Bangladesh Ex Army General Arrested Over Fake 'Biden Adviser' Connection

Bangladesh police on Tuesday arrested a former army general who allegedly prompted a Bangladeshi-American national to appear before the media, identifying himself as a close "advisor" to US President Joe Biden and convey his administration's support for a regime change in the country.

"We have arrested former Lt General Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardi from (suburban) Savar and brought him to our office for initial interrogation and subsequent legal procedures,” police's detective branch chief Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid told reporters.

Rashid said the former general was the accused no. 2 of a case relating to the fraudulence, under which so-called Biden adviser Mian Zahidul Islam Arefy now awaits trial on charges of fraudulence and instigating anarchy in Bangladesh.

On Saturday, Suhrawardi escorted Arefy to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) central office in Dhaka where he spoke before a group of reporters alongside party activists as the US president's adviser and a "member of (US) national democratic committee".

Police arrested Arefy on Sunday from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as he was trying to leave Bangladesh.

Arefy assured the media of the Biden administration's support for a regime change in Bangladesh while Suhrawardy and BNP leader Ishraque Hossain sat beside him along with some other junior party leaders.

"We (Biden and I) have a hot connection...Joe Biden and I exchange text messages 10 to 15 times a day," he was heard saying in English at the media briefing.

Arefy, who grew up in Bangladesh's northwestern Pabna district, commented that Bangladesh almost became Sri Lanka in terms of economic crisis while soon it would become a state of India if the Awami League regime continued in power.

He claimed that the recent US visa sanctions or restrictions on Bangladeshi officials were the outcome of his efforts. He said he would ensure sanctions against Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Law Minister Anisul Huq and more law enforcement officials.

In initial police interrogation, Arefy claimed he was prompted by Suhrawardy to make the claims.

The US embassy in Dhaka quickly issued a statement, saying "this gentleman does not speak for the US government and is a private individual".

Bangladesh's foreign minister AK Abdul Momen called him an "imposter”.

Rashid said police were set to start an initial interrogation of the former general and he would be asked what prompted him to stage the drama.

Hours before Suhrawardy's arrest, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she issued an order to arrest him.

"He will not be spared,” the premier said while replying to a question at a press conference at her Gonobhaban official residence.

Sarwardy previously served as the director general of elite Special Security Force designated to provide security to VVIP's including Hasina, general officer commanding of army's Savar-based 9 Division and the head of the National Defence College (NDC).

After his retirement, the army declared him persona non grata to the country's military installations for his suspicious and disturbing public comments.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Meta To Offer Ad-Free Subscription Plans For Facebook, Instagram In Europe

Meta Platforms said today it will offer users in Europe a subscription plan to use Facebook and Instagram without advertisements to comply with the European Union regulations.

The monthly subscription plans will cost 9.99 euros ($10.58) for web users, while iOS and Android users will have to shell out 12.99 euros a month.

The EU regulations threaten to curb Meta's ability to personalize ads for users without their consent and hurt its major revenue source.

Offering a choice between a free, ad-supported plan and an ad-free paid subscription might lead to users opting for the former, helping Meta comply with the regulations without affecting its ad business.

Meta was fined 390 million euros earlier this year by Ireland's Data Privacy Commissioner, and was told it cannot use the so-called "contract" as a legal basis to send users ads based on their online activity.

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Tensions erupt in Bangladesh after oppn rally calls for PM Hasina's resignation, paramilitary forces deployed

Bangladesh's main opposition party organised a rally calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation to allow free and fair elections, causing the government to deploy paramilitary forces to ensure security as activists clashed with police in Dhaka.

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12 People Including An Infant Killed In Plane Crash In Brazil

Twelve people including a baby died Sunday in a small plane crash in the Brazilian Amazon, officials said.

The plane, a single engine Cessna Caravan, came down near the airport of Rio Branco shortly after takeoff, the government of the northwestern state of Acre said in a statement.

Ten passengers -- nine adults and an infant -- as well as the pilot and co-pilot all died at the scene, it said.

According to local press reports, the plane erupted in flames on impact, causing a forest fire in a remote area near Brazil's border with Peru and Bolivia.

Many of the passengers were returning to the neighboring Amazonas state after receiving medical care, media said.

Fourteen people were killed in September when a plane crashed while trying to land during a storm in the Amazonas town of Barcelos.

And in June, four Indigenous children survived a plane crash in the Colombian Amazon, then managed to stay alive for 40 days in the jungle before being rescued in a massive search.

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Israel-Hamas War: Israel has moved to 'new phase' of war against Hamas, says defence minister

Israel-Hamas War: The Israeli military says its ground forces will expand their activities in Gaza Friday night. The announcement came hours after Israeli forces conducted a second ground raid in as many days and after Israel's defense minister said the country expects to launch a long and difficult ground invasion of the Hamas-ruled territory. The development also came after communication services in the Gaza Strip were cut, following a heavy round of Israeli airstrikes that lit up the night sky over the darkened territory. The Palestinian death toll passed 7,300 as Israel launched waves of airstrikes in response to the bloody Hamas rampage in southern Israel on October 7.

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Iran's deputy foreign minister holds meeting with Hamas representative in Russia amid war with Israel

Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran's deputy foreign minister, held a meeting with Abu Marzouk, a senior leader of the Hamas militant group, in Moscow on Friday to potentially discuss a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine amid a deadly war, reported TASS news agency.

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Pakistan's national carrier PIA on verge of shutdown as over 500 flights cancelled in 11 days

The cash-strapped Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is reportedly on the verge of a shutdown as it cancelled more than 500 flights were cancelled in the last 11 days due to unavailability of fuel, according to a spokesperson of the country's national carrier.

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US Mass Shooter Was "Hearing Voices, Suffering From Paranoia": Police

Police in Maine said Saturday that the man who gunned down 18 people at a bar and a bowling alley and later committed suicide, suffered serious mental health issues, but was able to buy weapons legally because he had never been forcibly committed to treatment.

The body of Robert Card, a 40-year-old army reservist, was discovered Friday night inside a tractor trailer near a recycling center where he used to work, said Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck. Card had shot himself.

Investigators are still struggling to determine Card's motive for carrying out Wednesday's massacre in the town of Lewiston.

However, Mike Sauschuck said that Card had reportedly been hearing voices and suffering from paranoia.

"Clearly there's a mental health component to this," Mr Sauschuck told reporters.

Investigators found a "paper-style" note that Card had left to a loved one which contained a password to his phone and bank account information, Mr Sauschuck said, adding that the note had the tone of a suicide letter.

Card was found in possession of three weapons, one of them a long gun, all purchased legally because he had never been forcibly committed to a mental institution.

Despite the apparently clear mental health issues and a reportedly recent psychiatric evaluation undergone by Card, "a background check is not going to ping that this individual was prohibited," Mr Sauschuck added.

A 'coward's way out'

The discovery of Card's body ended a massive two-day manhunt, which had this quiet city of 38,000 people on lockdown with businesses and schools closed and residents terrified.

Sauschuck acknowledged the help Card's family provided to the investigation, saying among the first people to call the police and identify the suspect were his family members. "This family has been incredibly cooperative with us," he said.

Lewiston finally breathed a sigh of relief with businesses beginning to open and people appearing on the streets Saturday.

