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Mon, 16 October 2023
Kharge or Rahul likely to be PM pick, if...: Tharoor
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Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi/File image
23:50 Kharge or Rahul likely to be PM pick, if...: Tharoor
Congress Working Committee member Shashi Tharoor on Monday said he feels the party could nominate either its chief Mallikarjun Kharge or former AICC president Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister if the INDIA bloc comes to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Tharoor said there could be a surprise result in the election next year as there is an opposition coalition and there are chances of the INDIA bloc coming to power at the Centre by trouncing the BJP-led NDA in the general elections.
"So we'll have to wait and see", he said while interacting with professionals of a US-based and Silicon Valley-incubated D2C (direct-to-consumer) marketplace Way.com after inaugurating its office at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram. -- PTI
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23:44 DRI seizes 8 kg gold worth Rs 4.78 cr, Rs 1.22 cr cash; one held
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized 8.022 kilograms of gold worth Rs 4.78 crore and Rs 1.22 crore cash at Zaveri Bazar in south Mumbai, an official said on Monday.
Two premises were searched as part of the operation to bust a gold smuggling syndicate and one person has been arrested, he said.
The arrested accused is the manager of the one of the premises that was searched and is an alleged key member of a foreign origin gold smuggling syndicate, the official added.
"Based on specific intelligence, the DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit conducted searches at two premises on Friday and Saturday. At the first site, 1 kilogram gold bar with foreign markings and without proof of procurement was seized," he said.
"Using this lead, a second search was conducted in which 7.022 kg of foreign-origin gold and Rs 1.22 crore cash were found. The money is sales proceed from smuggled gold. Further searches were conducted at four locations related to the syndicate, one of which led to the busting of an active gold melting facility," he said.
The arrested accused has been remanded in judicial custody, while a hunt was on for others who are part of this syndicate. -- PTI
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23:28 Girder of under-construction overbridge collapses in Maha city; none hurt
A girder of an overbridge being constructed on a section of the Mumbai-Goa highway collapsed on Monday after developing cracks in Chiplun city in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district, the police said.
Nobody was injured in the incident as the area was already cordoned off.
The girder developed cracks when it was being placed at the elevated position in the morning hours, following which the surrounding area was cordoned off and police personnel were deployed at the spot, the official said.
At around 2:45 pm, the girder crumbled and fell around 30 metres down, he said.
The work to remove debris on the highway section has not yet begun as traffic was operational, he said. -- PTI
23:17 Justice Siddharth Mridul appointed chief justice of Manipur HC
Justice Siddharth Mridul was on Monday appointed as the chief justice of the Manipur high court, more than three months after his name was recommended by the Supreme Court collegium.
On October 9, a Supreme Court bench had noted that the appointment of the chief justice of the Manipur High Court had finally received the Centre's attention and would be notified "shortly".
The top court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud had on July 5 recommended the appointment of Delhi high court judge Justice Siddharth Mridul as the chief justice of the Manipur high court, amid the ethnic turmoil in the border state.
"In exercise of the power conferred by the Constitution of India, President of India, after consultation with Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint Sh Justice Siddharth Mridul, Judge of the Delhi high court, as Chief Justice of Manipur high court. I convey best wishes to him," Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal posted on X. -- PTI
22:58 UP court issues non-bailable warrant against BJP's Jaya Prada
An MP-MLA court in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday issued a non-bailable warrant against former MP and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaya Prada in a case related to the violation of the Model Code of Conduct during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Judge Shobit Bansal issued the warrant and fixed October 21 as the next date of hearing in the case.
The case against Jaya Prada was registered at the Swar police station in 2019.
The court had asked her to be personally present for the hearing but as she did not appear, it issued the non-bailable warrant, prosecution officer Amarnath Tiwari said.
Jaya Prada, a former Samajwadi Party MP, joined the BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
She contested against the SP's Mohd Azam Khan and lost. -- PTI
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud
22:52 CJI rebukes lawyer for talking on mobile phone inside courtroom
"Yeh kya market hai jo aap phone pe baat kar rahe hai?" Chief Justice DY Chandrachud remarked on Monday as he took strong exception to a lawyer talking on the mobile phone inside his courtroom.
The CJI, who was holding the bench along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, ordered the court staff to confiscate the lawyer's mobile phone.
"Yeh kya market hai jo aap phone pe baat kar rahe hai? Inka mobile le lo" (Is this a market that you are talking on the phone. Confiscate his mobile phone)," Justice Chandrachud said.
The lawyer was talking on the phone inside the courtroom, prompting the CJI to halt the proceedings and address him directly.
The CJI issued a stern warning to the lawyer and said, "Be careful in the future. Judges see everything. We may be looking at the papers, but we have eyes everywhere." -- PTI
22:42 Bengali food for passengers during Durga Puja on Air India flights
Tata Group-owned Air India on Monday said passengers flying out of Kolkata during the upcoming Durga Puja will be served Bengali cuisine specially curated for the festival.
The Bengali menu will be available from October 21 to 23. Guests will be offered delicacies like egg chicken rolls, mutton kasha (mutton in thick gravy), fish kabiraji (friend fish with egg coating) and koraishutir kachori (pea kachori), among other items, the airline said in a release.
Popular Bengali desserts will also be a part of the platter, it said.
Meanwhile, Akasa Air said it has introduced Dussehra special meals that will be available throughout October across its network. -- PTI
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22:14 Fuel, humanitarian aid stolen from Gaza: UN agency
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the UN agency which supports Palestinian refugees, said on Monday that equipment had been taken from its facility in Gaza, where security cameras covering the entrance and exit "were damaged further to blasts from the conflict in previous days and ceased to operate."
UNRWA "received reports that yesterday a group of people with trucks purporting to be from the ministry of health of the de facto authorities in Gaza removed fuel and medical equipment from the agency's compound in Gaza City," it stated.
"Our staff were compelled to evacuate UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City on a few hours' notice during the night of Friday, October 13," it added.
"Since then, UNRWA has had no access to the compound and no additional details about the removal of the assets.
UNRWA fuel and other types of material are kept for strictly humanitarian purposes--any other use is strongly condemned."
UNRWA didn't mention Hamas by name, but an official Israeli foreign ministry social media account stated that "Even UNRWA is now saying that Hamas terrorists in Gaza are stealing emergency supplies and gas which are needed to help Gazan civilians."
