Russia, U.S. to name negotiators to end war tirupati l wednesday l february 19, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l anantapur EDITION US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) at the meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Tuesday | AFP Russia and the United States will name teams to negotiate a path to ending the war in Ukraine, leaders of both nations said on Tuesday in Riyadh. No Ukrainian officials were present at the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed his nation’s exclusion from the Riyadh gathering. He said that any talks aimed at ending the Ukraine war should be “fair” and involve European countries, including Turkey. CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI After Modi, Amir talks, Qatar ties in strategic zone GBS deaths: Report on docs’ negligence sought E x press N e w s S er v i c e @ Vijayawada Aim to double bilateral trade from $14 bn in five years, enhance energy, trade partnership On a wing as Delta flips J ayanth J a c o b @ New Delhi India and Qatar elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership on Tuesday, agreeing to double their annual trade from $14 billion in five years and focusing on enhancing cooperation in energy, investments and the technology sector following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Both sides signed agreements and five memorandums of understanding (MOUs), including a revised double taxation avoidance pact. India already has strategic ties with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “Had a very productive meeting with my brother, Amir of Qatar H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, earlier today . Under his leadership, Qatar has scaled new heights of progress. He is also committed to a strong India-Qatar friendship. This visit is even more special because we have elevated our ties to a Strategic Partnership,” Modi said on X. “Trade, investment and energy were among the major top- Videograb of a Delta Airline plane upside down at Toronto Pearson Int’l Airport on Tuesday. The jet landed amid strong winds and snow, leading to it crashing and flipping over. Its right wing was missing. All 80 on board survived Pic: Shekhar Yadav Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday ics of discussion between the two leaders today,” said Arun Chatterjee, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Qatar is also a major investor in India, with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) holding around $1.5 billion in FDI across sectors like retail, power, IT, education & healthcare. Regarding a Navy official who is still in Qatari jail, Chatterjee said, “I would like to just mention that his matter still remains sub judice in the local courts in Qatar. And as I mentioned, the prime minister appreciated the work that Amir and his government is doing in the protection and the welfare of our Indian citizens.” Rahul, Tharoor kiss and make up after latter’s praise of ‘Kerala model’ PREETHA NAIR & K S SREEJITH @ New Delhi / T’Puram AMID the row over Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent column in this newspaper backing the CPM-led Kerala government’s development initiatives, senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held a 30-minute oneon-one meeting with the fourtime MP from Thiruvananthapuram, who has come under fire from the party’s state unit. Sources said the Congress’ top leadership has decided to stand with Tharoor, who managed to convince Rahul about the facts in his column. Both leaders also agreed to meet more frequently . This is the first such meeting between Rahul and Tharoor in about three years and is seen as Rahul Gandhi Shashi Tharoor a reconciliatory effort on the part of the central leadership. “Tharoor has been trying for an appointment with Rahul ever since the latter contested for Congress president in 2022. It required an article for that to happen,’’ a close confidant of Tharoor said in half jest. However, the development is seen as a blow to the state leadership. Leader of Opposition V D Satheeshan, his predecessor Ramesh Chennithala, and senior leader K Muralidharan had buried their differences and united to condemn Tharoor. Sources said Tharoor raised the issue of non-cooperation from the Kerala leadership and the lack of inclusiveness in discussion at the national level. Speaking to media later, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Veugopal said all is well in the party and that Tharoor shares the party’s views. However, Tharoor declined to comment on the meeting. “It was a long-pending request I had made for a meeting to discuss various issues. Since it was a meeting where only the two of us were present throughout, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more,” he said. Minister for Health, Family Welfare & Medical Education Y Satya Kumar Yadav has sought a report from the Director of Medical Education (DME) on two suspected GBS deaths at the King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam and the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada. The Health Minister on Tuesday directed the DME to look into complaints of doctors’ negligence in treating the patients. Renuka Mohanti (63) of S Kota mandal in Vizianagaram district was admitted to the KGH with GBS symptoms on Sunday, and she died on Monday She was reportedly admin. istered immunoglobulin. However, her relatives alleged that she died due to negligence on the part of doctors. Denying the charge, the KGH Superintendent clarified that Renuka died of a heart attack. In another incident, Sunitha (35) of G Konduru mandal in NTR district died on Monday soon after being admitted to the GGH in Vijayawada. Her family members alleged that she died due to negligence of doctors. However, the GGH Superintendent clarified that she was suffering from diabetes for the past 15 years, and hypo thyroid for the past five years, and there was no negligence on the part of doctors in treating the patient. From January this year, 45 GBS cases have been reported in the State. On Tuesday, two patients with GBS symptoms were admitted to hospitals. At present, 19 patients are being treated for GBS at various hospitals in the State, revealed the health officials. express read Plan to bring 10 lakh acres under aquaculture Muslim staff can leave early during Ramzan Vijayawada: Speaking at the three-day Aqua Tech 2.0 Conclave in Vijayawada on Tuesday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said by leveraging technology and adopting innovative methods, achieving a steady 30% growth rate is possible. Currently, aquaculture is practised on 4 lakh acres, and the State government aims to increase it to 10 lakh acres by 2029-30, he said Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a concession for Muslim employees, allowing them to leave work an hour early during the holy month of Ramzan, which falls on March 2-30, 2025. This permission extends to all Muslim employees, including teachers, contract workers, and those hired on an outsourcing basis, as well as Village/Ward Secretariats.