Guadalupe Hursch, 49, a stay-at-home mother said she was happy that the ordeal was over. "Relieved. Relieved," Hursch told AFP, adding that she also felt sorry for Card's parents.

A local resident by the name of Danica who was buying coffee at a drive-in said she was "very afraid" in the aftermath of the shooting and was now happy Card was dead, but at the same time wished he had first been brought to justice.

"I think he took the coward's way out of doing it by suicide," Danica, who declined to give her last name, told AFP. "I think he should be held accountable for his crimes."

She added: "It's a very terrible thing and it's going to take a long time to get back up to be where we were before."

In a statement issued shortly after Card's body was discovered Friday night, President Joe Biden vowed to renew efforts to curb gun violence in the United States.

"Americans should not have to live like this," Joe Biden said. "I will continue to do everything in my power to end this gun violence epidemic."

President Biden said the shooting brought "a tragic two days -- not just for Lewiston, Maine, but for our entire country."

Authorities on Friday identified the victims, ranging from a husband and wife in their 70s, to a 14-year-old boy killed alongside his father.

This latest shooting is one of the deadliest in the United States since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people

Mass shootings are alarmingly common in the United States, a country where there are more guns than people and where attempts to clamp down on their spread are always met with stiff resistance.

The United States has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed.

Efforts to tighten gun controls have for years run up against opposition from Republicans, staunch defenders of the constitutional right to bear arms.

The political paralysis endures despite widespread outrage over recurring shootings.

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Russia Launches "Special Operation" In Ukraine, Says Suspected Spy Killed

Russia said Friday that it killed a suspected Ukrainian spy and shut down two pro-Kyiv online outlets during an operation in the occupied part of Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region.

Since seizing control of large swathes of Ukraine last year, Russia has claimed to have foiled repeated acts of alleged sabotage as it tries to crack down on pro-Ukrainian resistance among the local population.

"As a result of a special operation in the territory of Zaporizhzhia region, the Federal Security Service suppressed the activities of three large agent groups coordinated by Ukrainian intelligence," the Federal Security Service said in a statement.

One man it suspected of working for Ukrainian intelligence was killed in a gunfight during the operation, the FSB said, without providing further details.

The administrators of a pro-Ukrainian chat room and a media outlet in the Russian-controlled city of Melitopol were detained, it added.

It said the administrators persuaded residents to gather information on the "locations and movements of Russian military personnel" and had been fomenting "an anti-Russian agenda in the region".

"The functioning of the information resources was discontinued," the FSB said.

AFP was not able to immediately verify the Federal Security Service's account of events.

The agency regularly detains people it suspects of collaborating with Ukrainian secret services, often claiming to have foiled acts of attempted sabotage or terrorism.

In a separate incident, the FSB said Thursday that it had killed a Ukrainian-born man on Russian soil who was plotting to blow up a military recruitment office.

Moscow-installed authorities also reported Friday an assassination attempt on a former pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker.

Oleg Tsaryov, an ex-MP and Moscow-backed anti-Kyiv separatist, was in serious condition Friday after being shot twice at around midnight in the resort where he lives, according to a post on Tsaryov's Telegram channel.

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"Why Do People Do This?": 10-Year-Old US Shooting Witness

Riley Dumont flung herself on top of her daughter when a gunman opened fire in a bowling alley in a shooting spree in Maine that left 18 people dead.

"It felt like it lasted a lifetime," Dumont told ABC News of Wednesday evening's attack at the bowling alley in the town of Lewiston.

Dumont said her father, a retired police officer, erected a barricade when the shooting began using "tables and a big bench."

"I was laying on top of my daughter," she told ABC. "My mother was laying on top of me. I just remember people sobbing and crying."

Law enforcement were searching on Thursday for the gunman who opened fire in the bowling venue and then a bar about a 10-minute drive away in the deadliest mass shooting in the United States this year.

Robert Card, 40, a certified firearms instructor and US Army reservist, should be considered armed and dangerous, police said.

Zoey Levesque, 10, told ABC News that she was at the alley with her mother, Meghan Hutchinson, for youth night when the shooting began.

Levesque was grazed in the leg by a bullet.

"I was scared, but it didn't hurt, and I didn't know what happened until I started bleeding," she said.

"I just never thought someone would walk in and then just start shooting and taking people's lives away," Levesque said. "People shouldn't be coming in and doing that. That's not OK."

"Like why? Like why do people do this?" she asked.

Hutchinson told ABC she barricaded herself and her daughter in a back room until police arrived.

"While we were in the back room, another child came in whose arm had a massive bullet in it and he was bleeding profusely," Hutchinson said.

She said they initially did not want to open the door for the police.

"They were banging on the door," she said. "We weren't sure who it was."

- 'No words to fix this' -

Another survivor of the attack told CNN he was 15 feet (five meters) from the gunman when he opened fire. He thought at first it was a balloon popping.

"And as soon as I turned and saw it was not a balloon and he was holding a weapon, I just booked it down the lane and I slid basically into where the pins are and climbed up into the machine and was on top of the machines for about 10 minutes until the cops got there," the man told CNN.

In a statement on their Facebook page, the Just-In-Time bowling alley said "none of this seems real, but unfortunately it is.

"We are devastated for our community and our staff. We lost some amazing and whole hearted people from our bowling family and community last night.

"There are no words to fix this or make it better."

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4.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes China's Xinjiang

An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 on the Richter Scale jolted China's Xinjiang region on Wednesday, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported.

The depth of the quake that occurred at 21:22:18 IST today was found to be 10 km.

"Earthquake of Magnitude:4.5, Occurred on 25-10-2023, 21:22:18 IST, Lat: 36.55 & Long: 84.29, Depth: 10 Km, Region: Xinjiang," the NCS posted on X.

No casualties are reported.

Further details are awaited.

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"Let's Go Berlin-Style": Israel Actor Detained Over Gaza Post

A leading Arab Israeli actor has been detained on suspicion of "incitement to terrorism" over a social media post about Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, police and her lawyer said Tuesday.

Maisa Abdel Hadi -- who lives in the northern Israeli city of Nazareth -- was arrested on Monday and placed in custody until Thursday, police said.

She is among many Arab Israelis to be detained over social media posts discussing the devastating war.

Hadi allegedly posted a picture of a bulldozer breaching the fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel during the October 7 attack by the Islamist militant group Hamas, which Israel says killed more than 1,400 people.

The Hamas government in Gaza says more than 5,000 people have been killed in Israel's retaliatory strikes on the coastal territory.

"Let's go Berlin-style," she wrote in a caption in reference to the fall of the Berlin Wall that partitioned Germany until 1989.

"She is accused of supporting terrorism," her attorney Jaafar Farah, who is also the director of the human rights association Mousawat, told AFP.

The 37-year-old actress has played in several series, films, and plays.

Arab Israeli singer Dalal Abu Amneh was also briefly detained this week over one of her social media posts.

According to rights campaigners and Israeli police, members of Israel's Arab minority and Palestinians in east Jerusalem have been fired, expelled from colleges and arrested over comments expressing solidarity with Gaza residents since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas. 

Israeli Arabs comprise a fifth of Israel's population.

