International

    Opinion: Falsehood trumps limping truth

    Monopolisation of social media and other digital platforms is empowering right-wing forces to control the world Propaganda, misinformation and fake news are nothing new in our society. It can be traced back to the time of Mahabharata when Yudhisthir, known for his unwavering truthfulness, misled Drona by declaring that Ashwathama was killed but murmured the latter part, “I do not know if it is a man or an elephant,” so softly that Drona could not hear it clearly. Believing Yudhisthir that his warrior son Ashwathama was killed, Drona bowed his head and was beheaded. Drona was one of the epical victims of fake news or disinformation. Propaganda and misinformation have taken a new turn now with the widespread availability of sophisticated methods of information and communication technology. The sharing of text, images, videos or links online often allows information to go viral within no time. Merriam-Webster defines misinformation as false…
    International

    Indian woman found murdered in car boot in UK, Police hunting for Indian-origin husband

    Harshita Brella, an Indian was found murdered and her body left in a car boot in Ilford area of London. Police are u=hunting for her Indian-origin husband London: The UK police investigating the murder of 24-year-old Harshita Brella, whose body was recovered from a car boot in east London, have launched a manhunt for her Indian-origin husband who they suspect fled the country after killing his wife earlier this month. In an updated statement from the Northamptonshire Police on Sunday, Chief Inspector Paul Cash said more than 60 detectives were working on the case as the force released an image of Pankaj Lamba, the accused husband, in an appeal for information. “Our inquiries lead us to suspect that Harshita was murdered in Northamptonshire earlier this month by her husband Pankaj Lamba,” Cash said. “We suspect Lamba transported Harshita’s body from Northamptonshire to Ilford by car. We believe he has now fled…
    International

    Number of Indian students applying to UK universities drops 20%, reveals report

    Student groups attribute trend to limited job prospects, safety concerns following recent anti-immigration riots in some cities London: Indian students are being put off applying to UK universities, adding to their financial woes at a time when education institutions are already coping with constrained budgets, a new report into the stability of the higher education sector in England has revealed. Based on UK Home Office data on confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) by UK providers from 2022-23 to 2023-24, an Office for Students (OfS) analysis shows a 20.4 per cent drop in Indian student numbers — down from 139,914 to 111,329. Indian student groups in the UK said the fall was to be expected amid limited job prospects and safety concerns following recent anti-immigration riots in some cities. “There has been a considerable decline in student visa applications from prospective non-UK students in some major source countries,” notes the report by OfS, a non-departmental…
    International

    Trump picks ‘Great’ Elon Musk, ‘Patriot’ Vivek Ramaswamy to lead Dept of Govt Efficiency

    Says they will help his administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, restructure federal agencies Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Tesla owner Elon Musk and Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). “I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” Trump announced. Ramaswamy is the first Indian American to have been tapped by Trump into his administration beginning January 20 next year. “Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies — essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement,” Trump said. “This will send shockwaves through the system and anyone involved in government waste, which is a lot of people!” said Musk, as per the statement issued by Trump. The US President-elect…
    International

    21 killed, 46 injured in Pakistan railway station blast

    Preliminary reports indicate that explosion took place at Quetta railway station’s booking office just before Jaffer Express arrived at the platform Peshawar: At least 21 people were killed and 46 others injured in a bomb explosion at Quetta‘s railway station in Pakistan on Saturday, according to a media report. Preliminary reports indicate that the explosion took place at the railway station’s booking office just before the train arrived at the platform, Geo News reported. The Jaffer Express was scheduled to depart for Peshawar at 9 am, the report said, quoting railway officials. The officials said the train had not yet arrived at the platform when the explosion took place. Given the station’s usual crowd, there is a high risk of significant casualties, the report said.
    International

    Vivek Ramaswamy says Trump’s victory is hopefully US’ comeback

    A Trump win will result in the renewal of national self-confidence, says the Indian-American politician and close confidant of President-elect Washington: Donald Trump‘s victory in the US presidential election will renew national self-confidence, an Indian-American politician and a close confidant of the President-elect has said, expressing hope that his comeback will signify America’s comeback. In a historic election on Tuesday, Trump defeated his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris and was elected the 47th President of the United States, becoming only the second commander-in-chief in over a century to win two nonconsecutive presidential terms. “America has this great tradition. We believe in our own manifest destiny…We are born to be the greatest nation that sets an example for everybody else of what’s possible for human capacity,” Vivek Ramaswamy told the Tucker Carlson Show in an interview. “I think that that’s the kind of leader we need right now to bring that back. And that’s Donald Trump as a…
    International

    Indian Americans hail Donald Trump’s victory, say he is a ‘strong leader’