"Or in other words," wrote Israel Katz, the Israeli energy and infrastructure minister, "Hamas is robbing the 'humanitarian aid' to the Palestinian people.
There's no reason to give them anything until we eliminate Nazi Hamas."
Earlier this year, the US state department allocated more than $220 million for UNRWA, despite materials that glorify terrorism and antisemitism in schools associated with the UN body. -- ANI
21:55 Police seize Rs 2.09 cr unaccounted cash in poll-bound Telangana; 6 held
The police seized Rs 2 crore of unaccounted cash was seized from six persons in Hyderabad, the police said on Monday.
On October 15, police teams, on receiving credible information, apprehended six persons in Secunderabad who were travelling in a suspicious manner, and found unaccounted cash of Rs 2.09 crore in their possession.
The police seized the cash along with a car and a two-wheeler from them, officials said.
The six persons were apprehended by sleuths of the Commissioner's Task Force North Zone Team along with Gandhi Nagar police for alleged illegal possession of the huge amount of unaccounted cash, a release from Hyderabad police said.
The police are investigating further. -- PTI
21:36 Wholesale inflation remains in negative for sixth month
The wholesale price index-based inflation remained in the negative territory for the sixth straight month in September at (-)0.26 per cent, on easing prices of food articles.
The WPI-based inflation rate has been in the negative since April and was (-)0.52 per cent in August. In September last year, it was 10.55 per cent.
Inflation in food articles eased to 3.35 per cent in September, after remaining in double digits in the previous two months.
It was 10.60 per cent in August.
21:20 ED raids erstwhile Bhushan Steel in Rs 56,000 cr bank loan 'fraud' case
The Enforcement Directorate on Monday said it has conducted fresh searches against the promoters and entities of erstwhile Bhushan Steel Limited as part of a money laundering probe against them linked to an alleged Rs 56,000 crore bank fraud case.
Thirty locations in the national capital region, Haryana, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar (Odisha) were raided and surveyed last week on October 13, officials said.
The money laundering case stems from a charge sheet filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office, an investigative agency under the ministry of corporate affairs.
A probe found that the erstwhile Bhushan Steel Limited and its managing director Neeraj Singal and his associates formed several shell companies, the agency alleged in a statement.
After completing the corporate insolvency resolution process, Bhushan Steel was taken over by Tata Steel Ltd in 2018.
The ED alleged the promoters and entities linked to BSL "rotated funds from one company to another through a chain of multiple entities."
"The funds were circulated to infuse capital, buy property and for other personal purposes not intended by the banks," it claimed. -- PTI
21:15 BSE Sensex top losers today
Benchmark equity indices ended lower on Monday, falling for the third day running, amid weak trends in global markets and spike in Brent crude oil prices due to geopolitical tension in the Middle East.
The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 115.81 points or 0.17 per cent to settle at 66,166.93.
During the day, it fell 243.36 points or 0.36 per cent to 66,039.38.
The Nifty slipped 19.30 points or 0.10 per cent to 19,731.75.
From the Sensex pack, Nestle, Tata Consultancy Services, IndusInd Bank, Asian Paints, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Hindustan Unilever were among the major laggards.
21:09 MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi appointed India' ambassador to UN in Geneva
External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi was on Monday appointed India's permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva.
Bagchi, a 1995-batch Indian Foreign Service official, took over as spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs in March 2020 and deftly handled a number of critical issues and developments including the eastern Ladakh border row, India's COVID-19 response and New Delhi's G20 presidency.
In Geneva, Bagchi would succeed Indra Mani Pandey who is set to return to New Delhi.
"Arindam Bagchi (IFS:1995), presently additional secretary in the ministry of external affairs, has been appointed as the next ambassador/permanent representative of India to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva," the MEA said in a brief statement.
"He is expected to take up the assignment shortly," it said. -- PTI
20:51 Constable shot dead in Bihar, both assailants gunned down by police
Two armed motorcyclists shot dead a constable during a vehicle checking drive in Bihar's Vaishali district on Monday, while both miscreants were later gunned down by the police, an official said.
Superintendent of police Ravi Ranjan said the 35-year-old constable was fired upon by the two assailants at Ekra, close to the highway connecting Hajipur, the district headquarters, to Muzaffarpur, the divisional headquarters.
He was rushed to a hospital where he breathed his last while other police officials at the spot, where checking of vehicles was underway, caught hold of the bikers and drove them towards the nearby Sarai police station.
The SP said the attackers, identified as Bittu Kumar and Upendra Kumar, tried to flee on the way to the police station by jumping out of the vehicle.
They continued to run even after being hit by bullets fired by the police to stop them.
Local villagers, who heard the gunshots, caught the two criminals and handed them over to the police. Both the attackers succumbed to injuries at a hospital, added the SP. -- PTI
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20:24 CBI charges 7 in Manipur sexual abuse video case
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday filed a charge sheet against six people and a juvenile in connection with two tribal women being paraded naked in Manipur's Kangpokpi district in May this year.
A video of the incident, which surfaced in July this year, led to widespread condemnation across the country and globally, prompting the Supreme Court to step in and hand over the case to the CBI.
The agency filed the charge sheet against six people and a report against a child in conflict with the law before a special CBI court in Guwahati.
It was alleged that, on May 4, a mob of approximately 900-1000 individuals, armed with sophisticated weapons, entered B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur, vandalised and set houses ablaze, looted properties, assaulted villagers, committed murders, and sexually assaulted women.
It was further alleged that two family members of one of the women paraded naked were also killed in the incident.
The CBI investigation indicated that the accused arrested by the Manipur police were involved in the incident, following which the charge sheet was filed on Monday. -- PTI
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20:10 About 24 lakh 'diyas' to be lit on Ram ki Pairi on Diwali eve in Ayodhya
Preparations have started in Ayodhya for Deepotsav, in which 24 lakh 'diyas' (earthen lamps) will be lit on Ram ki Pairi, and light and sound show in here on the eve of Diwali, officials said.
"On November 11, 24 lakh lamps will be lit on Ram Ki Pairi at the banks of river Saryu. On this Deepotsav, Ayodhya will witness a grand light and sound show to be staged on daily basis from November 11 at Ram ki Pairi. There will be two shows every day according to the programme proposed by the tourism department," Ayodhya district magistrate Nitish Kumar said.