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10-Month-Old Baby In UK Seriously Injured In Attack By Family Dog

A 10-month-old baby in the United Kingdom has been seriously injured after being attacked by a normally "loving and affectionate" family dog. According to the BBC, the incident took place on Tuesday in South Yorkshire. Police said that the animal, a Cane Corso X, savaged the baby at a property in Hoyland, Barnsley, after he started to cry. The 10-month-old remains in the hospital in a stable but serious condition, officials added.

"We were called at 7.42am this morning to a property in Hoyland, following a young child being attacked and bitten by a family dog," Dog Legislation Officer PC Paul Jameson said, as per the outlet. Mr Jameson added that the attack was out of character for the dog, who has no previous history of aggression. 

"Our early enquiries with the family highlighted that the dog was not previously reported to be of an aggressive nature, and this was a family who took precautions and are responsible owners," he said. 

Separately, according to The Independent, the baby's family said that their dog had never shown any signs of aggression before the horrifying incident. According to them, the animal is normally "pleasant" and "affectionate" with children. However, the family added that the dog may have become stressed by fireworks being set off in the local area. 

"An incident like this is a stark reminder that regardless of a dog's nature, or previous interactions with children, other dogs and people, they are animals and their innate instinct to protect themselves which can result in serious injuries and sometimes fatality," Mr Jameson said.

Also read | Man Sells "Energy Drink" Made From Urine On Amazon, Company Calls It "Crude Stunt"

The official further urged owners to watch out for changes in their dog's behaviour at this time of the year and provide them with a space they feel safe, away from children and people. "If you know your dog does not accept people knocking at the door, put up a sign ahead of Halloween to stop people knocking," PC Jameson continued.

"If your dog becomes unsettled when fireworks are set off, walk your dog in daylight hours, close the windows and draw your curtains to help muffle the sound and put the radio or TV on. Leave toys in the area your dog associates with feeling calm and safe. If you're hosting a celebration, follow the tips on our leaflet to keep everyone in your home safe," he added.

Notably, a Cane Corso is a breed of mastiff descended from Molossian war dogs of ancient Rome.

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"All Terror Acts Whether By Lashkar Or Hamas Are Unlawful": Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said that all acts of terrorism are “unlawful and unjustifiable”, whether they are carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba or Hamas, targeting people in Mumbai or Kibbutz Be'eri.

Blinken made the remarks while addressing the Security Council ministerial meeting on the situation in the Middle East following the October 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Hamas militants.

"As this Council and the UN General Assembly have repeatedly affirmed, all acts of terrorism are unlawful and unjustifiable. They're unlawful and unjustifiable, whether they target people in Nairobi or Bali… Istanbul or Mumbai, in New York or Kibbutz Be'eri,” Blinken told the UN Security Council.

"They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether they're carried out by ISIS, by Boko Haram, by Al Shabaab, by Lashkar-e-Taiba or by Hamas. They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether victims are targeted for their faith, their ethnicity, their nationality or any other reason,” Blinken said.

He stressed that the Security Council has a responsibility to denounce member states that arm, fund and train Palestinian militant group Hamas or “any other terrorist group that carries out such horrific acts.” Blinken's remarks appeared to refer to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks carried out by Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people in India's financial hub.

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Donald Trump, His Former Lawyer Set For Showdown In New York Trial

Donald Trump is expected to attend his New York civil fraud trial on Tuesday to face off with his former lawyer and confidant Michael Cohen.

Cohen, who has become one of the former president's most vocal critics, had planned to testify at the trial last week but had to delay his appearance for health reasons.

Trump is not required to attend the proceedings, but he has showed up sporadically and used his appearances to portray himself as the victim of a Democratic Party plot to interfere with his 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump and his two eldest sons are accused of vastly inflating the value of the Trump Organization's real estate assets to receive more favorable bank loans and insurance terms.

The former president does not risk going to jail in the fraud trial, but New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, is seeking $250 million in penalties and the removal of him and his sons from management of the family empire.

Cohen, who served as Trump's personal lawyer and fixer for years, earning him the nickname "The Pitbull," has been taunting the former president on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of his testimony.

"It appears that I will be reunited with my old client @realDonaldTrump when I testify," he said. "See you there!"

"I will continue to speak truth to power... no matter Donald's continued smear and harassment campaign against me," he added.

It was Cohen's testimony before Congress in 2019 that sparked the investigation by the New York authorities into whether Trump artificially inflated his net worth.

Hush money case 

Cohen is also expected to be a star witness in a criminal case facing the former president in New York for allegedly paying election-eve hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the payment. He has pleaded not guilty.

Cohen says he arranged the $130,000 payment in exchange for Daniels' silence about a tryst she says she had with Trump in 2006.

Cohen was sentenced in 2018 to three years in prison for crimes including the hush-money case and tax evasion, but was released after a little over a year and served the remainder of his sentence in home confinement.

Trump's defense lawyers are expected to attack Cohen's credibility during his testimony in the civil fraud trial by bringing up his criminal record.

Earlier this month, Trump withdrew a lawsuit he filed against Cohen in April seeking $500 million for alleged breach of attorney-client privilege and a confidentiality agreement.

No reason was given for Trump dropping the suit, but Cohen, 57, noted that it came just days before the former president was scheduled to sit for a deposition.

The civil fraud and hush money cases are just two of several legal battles facing Trump as he seeks to recapture the White House in 2024.

He is to go on trial in Washington in March for conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and in Florida in May on charges of mishandling top secret government documents.

The 77-year-old Trump also faces racketeering charges in Georgia for allegedly conspiring to upend the election results in the southern state.

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'Deserved so much more...': New York Mayor as Sikh man dies after being assaulted over minor car accident

A 66-year-old Sikh man died of his head injuries after being assaulted after a minor car accident, marking it the second attack against a Sikh person within a week in New York. Jasmer Singh was attacked by 30-year-old Gilbert Augustin after their vehicles collided in Queens last Thursday. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has condemned the incident and vowed to protect the community. “Jasmer Singh loved his city and deserved so much more than his tragic death. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want our Sikh community to know you have more than our condolences. You have our sacred vow that we reject the hatred that took this innocent life and we will protect you,” Adams said in a post on X.

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China increased troops presence, infrastructure build-up, including underground storage near Doklam: Pentagon

China increased the deployment of forces and continued infrastructure build-up, including underground storage facilities near Doklam, a second bridge over Pangong Lake and a dual-purpose airport and multiple helipads, along the LAC in 2022 amid border tensions with India, a Pentagon report has said. The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

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"Bill Clinton Offered $5 Billion To Stop Nuclear Tests": Nawaz Sharif

Hours after his homecoming, Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif highlighted the achievements of his tenure and recalled how he gave a "befitting reply" to India's atomic explosion by conducting nuclear tests in 1998 despite being offered USD 5 billion by then US president Bill Clinton not to do so.

Sharif, 73, returned home on a special flight from Dubai, ending a four-year self-imposed exile in the UK, to head his party and try to secure a record fourth term in the general elections expected to be held in January.

Wearing a light blue kurta pyjama, a maroon muffler and a black coat, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo flew in from Dubai to Islamabad on the 'Umeed-e-Pakistan' chartered plane at around 1:30 pm local time.

He reached Lahore, considered a stronghold of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, to address a massive rally, "I am meeting you today after several years, but my relationship of love with you is the same. There is no difference in this relationship," he told the cheering crowd. "The love I am seeing in your eyes, I am proud of it." Sharif recalled the huge pressure he faced from foreign governments in 1998 when Pakistan wanted to respond to India's nuclear test.

