Tuesday, October 31, 2023

"Humanitarian Law Not An 'A La Carte' Menu": UN Chief On Israel-Gaza War

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday expressed deep alarm over the intensifying Israel-Hamas conflict, including expansion of ground operations by the Israel army, asserting that international humanitarian law is not an a la carte menu and cannot be applied selectively and all parties must abide by it.

The UN chief reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for unimpeded humanitarian access to be granted consistently, safely and to scale in order to meet the urgent needs created by the catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

"I am deeply alarmed by the intensification of the conflict between Israel and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza. This includes the expansion of ground operations by the Israel Defence Forces accompanied by intense air strikes, and the continued rocket fire towards Israel from Gaza," Guterres said in a statement on the situation in Gaza.

"I remain deeply concerned about the risk of a dangerous escalation beyond Gaza and urge all leaders to exercise utmost restraint to avoid a wider conflagration," said Guterres, who is currently in Nepal on an official visit.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that on October 30, significant Israeli ground operations within Gaza continued for the fourth consecutive day, alongside intense bombardments.

A total of 304 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on October 29, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. This brings the cumulative fatality toll reported in Gaza since the start of hostilities to 8,309, of whom 70 per cent are said to be children and women, OCHA said.

Guterres added that civilians have borne the brunt of the current fighting from the outset. Protection of civilians on both sides is paramount and must be respected at all times.

"International humanitarian law establishes clear rules that cannot be ignored. It is not an a la carte menu and cannot be applied selectively. All parties must abide by it, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution," Guterres said.

He voiced concern that with too many Israeli and Palestinian lives already lost, this escalation only increases the immense suffering of civilians.

OCHA noted that Palestinian armed groups' indiscriminate rocket firing towards Israeli population continued over the past 24 hours, with no fatalities reported.

Overall, about 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, according to the Israeli authorities, the vast majority on October 7 when the current conflict started after Hamas' attack on Israel. According to the Israeli authorities, 238 people are held captive in Gaza, including Israelis and foreign nationals.

Guterres also voiced concern at the level of humanitarian assistance that has been allowed into Gaza up to this point, describing it as "completely inadequate and not commensurate with the needs of people in Gaza, compounding the humanitarian tragedy." On October 30, a total of 26 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. OCHA noted that while the increase in the volume of aid entering Gaza during the past two days is welcome, it said current amounts are a fraction of what is needed to prevent further deterioration in the already-dire humanitarian situation, including civil unrest.

Guterres repeated his "utter condemnation" of the acts of terror perpetrated by Hamas on October 7. "There is never any justification for the killing, injuring and abduction of civilians," Guterres said, adding that he appeals for the immediate and unconditional release of those civilians held hostage by Hamas.

He also condemned the killing of civilians in Gaza and said he is dismayed by reports that two-thirds of those who have been killed are women and children.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths told the UN Security Council that the deliveries into Gaza via the Rafah border are a "drop in the ocean" compared to the vast scale of needs.

Guterres also mourned and honoured the United Nations colleagues who have tragically been killed in the bombardment of Gaza over the past three weeks.

OCHA said that as of October 30, more than 1.4 million people in Gaza were internally displaced, with nearly 672,000 sheltering in 150 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) facilities. The average number of internally displaced persons per shelter is over three times their intended capacity.



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Arrested For Thrashing Cop, 2 Men Fire At 3 Other Policemen In UP

Not content with being arrested for thrashing a policeman, two men from Uttar Pradesh decided to take things up a notch and fired at three police personnel after snatching their rifles while being taken for a medical check-up. A sub-inspector and two constables were injured and the two men were also shot in the leg.

After a child was run over by a speeding bus in Mahoba, about 260 km from Lucknow, on Monday, a policeman who was part of a team which had gone to disperse an angry crowd and ease a traffic jam had been beaten up by some people. The other members of the team had fled. The police had later registered a case and made five arrests. 

When they were being taken to a hospital for a medical check-up on Tuesday, the accused and the police personnel, from Panwari police station in Mahoba, stopped for a washroom break. This was when two of the five accused - 45-year-old Parshuram and 22-year-old Monu - snatched the rifles of two of the police personnel and opened fire. 

Sub-inspector Surendra and constables Ankit Singh and Mithun were injured and the two men were shot in their legs when the police personnel returned fire. All five have been admitted to a hospital.

Mahoba Superintendent of Police Aparna Gupta said, "A case had been registered against five people for misbehaving with, and beating up, a policeman on Monday. The sub-inspector was trying to ease a traffic jam when he was beaten up. They were being taken for a medical check-up when they snatched the rifles of some police personnel and opened fire. A sub-inspector and two constables have suffered minor injuries."



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Bangladesh Ex Army General Arrested Over Fake 'Biden Adviser' Connection

Bangladesh police on Tuesday arrested a former army general who allegedly prompted a Bangladeshi-American national to appear before the media, identifying himself as a close "advisor" to US President Joe Biden and convey his administration's support for a regime change in the country.

"We have arrested former Lt General Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardi from (suburban) Savar and brought him to our office for initial interrogation and subsequent legal procedures,” police's detective branch chief Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid told reporters.

Rashid said the former general was the accused no. 2 of a case relating to the fraudulence, under which so-called Biden adviser Mian Zahidul Islam Arefy now awaits trial on charges of fraudulence and instigating anarchy in Bangladesh.

On Saturday, Suhrawardi escorted Arefy to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) central office in Dhaka where he spoke before a group of reporters alongside party activists as the US president's adviser and a "member of (US) national democratic committee".

Police arrested Arefy on Sunday from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as he was trying to leave Bangladesh.

Arefy assured the media of the Biden administration's support for a regime change in Bangladesh while Suhrawardy and BNP leader Ishraque Hossain sat beside him along with some other junior party leaders.

"We (Biden and I) have a hot connection...Joe Biden and I exchange text messages 10 to 15 times a day," he was heard saying in English at the media briefing.

Arefy, who grew up in Bangladesh's northwestern Pabna district, commented that Bangladesh almost became Sri Lanka in terms of economic crisis while soon it would become a state of India if the Awami League regime continued in power.

He claimed that the recent US visa sanctions or restrictions on Bangladeshi officials were the outcome of his efforts. He said he would ensure sanctions against Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Law Minister Anisul Huq and more law enforcement officials.

In initial police interrogation, Arefy claimed he was prompted by Suhrawardy to make the claims.

The US embassy in Dhaka quickly issued a statement, saying "this gentleman does not speak for the US government and is a private individual".

Bangladesh's foreign minister AK Abdul Momen called him an "imposter”.

Rashid said police were set to start an initial interrogation of the former general and he would be asked what prompted him to stage the drama.

Hours before Suhrawardy's arrest, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she issued an order to arrest him.

"He will not be spared,” the premier said while replying to a question at a press conference at her Gonobhaban official residence.

Sarwardy previously served as the director general of elite Special Security Force designated to provide security to VVIP's including Hasina, general officer commanding of army's Savar-based 9 Division and the head of the National Defence College (NDC).

After his retirement, the army declared him persona non grata to the country's military installations for his suspicious and disturbing public comments.



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Enforcement Directorate Will Arrest Arvind Kejriwal On November 2: Atishi

The Aam Aadmi Party claimed today that there are apprehensions that the Enforcement Directorate, or ED, will arrest Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 2 after questioning him in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.

Delhi's ruling party also alleged that the BJP is trying to finish it off by jailing its top leaders.

Arvind Kejriwal has been issued the summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and according to sources, the ED will record his statement once he deposes at the probe agency's Delhi office at 11 am on November 2.

This is the first time that Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by the ED. He was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case in April.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Delhi Minister Atishi claimed the BJP is using these tactics to target the AAP as the party knows that it cannot defeat Arvind Kejriwal in the elections.

"According to various sources, the ED will arrest Arvind Kejriwal and put him in jail on November 2. Today, the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi want to eliminate the Aam Aadmi Party. This is why, one after another, AAP leaders are being arrested in false cases and sent to jail," she said.

Atishi said Mr Kejriwal will be arrested not because there is a case or any evidence against him but because he has spoken out against the BJP.

"He will be arrested only because Prime Minister Modi is afraid of him. They know that if there is one leader in this country who openly speaks against the BJP and fights against the party, it is Arvind Kejriwal. Since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, he has been most troubled by one person and that is Arvind Kejriwal," she said.

In 2015, the BJP had been winning one state election after another but Arvind Kejriwal managed to confine the BJP to just three seats in Delhi, while the AAP won 67 of the 70 seats, she said.

