WORLD

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a condolence letter to former Prime of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on the death of his mother Begum Shamim Akhtar, who died on November 22.

The letter was handed over to Maryam Nawaz Sharif by Charge d'Affaires at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Gaurav Ahluwalia.

The Indian diplomat wrote a letter informing Maryam Nawaz Sharif of the Indian premier's missive.

In the letter, Gaurav Ahluwalia wrote, "I am forwarding to you a letter from the Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi addressed to the former Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan His Excellency Muhammad Nawaz Sharif."

The countdown for the launch of communication satellite CMS-01 onboard launch vehicle Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C50) commenced on Wednesday, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.

The polar satellite launch vehicle's 52nd mission is scheduled for lift-off at 3.41 pm on December 17 (Thursday) from the second launch pad at the spaceport of Sriharikota 'subject to weather conditions'.

"Countdown for the launch of PSLV-C50/CMS01 mission commenced today at 1441hrs from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR Sriharikota. Launch is scheduled tomorrow at 1541 Hrs IST," ISRO said. It also added, "Filling of fuel for the fourth stage (PS4) of PSLV-C50 completed."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday light up Swarnim Vijay Mashaal' from the eternal flame of the National War Memorial here marking the 50th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in 1971. Four victory marshaals (flaming torches) will be lit from the eternal flame and they will be carried to various parts of India, including to the villages of Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra awardees of the 1971 war, the defence ministry said in a statement.

"Soil from the villages of these awardees and from areas where major battles were fought in 1971 are being brought to the National War Memorial (NWM)," it said. India celebrates December 16 as Vijay Diwas to commemorate its victory over Pakistan during the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

The prime minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at NWM on Wednesday, the statement said. The prime minister, chief of defence staff and tri-service chiefs will then lay wreaths and pay homage to the fallen soldiers, it said.

A fuel transport ship was attacked by an explosive-laden boat in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the kingdom’s Ministry of Energy said.

The Singapore-flagged oil tanker’s owner confirmed it was struck by a blast in the fuel terminal in Jeddah during a “terrorist” assault.

“The attack resulted in a small fire, which emergency units successfully extinguished. The incident did not result in any casualties, and there was no damage caused to the unloading facilities, nor any effect on supplies,” a ministry spokesman said, according to the state news agency SPA.

In a statement on Monday, shipping company Hafnia said all 22 sailors on board the BW Rhine escaped without injury. The company warned it was possible some oil leaked out from the site of the blast.

China is carrying out joint air force exercises with Pakistan in Sindh as part of the sabre-rattling in response to the Indo-Pacific Quad exercises in which the Indian Navy participated recently.

The war games, merely 200 km from the Indian border, are taking place just a week after Chinese Defence Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe visited Pakistan to sign an MoU for closer military cooperation.

The exercises, named 'Shaheen' or Falcon-IX, are underway at the newly operational Bholari air base near Karachi.

According to a Japanese news agency, the Pakistan Air Force released a video showing the wide range of military aircraft on display in the exercise, which will last until late December.

China has sent its fourth-generation Shenyang J-11 air superiority fighters and Chengdu J-10 multirole jets.