Israel's Netanyahu says Gaza protests on US campuses 'horrific'

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday condemned pro-Palestinian student protests in US universities as horrific, saying the demonstrations have to be stopped. Universities across the United States -- Israel's close ally and top provider of military assistance -- have been rocked by demonstrations over Israel's relentless assault on Gaza, triggering mass arrests and shutting down classes at some of the most prestigious US institutions. What's happening in America's college campuses is horrific, Netanyahu said in a statement, echoing concerns voiced primarily by supporters of Israel over the safety of Israeli or Jewish students and faculty as the protests intensify. Some have pointed to anti-Semitic incidents and argued that university leaders are enabling intimidation and hate speech. Pro-Palestinian protests sweep US college campuses following mass arrests at Columbia Anti-Semitic mobs have taken over leading universities, claimed Netanyahu. They call for the annihilation of Israel. They attack Jewish students. They attack Jewish faculty, he said. It's unconscionable. It has to be stopped. He argued the esponse of several university presidents was shameful and said more needed to be done. What is important now is for all of us, all of us who... cherish our values and our civilisation, to stand up together and to say, 'enough is enough', Netanyahu said. Universities have become the focus of intense cultural debate in the United States since Hamas's October 7 attack and Israel's overwhelming military response, as a humanitarian crisis grips Gaza. Hamas's attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people, Israelis and foreigners, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Israel's military offensive has killed at least 34,262 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. US student protesters dig in as Israel-Hamas war grinds on

Hamas releases video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin

Hamas releases video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin Hamas released a video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin on Wednesday. The video is the first proof that he survived being badly injured during his capture on October 7, CNN reported. Goldberg-Polin, then 23, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival during Hamas' attacks on Israel on October 7. More than 1,200 people died and over 200 people were taken hostage when Hamas launched an attack on Israel in October. In the video, he is seen with part of his left arm missing several inches above the hand. The videos posted on October 7 showed Goldberg-Polin with his arm severely wounded. A young woman, who was in a bunker with him when Hamas attacked, said he helped to throw grenades out before his arm was blown off from the elbow down. In the latest video shared by the terrorist group, Goldberg-Polin was seen sitting on a chair, addressing the camera. While speaking about himself mentioning the names of his parents and giving his date of birth, he occasionally gestured with his injured arm. In the video, Hersh Goldberg-Polin said he has been here for almost 200 days, suggesting that the video was captured shortly before Tuesday, the 200th day of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, according to CNN report. He slammed the Israeli government similar to what other Israeli hostages have done in propaganda videos shared by Hamas. Held captive by Hamas for six months in Gaza, Goldberg-Polin is almost certainly speaking under duress. Hersh Goldberg-Polin also spoke about Israeli government ministers having holiday dinners with their families, an apparent reference to the Jewish holiday of Passover, which started on Monday night, CNN reported. He urged his own family to remain strong for him and concluded by saying that he hoped he was able to give them some comfort on the holiday. Goldberg-Polin is among the most recognizable of the 129 hostages who continue to remain held in Gaza. Banners and murals displayed in Jerusalem read, Bring Hersh Home, CNN reported. His parents Rachel and Jonathan have regularly met top US officials in Washington to pressurise them about the case of hostages held in Gaza, CNN reported. Of the 129 October 7 hostages still held captive by Hamas in Gaza, the Israeli government believes 33 are dead. Hersh Goldberg-Polin's mother Rachel Goldberg-Polin has campaigned for her son's release for the past six months. He was scheduled to go on a round-the-world trip he had planned. On December 27, when he had planned to depart for the round-the-world trip, his mother visited the airport with friends and handed stickers of Hersh to passengers travelling on his flight, asking them to share photos from places they visited. (ANI)

Salem Virudhachalam DEMU passenger train to run up to Cuddalore Port junction

Israels army orders immediate evacuation in Gaza

Jerusalem: Israel has ordered residents of the city of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate urgently ahead of a new planned onslaught in the area. You are in a dangerous combat zone, Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), wrote on Tuesday on the social media platform X. Also Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Blazing heat forces Erode residents to stay indoors

ERODE: Erode district is under the glare of the blazing summer sun. On Monday, the district recorded a temperature of 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius), say India Meteorological Department data. Erode was the third hottest city in India on Monday as per the IMD figures. The rising heat has forced many to stay at home. Workers have been hit hard. Schools have been urged to give holidays for students attending special classes. A Sivakrishnan of Nadar Medu in Erode, said, This years heat is more than last years. By 11 am I will finish all my work, including buying vegetables, outside. After that I leave the house only after 6 pm. As much as possible, I dont go outside during the day. If necessary, I will go with an umbrella. Even at night, the air is warm. We cant sleep at night even if we turn on the fan. The air from the fan is also hot. Children are the most affected. S Kulendran, a painting contractor of Erode, said, Now it is very sunny during the day. So we start work at 6 am. We work outside the building from 6 am to 10 am. After that, we go inside the building. At unavoidable times we work outside following the shadow of the building. At present, workers tire quickly when working outdoors. This slows down the work. They work by taking little breaks. There is no other way. We try to get rid of fatigue by drinking juices and cold water. K Sekar, a construction worker of Thingalur, said, We dont stop working even if it is hot. If we take some rest it will affect our wages. But we tie a towel around our heads to protect ourselves from the sun. We drink water often. We bring lemon juice from home. We add curd and buttermilk to the midday meal. S Saranya, North Traffic Inspector of Erode, said, Even in the scorching heat, the traffic police do their duty without fail. Necessary hand gloves, caps etc. have been provided to the traffic police. Fruit juice was given during the day to beat the heat as advised by our higher officials. It was interrupted due to the election. Providing fruit juice to the traffic police again is under consideration. Our higher officials have advised us to stand and work under umbrellas during off-peak hours. At the same time, there has been a demand to declare holidays for schools in Erode immediately. M Yuvaraja, State President of the Youth Wing of Tamil Maanila Congress, on Tuesday, said, Amidst the scorching heat in Erode, the examinations in schools and colleges have not yet been completed. Some schools run special classes. The district administration should immediately declare a holiday for all these activities. Examinations and special classes can be held as the heat wanes. Officials of the IMD (Salem Region) said, The weather in Erode is hotter than expected. Erode recorded a temperature of 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday. On Tuesday, it was 108 F (42.2 C). One of the reasons for this is that there are no clouds. Officials from the district administration said, Erode has been experiencing extreme heat for the last 20 days. The public has been advised to protect themselves from the heat. People should avoid going out of their houses during the day unnecessarily.

Soccer-Al-Ain seal Asian Champions League final berth despite Al-Hilal loss

Soccer-Al-Ain seal Asian Champions League final berth despite Al-Hilal loss Al-Ain advanced to the Asian Champions League final despite losing 2-1 to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in Riyadh on Tuesday, with the side from the United Arab Emirates completing a 5-4 aggregate victory to progress to next month's decider. Hernan Crespo's outfit will take on either Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea or Japan's Yokohama F Marinos. Goals from Ruben Neves and Salem Al-Dawsari gave Al-Hilal victory on the night at the Kingdom Arena. Leading 4-2 from the first leg in Al-Ain last Wednesday, the visitors were rocked inside the opening two minutes as the Saudi Pro League side, watched from the stands by their injured playmaker Neymar, made a blistering start. The four-times winners reduced the deficit in the fourth minute as a rash challenge in the area saw Kouame Kouadio bring down Brazilian winger Michael and, after a VAR review, Neves smashed his spot-kick into the top corner. But Al-Ain remained resolute, with Kaku heading over the bar before the 2003 champions restored their two-goal aggregate advantage in the 12th minute. Erik Jorgens cut in from the left and fed the ball to Kaku, who found Yahia Nader on the right and he set up the unmarked Jorgens to stroke the ball past Yassine Bounou from 14 yards having continued his run across the box. Ahmed Barman then headed against his own crossbar as Al-Hilal pushed forward, with Ali Al-Bulayhi nodding across the face of the Al-Ain goal soon after. Six minutes into the second half the home side struck again, Al-Dawsari slotting his low shot into the bottom corner after Barman's header from Yasser Al-Shahrani's long throw had landed at the Al-Hilal winger's feet. Goalkeeper Khalid Eisa kept Michael's deflected effort out at the near post with five minutes remaining while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic headed over moments later as Al-Hilal sought in vain to score the goal that would take the game into extra-time. The result means Al-Ain will return to the final for the first time since 2016, when they lost out over two legs to South Korea's Jeonbuk Motors. Ulsan and Yokohama face off in the second leg of their semi-final in Japan on Wednesday, with the South Koreans holding a slender 1-0 lead. The first leg of the final will be played in either Japan or South Korea on May 11 with Al-Ain hosting the return two weeks later.

Valluvar Vasagar Vattam initiative at Salem Central Prison completes its 25th week

Woman dies after child accidentally fires airgun in Salem

South Africa cannot be a party to Israels actions

South Africa cannot be a party to Israels actions International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, says South Africa cannot have ormal relations with Israel, as long as it is committing war crimes and genocide against Palestinians, removing them from their land, and is unwilling to negotiate a viable peace plan without preconditions. South Africa cannot be a party to Israel's actions that would see the promise of Palestinian Statehood reduced to balkanised entities, devoid of true sovereignty, without territorial contiguity and with no economic viability, Pandor said on Monday while delivering a lecture at the Rio Branco Institute in Brasilia, Brazil. The South African government, according to Pandor, has consistently expressed its concern at the plight of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially in light of the acts meeting the threshold of genocide. READ | SA welcomes resolution on human rights situation in occupied Palestinian territory Pandor said the question of Palestine, as it is known in the United Nations (UN), is the longest unresolved human rights challenge on the UN's agenda. It is primarily a question about the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. This is a right that, according to international law, gives Palestinians the right to resist the illegal occupation of their land. She said South Africa concurs with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's remarks that opposition to a two-State solution was unacceptable. The Minister believes that the Palestinian people are part of an existing sovereign State and have a claim to their independent sovereignty based on their right to self-determination. The fact of colonisation creates this right they have been conquered and subjected to the jurisdiction of a foreign State without their consent and are living under occupation by a foreign and oppressive occupier. This is the form of self-determination that is most widely accepted and which most clearly provides the right to one's independent State, she explained. Pandor said it was now more than 74 years since the UN General Assembly approved Resolution 181 (II) recognising the partitioning of Palestine and proposed establishing two independent States, which were supposed to coexist in peace and harmony. Despite the length of time and efforts brought to bear, the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State is yet to become a reality. The most serious violation of human rights has involved the denial of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. This is a right enshrined in the UN Charter, she stressed. Pandor raised concerns about the political solution, which is ot yet in sight. The relentless military operations by Israel and its genocidal acts have aggravated the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The extreme nature of the crisis in Gaza must not eclipse the fact that the West Bank and East Jerusalem are in turmoil. Since the 1993 Oslo Accords, the number of illegal Israeli settlers occupying Palestinian land has increased from 269 200 at that time to 700 000 today. Meanwhile, the number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails has almost doubled to over 7 000, including 200 women and children as young as 12 years old. According to the Minister, the conflict has seen the killing of over 33 000 Palestinians since October 2023. The ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel has resulted in more civilian casualties, almost half of which are children, the Minister told her audience. She also raised an alarm about the threat of famine, which is imminent with disastrous consequences. Those engaged in active warfare must be reminded that the targeting of civilians, humanitarian workers, journalists and UN personnel, destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure is illegal under international law. Pandor is of the view that South Africa made a compelling case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In January this year, the ICJ ruled that Israel's actions in Gaza are plausibly genocidal and indicated provisional measures on that basis. READ | SA stands by decision to file lawsuit against Israel She also took a swipe at the veto power wielded by individual States, which she said she believes cannot be permitted to thwart international justice in light of the ever-worsening situation in Gaza. South Africa, Pandor said, is gravely concerned about the unprecedented imminent military offensive against Rafah, which she said would result in further large-scale killing, harm and destruction. South Africa reiterates its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and remains committed to seeing an end to the occupation of Palestine and calls for concrete action concerning ending the Apartheid system in Israel and Palestine. (With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)

TN cop dies by suicide after wife leaves for UK

COIMBATORE : A head constable attached to the investigation wing of Saravanampatti Police station died by suicide at his residence. The deceased was identified as Balakumar (38). A 2003 batch personnel, he lived in Ganapathi Maanager with his wife and two children. According to sources. his wife works in a private hotel. Recently, she got a promotion and relocated to the London branch two weeks ago leaving their two children under the care of her parents in Salem. Upon completing his election duty, Balakumar returned home on the morning of April 20, but did not report for work for the next two days. His parents tried to contact him but their efforts went in vain. On Sunday, they reached out to the Saravanampatti police station, asking the personnel to visit his residence on Sunday night to check on him. A team of police went to his home and found Balakumar had died by suicide. The body was sent to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for post mortem examination. Police said Balakumar was allegedly unhappy with his wife as she left the country and they quarrelled over it before her departure. In a letter, he mentioned that he was not able to speak with his wife properly. Also, work pressure might have triggered him to take the extreme step, police sources added. (To overcome suicidal thoughts, contact the health departments helpline 104 or the Vidiyal helpline run by Coimbatore police at 0422-2300999)

Dharmapuri district records its hottest day in 8 years, dog days to continue across TN

CHENNAI: Heatwave conditions continue to prevail over north interior districts of Tamil Nadu where the mercury went up several degrees above normal on Monday. Dharmapuri recorded its highest temperature in the past eight years on Monday, but Erode topped the chart with a sizzling 43 degree Celsius. The regional meteorological centre (RMC) in Chennai has issued a temperature warning till April 26. Due to high temperatures and humid conditions, hot and uncomfortable weather is likely at isolated pockets over Tamil Nadu during the next five days, said P Senthamarai Kannam from RMC. The all-time record for Dharmapuri was 42.2 degree Celsius recorded on April 25, 2016. The second highest of 41.2 degree Celsius was recorded on Monday. Mercury had breached 40 degrees in 12 districts, including Erode, Dharmapuri, Tirupattur, Tiruchy Tiruthani, Vellore, Karur, Madurai, Namakkal, Salem, and Coimbatore. The met office said maximum temperature is likely to be 2-3 degrees above normal at a few places over interior Tamil Nadu for the next five days. The temperature will be 39-41 degrees over the plains of the north interior districts and 34-38 degrees over rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal area. Humidity is likely to be about 30%-50% in the afternoon hours and 40%-75% during the rest of the day over the plains of interior districts; and 50% to 85% over the coastal areas during the next five days. Weather blogger K Srikanth said the hot and humid conditions are likely to prevail for the next two weeks.

Election turnout figures based on polling app entries, not mandatory, clarifies TN CEO

CHENNAI: Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo on Monday clarified that the periodic provisional turnout figures that were provided by his office on polling day was based on projections from figures entered in a mobile application by Presiding Officers (POs) in polling stations across the state. Sahoo offered these clarifications after wide variations between provisional polling figures and final figures led to a lot of confusion on Friday. In an interaction with reporters on Monday, he stressed that the entry of data in this mobile app was not a statutory or mandatory task for the POs. Many were not updating the data on the app since they were held up with other activities at the polling stations, he said. The provisional figures provided through the day by his office were therefore based on projections from those polling stations that were feeding data into the app, he said. He contrasted this with the statutory task of POs filling form 17A (register of votes) and form 17C (account of votes recorded), which form the basis for authentic figures. He said the final figures will be provided by Returning Officers to political parties in all seats. Only copies signed by ROs report final data, says CEO Sahoo said even in the 2021 Assembly election, the provisional figures provided at 7 pm on polling day was around 69% but this was revised to over 72% the next day. He said the provisional figure was only to provide a trend and must not be treated as final. The signed physical copies provided by ROs are the authentic figures, he added. TNIE had reported on Sunday how the projections done based on a sample number of polling stations led to wide variations. Surveillance teams in 13 dists The Static Surveillance Teams and Flying Squad Teams, he said, have been withdrawn from all except 13 districts sharing borders with neighbouring states where elections are under way. A total of 171 teams, divided into 57 teams working in three shifts, have been deployed in Tiruvallur, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Salem, Erode, Theni, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari, Tirupattur and Nilgiris. On inquiries about political parties requests for re-polling in certain voting booths, the CEO said neither Returning Officers nor Observers have recommended conducting re-polls anywhere in the state.