In 2020 again, Atishi said, the BJP put all its efforts into the Delhi elections, fielding its leaders and creating a charged atmosphere across the country.

"However, the people of Delhi showed their love for their son Arvind Kejriwal, and made him the chief minister of Delhi once more.

"When the MCD elections came, the BJP knew that the people of Delhi would elect Arvind Kejriwal and throw the BJP out of the MCD. They delayed the MCD elections, imposed restrictions, and conducted elections along with the Gujarat elections. However, despite all this, the people of Delhi still elected Arvind Kejriwal in the MCD elections," she said.

Referring to the arrest of the AAP's top leaders, including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendar Jain, Atishi claimed it only means that the BJP wants to "finish off the AAP".

Mr Jain has been granted interim bail in a money laundering case.

"After Arvind Kejriwal is arrested, the BJP will target other leaders of the INDIA bloc and its Chief Ministers using the CBI and the ED.

"Next they will target Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren since they have been unable to defeat him. Then they will target Tejashwi Yadav since they have not been able to break the alliance in Bihar. Then Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will be targeted," Atishi claimed.

"I want to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party are not afraid of going to jail nor are they afraid of false cases. They will fight till the last breath to protect the Constitution of this country," she said.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj echoed Atishi's views and asserted the party has only grown stronger in the face of opposition.

"The BJP fears Mr Kejriwal's popularity and honesty. Every time an attempt is made to end the AAP, it emerges stronger with double force.

"In the history of Independent India, the AAP has been the most-preyed-upon party by the Centre. Approximately, 170 fabricated cases have been registered against the AAP and its leaders. Forty-eight of these fabricated cases are registered against Sanjay Singh alone by the Uttar Pradesh government and the BJP's other governments. Dozens of cases have also been registered against Mr Kejriwal," he claimed.

Addressing a press conference, the AAP's Delhi state convener Gopal Rai said the AAP will keep working for the common man.

"Liquor policy is just an excuse. The BJP's goal is to eliminate the AAP. If it were only about the liquor policy, there wouldn't have been CBI raids at Chief Minister's office before and the Shunglu Committee wouldn't have scrutinised every single file. In the liquor policy case, even the CBI had called Arvind Kejriwal and he answered all their questions," he added.

Gopal Rai also said the BJP's ouster is certain in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"I want to tell the people of Delhi that we will confront their tyranny head-on and continue development work in Delhi," he said.

AAP MLA Dilip Pandey said they are disciples of Bhagat Singh and are ready to sacrifice their lives but will not bow before the BJP.



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Monday, October 30, 2023

"We're Paying For Defaults": Sundar Pichai In US Antitrust Trial

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, on Monday acknowledged the importance of being the default search engine in keeping users glued to the company's products -- a key point in a once-in-a generation antitrust fight with the US government focused on the billions of dollars Google paid to be the default on laptops and smartphones.

Sundar Pichai, who was called by Google, testified in a trial that will determine whether Google acted illegally to maintain its dominance of online search and parts of search advertising. If the government wins, the company may be forced to scrap some business practices that have helped it stay on top.

In testimony Monday morning, Sundar Pichai was shown instances where Google pressed Apple, wireless companies and smartphone makers which use Google's Android operating system to be made the default for their devices in exchange for billions of dollars in payments.

"We're paying for defaults. That's correct. We pay for preload exclusivity on a device-by-device basis," Sundar Pichai said under questioning from the Justice Department.

A lawyer for the Justice Department asked Sundar Pichai about a 2007 discussion of Google executives, which included Sundar Pichai before he became chief executive, about an Apple request to let users choose their search engine on a new version of its browser Safari.

A document at the time noted that 75% of people do not change defaults, and noted: "Defaults have strong impact."

Also Monday, Sundar Pichai took a couple of swipes at its tech rival Microsoft browser, maker of Internet Explorer.

Before Google launched its Chrome browser, which competes with the Microsoft product, Sundar Pichai said, "The browser market at the time had kind of stagnated.

"They (Microsoft) were not that incented to improve the browser," he added, calling Chrome a "pretty dramatic improvement" when it was launched in 2008.

The clout in search makes Google a heavy hitter in the lucrative advertising market, its biggest revenue source.

Google has also argued that if people are dissatisfied with default search engines, they can, and do, switch to another search provider. It has also argued the revenue share agreements are legal and that it has invested heavily to keep its search and advertising businesses competitive.



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Sunday, October 29, 2023

Trinamool Activist Killed In Clash Between Two Party Factions In Bengal: Cops

A 24-year-old Trinamool Congress activist was killed on Sunday after a clash allegedly broke out between two factions of the ruling party in West Bengal in North 24 Parganas district, police said.

Akash Prasad, a TMC supporter, was declared dead at a local hospital after being hit on his chest allegedly during the clash between rival factions owing allegiance to two TMC councillors of Titagarh Municipality, over possession of rented accommodation in the area, the official said.

TMC activists later demonstrated at Khardah Police Station with the body of the victim, demanding proper investigation and arrest of those responsible.

Personnel of RAF were deployed in the area.

Senior TMC leader and Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh said the death was unfortunate and the party was looking into the circumstances which led to the clash.

He said action would be taken, if anyone within the party, was found to be guilty.

The party wanted the police to work freely and take appropriate action against whoever was found responsible in the investigation.



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Saturday, October 28, 2023

"Discrimination In Sacrifice An Insult": Rahul Gandhi Slams Agnipath Scheme

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pointed out differences in the terms of benefits given to the families of Agniveers and those of regular jawans killed in the line of duty and said, "Discrimination in the sacrifice of martyrs is an insult to them."

Rahul Gandhi, who has been critical of the Agnipath scheme, shared a chart on X showing lesser benefits for the families of Agniveers compared to those of regular soldiers after their death in the line of duty.

"Discrimination in the sacrifice of martyrs is an insult to them," Rahul Gandhi said.

"The blood of every martyr should have the same value," he asserted.

Earlier this week, Mr Gandhi alleged that the Agnipath scheme was devised to "insult" India's soldiers as no pension or other benefits are given to the families of Agniveers after their death in the line of duty. The BJP refuted the charge.

The Congress leader shared a picture of Agniveer Gavate Akshay Laxman and said the news of his death in Siachen was saddening.

"My deepest condolences to his family. A young man was martyred for the country - no gratuity, no other military facilities for his service, and no pension to his family in martyrdom.

"Agniveer is a plan to insult the heroes of India," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

Agniveer Gavate Akshay Laxman died in the line of duty in Siachen in the early hours of last Saturday.

The Agnipath scheme was introduced in 2022 for short-term contractual recruitment, extending to a maximum of four years, of soldiers in the tri-services - the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force.



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Friday, October 27, 2023

Tiger Kills Caretaker In Rajasthan's Abheda Biological Park

A caretaker of a tiger's enclosure at Abheda Biological Park here died after he was attacked by the big cat on Friday evening, officials said.

The tiger was undergoing treatment for an injury. The incident took place when the caretaker, Ramdayal Nagar, was leaving after spraying medicine on its injury, they said.

Deputy Conservator of Forest, Kota, Bijo Joy said the caretaker was critically injured in the tiger attack and was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

He said he was on his way to Kota from Jaipur and would visit the hospital where Ramdayal Nagar's body has been kept.

An employee of Abheda Biological Park, who did not wish to be named, said Ramdayal Nagar's neck was dislocated in the attack.

"The gate of the enclosure was most likely left open or was loosely bolted after the caretaker sprayed the medicine on the tiger. When he was leaving, the tiger, which was uneasy due to the medicine, attacked him. The caretaker's neck was dislocated in the incident," the employee said.

As people raised an alarm, the tiger went back to its cage. Ramdayal Nagar was rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead, he added.

Abheda Biological Park incharge Sunil Gupta said the tiger has been undergoing treatment for an injury.

The caretaker sprayed medicine every day on the tiger's injury, he said.

The caretaker's body has been kept in the mortuary for post-mortem examination, the officials said. 



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Thursday, October 26, 2023

Iran Court Orders US To Pay Damages For 1980 Hostage Rescue Bid

An Iranian court ordered the US government Thursday to pay $420 million in compensation to victims of an abortive 1980 operation to free hostages held at the US embassy, the judiciary said.

Shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the Western-backed shah, Iranian students entered the US embassy in Tehran and took more than 50 Americans hostage for 444 days.

The students called for the extradition of the deposed shah, who was being treated in the United States.

In April 1980, Washington attempted to free the hostages in the top-secret Operation Eagle Claw, which ended in disaster after running into sandstorms and mechanical problems.

