Russia And Ukraine Exchange 230 Prisoners Of War

by Shambhu Datta Mishra

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

A Russian Defence Ministry statement mentioned that currently, all Russian servicemen are in the territory of the Belarus, where they are receiving the "necessary psychological and medical assistance", as well as the opportunity to contact their relatives

The exchange took place as Kyiv is celebrating the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine's Independence Saturday

The total number of captives exchanged through UAE mediation efforts has reached 1788, the statement stated

Moscow, Aug 24: Russia and Ukraine Saturday successfully exchanged 230 prisoners of war following negotiations held with the mediation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"As a result of the negotiation process, 115 Russian servicemen captured in the Kursk region have been returned from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In exchange, 115 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were transferred," the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.

It mentioned that currently, all Russian servicemen are in the territory of the Belarus, where they are receiving the "necessary psychological and medical assistance", as well as the opportunity to contact their relatives.

"All released servicemen will be delivered to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defence. The United Arab Emirates provided humanitarian mediation efforts during the return of Russian servicemen from captivity," the ministry added.

The exchange took place as Kyiv is celebrating the 33rd anniversary of Ukraine's Independence on Saturday.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed its appreciation to the Russian and Ukrainian governments for their cooperation with the country's mediation endeavours, coming less than a month after the previous exchange process.

The total number of captives exchanged through UAE mediation efforts has reached 1,788, it stated. The UAE Ministry emphasised that the success of the new mediation, the seventh since the beginning of this year, is the outcome of the country leveraging its robust ties and partnerships with both sides.

"These efforts reflect the UAE's commitment to being a reliable mediator supporting diplomacy to resolve the crisis between the two countries... Notably, since the beginning of this year, the UAE's mediation efforts have succeeded in completing exchanges of war captives between Russia and Ukraine, in addition to a successful exchange of two prisoners between the United States and the Russian Federation in December 2022," said the UAE Foreign Ministry.

The Ministry further affirmed the UAE's commitment to continuing all efforts and initiatives aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict, stressing the importance of dialogue, and de-escalation, as the only ways to resolve the conflict, and for mitigating its humanitarian repercussions.

(IANS)

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RG Kar Tragedy: Junior Doctors’ Street Protest Enters Fourth Day

by Utkalika Mohanty

Kolkata, Sep 13: The dharna by junior doctors in front of the West Bengal health department headquarters at Salt Lake over the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, entered its fourth day on Friday.

The agitators are determined to continue with their protests for an indefinite period till their demands are fulfilled.

The proposed discussion with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at state secretariat Nabanna on Thursday did not fructify as the administration refused to accept the doctors’ demand for a live-telecast of the meeting.

Following the refusal, the 30-member delegation went back to the dharna venue at Salt Lake and announced the continuation of the protests for an indefinite period.

The demonstration started on the afternoon of Tuesday and is still continuing.

The protesting doctors on Thursday morning reiterated their previous stand of going to the discussion table only if their four conditions are accepted by the state government.

These four conditions are allowing a delegation of 30 representatives, meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, live telecast of the meeting for the sake of transparency among all parties and finally the meeting to be based around the five-point agenda outlined since the beginning.

One of the major demands in the five-point agenda already outlined includes the suspensions of the state health secretary, state director of health services and director of medical education.

Now, it remains to be seen whether in the next hearing at the Supreme Court in the matter on September 17, the counsel for the West Bengal government will highlight these continuing protests as contempt of the apex court’s observation about the doctors re-joining duty.

In the September 9 hearing, the three-judge Bench of the apex court observed that the court will not be able to intervene in any possible state government action against the junior doctors if they do not rejoin duty by 5 P.M. on September 10.

Legal experts are of the opinion that if the state government’s counsel makes any attempt to describe the protests as contempt of the top court’s order, going strictly by legal terms this argument is unlikely to be accepted by the Supreme Court.

According to the senior counsel of Calcutta High Court, Kaushik Gupta, the Supreme Court never gave a direction to the junior doctors to return back to duty by the deadline fixed by it.

“What the apex court observed was that it will not be able to intervene if the state government acts against the junior doctors unless the latter rejoin duty by a specific time and date.

“Legally the ball is now in the court of the state government on what administrative action it will adopt to end the protests and compel the junior doctors to rejoin duty. But in my opinion, the logic of contempt of court will not be applicable," Gupta explained.

--IANS

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ASI DG To Inspect Shreemandir Ratna Bandar On Sept 18; Darshan To Be Suspended From 1 PM

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Puri, Sept 13: Darshan of deities-- Lord Jagannath and His siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra-- in Shreemandir will remain suspended for devotees from 1 pm on September 18 because of the scheduled Ratna Bhandar inspection work.

Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has set a special ritual schedule for the day.

According to the information, the Director General of the Archeological Survey of India and his team will inspect the inner Ratna Bhandar on September 18 after the second Bhoga Mandap.

The second Bhoga Mandap is likely to end by 1 pm. The ASI DG will start inspection work at 1 pm. Darshan of deities will remain suspended for the devotees during the inspection work," said an SJTA official.

Russia And Ukraine Exchange 230 Prisoners Of War

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