intercepted and there were no injuries.
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Railway exams postponed after pro-Kannada activists protests over exclusion of language
Bengaluru (PTI): South Western Railway on Tuesday abruptly postponed its recruitment examinations following protests by pro-Kannada organisations over the conduct of tests only in English and Hindi.
Members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike gathered outside exam centres in Bengaluru and Hubballi, demanding that the exams also be held in Kannada.
"The recruitment examinations have been postponed due to the protests and next dates would be announced later," a SWR official said.
Officials said the South Western Railway (SWR) had scheduled promotion examinations on Tuesday to fill 295 posts, including 194 posts of goods train manager.
Following the development, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the Union Government to ensure that Kannada-speaking candidates are not subjected to "such injustice".
He also sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue necessary directions in this regard, demanding that the cancelled examinations be conducted at the earliest, with provision to write them in Kannada.
The morning exams were postponed after members of the pro-Kannada organisation staged protests near the exam centres in parts of the state including Bengaluru. The exams scheduled for the afternoon hours have also been postponed, he said.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has been opposing the move to drop the local language from the recruitment exams, stating it could prevent local candidates from appearing.
Welcoming the postponement, the organisation warned it would resume protests if the exams are held again without meeting its demands.
"Every state language must be respected. Candidates must be allowed to write exams in their respective state languages...Kannada in Karnataka, Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Marathi in Maharashtra, so that local candidates can have better opportunities to serve in higher positions," Hanumanthappa Ambigeri, a member of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, told reporters in Hubballi.
Taking to social media platform 'X', Siddaramaiah said the Railway Department has abruptly cancelled the promotion examinations scheduled to be held today for 194 Goods Train Manager posts in South Western Railway and 101 LDCE posts in the Hubballi division, placing Kannada employees in uncertainty.
This follows strong opposition from Kannadigas and Kannada organisations, he said.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that thousands of Kannada-speaking employees had already raised objections over the lack of provision to write the examination in the local language.
Despite peaceful protests, he alleged that the department failed to respond in time, cancelling the examinations at the last moment and leading to the present confusion.
"Had the department acted early and allowed the examination in Kannada, this situation could have been avoided. Instead, its indifferent approach and last-minute cancellation after protests intensified is condemnable," Siddaramaiah said.
The chief minister claimed that this is not the first instance, nor will it be the last, of Kannadigas facing injustice in central government examinations.
"Due to the continued imposition of Hindi in recruitment processes across central departments, Kannada candidates have long been subjected to unfair treatment," he alleged.
"It is unfortunate that this has occurred even when (state MP) V Somanna serves as Minister of State for Railways. I had expected that he would stand for Kannadigas and address this injustice, but that expectation has not been fulfilled. He must move beyond words and act in the interest of Karnataka," he said.
Siddaramaiah said that Kannadigas have already experienced the adverse impact of the Centre's preference for Hindi and neglect of regional languages. Restricting central examinations to Hindi and English is unacceptable, he said.
"India is a union of states formed on linguistic foundations. We do not oppose Hindi, but we will not accept its imposition over Kannada. Kannadigas are not seeking employment or promotion as charity, but asserting their right in the language they were educated in," he added.