As the rescue force withdrew, two US aircraft collided, killing eight servicemen.

In its Thursday report, the judiciary's Mizan Online news agency said that during the operation US forces had "attacked" a bus carrying Iranian passengers. It did not elaborate.

"Following the complaint filed by families of the victims of US Operation Eagle Claw, a court ordered the US government to pay $420 million," Mizan said, without specifying the number of the victims.

Iranian media have reported that a local commander of the Revolutionary Gaurds was accidentally shot and killed by Iranian forces while standing guard over US military equipment abandoned during the operation.

Five months after the hostage crisis, Washington severed diplomatic relations and imposed an embargo on Tehran.

The hostages were released in January 1981.

An Iranian court ordered the US government Thursday to pay $420 million in compensation to victims of an abortive 1980 operation to free hostages held at the US embassy, the judiciary said.

Shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the Western-backed shah, Iranian students entered the US embassy in Tehran and took more than 50 Americans hostage for 444 days.

The students called for the extradition of the deposed shah, who was being treated in the United States.

In April 1980, Washington attempted to free the hostages in the top-secret Operation Eagle Claw, which ended in disaster after running into sandstorms and mechanical problems.

As the rescue force withdrew, two US aircraft collided, killing eight servicemen.

In its Thursday report, the judiciary's Mizan Online news agency said that during the operation US forces had "attacked" a bus carrying Iranian passengers. It did not elaborate.

"Following the complaint filed by families of the victims of US Operation Eagle Claw, a court ordered the US government to pay $420 million," Mizan said, without specifying the number of the victims.

Iranian media have reported that a local commander of the Revolutionary Gaurds was accidentally shot and killed by Iranian forces while standing guard over US military equipment abandoned during the operation.

Five months after the hostage crisis, Washington severed diplomatic relations and imposed an embargo on Tehran.

The hostages were released in January 1981.

In August, a Tehran court ordered the US government to pay $330 million in damages for "planning a coup" in 1980 against the fledgling Islamic republic.

The suits filed against Washington in Iranian courts following a series of multi-billion dollar compensation awards against Tehran by US courts.

In 2016, the US Supreme Court ordered that Iranian assets frozen in the United States should be paid to victims of attacks Washington has blamed on Tehran, including the 1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Beirut and a 1996 blast in Saudi Arabia.

In March this year, the International Court of Justice ruled that Washington's freezing of funds belonging to several Iranian individuals and companies was "manifestly unreasonable".

But it ruled it had no jurisdiction to unblock nearly $2 billion in Iranian central bank assets frozen by the United States.

Tehran, which denies all responsibility for the attacks blamed on it by Washington, has said that US court judgments have awarded victims a total of $56 billion in damages.



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Wednesday, October 25, 2023

No Trash Burning, Water Fogging: How Mumbai Plans To Curb Air Pollution

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday issued the Guidelines for Air Pollution Mitigation which banned open-air burning of trash or any other material across Mumbai.

The guidelines, signed by municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, came amid the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI) in India's financial capital. "There shall be a complete ban on open burning anywhere in the geographical area under BMC, especially at garbage dumping grounds and possible sites of trash burning," an official release said.

Last week, after holding a joint meeting with all concerned authorities, Chahal had announced that the guidelines would be issued by Monday, but they were released two days late.

Builders in the city must engage only the vehicles fitted with a tracking system for the transportation of construction materials, the guidelines said.

CCTV cameras must be installed along the periphery of all construction sites "to ensure that vehicles are plying after cleaning tyres and not overloaded".

All projects with a more than 70-metre height shall have at least a 35-feet high wall of tin sheets around the site, the BMC said.

All under-construction and "under-demolition" buildings shall be covered by green cloth, jute sheets or tarpaulin from all sides.

"There shall be continuous sprinkling / spraying of water during the process of demolishing a structure," read a guideline.

Water fogging should be done during loading and unloading of materials at construction sites, while water should be sprinkled on debris and earth materials prone to generating dust, the BMC said.

All vehicles carrying construction materials shall be fully covered and not overloaded to avoid any spillage on the road.

The guidelines also asked for the deployment of sensor-based air pollution monitors at work sites. Action should be taken immediately when pollution levels exceed prescribed limits, the guidelines said.

Works like grinding, cutting, drilling, sawing and trimming should be carried out in enclosed areas with continuous water sprinkling or fogging, they said.

The guidelines also made the erection of 25-foot walls mandatory around all BMC worksites like under-construction bridges and flyovers, and also the above-ground metro works.

Ward officers shall deploy squads comprising two engineers, a policeman and a marshal for air pollution mitigation enforcement, the BMC said.

"The enforcement squads shall visit the premises and videograph the worksite. If the worksite is not adhering to above-stated provisions, stringent action, such as issue of a stop-work notice and the sealing of worksite, shall be taken immediately," the guidelines read.

The civic body gave 15 days and 30 days for the installation of sprinklers and fog guns, respectively, at construction and other work sites.



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Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Donald Trump, His Former Lawyer Set For Showdown In New York Trial

Donald Trump is expected to attend his New York civil fraud trial on Tuesday to face off with his former lawyer and confidant Michael Cohen.

Cohen, who has become one of the former president's most vocal critics, had planned to testify at the trial last week but had to delay his appearance for health reasons.

Trump is not required to attend the proceedings, but he has showed up sporadically and used his appearances to portray himself as the victim of a Democratic Party plot to interfere with his 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump and his two eldest sons are accused of vastly inflating the value of the Trump Organization's real estate assets to receive more favorable bank loans and insurance terms.

The former president does not risk going to jail in the fraud trial, but New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, is seeking $250 million in penalties and the removal of him and his sons from management of the family empire.

Cohen, who served as Trump's personal lawyer and fixer for years, earning him the nickname "The Pitbull," has been taunting the former president on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of his testimony.

"It appears that I will be reunited with my old client @realDonaldTrump when I testify," he said. "See you there!"

"I will continue to speak truth to power... no matter Donald's continued smear and harassment campaign against me," he added.

It was Cohen's testimony before Congress in 2019 that sparked the investigation by the New York authorities into whether Trump artificially inflated his net worth.

Hush money case 

Cohen is also expected to be a star witness in a criminal case facing the former president in New York for allegedly paying election-eve hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the payment. He has pleaded not guilty.

Cohen says he arranged the $130,000 payment in exchange for Daniels' silence about a tryst she says she had with Trump in 2006.

Cohen was sentenced in 2018 to three years in prison for crimes including the hush-money case and tax evasion, but was released after a little over a year and served the remainder of his sentence in home confinement.

Trump's defense lawyers are expected to attack Cohen's credibility during his testimony in the civil fraud trial by bringing up his criminal record.

Earlier this month, Trump withdrew a lawsuit he filed against Cohen in April seeking $500 million for alleged breach of attorney-client privilege and a confidentiality agreement.

No reason was given for Trump dropping the suit, but Cohen, 57, noted that it came just days before the former president was scheduled to sit for a deposition.

The civil fraud and hush money cases are just two of several legal battles facing Trump as he seeks to recapture the White House in 2024.

He is to go on trial in Washington in March for conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and in Florida in May on charges of mishandling top secret government documents.

The 77-year-old Trump also faces racketeering charges in Georgia for allegedly conspiring to upend the election results in the southern state.



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Monday, October 23, 2023

20 Civil Services Coaching Centres Under Investigation For Misleading Ads

Consumer protection regulator CCPA on Monday said it is probing 20 IAS coaching centres for alleged misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices of using toppers and successful candidates' names and pictures to influence prospective aspirants.

Briefing media, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) Chairperson Nidhi Khare said out of 20 institutes, a penalty of Rs 1 lakh each has also been imposed on four centres -- Rau's IAS Study Circle, Chahal Academy, IQRA IAS and IAS Baba.

Notices have been issued to Vajirao & Reddy Institute, Chahal Academy, Khan Study Group IAS, APTI Plus, Analog IAS, Shankar IAS, Sriram's IAS, BYJU's IAS, Unacademy, NEXT IAS, Drishti IAS, IQRA IAS, Vision IAS, IAS Baba, Yojana IAS, Plutus IAS, ALS IAS, Rau's IAS Study Circle and Dhishti IAS, she added.

"The notices have been issued in the last one-and-half years for deliberately concealing important information about successful students. We have imposed a penalty on four centres, while other cases are under investigation," Khare said.

Usually, several coaching institutes go on an advertising spree after the results of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam are announced. On average, 900 students clear the UPSC exam every year out of more than 10 lakh students, she said.