He said, "The light and sound show has been given to a government agency - Uttar Pradesh Project Corporation Limited. Two steel columns will be erected with a height of about 65 feet, and a curtain will be placed in between," the DM said.
Light and sound shows are being set up at Ram Ki Pairi at a cost of about Rs 20 crore, he said, adding Ramayan-based movies will be exhibited in this show, which will run after Saryu Aarti. -- PTI
20:07 Court grants bail to Monu Manesar in Nuh violence case
A court in Nuh on Monday granted bail to cow vigilante Monu Manesar in connection with the Nuh violence case, said his counsel.
"Monu Manesar got bail and furnished Rs 1 lakh surety bond," his counsel Kulbhushan Bhardwaj said. The bail was granted by the court of Amit Kumar Verma, judicial magistrate first class of Nuh, Bhardwaj said.
Manesar, however, is still under judicial custody in another case in Gurugram's Pataudi.
In the Nuh violence case, he was arrested on September 12, officials said.
The FIR registered by the Nuh Police is related to a message he allegedly posted on social media amid plans by the VHP to take out another procession on August 28 to "resume" a yatra earlier disrupted.
The Nuh police had earlier said the post attempted to create disharmony between groups on the basis of religion.
A religious procession led by the Vishva Hindu Parishad on July 31 was attacked by a mob in Nuh.
Six people were killed in the incident and the subsequent communal violence. -- PTI
19:51 NIA nabs Assam native in Manipur bomb blast case
In an intelligence-based joint operation with the Assam police, the National Investigation Agency on Monday arrested Mohammed Noor Hussain from Assam in a case related to a bomb blast in Manipur, officials said.
The case was initially registered by the Manipur police, vide FIR no. 635(6)2023 dated June 21, 2023, at PGCI police station, sub-division Moirang, Bishnupur district, Manipur and later re-registered by the NIA on June 23, 2023, at Imphal.
NIA investigations in RC 01/2023/NIA/IMP revealed the involvement of Mohammed Noor Hussain in the bomb blast that took place on 21.06.2023 in an IED-laden Scorpio vehicle parked over a bridge located the area of Phougakchao Ikhai Awang Leikai and Kwakta along Tiddim road in Bishnupur district, Manipur.
Three persons were injured and the bridge, along with nearby houses, was damaged as a result of the bomb blast.
Further investigations in the case are in progress. -- ANI
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19:29 Hoardings fall from Ekana Stadium roof during Australia-Sri Lanka WC match
Strong winds caused several hoardings to fall from the roof of the Ekana Stadium on to the seats below during the World Cup match between Australia and Sri Lanka in Lucknow on Monday.
After rain stopped play for a bit, there was a dust storm and heavy winds led to several iron angles with branding material from the roof falling on people sitting at the lower levels.
The situation could have been disastrous but luckily the stands were relatively empty.
It did, however, cause panic among those who were watching the game as the public announcement asked spectators to move to safety of the higher seats.
By the time the second innings began the security had moved all spectators to the higher level.
The stadium hosted its maiden World Cup game -- Australia versus South Africa -- last week. -- PTI
19:08 HC reserves orders on bail plea of TN minister Senthil Balaji
The Madras high court on Monday reserved orders on a petition filed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam minister V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case, seeking bail.
Justice G Jayachandran reserved order without specifying any date, after hearing elaborate arguments from senior counsel NR Elango, appearing for Balaji and additional solicitor general ARL Sundaresan, appearing for the ED.
Counsel Elango submitted that Balaji was yet to recover fully even after the bypass surgery and hence he took treatment at Stanley Hospital on October 9.
Hence, he may be enlarged on bail for taking further treatment.
Citing the medical report of Stanley hospital, Elango submitted that the doctors have opined that there were symptoms of another attack.
The court may appoint any doctor to examine the health condition of Balaji, he added.
He said Balaji has filed his income tax returns for the last 10 years.
From this, it was clear that he was innocent.
He was sent to jail with ulterior motive, he added. Senior counsel ARL Sundaresan submitted that from the pen drive, which was seized from Balaji's office, the ED came to know that he received Rs 67.75 crore from innocent public after promising them to get jobs in state transport corporation. -- PTI
18:57 Nithari killings: Justice denied, say victims' parents
As the media watches, Ram Kishan hurls a brick into the abandoned bungalow of Moninder Singh Pandher, anger and frustration reflecting on his face.
The labourer's three-year-old son was one of the victims of the 2006 serial killings.
Emotions overflowed as nearly two-decade-old wounds were opened again on Monday with an order of the Allahabad high court that acquitted domestic help Surendra Koli and his employer Pandher in the case for lack of evidence.
After throwing the brick, Ram Kishan doesn't speak to anyone and walks home, two minutes away from Pandher's bungalow.
The acquittal of Pandher and Koli recalled for many the chilling crime targeting young children that came to light with skeletal remains being found behind Pandher's bungalow in Sector 30, adjoining Nithari village.
A two-judge bench of Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and SHA Rizvi allowed the appeals filed by Koli and Pandher, who were challenging the death sentence given by a CBI court in Ghaziabad.
The high court said the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Jhabbu Lal (63) and Sunita Devi (60), who lost their daughter, expressed sadness over the latest judgment.
"We are not satisfied with the judgment. This is not right. When someone killing several children gets acquitted, imagine what punishment will those get who kill just one or two people," Lal said.
The couple meets their daily expenses by ironing clothes barely 50 metres away from the Pandher's abandoned bungalow.
Lal said he has spent around Rs 4 lakh in fees to lawyers till date and had to even sell off a plot for it.
Sunita Devi, busy ironing clothes but intermittently speaking to reporters, said, "We appeal to PM (Narendra) Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath that those who killed our children should be hanged."
"What kind of law is this which is acquitting these monsters," she wondered.
Ashok and Rajwati, who now run a footwear shop in Nithari village, had lost their 5-year-old son in the serial killings.
"Our son was born eight years after our marriage...We have lost all hope of justice now, it's been 17 years now," Rajwati said.
It has been learnt that other victim families no longer live in Nithari village.
