Caribbean On Alert For "Extremely Dangerous'" Hurricane Beryl

Much of the southeast Caribbean was on alert Sunday as Beryl strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, with forecasters warning of an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Beryl -- currently churning in the Atlantic Ocean about 465 miles (750 kilometers) east of Barbados -- was expected to bring "life-threatening winds and storm surge" when it reaches the Windward Islands early Monday.

Warning the storm is "continuing to rapidly intensify," the NHC forecast it would become an "extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane" by the time it hit Caribbean communities.

Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada were all under hurricane warnings, while tropical storm warnings or watches were in effect for Martinique, Tobago and Dominica, the NHC said in its latest advisory.

Cars were seen lined up at gas stations Saturday in the Barbadian capital Bridgetown, while supermarkets and grocery stores were crowded with shoppers buying food, water and other supplies. Some households were already boarding up their properties.

A Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale is considered a major hurricane, and a Category 4 storm packs sustained winds of at least 130 miles per hour (209 kilometers per hour).

The NHC said that by around 5:00 am (0900 GMT) Sunday, Beryl's maximum sustained winds had increased to nearly 100 mph, with higher gusts.

Such a powerful storm forming this early in the Atlantic hurricane season -- which runs from early June to late November -- is extremely rare, experts said.

"Only five major (Category 3+) hurricanes have been recorded in the Atlantic before the first week of July. Beryl would be the sixth and earliest this far east in the tropical Atlantic," hurricane expert Michael Lowry posted on social media platform X.

"Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area beginning early on Monday," the NHC said, warning of heavy rain, flooding and storm surge that could raise water levels as much as nine feet (2.7 meters) above normal.

"Devastating wind damage is expected where the eyewall of Beryl moves through portions of the Windward Islands," the NHC said, indicating wind speeds in some locations could be 30 percent stronger than those listed in their advisory.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in late May that it expects this year to be an "extraordinary" hurricane season, with up to seven storms of Category 3 or higher.

The agency cited warm Atlantic ocean temperatures and conditions related to the weather phenomenon La Nina in the Pacific for the expected increase in storms.

Extreme weather events including hurricanes have become more frequent and more devastating in recent years as a result of climate change.

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1 Dead, Baby Among 9 Injured In Ukraine Post Office Bombing

One person was killed and nine others including a baby were injured Sunday in a strike on a post office in Ukraine's second city Kharkiv, local authorities said.

The head of Kharkiv's regional administration, Oleg Synegubov, said an eight-month-old baby was among those injured.

"A man, a post office employee, was killed," he said on Telegram.

The city of Kharkiv has been regularly targeted by Russian troops, who launched a major ground offensive in the region on May 10.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the offensive in Ukraine's northeast was intended to create a "buffer zone" to protect Russia's border Belgorod region from shelling.

On Saturday, seven people were also killed and nearly 40 injured in a Russian strike on Vilniansk, close to the regional hub of Zaporizhzhia.

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PM Modi to skip SCO summit in Kazakhstan, Jaishankar to lead Indian delegation: MEA

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will skip the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SC) Summit in Kazakhstan on July 3-4 and that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation to the meeting where Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping are expected to attend.

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5 ISIS Bombs Found Hidden In Iconic Iraq Mosque: UN Agency

A United Nations agency said it has discovered five bombs in a wall of Mosul's iconic Al-Nuri mosque, planted years ago by Islamic State group jihadists, during restoration work in the northern Iraqi city.

Five "large-scale explosive devices, designed to trigger a massive destruction of the site," were found in the southern wall of the prayer hall on Tuesday by the UNESCO team working at the site, a representative for the agency told AFP late Friday.

Mosul's Al-Nuri mosque and the adjacent leaning minaret nicknamed Al-Hadba or the "hunchback", which dates from the 12th century, were destroyed during the battle to retake the city from IS.

Iraq's army accused IS, which occupied Mosul for three years, of planting explosives at the site and blowing it up.

UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, has been working to restore the mosque and other architectural heritage sites in the city, much of it reduced to rubble in the battle to retake it in 2017.

"The Iraqi armed forces immediately secured the area and the situation is now fully under control," UNESCO added.

One bomb was removed, but four other 1.5-kilogram (3.3-pound) devices "remain connected to each other" and are expected to be cleared in the coming days, it said.

'Complex manufacturing'

"These explosive devices were hidden inside a wall, which was specially rebuilt around them: it explains why they could not be discovered when the site was cleared by Iraqi forces" in 2020, the agency said.

Iraqi General Tahseen al-Khafaji, spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command of various Iraqi forces, confirmed the discovery of "several explosive devices from ISIS jihadists in Al-Nuri mosque."

He said provincial deminers requested help from the Defence Ministry in Baghdad to defuse the remaining munitions because of their "complex manufacturing".

Construction work has been suspended at the site until the bombs are removed.

It was from Al-Nuri mosque that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the then-leader of IS, proclaimed the establishment of the group's "caliphate" in July 2014.

The jihadists took over large swathes of territory in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, which they ruled with brutality.

Iraqi forces backed by a US-led coalition drove IS out of Mosul in 2017.

The Al-Nuri mosque derives its name from Nureddine al-Zinki, the unifier of Syria who also reigned for a time over Mosul and ordered its construction in 1172.

It was destroyed and rebuilt in 1942 in a renovation project, with only the ancient minaret remaining from the original structure.

The current restoration of Al-Nuri, largely funded by the United Arab Emirates, is still expected to be completed in December 2024.

This, said UNESCO, will finally erase "the stigma" of IS occupation.

The minaret -- which will be reconstructed at a slant upon the request of locals -- is being rebuilt with 45,000 of the original bricks saved from the rubble, only a third of the original structure.

The bomb scare was not the first surprise discovery at Al-Nuri. In January 2022, restoration teams unearthed an underground prayer room from the original 12th century building.

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2 Priests Among Prisoners Exchanged Between Ukraine, Russia

Ukraine and Russia said Saturday that priests were among the dozens of captured soldiers and civilians they had exchanged earlier this week.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said two Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests taken captive in Moscow-occupied Berdiansk were handed back to Ukraine thanks to the mediation of the Vatican.

Meanwhile, Russia said a high-ranking Ukrainian Orthodox cleric was handed over to Moscow along with two other priests.

Churches have been heavily affected by the war, with Kyiv's Orthodox church breaking ties with Moscow and Ukraine regularly accusing clerics of treason.

Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 90 POWs and some civilians each earlier this week.

Speaking at an event in Kyiv, Zelensky named the two released Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests as Bogdan Geleta and Ivan Levytskyi, and said they had been preaching in Berdiansk.

Bediansk, on the Azov Sea, fell to Russian forces in the first days of their February 2022 invasion. The priests had been held by the Russians since 16 November 2022, Zelensky added.

He said they were freed "thanks to the efforts of our team and the mediation of the Vatican, for which I am especially grateful."

Pope Francis earlier this year expressed hopes for a "general" prisoner exchange between the two countries.

Metropolitan Ionafan, the Ukrainian Orthodox cleric handed over to Moscow, had been convicted in August 2023 of justifying the Russian invasion and was facing five years in prison.

Moscow's ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova said Ionafan was received by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill in Moscow.

She said two other Orthodox priests who had remained with Moscow's patriarchy when the church split were also handed over to Russia in the course of the exchange.

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US presidential debate: Biden, Trump launch personal attacks, Democrats' concerns grow | TAKEAWAYS

Atlanta: The first presidential debate between US President Joe Biden and his predecessor and Republican rival Donald Trump ended with both launching highly personal attacks against each other and an uneven performance by Biden that heightened concerns among Democrats that he is too old to compete for a second White House term at 81 years of age.