The official said after the UPSC final results in 2022, a total of 933 candidates were recommended. However, the total selections claimed by the 20 institutes exceeded the UPSC's recommendations significantly.

Numerous coaching institutes claim the same rank holder as their student by deliberately concealing important information. The successful candidate might have taken coaching in multiple institutes for different subjects, and for prelim or main exams, she said.

Further, Khare said they are not clearly disclosing what courses they were enrolled in with the institute. Some might have just taken a 'free mock interview', but the institute claims success once the students get through the UPSC.

Disclosing the kind of courses the successful student has undertaken with an institute is important to protect the interest of prospective aspirants. Else a prospective student gets enrolled for a prelim coaching in an institute which does not have a good track record of the students passing that exam, she said.

Prospective aspirants continue to take coaching from such centres and waste their time and money, she added.

"If there are proper disclosures, there will be less deceiving," Khare added.

According to CCPA, the current market revenue of the coaching industry in India is about Rs 58,088 crore. Approximately 2 lakh students move to Kota in Rajasthan annually, while Delhi is often considered the hub of UPSC-CSE coaching.



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Saturday, October 21, 2023

Lebanon Families Flee After Israel Strikes, Take Refuge In Schools

Shocked by images of dead children in Gaza, Mustafa al-Sayyid quickly whisked his family to the closest shelter when Israeli strikes began near his village in southern Lebanon this week.

"What we are seeing on television -- the massacres happening in Gaza, the children -- it cuts your heart to pieces," said the 53-year-old from Beit Lif, barely six kilometres (3.7 miles) from the Israeli border.

"If I wasn't afraid this would happen to us, I wouldn't have left my home," said Sayyid, who has two wives and 11 children, around half of whom are under 10.

The family is among nearly 4,000 people who have fled flashpoint areas near the Israeli frontier and flocked to the southern city of Tyre, according to local officials.

Around half are staying in three public schools that have been converted into makeshift shelters, while the rest hunker down with relatives or friends.

The scale of displacement has gradually swelled since the Palestinian group Hamas launched a massive October 7 assault on southern Israel, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping more than 200 in the deadliest attack in Israel's history.

Since then, some 4,385 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed in relentless Israeli bombardments, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

The tensions have spread to the Lebanese-Israeli border, where near-daily tit-for-tat attacks have emptied out entire villages.

At least 22 people, including four civilians, have been killed on the Lebanese side, according to an AFP tally. And at least three soldiers and one civilian have died in Israel.

Sayyid, whose brother was killed in the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, said he wants to avoid any more family deaths.

"All my children are young. If the apocalypse comes, how will I get them all out in one go?" he wondered inside a classroom stripped of desks and dotted with thin mattresses.

"So I thought, better to leave now."

- 'Shelters at full capacity' -

Fears of a spillover loom large in Lebanon's border villages, which were occupied by Israeli forces for 22 years before their withdrawal in 2000.

A steady stream of families, mostly from the pummelled village of Aita al-Shaab, queued at the Tyre municipality this week to secure a spot in one of the classrooms.

"We have reached full capacity in all of our shelters," said Tyre mayor Hassan Dbouk. "Now we are looking for a place to open a fourth centre."

In the border village of Dhayra, farms and olive groves have been abandoned at the height of the harvest season.

Farmers already crushed by a four-year-long economic crisis in Lebanon are bracing for an uncertain fate -- even if the fighting abruptly stops.

"Everyone in Dhayra relies on farming. We have nothing but God and agriculture," said Mussa Suwaid, 47, speaking outside the Tyre shelter where he has been staying for a week.

"I have five sheep, each worth around $500. I left them without food and ran away," he added.

He also was forced to leave behind his 88-year-old father and his cow.

"He told me he would rather die than abandon the cow and his home," Suwaid said.

- 'Sadness underneath' -

Ravaged by an economic crisis that has been widely blamed on official corruption and ineptitude, Lebanon has not implemented an evacuation plan.

Instead, the villagers have left under their own steam, strapping bags to motorcycles or hitching rides with neighbours.

Yulla Suwaid, unrelated to Mussa, said she waited for two hours in a pool of her own blood before her brother came to save her during an Israeli bombardment that destroyed their Dhayra home last Wednesday.

The 43-year-old school teacher was running down the stairs when the strike sent part of the wall crashing down on her legs, leaving her badly wounded.

"If I had completely lost my legs, what would I have done? Who would have taken care of me?" she asked at a shelter in Tyre, both legs fully bandaged after surgery.

In a nearby school, Ahmad from Beit Lif said he had planned to get married this month.

Instead, the 26-year-old buried his father, who died of cancer, as the Israelis shelled nearby. He then fled to Tyre with his fiancee's family.

Declining to provide his surname due to security concerns, Ahmad fought back tears as he recalled one of his father's last actions.

"I made him go to my fiancee's family to ask for her hand in marriage," he told AFP.

"I smile, but there is a lot of sadness underneath."



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Friday, October 20, 2023

Delhi Records Minimum Temperature Of 16.1 Degrees Celsius

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 31.1 degrees Celsius on Friday, a notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The national capital's minimum temperature settled at 16.1 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season's average, the IMD said.

The relative humidity oscillated between 89 per cent and 45 per cent.

The IMD has predicted mainly clear skies for Saturday. The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are likely to settle at 32 and 16 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 190 around 7 pm, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. 



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Thursday, October 19, 2023

"We're Open For Business": Israel Minister Amid Raging War With Hamas

Amid the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas after the October 7 terror attacks, Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat underlined his country's economic resilience and determination to forge ahead, saying that the economy will "boom" once the war ends.

"Actually, amid the ongoing war, we are open for business and this is a good time to foster and build government-to-government relationships, enabling more companies to invest here. The global investors are waiting for the war to end, which is fine. But they should be ready as there's going to a boom in our economy, a major boost, when all this is over," Mr Barkat told news agency ANI.

While the terror attacks and the retaliatory air strikes, which have killed thousands on both sides, have threatened to impede Israeli efforts to attract investments, Mr Barkat affirmed that his country's trademark "entrepreneurial spirit, global business acumen, and unyielding resolve" will ultimately drive its economy to new heights.

"Israel has a huge advantage. We're very entrepreneurial, we know how to do business globally, and we're going to win this war. So, smart investors and smart people are looking at opportunities," Mr Barkat said.

He added that while Israel has waged many wars through its history, the economy has remained strong and resilient, weathering the storms and coming out stronger.

The minister said he was eager to ensure that there is no exception to the rule this year.

Asserting that he sees a bright future for his country even in the midst of the ongoing conflict, Mr Barkat said, "The opportunities are not going to be reduced. They're only going to increase because Israel is going to be an even safer place (after war ends and the country prevails)," he added, alluding to the government's pledge to eradicate the threat posed by terror group Hamas.

The minister said he has personally witnessed growing international interest in Israel as a potential investment destination. "After the trips I've made, including to India not long ago, this year, I see a lot of interest," he said.

Urging the world to stand with Israel in the war with Hamas and "collaborate" with his country, Barkat said, "I strongly recommend the world unite with us against Hamas, comes together with us against Iran and Kzbaah and collaborate with us on taking our economy forward because we know how to create win-win global business," the Israeli minister said.

"The best time to invest is before the curve," he said, encuraging business leaders and governments to seize this moment and stressing that Israel remains open for business even while dealing the security threats.

"Well, the wars going to end, you know the best time to invest is before the curve... Actually, in parallel to fighting the war we're open for business and this is a good time to do government-to-government relationships to enable more companies to invest, the ones that are waiting to the end of the war," he added.

Barkat's message is clear: "Israel is not just a nation fighting against its adversaries; it is a country striving for economic growth and prosperity."

"We want the world to enjoy working with us, not just to combat evil but also to enjoy collaboration and the growth of the economy," he said, underlining the country's efforts to unite the world against its adversaries and for economic collaboration on a global scale.

Meanwhile, as the Israel-Hamas war entered its 13th day, global protests over the deadly strike at a Gaza hospital continued, with arrests of Jewish anti-war demonstrators reported inside US Congress, according to CNN.

The Palestinian Mission to the UN in Geneva denounced Israeli "disinformation and propaganda" after the Gaza hospital explosion.

At least 3,785 Palestinians have killed in the Israeli strikes on Gaza since the October 7 terror attacks, which claimed more than 1,400 lives, CNN reported.