Hezbollah fires 35 rockets at Israel: Army

Jerusalem: Lebanese armed group Hezbollah launched about 35 rockets toward northern Israel while Israel carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said in a statement. The rockets triggered air raid sirens in the city of Safed and other communities in northern Israel, but no injuries have been reported, Xinhua news agency reported. Also Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Head constable dies of cardiac arrest in Salem

Voter Turnout App figures are right: CEO

Chennai: Amidst persistent criticism over the repeated changes in the voting percentage put out by the Election Commission of India, the States Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sathyabrata Sahoo clarified the reason behind the faux pas and said that Voter Turnout App gave the right figures. Since the media was always in a hurry to publish the voting percentage and the details were obtained over telephone in haste from the various Returning Officers (RO) and Assistant Returning Officers (ARO) in the field and passed on there was bound to be some error in the immediate tabulation, Sahoo told media persons in Chennai on Monday. However, only when the details were submitted in writing by the ROs and AROs they became the final figure and that too was passed on to themedia, he said. The Voter Turnout App figures were accurate, he said. Asked about the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct after the completion of polls in the State on Friday, Sahoo said that it would be in force in 12 districts that shared a border with other States where polling had not been completed. So, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Salem, Erode, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi ad Tirupattur districts would continue to enforce the MCC till the elections in the neighbouring States were completed, he said. He said the polled EVMs hadbeen stored in the strong rooms of 39 Counting Centres (43 buildings) for the 39 Parliamentary Constituencies after the conclusion of poll on Friday. The ECI had allotted 190 companies of CAPF/SAP toTamil Nadu for elections and 15 companies had been retained after the polling process was over, for guarding the strong rooms. Adequate security was being provided to all the counting centers as per ECI guidelines. The strong roomswere secured with a double lock system and three layers of security cover were being provided to each of the counting centers, he said. The inner perimeter of the counting center is under the direct control of CAPF personnel, the second security layer is manned by State Armed Police Force. The third layer of security is provided by the State Police. The entire Counting centre is under CCTV surveillance andthe ROs visit the strong rooms daily to check the security of the strong room, he said. As per the direction of ECI, Flying SquadTeams and Static Surveillance Teams were being deployed at the districtssharing borders with neighbouring States and at strategic locations till the counting day, he added.

Increase in temperature in Salem increases muskmelon sales

With photo/District collectors inspect security arrangements at counting centres in Salem region

Police head constable dies in Salem

Car Attack in Jerusalem Injures at Least 3

Police arrested two men who fled the area after a car rammed into pedestrians. Israeli authorities said the attack was an act of terrorism.

Jerusalem prepares events for massive visitation over Passover holiday

Jerusalem prepares events for massive visitation over Passover holiday Tel Aviv [Israel], April 22 (ANI/TPS): Preparations are being made for the arrival of tens of thousands of visitors to Jerusalem over the Passover holiday, specifically to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. The holiday begins Monday night. To that end, Israel's Ministry of Jerusalem and the Tradition of Israel and the Society for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter said that they are engaging in an unprecedented project, in which a huge air-conditioned refreshment tent will be erected will be erected within the Jewish Quarter for the masses of visitors and klezmer music entertainers will perform and the Hurva Synagogue - the uined synagogue destroyed by the Jordanians after Israel's independence and restored in recent years - will be opened to the general public. The air conditioning will come in handy as it is expected to go above 90 degrees (33 C) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In addition, a mother and child tent will be set up to serve families. Ushers will be spread throughout the Jewish quarter and will direct the crowd to the historical points of interest in the place and will serve the many families who will come to the holy place to mark the Passover holiday and learn about the history of the streets where our ancestors walked in the days of the Temple. The CEO of the Society for the Rehabilitation and Development of the Jewish Quarter, Herzl Ben Ari: This year, more than ever, we invite all the people of Israel to make a pilgrimage to the Jewish Quarter and connect their feet to the eternal chain of the Jewish people. We thank the Minister of Jerusalem and Israel's Traditions for the mobilization and support that enable the activity that has already become a tradition. (ANI/TPS)

Empty chairs for hostages as Israel at war marks Passover

JERUSALEM: Jewish people mark on Monday the start of Passover, a celebration of freedom, and around many holiday tables in Israel chairs will stand empty for hostages still held captive in Gaza. The week-long Jewish festival, also known in Hebrew as the holiday of freedom, celebrates the Israelites' liberation from Egyptian slavery, as told in the Bible. Passover is traditionally observed with a seder: a holiday feast when families eat symbolic foods and read the Haggadah. The more than millennium-old text recounts the Exodus and Jewish people's ties, and their yearning to return, to the Holy Land. For many this year, Passover will be stained by absence and anguish; particularly the relatives of the hostages, grieving families and more than 120,000 Israelis displaced from their homes in the north and south of the country because of the war in the Gaza Strip. All of the symbolic things we do at the seder will take on a much more profound and deep meaning this year, said Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh is one of the hostages. The bread of affliction, the bitter herbs, the saltwater that represents the tears of the Jewish people when they were in captivity, in slavery. Over the past few days, Israeli Jews have been making preparations for the holiday: fastidious house cleaning, burning leavened goods eschewed during Passover, and copious food shopping. 'How can we celebrate?' But the holiday mood has been dampened by more than six months of war in Gaza, with many Israelis serving in the military away from home. Above all, the continuing captivity of 129 hostages abducted by Palestinian militants on October 7 has cast a pall over Passover. On that day, Gaza-based militants launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Militants also abducted some 250 people during the attack. Israel's retaliatory invasion of the Gaza Strip has killed 34,097 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. Military force as well as indirect negotiations with Hamas have not yet succeeded in bringing the remaining hostages home. Everything is deadlocked and nobody knows how to move forward, on our side and on the Hamas side, said Gershon Baskin, an Israeli activist who has mediated between Israel and Hamas for over a decade to free hostages in Gaza. We're held hostage by our government and held hostage by Hamas, he said. There is no freedom this year. For many relatives of the captives, this Passover will not be joyous. How can we celebrate such a holiday while ... people are still without their freedom, still waiting to be liberated? asked Mai Albini. His grandfather Chaim Peri was taken hostage on October 7. Haggadahs sold out Tzohar, a rabbinic group, the Hostage and Missing Family Forum and President Isaac Herzog have all urged families to leave an empty chair at their seder table, with the picture of a hostage on it. There is great hardship this Passover, said Tzohar's head rabbi, David Stav. Even at the most traditional seder night, the practice is that we also mention that which is missing and difficult. The Hostage and Missing Family Forum published a special edition of the Haggadah that integrates new hopes, and introduces inspiring messages of contemporary spirit. It contains contributions from hostages' relatives, a former chief rabbi of Israel, and Rita, a prominent Iranian-Israeli singer. It has sold more than 250,000 copies in Israel and abroad, said Itay Shenberger, who heads the Haggadah project. It's basically all the stock we had, he said. The proceeds go to the forum's efforts to secure the hostages' release. 'Wander in the desert' Many families will mark Passover away from home, driven out by fighting between Israel and militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah that has turned northern and southern border communities into ghost towns. Around 60,000 Israelis from the north and almost an equal number from southern Israel remain internally displaced, according to official figures. Hotels still house more than 26,000 displaced, many of whom will hold seders there. Kibbutz Beeri, one of the hardest hit communities in the October 7 attack, will hold a communal seder in the Tel Aviv plaza that has become the epicentre of the hostage protests. Nisan Zeevi, an entrepreneur from Kfar Giladi kibbutz near the Lebanese border, said his family has been uprooted from our homes for more than half a year. Political leaders have given them no hint as to when they might return, he said. We're not celebrating Passover in a normal way, Zeevi said. Like the biblical Israelites, he added, this year they will wander in the desert.

Middle East crisis live: Iraq militant group says it will resume attacks on US forces

A US official confirmed rockets were fired towards troops at a coalition base in Syria, but no personnel were injured Haaretz reports that Israeli security forces have arrested two people suspected of carrying out a car ramming in Jerusalem . Three people are reported to have been injured. Aharon Haliva , who was the general in command of the IDFs military intelligence directorate on 7 October, has resigned over the failure of Israels military to prevent the attack inside southern Israel by Hamas that day, according to Israeli media reports. Continue reading...

Israel PM Netanyahu to increase pressure on Hamas

Israel PM Netanyahu to increase pressure on Hamas Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to intensify the military crackdown on Hamas. In a video address on Sunday, Netanyahu threatened action in the coming days, without elaborating on the time and place. We will strike it with additional painful blows and this [] The post Israel PM Netanyahu to increase pressure on Hamas appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Thousands Across Israel Demand Hostage Deal, Call For Elections

Thousands of Israeli demonstrators across Israel and Jerusalem took to the streets on April 20 to call for new elections and demand more action from the government to bring the hostages held in Gaza home, in the latest round of protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.The protests have continued as the war in Gaza moves through its seventh month and amid growing anger over the government's approach to the 133 Israeli hostages still held by the Islamist movement Hamas.Surveys indicate that most Israelis blame Netanyahu for the security failures that led to the devastating attack by Hamas fighters on communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Drought hits mango cultivation in Salem region of Tamil Nadu, prices shoot up

The mango growers in Krishnagiri are incurring a loss of 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh an acre due to drought; the State government should focus on water management in the district, say farmers

Drought hits mango cultivation in Salem region, prices shoot up

The mango growers in Krishnagiri are incurring a loss of 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh an acre due to drought; the State government should focus on water management in the district, say farmers

Drought hits mango cultivation in Salem region of Tamil Nadu, prices shoot up - The Hindu

Drought hits mango cultivation in Salem region of Tamil Nadu, prices shoot up The Hindu

Drought hits mango cultivation in Salem region, prices shoot up - The Hindu

Drought hits mango cultivation in Salem region, prices shoot up The Hindu

LS polls: Final polling percentage stands at 69.72 per cent in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: The final polling percentage in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha elections stands at 69.72 per cent, according to an announcement made by Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, on Sunday. Of the total number of voters - 6,23,33,925 in Tamil Nadu, 4,34,58,875 have polled their votes for the Lok Sabha elections. Women voters have outnumbered the men in the electoral rolls. In exercising their franchise too, they are ahead of men. Of the 3,17,19,665 women voters, 2,21,58,256 have turned up at the polling booths on April 19. Similarly, of the 3,06,05,793 men voters, 2,12,97,903 voters have exercised their franchise. According to the final voting percentages, Dharmapuri constituency polled the highest: 81.20 per cent, while Chennai Central constituenced polled the least: 53.96 per cent. Polling percentages in all 39 constituenies are as follows: Thiruvallur (SC) - 68.59% Chennai North - 60.11% Chennai South - 54.17% Chennai Central - 53.96% Sriperumbudur - 60.25% Kancheepuram (SC) - 71.68% Arakkonam - 74.19% Vellore - 73.53% Krishnagiri - 71.50% Dharmapuri - 81.20% Tiruvannamalai - 74.24% Arani - 75.76% Villpuram (SC) - 76.52% Kallakurichi - 79.21% Salem - 78.16% Namakkal - 78.21% Erode - 70.59% Tirupur - 70.62% The Nilgiris - 70.95% Coimbatore - 64.89% Pollachi - 70.41% Dindigul - 71.14% Karur - 78.70% Trichy -67.51% Perambalur - 77.43% Cuddalore - 72.57% Chidambaram (SC) - 76.37% Mayiladuthurai - 70.09% Nagapattinam (SC) - 71.94% Thanjavur - 68.27% Sivaganga - 64.26% Madurai - 62.04% Theni - 69.84% Virudhunagar - 70.22% Ramanathapuram - 68.19% Thoothukudi - 66.88% Tenkasi (SC) - 67.65% Tirunelveli - 64.10% Kanyakumari - 65.44%

West Bank holds general strike to protest Israeli violence

Jerusalem: People in the West Bank launched a general strike on Sunday in protest against Israels killing of Palestinians in a refugee camp in Tulkarm and the Gaza Strip. The Fatah movement, among other groups, had called for the strike. According to eyewitnesses, there was hardly any traffic on the streets of Ramallah on Sunday Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Reuters' Mohammed Salem wins 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award for picture of mourning Palestinian woman

The winning image portrays Inas Abu Maamar, 36, sobbing while holding Salys sheet-clad body in the hospital morgue

Edappadi segment witnesses second-highest voter turnout in Tamil Nadu

SALEM: Edappadi assembly segment in Salem Lok Sabha constituency has registered the second-highest voter turnout in Tamil Nadu, an impressive 84.71%, whereas the overall polling statewide is expected to be lower than the 2019 figures as per the latest updates. Significantly, the eponymous home town of AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is in this segment. In all 2,41,216 votes were cast in the Edappadi assembly segment on Friday when all the 39 seats in the state went to the polls. This is a significant increase from the previous turnout of 2,27,229 in the 2019 general election. The highest polling was registered in Palacode assembly segments in Dharmapuri Lok Sabha constituency, with 84.88% of voters turning up to cast their votes. In the Edappadi assembly segment, the highest polling was recorded in Karattur, Iruppali, Savariyur, Moolakadai, Chettimankurichi, and Periyasuvaragai polling stations. In response to enquiries from TNIE regarding the surge in voter participation, Assistant Returning Officer C Maran attributed it to the extensive election awareness campaigns held at Edappadi Arts and Science College, with more than 1,500 individuals participating. Deputy Tasildhar of Edappadi, T Karnan, said Various activities, including quizzes, drawing and essay contests, were organised to encourage turnout, with prizes awarded to encourage every ones participation. Is the higher polling a pointer to the outcome when votes are counted on June 4? S Parthasarathy, a 37-year-old IT specialist, expressed mixed sentiments. Residents of suburban Salem are overall satisfied with the incumbent government, he noted. V Gomathi, a 52-year-old farmer, shared her motivation for casting her vote, citing the benefits received under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. With an annual grant of `6,000 it helps me to get essentials for my Urad dal farm, she said while stressing the importance of continued state support. Up by over 13,000 votes In all 2,41,216 votes were cast in the Edappadi assembly segment on Friday. This is a significant increase from the previous turnout of 2,27,229 in the 2019 general election.

A ragpicker-turned-banker

VIJAYAWADA: Life was no bed of roses for Seelam Sandeep Kumar, who was abandoned by his parents at the age of six. What kept him going was his dream of some day working in the bank that he looked at every day while scavenging for food from a dustbin near a restaurant in Vijayawada. His mother, Parvathi was from Kadapa district. She married Sunil, a native of Kolkata. Sandeep was born in Mumbai and raised in Kolkata. However, his mother brought him back to Kadapa when he was just 3, due to harassment by her husband. Parvathi handed over a six-year-old Sandeep to her relatives and left without a word. Sandeep had faced abandonment, rejection and neglect at a very young age. His relatives refused to send him to school, citing financial constraints. He then resolved to earn money to pay for his education. He boarded a train to Tirupati, climbed the Alipiri steps, and ate prasadam distributed by other devotees for sustenance. Language was a challenge as Sandeep was fluent in both Marathi and Bengali and not Telugu. He earned money by selling coconuts at the Dwajasthambam in Tirumala. Unfortunately, it was stolen while he was asleep. After having starved for three days, a devotee offered him a free meal token for Anna Prasadams at the temple. He came to Vijayawada on learning that the Navajeevan Bala Bhavan in the city provided accommodation to orphans. He then began working at a hotel near the railway station. Sandeep found himself right back at square one after the person he entrusted his earnings with fled the orphanage. He then began working with labourers near Eluru canal. He had sustained injuries in a road accident and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. Following this, he joined an Orphan School in Pezzonipet with the help of Thomas Kaushy, founder of Navajeevan. He excelled in the Class X exams at RCM High School. During his free time, he swept train carriages and collected plastic as a ragpicker. Sometimes, he also had to beg to make ends meet. He was able to join Sarada College for intermediate education. Unfortunately, he failed the exams. While dealing with the curveballs life threw at him, Sandeep learnt how to dance. This helped him earn money as he began teaching dance. When a film director encouraged him to test his luck in the film industry, he went to Hyderabad and became an assistant to a dance master in Hyderabad. As Sandeep did not find any success even three years after working in the film industry, he returned to Vijayawada from Hyderabad. As he began settling down in life, he met Rajeswari and later married her, but not without facing challenges. Rajeswaris parents refused to get her married to an orphan. To prove that he was not an orphan, he searched for his mother across the country and luckily found her in Salem, Tamil Nadu. He thus gained the approval of Rajeswaris parents and married her. They are now parents of two children, Sahasra and Harshi. After getting married, he pursued an MBA through distance education while working part-time and gaining knowledge of the stock market. He secured a job at Kotak Bank (Securities wing) in Vijayawada. Reflecting on his journey, the 37-year-old reminisces, Now, as I gaze through the banks windows, I can see the spot near Sweet Magic where I once scavenged for discarded cakes In a bid to give back to the society, Sandeep, along with his friends from Navajeevan, formed a WhatsApp group titled Fruits from Navajeevan to support orphans like him. Sandeep told TNIE, We have mobilised funds to provide support to those facing challenges like we did. We are committed to ensuring that no child is deprived of education due to financial constraints.