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Employer Of Indian Man Who Died While Working In Italy Farm Arrested: Centre

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday condemned the negligence in the treatment of Satnam Singh, an Indian worker who died in north Italy, stating that his employer, responsible for his medical care, has been arrested.

MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called for humane treatment of workers, adding that all possible assistance was being provided to the family of Satnam Singh.

"His employer who was supposed to provide him medical care has been arrested and the investigation goes on. We condemn such treatment. We call for the human treatment of workers. We are providing all possible assistance to his family," said Jaiswal during a weekly briefing.

India has also raised this issue with Italy and has called for prompt action against those responsible for his demise.

The secretary (Consular Passport and Visa Division and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Muktesh Pardeshi raised the matter with Luigi Maria Vignali, Director General for Migratory Policies and Italians Abroad, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Muktesh Pardeshi further said that the Indian Embassy in Italy is in contact with the family of Satnam Singh for consular help and transportation of body to India.

"@SecretaryCPVOIA Muktesh Pardeshi conveyed to @LuigiVignali Italian DG our deep concern about death of Satnam Singh & called for prompt action against those responsible. Embassy is in contact with family of Satnam Singh for consular help &transportation of mortal remains @MEAIndia," the Indian embassy in Italy posted on X on June 26.

Indian national Satnam Singh lost his life after being abandoned on the street following an accident, according to the Flai CGIL trade union.

The accident, which resulted in the severing of his arm, happened while he was working at the farm.

According to the Flai CGIL trade union, instead of receiving help from the employer, "Singh was dumped like a bag of rubbish near his home."

Earlier last week, the Embassy said that it is in contact with local authorities and that efforts are being made to contact the family and provide consular assistance.

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US Agency Sanctions Boeing For Sharing Probe Details Of 737 MAX Incident

A US investigative authority sharply rebuked Boeing for sharing details about an ongoing probe of a near-catastrophic aviation incident that were not supposed to be discussed publicly.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that as a result, it will block Boeing from reviewing information gathered in its investigation.

Boeing "blatantly violated" investigative regulations under a signed agreement as a party to the probe, NTSB said in a statement late Wednesday.

The agency is also barring Boeing from asking questions of other participants at a two-day investigative hearing on the case which the NTSB will hold in early August in Washington.

The investigation concerns a January 5 Alaska Airlines flight on a Boeing 737 MAX that made an emergency landing after a fuselage panel blew out mid-flight.

Earlier this week, Boeing invited news media to a tour and briefings on its efforts to improve quality control. An AFP reporter attended the gathering, which was held on Tuesday under an agreement to embargo information until Thursday morning.

But NTSB said Boeing disregarded the agreement "by providing non-public investigative information to the media and speculating about possible causes of the Jan. 5 door-plug blowout."

"As a party to many NTSB investigations over the past decades, few entities know the rules better than Boeing," the NTSB said.

Under the party agreement Boeing signed with the NTSB, the company is supposed to refer all comment on the Alaska Airlines probe to the agency.

Boeing apologized to the NTSB, saying it "stands ready to answer any questions as the agency continues its investigation," according to a company statement.

"We conducted an in-depth briefing on our safety & quality plan and shared context on the lessons we have learned from the January 5 accident," Boeing said.

"We deeply regret that some of our comments, intended to make clear our responsibility in the accident and explain the actions we are taking, overstepped the NTSB's role as the source of investigative information."

What went wrong

In a preliminary announcement in February, NTSB officials said four bolts securing the door plug were missing. Part of the NTSB probe centers on what went wrong.

The NTSB has taken issue with comments from Elizabeth Lund, senior vice president for quality at Boeing.

During a session with reporters, Lund discussed aspects surrounding work on the door plug.

She also said Boeing was focused on closing a "gap" over the lack of documentation and that determining who did the work "is the responsibility of the NTSB and that investigation is still going on."

NTSB responded that "in the briefing, Boeing portrayed the NTSB investigation as a search to locate the individual responsible for the door plug work."

"The NTSB is instead focused on the probable cause of the accident, not placing blame on any individual or assessing liability," the agency said.

The NTSB said it was also "coordinating" with the Department of Justice, which plans to soon announce next steps after concluding that Boeing could be prosecuted for violating a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement over two fatal MAX crashes.

The NTSB will provide DOJ "details about Boeing's recent unauthorized investigative information releases in the 737 MAX 9 door plug investigation," the NTSB said.

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Joe Biden vs Donald Trump Presidential Debate: When And Where To Watch?

US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump will meet on a debate stage on Thursday for the first of two televised face-offs that could prove critical in their tight rematch race to win the White House in November.

Here is what you need to know:

WHEN AND WHERE ARE THE DEBATES?

The first debate will air at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday (0100 GMT on Friday) on CNN and be broadcast from an Atlanta studio without a live audience.

It can also be viewed on CNN affiliates, without a cable login on CNN.com and is available for simulcast on other U.S. channels.

More than four months ahead of the Nov. 5 vote, the CNN debate will be the earliest presidential debate in modern U.S. history.

Television news channel ABC said it will host the second presidential debate on Sept. 10, also from an audience-free studio.

WHO WILL MODERATE THE DEBATES?

Anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate CNN's debate. ABC's will be moderated by anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.

WHO WILL DEBATE?

CNN said only Biden and Trump met its conditions for participating in the debate: appear on enough state ballots to potentially win the presidency and receive at least 15% in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr did not make the cut.

ABC will also require debaters to appear on enough state ballots to reach the 270 electoral votes and receive at least 15% in four separate national polls.

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

In Thursday's 90-minute debate, candidates will appear at a uniform podium, be given a pen, paper and bottle of water and cannot use props or notes, CNN said.

"Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak" and moderators "will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion," CNN said.

Biden will be on the podium on the right side of viewers' screens, and Trump will get the last word after a coin toss.

Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during the two commercial breaks, and there will be no studio audience.

ABC's debate rules have not yet been announced.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

U.S. presidential debates often draw tens of millions of viewers, and through history have determined the course of some races. This time, strategists say there are risks for both candidates, who are locked in a tight race and share low enthusiasm from voters.

Biden, 81, and former president Trump, 78, are the oldest candidates ever to seek the presidency and viewers are sure to question their cognitive abilities and emotional steadiness.

Trump aides see Biden as prone to verbal slip-ups that could amplify voter concerns about the president's age.

Biden aides think debates could hurt Trump by exposing his volatility and sometimes changing positions on issues, such as abortion.

Biden's campaign is hoping to talk about abortion and Trump's about immigration, but CNN's moderators will decide the questions.

Topics may include: how the candidates would handle challenges posed by persistently high grocery prices, migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border, and the ongoing Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars.

Trump's role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his conviction on 34 felony counts for involvement in a hush money scheme could come up during the debate, as could the legal troubles facing Biden's son, Hunter, who was convicted of lying about his drug use to illegally buy a gun.

WHO WILL BE THERE?

Campaign staff will be on hand to talk to reporters afterward in the "spin room."

The Biden campaign declined to comment on whether the president might bring any guests to the debate, but California Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to be there.

Trump's campaign is hosting a watch party in Atlanta, with rumored contenders to be Republican vice presidential running mate - North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance, and others listed as "special guests."

WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?

Then-President Trump and Biden debated twice during the 2020 race, with their first exchange devolving into a chaotic shouting match.