Koli is currently lodged in a Ghaziabad prison, while Pandher languishes in a Noida jail. -- PTI
18:49 SC to deliver verdict on same-sex marriage tomorrow
The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its much anticipated judgement on Tuesday on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud had on May 11 reserved its verdict on the pleas after a marathon hearing of 10 days.
The other members of the bench are Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha. The judgement will be delivered on Tuesday and accordingly, the information will be updated on the apex court website, sources said.
During the arguments, the Centre had told the apex court that any constitutional declaration made by it on pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage may not be a 'correct course of action' as the court will not be able to foresee, envisage, comprehend and deal with its fallout.
The Centre had also told the court it had received responses from seven states on the issue of same-sex marriage and the governments of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Assam had opposed the petitioners' contention seeking legal endorsement for such wedlock.
The apex court had commenced hearing arguments in the matter on April 18. -- PTI
18:17 Probe Mahua Moitra's log-in credentials: BJP MP
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey, who wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla accusing Trinamool Congress's Mahua Moitra of taking 'bribes' from a businessman to ask questions in Parliament, has also written to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to investigate the IP addresses of her log-in credentials for the House.
In a letter to Birla on Sunday, Dubey cited a letter he received from advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai and said the lawyer has shared 'irrefutable' evidence that the TMC MP has taken bribes in the form of 'cash' and 'gifts' from business tycoon Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions in Parliament.
Responding to Dubey's letter, Moitra said, 'All parliamentary work of MPs is done by PAs, assistants, interns and large teams', and requested Vaishnaw to release the details of the locations and log-in credentials of all the MPs with Call Data Records (CDRs).
She also asked the information technology minister to release information on the training given to the staff to log in.
The Hiranandani Group has said there is 'no merit' in the allegations, even as a war of words continued on Monday, with Union minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar alleging that the company was 'actively and aggressively lobbying for data localisation'.
In a letter to Vaishnaw, Dubey urged him to take the allegations against Moitra with 'utmost seriousness' and initiate an investigation to ascertain the IP addresses of all log-in credentials of the TMC leader's Lok Sabha account and determine whether there were any instances in which her account was accessed at a location where she was not present.
'The alleged sharing of Smt. Moitra's Lok Sabha credentials with an external entity poses a direct threat to national security,' the BJP leader said.
He said the allegation that the Krishnanagar MP gave Darshan Hiranandani and the Hiranandani conglomerate access to her log-in credentials for the Lok Sabha website so that they could utilise it for their own personal gain 'is possibly the most damning and grave of all the charges that are being made against her'.
'If the claims made above are found to be accurate, this constitutes a serious criminal breach of trust as well as a violation of India's national security because it would give unauthorised individuals access to government websites that may contain classified information,' he said.
Dubey urged the minister to determine whether there were any instances in which Moitra's Lok Sabha account was accessed at a location where she was not present.
Meanwhile, Chandrashekhar, who is the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, said, 'If true, this is indeed shocking and shameful.'
'It is true that this company was actively and aggressively lobbying for data localisation. Language used in PQ is very similar (linking need for data localisation to data breaches) to that used when the head of this company met me.
'I am not aware or privy to the full facts or background on this -- but if it is true, then it's a terrible travesty and misuse of PQs (Parliament Questions),' he said in a post on X.
Sources in the TMC said the lawyer who filed the complaint is Moitra's former partner and claimed that it was personal vendetta for political revenge.
They said there was also an ongoing tussle between the two over their pet dog and Moitra has filed multiple police complaints against him in the last six months for alleged criminal trespass, theft, vulgar messages and abuse.
Dubey also took a dig at Moitra in a post on X, saying: 'Had heard about the war of Mahabharata for Draupadi, but experiencing a political earthquake over (a dog) is happening in the country for the first time.'
The Hiranandani Group, meanwhile, dismissed the allegations, saying those have 'no merit'.
"We have always been in the business of business and not in the business of politics. Our group has always worked with the government in the interest of the nation and will continue doing so," said a group spokesperson. -- PTI
Hospitals are running out of fuel to run dialysis units. Mohammed Salem/Reuters
17:35 Israel hits Hamas rocket launching positions
Dozens of operational headquarters and mortar bomb launching positions in the Gaza Strip belonging to Hamas have been destroyed in air strikes, the Israel Defense Forces announced.
Among the sites destroyed were the military headquarters of Ali Kachi, a commander of the terror organization's Najaba Force.
A number of terrorists inside the compound were also killed.
Kachi was killed in a separate strike on Saturday.
17:03 Adani on allegations against Moitra: Told you so...
Statement from the Adani Group on allegations against TMC MP Mahua Moitra.
"In a shocking development, on Sunday, 15 Oct 2023, a Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, filed a complaint with the CBI in the form of a sworn affidavit bringing on record "the commission of an elaborate criminal conspiracy' by MP Mahua Moitra and Darshan Hiranandani, CEO of Hiranandani Group, for specifically targeting, inter alia, Gautam Adani and his group of companies through parliamentary questions.
"He has further stated that, as a quid pro quo, Moitra received bribes and undue favours from Mr. Hiranandani...
"This development corroborates our statement of 9 Oct 2023 that some groups and individuals have been working overtime to harm our name, goodwill and market standing. In this particular case, the lawyer's complaint reveals that this arrangement to besmirch the reputation and interests of the Adani Group and our Chairman Gautam Adani has been in place since 2018..."
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey on Monday wrote a letter to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of State (MoS) IT Rajeev Chandrashekhar making "cash for query" allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and demanding an inquiry committee against her.
"Your good self may be aware of the allegations against Mahua Moitra that were presented by an advocate of the Supreme Court of India to the CBI and with my assistance to the Speaker of Lok Sabha. These allegations include that she committed a criminal breach of trust, violated parliamentary ethics, and acted in a manner that was detrimental to India's national security," Nishikant Dubey said in a letter.
Dubey has claimed that a Supreme Court lawyer had levelled allegations of bribe exchanges between the TMC MP and businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
US Secy of State Antony Blinken lands in Tel Aviv. Jacquelyn Martin/Reuters
16:44 Blinken meets Netanyahu in Tel Aviv
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has begun meetings with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. This is Blinken's second visit to Israel since the Hamas attacks on October 7.