Tamil Nadu: Sample projection by CEOs office led to wide variation in turnout percentage

CHENNAI: The significant difference in the voter turnout data between the provisional figures released by the office of Chief Electoral Officer after the Lok Sabha elections at 7.30pm (72.09%) on Friday and at 12am (69.46%) on Saturday stirred considerable confusion among the public. While minor variations are expected in these figures in every poll, variations in the range of seven to 13.5 percentage points in several constituencies led to concerns over data quality. Enquiries by TNIE revealed that a method of projection based on data directly collected by the office of the CEO from a sample number of polling stations led to these variations. According to officials, periodic updates provided by office of CEO on Friday and later at 7.30pm were based on this sample- based projection. In contrast, the Saturday 12am figure was based on actual data from all assembly segments fed by the respective Returning Officers to the ECIs online portal, Encore. Interestingly, even after 24 hours of polling, the final turnout figures were not released until Saturday night. Releasing the same 12am figures at 7.30pm on Saturday, CEO Satyabrata Sahoo said data entry for each polling station was still under way. The respective ROs are doing it for all polling stations. We expect very minor variation (in the final figures), he said. The statewide turnout remained at 69.46% as on Saturday night. Sahoo, however, added that turnout for Thoothukudi will be sharply revised to 66.88% from 59.96% as there were delays in entering data to the Encore portal on Friday. Except for this constituency, only very little changes are likely in other seats, he added. The revision in Thoothukudi will marginally increase the statewide turnout data when the final figures are released. The variations reported earlier due to sample-based projections were sharp in the three seats in Chennai district, and Sriperumbudur, Coimbatore, Sivaganga, and Madurai (refer infographic). Dharmapuri locals have more at stake S Kumaresan , a labourer and a native of Pennagaram who works in Bengaluru, said, In villages, everybody knows everybody else. So when a person from our village calls you to come and cast vote for a political party, we just cannot ignore it. This is a big reason for casting the vote. Moreover, this also gives us the chance to meet up with family and friends. R Mariappan, a labourer working in Coimbatore, said, Most migrant labourers working in the district either work in Dharmapuri, Tiruppur or Coimbatore, which are not too far. It only takes a few hours to reach home. Moreover, in rural areas, if you do not vote, the ward members or panchayat president will not respect you. Though we vote for people of our choice, cadres cutting across party lines would solicit our opinion on local matters. If you do not vote, then your opinion may not matter. The district, which comprises one municipality, 10 town panchayats, and 251 gram panchayats, has consistently trumped bigger districts like Chennai, Coimbatore and Salem that are relatively more urban in nature. Speaking to TNIE, Collector K Santhi said, Dharmapuri has always been a good performer in polling. One of our key initiatives to bring in voters was by analysing previous Lok Sabha election data. We had identified poor performing polling stations and increased SVEEP (Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation) activities there using self-help groups, she said. Political parties, however, attribute this increase in polling percentage to political awareness. CPM district secretary A Kumar said, All three major parties the DMK, PMK and AIADMK were well-received by the elderly and youth across the district. As most people in Dharmapuri belong to weaker sections of the society, they have more at stake. SP Venkateshwaran, Dharmapuri MLA and PMK district secretary (West), said, As an MLA, I have gone to many rural areas where we are increasingly questioned by youth. In a sense, youth are actively monitoring the political scene.

EPS breathes fresh life into the withering Two Leaves

Edappadi K Palaniswami is a lone fighter. Away from the electoral battles he once fought with a row of luminaries and legions of animated cadres in tow, the general secretary of AIADMK found himself forlorn, unkindly thrown to the Lok Sabha battlefield to fight a seemingly lost battle. The party which banked on charismatic leaders like MG Ramachandran (MGR) and J Jayalalithaa, who captained the ship with the mass support of both party cadres and the general public, was going rudderless after Lok Sabha elections were announced. The court battles he fought to retain his supremacy and party symbols also dragged on, creating a sharp void in the opposition space. Born to Karuppa Goundar and Thavasiyammal at Siluvampalayam at Edappadi in Salem on May 12, 1954, EPSs political graph always had many ups and downs. And, he is facing the 2024 Lok Sabha election after two successive defeats. In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, AIADMK under the twin leadership of EPS and O Panneerselvam contested 179 seats but managed to win only 66 seats, 70 less than the 136 seats the party had won in 2016 under the leadership of former CM J Jayalalithaa. Out of the 66 seats AIADadMK won in 2021, a major chunk of 35 seats were from western TN, the partys fortress. The very next year in 2022, AIADMK was decimated by the ruling DMK in the local body elections losing all the corporations. This election season was also not a cakewalk for him. After snapping ties with the BJP in September last year, Palaniswami was trying hard to break the formidable DMK-led alliance and woo VCK into its fold, which did not materialise. Then he tried hard to forge an alliance with the PMK, with AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP CV Shanmugam meeting PMK founder S Ramadoss. To his shock, PMK decided to join the NDA alliance led by BJP. Lefty with just a few options, Palaniswami signed an alliance with DMDK offering five seats to them and decided to contest the remaining 34 seats in the Two Leaves symbol, which included one seat each for Puthiya Tamilagam and SDPI parties which are contesting on AIADMK symbol. Adding fuel to the fire, EPSs political rivals came with an array of leaders to spearhead their campaign. While the BJP-led alliance lined up all their top stars, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and president JP Nadda to several cabinet ministers, the DMK-led alliance had Chief Minister MK Stalin and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other alliance party leaders to boot. EPS was left with no other option except shouldering the lions share of the campaigning responsibility on his shoulder. However, as the days progressed, Tamil Nadu saw him drawing masses through his campaigns. Unlike the 2021 assembly polls, where he used a campaign vehicle to address the public, this time, EPS was holding public meetings in each constituency. Furthermore, AIADMKs poll strategists were designed to energise the cadres. EPS played old videos of DMK leaders, including CM MK Stalin, in support of his criticism. He even snapped back at Udayanidhi Stalins mockery using a picture of him with PM Modi, in the same class; with a photograph of Udayanidhi meeting the PM. Anbumani Ramadoss also tasted his lash, when EPS shot back to his lambasts with the question, Then why PMK forged an alliance with AIADMK earlier? During the last leg of his campaign, he came out strongly against the BJP saying, Now out of the NDA alliance, AIADMK MPs will stand up for the states rights in Parliament. EPS embraced all cadres, both old and young. He wanted to take the party to new heights. Coming from the grassroots level without any mass appeal, he emerged as the general secretary of AIADMK through his hard work, which earned him the acceptance of the public. He faced the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly election as a Chief Ministerial candidate and managed to get a maximum number of seats for AIADMK as an opposition party, asserted AIADMK IT wing president Singai G Ramachandran. Palaniswamis roommate during college days at Sri Vasavi College in Erode, R Mathivathanan was all praise for his down-to-earth approach. Even after holding the Chief Ministers post and becoming general secretary of AIADMK, Palaniswami was approachable for all, something that cant be found in leaders of other political parties. Recalling the old days, Mathivathanan added, Palaniswami used to come to the college by bike and was an MGR fan. We met through his uncle, became friends, rented a house and stayed together for two years. He was a teetotaller and was always focused on his studies and his family business of jaggery. He used to sell the jaggery collected from the farmers at the Kavindapadi or Perundurai market. Though he is well celebrated in his quarters and AIADMK expresses confidence in his leadership, political analyst Raveendran Duraisamy is of the view that DMK president MK Stalin has an upper hand in the election with the alliance of Congress, VCK, CPM, CPI and MDMK. Not just in this election, but also in the future, it will be difficult for Palaniswami to forge a political realignment and form a strong alliance in Tamil Nadu. That is the reality. Down the lane, Palaniswami will be a decisive leader, but cannot replace Jayalalithaa in terms of forging a strong alliance. He will be a force like HD Deva Gowdas Janata Dal (Secular), which gets a 20% vote share in Karnataka, he added. In this election, Pramalatha Vijayakanth helped AIAD MK to some extent in getting sympathy votes from the Telugu-speaking community. Palaniswami borrowed facts from NTK leader Seeman for the campaigning. We need to wait and see who converted it into votes. But one cant ignore the fact that whenever EPS was pushed to the bottom in the past, he had managed to rise like a phoenix. Will he weather the current storm or be left by the wayside? June 4 holds the key.

57 yrs on, 1967 polling record still unbeaten in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: With the final polling percentage of Lok Sabha elections in TN expected to be just above 70%, the state has failed once again to break its own polling percentage created during 1967 Lok Sabha elections (76.56%). The highest poll percentage in the 1967 elections was significant since it took place in a historical moment when the DMK snatched power from the Congress party. The elections happened in the backdrop of the anti-Hindi agitations of 1965, in which the DMK was at the forefront. Since then, Dravidian majors have been maintaining bipolar politics in the state without giving room for any national party. The Congress has been on a piggyback ride on either the Dravidian majors. After 1967, the voter turnout crossed 70% in 1984, 2009, 2014 and 2019. The voter turnout was lowest (below 60%) in 1998 and 1999, when the country faced general elections in quick succession due to unstable coalition governments. In the current election, the BJP left no stone unturned to gain a strong foothold in Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tamil Nadu around 10 times and did a vociferous campaign, including roadshows, for BJP. A large gamut of union ministers were also on the campaign. Despite this, the voter turnout saw a dip. Further, the provisional polling percentage indicates that 35 constituencies polled lesser votes than in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections while four constituencies - Kallakurichi, Salem, Coimbatore and Vellore polled higher votes than in the previous LS elections. But, as far as the Assembly elections are concerned, the highest was 78.12% in the 2011 elections, when the DMK faced huge anti-incumbency.

More than 14 Palestinians killed as violence flares in West Bank

More than 14 Palestinians killed as violence flares in West Bank Israeli forces killed 14 Palestinians during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, while an ambulance driver was killed as he went to pick up wounded from a separate attack by violent Jewish settlers, Palestinian authorities said. Israeli forces began an extended raid in the early hours of Friday in the Nur Shams area, near the flashpoint Palestinian city of Tulkarm and were still exchanging fire with armed fighters well into Saturday. Israeli military vehicles massed and bursts of gunfire were heard, while at least three drones were seen hovering above Nur Shams, an area housing refugees and their descendants from the 1948 war that accompanied the creation of the state of Israel. The Tulkarm Brigades, which groups forces from numerous Palestinian factions, said its fighters exchanged fire with Israeli forces on Saturday. The West Bank, a kidney shaped area about 100 km (60 miles) long and 50 km wide that has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since it was seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. The Gaza war has overshadowed continuing violence in the territory, including regular army raids on militant groups, rampages by Jewish settlers in Palestinian villages, and street attacks by Palestinians on Israelis. Thousands of Palestinians have been arrested and hundreds killed during regular operations by Israeli army and police since the start of the Gaza war, most members of armed groups, but also stone-throwing youths and uninvolved civilians. On Saturday, Palestinian health authorities said at least 14 Palestinians, two of whom were identified by Palestinian sources and officials as a gunman and a 16 year-old boy, were killed during the raid, one of the heaviest casualty totals in the West Bank in months. Another man was killed on Friday. The Israeli military said a number of militants were killed or arrested during the raid, and at least four soldiers were wounded in exchanges of fire. In a separate incident, the Palestinian health ministry said a 50-year-old ambulance driver was killed by Israeli gunfire near the village of Al-Sawiya, south of the city of Nablus, as he was making his way to transport people injured during the attack on the village. It was not immediately clear whether he was shot by settlers. There was no immediate comment from the military. GAZA STRIKES CONTINUE In Gaza, where fighting has continued despite the withdrawal of most of Israel's combat forces earlier this month from southern areas, the death toll passed 34,000, Palestinian health authorities said on Saturday. Israeli strikes hit the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians are sheltering, as well as Al-Nuseirat in central Gaza, where at least five houses were destroyed, and the Al-Jabalia area in the north, health officials and Hamas media said. In Rafah, a strike hit a house and badly wounded a pregnant woman but doctors at the Kuwaiti hospital were able to save the baby, medics said. The Israeli military said troops were carrying out raids in central Gaza, where they were engaged in close quarter combat with Palestinian fighters. Overall, Israeli strikes in Gaza killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 over the past 24 hours, Palestinian health authorities said. Rafah is the last Gaza area that Israeli ground forces have not entered in a more than six-month war aimed at eliminating the Islamist Hamas group that rules the enclave, following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, that killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced wide international opposition to the plan to attack Rafah, where the military says the last remaining organised brigades of Hamas are located and where the remaining 133 Israeli hostages are believed to be held. (Nidal al-Mughrabi reported from Cairo, additional reporting by Maayan Lubell and James Mackenzie in Jerusalem, editing by Mark Heinrich, Frances Kerry, Mike Harrison and Sandra Maler)

More than 12 Palestinians killed as violence flares in West Bank

More than 12 Palestinians killed as violence flares in West Bank A Palestinian ambulance driver was killed on his way to evacuate the wounded during a raid by violent Jewish settlers and at least 12 Palestinians died during a separate incident in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian authorities said on Saturday. The incidents came as violence flared across the area and fighting continued in Gaza. The Palestinian health ministry said the 50-year-old driver was killed by Israeli gunfire near the village of Al-Sawiya, south of the city of Nablus, as he was making his way to transport people injured during the attack on the village. It was not immediately clear whether he was shot by settlers. There was no immediate comment from the military. In a separate incident in the Nur Shams area, near the Palestinian city of Tulkarm, health authorities said at least 12 Palestinians, two of whom were identified by Palestinian sources and officials as a gunman and a 16 year-old boy, were killed during an extended raid by Israeli forces. A number of militants were killed or arrested, the Israeli military said, and at least four soldiers were wounded in exchanges of fire. Tulkarm Brigades group, which includes militants from numerous Palestinian factions, said its fighters exchanged fire with Israeli forces on Saturday. At least three drones were seen hovering above Nur Shams, where Israeli military vehicles were massed and bursts of gunfire were heard. In Gaza, Israeli strikes hit the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians are sheltering, as well as Al-Nuseirat in central Gaza, where at least five houses were destroyed, and the Al-Jabalia area in the north, health officials and Hamas media said. The Israeli military said troops were carrying out raids in central Gaza, where they were engaged in close quarter combat with Palestinian fighters. Overall, Israeli strikes in Gaza killed 37 Palestinians and wounded 68 over the past 24 hours, Palestinian health authorities said. Fighting has continued in Gaza despite the withdrawal of most of Israel's combat forces earlier this month from southern areas, and where the death toll passed 34,000, according to Palestinian health authorities. Rafah is the last Gaza area that Israeli ground forces have not entered in a more than six-month war aimed at eliminating the Islamist Hamas group that rules the enclave, following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, that killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced wide international opposition to the plan to attack Rafah, where the military says the last remaining organised brigades of Hamas are located and where the remaining 133 Israeli hostages are believed to be held. The Gaza war has overshadowed continuing violence in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, including regular army raids on militant groups, rampages by Jewish settlers in Palestinian villages, and street attacks by Palestinians on Israelis. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of 13 people since Thursday night in Nur Shams, an area that houses refugees from the 1948 war and their descendants. One fatality was identified by Palestinian sources as a gunman. The second was a 16-year-old schoolboy, according to Palestinian officials. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the United States for effectively stopping the United Nations from recognising a Palestinian state by casting a veto this week in the Security Council. In an interview with the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Abbas said the Palestinian Authority would reconsider bilateral relations with the United States. The West Bank and Gaza are among the territories that the Palestinians seek for an independent state. U.S.-brokered peace talks broke down a decade ago. (Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in from Cairo; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Frances Kerry and Mike Harrison)

Teacher dies in accident in Salem

Teacher dies in accident in Salem - The Hindu

Teacher dies in accident in Salem The Hindu

Flying squad seizes 44.90 crore in Namakkal and 2.87 crore in Salem till April 19

Flying squad seizes 44.90 crore in Namakkal and 2.87 crore in Salem till April 19 - The Hindu

Flying squad seizes 44.90 crore in Namakkal and 2.87 crore in Salem till April 19 The Hindu

EVMs kept in strong rooms in Salem and Namakkal districts; both districts register a 78.16% turnout