According to Nielsen Media Research, more than 73 million people tuned in for the first Biden-Trump debate in 2020.

For the second debate, moderators said they would mute each candidate's microphone to allow the other to speak without interruption for the first two minutes of each debate segment. But the candidates behaved more civilly and the mute button was not a major factor.

A third debate was canceled after Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and spent three days in a hospital. He declined to participate in a virtual event.

IS THAT IT?

Traditionally, there are three presidential debates, however no third Trump-Biden matchup has been announced yet.

Vice President Kamala Harris accepted a CBS News invitation for a vice presidential debate on either July 23 or August 13, according to a campaign spokesperson.

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Prachanda again claims Kalapani, Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal, says PM Modi assures to resolve border issue

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Tuesday said that his government is clear and determined that all territories east of the Mahakali River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu pass, come under Nepalese territories. Prachanda made the remarks while responding to queries raised by lawmakers during the discussion on headings of the Foreign Ministry under the Appropriation Bill, 2081 in the House of Representatives. 

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PM Narendra Modi likely to visit Russia in July after possible absence from SCO meet, claims report

Moscow: India and Russia are in full preparations as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Russia in July, Russian media quoted a Kremlin aide as saying on Tuesday, after he was invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin last year. The Russian state news agency RIA quoted a diplomatic source as saying that PM Modi may visit Russia in July.

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Russia Bans Distribution Of 81 EU News Outlets In Retaliatory Step

Russia said on Tuesday it was banning access inside Russia to the broadcasts of 81 different media outlets from the European Union including Agence France-Presse and Politico in retaliation for a similar EU ban on several Russian media outlets.

The European Union said in May it was suspending the distribution of what it described as four "Kremlin-linked propaganda networks," stripping them of their broadcasting rights in the bloc.

It said at the time that the ban applied to Voice of Europe, to the RIA news agency and to the Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspapers.

The Russian Foreign Ministry hit back on Tuesday, releasing a list of 81 media outlets from 25 EU member states, as well as pan-European outlets, whose broadcasts it said would no longer be available on Russian territory.

It accused the outlets of "systematically distributing inaccurate information" about what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine.

France's Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency, Austria's ORF state TV company, Ireland's RTE broadcaster, and Spain's EFE news agency were among the outlets affected by the Russian move along with many other national broadcasters, newspapers, and Politico.

"The Russian Federation has repeatedly warned at various levels that politically motivated harassment of domestic journalists and unjustified bans on Russian media in the EU will not go unanswered," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"In spite of this, Brussels and the capitals of the bloc's countries preferred to follow the path of escalation, forcing Moscow to adopt mirror and proportional countermeasures."

It said it would review its own ban if the EU lifted its restrictions on RIA, Izvestia and the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, all of which it described as Russian media outlets.

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the State Duma lower house of parliament, said in May that the EU move had shown that the West refused to accept any alternative point of view and was destroying freedom of speech.

Italy's foreign ministry on Tuesday condemned the Russian decision to ban access to dozens of European media outlets, including Italian broadcasters Rai and La7 and newspapers La Repubblica and La Stampa.

"We regret the unjustified measure taken against these Italian broadcasters and newspapers, which have always provided objective and unbiased information on the conflict in Ukraine," the ministry said.

AFP declined to comment. Politico and RTE did not immediately reply to requests for comment on the move, which comes a day before the Russian trial of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges is due to begin.

The first American journalist to be detained on spy charges in Russia since the Cold War more than three decades ago, Gershkovich, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, has denied he is a Central Intelligence Agency spy. The Journal says Gershkovich was doing his job and denies he is a spy.

Many Western news organisations pulled staff out of Russia after it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and passed laws soon afterwards that set long prison sentences for "discrediting" the armed forces.

Russian officials say large parts of the Western media spread false and excessively unbalanced stories about Russia, and that Western media organisations are engaged in an information war against Russia.

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Jaishankar reviews 'multi-faceted' comprehensive strategic partnership with UAE counterpart

Dubai: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has reviewed with his United Arab Emirates counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan the multi-faceted India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership and discussed new areas with "untapped potential" to enhance collaboration, an official statement said on Monday. Jaishankar, who was in the UAE on Sunday, also exchanged views with Al Nahyan on regional and global issues. He visited the iconic BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi and participated in the 10th International Yoga Day celebrations before meeting Al Nahyan.

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Israel-Hamas war: At least 39 people killed in Israeli air strikes across northern Gaza

 

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French Feminists March Against Far Right With Days Before Vote

Thousands of people turned out in France on Sunday for feminist demonstrations against the far right, which is expected to come out on top in June 30 snap elections, as parties sought to shore up support with days to go.

With the far-right National Rally (RN) polling at around 35 percent, "we have to remind people that they're the ones who talked about 'comfort abortions', who are always attacking family planning services," said Morgane Legras, a nuclear engineer and feminist activist taking part in the thousands-strong march in Paris.

Protesters wearing violet marched from the Place de la Republique square in central Paris to Place de la Nation in the east, bearing signs with messages such as "Push back the far right, not our rights".

Other rallies took place in around 50 other cities such as Toulouse.

France's two-round election system makes it difficult to predict which party could ultimately claim a majority in the lower house of parliament, handing them the prime minister's post which is second in power to President Emmanuel Macron.

Since Macron dissolved parliament after a European Parliament election battering, his centrists are badly lagging the RN as well as a reforged left-wing alliance called the New Popular Front (NFP) in surveys of voting intentions.

The RN has garnered unprecedented levels of support after a decades-long "de-demonisation" push to distance its image from its roots, including a co-founder who was a member of the Nazi Waffen-SS paramilitary.

But the core of its message remains hostility to immigration, Islam and the European Union.

Senior RN lawmaker Sebastien Chenu gestured towards Muslim and Jewish voters Sunday by vowing not to ban the ritual slaughter of livestock to produce halal or kosher meat.

"Everyone will be able to keep eating kosher meat if they want," Chenu told Jewish broadcaster Radio J.

He added that a historic far-right policy of barring the kippa in public spaces -- in the footsteps of an existing law forbidding the full-body burka worn by some Muslim women -- was not top of the RN's agenda, saying its priority was to fight "the Islamist threat".

'Do better'

In Macron's camp, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal acknowledged that the European Parliament result -- where they scored just 14 percent -- was "a message to us that we have to do better with our methods, with our governance" of the country.

If his party defies the odds to come top in the legislative polls, he vowed "change", including a turn to "seeking out coalitions with the French public, with civil society" in an interview with broadcaster RTL.

Macron's alliance would open up to "all who want to come, from the conservative right to the social-democratic left", Macron's former prime minister Edouard Philippe told broadcaster France 3.

Attal also hammered the centrists' mantra about the threats from "extremes" on the left and right, saying both promised a "tax bludgeoning... a shredder for the middle classes".

The RN especially is "not ready to govern... it's a party of opposition, not a party of government", Attal said.

In a sign of the disquiet abroad over Macron's snap poll gamble, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told public broadcaster ARD on Sunday that he was "concerned about the elections in France", though "it's up to the French people to decide".

'Shut up'

The left-wing NFP alliance continued to show strains Sunday, after parties hastily re-knitted ties sundered over differing responses to Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel and the ongoing retaliation by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Divisions are particularly stark over whether their candidate for prime minister should be Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of France Unbowed (LFI) -- the largest party in the grouping, some of whose members have been accused of anti-Semitism.

Melenchon should "shut up", former Socialist president Francois Hollande said Sunday, as "people reject him more strongly" than the RN's leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella.