"There will be record present in the Foreign Office that Clinton offered me USD 5 billion [...] this happened in 1999...I could have been offered USD 1 billion too, but I was born from the land of Pakistan and it did not give me permission to accept what is against Pakistan's favour.

"Tell me, if someone else would have been in my place, you know who, could he have said this in front of the American president," he said, taking a dig at his main rival Imran Khan.

"We conducted the atomic test and gave India a befitting reply for conducting nuclear tests," he said in his nearly 60-minute speech at the PML-N rally at the Minar-e-Pakistan.

"So, do we get punished for this? Are verdicts announced against us for this reason?" he said.

Nawaz Sharif said he never betrayed his supporters nor did he shy from any kind of sacrifice. He recalled how fake cases were framed against him, his daughter and his party leaders. "But no one abandoned the PML-N flag." "Tell me, who are they who separated Nawaz Sharif from his nation? We are those who built Pakistan.

We made Pakistan an atomic power. We brought an end to load-shedding." He compared how roti costs way higher today than when he was in power. "Was I ousted for this reason? What is this decision? You are the public, you tell, do you agree with this decision?" The PML-N supremo lamented how the country was in a dire state today but at the same time vowed to redirect Pakistan to the path of growth.

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Pak Joins China's Project To Build Research Station On Moon's South Pole

Pakistan has joined China's expanding club of partners in an ambitious project to build a research station on the moon's south pole.

Jointly with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar witnessed the signing of an initial cooperation agreement in Beijing on Wednesday.

The China National Space Administration said on Friday cooperation would cover areas including the engineering and operational aspects of the Chinese lunar base programme.

China, which aims to become a major space power by 2030, has already secured cooperation from Russia, Venezuela and South Africa.

It has fixed a target to land its astronauts on the moon by the end of this decade.

The timeline to build an outpost on the south pole coincides with NASA's more ambitious Artemis programme, which aims to put U.S. astronauts back on the lunar surface in December 2025, barring delays.

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US Dentist Fired For Tearing Down Posters Of Israeli Hostages

A dentist from South Florida, US, has been fired after he was caught on camera ripping down posters of Israeli hostages who were kidnapped during the Hamas attack on October 7. The dentist, identified as Dr Ahmed ElKoussa, was one of the two men who was seen destroying banners of roughly 200 people kidnapped by Hamas that were plastered across Miami, the New York Post reported. The viral footage was shared by the Stop Antisemitism organization on X (formerly Twitter). It showed the doctor, along with another man identified as Xave Ramoul, walking down a busy street with fistfuls of the crumpled paper, sparking social media outcry. 

"Miami - two men were spotted removing posters of  Israelis kidnapped by Hamas in the Brickell area. The men appear to be dentist Ahmed ElKoussa (left) and Xave Ramoul (right)," the caption of the post read. 

Miami - two men were spotted removing posters of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas in the Brickell area.

The men appear to be dentist Ahmed ElKoussa (left) and Xave Ramoul (right). pic.twitter.com/cl2Sec8WlA

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 18, 2023

After the video went viral online, Dr Ahmed was fired from his job at a Coral Gables dentistry. In a statement posted on Instagram, CG Smile wrote, "We are very sad to see this situation upon waking up". 

"Our office CG Smile is not in favor of any of the actions taken by Dr. ElKoussa. We do not support terrorist groups, actions, or supporters. He has been removed from our staff, all of our social media pages and groups," the statement added. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CG Smile (@cgcsmile)

However, according to the Post, Dr Ahmed claimed that he was acting in good faith when he and his friend tore the images down. The dentist stated that he was compelled to act after learning that a 71-year-old landlord in Illinois fatally stabbed a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy 26 times and injured his mother because of their Muslim faith and in response to the war between Israel and Hamas. 

"His personal opinion was that posters from either side may potentially incite conflict and he did not want there to be any conflict escalation in his local community," Hassan Shibly, Dr Ahmed's representative and lead attorney at Muslim Legal, told the Post.

"And he was concerned that those posters could potentially trigger conflict - rightfully or wrongfully, he was concerned that they would trigger and escalate conflict," he added. 

Also Read | Israel-Gaza War: 12-Year-Old 'Harry Potter' Fan Whose Story JK Rowling Posted Found Dead, Israel Confirms

Further, the attorney also stated that police asked Dr Ahmed to plaster his own counter posters or remove the ones that existed when the dentist called them to raise his concerns. He is now receiving death threats and harassing calls, Mr Hassan said.  

"His intention was never to cause harm to anyone, nor did he at the time believe that doing so would do that. He was just concerned someone may see these posters and react with a hate crime and that may trigger a counter-hate crime and it just becomes endless conflict," Mr Hassan said, adding that Dr Ahmed apologized for hurting the Jewish community.

"We can critique his analysis, but it's an analysis that he did on the spot after hearing that a 6-year-old child was stabbed 26 times," he told the outlet. 

Now, according to the Post, Dr Ahmed will now try to regain his job. His social media pages have been taken down for now. 

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Israel-Hamas War: Over 2,000 US troops, warships and aircraft on high alert after Gaza hospital attack

Israel-Hamas war: Amid the brutal war between Israel and Hamas, the United States geared up its warships and lethal aircraft to provide Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) with whatever it needed to respond to the attacks by the militant group which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dubbed as a replica of "ISIS". According to the US officials, more ships and forces were heading toward Israel, and other troops in the US were preparing to deploy if called on. The latest development came as US President Joe Biden is scheduled to land in Tel Aviv shortly wherein he would ask "tough questions" from Israel for allegedly attacking the civilian hospital in Gaza that killed over 500 people including children.

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US, Israeli Embassies In Argentina Evacuated After Bomb Threats: Report

The US and Israeli embassies in Argentina were evacuated on Wednesday following two bomb threats received via email, local media sites Clarin and La Nacion reported.

Anti-bomb squads were reported on the scene.

Around 11:00 local time, authorities said a first search of one of the embassies turned up negative, La Nation reported.

The threats came amid an escalating war between Israel and Hamas, and as U.S President Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday pledging solidarity in the country's fight against the Palestinian group.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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'Unable to create enough early warning to prevent Hamas attack': Israel's intel chief admits his mistake

As the devastating Israel-Hamas war killed thousands of people on both sides, the head of Israel’s Shin Bet security service, on Monday, took responsibility for the bloody rampage.

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UK's Rishi Sunak To Visit Israel This Week: Report

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to visit Israel this week, Sky News reported on Tuesday without citing sources.

Rishi Sunak's office were not immediately available to comment on the report.

Last week, foreign minister James Cleverly travelled to Israel to show solidarity with the Israeli people following attacks by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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'Everything is fine, let's fly away', recalls survivor whose 2 Indian-origin military friends killed in Hamas

At least two Israeli women security officers of Indian origin were killed in the unprecedented attack carried out by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas earlier this month, official sources and people from the community confirmed on Sunday.

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"We're At War With Hamas, Not With Palestinians": Israel PM's Office

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Tal Heinrich, Spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's Office (PMO) outlined that Israel's battle is against Hamas and not against the people of Palestine.

Heinrich emphasised the resilience of Israeli families and the importance of taking action against Hamas, saying, "Their resilience is our strength. The ones who are aching the most are the ones giving us the most strength."