DMK cadres stage roadroko in Salem

Two Palestinians killed in Israeli operation in West Bank

Jerusalem: At least two Palestinians have died and seven suffered gunshot wounds in an Israeli military operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm on the West Bank, the Palestinian health authority reported on Saturday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the operation had begun on Friday and was continuing into Saturday. It Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Book Review | Jingoistic war fantasy presented as speculative fiction

In the dystopian narrative of The Man Who Lost India , journalist Meghna Pant paints a grim picture of a future India ravaged by Chinese occupation in the year 2032. Through vivid hyperbole, Pant depicts the tumultuous aftermath of a devastating conflict, where China's relentless advance leaves India in ruins. The story unfolds in Lalbag, a small town in Punjab, which miraculously survives due to the mythical presence of a Shiva Linga atop Mount Akaho. The narrative then delves deeper into the lives of Lalbags residents, primarily through the voice of Seth Saheb, one of the towns wealthiest men. Seth's internal monologue paints a vivid picture of how the war has reshaped his world. His soliloquy weaves together the personal dramas of his family love, betrayal, and illness with the larger narrative of war and survival. While Seth Saheb serves as a central figure, the supporting characters lack depth and development. They often feel like mere vehicles for clunkily advancing the plot rather than fully realised individuals. While the China-India war scenario offers a refreshingly unique backdrop, the novels portrayal of China falls short, especially taking into account that Pant travelled across China while researching for the book. She relies heavily on crude language and offensive stereotypes, diminishing the potential for a more nuanced exploration of the conflict. Terms like dog squirting on fire hydrants and lion-penis eating Chinese are not only distasteful but also detract from the narrative's seriousness. The derogatory terms and hyperbolic metaphors, border on sensationalism and xenophobia, detracting from the novels potential to provoke thoughtful reflection. Another flaw lies in the depiction of female characters. They remain underdeveloped and terribly objectified. Descriptions like opaline skin of milk and honey or a yearning to be consumed by mans agony sexualise female characters in a way that feels gratuitous and out of place within the storys broader themes. From Seths daughter Ida, described in terms of her physical attributes, to Urmila, the servants wife portrayed as a witch-like figure reminiscent of historical witch hunts, female characters are reduced to archetypes that reinforce patriarchal norms and detract from the storys authenticity. The novel also throws a unique geopolitical situation into the mix. Israel stands as the sole beacon of hope, accepting Indian refugees. This creates a dramatic irony: Jerusalem, a holy land for another faith, becomes a promised land even for the displaced Hindus of Lalbag. Despite these shortcomings, The Man Who Lost India has some intriguing elements. The narrative draws fascinating parallels to Indias past. Seth Saheb's ambition to build a Black Taj mirrors Shah Jahan's iconic monument, a symbol of both love and loss. Similarly, Ram, Seths servant, seeks to wield the sword of Aurangzeb against the Chinese, linking past conflicts to the present struggle. The abstract denouement, which hints at Hindu resurgence in Lalbag, lacks resolution and coherence, leaving readers with more questions than answers. As the French literary theorist Roland Barthes stated, Only after the author is dead, a reader is born. In that spirit, one can comment that Pant could have gracefully developed the deeper thematic layers with subtext, symbolism and allegorical elements that reveal her underlying commentary on nationalism, identity or the human condition. While her ambition is commendable, her execution leaves much to be desired, highlighting the challenges of balancing fictitious speculations with meaningful social commentary. Dr Shubhda Chaudhary is the editor of Centre for India West Asia Dialogue, a New Delhi-based think tank The Man Who Lost India By Meghna Pant Simon & Schuster pp. 308; Rs 499

Three elderly voters die at polling stations in Tamil Nadu

SALEM/TIRUTTANI: Three elderly voters who came to polling booths to exercise their franchise on Friday died even as the voting for the Lok Sabha election across the state passed off peacefully. Two of these deaths were reported from Salem and the other from Tiruttani. The deceased were R Chinnaponnu (77), N Palaniswamy (65) both of Salem and K Kanagaraj (70) of Tiruttani. In the first incident, R Chinnaponnu passed away after she made her way to the primary school at Sentharampatti on a wheelchair to cast her vote after arriving with her son and other family members. She died inside the booth before the EVM after ID verification. Meanwhile, Palaniswamy died after collapsing while waiting in line at the Old Suramangalam Elementary School on Friday afternoon. Sources say Palaniswamy had arrived with his wife Kamala. In Tiruttani, Kanagaraj, a resident of Nemili Colony, breathed his last while he came to cast his vote alongside his son, Sridhar, at polling centre 269 in the Tiruttani Assembly segment under the Arakkonam Lok Sabha constituency on Friday. Kanagaraj suddenly collapsed during verification. He was swiftly transported to Tiruttani Government Hospital. However, upon examination, the attending doctor declared him deceased. Police have filed a case and further investigation is on.

Don't have any comment: White House mum on reports of Israeli strikes in Iran

Don't have any comment: White House mum on reports of Israeli strikes in Iran The US has refrained from commenting on reports of Israeli attacks in Iran overnight, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre abstaining from taking any questions about the strikes. I know there's a lot of interest in reports from the Middle East overnight and we understand that we get that. I'm going to say it now, though I know you all will certainly ask me about that. We do not have any comment on the reports at this time, Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing on Friday. The White House Press Secretary further said that the US has been consulting its allies and partners, including in the region, to reduce further risk of escalation in the Middle East. Asked about the situation in the Middle East, Karine Jean-Pierre said, I'm going to again be super mindful, and I understand the interest and going to be disappointing many people here this afternoon. I just don't have anything to share. I'm not going to speculate on the reportings out there. You heard the same, obviously. You said what we've been saying since this morning; you heard from Secretary Blinken. So, I'm just going to be really, really mindful, but as you asked me as well about escalation, I'm going to speak more generally. She said that the Biden administration has been clear from the beginning that they do not want to see this conflict escalate. She referred to the G7 foreign ministers' joint statement released after the meeting, that was attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. We have been very clear from here from the beginning that we do not want to see this conflict escalate. We continue to consult with our allies and partners, including in the region, to reduce further risk of escalation in the region. That's a sentiment that was expressed in the G7 foreign ministers' joint statement that went out this morning, she added. Earlier on Friday, Israel carried out airstrikes against Iran, ABC News reported, citing a US official. Al Jazeera cited Mehr news agency reporting that sounds were heard over the city in Isfahan, adding that several miniature UAVs were shot down. However, the official could not confirm whether Syria and Iraq sites were hit as well. The report came shortly after local sources reported blasts in the Isfahan region of central Iran. Following this, Iran fired air defense batteries and shut down flight operations in several cities, including Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan, which were later lifted. Meanwhile, as per Syrian media reports today morning, the Syrian Army's locations in the southern Syrian governorates of As-Suwayda and Daraa were also the target of attacks. The attacks targeted Syrian military radar sites between Qarda and Izraa in Daraa, southern Syria, according to the local news outlet As-Suwayda24. Residents of Mosul and Erbil in Iraq reported hearing the sounds of fighter jets as well on Friday during the early morning hours, the Jerusalem Post reported. The latest development comes after Iran on April 13 fired a barrage of over 300 missiles and drones against Israel, which Tehran said was in retaliation for an alleged Israeli strike on its consulate in Syria on April 1 in which 13 people were killed. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, during discussions on the Middle East situation at the UNSC on Thursday, warned Israel against taking any military actions targeting Iranian interests. He stated Iran has concluded its defense and counteroffensive measures and urged the international community to stop Israel from carrying out any military operations against Iran. On April 17, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel will make its own decisions and do whatever is necessary to protect itself, even if it contradicts the advice given by its allies, as reported by The Times of Israel. Netanyahu made the statement at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday after meeting with the foreign ministers of the UK and Germany. UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Israel on Wednesday. (ANI)

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Moderate polling in 1st phase

NEW DELHI: The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union Territories witnessed a moderate 62% voter turnout. The figure is expected to go up after reports come in from all polling booths. It was the biggest of the seven-phase festival of democracy. There were reports of sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal, the strife-torn Manipur, Nagaland and Chhattisgarh. Elections were held for all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, all five seats in Uttarakhand, 12 seats in Rajasthan, five in Maharashtra, and all seats in the Northeastern states and three Union Territories. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim were also held simultaneously. HIGHLIGHTS | LS polls 2024: Phase 1 voting ends with 62.37% nationwide turnout, TN records 72% Billed as the worlds largest electoral exercise, elections for the 18th Lok Sabha is crucial for the BJP as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term in office. Riding on populist welfare schemes such as free ration, housing schemes and construction of the Ram temple, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance aims to reach the 400-seat mark in the 543-strong Lok Sabha. The Oppositions INDIA bloc, which is looking to dislodge the BJP from power, projects the rising employment, inflation and rural distress as the main issues to attack the government. Strife-torn Manipur records over 68% voter turnout in LS polls amidst incidents of gun fires, EVM damage, booth capturing One of the keenly watched contests is Tamil Nadu, where the BJP is hoping to make significant gains. All eyes are on Coimbatore, where the BJP has fielded state chief K Annamalai. The election to the eight states in Western Uttar Pradesh is also crucial for the saffron party as it is facing trouble from upper caste communities and farmers. Other high profile candidates who are seeking the mandate in the first phase include Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Sarbananda Sonowal. The second phase of voting for 89 seats in 13 states will be held on April 26 and the seventh and last phase on June 1. The counting of votes will be on June 4. Home secretarys circular sparks furore, withdrawn A circular issued by the state home secretary P Amudha stating that one casual leave or earned leave will be deducted if staff fail to cast votes sparked a row. The circular was later withdrawn 3 voters die in three separate incidents Three voters died in three incidents in polling booths. Two victims, R Chinnaponnu (77) and N Palaniswamy (65), were from Salem, and K Kanagaraj (70), the third victim, was from Tiruttani Heat wave sweeps TN, Erode sizzles at 43C Heat wave swept TN on Friday with Erode recording the highest of 43C. Places with temperature in excess of 41C included Vellore (41.9), Karur (41.5), Tiruchy (41.3), Tiruttani (41.2) and Salem (41.2)

69.46% TN voters ink fingers, Chennai retains laggard tag

CHENNAI: Amid heatwave-like conditions searing large parts of the state, Tamil Nadu peacefully completed voting in its 39 Lok Sabha constituencies, barring minor skirmishes and EVM glitches in some places, with a provisional voter turnout of 69.46% as of 12.11 am on Saturday. The figure might be revised later in the day. Briefing reporters at the secretariat, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said that Flying Squad Teams and Static Surveillance Teams will be dismantled in the state, an announcement that would give much relief to traders, farmers and jewellers. However, the teams will continue to be stationed in the border areas of the neighbouring states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh where elections are not yet over. The provisional voting figure this year was lower than 2019s turnout of 72.47%. Of the 39 constituencies, 23 constituencies have polled more than 70% votes with Dharmapuri topping the list (81.48%) followed by Kallakurichi (79.25%) and Karur (78.61%). Chennai Central saw the lowest turnout of 53.91%. The polling in Coimbatore Constituency, pegged at 71.17% on Friday, was revised to 64.81%. A comparison of provisional polling data in all 39 constituencies with the turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections showed that 35 constituencies had recorded a decline. The highest decline was in Thoothukudi where the turnout dropped by 9.52 percentage points from 69.48% to 59.96%. Vellore, Coimbatore, Kallakurichi, and Salem are the four constituencies where the turnout marginally went up. Sahoo said polling was peaceful except for a few stray incidents. A very low percentage of EVMs had to be replaced due to technical issues, he said. He said postal ballots are yet to be added to the final count. Stating that voter turnout increased between 3pm and 6pm, Sahoo said the final polling figures would be released on Saturday. Asked if repolling would be conducted anywhere, the CEO said it would depend on the reports to be filed by the presiding officers, observers, and political parties. So far, only one complaint had been received regarding the functioning of EVMs and the report of the district electoral officer had been sought on the matter, he said.

Lok Sabha poll | Salem registers 73.55% and Namakkal registers 74.29% turnout

Dull polling in Chennai

eople wait in queues to cast votes for Assembly polls, at a polling station in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI) eople wait in queues to cast votes for Assembly polls, at a polling station in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: A poor turnout of 72.09 per cent voters, with some late comers waiting in the booths after the closing time of 7 pm, marked an otherwise peaceful polling, marred by a series of boycotts of the election and skirmishes over missing names in the electoral lists, in Tamil Nadu, where elections were held for all the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies on Friday, along with the by-election for the Vilavancode Assembly constituency. The three constituencies in Chennai were in the bottom five of the list Chennai Central 67.35 %, Chennai South 57.25 % and Chennai North 69.26 % - while Kallakurichi recorded the highest of 75.67 % and Dharmapuri that was on the top since polling started at 7 am closed second highest at 755.44 %. Madurai recorded 68.90. Governor R N Ravi, along with his wife, cast his vote at a booth in Velachery behind the Raj Bhavan premises and Chief Minister M K Stalin and his family members walked from their home in Chittaranjan Road to the booth in SIET College to exercise their franchise, while top political leaders and film actors voted in various booths in Chennai and in other places. Coming out of his polling booth, Stalin told the media that he had exercised his democratic duty and wanted everyone to do so. Asked about the victory prospects, he said the INDIA coalition would romp home in the elections. On the low turnout despite an aggressive campaign carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to achieve 100 per cent voting, Chief Election Commissioner, Satyabrata Sahoo, who spearheaded the campaign in the State, said that the percentage was slightly higher than the previous Lok Saha elections and the extreme heat was one among the reasons for people staying at home. Three voters died, possibly due to the extreme heat, at their booths. In Salems Sentharapatti, 77-year-old Chinnaponnu fainted after reaching her booth and breathed her last, while 70-year-old Palanisami died in Suramangalam in Salem while waiting in the queue to vote and 71-year-old Kanagaraj collapsed at a booth near Tiruttani. Among the incidents that hindered polling for some time were the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate of Central Chennai, Karthikeyan, kicking up a ruckus at a booth near Pallavan Illam complaining of the light in the EVMs panel not glowing. When election officials clarified that all was well with the EVM, he tried to stage a dharna but was evicted from the premises. In Koundampalayam, falling under Coimbatore constituency, a kerfuffle was witnessed at a booth when the names of 830 voters from the Post and Telegraph Colony were missing in the list. The prominent candidate of the constituency, K Annamalai of the BJP, and other BJP leaders like Vanathi Srinivasan rushed to the spot to sort out the matter. At Vinmangalam in Tirupattur, polling was stopped at a booth after the VVPAT equipment conked out and voters raised an objection to it. Authorities worked on the fault and set it right immediately to facilitate the resumption of polling. Among the other booths where such complaints of names missing in voters list were raised were Mylapore Basha Thottam (300 names) and Saidapet V S Mudali Street (500 names). When Sahoo was asked about the complaints of missing names, he said that several opportunities were given to the voters to check if their names were in the list and added that he would inquire into it. Apart from film actors like Ajith, who turned up as the first voter at his booth in Thiruvanmiyur and Vijay casting his vote under the glare of media limelight, the celebrities who voted at various places in Chennai were Rajinikanth at Stella Maris College, Kamal Hassan at Eldams Road and Seeman at Neelangarai. Satyabrata Sahoo voted at a booth in Nerkundram, while DMDK general secretary Premalatha, along with her son Vijay Prabakaran, who is contesting from Virudhunagar constituency, bumped into BJP candidate from South Chennai Tamilisai Soundararajan at a booth in Saligramam. Both of them greeted each other and exchanged pleasantries. Vijay Prabakarans electoral rival Radhika Sarathkumar and her husband Sarathkumar voted at Kottivakkam and the Congress candidate for Virudhunagar, Manickam Tagore, voted in Madurai. AIADMK general secretary Edapaddi K Palaniswami voted at Siluvampalayam in Salem, his bete noire O Panneerselvam at Periyakulam, P Chidambaram at Sivaganga and Annamalai at Uthupatti in Karur. Ousted AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala, who voted at SIET College, told the waiting media that the results of the Lok Sabha elections would lead to the those who made mistakes to correct themselves, and her nephew T T V Dinakaran, contesting the polls from Theni, after casting his vote at a booth in Besant Nagar, said that he and his supporters were also followers to J Jayalalithaa.