"Do we want the left to win, or do we want to be stoking conflict?" he said.

Melenchon said on Saturday that he aimed "to govern the country".

"I will never give up the honour of being a target" for attacks, Melenchon told a rally in the southern city of Montpellier on Sunday.

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India rejects UN top human rights official’s comments on foreign influence laws

India has rejected comments by the United Nations’ top human rights official on foreign influence laws, stating that principles of “transparency and accountability cannot be applied selectively”. India’s Permanent Representative of India to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, said that he “humbly disagrees” with reference to India made by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in his Global Update 56th session of the Human Rights Council this week.

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Iran Supreme Court Overturns Popular Rapper's Death Sentence, Says Lawyer

Iran's supreme court has overturned a death sentence against popular rapper Toomaj Salehi who was jailed for backing nationwide protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death, his lawyer said Saturday.

"Salehi's death sentence was overturned," the rapper's lawyer Amir Raisian said in a post on X, adding that the Islamic republic's top court had ordered a retrial.

In April, an Iranian court sentenced Salehi to death for the capital offence of "corruption on earth", Raisian said at the time.

The rapper was also found guilty of "assistance in sedition, assembly and collusion, propaganda against the state and calling for riots", the lawyer said.

Salehi, 33, was arrested in October 2022 after publicly backing demonstrations which had erupted a month earlier, triggered by Amini's death in police custody.

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, was detained by the morality police in Tehran over an alleged breach of the Islamic republic's strict dress rules for women.

"The Supreme Court prevented an irreparable judicial error," Raisian said, adding that the court also ruled that Salehi's "previous sentence (6 years and three months) was also without compliance with the rules of a multiplicity of crimes."

The months-long protests sparked by Amini's death saw hundreds of people killed, including dozens of security personnel.

Thousands were arrested as authorities moved to quell what they branded foreign-instigated "riots".

In January, another singer, Mehdi Yarrahi who criticised the headscarf requirement for women was sentenced to a total of two years and eight months in prison on multiple charges, which would have been served concurrently.

The court later changed Yarrahi's sentence to home confinement due to his health issues.

Nine men have been executed in protest-related cases involving killings and other violence against security forces.

Covering the neck and head has been compulsory for women in Iran since 1983, following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Since the protests, women have been increasingly flouting the strict dress code but Iranian police have in recent months toughened controls on women who ignore the rules.

Iranian media has in recent weeks reported that police in the capital have launched a campaign codenamed "Noor", the Persian word for light, in their efforts to double down on those who break the dress code.

In an effort to tackle those breaking hijab laws, the authorities have also shut down cafes and restaurants where the wearing of the hijab was not respected.

The country's parliament has also approved a draft "Chastity and Hijab" law that seeks to toughen penalties on women not adhering to the dress rules.

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No Afghan 'Reintegration' Without Progress On Rights: UN

Restrictions on women's rights continue to prevent Afghanistan's "reintegration" into the international community, a senior UN official said Friday, noting the Taliban's participation in upcoming talks in Doha is not legitimization of the isolated government.

Since their 2021 return to power, Taliban authorities have not been formally recognized by any nation and apply a rigorous interpretation of Islam, leading to suppression of women's freedoms that the United Nations has described as "gender apartheid."

Restrictions on women and girls, particularly in education, "deprive the country of vital human capital" and lead to a brain drain that undermines the impoverished country's future, Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN mission in the country, UNAMA, told the Security Council.

"By being deeply unpopular (the restrictions) undermine the de facto authorities' claims to legitimacy," she said.

"And they continue to block diplomatic solutions that would lead to Afghanistan's reintegration into the international community."

Last year marked the start of a process to consider strengthening the world community's commitment to Afghanistan. A third round of talks, to include foreign special envoys to Afghanistan and representatives from its civil society, including women, is set for June 30 and July 1 in Doha.

Discussions continued through this week on the gathering in Qatar's capital.

"For this process to truly begin, it is essential that the de facto authorities participate at Doha," Otunbayeva said, warning however that high expectations "cannot realistically be met in a single meeting."

"It cannot be repeated enough that this sort of engagement is not legitimization or normalization," she stressed.

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

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Jaishankar arrives in Sri Lanka on his first foreign trip in Modi 3.0, all eyes on Katchatheevu island issue

Colombo: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday, his first visit in his second consecutive term in office, during which he will hold talks with the country's leadership to bolster bilateral ties. Jaishankar was received by Tharaka Balasuriya, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Senthil Thondaman, Governor of the Eastern Province, on his arrival in Colombo.

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French-Chinese Satellite To Probe World's Most Powerful Explosions

A French-Chinese telescope satellite will blast off this weekend on a mission to hunt down gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe.

The light from these almighty blasts has travelled billions of light years to reach Earth, so scientists believe they could hold answers to some mysteries of the universe's youth.

But these flashes are so brief they have proved difficult to observe.

Aiming to learn more, the Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) is scheduled to blast off on a Chinese Long March 2C rocket from the Xichang launch site in China's Sichuan province on Saturday.

The spacecraft, which has two Chinese and two French instruments on board, will then orbit 625 kilometres (390 miles) above Earth.

Chen Lan, an analyst specialising in China's space programme, highlighted the "political significance" of the joint mission.

During a "dark time" for relations between China and the West, the mission "shows that scientific cooperation can still be continued despite difficulties," he told AFP.

Discovered by accident

SVOM's mission is to use its X-ray vision to track down the source of gamma-ray bursts, which are detected in the sky around once every day.

This cosmic investigation began back in "the middle of the Cold War," said Bertrand Cordier, the chief scientist for France's contribution to SVOM.

In 1967, US satellites monitoring whether nations were complying with a nuclear test ban treaty happened to spot a brief flash of gamma rays -- which can also be produced by nuclear blasts.

"They thought they were dealing with a nuclear explosion on Earth, before realising that it came from space," Cordier told a press conference.

"Since then, we have been trying to understand the origin of these objects."

Several missions, including NASA's Swift telescope, have already shed some light on these bright enigmas.

Considered to be the most powerful events in the known universe, these bursts are flashes of the highest-energy light, which emit gamma rays and last anywhere between a fraction of a second and tens of seconds.

The explosion is followed by an "afterglow" which can last hours and "crosses the entire universe to reach us," said Susanna Vergani of the Paris Observatory.

Clues of the early universe

Shorter bursts are thought to be caused by massive neutron stars smashing into each other, or a neutron star being swallowed by a black hole.

Longer bursts are believed to be from some of the universe's earliest stars -- massive beasts far larger than our Sun -- going supernova.

The most distant -- and therefore earliest -- gamma-ray burst identified so far came from just 630 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was five percent of its current age.

Gamma-ray bursts allow scientists to "investigate the distant universe," including the mysterious chemical process that birthed the first stars and galaxies, Vergani said.

But the blasts could also hold other clues to long-burning cosmic mysteries.

Because the light from these explosions traverses billions of light years, it "bears the imprint of all the gas clouds" it passed through," Vergani said.

Scientists therefore hope gamma-ray bursts could reveal the chemical elements across the universe throughout its history.

Do gamma-ray bursts pose a threat to Earth? The Milky Way is too old to be home to the huge collisions that cause the bursts, so the chance of this happening is "extremely low," Cordier said.

Earth's atmosphere should be able to shield us against blasts from farther off, he added.

Gamma-ray bursts are so brief that scientists will be in a race against time to collect data before they vanish.

As soon as SVOM detects a gamma-ray burst, it will alert a team of scientists who will be on call 24 hours a day.