"Today it is important to highlight what the families told the PM of Israel and what they told the entire nation of Israel, to hold our heads high and to do what must be done against Hamas," she said addressing a virtual press conference on Monday.

Heinrich also revealed that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has discovered evidence of a Hamas-produced kidnapper's guide. "The IDF found evidence of Hamas-produced kidnapper's guide. Now the guide explains in gruesome detail how Hamas terrorists should capture and torture kidnapped civilians," added Heinrich.

Further speaking about the guide, she said unveiled "gruesome methods" that Hamas terrorists would employ to capture and torture kidnapped civilians. She further said that more than 1,500 Israelis have been killed and 3,900 injured in the war against Hamas.

Highlighting the critical distinction, Heinrich said, "Israel is at war with Hamas and not with the people of Palestine."

And I urge you to ask your sources in Gaza why Hamas is exploiting innocent Palestinians and is using them as human shields.

She also expressed concerns about Hamas preventing Palestinians in Gaza from moving to safer areas while "using them as human shields with zero regard for their safety".

Heinrich also addressed the situation in northern Gaza, where she noted that while patients and staffers from six hospitals evacuated the premises, 14 did not.

"I was asked yesterday specifically about the state of hospitals in northern Gaza. You see, there are 20 hospitals in that area. The IDF says that six hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip had decided to independently evacuate. However, 14 did not," said Heinrich.

In addition, Heinrich cited a report by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency indicating that fuel and medical equipment had been removed or stolen by a group claiming to be from the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Heinrich called upon the international community to encourage Palestinians to temporarily relocate to safer zones, underlining that this action "will save lives". She highlighted Israel's own evacuation efforts, with 28 communities in northern Israel and more than 80,000 Israeli civilians evacuated to protect their lives.

Speaking about the recent military actions, Heinrich said that the IDF had conducted numerous airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas headquarters, mortar launch positions, and terrorists at a military compound. Notably, the command center of Ali Qadhi, a commander in the Hamas commando forces, was also struck.

"The targets included Hamas headquarters, mortar launching positions, and a number of terrorists at a military compound," said Heinrich.

Heinrich expressed Israel's appreciation for the unwavering support of its allies and mentioned Prime Minister Netanyahu's invitation to US President Joe Biden to visit Israel soon.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu invited US President Joe Biden to Israel, and we hope to host the president soon." She conveyed gratitude for the united front against the ongoing conflict.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Earthquake with 6.3 magnitude hits western Afghanistan days after devastating tremors killed hundreds

Afghanistan Earthquake: A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit western Afghanistan on Sunday morning as the country was still recovering from the devastating tremor that killed thousands of people a few days ago. Just over a week ago strong quakes and aftershocks flattened entire villages in the same region killing thousands.

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"Taking Away IDs, Car Keys": Israel Claims Hamas Not Letting Gazans Flee

Amid a looming ground assault by Israel on the Gaza Strip, its defence forces has claimed that Hamas was not letting the civilians in the densely populated territory flee south towards a closed border with Egypt. The Israel Defence Forces today released an alleged telephonic conversation with a Gazan who was heard saying, "They (Hamas) are preventing people from leaving."

The Israel Defence Forces or IDF while releasing the audio with subtitles on its X handle, wrote, "A Gaza resident trying to evacuate southward tells an IDF Intelligence Officer about how Hamas is not letting them leave".

Listen to this phone call.

A Gaza resident trying to evacuate southward tells an IDF Intelligence Officer about how Hamas is not letting them leave. pic.twitter.com/R9purqIZhs

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 15, 2023

The alleged conversation between the Gaza resident and an IDF intelligence officer:

Gazan: They are preventing people from leaving

IDF Officer: Tell me where it is that they stopped you

Gazan: Those who are here near the agency. They are taking (away) the ID card and the car keys

IDF Officer: You mean the movement? Hamas?

IDF Officer: Who is stopping you? Hamas?

Gazan: Yes, yes

Hamas has urged people not to leave, saying roads out are unsafe. The group's chief Ismail Haniyeh has said the Palestinians would "remain in our land" even as thousands of residents in the enclave that is home to more than two million people reported to have fled their homes since Israel began its bombardment.

Israel claims Hamas is preventing people from leaving in order to use them as human shields.

The surprise Hamas assault in which its operatives stormed through Israeli towns a week ago launched the region into a new crisis as Israeli leaders now prepare to respond with crushing force.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to "demolish Hamas" as his troops prepared to move into the Gaza Strip.

The only route out of Gaza not under Israeli control was a checkpoint with Egypt at Rafah. Egypt officially says its side is open, but traffic has been halted for days because of Israeli strikes.

Inside the city, conditions are deteriorating and deaths from Israeli strikes are rising. Working amid a pile of bodies, Palestinian health workers are storing bodies in ice cream freezer trucks because moving them to hospitals is too risky and cemeteries are full.

More than 1,400 people have been killed in Israel since the attack unleashed last week while the death count from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip surged to at least 2,670.

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"Wash Babies' Blood Off Hands": Israel Envoy To UN Official Over Iran Meet

Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan today blasted some of its officials on X, formerly Twitter, and "severed ties" with one who shook hands with a minister of Iran. He accused the United Nations of "living under a rock" and having "blood on its hands". "The UN's support for and legitimization of genocidal terrorists is a threat to civilization!" he wrote in one of his posts.

What set the Ambassador off was apparently a post by Martin Griffiths, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "The specter of death is hanging over #Gaza.With no water, no power, no food and no medicine, thousands will die. Plain and simple," Mr Griffiths had posted.

The comment reflected the UN stance on Israel's warning to people in North Gaza to move south ahead of a widely expected ground attack by the Israeli forces.

"Have you been living under a rock? Your double standards truly know no bounds," Ambassador Erdan wrote in a blistering post.

"Where was your outcry when Hamas funneled all UN funds to dig terror tunnels and manufacture rockets targeting Israeli civilians?

"When Hamas diverted every resource -- water, energy, civilian infrastructure -- from the Gazan population, to their terror capabilities? Why have you never condemned this publicly?!" he added.

"Your voluntary blindness to the facts played a pivotal role in the creation of the terror machine that Gaza is today. UN officials have zero credibility or legitimacy to reprimand the country at the forefront of the war on terror! While we try to rescue the hostages. Shame on you!" he added.

Thousands of Israelis were murdered and maimed in the Hamas Nazi's barbaric terror attack. And tens of thousands more will be massacred in the future if this savage terror group is not obliterated.

Have you been living under a rock? Your double standards truly know no bounds…… https://t.co/JQWQ34qv1I

— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) October 15, 2023

Then came his response to a photo of Tor Wennesland, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, who was photographed shaking hands with Iran's finance minister.

Ambassador Erdan posted a withering comment, saying Mr Wennesland should not "forget to wash the blood of Israeli babies off your hands after that handshake".

"Today (!!!), senior UN official, Tor Wennesland not only met with the Iranian regime's FM, but didn't even bother condemning Iran for its role in the massacre of Israeli women and children," Ambassador Erdan posted.

"It's no secret that Hamas terrorists are openly praising Iran for funding, arming, and training them.At the VERY SAME TIME, Iran's leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, openly called on the Muslim world to expand the attack on Israel," he added.