INSIGHT-Israel's Iran attack carefully calibrated after internal splits, US pressure

INSIGHT-Israel's Iran attack carefully calibrated after internal splits, US pressure Israel's apparent strike on Iran after days of prevarication was small and appeared calibrated to dial back risks of a major war, even if the sheer fact it happened at all shattered a taboo of direct attacks that Tehran broke days earlier. Netanyahu's war cabinet had initially approved plans for a strike on Monday night inside Iranian territory to respond forcefully to last Saturday's missile and drones from Iran, but held back at the last-minute, three sources with knowledge of the situation said. By then, the sources said, the three voting members of the war cabinet had already ruled out the most drastic response - a strike on strategic sites including Iran's nuclear facilities whose destruction would almost certainly provoke a wider regional conflict. Facing cabinet divisions and strong warnings from partners including the United States and in the Gulf not to escalate, and aware of the need to keep international opinion on Israel's side, the plans to hit back were then postponed twice, the sources said. Two war cabinet meetings were also delayed twice, government officials said. Netanyahu's office did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Before the attack, a spokesperson for the government's National Public Diplomacy Directorate cited Netanyahu as saying Israel would defend itself in whatever way it judged appropriate. Reuters spoke to a dozen sources in Israel, Iran and in the Gulf region, as well as the United States, who described six frantic days of efforts in the Gulf, the U.S. and among some of Israel's war planners to limit the response to Iran's first ever direct attack on its arch rival after decades of shadow war. Most of the sources asked not to be named to speak about sensitive matters. The eventual strike on Friday appeared to target a Iranian Air Force base near the city of Isfahan, deep inside the country and close enough to nuclear facilities to send a message of Israel's reach but without using airplanes, ballistic missiles, striking any strategic sites or causing major damage. Iran said its defence systems shot down three drones over a base near Isfahan early on Friday. Israel said nothing about the incident. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States had not been involved in any offensive operations, An Iranian official told Reuters there were signs the drones were launched from within Iran by infiltrators, which could obviate the need for retaliation. A source familiar with western intelligence assessments of the incident also said initial evidence suggested Israel launched drones from inside Iranian territory. Iran's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Israel tried to calibrate between the need to respond and a desire not to enter into a cycle of action and counter reaction that would just escalate endlessly, said Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington. He described the situation as a dance, with both parties signalling to each other their intentions and next steps. There is huge relief across the Gulf region. It looks like the attack was limited and proportionate and caused limited damage. I see it a de-esclation, veteran Saudi analyst Abdelrahman al-Rashed told Reuters. BIDEN CALL The decision to hold back from broader and immediate action this week underlined the competing pressures on Netanyahu's government in the aftermath of the more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles fired by Iran on Saturday night. As Iran's barrage unfolded, two members of the war cabinet, Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, both former armed forces commanders, wanted to respond straight away before agreeing to hold off following a call with U.S. President Joe Biden and in the face of differing views from other ministers, two Israeli officials with knowledge of the situation said. A spokesman for Gantz, a centrist who joined Netanyahu's emergency government following the Hamas-led attack on Israel last October, did not respond to a request for comment. The U.S. State Department declined to comment to questions about Israel's decision-making. Washington was working to de-escalate tensions, Blinken said on Friday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Aryeh Deri, the head of one of the ultra Orthodox parties in Netanyahu's coalition, who has observer status in the war cabinet and who has generally been wary of drastic moves, was firmly opposed to an immediate strike against Iran, which he believed could endanger the people of Israel given the risk of escalation, a spokesperson for his party said. We should also be listening to our partners, to our friends in the world. I say this clearly: I see no shame or weakness in doing so, Deri told the Haderech newspaper. Israel's options ranged from strikes on strategic Iranian facilities, including nuclear sites or Revolutionary Guards bases, to covert operations, targeted assassinations and cyber attacks on strategic industrial plants and nuclear facilities, analysts and former officials in Israel have said. Gulf countries had been increasingly worried the situation would spill into a grave regional conflagration which might be beyond anyones control or ability to contain, said Abdelaziz al-Sagher, head of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had publicly called for maximum self-restraint to spare the region from a wider war. Sagher said Gulf countries had warned the United States of the risk of escalation, arguing Israel should conduct only a limited attack without casualties or significant damage that could provoke a major reprisal. This messaging was relayed forcefully in the last few days by the Jordanians, Saudis, and Qataris through direct security and diplomatic channels, one senior regional intelligence source said. By Thursday, four diplomatic and government sources in the region were expressing confidence that the response would be limited and proportionate. Ahead of the overnight Israeli strike, one regional source, who had been briefed on Israel's thinking, said the response would aim to minimize or completely avoid casualties and was likely to target a military base. Flying F-35 fighter jets from Israel to Iran, or launching missiles from Israel would almost certainly violate the airspace of neighbouring countries, angering Arab states who Netanyahu has long sought to cultivate as strategic allies, said a Gulf government source with knowledge of the issues. He couldn't just fly F-35 fighter jets across the region and bomb Iran or its nuclear sites, the source said. Iranian officials had warned a major Israeli attack would trigger immediate retaliation. Iran's options to respond included shutting down the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes, urging proxies to hit Israeli or U.S. interests, and deploying previously unused missiles, a senior Iranian official said. While satisfying Israel's moderates at home, its neighbours and international partners, the measured strike, when it came, was met with dismay from hardliners in Netanyahu's cabinet. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose ultranationalist party is a key prop in Netanyahu's coalition, posted a single word on X, Feeble. (Additional reporting by Reuters reporter, Dan Williams and Andrew MacAskill in Jerusalem, Suleiman Khalidi in Amman, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Samia Nakhoul and Angus McDowall; Editing by Edmund Blair and Frank Jack Daniel)

EU imposes sanctions against violent West Bank settlers

EU imposes sanctions against violent West Bank settlers The European Union said on Friday it had agreed to impose sanctions against four people and two entities over violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. The listed entities are Lehava, a radical right-wing Jewish supremacist group, and Hilltop Youth, the European Union Council said in a statement. Two leading figures of Hilltop Youth, Meir Ettinger and Elisha Yered, are also listed, it added. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war and the area has been under military occupation since, while Israeli settlements have consistently expanded. Palestinians envisage the West Bank as part of a future independent state also including Gaza and East Jerusalem.

Lok Sabha elections: Tamil Nadu records 39.51 pc voter turnout by 1 pm

Lok Sabha elections: Tamil Nadu records 39.51 pc voter turnout by 1 pm The average voter turnout in 39 constituencies of Tamil Nadu where Lok Sabha elections are underway stood at 39.51 per cent till 1 pm as per the data released by the Election Commission of India. The south Parliament constituency of Chennai recorded a voter turnout of 28.92 per cent till 1 pm whereas the Chennai north constituency witnessed 29.05 and the voter turnout in central Parliament constituency was recorded 28.08 per cent. Voting percentages for the other constituencies participating in phase 1 elections are Arakkonam- 40.30 per cent, Arani- 44.16, Chidambaram-37.76 per cent, Coimbatore-35.89 per cent, Cuddalore-37.84 per cent, Dharmapuri-40.70 per cent, Dindigul-42.12 per cent, Eorde- 43.54 per cent, Kallakurichi-46.06 per cent, Kacheepuram-39.92 per cent, Kanniyakumari-37.86 per cent, Karur- 46.23 per cent, Krishnagiri-39.78 per cent, Madurai-35.79 per cent, Mayiladuthurai-40.50 per cent. Nagapattinam-42.05 per cent, Namakkal-46.31 per cent, Nilgris-40.88 per cent, Perambalur-45.86 per cent, Pollachi-40.08 per cent, Ramanathapuram-40.90 per cent, Salem-46.89 per cent, Sivganga-34.10 per cent, Sriperumbudur-30.65 per cent, Tenkasi-39.91 per cent, Thanjavur-41.14 per cent, Theni-41.28 per cent, Thoothukkudi-39.11 per cent, Tiruchirappalli-38.13 per cent, Tirunelveli-38.24 per cent, Tiruppur-44.08 per cent, Tiruvallur-38.55 per cent, Tiruvannamalai- 41.74 per cent, Vallore-39.5 per cent, Viluppuram-43.84 per cent and Virudhunagar-42.19 per cent. Meanwhile, there was a substantial increase in the voter turnout charts across the states in the country, with North-Eastern state of Tripura still leading at 53.04 per cent till 1 pm as per the data released by the ECI. Other Northeast states like Meghalaya (48.91) and Manipur (46.92) are also witnessing high voter turnout percentages. After Tripura, West Bengal is experiencing high voter turnout at 50.96 per cent. Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Friday across 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories as the mega seven-phase electoral exercise commenced at 7:00 am. Voters will exercise the franchise until 6:00 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposing parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing ousting him from power. In Tamil Nadu in the 2019 general elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, comprising the Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, registered a landslide victory, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state. Those voting in the first phase include seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. An estimated 8.4 crore male voters, 8.23 crore female voters, and 11,371 third-gender electors are eligible to vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, according to the ECI data. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)

Lok Sabha polls | Western T.N. records brisk polling; two voters die in Salem

Coimbatore recorded 23.13%; Krishnagiri 23.97 per cent and Nilgiris 21.69% as of 11 a.m.; voting is expected to pick up after 4 p.m.

US embassy in Israel tells employees to limit movement

US embassy in Israel limits employee movements after Israeli strike in Iran, restricting travel outside Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beersheva areas due to security concerns including Old City and West Bank.

Tamil Nadu CM, governor and other leaders cast their vote across TN for LS polls

CHENNAI: A slew of political leaders and celebrities exercised their franchise in their respective polling stations across Tamil Nadu on Friday for the Lok Sabha polls. Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi cast his vote at a polling booth here while Chief Minister M K Stalin, former Chief Ministers, O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami and leaders of political parties exercised their franchise. Ravi and Stalin urged people to turn up enthusiastically and do their democratic duty. Stalin, his wife Durga Stalin, DMK leader Kanimozhi (contesting from Thoothukudi) and BJP leaders L Murugan (Nilgiris candidate) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai) voted here. Former CMs, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam cast their vote in their home districts of Salem and Theni respectively. Information Technology Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan voted at Madurai. In Chennai, veteran Communist leader R Nallakannu, and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin cast their votes. Will quit politics if cash for votes accusations are proven: Coimbatore BJP LS candidate Annamalai Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai voted at his native village in Karur district and Naam Tamilar Katchi top leader Seeman at Neelankarai in Chennai. PMK's Dharmapuri candidate Sowmiya Anbumani voted at Tindivanam. Veteran actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan, who campaigned for the DMK-Congress alliance in the LS polls voted at Teynampet in Chennai. Celebrities including Rajinikanth, Ilaiyaraaja and Ajith Kumar were among the among the early voters. Actors Trisha, Dhanush, noted villain Mansoor Ali Khan who is contesting as an independent in Vellore, lyricist Vairamuthu and many tinsel town celebrities also cast their votes in their respective polling stations. Single phase polling was underway from 7 AM in all the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu. In neighbouring Puducherry, AINRC founder and Chief Minister N Rangasamy arrived at a polling booth on a two-wheeler and cast his vote. Meanwhile, two elderly voters in Salem died after arriving at the polling booth to cast their votes and a report has been sought on the matter, state Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said.

LS polls: Brisk polling underway in Tamil Nadu; 12.55 percent turnout till 9 AM

Chennai: Brisk polling is underway in Tamil Nadu for the 2024 general election with the state witnessing a 12.55 per cent turnout till 9 AM. The polling exercise that began at 7 AM on Friday amid tight security arrangements is going on in a quick pace in most of the 39 constituencies spread across the state. The enthusiasm among first time voters was palpable who hurried to find their names on electoral rolls at makeshift kiosks set up by political parties. Several of them proudly displayed the indelible mark and said they have completed their democratic duty. Authorities have ensured amenities like drinking water and 'pandal' to provide shade to voters who line up the serpentine queues. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, and his wife Durga Stalin cast their vote at a polling station here. Celebrities including Rajinikanth and Ilaiyaraaja were among the early voters. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami voted at a polling station in his home district of Salem. Argument broke out between voters and officials in some polling stations as authorities did not allow people to carry their smartphones/mobiles inside the booth. People belonging to Parandhur village with over 1,000 voters near Sriperumbudur did not turn up to vote till 9.30 AM. Residents of villages including Parandhur are opposing an airport project in their region. Voters arrived at the polling stations enthusiastically as early as 6.30 AM and waited for their turn to vote, with personnel of the state and central police forces standing guard. As many as 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed. Some polling stations like Kattuppalli (Tiruvallur) however wore a deserted look. Voting was delayed by an hour in some polling booths, such as the one near Tambaram coming under Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha segment, due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines and officials said they were attending to it. Several voters who lined up the queues said they preferred to cast their votes early in the morning to avoid the 'scorching sun,' later in the day. In total, 3,32,233 polling personnel have been deployed and 1.3 lakh police personnel are on poll duty. The fate of 950 candidates will be decided by about 6.23 crore voters who are set to exercise their franchise in 68,321 polling stations. DMK's Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), A Raja (Nilgiris) and Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), BJP's K Annamalai (Coimbatore), L Murugan (Nilgiris) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai), former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (Ramanathapuram), Congress party's Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga), AIADMK's J Jayavardhan (South Chennai) and AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran (Theni) are among the prominent candidates. Political rivals Tamilisai Soundararajan and Premalatha Vijayakanth happened to meet at a polling booth in Saligramam here and hugged each other. After exhanging pleasantries they also posed for photogoraphs. Polling is underway in neighbouring Puducherry as well where the Congress and BJP are in a direct fight.

TIMELINE-Iran and Israel's open warfare after decades of shadow war

TIMELINE-Iran and Israel's open warfare after decades of shadow war (Adds Israeli strike on Iran on Friday) April 19 (Reuters) - Israel launched a strike on Iranian soil on Friday, sources said, in the latest of the tit-for-tat exchanges between the regional arch foes whose long-running shadow war has broken into the open. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed his country would respond after Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel on April 13. Tehran's action, its first-ever strike on Israel, had been in retaliation for a suspected Israeli air strike on Tehran's embassy compound in Damascus on April 1. The exchanges are part of a wider escalation since the war in Gaza began last year, but the two nations' enmity stretches back decades, through a history of shadow wars and clandestine attacks by land, sea, air and cyberspace. 1979 - Iran's pro-Western leader Mohammed Reza Shah, who regarded Israel as an ally, is swept from power in an Islamic Revolution that installs a new theocratic regime with opposition to Israel an ideological imperative. 1982 - As Israel invades Lebanon, Iran's Revolutionary Guards work with fellow Shi'ite Muslims there to set up Hezbollah. Israel will eventually see the armed group as the most dangerous adversary on its borders. 1983 - Iran-backed Hezbollah uses suicide bombings to expel Western and Israeli forces from Lebanon. In November a car packed with explosives drives into the headquarters of the Israeli military. Israel later withdraws from much of Lebanon. 1992-94 - Argentina and Israel accuse Iran and Hezbollah of being behind suicide bombings on Israel's embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992 and a Jewish centre in the city in 1994, each of which killed dozens of people. Iran and Hezbollah deny responsibility. 2002 - Revelation that Iran has a secret uranium enrichment programme prompts concern that it is trying to build a nuclear weapon, which it denies. Israel urges tough action against Tehran. 2006 - Israel fights Hezbollah in a month-long war in Lebanon but is unable to crush the heavily armed group. 2009 - In a speech, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls Israel a dangerous and fatal cancer. 2010 - Stuxnet, a malicious computer virus widely believed to have been developed by the United States and Israel, was used to attack a uranium enrichment facility at Iran's Natanz nuclear site. It was the first publicly known cyberattack on industrial machinery. 2012 - Iranian nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan was killed by a bomb placed on his car by a motorcyclist in Tehran. A city official blamed Israel for the attack. 2018 - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hails U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers after years of lobbying against the agreement, calling Trump's decision a historic move. In May Israel says it had struck Iranian military infrastructure in Syria - where Tehran was backing President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war - after Iranian forces there fired rockets at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. 2020 - Israel welcomes the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the overseas arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, in an American drone strike in Baghdad. Iran strikes back with missile attacks on Iraqi bases housing American troops. About 100 U.S. military personnel were injured. 2021 - Iran blames Israel for the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, viewed by Western intelligence services as the mastermind of a covert Iranian programme to develop nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has long denied any such ambition. 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid sign a joint pledge to deny Iran nuclear arms in a show of unity by allies long divided over diplomacy with Tehran. The undertaking, part of a Jerusalem Declaration crowning Biden's first visit to Israel as president, came a day after he told a local television station he was open to last resort use of force against Iran - an apparent move toward accommodating Israel's calls for a credible military threat by world powers. 2024 - A suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus kills seven officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, including two senior commanders. Israel neither confirmed or denied responsibility. Iran responds with a barrage of drones and missiles in an unprecedented direct attack on Israeli territory on April 13. This prompted Israel to launch a strike on Iranian soil on April 19, sources familiar with the matter said.

AIADMK's EPS Castes His Vote In Tamil Nadu's Salem

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami casts his vote at a polling booth in Salem during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday. All 39 parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu are voting in the first phase.