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Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Watch: Women Performing Unique Form Of 'Garba' On Bikes And Jeeps Impress Internet

As the nine-day Navratri festival has already begun, a video of women performing a unique form of 'garba' in Gujarat's Rajkot city has captured the attention of social media users. In the clip, several women are seen in traditional 'chaniya choli' attires, performing 'Talwar Ras' or sword-wielding on bikes, scooters, and jeeps. The unique garba event is said to have taken place on Tuesday, the third day of Navaratri, as per news agency ANI

The event was organised at the Rajvi Palace in Rajkot. Women entered the venue wielding swords and waving them in the air as they rode on Royal Enfield Bike and Land Rover. This was also followed by a couple of women riding Honda Activa scooters while their pillion riders stood on their seats, wielding swords. 

Watch the video below: 

All the vehicles were decorated with garlands. At the end of the video, six more women were also seen on the Land Rover, wielding swords while the woman driver kept taking rounds on the ground. 

The video was initially shared by ANI on X (formerly Twitter). It has collectively accumulated more than 300,000 views. In the comments section, internet users praised the women for their performance. 

"This is women empowerment," wrote one user. "Absolutely love the bullet aspect of the video," said another. 

"Incredible & impressive," commented a third user. "Thats not just a motorcycle but god damn bullet 350 cc. Hats off," added another. 

Also Read | "Cinematic Experience": Breathtaking Pics Of Dharamshala Cricket Stadium Stun Internet

Notably, Navratri is celebrated to welcome the arrival of Goddess Durga. Devotees, during the auspicious occasion, worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga and seek blessings for the well-being of their families. One of the main highlights of Navratri celebrations in the country is the traditional dance form 'Garba' which is a symbol of devotion and worship. 

Garba originated in Gujarat, and to celebrate the festival, people wear rich, traditional, and colourful attire. Women wear 'Chaniya choli', a colourful three-piece dress, which consists of a blouse, skirt, and dupatta. They also wear heavy jewellery -earrings, bangles, necklaces etc. Men wear kafni pyjamas with a Ghagra - a short round kurta - above the knees and a pagadi on the head.



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Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Congress Releases 1,290-Point Manifesto For Madhya Pradesh

The Congress released its Vachan Patra – the 106-page manifesto for Madhya Pradesh. The 1,290 promises of the party include filling up 2 lakh vacant posts, creating 1 lakh new posts in villages and turning the state into an industrial hub.

The promises include bringing the procurement price for paddy to Rs 2,500 per quintal and wheat at Rs 2,600 per quintal with a mission to ensure Rs 3,000 per quintal to farmers.  

Under the Nandini Gau Dhan Yojana, cowdung will be procured for Rs 2 per kg.  

Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 will be given monthly to young unemployed people under Yuva Swabhiman Yojana.  

The party has also earmarked Rs 1.01 lakh for daughters under the Beti Vivah Yojana and benefits to the tune of Rs 2.51 lakh will be provided to the girl child under Meri Beti Ladli Yojana.

Social security pension will be raised to Rs 1,200 a month.   

Promotion and a big pay hike has been promised to government employees.

Efforts will be made for Madhya Pradesh to have its own IPL team. To promote sports, the Padak Lao schemes will be launched.

The Congress has promised nine rights to the people of Madhya Pradesh. including "Right to Water, Health, Electricity, Education, Housing, Minimum Income, Employment Guarantee and Social Justice".  

Rs 25 lakh health insurance and Rs 10 lakh accident insurance cover for each family have also been promised.



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Monday, October 16, 2023

Opinion: Daily Despatch: The Day War Almost Broke Out On Israel's Northern Border

Latest and Breaking News on NDTV

From the frontlines of the Israel-Palestine war, NDTV brings you daily despatches by journalist Allan Sorensen, Middle East Correspondent for Danish newspaper Kristeligt Dagblad, giving insights and gripping first-hand accounts from the war-torn region.

One anti-tank missile after the other was fired from Lebanon into Israel on Sunday. In at least six such attacks two Israeli soldiers were killed, and several others wounded. On Sunday afternoon it seemed as if an all-out war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah was more likely than an Israeli land invasion of Gaza. Helicopters, drones, and fighter jets patrolled the clouded skies above the northern border of Israel, while the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of all villages within two kilometers of the Lebanese border. 

The headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon in the coastal town of Naqoura was hit by a rocket during the exchange of fire and escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. None were hurt in the attack and till now it has not been established where the rocket was fired from. The UN mission, known as UNIFIL, was created in 2006 after a long summer war between Israel and Hezbollah. 

In an attempt to de-escalate the tension on the border, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant sent a clear message to Hezbollah. 

"We have no interest in a war in the north, we don't want to escalate the situation. If Hezbollah chooses the path of war, it will pay a very heavy price. But if it restrains itself, we'll respect the situation and keep things the way they are, despite shooting from both sides," he said in a video message.

At the same time, while Israel was still preparing for a land invasion of Gaza, the local Palestinian population was still struggling to flee from northern Gaza. It is estimated that at least one million Palestinians inside Gaza have been internally displaced. Some 6,00,000 are believed to have left the northern areas following an Israeli request.

UNRWA, the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, stated Sunday that Gaza "is being strangled" while the number of people seeking shelter at their schools and facilities in the south of Gaza is steadily growing. 

The Israeli army stated that it would not target a specific route south for several hours, again urging Palestinians to leave the north. According to Israeli media, the request to the population in Gaza has two different aims. One is to clear the northern areas ahead of an expected ground invasion. The second is to maximize the pressure on Hamas by creating a situation that is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel hopes that Hamas will release some of the 199 kidnapped Israelis inside Gaza in exchange for immediate humanitarian assistance. 

Hospitals in Gaza are expected to run out of fuel for emergency generations within a few days, according to the UN, putting at immediate risk the lives of a large number of patients. 


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the Biden administration does not support the mass relocation of Palestinians outside of Gaza. 

"I've heard directly from the Palestinian Authority President [Mahmoud] Abbas and from virtually every other leader that I've talked to in the region, that that idea is a non-starter, and so we do not support it," Blinken said in an interview with Al Arabiya from Cairo.

"We believe that people should be able to stay in Gaza, their home. But we also want to make sure that they're out of harm's way and that they're getting the assistance they need."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday met with the relatives of hostages held in Gaza. Netanyahu made a promise to declare the release of the hostages a clear aim of the current war against Hamas. The decision was received with relief by the relatives of the hostages. According to Israeli media reports, negotiations for the release of children, women, and elderly from Gaza is ongoing with Qatar as a mediator. No details have been published about the negotiations.

The overall death count on the Israeli side stands at more than 1,300, while the number of dead in Gaza climbed to at least 2,670 on Sunday. 

According to the US State Department, the number of Americans killed since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas rose to 30 on Sunday. 

"At this time, we can confirm the deaths of 30 US citizens. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected," the State Department said in a statement. 

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, warned that the Middle East is "on the verge of the abyss".

Het urged Hamas to release hostages and pledged that Israel would allow humanitarian aid into besieged Gaza.

"Each one of these two objectives is valid in themselves. They should not become bargaining chips," the UN chief said in a statement.

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday that he would seek to assemble a "generous" package of wartime aid for Israel with the help of the Senate. 

"America will stand with its ally Israel. I, along with my colleagues here, will lead the effort in the United States Senate to provide Israel with the support required to fully defend itself from this monstrous attack," he said at a news conference in Israel.  

In an interview with 60 Minutes, US President Joe Biden stated that he believes Hamas must be eliminated. He also said it would be a mistake for Israel to reoccupy parts of Gaza. 

Up until 2005, some 8,000 Israeli Jews lived in settlements inside Gaza. 

Sunday also marked the day when several incidents against Jews were reported in Europe and the US. 

FBI officials said they had noticed an increase in threatening rhetoric against Jewish and Muslim communities in the week since the brutal Hamas attacks in Israel. In Germany, the Jewish symbol, the Star of David, was painted on the doors of several Jewish families in the city of Berlin.

(Allan Sorensen is the Middle East correspondent for the Danish daily newspaper Kristeligt Dagblad.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.



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Sunday, October 15, 2023

Haryana Chief Minister Lays Foundation Stone Of Domestic Airport At Ambala Cantonment

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a domestic airport in Ambala Cantonment, saying it will not only improve connectivity but also spur economic activity.

The civil enclave -- a military airbase area allotted for civil aviation use -- was sanctioned under the UDAN scheme. The airport -- touted as the dream project of Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, a six-time MLA from Ambala Cantonment -- will be established on 20 acres, alongside the Air Force Station.