On this visit, Blinken did not travel to Jerusalem like last time, but is in Tel Aviv instead.
16:27 Ronaldinho inaugurates Durga Puja Pandal in Kolkata
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho inaugurated the Sreebhumi Durga Puja Pandal on Monday during a two-day visit to West Bengal.
The 2002 World Cup winner received a warm welcome from fans at the Puja pandal in the city. The legendary footballer also played football with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Sujit Bose.
The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner offered prayers at the Sreebhumi Durga Puja Pandal today after inaugurating it. The Brazilian footballer has landed in the city which is gearing up for the biggest festival of the State.
Earlier today he inaugurated the 'Ronaldinho's R10 Academy' in West Bengal's capital city where children thronged to get a glimpse of the football legend.
The sporting legend who arrived in Kolkata on his first-ever visit to the city on Sunday evening is slated to participate in several programs and also likely to meet with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. -- ANI
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16:12 SC rejects woman's plea seeking termination of 26-week pregnancy
Ruling in favour of pro-life, the Supreme Court on Monday rejected a woman's plea, seeking medical termination of 26 weeks of pregnancy.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra passed the order observing that there are no threats to the mother, not a case of foetal abnormality and doctors will face a viable foetus.
The court directed the government to bear all medical costs and the delivery to be conducted by AIMS at the appropriate time. SC clarified the choice to give the child up for adoption depending on the parents.
15:34 Mahua Moitra sends notices to BJP MP, lawyer
Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra has sent legal notices to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai for making "false and defamatory allegations" against her.
Dubey had written to Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, alleging that Moitra had accepted cash in exchange for posing questions in Parliament and demanded an inquiry committee against the Trinamool MP. Dubey urged for her "immediate suspension" from the House alleging that "bribes were exchanged between her and businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions in Parliament in exchange for cash and gifts.
In his letter titled "Re-emergence of nasty 'Cash for Query' in Parliament", Dubey has alleged "'serious Breach of Privilege', 'Contempt of the House' and a 'Criminal Offence' under Section 120A of IPC" by the Trinamool Congress MP.
Mahua Moitra in her notice says The notice points out that Moitra had recently raised questions about the veracity of Dubey's claimed educational qualifications and said that he had lied on his election affidavit. This, the notice says, had "rattled" Dubey and so he was now making these false allegations.
On Dehadrai, the notice says that Moitra and the advocate used to be close friends, but had a falling out.
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15:03 SpiceJet plane faces glitch in Tel Aviv
A SpiceJet aircraft that operated a flight from the national capital to Tel Aviv on Sunday is facing a technical issue and the plane has been taken to Jordan to rectify the problem, according to sources.
SpiceJet had operated the flight, with an A340 aircraft, under Operation Ajay. On Monday, the sources said that after landing at Tel Aviv, a technical issue was detected in the aircraft. To rectify the problem, the plane has been taken to Jordan, which was the nearest place that has the facilities to look into the issue, they added.
There was no immediate comment from SpiceJet. On Sunday, SpiceJet said it will be operating a flight with an A340 plane to Tel Aviv. Operation Ajay has been launched by the government to facilitate the return of Indians who wish to come back from Israel where an intense conflict is going on with militant group Hamas. PTI
14:39 Mumbai meat trader seeks asylum in Ireland
Foreign courts don't think cow vigilantism has left any region 'safe' in India, suggest two asylum cases. Read more here.
Israeli soldiers collect rifles at a kibbutz. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters
14:26 Hamas is holding 199 people hostage: Israel
Israel Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari says 199 people are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, revising up an earlier number of 155 given yesterday. Speaking in a media briefing, he says the military has "updated the families" of all hostages.
Israeli forces, supported by US warships, positioned themselves along Gaza's border and drilled for what Israel said would be a broad campaign to dismantle the militant group. A week of blistering airstrikes have demolished neighborhoods but failed to stop militant rocket fire into Israel.
14:20 Salman Khan's Tiger 3 to be released on Nov 12
Salman Khan starrer Tiger 3 will get a Diwali release.
Yash Raj Films has announced that the third film in the trilogy will be released on November 12.
The calculations behind the date is this: YRF believes that 2023 is the year of 'Adhik Maas' which has led to complications regarding festival dates. This year, Monday, November 13 is New Moon/Amavasya and the Govardhan Pooja/Gujarati New Year falls on November 14.
Bhai Dooj is on November 15, giving the film an extended run in this crucial holiday period which will aid in collections through the week.
Directed by Maneesh Sharma, Tiger 3 stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif & Emraan Hashmi in lead roles. Film is set to release worldwide in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu.
-- Subhash K Jha
14:05 No ceasefire in Gaza, clarifies Israel
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Monday denied reports that it has agreed to halt fire in southern Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to enter through the Rafah border crossing, The Times of Israel reported.
A terse statement from Netanyahu's office stated, "At the moment there is no ceasefire for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the exit of foreigners," according to The Times of Israel report.
Taking to X, Israel's Prime Minister's office stated, "The Prime Minister's Office, this morning: There is no ceasefire."
The statement comes after Reuters news agency, citing two Egyptian security officials, reported that Israel agreed to halt fire from 9 am, according to The Times of Israel report.
In a statement, Hamas said that it did not receive confirmation from Egypt regarding the possible opening of the Rafah border crossing, CNN reported. -- ANI
People carry the body of a Palestinian killed in Israeli attacks. Reuters
13:56 Modi more concerned about Israel than Manipur: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was more concerned about happenings in Israel than in Manipur, which has been riven by an ethnic conflict since May this year.
Addressing a rally near Raj Bhavan in Aizwal after undertaking a 2-km-long padayatra through the city, he said that neighbouring Manipur is no longer a unified single state, but has been divided into two states on ethnic lines.
Gandhi, who began a two-day visit to poll-bound Mizoram, asserted that the Congress had ushered in peace in the insurgency-hit northeastern state with the signing of a peace accord in 1986.
"It is amazing to me that the PM and the Government of India is so interested in what is happening in Israel (Israel-Hamas conflict) but not interested at all in what is happening in Manipur, where people have been murdered, women molested and babies killed," he said.
"The idea of India that respects each other, is tolerant, learns from other ideas, religions and languages and that loves itself as a whole... That is the idea of India which is under attack by the BJP.