In less than five minutes, a network a ground-based telescopes will swivel their gaze towards the blast, hoping to find out more.

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

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"No Place" In Israel Will Be Spared In Case Of War: Hezbollah Chief

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday warned "no place" in Israel would be spared in case of a full-blown war and threatened nearby Cyprus if it opened its airports and bases to Israel.

"The enemy knows well that we have prepared ourselves for the worst... and that no place... will be spared our rockets," Nasrallah said in a televised address.

Israel must expect "us on land, by sea and by air", he said.

"The enemy really fears that the resistance will penetrate Galilee" in northern Israel, he said, adding that this was possible "in the context of a war that could be imposed on Lebanon".

Israel and Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese movement allied with Hamas, have traded near-daily cross-border fire since the Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel which triggered war in the Gaza Strip.

The exchanges have escalated in recent weeks, and the Israeli military said Tuesday that "operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated".

Earlier, Foreign Minister Israel Katz had warned of Hezbollah's destruction in a "total war".

"Opening Cypriot airports and bases to the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon would mean that the Cypriot government is part of the war, and the resistance will deal with it as part of the war," Nasrallah threatened.

Cyprus has good relations with both Israel and Lebanon, and lies close to the coast of both countries.

Britain has retained sovereign control over two base areas in its former colony Cyprus under the terms of the treaties that granted the island independence in 1960.

Nasrallah also warned that his group had only used "a part of" its weapons since October.

"We have obtained new weapons," Nasrallah said, without elaborating.

"We have developed some of our weapons... and we are keeping others for the days that will come," he said.

"Years ago we talked about 100,000 fighters... today, we have greatly exceeded" that number, Nasrallah said.

The Israel-Lebanon clashes have killed at least 478 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also including 93 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

Israeli authorities say at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed in the country's north.

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China is 15 years ahead of US in nuclear power: Report

The US is as many as 15 years behind China on developing high-tech nuclear power as Beijing's state-backed technology approach and extensive financing give it the edge, a report said on Monday. China has 27 nuclear reactors under construction with average construction timelines of about seven years, far faster than other countries, according to the study by Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute.

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Nvidia Beats Apple, Microsoft To Become World's Most Valuable Company

Nvidia edged ahead of other tech companies Tuesday to become the world's most valuable publicly traded company in the latest sign of the might of artificial intelligence.

The chip company, which has enjoyed a monumental ascent over the last 18 months amid enthusiasm over generative AI, jumped 3.4 percent near 1725 GMT, giving it a market capitalization of about $3.3 trillion, slightly ahead of Microsoft and Apple.

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

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Kanchanjungha Express: Did station master authorise loco pilot to cross all red signals in defective section?

The goods train rammed into the Kanchanjunga Express between Ranipatra Railway Station and Chattar Hat Junction in West Bengal on Monday. It was earlier reported that it was allowed to cross all red signals as the automatic signalling had "failed", internal documents show. The document, a written authority called TA 912, was issued to the driver of the goods train by the station master of Ranipatra, authorising him to cross all red signals, a railway source said.

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US: 20 robbers break into jewellery store of India-based firm, loot all ornaments within minutes I VIDEO

Surveillance footage showed approximately 20 people breaking into a jewellery store in California on Wednesday (June 12), smashing the display cases and making off with the items. According to a statement by the Sunnyvale Police on Thursday (June 13), some of the suspects were detained after a car chase, while the value of the stolen jewellery was unknown and no victims were injured during the robbery.

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"There's No Joy": Gazans Celebrate Eid Under The Shadow Of War

In tents in the stifling heat and in bombed-out mosques, Gazans marked Sunday the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, devoid of the usual cheer as the Israel-Hamas war raged on.

"There is no joy. We have been robbed of it," said Malakiya Salman, a 57-year-old displaced woman, now living in a tent in Khan Yunis city in the southern Gaza Strip.

Gazans, like Muslims the world over, would usually slaughter sheep for the holiday -- whose Arabic name means "feast of the sacrifice" -- and share the meat with the needy.

Parents would also gift children new clothes and money in celebration.

But this year, after more than eight months of a devastating Israeli campaign that has flattened much of Gaza, displaced most of the besieged territory's 2.4 million people and sparked repeated warnings of famine, the Eid is a day of misery for many.

"I hope the world will put pressure to end the war on us, because we are truly dying, and our children are broken," said Salman.

Her family was displaced from the far-southern city of Rafah, a recent focus of the fighting which began after Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel.

The military on Sunday morning announced a "tactical pause of military activity" around a Rafah-area route to facilitate the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gazans.

AFP correspondents said there were no reports of strikes or shelling since dawn, though the Israeli military stressed there was "no cessation of hostilities in the southern Gaza Strip".

The brief respite in fighting allowed worshippers a rare moment of calm on the holiday, which honours the prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son before God offered a sheep instead.

- 'Strange' silence -

Many gathered for the Eid al-Adha morning prayer in the courtyard of Gaza City's historic Omari Mosque, which was heavily damaged in Israeli bombardment, placing down their frayed prayer mats next to mounds of rubble.

The sound of prayers travelled down some of the city's destroyed and abandoned streets.

"Since this morning, we've felt a sudden calm with no gunfire or bombings... It's strange," said 30-year-old Haitham al-Ghura from Gaza City.

He said he hoped that the pause meant a permanent ceasefire was near, though truce mediation efforts have stalled for months.

In several areas of the war-battered territory, especially in Gaza City, young boys were seen manning roadside shops selling perfumes, lotions and other items against the backdrop of piles of rubble from destroyed buildings and homes.

Many vendors used umbrellas to protect themselves from the scorching sun as they sold household items on Gaza City's main market street. But there were few buyers.

Prices of food and other goods can reach four or five times their usual price, but those who can, cling to the holiday traditions they can still afford.

In Khan Yunis, displaced man Majdi Abdul Raouf spent 4,500 shekels ($1,200) -- a small fortune for most Gazans -- on a sheep to sacrifice.

"I was determined on buying it despite the high prices, to perform these rituals and bring some joy and happiness to the children in the displacement camp," said the 60-year-old, who fled his home in Rafah.

"There is sadness, severe pain and suffering, but I insisted on having a different kind of day."

- 'Comfort' -

The deadliest-ever Gaza war began after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,296 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.

For many, a halt in fighting can never bring back what has been lost.

"We've lost many people, there's a lot of destruction," said Umm Muhammad al-Katri from Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

"This Eid is completely different," she said, with many Gazans forced to spend the holiday without their loved ones killed or displaced during the war.

Grieving families on Sunday flocked to cemeteries and other makeshift burial sites, where wooden planks marked the graves.

"I feel comfort here," said Khalil Diab Essbiah at the cemetary where his two children are buried.

Even with the constant buzzing of Israeli drones overhead, visitors at the cemetery "can feel relieved of the genocide we are in and the death and destruction," he said.

Hanaa Abu Jazar, 11, also displaced from Rafah to the tent city in Khan Yunis, said: "We see the (Israeli) occupation killing children, women and the elderly."

"How can we celebrate?" asked the girl.

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Kate, Princess of Wales, shares update on cancer treatment, set to attend King Charles' birthday parade

Princess of Wales Kate Middleton on Friday (June 14) said that she is making “good progress” in her cancer treatment and will attend the royal Trooping the Color ceremony on Saturday, in her first public appearance since her diagnosis. Kate, 42-year-old wife of Prince William, has not made any public appearances this year. She made an announcement in March that she was undergoing chemotherapy for an unspecified form of cancer.