The "bhoomi pujan" and foundation stone laying ceremony was done in the presence of Mr Vij, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, and Rajya Sabha MP Kartikiye Sharma.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khattar said the airport will further increase Haryana's connectivity with other states and also spur economic activity.

It can also act as a support facility for the Chandigarh airport, he said.

"When an airport comes up, it spurs economic activity and development," the chief minister said.

The airport, once completed, will also use the already-existing runway of the Ambala Cantonment Airport Station for the landing of commercial aircraft.

Officials said the Union Ministry of Defence has agreed to allow the use of the Air Force airstrip for civil aviation. The ministry also allotted about 20 acres of its land to build the civil enclave, with the Haryana government paying Rs 133 crore.

The Public Works Department of the Haryana government has issued a tender worth Rs 16 crore for the construction of a terminal building.

It has separately approved Rs 25 crore for other works at the airport.

Mr Chautala said a passenger terminal, which can cater to at least 200 people at a time, will come up within six months.

The Haryana government has applied for permission to start flights from Ambala to destinations, including Srinagar, Varanasi, Jaipur, Amritsar and Delhi, under the UDAN scheme.

Mr Vij said once the airport becomes operational, it will also cater to people from western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

The BJP-led government in the state has done a lot of work in Ambala Cantonment and Ambala has made great progress, Mr Vij said.

About the airport project, he said a lot of effort was made to ensure its realisation as it required permission from the Army, Air Force, defence ministry and other departments.

It is a matter of great joy for the people of Ambala that the foundation stone of a very ambitious project has been laid. Every single person in Ambala must thank Khattar for the efforts he made to realise the airport project, the minister said.

It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream that the common man should be able to afford and undertake flight travel and that is why the UDAN scheme was launched, Vij said.

He added that India's prestige has risen globally under Modi's leadership.

Mr Vij also lauded Mr Chautala and said he facilitated all permissions that were required.

When an airport comes up, it does not benefit a city alone but the entire region gets a boost, Mr Vij said. 



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Saturday, October 14, 2023

"More Is Coming": Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Meets Troops On Gaza Border

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told troops near the Gaza border Saturday "more is coming" in Israel's response to Hamas's shock attack last week, according to a video released by his office.

"Are you ready for what is coming? More is coming," Netanyahu, wearing a flak jacket, can be heard telling several soldiers in the video the premier's office said was filmed earlier Saturday.



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Friday, October 13, 2023

Stanford Lecturer Suspended For Allegedly Separating Jewish Students In Class, Calling Israelis "Colonisers"

Stanford University in the United States has suspended a lecturer for allegedly describing Israelis as "colonisers" and asking Jewish students in his class to stand in the corner. According to the New York Post, Israeli students on the campus said that the lecturer, whose identity hasn't been revealed, opened two freshman classes on Tuesday by saying the lesson would be colonialism. He then went on to make Jewish students stand in a corner while branding them "colonisers", downplayed the Holocaust and also called Hamas operatives "freedom fighters". 

Citing the San Francisco Chronicle, the Post reported that the lecturer blamed the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel on "Zionists" - supporters of a movement for the protection of an independent Jewish state. He reportedly justified the killings of more than 1,300 Israelis by Hamas gunmen over the weekend, saying that it was part of Palestinians' resistance. 

One student said that the lecturer asked Jewish students to raise their hands, before separating them from their belongings. He stated that he was trying to simulate what Jews were doing to Palestinians. The lecturer asked students how many people had died in the Holocaust. When one student answered six million, the lecturer allegedly replied: "Yes. Only six million". 

According to the Post, the lecturer claimed that more people died as a result of colonialism than in the Holocaust, and colonisation was what happened to Palestinians. He also separated students into different groups, based on their identities and backgrounds, which he called "colonisers" and "colonised".

Also Read | Hamas Gunman Sent Video To Mother Of Son And Girlfriend's Murder, Claims Israeli TV Star

Stanford University addressed the incident and issued a statement regarding the same. In a press note, Stanford President Richard Saller and Provost Jenny Martinez confirmed the lecturer's suspension. They also stated that the university has opened an internal investigation into the "instructor".

"We have received a report of a class in which a non-faculty instructor is reported to have addressed the Middle East conflict in a manner that called out individual students in class based on their backgrounds and identities," the statement read. 

"Without prejudging the matter, this report is a cause for serious concern. Academic freedom does not permit the identity-based targeting of students. The instructor in this course is not currently teaching while the university works to ascertain the facts of the situation," it added.

Notably, this comes amid accounts of atrocities on both sides. More than 3,500 people have been killed so far in Israel and Gaza. Over 3 lakh people have also been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip as heavy Israeli bombardments continue to hit the Palestinian enclave. 



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Thursday, October 12, 2023

'I Could Have Another Volunteer Army': Israel Envoy On India's Support

Appreciating the support of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon metaphorically stated that so many Indians volunteered to assist Israel that they could almost form another unit of the Israel Defence Force (IDF). He also lauded PM Modi for being one of the first global leaders to give a 'clear condemnation' of the terror attack.

Speaking to ANI about the support from India, Naor Gilon said, "For me, it's the point of optimism. It's very emotional. The level of support that we got, from the Prime Minister, on the same day on Saturday when the whole picture was not clear. Among the first leaders, who came out and tweeted very clear condemnation. We will never forget that".

"This is very very important. After speaking with PM Netanyahu, Modiji had another strong tweet. I got calls from Minister... who said 'We are with you'. High officials here, big businessmen here... offering any kind of help," he added.

The Israeli envoy further expressed his gratitude for the support from the Indian people, emphasizing that India-Israel relations are very "deep and emotional".

"This is only part of the picture, regular Indians. Look at the social media of the embassy. It's amazing, I think I could have another IDF with the volunteers. Everyone is telling me, I want to volunteer, I want to fight for Israel," he said.

He added, "I served in many countries in the world, many friendly countries. This wide support, strong support is unprecedented for me. I am really moved and touched. The closeness between Israel and India is something I cannot even explain...it's very emotional, very deep...it is something very unique".

Amid the onslaught by Israeli forces on Gaza following Hamas attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and provided him with an update about the ongoing situation.

PM Modi said in a post on X that the people of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour.

"I thank Prime Minister @netanyahu for his phone call and providing an update on the ongoing situation. The people of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour. India strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said.

On October 7, expressing solidarity with Israel in the wake of the deadly rocket strikes by Hamas, Prime Minister Modi said that the thoughts of people were with the innocent victims and their families.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," PM Modi posted on X.

The death count in Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7 has jumped to 1,300 and some 3300 have been injured, including 28 in critical condition and 350 in serious condition, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew media reports.

The fate of an estimated 150 people abducted and taken to the Gaza Strip during the attack by Hamas is still unclear, the report said.

Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the military has so far notified families of 97 hostages who were being held by terrorists in the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel reported.



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Robbers Escape With 1 Kg Gold After Firing At Bengaluru Shop Owner

Four robbers shot at a jewellery shop owner and looted over one kg of gold from his shop here on Thursday, police said.

Manoj Lohar was in his shop on Byadarahalli Pipeline Road when four people came. Posing as customers, they asked him to show some gold ornaments. When he was displaying it, the robbers pulled down the shutters and shot at the owner with a pistol.

He raised an alarm and chased them. The panicked robbers again fired at him and escaped, leaving behind one of their motorcycles, they said.

"The victim is out of danger," DCP West S Girish told reporters.

Four teams have been formed to nab the robbers. 



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Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Putin Says Need To Avoid "Expansion" Of Israel-Gaza War, Calls For Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian forces and hoped the war, which has already killed thousands over the last five days, would not expand.

"It is necessary to avoid the expansion of the conflict at all cost, because if it happens it will have an impact on the international situation," President Putin said, adding that parties "need to return to a negotiation process that should be acceptable to all sides, including to the Palestinians."



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Tuesday, October 10, 2023

American Falls To Death From 22nd Floor In Greater Noida Society

An American citizen has died after falling from the 22nd floor of a building in Greater Noida on Tuesday, police said. 

Anthony Christopher Domino, who had been living in Mahagun Mywoods society in Greater Noida West since 2020, was married to a woman of Indian origin and had a child. A police official said Domino was alone at home when he fell. 

"Domino's wife had stepped out for some work within the society. He worked at an NGO while his wife was employed at a law firm. The body has been sent for a post-mortem and we are investigating whether it was a suicide," said an official from the Bisrakh police station. 



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"Modi Miracle": Ex-Israeli Intel Chief On India Brokering Peace With Hamas

Four days into the bloodiest Israel-Hamas conflict in decades - in which more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 6,000 injured - there is still no sign of peace or even a ceasefire. 

