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

    • May- 2023 -
      22 May
      334

      BBC gets India court summons in defamation case over Modi film

      Summons come months after tax officials inspected BBC’s offices in New Delhi and Mumbai that followed the ban on the documentary. People watch the BBC documentary, India: The Modi Question, on a screen installed at the Marine Drive in Kochi [File: Arun Chandrabos] An Indian court has issued a summons to the BBC in a defamation case over its documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to reports in the Indian media. The Delhi High Court on Monday issued the summons to the British broadcaster for its documentary film that questioned Modi’s leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots in which at least 1,000 people were killed, most of them Muslims. Activists put the death toll at more than twice that number. Modi…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      366

      China bars operators from buying chips from US tech firm Micron

      China bans US chipmaker Micron days after the G7 members launched veiled criticism of China’s trade practices. The Chinese decision comes amid a dispute over chip technology between Washington and Beijing. [Dado Ruvic] China’s cyberspace regulator says the products made by US memory chipmaker Micron Technology Inc have failed its network security review and it would bar operators of key infrastructure from making purchases from the company. The decision, announced on Sunday amid a dispute over chip technology between Washington and Beijing, could include sectors ranging from telecoms to transport and finance, according to China’s broad definition of critical information infrastructure. “The review found that Micron’s products have serious network security risks, which pose significant security risks to China’s critical…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      328

      Iran’s security chief Shamkhani replaced after almost 10 years

      Shamkhani was the second-longest-serving security chief since the 1979 revolution. Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani [File: Ebrahim Noroozi] Ali Shamkhani, one of the top figures within the Iranian establishment, has left his post as the country’s security chief after almost a decade. State media confirmed on Monday that President Ebrahim Raisi, as the head of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), has appointed Ali Akbar Ahmadian, a senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as Shamkhani’s replacement. Shamkhani had been appointed as the secretary of the SNSC in September 2013 and has been instrumental in shaping Iran’s security policies in the past decade. He appeared to announce his departure late Sunday by posting an…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      348

      Beijing summons Japanese envoy over ‘anti-China’ G7 summit

      Chinese foreign ministry says Japan’s actions were detrimental to China’s sovereignty and security. Japanese Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Shigeo Yamada, second from right, speaks to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, second left, during the Japan-China security dialogue at the foreign ministry, February 22, 2023, in Tokyo [File: Shuji Kajiyama] China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong has summoned the Japanese ambassador to register protests over “hype around China-related issues” at the Group of Seven (G7) summit over the weekend, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The heads of the world’s richest countries who met in the Japanese city of Hiroshima expressed serious concerns about rising tensions in the East China Sea and the South China Sea as well as voicing concerns about the…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      352

      Live: Wagner ‘to leave’ Bakhmut; Ukraine denies city’s fall

      Russia’s Wagner Group says the battle for Bakhmut, the longest and bloodiest of the war, is over, but Ukraine says it still has forces in the city [File: Press Service of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Machanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces] Wagner Group mercenary forces will leave Bakhmut from Thursday until June 1 and transfer control of the eastern Ukrainian city to Russia, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin says. Ukraine denies Russian claims that Bakhmut has fallen as a deputy defence minister says Kyiv maintains a small foothold inside the city. Eight people wounded by Russian missiles in Ukraine’s Dnipro: Governor Eight people have been wounded and many buildings have been damaged by Russian missiles, in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, according to…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      351

      Three Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in raid on Nablus

      The three were killed in the early hours of Monday amid a blockade of the Balata refugee camp in occupied West Bank. Israeli forces previously raided Balata on May 13 [File: Majdi Mohammed] The Israeli army has killed three Palestinian men during a large-scale raid on the Balata refugee camp in the city of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank. The Palestinian health ministry identified the three, killed on Monday morning, as Muhammad Abu Zaytoun, 32, Fathi Abu Rizk, 30, and Abdullah Abu Hamdan, 24. At least seven other Palestinians were injured, including four with live ammunition, and dozens of others suffered tear gas inhalation, according to the ministry. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers and special forces participated in the…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      352

      Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong tests positive for Covid

      Due to his age, the 71-year-old Singapore PM said, via a Facebook video, that he was prescribed the Paxlovid antiviral medication. Kuala Lumpur: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Monday he tested positive for Covid-19 for the first time after returning home from work trips in Africa and Asia. Due to his age, the 71-year-old said he was prescribed the Paxlovid antiviral medication.“I tested positive for Covid-19 for the first time this morning,” Lee said on Facebook, where he posted a photo of a positive antigen rapid test. “I am generally feeling ok, but my doctors have advised me to self-isolate until I am asymptomatic.” Lee was on an official visit to South Africa from May 14 to 16, and Kenya from May 17 to…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      356

      Fire destroys nearly 100-year-old post office in Philippine capital

      A massive fire tore through Manila’s historic post office building overnight. Officials are yet to determine what caused the fire. (Aaron Favila) Manila: A huge fire tore through Manila’s historic post office building overnight, injuring one person and and razing the nearly 100-year-old landmark in the Philippine capital, police and postal officials said on Monday. The fire started before midnight in the basement of the neo-classical, five-story building and was brought under control Monday morning more than seven hours after it began, firefighters said. An investigation was underway to determine the cause of the fire and what was damaged, officials said. The Manila Central Post Office was one of the capital’s busiest office buildings but was closed when the fire started.…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      366

      Saudi astronauts, including nation’s 1st woman, headed to ISS

      The Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) lifted off at 5:37 p.m. EDT on Sunday (3:07 a.m. Monday IST) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. BY IANS UPDATED ON – 10:33 AM, MON – 22 MAY 23 Washington: American private space habitat company Axiom Space’s has successfully launched its second mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with the first woman from Saudi Arabia. The Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) lifted off at 5:37 p.m. EDT on Sunday (3:07 a.m. Monday IST) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Ax-2 mission is the first commercial human spaceflight mission to include both private astronauts…

      Read More »
    • 22 May
      368

      Italian PM visits flood stricken areas after 36,000 evacuated

      Giorgia Meloni toured towns in the Emilia-Romagna region, where the fierce floods have taken 14 lives and unleashed damage estimated to be billions of euros, after stopping off on her way back from the summit in Asia. Around 36,000 people were evacuated amid floods that sent rivers of mud pouring through towns in an extreme event made worse by climate change, scientists have said. She said meeting those who had been affected by the deluge had been a moving experience. “It has been a tragedy but we can always recover strongly from crises,” Meloni told reporters in the city of Ravenna, one of the areas badly affected. The Po river floods its banks in Turin, Italy, Sunday, May 21, 2023© Associated…

      Read More »
    Previous page Next page
    Back to top button

    Notice: ob_end_flush(): Failed to send buffer of zlib output compression (0) in /home4/eveningd/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 5464