INDIA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking three years in power, on Friday inaugurated the country's longest bridge that spans the vast Brahmaputra River in the northeastern state of Assam.
The 9.15 km (5.7 mile) Dhola-Sadiya bridge, strong enough to carry a 60-tonne battle tank, will reduce travel times from Assam to the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh whose territory is partly claimed by China.
"The inauguration of the bridge marks the end of a long wait for the people of this area," Modi's office quoted him as saying in a speech, adding the bridge "opens the door for economic development on a big scale".
Modi led his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a landslide victory in 2014. He remains popular - his party swept Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, in a recent state election and looks on track to win re-election in 2019.
The 66-year-old prime minister has made upgrading India's infrastructure a priority, also setting up a ministry to develop India's remote northeast beyond the so-called Chicken's Neck - a narrow strip of territory around Bangladesh.
Modi's trip to Assam, during which he will deliver a public address later in the day, rounded off a week of festivities and briefings to highlight his government's achievements. He embarks on a European tour next week.
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Modi, marking three years in power, opens India's longest bridge
Modi, marking three years in power, opens India's longest bridge
Trump says US seized ‘very large’ tanker near Venezuela
- Donald Trump: ‘We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized, actually’
- Trump: ‘And other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later and you’ll be talking about that later with some other people’
WASHINGTON: The United States has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, further escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump said at the start of a roundtable with business leaders at the White House.
“And other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later and you’ll be talking about that later with some other people.”
Trump did not immediately give further details on the incident.
His announcement came a day before Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was set to address the world from Oslo after coming out of hiding.
Trump’s administration has piled pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, deploying a fleet of warships and the world’s largest aircraft under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.
The United States has also carried out deadly strikes on more than 20 alleged drug boats in the region, killing at least 87 people.
Washington has accused Maduro of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns,” which it declared a terrorist organization last month.
Trump told Politico on Monday that Maduro’s “days are numbered” and declined to rule out a US ground invasion against Venezuela.
Maduro says the US is bent on regime change and wants to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves.
The Venezuelan army swore in 5,600 soldiers on Saturday after Maduro called for stepped-up military recruitment.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump said at the start of a roundtable with business leaders at the White House.
“And other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later and you’ll be talking about that later with some other people.”
Trump did not immediately give further details on the incident.
His announcement came a day before Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was set to address the world from Oslo after coming out of hiding.
Trump’s administration has piled pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, deploying a fleet of warships and the world’s largest aircraft under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.
The United States has also carried out deadly strikes on more than 20 alleged drug boats in the region, killing at least 87 people.
Washington has accused Maduro of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns,” which it declared a terrorist organization last month.
Trump told Politico on Monday that Maduro’s “days are numbered” and declined to rule out a US ground invasion against Venezuela.
Maduro says the US is bent on regime change and wants to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves.
The Venezuelan army swore in 5,600 soldiers on Saturday after Maduro called for stepped-up military recruitment.
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