Amid talk that India - which negotiated the inclusion of the African Union into the G20 and expanded the BRICS bloc by six nations - could play a key role in this regard, the former head of Israel's military intelligence has told NDTV Tel Aviv would welcome a "Modi miracle".

"Hamas is not willing to do any negotiation... any peace. Hamas is a terror organisation (like ISIS)... they are killing women, children in a very cold way. If Modi can make this miracle (happen)..." Major General Amos Yadlin (retd), said.

The Major General told NDTV this afternoon that while Israel would welcome any attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mediate a peace, Hamas "is not willing for peace".

READ | "Hamas Acts Like ISIS, But Are More Cruel": Israel Intel Ex-Chief To NDTV

"Israel and India relations are very important. These are two nations that got out independence at the same time... have similar traditions. We are two nations that have enemies at the border... you have Pakistan, China, and we have the terrorists from Gaza, Hezbollah, and Iran and Syria."

"There is a lot of the same political background, and Israel is helping India a lot. We are giving weapons that you used to get from Russia. We welcome any attempt by your PM to mediate..." 

He also said a combination of multiple operational failures were likely why Israel's much-vaunted intelligence network had failed to predict or prevent Hamas' brutal attack. The domestic intel agency, Shin Bet, and the famed spy agency Mossad, have been scrambling for answers.

READ | Bodies Of 1,500 Hamas Operatives Found Around Gaza Strip: Israel Army

"Signals were not picked up, sensors were neutralised. The consequences were catastrophic," he said, when asked why neither agency had acted in time to stop what will likely be thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damage to property and infrastructure by the time the dust settles.

Israel, he said, had been "very effective" in preventing Hamas' attacks.

"We have the best anti-rocket system in the world..." he said, but also acknowledged the Palestinian group had successfully altered tactics to counter extreme digital and physical surveillance by the Israelis.

The exclusive interview to NDTV came as Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give him an update on the military situation in that country. PM Modi's office said he had given his counterpart an assurance that India stands with Israel in "this difficult hour".

READ | "India Stands Firmly With Israel," PM Modi Says After Netanyahu Calls Him

Hamas this morning threatened Tel Aviv with the execution of "a hostage for every bomb dropped on a Palestinian home", after Israel Monday announced a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip. 

Explained: How Many Hostages Hamas Has And What Are Israel's Options

Reports indicate they have nearly 150 hostages, including children, and four have already died.



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Monday, October 9, 2023

Rajasthan To Witness 50,000 Weddings On Day Of Voting

Polling day in Rajasthan coincides with Dev Uthani Ekadashi, an auspicious occasion when more than 50,000 weddings are likely to take place in the state, and the people involved in the business claim that this could hurt the voting percentage. Dev Uthani Ekadashi will be observed on November 23, when voting for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will also be held.

Dev Uthani Ekadashi is the most preferred occasion for weddings. It also marks the beginning of the wedding season.

Trade stakeholders believe that this could affect the voter turnout in the desert state, where the election department has set a target of 75 per cent voter turnout at all the 51,756 polling booths.

The voter turnout in the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly polls was 74.71 per cent.

The Election Commission (EC) announced on Monday that voting for all 200 Assembly seats in Rajasthan will take place on November 23 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.

"Dev Uthani Ekadashi is the most auspicious occasion for weddings and all Hindu castes prefer to hold weddings on this day. More than 50,000 weddings are expected to take place this year on Dev Uthani Ekadashi," Ravi Jindal, president of the All India Tent Decorators' Welfare Association, told PTI.

He said the voting could be affected due to the involvement of a large number of people in the wedding ceremonies, from traders to family members and relatives.

Mr Jindal said nearly four lakh traders, including tent dealers and event managers, are engaged in the wedding industry in Rajasthan and around 10 lakh people are directly or indirectly involved in it, including catering service providers, florists, band parties, choreographers etc.

He said many "baraat" or wedding parties travel to different districts or states for wedding-related functions and the labourers also move from place to place, depending on their work.

"In such a situation, a few lakh people will be directly or indirectly busy on the day of polling. Many may not be able to cast their votes due to being engaged in work or not being present at their polling booths on the day of voting," Mr Jindal said.

Event manager Manish Kumar said, "On Dev Uthani Ekadashi, people go to other cities and districts as part of wedding parties. Similarly, caterers, electricians, florists, band parties and all others engaged in wedding-related work remain busy throughout the day and many of them may skip voting due to this." He said the wedding venues are already booked and full-scale wedding ceremonies will be held on November 23.

Former state BJP chief Satish Poonia, however, said the situation would not have much of an impact on polling and expressed confidence that the party workers would succeed in bringing the voters to the polling booths.

He said elections are a festival of democracy and there is great enthusiasm among the workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Voting will be on the day of Dev Uthani Ekadashi, but I do not think that it would have much of an impact because our workers are committed and would ensure that each vote is counted," Mr Poonia said.

He said there is a large number of migrant Rajasthanis who are expected to come home for the wedding ceremonies and this would balance the situation in a way as they too would exercise their franchise.

The election department has made concentrated efforts to increase the voter turnout in the Assembly election.

The chief electoral officer has set a target of ensuring a 75-per cent voter turnout at all the 51,756 polling booths across the state.

A few new booths have been set up for a small number of voters in order to encourage people to vote.

More than 5.27 crore voters, including 2.75 crore male and 2.51 crore female voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in this election, according to the final voter list.

About 22 lakh voters aged between 18 and 19 years will cast their votes for the first time. 



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2023, A Record Year For Women In The Nobel Prizes Season

It has been a record year for women in the Nobel prizes season, with Claudia Goldin of the United States swelling their ranks on Monday by winning the Economics Prize. Ms. Goldin sealed the bumper year for Nobel women, three days after Iranian rights activist Narges Mohammadi, jailed for campaigning against the oppression of women, won the Peace Prize.

Swedish scientist Anne L'Huillier also shared the physics prize and Hungary's Katalin Kariko the medicine prize.

If it is a record year it is because the first two did not share the prize with anyone else, meaning that for the first time, almost half {47 percent} of the Nobel prizes went to women, against just over two-fifths (42 percent} in 2009 and 2004, the previous highest proportion.

In another first, Ms Goldin is the first woman to have won the economics prize on her own.

2023 also stands out because three out of four women laureates won prizes that have been dominated by men.

Since the first Nobel prizes were awarded in 1901, women have won only five out of 225 physics prizes, three out of 93 economics prizes, and 13 out of 227 medicine prizes.

In total, 65 women have won prizes, representing only 6.7 percent of the total, with the number on the rise since the early 2020s.

Marie Curie was the first woman laureate in 1903 and she is to this day the only woman to have received two Nobel prizes, first for physics in 1903 and then in 1911 in chemistry.



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Sunday, October 8, 2023

Teesta River In Full Spate, Rescue Efforts In Progress In Sikkim

With North Sikkim cut off by a raging Teesta river, rescue efforts are in progress on a war-footing. A temporary bamboo bridge has been built at Chungthang connecting it to Pegong.

Beyond Pegong, roads and bridges connecting north Sikkim to the rest of the state has been washed away.

After the devastation, Chungthang was completely cut off from Pegong.

The construction of the temporary bridge was a priority, as it will enable transportation of stranded tourists and locals to the other side from Chungthang.

People involved in the Project Swastik of the Border Roads Organisation have established the first composite footbridge over Teesta river at Chungthang, facilitating the rescue of 50 stranded tourists from disaster-hit Lachen Valley today, BRO sources added.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police rescued 56 civilians at Chungthang via a zip line. Of the 56 civilians rescued, there were 52 men and four women.



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''They Killed My Baby'': US Woman Mistakenly Given Abortion Pills Instead Of IVF Hormones

In a shocking case of medical negligence, a woman in the US undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was given abortion medication by her local pharmacy,  which resulted in the death of her two unborn babies, Fox News reported. 

''They just killed my baby. Both my babies, because I transferred two embryos,'' Tamika Thomas told 8 News Now. As per the outlet, the Las Vegas resident -- a mother of four, wanted to have one more baby in 2019 as she and her husband wanted a big family. She and her husband opted for IVF after she had her Fallopian tubes removed following two ectopic pregnancies. Notably, IVF is a complex procedure where fertilised embryos are implanted into the uterus to achieve a successful pregnancy. 

As part of the procedure, her doctor prescribed a vaginal suppository in place of the injections. However, when she went to North Las Vegas CVS, pharmacy technicians gave her Misoprostol instead, which is used for ''medication abortion.'' However, Mrs Thomas experienced severe cramping after taking the wrong medication.

