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…

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…

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

May- 2023 -

20 May

325

Kidnapped Australian Dr Ken Elliott released by al-Qaida in Africa after seven-year fight for freedom

Elliott and his wife, Jocelyn, were in their 80s when they were kidnapped by extremists in Burkina Faso. The Perth couple had lived in the country since 1972 and had built a medical clinic in the northern town of Djibo. The al-Qaida-linked Emirate of the Sahara released Jocelyn Elliott a few weeks later. The Australian prime minister at the time, Malcolm Turnbull, said it was a “difficult diplomatic situation”. Foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said on Friday morning that Elliott was “safe and well” and had “been reunited with his wife Jocelyn and their children”. She was very pleased with the result, she said. In a statement, the Elliott family expressed their relief and thanked the government and “all who…
Read More »
20 May

362

Iran executes three men who smuggled letter out of prison pleading for help

Iran has executed three men linked to mass protests against the regime on charges of “waging war against God” after they smuggled a letter out of prison urging residents to help free them. In a statement, the Iranian judiciary said it had executed Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi, without giving details of the method. The charge of “war against God” is levelled at those who act against the government in Iran and typically carries the death sentence. Iran has used it heavily to quell mass protests against the leadership. The trio had been accused of killing a police officer and two paramilitary members during a mass uprising against the regime last year which left hundreds dead. Earlier this week, the three…
Read More »
20 May

340

Zelensky accuses some Arab leaders of ‘turning a blind eye’ to Russian invasion of Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused some Arab leaders of “turning a blind eye” to Russia’s invasion of his country. The Ukrainian president on Friday attended an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia seeking support in the region for his war effort. Appearing to invoke the Arab world’s own history of occupation, he said the leaders in the hall would understand that Ukraine “will never submit to any foreigners or colonisers. That’s why we fight.” But the president added: “Unfortunately, there are some in the world and here among you who turn a blind eye to those [prisoner of war] cages and illegal annexations. “I’m here so that everyone can take an honest look, no matter how hard the Russians try to influence, there must still be independence.” Syria,…
Read More »
19 May

440

Pakistani city tense as police say will search Imran Khan’s house

The operation in Lahore could trigger more violence in the nuclear-armed country grappling with political and economic instability. Police officers patrol around Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore Tension prevails in the Pakistani city of Lahore where the police plan to search the house of former Prime Minister Imran Khan to look for suspects who attacked government and military installations last week. Amir Mir, the information minister of Punjab province, told on Friday that warrants to search Khan’s house in provincial capital Lahore’s Zaman Park area have been issued to the police. “In an hour or so, the commissioner [of police] in Lahore will meet him and after that, depending on what Imran Khan says, the police will act,” he said. “If…
Read More »
19 May

429

‘Who isn’t condemning?’: Imran Khan on attacks on Pakistan army

The ex-prime minister’s muted criticism of vandalism and arson at military installations comes after more than a dozen leaders quit his party. Khan is escorted by security officials as he arrives to appear in a court in capital Islamabad. Islamabad, Pakistan – Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan says everyone in Pakistan has condemned the attacks on military installations during the deadly protests over his arrest last week. “Who isn’t condemning the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander House? Tell me one person in Pakistan who is not doing that,” he said during a news conference at his residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday. On May 9, Khan was dramatically arrested over corruption charges while making a court appearance in…
Read More »
19 May

497

Russia-Ukraine war: UK announces ban on Russian diamonds

Ahead of G7, UK applies harshest set of sanctions against Russia As he meets with G7 leaders in Hiroshima, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will also issue a warning against complacency in preserving “our ideals and against despotic governments,” the UK government said. AP London [UK]: In a fresh round of sanctions, the UK has announced a ban on Russian diamonds, alongside the military-industrial complex and metals amid the ongoing Ukraine war. An industry worth USD4 billion in exports in 2021, the ban on diamonds comes amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The ban has also been announced on imports of Russian-origin copper, aluminium and nickel, the UK government said in a statement on Thursday. Along with these trade sanctions, the UK…
Read More »
19 May

520

US to unveil new sanctions on Russia at G7, says US official

The United States apparently plans to blacklist about 70 companies and organizations for selling restricted US products to Russia “We have taken an array of actions to hold Russia accountable. In coordination with our G7 partners, we’ve put in place the largest set of sanctions and export control actions ever imposed on a major economy,” the US administration official said. Washington: The United States will unveil new sanctions to “extensively restrict Russia’s access to goods that matter for its battlefield capabilities,” a US official said here on Friday ahead of a G7 summit in Japan. The main goals of the United States out of the G7 this year would be many, however, the main focus will remain on showing shared…
Read More »
19 May

465

Zelenskyy to join G7 at Hiroshima summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to join by video link Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy HIROSHIMA: Leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies huddled Friday to discuss new ways to punish Russia for its 15-month invasion of Ukraine, days before President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joins the Group of Seven summit in person on Sunday. Zelenskyy will be making his furthest trip from of his war-torn country as leaders are set to unveil new sanctions on Russia for its invasion. Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, confirmed on national television that Zelenskyy would attend the summit. “We were sure that our president would be where Ukraine needed him, in any part of the world, to solve the…
Read More »
19 May

414

US President Biden, UK PM Sunak, French President Macron arrive at Hiroshima

The G7 grouping comprises Japan, Italy, Canada, France, the US, the UK and Germany. Japan under its G7 Presidency has invited leaders from Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam, according to the statement. Hiroshima [Japan]: US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday arrived at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida welcomed them at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the leaders posed for the pictures. For his visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, US President Joe Biden was accompanied by his wife Jill Biden. UK PM Rishi Sunak along with his wife Akshata Murty visited Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Hiroshima Peace…
Read More »
19 May

448

Queen Elizabeth II: Funeral cost government £162m

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and related events cost the government an estimated £162m, the Treasury has said. The state funeral, held on 19 September 2022, followed a period of national mourning. During that time hundreds of thousands of people visited Westminster where the monarch was lying in state. The biggest costs were covered by the Home Office (£74m) and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (£57m). The estimated costs, published by the Treasury, have to do with the Queen’s funeral and other related events including the monarch’s lying-in-state. John Glen, chief secretary to the Treasury, said the government’s priority at the time had been to make sure “these events ran smoothly and with the appropriate level of dignity, while…
Read More »