"They (BJP) attack different communities, religions and languages. They spread hatred and violence in the country. They spread arrogance, lack of understanding and this is completely against the idea of India," he added. Elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly is scheduled on November 7. -- PTI
The Rafah border is still closed. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters
13:44 Fleeing Palestinians gather at Rafah border but...
Crowds of people wanting to leave Gaza have gathered at the Rafah border crossing, after earlier reports suggested it could be temporarily reopened, reports the BBC.
Any reopening of the Gaza-Egypt crossing would allow desperately-needed aid into the area, and some foreigners to leave.
However, at the moment the crossing remains closed.
Rafah, which is on the border between Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and Hamas-governed Gaza, is the only crossing into the territory not controlled by Israel.
13:43 IOC votes for cricket's return to Olympics in Los Angles 2028
Cricket will be a part of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 and will make its return after 128 years to the multi-sport extravaganza, announced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday.
The 2028 event will also include sports like baseball/softball, lacrosse, squash and flag football. The proposal from Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 to include these games in the programme was accepted at the ongoing 141st IOC session being held at Mumbai. Cricket made its sole appearance at the 1900 Paris Olympics in which Great Britain defeated France in the final. But it is played in Commonwealth Games and Asian Games as well.
Palestinian loses his family in Israel bombing. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters
13:01 Gaza is strangled, world losing humanity: UN
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, which has the largest UN footprint in the Gaza Strip, has warned that it is on the verge of collapse and was even running out of body bags amidst the raging conflict between Israel and the Hamas militants.
"As I speak with you, Gaza is running out of water and electricity. In fact, Gaza is being strangled and it seems that the world right now has lost its humanity," United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on the situation in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.
"Gaza is now even running out of body bags. Entire families are being ripped apart," he said.
Addressing a press conference at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, Lazzarini said his colleagues in Gaza are no longer able to provide humanitarian assistance.
"The number of people seeking shelter in our schools and other UNRWA facilities in the South is absolutely overwhelming, and we do not have any more the capacity to deal with them, he said. In fact, an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding under our eyes."
"The UNRWA operations is the largest United Nations footprint in the Gaza Strip, and we are on the verge of collapse. This is absolutely unprecedented," Lazzarini said. Israeli soldiers have amassed near Gaza ahead of an expected ground offensive targeting Hamas militants, who launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.
Israel has told 1.1 million Palestinians living in the north of Gaza to move south ahead of the possible ground operations. Detailing the plight and hardships in UNRWA schools and buildings, Lazzarini said sanitary conditions are just appalling.
"We have reports in our logistics base, for example, where hundreds of people are just sharing one toilet. Unless we bring supplies into Gaza, UNRWA and aid workers will not be able to continue humanitarian operations."
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Sunday that for the fifth consecutive day, Gaza has been under a full electricity blackout, following Israel's halt of its electricity and fuel supply to the strip on October 7, which in turn triggered the shutdown of Gaza's sole power plant.
Essential service infrastructure is currently operational via backup generators. Fuel reserves at hospitals are not expected to last longer than 24 hours and the shutdown of backup generators would place the lives of thousands of patients at immediate risk, OCHA said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that hospitals in Gaza risk turning into morgues without electricity. -- PTI
An Israeli patrol at a Kibbutz. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters
12:40 Israel to evacuate its people near Lebanon border
Israel on Monday announced it will evacuate people living in the north of the country in the area up to two kilometres from the border from Lebonon and to relocate them to state-funded guest houses.
The National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) of Israel's Ministry of Defence and the Israeli Defence Forces announced the implementation of a plan
The IDF in a statement posted on X stated that 28 communities have been included in the plan that has been approved by Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, according to the statement posted by Israeli Defence Forces. The IDF noted that the Northern Command updated the heads of the local authorities regarding the decision.
It further said, "A short while ago, the Northern Command updated the heads of the local authorities on to the decision. The plan will be implemented by the heads of the local municipalities, the Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) of the Ministry of Defense. The 28 communities included in the plan are: Ghajar, Dishon, Kfar Yuval, Margaliot, Metula, Avivim, Dovev, Ma'ayan Baruch, Bara'm, Manara, Yiftach, Malkia, Misgav Am, Yir'on, Dafna, Arab al-Aramshe, Shlomi, Netu'a, Ya'ara, Shtula, Matat, Zari't, Shomera, Betzet, Adamit, Rosh HaNikram, Hanita and Kfar Giladi."
Earlier, the Israeli Air Force took to X to state that it had attacked the military infrastructure of Hezbollah in Lebanon in response to the shooting that was carried out in Israeli territory on Sunday morning. At least one civilian was killed yesterday after six anti-tank guided missiles were fired towards an Israeli town and military outposts near the Lebanon border, according to The Times of Israel.
Nine rockets were further also fired at Nahariya, a city in the north, and adjacent towns. However, there were no reports of any casualties. IDF called Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar a "direct enemy" of Israel and a threat to the entire world.
12:20 Nithari killings: Allahabad HC acquits Koli, Pandher
The Allahabad High Court on Monday acquitted Surender Koli and Maninder Singh Pandher in the infamous Nithari serial killings case in Noida for lack of evidence. Both had been sentenced to death on charges of rape and murder.
A total 19 cases had been lodged against businessman Pandher and his domestic help Koli in 2007. The CBI had filed closure reports in three of the 19 cases due to lack of evidence. The sensational killings came to light with the discovery of the skeletal remains of eight children from the drain behind Pandher's house in Nithari, Noida, on December 29, 2006.
Further digging and searches of drains in the area around Pandher's house led to more skeletal remains being found. Most of these remains were that of poor children and young women who had gone missing from the area.
Within 10 days, the CBI took over case and its search resulted in the recovery of more bones. PTI
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Prabir Purkaystha
12:09 NewsClick chief moves SC as custody continues
NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and its HR head Amit Chakravarty on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court's refusal to interfere with their arrest and police remand in a case lodged under the anti-terror law UAPA.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for Purkayastha and Chakravarty, that the matter needed urgent hearing and asked him to circulate the case papers.
"This is the NewsClick matter. The journalists are in police custody. Here one of the accused is a 75-year old man," Sibal said.