"My cramping went beyond that," she said. "It was extreme. It was painful," she told 8 News Now.

After the harrowing incident, she filed a complaint against the CVS Pharmacy with the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy. Investigation revealed that the pharmacy had made a series of mistakes. First, they couldn't read the doctor's handwriting, so they guessed the prescription and gave her Misoprostol. Further, the pharmacists also didn't explain how to take medication and what to expect.

Reviewing the medication is a standard protocol according to a report in Pharmacy Times.

''It (the error) would have been caught because then they would have had to have the medicine in their hand. And they would have said, ‘Oh, this is Misoprostol or Cytotek, have you taken this before?'', Ms Thomas said. 

As a result, the two pharmacists were fined and put on probation for a year, while the pharmacy was given a maximum fine of $10,000 when the board met in September, 8 News Now reported.

In their statement, the pharmacy said, ''We've apologised to our patient for the prescription incident that occurred in 2019 and have cooperated with the Nevada Board of Pharmacy in this matter. The health and well-being of our patients are our number one priority and we have comprehensive policies and procedures in place to support prescription safety. Prescription errors are very rare, but if one does occur, we take steps to learn from it in order to continuously improve quality and patient safety.''

However, four years later, Ms Thomas said she is still reeling from the loss and said the apology will ''never be good enough." 

"All I got was sorry," she said.



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Biden Orders "Additional Support" For Israel: White House

US President Joe Biden has ordered "additional support" for Israel after the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, the White House said Sunday, without giving further details.

"The President directed additional support for Israel in the face of this unprecedented terrorist assault by Hamas," the White House said in a statement.

The announcement came after a senior administration official had said on Saturday that high-level discussions between US and Israeli officials on military aid were already underway.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed by national security officials on the situation in Israel early Sunday and will continue to receive updates, the White House said.

White House officials will also remain in contact with Israelis and "counterparts throughout the region," the statement added.

Biden gave a statement on Saturday pledging "rock solid and unwavering" support for Israel, Washington's key Middle East ally, after the surprise attacks by Hamas which killed more than 600 people on the Israeli side.

Palestinian officials have reported at least 370 deaths in Israeli air strikes on Gaza.



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27 From Meghalaya Stuck In Israel Have Crossed Into Egypt: Chief Minister

A group of 27 citizens from Meghalaya, who were stuck in the conflict zone of Israel and Palestine, have safely crossed over to Egypt, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Sunday.

In a major escalation on Saturday, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country.

"As per the latest information and through the efforts of MEA and our Indian mission, our 27 citizens from Meghalaya, who were stuck in the war conflict zone of Israel and Palestine have safely crossed the border into Egypt," Conrad Sangma posted on X.

Earlier in the day, Ambassador of Israel to India, Naor Gilon said that India holds a highly significant position in the world, and asserted that India's support to Israel is based on a deep understanding of terrorism rather than ignorance.

"Our social media is full of people who are showing their support. And we appreciate it. We appreciate it very strongly. I'll tell you why. Because India, first of all, is a very important country in the world. Secondly, India comes from the position of a country that knows terrorism. So it comes from a point of knowledge and not of ignorance," he said a day after Hamas attacked Israel.

Expressing solidarity with Israel over the rocket strikes launched by Hamas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that India's thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families.

"Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour," PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Over 400 people lost their lives and still counting after Hamas launched an attack on Israel near the Gaza Strip, Times of Israel reported on Sunday.

Among the dead, dozens of soldiers and police were killed in the attack.

Additionally, the Israel-based media outlet claimed that over 2,048 wounded in the deadliest attack are being treated in hospitals, including 20 in critical condition and 330 seriously wounded.

More than 24 hours after Hamas launched rocket attacks followed by an unprecedented ground assault, firefights between forces and terrorists were ongoing in Kfar Aza, close to the Gaza border. The IDF was attempting to neutralise all terrorists still present, The Times of Israel reported.

In a major escalation on Saturday, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country.

The toll from the rocket attacks and ground assault by Hamas went past 300 on Sunday, with another 1,864 people reported to be injured.

Several Israelis were taken as hostages in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported citing officials.



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Saturday, October 7, 2023

Can Class II officer 'instruct' Class I officer: Two UP officials engage in face off over use of word

An apparent wrong use of the word "nirdeshit" in a letter triggered a verbal duel between two officials in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkarnagar district with a PWD executive engineer, a Class I officer, wondering if he can be "instructed" by a Class II officer.

The matter, however, got "amicably resolved" when District Magistrate Avinash Singh intervened.

It all started on September 16 with the then Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Jalalpur in Ambedkarnagar district, located almost 217 kilometre from state capital Lucknow, Sunil Kumar, writing to the executive engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), Ambedkarnagar, M K Anil.

In the letter, Kumar (now transferred to Ballia as a routine process) said, "This is to inform you that bushes and branches of trees have come up on the Malipur to Jalalpur road. Owing to this, there is a high probability of accidents on the said road." "In view of the above (scenario), you are instructed ('nirdeshit') to get the branches and bushes grown and hanging on the sides of the road cleared, so that possibility of accidents can be minimised," the SDM wrote to Anil.

In his letter addressed to the SDM, Anil said, "You have been selected by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC), and you are a Class II officer, while the current undersigned (executive engineer of the PWD) has been selected by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission and posted as a Class I officer in the UP government." "Kindly clarify that under which manual of the Uttar Pradesh government, a Class II officer can 'instruct' a Class I officer, an effort, which has been made through your letter," Anil wrote in his letter dated September 22.

"Have you made available any budget to clear the Jalalpur-Malipur road of bushes and branches of trees," the executive engineer of the PWD sought to know in his letter.

Anil also asked the SDM (in his letter) that under which head the funds will be used, so that the said work could be done at the earliest.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate Avinash Singh, when contacted, told PTI on Saturday the SDM and the Executive Engineer informed him that it was a "typographical" error and miscommunication, which led to the situation.

"This has been amicably resolved through talks in a cordial atmosphere," the District Magistrate said.



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"Be A Little Cautious": UK Minister Suella Braverman's Delhi Uncle's Advice For Her

A Delhi-based Catholic priest uncle of UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has cautioned his niece about some of her language around immigration and urged her not to forget that she herself is a child of migrants.

According to a report in ‘The Times' on Saturday, Father Ayres Fernandes told the newspaper from India that he sees the need to clamp down on illegal immigration. However, the director of a retreat centre in Okhla said there was a need for more compassion towards refugees and asylum seekers.

“I only pray that she remembers that she herself was born to migrant parents, and therefore, she needs to be a little cautious when making such comments,” said Fernandes.

The priest, who grew up in Kenya with his four siblings, including Braverman's father, Christie Fernandes, is believed to be estranged from his brother. Formerly a director at the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, the 73-year-old told the British newspaper that he and another family member had discussed Ms Braverman's political posturing with a relative and speculated her hardline approach may be due to being backed by Conservative Party right-wingers.

“She's quite strong by herself, that much I know, she has her own thinking. But I believe that there is somebody backing her up to make such comments. But being a minister, holding such a position, maybe she should be a little cautious,” he said.

It comes after Ms Braverman's Tory conference speech in Manchester earlier this week attracted criticism from within her own party ranks, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also refusing to back her statement about a "hurricane" of migrants.

“The wind of change that carried my own parents across the globe in the 20th century was a mere gust compared to the hurricane that is coming. Because today, the option of moving from a poorer country to a richer one is not just a dream for billions of people, it is an entirely realistic prospect,” said Braverman.

The minister of Goan heritage on her father's side and Tamil heritage on her mother's, families that migrated to Britain from Kenya and Mauritius, had also called into question the country's multiculturalism in a speech in the US last week.

"Uncontrolled immigration, inadequate integration, and a misguided dogma of multiculturalism have proven a toxic combination for Europe over the last few decades… Multiculturalism has failed,” she declared.

Her uncle said that while he is not in regular contact with his niece, he had congratulated her when she became Home Secretary last year. The priest told ‘The Times' that they happen to share a birthday and feels she is similar to a younger him as “very strong people in our thinking and attitude”.

“But with my experiences, I learned you need to change, you need to adjust, you need to give space to people and their way of life and opinions. And in politics that is very important — to be able to be open to others and others' views and opinions. I pray for her every day that she may be able to calm down and relate with people in a better manner,” he said.



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Rajnath Singh, Pete Hegseth Speak On Deepening Defence Industry Cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and appreciated the "unwavering support" the US extended...