@Twennesland, don't forget to wash the blood of Israeli babies off your hands after that handshake.

Today (!!!), senior UN official, Tor Wennesland not only met with the Iranian regime's FM, but didn't even bother condemning Iran for its role in the massacre of Israeli women and… pic.twitter.com/EiFRcEZuLJ

— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) October 14, 2023

The UN officials are yet to respond.

Israel, or its ally, the US, are yet to officially accuse Iran of backing Hamas, though various Israeli leaders and defence officials have been reiterating it.

After Israel asked the residents in northern Gaza to evacuate to the south, the UN said it "considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences".

Around 1.1 million people - nearly half the population of 2.4 million - live in the north of Gaza and on Sunday thousands were seen using the designated safe routes to evacuate.

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"Awful, Catastrophic Truth...": Arab-Israeli News Anchor On Hamas Attack

A Muslim news anchor's message during a newscast condemning the Hamas' brutal terror attack on Israel as barbaric, inhumane, and un-Islamic is now viral.

Lucy Aharish, an Arab-Israeli news anchor on the mainstream Reshet 13 network, sent out an emotional message of unity and defiance in her programme after Saturday's terror attack by Hamas on Israel.

"I am sorry that I am using my microphone to send a message to the world. As a journalist, this is my only weapon," Ms Aharish said. She is married to Israeli actor Tsahi Halevi, who has acted with Nushrratt Bharuccha in a movie titled, Akelli.

She also openly referred to Hamas as a terror organisation.

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A post shared by Lucy Aharish (@lucyaharish)

"Since Saturday morning, the state of Israel is under attack. Our beloved country is under attack. We are under the attack of a brutal, barbaric, and inhumane terror organisation. Not an entity, not a government, not a leadership, but a terror organisation," she said.

"Don't be mistaken, we experience difficulties, disagreements, and major disputes like any other country on this globe. But it does not mean that we will not protect ourselves and our children, our homeland," the news anchor emphasised.

While Israel is described as a Jewish state, Arabs constitute about one-fifth of its population.

The wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict often complicates their sense of identity and the current war also poses similar questions.

Israel has faced internal unrest quite often and sometimes on a wider scale like in May 2021, but surprisingly the Israeli-Arabs have not only stayed quiet and not responded to Hamas' calls to join their fight this time, but also spoken in support of Israel.

Some of the Arab community leaders have also pointed out that Hamas carried out its slaughter indiscriminately and did not distinguish between Jews and Arabs, some of whom were also killed in the attack.

In an interview with CNN, Ms Aharish, a survivor of a terror attack in 1987 in Gaza when Israelis could visit the Strip, said that "it's hard not to be emotional. For me it is personal".

Narrating the incident when a daring move by her father saved her and her cousin who got burnt in a Molotov cocktail attack, she said that it is something she will "never forget".

"The evil I saw in the eyes of that terrorist, I never forgot. So when people are telling me that what is happening in Israel is a lie, I cannot stay silent. It's not a lie. It is an awful truth, a barbaric truth, a catastrophic truth," the journalist said.

Recalling a report she did on Syrian refugees, Ms Aharish said she has never in her life "thought that I will live to experience and listen to these kinds of testimonies. It's unbelievable".

Recounting the horror stories of babies being killed and burnt, women being violated and killed, and other horror stories from the terror attack, she stressed that "this is a genocide".

Democracies need to understand that there is a limit to freedom of speech, she argued.

"The heads of social media also need to understand this. They need to join this fight because what is happening is the propaganda and the lies that people are spreading there. This is another crime. I am asking you... to stop the lies," Ms Aharish stressed in a plea to the anchors of CNN during a programme.

"And another word as a Muslim, as an Arab, this is not Islam. What Hamas is doing in the name of religion is not being a Muslim. This is being a monster," she said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Israeli Fire Kills 9 In West Bank As Palestinians Rally For Gaza

At least nine Palestinians were killed Friday by Israeli fire across the occupied West Bank during rallies in solidarity with war-battered Gaza, the Palestinian health ministry said.

AFP correspondents and a security official reported clashes in Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarm, Hebron and other cities and towns across the West Bank, nearly a week after a massive Hamas attack on Israel's south spiralled into an all-out war.

More than 1,300 people have been killed in Israel since Hamas group from the blockaded Gaza Strip launched the onslaught early Saturday. In Gaza, over 1,500 people have died in Israeli reprisal strikes over the same period.

At least 44 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in violence related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since Saturday, according to the health ministry.

By Friday afternoon, the ministry reported "nine martyrs by occupation (Israeli) bullets in the West Bank" and some 130 wounded across multiple locations, some critically.

At least three of the deaths were in Tulkarm.

In Beit Furik, near Nablus, a 14-year-old boy was killed, medical sources told AFP.

Deaths were also recorded in Beit Ula, Tammun, Bethelem and Hebron, the health ministry said in separate statements.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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'Hamas will be wiped out as world crushed and eliminated ISIS': Israeli PM Netanyahu's stern message

As Hamas brutality against children and women appeared on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called every member of the militant group a "dead man" and vowed to "wipe out the name of Hamas from the Earth". "Hamas is ISIS - We will crush and eliminate it as the world crushed and eliminated ISIS," he wrote on X.

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2 Israeli Cops Injured In Jerusalem Attack, Gunman Shot Dead: Report

Two Israeli police officers were wounded after a firing incident in Jerusalem on Thursday, reported news agency AFP. Citing a police statement, the agency said one gunman has been neutralised. 

Videos showed security personnel patrolling the streets with their rifles drawn, and ambulances and police vehicles rushing to the site of the attack. 

The incident comes as the war between Israel and Gaza entered its sixth day. The death count has crossed 3,700 and the Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 447 children and 248 women are among the 1,417 people killed in Israel's strikes on the Gaza Strip.

At a joint press conference in Tel Aviv with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed unwavering US support for Israel in its war on Hamas, but also said the Palestinians have "legitimate aspirations" not represented by the group, AFP reported. 

"You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself. But as long as America exists, you will never, ever have to. We will always be there by your side," the US secretary of state said. 

The UK has said it will send two Royal Navy ships to the eastern Mediterranean and begin surveillance flights over Israel in a show of military support designed to reassure Israel, the Times newspaper reported.

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Ahead of Albanese visit to China, journalist detained for espionage in Beijing returns home after 3 years

In a major development, a Chinese-Australian journalist who was convicted on murky espionage charges and detained in China for three years has returned to Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday. Cheng Lei, 48, worked for the international department of China's state broadcaster CCTV. She has reunited with her two children in Melbourne, he added.

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WATCH: Horrific drone footage appears as Israel strikes Hamas stronghold in Gaza's Rimal region

As the war escalated further on the fourth day, Collapsed buildings, mangled infrastructure, and streets turned into fields of rubble. Scenes of violence and destruction in the long-blockaded Gaza Strip have filled the world's airwaves throughout four wars and countless rounds of hostilities between Israel and Hamas militants. But this conflict, Palestinians say, is different.

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Putin Says Need To Avoid "Expansion" Of Israel-Gaza War, Calls For Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian forces and hoped the war, which has already killed thousands over the last five days, would not expand.