    Say the country needs a leader like him who will deliver on his promises to tame inflation and curtail illegal immigration New York: Members of the Indian-American community welcomed Donald Trump‘s victory in the US presidential election, saying the country needs a “strong leader” like him who will deliver on his promises to tame inflation and curtail illegal immigration. In a historic election, Trump defeated his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris and was elected the 47th President of the United States, becoming only the second commander-in-chief in over a century to win two nonconsecutive presidential terms. Before Trump, it was Grover Cleveland who had served two nonconsecutive terms as President from 1885-1889 and 1893-1897. With his electoral victory, Trump also became the first convicted felon and twice-impeached to be elected President. However, Trump’s criminal cases, his rhetoric or baggage from his previous tenure as President, including the January 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol, had little…
    International

    Australia proposes social media ban for children under 16

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced plans on Thursday to legislate a minimum social media age limit of 16. While Albanese had earlier committed to proposing age restriction legislation by the end of 2024, this is the first time a specific age limit has been confirmed. Canberra: Australian children younger than 16 will be banned from using social media under a proposal put forward by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Albanese and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland on Thursday pledged to legislate a minimum age limit of 16 years for social media access. The Prime Minister had previously announced an intention to introduce legislation to parliament for the age limit before the end of 2024 but had not committed to a specific cut-off age. He said on Thursday that the legislation would take responsibility for enforcing the minimum age limit on social media platforms, Xinhua news agency reported. “Social…
    International

    Cause for concern: 2024 likely to be the hottest year on record again!

    News of a likely second year of record heat comes a day after Republican Donald Trump, who called climate change a “hoax” and promised to boost oil drilling and production Chicago: For the second year in a row, Earth will almost certainly be the hottest it’s ever been. And for the first time, the globe this year reached more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming compared to the pre-industrial average, the European climate agency Copernicus said. “It’s this relentless nature of the warming that I think is is worrying,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus. Buontempo said the data clearly shows the planet would not see such a long sequence of record-breaking temperatures without the constant increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere driving global warming. He cited other factors that contribute to exceptionally warm years like last year and this one. They include El Nino — the temporary warming of parts of…
    International

    Will concede defeat, but not the fight, says Harris in her concession speech

    Says she spoke to President-elect Donald Trump and congratulated him on his victory, noting that her administration would facilitate a peaceful transfer of power Washington: US Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has delivered a concession speech at Howard University in Washington, DC, saying that she is proud of the campaign and stressing that “when we lose an election, we accept the results”. “I am so proud of the race we ran and the way we ran it. Over the 107 days of this campaign, we have been intentional about building community and building coalitions, bringing people together from every walk of life and background, united by the love of the country with enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America’s future. And we did it with the knowledge that we all have so much more in common than what separates us,” Harris said in the speech at her alma mater. “While I concede this election,…

    International

    • Sep- 2024 -
      24 September
      252

      Meeting with PM Modi that Trump announced did not happen

      PM Modi’s brief trip was of about 55 hours packed with activities, while Trump was in the heat of the campaign for an election six weeks away. New York: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had said that he was going to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit here but they did not meet. PM Modi’s brief trip was of about 55 hours packed with activities, while Trump was in the heat of the campaign for an election six weeks away. The PM was busy on Saturday with the Quad summit with President Joe Biden, and Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese of Australia and Fumio Kishida of Japan. Monday was taken up entirely by PM Modi’s address to the Summit of the Future and meetings with some leaders…

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    • 21 September
      396

      Hezbollah hits northern Israel with 140 rockets

      Israel’s military said the rockets came in three waves Friday afternoon targeting sites along the ravaged border with Lebanon. Jerusalem: Hezbollah pounded northern Israel with 140 rockets Friday, a day after the militant group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to retaliate against Israel for a mass bombing attack, the Israeli military and the militant group said. Israel’s military said the rockets came in three waves Friday afternoon targeting sites along the ravaged border with Lebanon. Following the attacks, the Israeli military said it had struck areas across southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure but did not provide details of damage. Hezbollah said its attacks had targeted several sites along the border with Katyusha rockets, including multiple air defense bases as well as the headquarters of…

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    • 21 September
      367

      US House approves bill to strengthen protection for Presidential nominees

      The Enhanced Presidential Security Act mandates the US Secret Service to use the same criteria for determining the number of agents needed to protect presidents, vice presidents, and major presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Washington: The US House of Representatives on Friday unanimously approved a bill that aims to enhance Secret Service protection for the presidential nominees and their respective vice presidential candidates, days after the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. The vote was 405-0, demonstrating the bipartisan support for boosted security amid growing political violence ahead of the November election, Xinhua news agency reported. The Enhanced Presidential Security Act would require the US Secret Service to “apply the same standards for determining the number of agents required to protect presidents,…

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    • 21 September
      354