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Indonesian Minister Warns Of Shutting Down X Over Adult Content

Indonesia is prepared to shut down social media platform X if it does not comply with a regulation barring adult content, the country's communications minister said on Friday. Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, has strict rules that ban the sharing online of content deemed obscene.

Minister Budi Arie Setiadi told Reuters he had sent a warning letter to X related to this matter.

"We will certainly shut its services down," he said, pointing to Indonesia's electronic information and transaction (ITE) law that can carry a six-year jail sentence if someone spreads pornographic content.

His comments in an interview come after the social media platform recently updated its policies to permit consensually produced adult content.

X, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has not responded to Indonesia's warning letter, Budi said, adding the government would send more letters before deciding on a potential closure.

X, formerly known as Twitter, did not immediately respond to a request by Reuters for comment.

Indonesians are big users of social media and X has 24.85 million users in the country, according to data gathering business Statista.

(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 Vows To "Respond With Force" After Hezbollah Fires Rockets At Army

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said it fired waves of rockets and drones at the Israeli army on Thursday, after an Israeli strike killed one of its senior commanders.

It was Hezbollah's largest simultaneous attack in near-daily cross-border fire between it and the Israeli army since its ally Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.

Hezbollah fighters launched "an attack with rockets and drones, targeting six barracks and military sites" while simultaneously flying "squadrons of explosive-laden drones" at three other Israeli bases, the group said in a statement.

One of the targets was an Israeli base that Hezbollah said housed an intelligence headquarters "responsible for the assassinations".

Hezbollah, which announced more strikes into the evening, said the attacks were "part of the response to the assassination" of Hezbollah commander Taleb Abdallah on Tuesday.

The Israeli army said about "40 projectiles were launched toward the Galilee and Golan Heights area", adding most were intercepted while others ignited fires.

In one attack near the border village of Manara, "one IDF (army) soldier was moderately injured and an additional soldier was lightly injured", the military said.

The Israeli government vowed to respond strongly to all Hezbollah attacks.

"Israel will respond with force to all aggressions by Hezbollah," government spokesman David Mencer said during a press briefing.

"Whether through diplomatic efforts or otherwise, Israel will restore security on our northern border," he added.

In recent weeks, cross-border exchanges have escalated, with Hezbollah stepping up its use of drones to attack Israeli military positions and Israel hitting back with targeted strikes against the militants.

On Wednesday, top Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine vowed the group would "increase the intensity, strength, quantity and quality of our attacks", while speaking at Abdallah's funeral.

The Israeli army confirmed it carried out the strike that "eliminated" Abdallah on Tuesday, describing him as "one of Hezbollah's most senior commanders in southern Lebanon".

A Lebanese military source said he was the "most important" Hezbollah commander to have been killed since the start of the war.

The cross-border violence has killed at least 468 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also including 89 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

Israeli authorities say at least 15 Israeli soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed.

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Could Nawaz Sharif's recent praise of PM Modi be a pivotal moment for India-Pakistan relations?

New Delhi: A day following the swearing-in of the NDA government's council of ministers, former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a prominent figure leading Pakistan's ruling PML(N), extended an olive branch to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, acknowledging the BJP's recent electoral triumph as a testament to his leadership.  In his message to PM Modi, Nawaz reiterated to replace "hate" with "hope" in order to fulfil the dreams of citizens. "Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia," he conveyed on a social media platform.

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China Announces 1st Astronaut Candidates From Hong Kong, Macau

China on Tuesday announced the first astronaut candidates from its special administrative regions of Macau and Hong Kong, with the latter calling it a "glorious page" in the city's history.

Beijing has invested billions of dollars in its military-run space programme as it pursues ambitious plans for a manned lunar landing by 2030.

The China Manned Space Agency said Tuesday that a payload specialist from Hong Kong and another from Macau were among 10 candidates for the country's fourth batch of astronauts.

Hong Kong leader John Lee called it "a glorious page in Hong Kong's history".

"This is... the first time that a Hong Kong citizen was selected as a payload specialist in China's manned space programme, with a chance to become an astronaut to go to space in person, to participate in research and to contribute the country's space programme," Lee said.

Sun Dong, Hong Kong's tech and innovation secretary, said the winning candidate was selected out of a pool of 120 applicants through a multi-round process that has been going on since 2022.

"We accepted a rather wide range of professional backgrounds including natural sciences, engineering, biology and medical science, because the space is a brand new area for scientific exploration," he told reporters, declining to name the Hong Konger selected.

Macau's government also issued a statement Tuesday, calling the selection of one of its own "an honour" that sent "a strong inspirational message to the young people of Macau".

The China Manned Space Agency said the decision to select astronauts from the two territories "has garnered strong support and enthusiastic participation from local communities".

Plans for China's "space dream" have been put into overdrive under Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Beijing has heavily invested in its space programme over the past decade, trying to catch up with the United States and Russia after years of belatedly matching their milestones.

The country notched a win this month after its probe carrying samples from the far side of the Moon started its journey back to Earth.

Other achievements included building a space station called Tiangong, or "heavenly palace", as well as landing robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon.

China aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and plans to build a base on the lunar surface.

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

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US Cops Say Indian-Origin Man Shot Brother Dead, Then Killed Himself

An Indian-origin man in New York shot his brother dead, injured his mother, and then killed himself, according to police.

Karamjit Multani, 33, shot his brother Vipanpal, 27, on Sunday in their home in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood and went out and turned the gun on himself at a place about two kilometres away, police said.

Police said that when they went to their house after getting a call about a shooting, they found Vipanpal "unresponsive" with several gunshot wounds, and their 52-year-old mother with an injury to her stomach. Later, Multani was found dead near a street corner with a gunshot wound to his head and a gun nearby, according to police.

The mother, who was not identified by name, was taken to a hospital where she was said to be out of danger.

Richmond Hill has a large concentration of Asians, most of them of Indian descent from India or the Caribbean, accounting for 26 per cent of the area's population.

According to the city, "The southern portion of Richmond Hill is home to several tight-knit communities, such as the Punjabi Sikh".

CBS New York reported that the man's father, Bhupinder Multani, told the station that he did not know what set off his older son.

Asked by the station's reporter if the sons had any issues, he said: "Not big problems. Sometimes little disagreements, no problems."

He said that the family had settled in for a quiet evening with pizza when Multani opened the door to his brother's room and shot him without warning. The father said that he ran to the house of a neighbour to seek help. The neighbour told the station that when she entered the house she found Vipanpal wounded and pleading for help.

"He told me, 'Please, don't let me die'," the neighbour said, and died later "in my hands".

Jaspreet Singh, the brother-in-law of the two men, told the station that Multani "was one of the nicest, coolest guys, always joking around".

"What could be going on in his mind to explode like that," he wondered.

The New York Post reported that, according to his family, Multani was the father of three and was financially sound with no known problems. A neighbour, Alvin Debieen, told the New York Daily News that they thought it was firecrackers going off when they heard the sound, but when they heard the police sirens, "we kind of just figured someone was shot".

"It had to be something really serious or he just snapped," Debieen said.

A neighbour from where Multani's body was found, told the newspaper that "His body was right there laid out in the open and there was a lot of blood".

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Noted painter Krishn Kanhai’s ‘The Golden Krishna’ exhibition concludes in Dubai

Renowned Indian painter and Padma Shri awardee Krishn Kanhai concluded his 'The Golden Krishna Painting Exhibition' in Dubai. This grand event, depicting a wide range of styles from contemporary to traditional, each piece infused with emotional resonance, was inaugurated by Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of Dubai, with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.