The CJI said he will take a call on the listing. On October 13, a Delhi High Court bench dismissed the plea against the arrest and subsequent police remand of Purkayastha and Chakravarty in the case. Both were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on October 3.
They subsequently moved the high court challenging the arrest as well as the seven-day police custody and sought immediate release as interim relief. On October 10, the trial court sent them to judicial custody for 10 days.
A case has been lodged against the two under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly receiving money to spread pro-China propaganda. -- PTI
Rona-Lee Shimon
11:36 Fauda's Israeli actor ready to fight Hamas
Israeli actor Rona-Lee Shimon, celebrated for her leading role in the popular web series 'Fauda,' has pledged her commitment to opposing Hamas in light of the terrorist group's attack on her country.
Deeply moved by the loss of innocent lives in attacks by Hamas, the actress is determined to take action.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shimon candidly discussed the Hamas brutality. When asked if she's ready to fight against Hamas, Shimon responded, "I will do everything in my power to have Israel win."
The actor has appreciated India's solidarity with Israel and its condemnation of the October 7 attack by Hamas terrorists from the blockaded Gaza Strip into Israeli towns resulting in the loss of hundreds of Israeli civilian lives and the capture of more than 100 hostages. Israel swiftly retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds of Palestinians.
"Honestly. I feel grateful to have an ally, a beautiful ally like India. India is one of my favourite places on Earth. I love its people. I can really understand why the first thing that you guys did was to condemn the horrible action of October 7th in Israel. I would expect nothing less, but I want to say with utmost gratefulness in my heart. I think it's the best thing that you guys can do for us is condemn this horrible terror and stand by your side." Shimon struggled to control her emotions recalling the brutal events on October 7 perpetrated by Hamas.
"We're in the midst of a war. It's going to result in more suffering for many lives, but we will prevail. We are preparing, and our first priority is to bring our hostages home," she said.
"I think first of all me and everyone I know in Israel, every civilian, every citizen of Israel is now supporting the cause of first of all, bringing the hostages back. We are doing everything in our power to bring them back. What happened eight days ago is one of the most horrific atrocities ever in the history of my people," the 40-year-old actor said.
"This is worrisome on so many levels, but what we're doing right now is what is the most important thing that you can do and what we must do right now is bring the hostages back," Shimon said.
"We are supporting the army. We're taking care of our army. We are in the middle of war. It's going to be even more bad for a lot, a lot of human lives, but we are going to prevail. We are getting ready and first thing that we're doing is bringing our hostages back," she added.
On Saturday, the Israeli military confirmed that 126 people are being held as hostages by Hamas. According to media reports the Palestinian terror group has warned that it will kill hostages in response to unannounced Israeli strikes on civilian targets. -- ANI
11:25 Former CEC Manohar Singh Gill passes away
Former Chief Election Commissioner and former Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Manohar Singh Gill passed away in Delhi on Sunday. According to his family members, the last rites of Manohar Singh Gill will be held at the Lodi Road Crematorium at 3 p.m. on Monday.
Gill retired as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, a position he held from 1996 to 2001. After retirement, Gill joined the Indian National Congress and represented Punjab in the Rajya Sabha from 2004 to 2016, marking two successful terms as a member of the upper house.
Gill held the posts of Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation under the Congress government.
A bombed Palestinian house in Gaza. Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa/Reuters
11:22 No water at UN shelters in Gaza
Water has run out at UN shelters across Gaza and overwhelmed doctors at the territory's largest hospital struggled to care for patients they fear will die once generators run out of fuel.
Israel's military said it would not target a specific route south for several hours, again urging Palestinians to leave the north en masse. The military offered two corridors and a longer window the day before. It says hundreds of thousands have already fled south.
The war that began on October 7 has become the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides, with more than 4,000 dead. The Gaza Health Ministry said 2,670 Palestinians have been killed and 9,600 wounded. More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed, and at least 155 others, including children, were captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza, according to Israel.
KBK Infographics
11:00 India's forex reserves drop
The country's forex reserves dropped by a further USD 2.166 billion to USD 584.742 billion for the week ended October 6, the RBI said on Friday. India's forex kitty had gone down by USD 3.794 billion to USD 586.908 billion in the previous week.
KBK Infographics
10:57 Market capitalisation as on October 13
Benchmark equity indices declined in early trade on Monday amid weak trends in Asian markets and spike in Brent crude oil prices due to geopolitical tension in the Middle East. Falling for the third day running, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 243.36 points to 66,039.38.
A Palestinian man extinguishes a fire at Khan Younis. Yasser Qudih/Reuters
10:40 Egypt-Gaza crossing to reopen for few hours
NBC News says the the crossing at Rafah to Egypt will open at 9am local time and and then close again in the late afternoon.
The reports come after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that "Egypt has put in place a lot of material support for people in Gaza, and Rafah will be reopened".
Blinken was speaking following a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The crossing has been closed since the attack over a week ago.
There's a severe crisis of fuel in Gaza. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters
10:06 Gaza running out of water, running out of life: UN
The Gaza-based staff of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, have relocated to Rafah near the border with Egypt, and are working out of the same building as "thousands of desperate displaced people", said Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
"Gaza is being strangled and it seems that the world right now has lost its humanity," he said in a stark speech from the agency's headquarters in East Jerusalem on Sunday.
"If we look at the issue of water '" we all know water is life - Gaza is running out of water, and Gaza is running out of life. Soon, I believe, with this there will be no food or medicine either," Lazzarini said, calling the siege in Gaza as "nothing else than collective punishment".
-- BBC
Flowers placed before the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via Reuters
09:48 Biden compares Hamas attack to Holocaust
US President Joe Biden has said that there is a "fundamental difference" between Israelis killed in the Hamas attack and Palestinian civilians and Hamas terrorists killed in Tel Aviv's counter-attack as the terrorist group Hamas has engaged in barbarism "that is as consequential as the holocaust."
Speaking to CBS News 60 Minutes Interview, Biden called Hamas a "bunch of cowards" who are hiding behind the civilians. He expressed confidence that Israel would do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians.
Asked whether there was a time for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Biden said, "Look, there's a fundamental difference. Israel is going after a group of people who have engaged in barbarism that is as consequential as the Holocaust. And so I think Israel has to respond."