Israel fires missiles in retaliatory strike against Iran, says US official

Israel fires missiles in retaliatory strike against Iran, says US official Israel launched missile strikes against Tehran during early hours on Friday morning (local time), ABC News reported citing a senior US official. However, the official could not confirm whether Syria and Iraq sites were hit as well. The report came shortly after local sources reported blasts in Isfahan region in Central Iran. Iran's air defence systems were activated in several locations after multiple explosions were heard close to the airport and an army base in the Iranian city of Isfahan, state media reported early Friday morning. The missile launches come after Iran launched an offensive on targets around Israel on Saturday last week, according to Israeli military authorities, in which the nation fired a barrage of over 300 unmanned drones and missiles. Meanwhile, as per Syrian media reports on Friday morning, the Syrian Army's locations in the southern Syrian governorates of As-Suwayda and Daraa were also the target of attacks. The attacks targeted Syrian military radar sites between Qarda and Izraa in Daraa, southern Syria, according to the local news outlet As-Suwayda24. Residents of Mosul and Erbil in Iraq reported hearing the sounds of fighter jets as well on Friday during early morning hours, the Jerusalem Post reported. According to officials, Israel and its allies, which include the US, intercepted all but a small number of them. Iran launched its attack over six months after terrorists from Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and the Israeli military started bombarding the Gaza Strip. Since the assaults on Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the nation's war cabinet have convened multiple times; as ABC News has reported, at least three of those meetings resulted in the cancellation of operations. Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned Israel against taking any military actions targeting Iranian interests. He stated Iran has concluded its defense and counteroffensive measures and urged the international community to stop Israel from carrying out any military operations against Iran. During discussions on the Middle East situation at the UNSC in New York on Thursday, Amir-Abdollahian said, Iran's legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded. Therefore, the Israeli regime must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our centres, assets and interests. Certainly, in case of any illegal use of force by the Israeli regime and violating our sovereignty, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent right to give a decisive and proper response to it to make the regime regret its actions. He accused Israel of carrying out a missile attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus on April 1. He said that Israel's action was a clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations international law and the Vienna Convention. He criticised the US, UK, and France for not issuing a statement over the attack on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus. He even expressed regret that the UNSC did not take action on Iran's repeated requests to prevent further attacks by Israel on Iran's interests. He accused the White House of giving a green signal to Israel's action. He said, Regrettably, the Security Council, had not taken any action during the past months to our official and repeated requests to prevent further attacks by the Israeli regime on Iran's interests, centres and official military advisors who were there to fight terrorism and due to the unfortunate and completely irresponsible behaviour of the United States, the UK and France, in response to this illegal attack, failed even to issue a mere statement containing a simple condemnation. On Saturday, Iran launched several drones and missiles towards Israel in retaliation for an alleged Israeli air strike on its consulate in Syria, resulting in the killing of three top Iranian generals. And, on Sunday morning, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that about 99 per cent of the 300 or so projectiles fired by Iran at Israel overnight were intercepted by air defences, as reported by The Times of Israel. The Iranian threat met the aerial and technological superiority of the IDF, combined with a strong fighting coalition, which together intercepted the vast majority of the threats, Hagari had said. On April 17, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed at a cabinet meeting that Israel will make its own decisions and do whatever is necessary to protect itself, even if it contradicts the advice given by its allies, as reported by The Times of Israel. (ANI)

Repeat or remove? Lakshadweep to take the call

The electoral showdown in Lakshadweep, comprising 36 islets in the Arabian Sea and boasting the smallest electorate, has garnered attention due to the islanders growing dissatisfaction with the unpopular reforms spearheaded by Praful Khoda Patel, the political appointee leading the islands administration. The National Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) and Congress vie for dominance here for the lone Lok Sabha seat. Lakshadweep, which goes to polls in the first phase on Friday, has just 57,784 voters. However, aware that each vote counts, the parties had conducted intense campaigning, wrapping it all up with the kalashakottu on Wednesday. Like in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the contest is yet again between sitting MP Muhammed Faizal P P of the NCP-SP and Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed of the Congress, both from Androth. However, in the NCP(SP) vs Congress fight, the NCP faction led by Ajith Pawar has fielded T P Yousuf, who may play spoilsport for Faizal. The Congress, which won 12 general elections here before suffering defeat, hopes to regain lost ground this time. Its leadership vouches that recent political unrest will make Lakshadweep voters stay loyal to the party> It also expects the young to vote for change. We are upbeat. We expect voters to return us to power, says M I Attakoya, Lakshadweep DCC president. The party expects the anti-incumbency factor to play out and its campaigns constantly harped on MP Faizals failure in making effective interventions with the Centre since December 2020 when Patel assumed charge as administrator. Our poll plank was Faizals failure as MP in the past 10 years. The administration is taking away peoples land. Education is another area of concern, Attakoya says. However, NCP-SP argues it was Faizal who led the legal battle against the administration. Congress is distorting facts. In fact, when Save Lakshadweep Forum, a joint movement, was planned earlier for the islands cause, Congress attempted to scuttle it by refusing to join, says Komalam Koya, a prominent NCP leader. A former panchayat vice-president says NCP-SPs attempt is to portray itself as the party leading the protests against the administrations policies. How it manages to cover up the stagnancy in development in the past three years and convince voters of a brighter future is crucial for it, the leader says. However, there is a section backing the MP to score a hat-trick, saying it was he who took an anti-BJP, anti-Centre stance. Though against Faizal initially, CPM and CPI later backed him due to his anti-BJP stance, says K P Mohammed Salem, CPM media coordinator, Androth. So, will Faizal get another chance or will Lakshadweep opt for a different face as its representative? It all comes down to Friday.

MC to conduct survey for Salem Tabri road widening

US stops UN from recognizing a Palestinian state through membership

US stops UN from recognizing a Palestinian state through membership The United States on Thursday effectively stopped the United Nations from recognizing a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny Palestinians full membership of the world body. It vetoed a draft resolution that recommended to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly that he State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the U.N. Britain and Switzerland abstained, while the remaining 12 council members voted yes. The United States continues to strongly support a two-state solution. This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgment that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood told the council. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the U.S. veto as unfair, unethical, and unjustified, saying in a statement that it challenged he will of the international community, which strongly supports Palestine's full membership. The Palestinian push for full U.N. membership came six months into a war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and as Israel is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz commended the United States for casting a veto, adding: The shameful proposal was rejected. Terrorism will not be rewarded. The Palestinians are currently a non-member observer state, a de facto recognition of statehood that was granted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012. But an application to become a full U.N. member needs to be approved by the Security Council and then at least two-thirds of the General Assembly. We believe that such recognition of Palestinian statehood should not come at the start of a new process, but it doesnt have to be at the very end of the process. We must start with fixing the immediate crisis in Gaza, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Barbard Woodward told the council. 'PEACE FROM INCLUSION' The U.N. Security Council has long endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognized borders. Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, all territory captured by Israel in 1967. Algeria's U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama argued before the vote that admitting Palestinians to the United Nations would strengthen rather than undermine the two-state solution, adding: Peace will come from Palestine's inclusion, not from its exclusion. The Palestinian Authority, headed by Abbas, exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank. Hamas ousted the Palestinian Authority from power in Gaza in 2007. Israel is retaliating against Hamas in Gaza over an Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel led by the militant group. Israel says about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 people were taken hostage in the assault, and Gaza health authorities say Israel has killed nearly 34,000 people in its offensive in Gaza since then. Recent escalations make it even more important to support good-faith efforts to find lasting peace between Israel and a fully independent, viable and sovereign Palestinian state, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council earlier on Thursday. Failure to make progress towards a two-State solution will only increase volatility and risk for hundreds of millions of people across the region, who will continue to live under the constant threat of violence, he said.

With photo/Salem Central Prison administration provides water in mud pots, considering scorching sun

Lok Sabha Polls | EVMs sent to polling booths in Salem and Namakkal districts

Man gets life imprisonmentfor murder in Salem

Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem wins 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award

Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem wins 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem won the prestigious 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award on Thursday for his image of a Palestinian woman cradling the body of her five-year-old niece in the Gaza Strip. The picture was taken on Oct. 17, 2023, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where families were searching for relatives killed during Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave. Salem's winning image portrays Inas Abu Maamar, 36, sobbing while holding Saly's sheet-clad body in the hospital morgue. Mohammed received the news of his WPP award with humility, saying that this is not a photo to celebrate but that he appreciates its recognition and the opportunity to publish it to a wider audience, Reuters Global Editor for Pictures and Video, Rickey Rogers, said at a ceremony in Amsterdam. He hopes with this award that the world will become even more conscious of the human impact of war, especially on children, Rogers said, standing in front of the photo at the Nieuwe Kerk in the Dutch capital. Announcing its annual awards, the Amsterdam-based World Press Photo Foundation said it was important to recognise the dangers facing journalists covering conflicts. It said 99 journalists and media employees had been killed covering the war between Israel and Hamas since the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel responded by launching a military offensive in Gaza. The work of press and documentary photographers around the world is often done at high risk, said Joumana El Zein Khoury, the organisation's executive director. This past year, the death toll in Gaza pushed the number of journalists killed to a near-record high. It is important to recognise the trauma they have experienced to show the world the humanitarian impact of the war. Salem, a Palestinian aged 39, has worked for Reuters since 2003. He also won an award in the 2010 World Press Photo competition. The jury said Salem's 2024 winning image was composed with care and respect, offering at once a metaphorical and literal glimpse into unimaginable loss. I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip, Salem said when the image was first published in November. People were confused, running from one place to another, anxious to know the fate of their loved ones, and this woman caught my eye as she was holding the body of the little girl and refused to let go. 'PROFOUNDLY AFFECTING' Salem's wife had given birth to their child days before he took the shot. The photograph is profoundly affecting, said jury member Fiona Shields, head of photography at Guardian News & Media. The jury selected the winning photos from 61,062 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries. GEO photographer Lee-Ann Olwage of South Africa won the story of the year category with images documenting dementia in Madagascar. The long-term projects category was won by Alejandro Cegarra of Venezuela for the series The Two Walls for The New York Times/Bloomberg. Ukrainian photographer Julia Kochetova won the open format award with War is Personal, which documented the war in her country by weaving together pictures, poetry, audio and music in documentary style.

Reuters' Mohammed Salem wins 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award

Reuters' Mohammed Salem wins 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem won the prestigious 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award on Thursday for his image of a Palestinian woman cradling the body of her five-year-old niece in the Gaza Strip. The picture was taken on Oct. 17, 2023, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where families were searching for relatives killed during Israeli bombing of the Palestinian enclave. Salem's winning image portrays Inas Abu Maamar, 36, sobbing while holding Saly's sheet-clad body in the hospital morgue. Announcing its annual awards, the Amsterdam-based World Press Photo Foundation said it was important to recognise the dangers facing journalists covering conflicts. It said 99 journalists and media employees had been killed covering the war between Israel and Hamas since the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel responded by launching a military offensive in Gaza. The work of press and documentary photographers around the world is often done at high risk, said Joumana El Zein Khoury, the organisation's executive director. This past year, the death toll in Gaza pushed the number of journalists killed to a near-record high. It is important to recognise the trauma they have experienced to show the world the humanitarian impact of the war. Salem, a Palestinian aged 39, has worked for Reuters since 2003. He also won an award in the 2010 World Press Photo competition. The jury said Salem's 2024 winning image was composed with care and respect, offering at once a metaphorical and literal glimpse into unimaginable loss. I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip, Salem said when the image was first published in November. People were confused, running from one place to another, anxious to know the fate of their loved ones, and this woman caught my eye as she was holding the body of the little girl and refused to let go. 'PROFOUNDLY AFFECTING' Salem's wife had given birth to their child days before he took the shot. The photograph is profoundly affecting, said jury member Fiona Shields, head of photography at Guardian News & Media. The jury selected the winning photos from 61,062 entries by 3,851 photographers from 130 countries. GEO photographer Lee-Ann Olwage of South Africa won the story of the year category with images documenting dementia in Madagascar. The long-term projects category was won by Alejandro Cegarra of Venezuela for the series The Two Walls for The New York Times/Bloomberg. Ukrainian photographer Julia Kochetova won the open format award with War is Personal, which documented the war in her country by weaving together pictures, poetry, audio and music in documentary style.

AIADMK not worried about opinion poll predictions: EPS

COIMBATORE: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday said his party is facing the Lok Sabha election without allying with a national party, only to protect the rights of Tamil Nadu. Palaniswami further said he is not bothered about pre-poll opinion surveys that predicted setback to the AIADMK. Due to pressure from both the state and central governments, some media houses have released pre-poll opinions which are false. AIADMK cadre should not bother about these and work for our victory, he said. Addressing the media in Salem, he said There is no use in making an alliance with the national parties as both BJP and Congress which are ruling Karnataka one after another refuse to follow the Supreme Court directions regarding release of Cauvery water to TN. Our MPs will pressurise the central government and ensure the states rights are protected. Reacting to BJP state president K Annamalais statement that AIADMK will go to TTV Dhinakarans hands after the election results, EPS said, You should understand the nature of that politician (Annamalai) as he is talking without even knowing that TTV has already floated a party. EPS also conducted a road show garnering support for candidate P Vignesh on Wednesday evening.

Kerala's first double-decker train successfully completes trial run

KOCHI: The state might soon get a double-decker train. The good news, albeit conditional, comes following a Railway decision to extend the Coimbatore-KSR Bangalore Uday Express to Palakkad. As part of the decision, the Palakkad division of the Railways held a trial run of the train on Wednesday. The trial was held with two double-decker rakes. A Palakkad division spokesperson said that at present nothing as to the regular operation of the train service has been decided. The decision will be taken by the Railway Board only after studying the feasibility report that will be submitted after the trial run, he said. The trial run was held on Wednesday at a time considered to be the most feasible one for the conduct of the service. The route that has been arrived at for the proposed service is from Coimbatore via Pollachi to Palakkad, says the spokesperson. The train departed from Coimbatore at 8 am on Wednesday. A lot of things like the feasibility of the platforms and other infrastructure were taken note of during the trial run, says the spokesperson. But what makes the train special? The spokesperson says, As for the rakes, they are very similar to the Jan Shatabdi Express. However, for Uday Express, the lower portion of the rake has a depressed floor which positions the window of the rake somewhat on a par with the platform. Explaining more about the coaches the spokesperson says, The seating arrangement is similar to the Jan Shatabdi express trains. The rakes are air-conditioned and have a total height of 4,386 cm from the base to the roof. The decision to conduct a trial run was taken after the mechanical branches of the Salem and Palakkad divisions sent in a proposal regarding the same. Suggested timings The feasible timings suggested for the service will see the train start from Coimbatore at 8 am and then Podanur Junction railway station (8.15 am) followed by Kinathukadavu (8.35 am), Pollachi (9 am to 9.25 am), Minatchipuram (9.45 am), Muthalamada (10 am), Kollengode (10.15 am), Pudunagaram (10.30 am), Palakkad Town (10.45 am) and Palakkad Junction (11.05 am).

Overseas Friends of BJP meet in Israel to help bolster partys prospects in elections

JERUSALEM, Apr 17 : Ahead of the polling for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in India, members of the Overseas Friends of BJP in Israel met here to discuss strategies to bolster the partys poll prospects amid slogans like Vande Maatram and Abkee Baar 400 Paar. Campaigning ended on Wednesday for the first phase of general elections for 102 seats across 21 states and Union Territories on April 19, part of the seven-phase long Parliamentary exercise till [] The post Overseas Friends of BJP meet in Israel to help bolster partys prospects in elections appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Jordan says Israeli retaliation for Iran strikes risks wider regional war

Jordan says Israeli retaliation for Iran strikes risks wider regional war Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Wednesday an Israeli retaliation against Iranian strikes could bring a real risk of dragging the whole region into a devastating war. In an interview released by state media, Safadi said his country was lobbying major powers against an escalation that would have far-reaching consequences for regional stability and security. The risks are enormous. That could drag the whole region into war, which would be devastating to us in the region and well have very, very serious implications for the rest of the world including the U.S, Safadi said. The situation is too dangerous. The chances of regional explosion are real, and that has got to stop. Weve got to make sure theres no further escalation, he added. Staunch U.S. ally Jordan, with the help of American air defences and support from the UK and France, shot down most of the Iranian drones and missiles that were flying over the country towards Jerusalem and a wide range of targets in Israel. Now the pressure should be on Israel not to escalate, Safadi said, adding Tehran had said it attacked in retaliation for a suspected Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 and would not go further unless Israel responded. Jordan neighbours Syria and Iraq both countries where Iranian proxy forces operate and is next door to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank We are in the middle of the fire, so both parties have to understand that we'll do what we have to do to protect our own, and to prevent this escalation, Safadi said. Safadi warned that his country would act firmly in the event of another flare-up and that Jordan would not allow either Iran or Israel to turn the kingdom into a battlefield. We will take down any projectiles that threaten our peoples and violate our sovereignty, and pose a threat to Jordanians. And we made this clear to both Israel and Iran, he said. Iranian drones that came from the direction of Iraq and flew over southern Jordan and the city of Aqaba that were heading to Israel's Eilat port were also intercepted. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was using the confrontation with Iran to divert attention from Gaza, Safadi said. The Israeli leader should not be allowed to drag Washington and major Western powers into a war with Iran, he added.