      Sri Lanka to elect new President in first vote since 2022 economic collapse

      A total of 38 candidates are vying for the top position in an election closely watched by both India and China due to the island nation’s strategic significance. India, with traditional ties to Sri Lanka, is concerned about China’s increasing influence in its neighboring country. New Delhi: India’s neighbour Sri Lanka will elect its new President on Saturday in the island nation’s first election after its economic collapse in 2022. As many as 38 candidates are in the fray for the top job in an election that will be keenly watched by India and China as the island nation is of strategic importance to both the countries. India, which has traditional ties with Sri Lanka is concerned over China’s growing influence over…

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    • 20 September
      532

      Rwanda begins vaccinations against mpox

      African experts have estimated the continent might need about 10 million vaccines to stop the ongoing outbreaks Nairobi: Rwanda has started a vaccination campaign against mpox with 1,000 doses of the vaccine it obtained from Nigeria under an agreement between the two countries, the African health agency said on Thursday. The vaccinations started on Tuesday targeting seven districts with “high risk populations” who neighbour Congo, Dr Nicaise Ndembi from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. Nigeria donated the 1,000 doses to Rwanda from an allotment of 10,000 it had received from the United States. Congo has been at the epicentre of an outbreak on the African continent, where 2,912 new mpox cases and 14 new deaths have been recorded in the…

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    • 20 September
      485

      Israel warned US of operation in Lebanon, but gave no details, say officials

      The officials say US did not get advance warning of the second wave of attacks, with walkie-talkie radios targeted Wednesday Washington: Israel warned US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a call Tuesday that a military operation was going to take place in Lebanon but gave no details, US officials said. The same day of the call, in an attack widely blamed on Israel, thousands of pagers belonging to Hezbollah militants exploded. The call was one of four between Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this week as attacks have spiked between Israel and Hezbollah, fuelling worries that they could escalate into a wider regional war. The two spoke again later Tuesday, and the US has acknowledged being briefed following the attack. There was another call Wednesday, and they…

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    • 20 September
      436

      Qatar Airways prohibits pagers, walkie-talkies on Lebanon flights

      Move comes after several walkie-talkies and pagers exploded in the country Doha: Qatar Airways has prohibited passengers travelling from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport from bringing pagers and walkie-talkies on flights. The move comes after several walkie-talkies and pagers exploded in Lebanon, post which the country issued a directive prohibiting such things on flights. On Thursday, the airline, on X, said the regulations would be in place until further notice. “Effective immediately: Following the directive received from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Lebanon, all passengers flying from Beirut Rafic Harirl International Airport (BEY) are prohibited from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on board flights,” Qatar Airways posted on X. Qatar Airways said the ban applies to both checked-in and carry-on luggage, as well…

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    • 19 September
      510

      Ukraine allocates additional $11.96 bn for defence

      Plans to source funds from hiked taxes, additional placement of domestic government debt bonds Kyiv: The Ukrainian parliament has voted to allocate an additional 495.3 billion hryvnias (about $11.96 billion) for defence, the country’s Finance Ministry has said. The voting on Wednesday was supported by 298 votes in favour, surpassing the required minimum of 226, lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said. With the sum, Ukraine‘s expenditures for defence will reach 3.73 trillion hryvnias (about $90 billion) in 2024, Zheleznyak wrote on Telegram. Ukraine will source additional funds for military needs from hiked taxes and additional placement of domestic government debt bonds, among other sources, according to lawmaker Rolsolana Pidlasa. Last year, it spent about $64 billion, or about 40.5 per cent of its gross…

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    • 19 September
      500

      UN chief alarmed by communication devices explosions in Lebanon, Syria

      Urges all concerned actors to exercise maximum restraint, recommit to full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006), return to cessation of hostilities to restore stability United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply alarmed by reports that a large number of communication devices exploded across Lebanon and in Syria on Tuesday and Wednesday, his spokesman has said. “The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by reports that a large number of communication devices exploded across Lebanon, as well as in Syria, on September 17 and 18, killing at least eleven people, including children, and injuring thousands,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement on Wednesday. Dujarric said the UN chief urged all concerned actors to exercise maximum restraint to avert any further escalation, and urged the parties to…

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    • 19 September
      471

      Kim Jong Un oversees tests of 2 missiles, calls for bolstering military

      North Korea has been pushing to introduce variety of sophisticated weapons systems designed to attack South Korea, mainland US to deal with intensifying security threats Seoul: North Korea said on Thursday that leader Kim Jong Un supervised successful tests of two types of missiles — one designed to carry a “super-large conventional warhead” and the other likely for a nuclear warhead, as he ordered officials to bolster up his country’s military capabilities to repel US-led threats. The tests were apparent references to the multiple missile launches that neighbouring countries said North Korea performed off its east coast on Wednesday, extending its run of weapons display as confrontations with the US and South Korea escalate. The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim oversaw the…

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