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Putin says 'no need' to use nuclear weapons for victory in Ukraine as US ramps up aid

St Petersburg: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday asserted that Russia has no need to use nuclear weapons for a military victory in Ukraine, the strongest signal by the Kremlin that the ongoing conflict might not escalate into a nuclear war. Western countries were concerned after Putin repeatedly said that Russia would use nuclear weapons if necessary to defend itself, raising the threat of a nuclear conflict in the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.

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Colombia Says Will Suspend Coal Sales To Israel "Until Gaza Genocide Stops"

Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced Saturday that his government will suspend coal exports to Israel while it continues its war against Hamas in the Gaza strip.

"We are going to suspend coal exports to Israel until the genocide stops," the leftist leader wrote on X.

In May, Petro -- who describes Israel's campaign in Gaza as "genocidal" -- announced Colombia would sever ties with Israel over the conflict and open an embassy in Ramallah in the Palestinian territories.

He also said that Bogota would stop purchasing weapons made by Israel, one of the main suppliers of the South American country's security forces.

According to the Colombian government, the coal export ban will enter into force five days after the decree published in the official gazette and will not affect goods that have already been authorized for shipment.

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4 Indian students drown in Russia's St Petersburg, authorities seek repatriation of mortal remains

St Petersburg: In an unfortunate incident, four Indian students have reportedly drowned in a river in Russia's St Petersburg area, while one student was rescued. The Indian consulate in St Petersburg is currently in touch with the local authorities to bring their mortal remains back to their families in India.

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No Need To Use Nuclear Weapons For Victory In Ukraine, Says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday there was no need to use nuclear weapons to deliver victory for Moscow in Ukraine, the strongest signal yet from the Kremlin chief that there will not be a nuclear strike.

Putin, whose forces have been making advances in eastern Ukraine in recent months, said he did not see the conditions for the use of such weapons and requested that people stop discussing the nuclear topic.

However, Putin, who leads the world's biggest nuclear power, said he did not rule out changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine, which sets out the conditions under which such weapons could be used.

He also said that if necessary Russia could test a nuclear weapon, though he saw no need to do so at present.

Putin's response came to a question from Sergei Karaganov, an influential Russian analyst, who asked if Putin should hold a "nuclear pistol to the temple" of the West over Ukraine.

"The use is possible in an exceptional case - in the event of a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. I don't think that such a case has come. There is no such need," Putin said at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"But this doctrine is a living tool and we are carefully watching what is happening in the world around us and do not exclude making some changes to this doctrine. This is also related to the testing of nuclear weapons."

NUCLEAR DOCTRINE

Russia's published 2020 nuclear doctrine sets out the conditions under which a Russian president would consider using a nuclear weapon: broadly as a response to an attack using nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction, or to the use of conventional weapons against Russia "when the very existence of the state is put under threat".

"If necessary, we will conduct tests. So far, there is no need for this either, since our information and computer capabilities allow us to produce everything in its current form."

Karaganov last year proposed a limited nuclear strike on a NATO member in Europe to force the West to back off in the conflict over Ukraine and thus avert World War Three.

U.S. President Joe Biden last week relaxed some restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S. weaponry inside Russia, prompting warnings from Moscow of a potentially dangerous escalation in the conflict.

Putin said on Wednesday he could deploy conventional missiles within striking distance of the United States and its European allies if they allowed Ukraine to strike deeper into Russia with long-range Western weapons. He also said the West was wrong to assume Russia would never use nuclear weapons.

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"Time Has Come...": Longest-Serving TV Show Host Signs Off After 41 Seasons

The longest-serving TV game show host in history signed off on Friday after presiding over US primetime hit "Wheel of Fortune" for 41 seasons.

Pat Sajak has been a fixture in American homes since 1981, hosting more than 8,000 editions of a show that has become part of early evenings for millions of households.

"Well, the time has come to say goodbye," he told viewers in a clip from the pre-recorded final show.

"It's been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade."

He described the half-hour show as "a safe place for family fun. No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing I hope -- just a game."

"Thank you for allowing me into your lives."

Sajak, 77, was renowned for his low-key, unflappable style, asking contestants to choose a consonant or buy a vowel in the word-guessing game.

With his suit and even tan, he chatted with guests and bantered with co-host Vanna White, who joined the show in 1982 just a year after Sajak.

In 2019, Guinness World Records awarded Sajak the title of the longest career as a game show host for the same show.

"America Idol" host Ryan Seacrest will take over the role, joining the veteran White.

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Nepal Army Removes Human Remains And 11 Tonnes Of Garbage From Everest

Nepali Army has removed the remains of five climbers and 11,000 kgs of waste from the high-altitude Everest region as part of their almost two-month-long 'Mountain Cleaning Campaign 2024,' the fourth such expedition since its launch in 2019.

The Army team found four dead bodies and one human skeleton of the climbers from its arduous cleaning expedition that covered Mt Everest, the highest mountain at 8848.86 metres, Mt Lhotse, and Mt Nuptse areas near the Everest Base Camp.

The aim of the 'Mountain Cleaning Campaign' is to keep a check on human-made pollution in the mighty Himalayas, especially in the fragile and vulnerable high-altitude region, in the era of changing climate, the army had said while announcing the 2024 campaign on April 7.

That day, the start of the Spring Climbing Season for Everest, the Army had announced to bring back 10 tonnes and five bodies lying at Mt Everest by its 12-member team led by Maj Aditya Karki. The team was to be assisted by an 18-member Sherpa team.

The expedition was flagged off on April 11.

Chief of the Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma, during an event to celebrate the successful closing of the 55-day campaign here on Wednesday, the World Environment Day, said: "Despite the adverse weather and conditions, around 11,000 kgs of garbage, four human corpses, and one skeleton were collected during this campaign." On the occasion, the Army chief also honoured members of the mountain cleaning campaign, including supporting Sherpa guides, for their valuable contribution to collecting the garbage and human remains.

The biodegradable waste was brought to Namche Bazaar below the Everest Base Camp and handed to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) for proper treatment.

The non-biodegradable waste and bodies/skeleton was brought to Kathmandu.

The Nepal Army collaborated with the Ministry of Forest and Environment, the Tourism Department and the Nepal Mountaineers Association for the Everest region's cleaning campaign.

The cleaning team also successfully climbed Mount Everest, MyRepublica portal reported, adding that since the campaign was launched in 2019, as many as 12 dead bodies and 180 metric tonnes of garbage have been collected from these mountain areas, including the Mt Everest peak.

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Imran Khan Has TV, Kitchen, Workout Tools, And More In Jail: Pak Court Told

Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has a walking area adjacent to his cell, a cooler, a TV, a separate kitchen, workout equipment, and other amenities, the government told the country's Supreme Court.

Mr Khan, 71, has been incarcerated in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since last September. He was shifted to this prison from the District Jail Attock where he was lodged after his arrest on August 5, 2023, following his conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case.

Appearing before the Supreme Court in a case on May 30, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party founder complained to the chief justice that he was living in solitary confinement and the government had put restrictions on his meeting with lawyers and family members.

Image posted on X by @PTIofficial

The government in its response to the Supreme Court rejected his assertions by providing a list of facilities he enjoyed and included photographs of his cell and other items as well as of his meeting with his legal team in prison.

The government said that Mr Khan enjoyed a walking area adjacent to the cell, a room cooler, a TV, a separate kitchen reading books, a study table with a chair, and equipment for exercise.