"It is necessary to avoid the expansion of the conflict at all cost, because if it happens it will have an impact on the international situation," President Putin said, adding that parties "need to return to a negotiation process that should be acceptable to all sides, including to the Palestinians."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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11 UN Refugee Agency Workers Killed In Israeli Air Strikes On Gaza

Eleven workers with the UN Palestinian refugee agency have been killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip since Saturday, and five members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent have also been killed in the conflict, the organisations said on Wednesday.

"We are very saddened to confirm that 11 UNRWA colleagues have been killed since 7 October in the Gaza Strip," UNWRA said in a statement.

It did not specify if they were Palestinian or foreign personnel but said they included five teachers at UNRWA schools, one gynecologist, one engineer, one psychological counselor, and three support staff.

"Some were killed in their homes with their families. UNRWA mourns this loss and is grieving with our colleagues and the families," it said.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a separate statement that five of its members - four in Gaza and one in Israel - had been killed.

IFRC said that four Palestine Red Crescent paramedics were killed when their ambulances were hit in two different incidents on Wednesday.

On Saturday, an ambulance driver for Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency service, lost his life while driving an ambulance to treat the injured, IFRC said.

UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) also said nearly 175,500 internally displaced people were sheltering in 88 of its schools across Gaza.

"The numbers continue to increase as airstrikes continue from the Israeli Air Forces," it said.

"UNRWA staff are working around the clock to respond to the needs of the displaced in the shelters. However, some are overcrowded and have limited availability of food, other basic items, and potable water."

Established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, UNRWA provides public services including schooling, primary healthcare and humanitarian aid in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

UNRWA said two of its schools had been affected by airstrikes, bringing the number of its facilities impacted by the conflict to 20. All of the schools it runs across the Gaza Strip remain closed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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1,500 bodies of Hamas militants found in southern Israel, says military as war escalates

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Tuesday said that at least 1,500 bodies of Hamas militants have been found in Israel as the deadly war entered its fourth day. More than 1,600 people have been killed on both sides of the border.

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Foreigners Killed, Missing Or Kidnapped In Hamas Attack On Israel

Dozens of foreigners have been killed, injured, or taken hostage during a surprise attack on Israel by the Hamas group that has left 900 people dead in Israel. Many of the missing foreigners were at an electronic music festival in the southern Israeli desert, at which scores of revellers were killed.

Here is what we know so far:

18 Thais dead, 11 held hostages in Hamas attack

Eighteen Thais have been killed, nine have been wounded and 11 have been taken captive, foreign affairs officials said Tuesday.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakkapong Sangmanee said about 5,000 Thai nationals had been evacuated from high-risk areas, and "more than 3,000 people (are) asking to return to Thailand".

11 Americans dead in Israel-Hamas war

The United States on Monday confirmed the deaths of at least 11 US citizens and said it was likely that Americans were among the hostages being held by Hamas. 

"Sadly, we now know that at least 11 American citizens were among those killed -- many of whom made a second home in Israel," President Joe Biden said in a statement.

10 Nepalis killed in Hamas attack on Israel

Ten citizens of Nepal were killed in Kibbutz Alumim, one of the flashpoints of the Hamas assault, the Himalayan Republic's embassy in Tel Aviv said on Sunday.

Four others were being treated in hospital while a search was underway for a fifth person, the embassy added. 

Kibbutz Alumim was hosting 17 students at the time of the attack.

8 French nationals killed in Israel-Hamas war

Eight French nationals have been killed, the French government said on Tuesday, warning the death count was likely to rise.

Twenty people remained missing and some of them had in all likelihood been kidnapped, it said

Seven from Argentina dead

Argentina's foreign ministry on Monday confirmed that seven of the country's nationals were killed and 15 others were missing.

Four Russians killed

At least four Russian-Israelis have been killed, the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv said. 

It stated that it had no information about any hostages, but that six Russian nationals were missing.

Two from Ukraine dead

Two Ukrainian women who had been living in Israel for years were killed, Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Sunday.

Two British men confirmed dead

Two British men have been confirmed dead by their families. One, 20-year-old Nathanel Young, was serving in the Israeli army.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Tuesday that a "significant number" of British-Israeli dual nationals had been caught up in the fighting.

Canada: One dead

The Canadian government said Monday that one Canadian had died and three others were missing.

Cambodia: One dead

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet said one Cambodian student was killed.

Germany: Several held hostages

Several dual German-Israeli nationals were kidnapped, a German foreign ministry source said Sunday.

The mother of 22-year-old Shani Louk told news outlet Der Spiegel that she recognised her daughter in videos circulating online of a half-naked woman lying seemingly unconscious face down in the back of a pick-up truck in Gaza filled with armed men.

Ricarda Louk told Spiegel that her daughter had been at the music festival.

Philippines: Five missing

The Philippines ambassador to Israel said Tuesday that five citizens were unaccounted for, with one of them possibly kidnapped.

Chile: Three dead, one missing

Three Israelis of Chilean origin are dead and one is missing.

Peru: Two dead, three missing

Two Peruvians were killed and three are missing, authorities said.

Austria: Three missing

Austria's foreign ministry said early on Tuesday that three dual Austrian-Israeli nationals who were staying in the south of Israel, independently of each other, could be among those kidnapped. 

Brazil: One dead, three missing

Brazil's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that a Brazilian-Israeli citizen was dead. It was not clear if they were among the three dual Brazilian-Israeli nationals missing after attending the festival.

Italy: Two missing

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that two Israeli-Italians were missing.

"They have not been located and are not answering calls," he said.

Paraguay: Two missing

Two Paraguayan nationals who had been living in Israel are missing, Paraguay's government said, without giving details.

Peru: Two missing

The Peruvian foreign ministry said two nationals were missing, without offering any further details.

Sri Lanka: Two missing

Sri Lanka's ambassador to Israel said Tuesday that two nationals, a 48-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman, were missing.

Tanzania: Two missing

Tanzania's ambassador to Israel told AFP two Tanzanian nationals were missing.

Mexico: Two held hostages

Mexico's Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that two Mexicans, a man and a woman, had been taken hostage, without giving further details.

Colombia: Two held hostages

Two Colombians who were at the Supernova festival were missing, Israel's ambassador to Colombia said on X. 

The Colombian government confirmed that two Colombians were at the rave and said it was trying to help locate them.

Ireland: One missing

An Irish-Israeli woman has been confirmed missing by the Irish government. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Israel orders 'complete siege' on Gaza, cutting off access to electricity and food as war continues

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered a 'complete siege' on Gaza, saying that authorities will cut off access to electricity, food and fuel to the area as it escalated its response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas militants.

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"Deeply Distressed By Israel's Complete Siege Of Gaza": UN Chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned the Hamas attack against Israel but said he was "deeply distressed" by the country's subsequent imposition of a total siege on the Gaza Strip.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before these hostilities," Guterres told reporters. "Now it will only deteriorate exponentially."

Earlier in the day, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said his country would impose a "complete siege" on the long blockaded enclave and stressed what this meant for its 2.3 million people: "No electricity, no food, no water, no gas -- it's all closed."

Palestinians in the impoverished coastal territory braced for what many feared would be a massive Israeli ground attack aiming to defeat Hamas and liberate hostages.

"This most recent violence does not come in a vacuum," Guterres stressed. "The reality is that it grows out of a long-standing conflict, with a 56-year-long occupation and no political end in sight."