"They have to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They're hiding behind the civilians. They put their headquarters where civilians are and buildings and the like. But to the extent they can separate out and avoid, I'm confident the Israelis are gonna do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians," he said in a CBS News 60 Minutes interview.
Biden called Israel's occupation of Gaza a "big mistake." Asked whether he would support Israel's move, Biden said, " I think it'd be a big mistake. Look, what happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don't represent all the Palestinian people. And I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again. But, going in but taking out the extremists the Hezbollah is up north but Hamas down south."
Biden noted that Jews have been subject to "abuse, prejudice and attempt to wipe them over a thousand years." Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that there is no direct evidence of Iran's involvement in the specific Hamas attack on Israel, ABC News reported. -- ANI
09:41 Nikki Haley slams Islamic countries for 'closing doors' for civilians from Gaza
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Sunday slammed Islamic countries for not opening up their gates for civilians from Gaza who are seeking to flee their homes in the face of an imminent ground invasion by Israel.
She also hit out at former US president Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the incumbent, over the Iranian nuclear deal and accused Tehran of strengthening Hamas and Hezbollah.
"We should care about the Palestinian citizens, especially the innocent ones, because they didn't ask for this. But where are the Arab countries? Where are they? Where is Qatar? Where is Lebanon? Where is Jordan? Where is Egypt? Do you know we give Egypt over a billion dollars a year? Why aren't they opening the gates? Why aren't they taking the Palestinians?" Haley told CNN in an interview.
"You know why? Because they know they can't vet them, and they don't want Hamas in their neighbourhood. So why would Israel want them in their neighbourhood? So let's be honest with what's going on. The Arab countries aren't doing anything to help the Palestinians because they don't trust who is right, who is good, who is evil, and they don't want it in their country," she said.
Haley anticipated that these Islamic countries would blame America.
"They're going to come and blame America. They're going to come and blame Israel. And don't fall for it, because they have the ability to fix all of this if they wanted to. They have the ability to go in and tell Hamas right now to stop what they're doing. They have the ability to tell Hamas to let those people out," Haley said.
"But you know what? Qatar is going to continue to work with Hamas and their leadership. Iran is going to continue to fund all of this and not say anything. And who's silent? Every one of those Arab countries are going to be silent. But expect for the finger to point to Israel, and the finger is going to point to America," she said.
Haley said Hamas is going to do everything they can to not have them leave, because "they want them all to die". "One, they want to use them as human shields, but, two, they want to blame Israel and show images of dead children and say, look at what Israel did," she alleged.
"But don't ever forget what Hamas did. Don't ever forget those girls running for their life. Don't ever forget those babies that were killed in cribs. Don't ever forget the people that they were dragging through the streets. And what were they saying, Jake? They were saying, "Death to Israel, death to America," she said.
"That's who we're dealing with. But I dealt with this at the United Nations. You're going to hear all of those Arab countries vilify Israel for what's about to happen. You're going to hear all of them say, how dare you not do more for the Palestinian people?" said Haley, a former US ambassador to the UN. -- PTI
09:31 Agniveer Amritpal died by suicide: Army reacts amid row
The Army has said that Agniveer Amritpal Singh committed suicide by shooting himself while on sentry duty and that military honours were not extended to his funeral as deaths arising out of self-inflicted injuries are not given such honours.
The Army, on Sunday, asserted that it does not differentiate among soldiers based on whether they joined the force prior to or after the implementation of the Agnipath scheme.
There were allegations that the military honours were not extended to Singh's funeral as he was an Agniveer soldier.
The Army's Nagrota-headquartered White Knight Corps on Saturday said that Singh died while on sentry duty in Rajouri sector due to a self-inflicted gunshot injury.
In a statement on Sunday night, the Army said there has been some "misunderstanding and misrepresentation" of facts related to the unfortunate death of Singh.
"It is a grave loss to the family and the Indian Army that Agniveer Amritpal Singh committed suicide by shooting himself while on sentry duty," the Army said.
"In consonance with the existing practice, the mortal remains, after conduct of medico-legal procedures, were transported under Army arrangements along with an escort party to the native place for the last rites," it said.
The Army said the Armed Forces do not differentiate between the soldiers who joined prior to or after the implementation of the Agnipath scheme as regards entitled benefits and protocols.
"Unfortunate instances of death arising out of suicide/self-inflicted injury, irrespective of the type of entry, are accorded due respect by the Armed Forces along with deep and enduring empathy with the family," it said.
"Such cases, however, are not entitled to military funerals as per the extant Army Order of 1967, in vogue. Policy on the subject has been consistently followed ever since, without any discrimination," it said.
"As per data held, there has been an average yearly loss ranging between 100-140 soldiers since 2001 where deaths occurred due to suicides/self-inflicted injuries, and military funeral in such cases was not accorded," the Army said. -- PTI
08:30 Politicians react as Pak cricketer heckled by fans
The cricketers from Pakistan have enjoyed the warmth and hospitality ever since they landed in India to compete in the World Cup but a video has surfaced on social media where Mohammed Rizwan was seen getting heckled by a few fans in Ahmedabad with the chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' while he walked back to pavilion during the marquee clash on Saturday.
A group of fans shouted 'Jai Shri Ram' (Hail Lord Ram) multiple times when Rizwan was walking back to the pavilion after being dismissed by pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
Rizwan scored 49 runs and Pakistan could put on board only 191, a target which India chased without much fuss to record its eighth straight win over the arch-rivals in World Cups.
Several politicians denounced the act.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Udhayanidhi Stalin posted the video with a comment that such crowd behaviour is "unacceptable".
"India is renowned for its sportsmanship and hospitality. However, the treatment meted out to Pakistan players at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is unacceptable and a new low. Sports should be a unifying force between countries, fostering true brotherhood. Using it as a tool to spread hatred is condemnable," he wrote on X.
Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale also criticised the fans for heckling Rizwan.
"PM Modi desperately wants India to host the 2036 Olympics. But if this is what BJP has reduced our audiences to - where they heckle a Pakistani player with chants of Jai Shri Ram - massive doubts remain over whether we're qualified & sporting enough to host ANY international sporting event," he wrote.
Pakistan players, led by Babar Azam, have received tremendous respect and a warm welcome upon their arrival first in Hyderabad and then in Ahmedabad. -- PTI
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