Campaign in TN Comes to a Close

Chennai : The high voltage acrimonious campaign that gripped the entire State for over three weeks, prompting national leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make repeated visits, came to an end at 6 pm on Wednesday with all 39 candidates making a last minute attempt to woo their voters and all top leaders holding meetings at various places. Chief Minister M K Stalin went around Chennai in the morning and canvassed for his partys North Chennai candidate Kalanidhi Veerasaamy and then concluded his 22-day campaign with a meeting at Besant Nagar in the evening that drew a huge crowd of supporters of the INDIA coalition, while AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was in Salem campaigning till the last minute. BJP State president K Annamalai was at Coimbatore, from where he is contesting the April 9 election, and Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman was in Chennai, seeking votes for his party candidates. The Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, who met mediapersons informally, said that no campaign would be allowed in form or in any media, including social media channels, after 6 pm when the curtains would be rung in and all outsider who had been canvassing for various candidates would be asked to leave for their own homes. All efforts were being made to conduct the polls in a safe and secure manner with the installation of 44,800 web cameras at various places and a vigil mounted on digital transactions of money, besides the personal watch over the distribution of cash, gifts and liquor bottles by political parties to voters as a form of inducement. Liquor shops all over the State remained closed. However, their sales tripled from the average outtake on Tuesday with the shopkeepers making arrangements for the quick dispensation of the bottle. The tripling of sales was not just due to political party functionaries stacking up liquor for distribution on polling day but also due to black marketers seeing a potential to make quick money during the next three days that had been declared as dry days. The top candidates fielded by the three major political coalitions for the three constituencies in Chennai began their campaign quite early in the day on Wednesday and went around the localities that they might have missed in the last three weeks, lending a carnival aura till the deadline of 6 pm. One of the major issues that candidates broached with the voters was floods. Tamilisai Soundarajan, the BJP candidate for South Chennai told the people that if she was elected, she would ensure zero flooding of the constituency as she had identified 25 lakes that would be desilted to create space for the rain water to flow in. Her DMK rival Tamilachi Thangapandian attended the Besant Nagar meeting addressed by Stalin after concluding her house visits a bit earlier in the day. So did Dayanidhi Maran fighting it out from Central Chennai after hectic campaigning since the beginning of season. Marans rival from the AIADMK camp, B Parthasarathy of the DMDK, too went around the constituency seeking votes by introducing him as a ordinary man. Vinoj P Selvam, fielded by the BJP from Central Chennai, too, was in the field wooing the voters with promises of bringing in a change. R C Paul Kanagaraj, BJP nominee from North Chennai, introduced himself as the son of the soil who would be at the beck and call of every voter. Since he resides within the constituency jurisdiction, the people could access him easily for any help. Many traders bodies in North Chennai had reportedly pledged their support to him. AIADMK candidate from North Chennai, Royapuram Mano, is also a local leader with enormous clout among the people of the region. He too was on his toes on the last day, garnering support from all sorts of people. The AIADMK candidates, including Jayavaradhan from South Chennai, had been saying that during AIADMK rule, Palaniswami had distributed flood relief to the victims generously and that there were plans to start smart city projects that would have prevented flooding. The BJP candidates allegation was that the DMK government did not spend the Rs 4000 crore released by the Union Government to take up measures to prevent flooding. NTKs Seeman was in suburban regions likes Korattur and Ambattur telling them people to give his party a chance since the DMK and AIADMK had failed to discharge their duties, during their respective tenures, properly.

Israel Goes Against U.S & Allies Calling For Restraint On Iran | Watch

Recent diplomatic talks between UK and German foreign ministers in Jerusalem highlight efforts to address escalating tensions following Iran's attack. The talks aimed to press Israel on prioritizing Hamas, addressing hostages, providing aid, and achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the foreign ministers while emphasizing Israel's sovereign decision-making. The Israeli Prime Minister's office briefed the ministers on aid to Gaza. Diplomatic discussions also touched on potential sanctions against Iran, including designating the Iranian government as a terrorist organization and imposing sanctions on its missile projects. Notably, the UK's role in aiding Israel intercept an Iranian drone during the incident was highlighted. These talks mark the first official Western diplomatic visit to Israel post the Iranian attack.

Campaigning concludes for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu

Campaigning concludes for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu Campaigning for the April 19 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu ended on Wednesday with Chief Minister M K Stalin, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and others holding public meetings, roadshows and reaching out to the people in as many ways as possible. The DMK's campaign ended here with Stalin addressing a grand public meeting where he said Modi uses a punchline that his 10-year rule was only a trailer. Addressing Modi directly, he said ''your trailer itself is so worse and unbearable, do you think your movie will be a success? For sure the film is not going to get released.'' Apparently, he meant a victory for INDIA bloc and defeat for BJP and allies. Reiterating a string of his accusations against the BJP including ''cleaning the corrupt through the BJP washing machine,'' he claimed the Electoral bond 'scam' has unmasked Modi, showing PM's face of corruption and tearing his mask of clean image. ''Stalin Kural, Namakkagave, Nammai Kaakkave,'' (Stalin's voice for us, to protect us) the peppy DMK's election song energised party workers all through the campaign trail. The song reflects a fighting spirit asking, ''shall we see if it is us or them,'' and has denouncing references to the BJP like ''Sanghi''. Writing to cadres, Stalin, also the chief of the ruling DMK once again described the 2024 LS polls as the ''second freedom movement'' and reiterated the election is about deciding ''whose regime must not continue,'' rather than who should capture power. The DMK chief alleged Modi ruined the nation for the sake of his ''selfish politics.'' AIADMK general secretary Palaniswami held a roadshow in his home turf Salem and ended his campaign asking the people to repeat his party's election tagline of ''Otrai Viralal Ongi Adipom,'' which means, ''let us beat (political rivals) with a single finger'' (by pressing the AIADMK's symbol Two Leaves in EVM). He blamed the BJP regime at the Centre for ''discriminating'' people on grounds like caste and religion which his party will never accept. The former Chief Minister, citing a leaked audio clip, alleged corruption to the tune of about ''Rs 30,000 crore'' in the DMK regime. He slammed the ruling DMK for ''not fulfilling'' promises made ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls. He recalled the initiatives of the previous AIADMK regimes including provision of cost-free rice to mosques for making gruel during the month of Ramzan. The AIADMK is facing polls alongside its key ally the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and smaller outfits. The BJP, which has so far failed to ensure significant electoral gains in the southern state, is making an aggressive bid to end the drought. This manifested in Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the state at least eight times since January. He has addressed rallies in support of the NDA candidates. Prior to the January Pran Pratishtha of the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, he had visited holy sites in Tamil Nadu with a Ramayana connect, earlier this year. BJP Tamil Nadu unit President K Annamalai and Saffron party leader L Murugan held high-voltage campaigns in Coimbatore and Nilgiris respectively to convince voters. In a roadshow, Annamalai asserted ''Dravidian politics'' is not needed anymore in Tamil Nadu and assured the people of working hard for them. In a video appeal seeking support from people he described himself as ''Ungal Veetu Pillai'' and ''Ungal Thambi Annamalai,'' their son and younger brother. He expressed confidence of ushering in of a new era of honest, Dharma based politics in Coimbatore. He was confident that the electorate will stand with ''change,'' and vote for BJP and allies. People will shun inducement by dishonest politicians, belonging to the party that ruled the state and by those in power as well. He urged the people to bless with a historic victory for Prime Minister Modi. BJP's alliance parties include the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), former Union Minister GK Vaasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) and smaller outfits. BJP candidate from South Chennai, Tamilisai Soundarajan reiterated her commitment to serve the people and blamed the ruling DMK and main opposition AIADMK for ''doing nothing'' for the people. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose party is contesting nine seats, addressed one election rally along with Stalin in Coimbatore last week. In his campaign, Naam Tamilar Katchi top leader Seeman blamed the Congress and BJP over the Cauvery issue and sought votes for protecting the interests of the Tamil people. Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam seeking his luck from Ramanathapuram, AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran who is contesting from Theni, MDMK candidate Durai Vaiko contesting from Tiruchirappalli, were among the leaders who held high-decibel rallies. Meanwhile, with campaigning ending at 6 PM on Wednesday, police inspected lodges and marriage halls to ensure compliance of election norms that mandated no outsiders should stay in the constituencies.

Iran president warns of massive response if Israel launches tiniest invasion

Jerusalem: Irans president has warned that the tiniest invasion by Israel would bring a massive and harsh response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation after Irans attack over the weekend. President Ebrahim Raisi spoke Wednesday at an annual army parade that was relocated to a barracks north of the capital, Tehran, from its []

Lok Sabha polls | DMK, BJP failed to fulfil poll promises, have only burdened people of T.N.: Edappadi Palaniswami

Addressing mediapersons in Salem, the AIADMK leader slammed both parties for the hike in fuel prices, the rise in prices of essential commodities and the lack of job opportunities, all of which, he said, had placed additional burdens on T.N. people

Salem native flies down from Japan to cast vote

SALEM: K Shankar, a 45-year-old Indian origin creative consultant settled in Nagareyama, Japan, has come down to Kondalampatti, his native village in Salem to cast his vote in the April 19 elections, reminiscent of the Vijay starrer Sarkar without its political message. An engineering graduate, Shankar works as free lancer for several start ups in Japan. His wife is a Japanese citizen and the couple has a child. Having left India 21 years ago, he arrived in Salem on April 11 and will cast vote in the government primary school at Kondalampatti where he studied. His mother, brother reside in the village. Though settled in Japan, Shankar said he retained Indian citizenship so that he could take part in the democratic process. This will be the first time he will be voting in an election. In his message to fellow Indians, Shankar stressed the significance of each vote, likening it to a drop in the ocean that collectively shapes the nations destiny. Even if it costs up to a lakh rupees to travel from Japan, voting is my democratic duty and I have come to fulfil it, he told TNIE. Reflecting on his experience, Shankar expressed pride in Indias democratic ethos and noted the curiosity among Japanese citizens about the Indian electoral process. India is the biggest democracy in the world and the people of Japan ask me questions about Indias election process in a very excited way, he remarked. His impassioned call to action resonates deeply . By exercising my vote, I gain mental satisfaction. Therefore, everyone must vote without fail, he said.

Bengaluru airport sees highest passenger traffic of 37.53 million in 2024

BENGALURU: The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) recorded its highest ever passenger traffic as well as cargo growth during the financial year 2023-2024. It catered to a whopping 37.53 million passengers and 4,39,524 metric tonnes of cargo. An official release said the airport catered to 32.6 million domestic and 4.67 million international passengers during this period. The airports domestic sector recorded a growth of 17% while the international sector recorded a growth of 23%. The overall growth reached 18%, it said. The highest daily passenger figure since its inception in May 2008 was recorded on April 29, 2023, at 1,16,688. Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer of airport operator Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), said, As we reflect on the past financial year, its been a landmark period with the highest passenger and cargo figures ever recorded in our airports history. We have also seen an increase in the number of airlines as well as destinations we connect to. Our position as the No.1 airport for processing perishable cargo for the third consecutive year highlights our steadfast commitment to advancing cargo development facilities. With the successful launch of Terminal 2 and partnerships with leading airlines and cargo operators, we are poised to solidify our position as the premier gateway to South and Central India. KIA also saw a remarkable increase in air traffic movements (ATMs) of 2,45,880 recorded during FY 24. New routes FY 24 saw the launch of several new airlines and routes, including Air India Express, Alliance Air, and Fly91 on the domestic front and Manta Air, Maldivian Airlines and Thai Lion Air contributing to enhanced international connectivity. Internationally, new routes to Munich, Dhaalu, Phuket and Denpasar have been introduced. In addition, Virgin Atlantic started daily flights from Bengaluru to London Heathrow in the last week of March 2024. On the domestic front, it has expanded its routes to destinations such as Salem, Shivamogga, Aurangabad, Jharsuguda, Ayodhya, Hirasar Rajkot, Nanded and Sindhudurg.

Lok Sabha Polls | Youth arrested in Salem for carrying snake to election campaign

Abu Dhabi: EAD expands its native tree-tagging programme

Abu Dhabi: EAD expands its native tree-tagging programme Abu Dhabi [UAE], April 16 (ANI/WAM): The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has announced the expansion of its native tree-tagging programme to encompass all naturally occurring native trees in Abu Dhabi's wild habitats and natural reserves. This initiative is a collaborative effort with the agency's strategic partners aimed at bolstering sustainability, safeguarding Abu Dhabi's natural heritage, and reinforcing the emirate's position as a leader in environmental endeavours. The Agency aims to tag 100,000 native trees as part of the programme, encompassing Ghaf, Samar, and Sidr trees, all of which naturally thrive in wild habitats and protected areas. In collaboration with its strategic partners, EAD has formulated the standards for tree tagging activities, which will be executed in diverse regions across the emirate. The programme will be expanded to encompass trees in city parks, urban areas, and along roadsides through the tree-tagging initiative managed by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT). Additionally, native trees situated in agricultural zones and tourist sites will be included in the programme, with collaboration and coordination involving the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT). Furthermore, the programme entails collecting data on the status of trees, aligning with standards compatible with the databases of the Statistics Center - Abu Dhabi (SCAD). Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of EAD, stated, The Agency has developed this programme in alignment with the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who emphasises the significance of fostering sustainability and safeguarding the country's environmental and natural systems. This commitment is evident through the extension of the 'Year of Sustainability' initiative into 2024, reflecting the intention to build upon the successes of the previous year. This extension underscores the country's dedication to realising a prosperous and sustainable future for all. Dr Al Dhaheri also emphasised that the programme is, comparatively, among the most comprehensive initiatives globally. The Agency aims to tag and number all native trees growing in wild areas and natural reserves within the emirate's Sheikh Zayed Protected Areas Network. This initiative, in collaboration with strategic partners, is poised to boost the chances of success, ensuring a comprehensive and integrated approach by applying unified standards in all areas where local trees thrive. This aligns with existing cooperation frameworks with partners and strengthens the overall effectiveness of the programme. The expansion of the programme underscores EAD's dedication to enhancing the preservation of our local native trees, esteemed as one of Abu Dhabi's abundant natural treasures, stated Ahmed Al Hashemi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD. Within the initial three months since the programme's initiation in November 2023, EAD successfully tagged over 17,000 trees. Native trees in Abu Dhabi are confronted with multiple challenges. Apart from the adversities induced by climate change, leading to a significant decline in rainfall across diverse habitats of the emirate, the tree cover encounters additional pressures stemming from unlawful encroachments. These include unauthorised firewood collection and unregulated overgrazing. These activities have a detrimental impact on the natural regeneration of native tree species, he added. According to Al Hashemi, EAD has disseminated community awareness messages regarding violations and the associated administrative fines as stipulated in EAD's Board Resolution No. (2) of 2021, addressing infringements on native trees both within and outside natural reserves. These messages have also been incorporated into identification tree tags/signs, presented in Arabic, English, and Urdu, affixed to tree trunks. This measure is expected to bolster the agency's efforts to enforce approved environmental laws and legislation. The programme will also contribute to enhancing data quality and updating the knowledge repository of relevant authorities concerning the status of native trees. It will achieve this by gathering comprehensive information specifically designed for utilisation in specialised data collection and geographic linking applications. These applications are designed to facilitate the direct transfer of field data to the Environmental Agency - Abu Dhabi's (EAD) environmental database, enabling real-time reporting on the programme's advancements. Furthermore, the Agency will collaborate with its partners to execute the electronic coding of native trees situated in forests and along highway belts, totalling over 20 million trees. (ANI/WAM)

Astronomers discover Milky Ways heaviest known black hole

Jerusalem: Astronomers have found BH3, which is by far the heaviest known stellar black hole in the Milky Way galaxy, 33 times the mass of the Sun. An international research team found the black hole when looking into the latest data group recorded in the European Space Agencys Gaia space telescope, Israels Tel Aviv University []

DMK Spokie Wears Expensive Watch & TShirt And Talks About Wealth Inequality

State Deputy Secretary of the DMK IT Wing and party spokesperson, Salem Dharanidharan shared a video on social media platform X with the caption, Inequality in India under Modi is The post DMK Spokie Wears Expensive Watch & TShirt And Talks About Wealth Inequality appeared first on The Commune .