"While I recognize Israel's legitimate security concerns, I also remind Israel that military operations must be conducted in strict accordance with international humanitarian law," Guterres said.

Following the Islamist group's unprecedented ground, air, and sea attacks, Israel has counted over 700 dead and launched a withering barrage of strikes on Gaza that have raised the death toll there to 560 people.

Guterres began his speech by expressing "utter condemnation of the abhorrent attacks by Hamas and others against Israeli towns and villages in the Gaza periphery."

"I recognize the legitimate grievances of the Palestinian people," Guterres said. "But nothing can justify these acts of terror and the killing, maiming, and abduction of civilians."

Israel, which has long prided itself on a high-tech military and intelligence edge in its many conflicts, has been shaken to the core by Hamas' surprise attack.

The militant group surged into Israeli towns on Saturday, storming military bases, spraying gunfire at civilians, and dragging off about 100 hostages.

The conflict has only escalated since then, prompting Israel's promise Monday to cut off supplies to the region.

"I am deeply distressed by today's announcement that Israel will initiate a complete siege of the Gaza Strip, nothing allowed in -- no electricity, food, or fuel," Guterres said.

The UN will continue efforts to provide aid to respond to needs in Gaza, Guterres said.

"Israel must see its legitimate needs for security materialized -- and Palestinians must see a clear perspective for the establishment of their own state realized," Guterres added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Explained: Al-Aqsa Mosque And A History Of Israel-Palestine Tensions

The barbaric attack launched by Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group, and the retaliation by Israel has left nearly 1,000 people dead. In the surprise attack, Hamas, on Saturday, launced 5,000 rockets on Israel. The fighters of the terrorist group have also taken Israeli civilians and soldiers hostage. 

As per Hamas, this is the start of "Operation Al-Aqsa Deluge," reported The Times Of Israel.

Muhammad Deif, military commander of the group, in a recorded message, said, "Today the people are regaining their revolution," the report added.

Muhammad Deif also stated that Hamas launched more than 5,000 misiles on Israel. He has also asked the "Palestinians living in East Jerusalem to join the forces and expel the occupiers and demolish the walls."

Why is Al-Aqsa mosque so important in Islam?

Al-Aqsa mosque is considered as the third holiest by the Muslims, after Mecca and Medina. The mosque is situated on a hill known to Jews as Har ha-Bayit, or Temple Mount, and to Muslims internationally as al-Haram al-Sharif, or The Noble Sanctuary. This place lies in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, reported news agency Reuters.

It is also the home to two Muslim holy places - the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, also known as the Qibli Mosque, which was built in the 8th century AD, the report added.

The mosque's history 

It overlooks the Western Wall, which is considered as one of the most sacred places of prayers for Jews. It is being said that the first temple was construsted 3,000 years ago by biblical King Solomon.

In 1967, during Middle East War, the site was captured by Israel. Later, Israel "annexed it with the rest of East Jerusalem and adjoining parts of the West Bank in a move not recognized internationally," the Retuers report added.

How Al-Aqsa mosque became focal point of Israeli-Palestinian tensions?

The conflict related to the mosque has always triggered tensions between Israel and Gaza. 

In 2021, the clashes between the two sides had led to a 10-day-long war killing more than 200 Palestinians and 10 Isralies, reported New York Times.

In April, this year, Israel police officials got into a fight with Palestinians that led to a cross-border exchange of fire. The clash was reported hours after over 350 people were arrested and removed grom the compound, Reuters said.

As per Waqf staff, police had used rubber bullets and stun grenandes to evacuate the compound. It happened during the holy month of Ramadan.

"Israel's raid into Al-Aqsa mosque, its assault on worshippers, is a slap to recent US efforts which tried to create calm and stability during the month of Ramadan," Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, was quoted as saying.

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Israeli retaliatory strikes in Gaza kill over 200 as war escalates, Hamas kills 70 in rocket attacks

Retaliatory strikes by Israel on Gaza following a declaration of war by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu killed over 200 people and injured over 1,000 in Gaza on Saturday, BBC reported figures from Palestine's health ministry. The Israeli forces began striking targets in the Gaza Strip in response to surprise rocket strikes by the Hamas group.

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'Unfortunate that...': USISPF CEO Mukesh Aghi slams Trudeau's allegations against India in Khalistan row

The President and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Mukesh Aghi on Friday slammed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his bombshell allegations against India in the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, saying the issue was presented "without concrete evidence".

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"We Weren't Prepared": Israel Diplomat On Hamas Terror Attack

Israel's ambassador to France admitted on Saturday that his country was not "sufficiently prepared" for the attack launched by Hamas, pointing to a failure of the intelligence services.

Palestinian terror group Hamas launched a massive surprise attack against Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets from Gaza and sending fighters to kill or kidnap people, leaving at least 70 people dead.

"Following this surprise, we were not sufficiently prepared for it, we could even say barely prepared," Ambassador Raphael Morav said in an interview with France's Europe 1 radio.

Asked about a possible failure of the Israeli intelligence services, the Israeli diplomat replied, "Certainly, certainly, yes... because normally we should have been prepared".

"Lessons will have to be learned," he added.

The early-morning Hamas offensive from the Gaza Strip -- by air, land, and sea -- was met by Israeli air strikes on the blockaded coastal enclave, in the bloodiest escalation with the Palestinians since May 2021.

Gaza authorities released a death count of 198 in the conflict's bloodiest escalation in years which also left hundreds more wounded on both sides.

Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, leading to Israel's crippling blockade of the impoverished enclave of 2.3 million people.

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'We would continue to..': Pentagon expresses appreciation for India-US defence partnership, says THIS on China

The US Department of Defense on Thursday asserted that it will continue to foster a stronger defence relationship with India and other allies in the Indo-Pacific region amid a "pacing challenge" posed by China.

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Former Spanish King Juan Carlos I Wins Harassment Case In UK Court

A UK judge on Friday ruled that the former lover of Spain's former king Juan Carlos I cannot bring a claim of harassment against him in the courts in London.

"The High Court of England and Wales lacks jurisdiction to try this claim," judge Rowena Collins Rice said in a written judgment on the civil claim brought by Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn.

"I was shown no authority coming anywhere near supporting an assumption of English jurisdiction over a foreign-domiciled defendant in such circumstances," she added.

At the same time, "she has not sufficiently established that the 'harmful even' of which she complains -- harassment by the defendant -- happened in England", the judge ruled.

Danish businesswoman zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, who is in her late 50s and lives in England, sued Juan Carlos, 85, who abdicated in 2014, and wanted damages for personal injury.

She alleged that he caused her "great mental pain" by spying on and harassing her.

Responding to Friday's ruling, Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn said she was "deeply disappointed" and that it was "disheartening to see that victims of harassment often struggle to find justice in our legal system".

She added, "Juan Carlos has deployed his full armoury to grind me down and the reach of his power is immense.

"I am considering all options," she added.

Juan Carlos, who is married, was in an "intimate romantic relationship" with the divorcee from 2004 to 2009 and showered her with gifts, according to previous court submissions.

Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn alleged that Juan Carlos began harassing her after their relationship broke down, using threats, break-ins at her properties and surveillance.

Three appeal judges in London in December ruled his ex-lover could not sue him for harassment in the English courts for the period while he was on the throne as he had immunity as sovereign.

But they left open the possibility that she could pursue him for his alleged behaviour after his abdication.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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