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

    • Jun- 2023 -
      3 June
      381

      World Bank’s new chief asks staff to ‘double down’ on development

      Ajay Banga told employees his vision was ‘to create a world free from poverty on a livable planet’. World Bank’s new chief Ajay Banga has said annual investments of trillions of dollars are needed to arrest the forces of climate change and fragility [File: Eduardo Munoz] The World Bank’s new president Ajay Banga has asked the lender’s 16,000-person staff to “double down” on development and climate efforts as he seeks to accelerate the bank’s evolution to tackle the most pressing global problems. On his first day on the job Friday, the former Mastercard CEO told staff in a memo seen by Reuters that he would seek to recruit each of them to work towards his vision “to create a world…

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    • 3 June
      370

      Canada wildfires spread to new areas, prompting more evacuations

      About 10,000 people have been ordered to leave a city in Quebec, amid hundreds of fires burning across the country. Firefighters with Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency work to put out fires in the Tantallon area of Nova Scotia [Nova Scotia Government] Approximately 10,000 people have been ordered to leave a coastal city in the Canadian province of Quebec, marking the latest evacuation amid weeks of wildfires across the country. The order on Friday for residents of Sept-Iles came after a nearby fire “advanced very quickly” overnight, according to the city’s mayor, Steeve Beaupre, who declared a local state of emergency. Bill Blair, the country’s minister of public safety, has said the ferocity of this year’s early wildfire season in Canada has…

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    • 3 June
      319

      South America: A hard road to unity

      Brazilian President Lula da Silva’s push for more integration across the region will need to overcome major challenges. Unlike other parts of the world, Latin America is free of war. Yet it is a region plagued by inequality, crime, corruption, drug trafficking and social upheaval. Political stability and strong democratic institutions are more the exception than the rule. South America, in particular, never seems to stop moving from one extreme to the other, shifting from the political left to the right and back again, without addressing the social and economic demands responsible for moving the pendulum. Such instability has made it difficult for the continent to form an influential bloc, despite estimates that it collectively represents the fifth-largest global economy.…

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    • 3 June
      367

      CIA chief made secret trip to China amid tensions: US official

      CIA Director William Burns emphasised the importance of keeping communication open between China and US. CIA Director William Burns visited intelligence counterparts in China last month, a US official says [File: Jonathan Ernst] In a bid to improve communication between Beijing and Washington, the director of the CIA, William Burns, visited China last month for talks with Chinese counterparts, a United States official said. Burns’s visit in May, which was first reported by The Financial Times, comes as Washington tries to cool tensions with Beijing and restore lines of communication amid fears that a miscommunication between the two global powers could accidentally spiral into conflict. News of the visit to China comes as US President Joe Biden’s administration has pressed to restore…

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    • 3 June
      350

      US says talks with China key to prevent ‘crisis or conflict’

      US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tells security summit that ‘conflict is neither imminent nor inevitable’. China’s Defence Minister Li Shangfu attends the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2, 2023, where US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that communication with China was key to avoiding conflict or crises [Caroline Chia] United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said he was deeply concerned by China’s unwillingness to engage in military crisis management, warning that talks are key to avoiding conflict. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Asia’s top security summit, Austin said that open lines of communication between US and Chinese defence and military leaders were essential to avoid conflict and bolster stability in the…

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    • 3 June
      354

      Wagner boss says Russian forces laid mines to harm his fighters

      Mercenary force boss Yevgeny Prigozhin says Russian defence officials planted explosives on route of Wagner fighters withdrawal from Bakhmut city. Founder of the Wagner mercenary force Yevgeny Prigozhin makes a statement at the start of the withdrawal of his forces from Bakhmut in this still image released on May 25, 2023 [File: Telegram channel of “Concord group” The boss of Russia’s Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has continued his months-long war of words with the leadership of the Russian armed forces by accusing pro-Moscow forces of planting explosives to harm his fighters as they retreated from Bakhmut. Prigozhin made his claims on Friday as Wagner mercenaries had largely pulled back from the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut after months of bloody fighting and…

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    • 3 June
      346

      Egypt, Qatar to launch relief initiative for Sudanese people

      The two leaders also stressed the importance of intensive work to contain the humanitarian situation in Sudan.  Flag of Egypt and Qatar Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Th ani have agreed to launch a joint initiative to support and provide relief to people in Sudan. During a phone conversation, both leaders stressed that the initiative aims to provide humanitarian and relief services to Sudanese people, especially refugees, the Egyptian presidency said on Friday in a statement. The two leaders also stressed the importance of intensive work to contain the humanitarian situation in Sudan, facilitating the flow of relief aid, and sparing civilians the repercussions of the fighting, according to the statement. Sudan…

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    • 3 June
      373

      Modi can become first Indian PM to address US Congress twice

       Prime Minister Narendra Modi Washington: US Congress leaders have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting of lawmakers during his upcoming state visit in June, setting him up to become the first Indian leader to this rare honor Washington D.C. affords to foreign leaders. There is however, no word yet from New Delhi if the Prime Minister has accepted the invitation. “During your address, you will have the opportunity to share your vision for India’s future and speak to the global challenges our countries both face,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries jointly wrote in a letter to Modi on Friday. This is…

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    • 3 June
      381

      US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to pay 2-day visit to India from Sunday

       US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin New Delhi: US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will pay a two-day visit to India beginning Sunday to discuss ways to further expand the bilateral strategic engagement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Washington. People familiar with Austin’s visit said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the US defence secretary are set to discuss a number of new defence cooperation projects that are set to be unveiled after Modi’s talks with US President Joe Biden in Washington more than two weeks later. China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region as well as along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and ways to combat the threat of terrorism are likely to figure in the talks between Singh…

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    • 3 June
      365

      Washington will not stand for any ‘coercion and bullying’ of its allies, partners by China: US Defense Secretary

      The US has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks at the 20th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asias annual defense and security forum in Singapore. Singapore: American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any “coercion and bullying” of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict. Speaking at the so-called Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders, Austin lobbied for support for Washington’s vision of a “free, open, and…

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