Indian holding permanent residency in Japan arrives in Salem to campaign for BJP

Israel will respond to Irans weekend missile attack: Military chief

JERUSALEM: Israels military chief said Monday that his country will respond to Irans weekend attack, but he did not elaborate on when and how as world leaders urged against retaliation, trying to avoid a spiral of violence in the Middle East. The Iranian attack on Saturday came in response to a suspected Israeli strike two weeks earlier on an Iranian consular building in the Syrian capital of Damascus that killed two Iranian generals. It marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel despite decades of enmity dating back to the countrys 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles at Israel in the attack. The Israeli military said that 99% of the drones and missiles were intercepted, by Israels own air defenses and warplanes and in coordination with a U.S.-led coalition of partners. Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Monday that Israel is considering its next steps but that the Iranian strike will be met with a response. Halevi gave no details. The armys spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israel will respond at the time that we choose. Both men spoke at the Nevatim air base in southern Israel, which Hagari said suffered only light damage in the Iranian attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been huddling with top officials to discuss a possible response. For a second straight day, the government made no announcements on any decisions. In a conversation with U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Netanyahu said that Israel will do whatever is required to defend itself, the prime ministers office announced. While Israeli leaders have hinted at retaliation, the government is under heavy international pressure not to further escalate the conflict especially after the Iranian strike caused such little damage. The U.S. has urged Israel to show restraint as it seeks to build a broad diplomatic response. While Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said any response is up to Israel to decide, he added: We dont want to see escalation, but we obviously will take necessary measures to protect our forces in the region. Pressed at a briefing about whether such a response would jeopardize stability in the region, Ryder said the U.S. will stay in close consultation with our Israeli partners, as we have done throughout the weekend. Again, we dont seek wider regional conflict. The U.S. also has been working in recent years to strengthen ties between Israel and moderate Arab states in an alliance to counter Iran. Much of that cooperation has been under the umbrella of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Centcom works closely with militaries across the region, including Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. The U.S., Britain and Jordan a key American ally in the region have all said their air forces helped intercept the Iranian missiles and drones. Halevi said France and other partners were involved, and he noted that Irans attack has created new opportunities for cooperation in the Middle East. The Iranian weapons also flew through Saudi skies, according to a map released by the Israeli military. Israel says most of the interceptions took place outside of Israeli airspace, indicating at least tacit cooperation with the Saudis. A unilateral Israeli strike could strain these behind-the-scenes contacts, particularly with countries like Saudi Arabia that do not have official diplomatic relations with Israel. It also could risk opening a new front with Iran at a time when Israel is bogged down in a six-month war inside Gaza against Hamas militants. Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout the Gaza war. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. Israels offensive in Gaza has killed over 33,700 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and caused widespread devastation. Throughout the war, Israel has traded fire across its northern border with Lebanons Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, while Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Yemen have also attacked Israel. The friction has kept up fears of a potentially destructive all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, or a broader direct confrontation between Israel and Iran. World leaders pressed Israel not to strike Iran. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said all sides must show restraint to avoid a rising spiral of violence in the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macron said Paris will try to convince Israel that we must not respond by escalating. In Washington, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby declined to say Monday whether the U.S. had been or expects to be briefed on any Israeli response plans. We will let the Israelis speak to that, he said. We are not involved in their decision-making process about a potential response, Kirby said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. doesnt seek escalation but said it would continue to support Israels security. He pledged to step up the diplomatic efforts against Iran. Strength and wisdom need to be different sides of the same coin, he said.

Transgenders acknowledge strides made by them with government backing

SALEM: The members of the Salem Transgenders Welfare Association held a celebration at the Salem Old Nationalist Association building on Monday afternoon to mark World Transgender Day which fell on March 31. As a toast to the unity and progress of the transgender community the celebration began with the cutting of cakes. Government officials and local business leaders joined the celebration, welcomed by the warm gestures of the transgender community. In a gesture of appreciation and acknowledgement, sweets were offered to these dignitaries as a token of gratitude for their support and understanding. Speaking to the press amidst the festivities, they highlighted the transformative journey of societal acceptance, acknowledging the past neglect and discrimination they endured. However, they also emphasised the positive strides made possible by government schemes and support, particularly in facilitating access to education. We feel proud to live in a society that has witnessed our struggles and now embraces our existence, remarked S Vidhyashri. The support and initiatives provided by the government have been instrumental in empowering us, especially in pursuing education and securing better opportunities for ourselves, she added.

Angamalys leopard lair turns granite quarry

KOCHI: A two-kilometre detour from the Kochi-Salem highway in Angamaly leads one to a small town called Puliyanam. This quaint area is popular for its green cover dominated by tamarind trees. The area once had a canopy of tamarind trees (puli maram) and was gradually called Pulivanam. Later the term got colloquialised to Puliyanam, says T C Alias, a resident. The locals also cite another reason for the origin of the name Puliyanam. As narrated by them, the area was inhabited by leopards (puli) once. Thus, Puli-vanam. Vanam in Malayalam means forest. Alongside the eastern border of Puliyanam, in a place called Peechanikad, lies the Puliyanam rubber producers society. Nearby, there is a lanky rock which is 20 meters long and equally wide. There are stories of people spotting a leopard and its cubs inside a small cavern beneath the rock. People started to refer to this rock as Pulikkallu, which eventually transitioned into Pulivanam or leopards forest, says Alias. He also highlights that the places around Puliyanam also got their name due to the presence of animals. Take Peechanikad for example, it facilitated the habitat of elephants earlier. Elephants are fond of thickets called Eachakkad. This is believed to have led to the formation of Peechanikad. Mayiladumpara and Pannithadam are the other names, he says. Puliyanam is popular for the production of granite. Rocks were abundantly present in regions such as Puliyanam and Mambra. It is generally referred to as Puliyanam Kallu, and was widely used in the making of temples and idols of deities. There used to be about 50 quarries functioning here once. Once people realised that minerals were much more profitable than paddy cultivation, quarries mushroomed. However, over time, their number became fewer. Now, theres barely one or two left, Alias adds. Besides the quarry, the people of Puliyanam relied majorly on areca nuts as well. It was an important source of income. Back then, the nuts were dried in centres in Puliyanam, Vattapparambu, and Elavoor. After the drying process, these were transported via bullock carts to prominent areca nut markets in Thrissur and Kunnamkulam, says entrepreneur and Puliyanam citizen Joby Melappilly. Notable landmarks Chirakkal Mahadeva temple and Bhadrakali Mattappilly temple are the significant landmarks of Puliyanam. The latter is believed to be among the 108 temples built by Parasuram. Initially, the place belonged to Mattappilly Mana but later, the ownership was transferred to Travancore Devaswom Board. Mattappilly family is said to be one of the earliest residents of Puliyanam. In 1947, the elder of Mattappilly, Devan Vasudevan Nambudirippad, set up a primary school which later became the Government HSS Puliyanam, says drama artist Puliyanam Poulose. Whats in a name Weekly column on the history of place names. Got any suggestions? Write to xpresskochi@gmail.com

INTERVIEW | Neither INDIA bloc nor NDA will get the victory they are hoping for: EPS

With just three days left before campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu ends, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami ups his attack on the BJP in an exclusive interview with The New Indian Express. Accusing the BJP of riding an imaginary horse in Tamil Nadu, he says it is AIADMK vs DMK on the electoral field. You have been on a whirlwind tour of the state for more than three weeks now. How do you assess the mood in the state? During my campaigns, I directly feel that the people are disappointed and dissatisfied with the central and state governments. In every sector, people have their disappointments. The state government has not launched any development scheme even three years after assuming office. Similarly, the central government has ignored Tamil Nadu. They are only making empty promises. The people expect a government that delivers them the goods at the centre and the state. The people want a central government that respects the rights of the states. In our campaign, we are highlighting the interests of Tamil Nadu and the shortcomings of all the parties contesting against us. We also highlight the fact that the DMK-led alliance, which had 38 MPs, never raised its voice in Parliament for the welfare of Tamil Nadu in the last five years. What is your assessment of the three years of the DMK government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin? The government lists several welfare measures implemented for different sections of society. DMKs claim that it has implemented all welfare measures is a blatant lie. They are repeatedly claiming the schemes initiated by the AIADMK government in the past as those started by the Stalin-led DMK government. He is not able to list any new schemes initiated by his government. The DMK government has stopped the schemes to provide laptops to students, Amma mini-clinics, and thaaliku thangam (gold for marriage) and is instead providing cash assistance to girl students. The scheme to provide free bus rides for people above 60 years of age has been extended to women. The Chief Minister is repeatedly talking about only these. He is not able to talk about any new development schemes because they dont have any. Farmers, fishermen, government employees, weavers, and MSME units all of them are protesting. All industries, particularly MSME units and textile units, have been severely affected because of the increase in electricity tariffs. The confusion around registration fees has severely affected the real estate sector. Government employees, teachers and transport employees are also protesting since the DMK government has failed to fulfil the promises made to them. There is widespread unemployment. All sections of the people have been affected during the three years of the DMK rule. Moreover, the Chief Minister has only been making personal attacks against us in undignified language. The Chief Minister's campaign clearly shows the people of Tamil Nadu that he has nothing to talk about as DMK's schemes. The BJP leaders have been claiming that the electoral field has undergone a marked change and the fight is now between the BJP and the DMK. How do you respond to this? As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, the contest is between the AIADMK and the DMK. Anyone can compete for third place. BJP is riding an imaginary horse. BJP state president K Annamalai has said that the AIADMK would vanish after the current Lok Sabha elections. He said there is no need for a party that has only one ideology, which is to oppose the DMK. How do you view this remark? I have already made it clear. A leader whose routine is to address the media before boarding a flight and after deboarding a flight is facing the electoral field without meeting the people directly. The people of Tamil Nadu will give a befitting reply to this in this election. Let them first grow their party. We can talk after that. The State has always resisted the imposition of Hindi. BJP State President K. Annamalai has likened the anti-Hindi agitation to old, torn footwear. As the head of a Dravidian party, what is your take on this comment? The AIADMK will always sincerely follow the two-language policy advocated by our partys guarding deities Puratchi Thalaivar (late Chief Minister and AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran) and and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma (late CM and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa). We are not enemies of any language. But when efforts are taken to make that (Hindi) a national language, we will firmly oppose them. You have repeatedly said that the INDIA Bloc will not win this election. By saying so, are you not implying that the BJP will form the government again? In this election, neither the INDIA bloc nor the NDA will get the victory they are hoping for. But we will be with those who stand for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu and who do good for the state. In our campaign, we are highlighting the interests of Tamil Nadu and the shortcomings of the opposing parties. Wherever necessary, I have been speaking about the BJP and Congress and the ills they have caused Tamil Nadu. How do you respond to the allegations that you are have a tacit understanding with the BJP? After Chief Minister MK Stalin and minister Udhayanidhi Stalin met the Union Finance Minister and central ministers at the Delhi airport, searches and raids (by central investigation agencies) against the DMK leaders stopped. Since Stalin is in power, he is the one who is more in need of maintaining such clandestine relationships. We have no need. We have explicitly left the BJP (alliance). It is the DMK which is maintaining a clandestine relationship. You have expressed confidence that the AIADMK-led alliance will win a large number of seats. If that happens and if the BJP ends up in a situation where it needs your support to form the government, will the AIADMK consider lending support? In a diverse country like India, regional parties alone safeguard the interests of the states. They serve the people in accordance with the state's interests. For us, the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu are important. Let us wait and watch. You have clearly articulated your position that being in a coalition with national parties has proved to be an impediment for a regional party like AIADMK to effectively fight for the states rights. You have said that this was one of the key reasons for the AIADMK to walk out of the NDA alliance. Would it mean that AIADMK will never ally with the BJP or Congress in the future? Though we had an electoral alliance (with the BJP) for a few particular reasons, there were differences on many issues. The policies of the BJP are against the interests of Tamil Nadu in many areas and affect the state. It is the unanimous view of the AIADMK that continuing to travel with the BJP is not good for the welfare of the party and the state. Hence, we exited the NDA. As I already said, there is no alliance with the national parties. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, you were hopeful of forging a mega alliance to face the polls. However, that did not materialise. DMK has managed to keep its alliance intact. Do you think the AIADMK misjudged the political scenario? The alliance we have now is also a mega and strong alliance. The strength of an alliance is not in the numbers but in functioning as one during the election. Everyone can see how united our alliance is. Our vote bank remains with us. So what others think is immaterial to us. This is the first election AIADMK is facing after the party has come under a single leadership with you as its general secretary. You have made the bold decision of contesting the election virtually alone except for support from a few smaller parties. Can this election be taken as a referendum on your leadership of the party? We are students of Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Puratchi Thalaivi Amma. Amma gave me opportunities to contest in 10 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. My political life started as the secretary to the partys branch unit. Later, I was given the opportunity to work as the secretary of (erstwhile integrated) Salem district in 1991. Since then, I have had the experience of facing elections along with alliance partners and ensuring the victories of party and alliance candidates. All our headquarters functionaries are working unitedly. After Ammas demise, as per the objectives for which the party was started, we naturally won over the conspiracies of enemies and traitors. AIADMK serves as an example of a party in which an ordinary cadre can rise to the top. That is why all our cadres continue to travel with us. Our vote bank remains with us. Hatred and distrust towards the state and central governments are on the rise and the support for AIADMK is growing. Our alliance will win in all 40 constituencies, including Puducherry. Under the leadership of Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK was known for providing more participation for women in the party apparatus. Will that happen again? The number of women candidates put up by the party in this Lok Sabha election is very low. The AIADMK will always continue to award women the same importance on the path shown by Puratchi Thalaivi Amma. This is why AIADMK continues to be the party that enjoys overwhelming support from women. We have even appointed women as district secretaries. For this election, candidates were chosen based on education, their efforts and party-related work from among those who expressed interest to contest. You have given opportunities to many new faces in this election. However, some are viewing this as a reflection of reluctance among senior members to contest in this election. How do you respond to this? We are only following the footsteps of Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and Amma. AIADMK has been giving opportunities to new faces since the beginning. It is an indication of the partys growth and our democratic functioning. Moreover, our candidates look like newcomers to you, but in their respective constituencies, they have held important responsibilities for many years as union and district secretaries. They have the experience of working in several elections. You have been vociferous about your criticism of the DMK government's functioning. However, you have not reacted strongly to the alleged high-handedness of the union government, particularly the unprecedented arrests of the Jharkhand and Delhi Chief Ministers. We are facing elections in Tamil Nadu. We are focussing in detail on problems in the state and the damage the central governments policies caused to Tamil Nadu in our campaigns. We have not held back from criticising the BJP wherever necessary. In the majority of the constituencies, it is AIADMK vs DMK in the electoral field. Hence we criticise them more. The BJP has raised the Katchatheevu issue in a big way, blaming the DMK and the Congress. Former CM Jayalalithaa had also criticised the DMK on this issue. What is your view on the BJP taking up this issue now? What happened to the case filed by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for retrieving Katchatheevu, referring to the Berubari case? Will the AIADMK pursue the case, which has been pending for many years? The BJP is doing politics for the elections. Puratchi Thalaivi Amma moved the Supreme Court on the Katchatheevu issue in 2008 when the AIADMK was in the opposition. In 2011, when AIADMK came to power, she impleaded the state revenue department in the case. After (Prime Minister) Modi came to power in 2014, she raised this issue with him several times through letters and when she met him personally. She explained to him how the external affairs ministry had filed that same affidavit in the Supreme Court as the one filed by the previous Congress-DMK at the centre (where the ministry stated that the maritime boundary between the two countries was a settled issue). She requested him to ensure his direct intervention in resolving the Katchatheevu issue. We continued to urge (for the same). However, like the DMK, the BJP Government also failed to submit an appropriate response to the Supreme Court and repeatedly sought adjournments in the last 10 years. In the Katchatheevu issue, the DMK, Congress and the BJP have all taken stances harmful to Tamil Nadu. There is no difference between them. This is why we are contesting alone since only the respective regional parties can strongly articulate for their states welfare. I feel obliged to point out that DMKm which had 38 MPs since 2019, also betrayed the interests of Tamil Nadu like its late president M Karunanidhi (had done).