The government also gave a list of individuals who have met with Mr Khan, countering claims that he is being held in solitary confinement. It suggested that, if necessary, a commission could be appointed to verify the allegations.

Earlier, the government formalised in March the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for facilitating meetings with the convicted former premier. According to the SOPs, PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Barrister Umair Ahmad Khan Niazi were designated as focal persons for coordinating visits to the jail.

Mr Khan was to be allowed to meet his family and lawyers in two separate sessions on Tuesday, while a single session on Thursday will be reserved for his "lawyers/friends".

Those intending to meet Mr Khan must coordinate with the jail authorities through the designated focal persons, who will provide the visitor list - consisting of two individuals per focal person - one day before the scheduled meeting, adhering to the six-person limit.

Separately, PTI in a WhatsApp message shared the photo of Mr Khan's cell which the government had released, claiming that “it was a cell photo where former Prime Minister Imran Khan is kept in solitary confinement”.

The party said that it was a contradiction to the claim that a former Prime Minister was entitled to an ‘A' class cell with an air-conditioned room and a helper to attend to the errands.

“Mr Khan never did complain about being kept in a facility with no access to natural light or a window however it goes to show how government machinery fibbed about all this time, having him kept in a cell costing above a million each month,” the PTI 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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'We remain committed to deepening ties...': PM Modi to Meloni after Italy PM wishes him for electoral victory

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, extended gratitude to his Italian counterpart,Giorgia Meloni, for congratulating him on his third consecutive term in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. "Thank you for your kind wishes PM @GiorgiaMeloni. We remain committed to deepening India-Italy strategic partnership which is underpinned by shared values and interests. Looking forward to working together for global good," PM Modi replied to Meloni.

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Major relief for Imran Khan, Pakistan Court acquits ex-PM in state secrets case but will remain in jail

Islamabad: In a major development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday acquitted former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case, Dawn reported. According to media reports, both leaders are not expected to be released from jail due to Imran’s sentence in the Iddat case while Qureshi was arrested in recent May 9 cases.

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Pakistan: Christian man attacked by mob in Punjab province over allegations of Quran desecration dies

Lahore: An elderly Christian man, who was viciously attacked by a mob over blasphemy allegations in Pakistan's Punjab province that left him critically injured, has succumbed to his injuries, according to police on Monday. The incident shows once again the ugly side of Pakistan's anti-blasphemy laws, where radical Islamists often take the law in their own hands and lynch people accused of blasphemic acts.

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A Look At Key Candidates Competing For Iran's Snap Presidential Vote

Eighty Iranians have registered their candidacy for the country's June 28 presidential elections, brought forward by the death of Ebrahim Raisi, but many may still be disqualified before campaigning begins.

Who has applied?

At the end of the five-day registration period on Monday, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said 80 presidential hopefuls have submitted their candidacy.

They include more conservative and even ultraconservative figures than moderates or reformists, as well as a number of middle-ranking clerics and four women.

The best-known candidate is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who wishes, at 67, to return to the post of president which he held for two consecutive terms from 2005 to 2013.

The populist politician is associated with incendiary remarks about Israel and simmering tensions with the West, particularly over the Iranian nuclear programme.

Other senior figures in the Islamic republic are also in the running: current parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a conservative, former speaker Ali Larijani, a moderate figure, and Saeed Jalili, an ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator.

As he submitted his bid on Monday, Ghalibaf said he was hopeful that, if elected, he could resolve the problems of the country including "reduction in purchasing power, poverty, discrimination, inequality and sanctions".

Iran has been gripped by biting Western sanctions mostly over its nuclear programme but also for its human rights record and military cooperation with Russia.

The candidate list -- which is not yet final -- also includes Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, former central bank governor Abdolnasser Hemmati and Eshaq Jahangiri, a reformist former first vice-president.

Can all 80 compete?

Hopefuls must first be given the green light by the Guardian Council, an unelected body dominated by conservatives which vets all candidates for public office.

The 12-strong body of jurists, who are either appointed or approved by the supreme leader, has until June 11 to decide which of the candidates would be authorised to campaign for presidency.

In the 2021 election, the council only approved seven candidates out of 592 applicants, and struck down presidential bid by numerous reformist and moderate personalities.

This had allowed Raisi, then a candidate from the conservative and ultraconservative camp, to be easily elected in the first round.

Faced with a limited choice, many voters shunned the 2021 polls: participation reached just under 49 percent, the lowest rate for any presidential elections since the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Among this year's candidates, Ahmadinejad has already been disqualified twice, in 2017 and 2021, when Larijani and Jahangiri were too.

According to Iranian law, to be eligible for the presidency, candidates must be aged 40 to 75, hold at least a university master's degree and be loyal to the Islamic republic.

Can a woman be elected? 

No women have been allowed to run for president since 1979, but the Guardian Council in 2021 ruled that there it was not legally banned.

One woman had entered the race in 1997, but her candidacy was rejected.

This year, four women, all former lawmakers, have submitted their candidacy.

One of them is the conservative Zohreh Elahian, who has defended the compulsory wearing of the veil for women and backed the authorities' response to a months-long wave of protests after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in late 2022.

The European Union has subsequently sanctioned Elahian for "human rights violations in Iran".

How powerful is the president?

Unlike many countries, the Iranian president is not the head of state, and the ultimate authority in the Islamic republic is the supreme leader -- a post held by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for 35 years.

But the president still has an important role in directing the government and its policies.

On Monday, Khamenei called the upcoming vote "a big deal" and urged Iranians to participate in "great numbers".

The Islamic republic abolished the office of the prime minister in a constitutional referendum in 1989, 10 years after the revolution.

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

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'China, unfortunately, is functioning for...': Zelenskyy accuses Xi Jinping of assisting Russian war I WATCH

Singapore: Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy, on Sunday, made a "surprise" appearance at Asia's biggest security conference in Singapore, where he alleged China of using tactics to influence countries to disrupt an upcoming Swiss-organised peace conference on the war in Ukraine.

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1 Dead, 24 Injured In Mass Shooting In US, Probe Launched: Report

At least one person was killed and at least 24 others injured in a mass shooting in the US state of Ohio early on Sunday, reports said.

The shooting happened just after midnight local time (5 a.m. BST) in the city of Akron, the BBC said, adding the city police told it that at least 25 people had been shot, out of which one had succumbed to injuries. While many of the injuries were non-life-threatening, some victims were in a "more serious condition", it admitted.

Police at the scene of the crime, near Kelly Street and 8th Avenue, discovered dozens of bullet casings and a gun from the area.

No one has been arrested or identified as a suspect and an investigation is underway, the Akron Police Department said.

Akron's Mayor, Shammas Malik, and Police Chief Brian Harding later issued a joint statement on social media, assuring that they will "bring those responsible to justice".

"Our city is reeling after the devastation of senseless violence. With more than two dozen victims, the pain and trauma reverberates across all of Akron today as we search for answers," they said in the statement.

Authorities also asked anyone with information about the shooting to come forward, assuring anonymity. "We need you to speak up in order to prevent further violence and retaliation," they 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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Knife attacker shot by police after stabbing spree at anti-Islam rally in German city | VIDEO

Berlin: A man went on a stabbing spree in the German city of Mannheim, wounding several people before the police shot him, according to authorities. Police said the incident happened shortly after 11:30 am. They said that they couldn't immediately give any information on the severity of the injuries.

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Biden Our Only Hope: Thousands Rally In Israel For Ceasefire, Hostage Deal

Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv Saturday to demand acceptance of a ceasefire and hostage release deal outlined by US President Joe Biden, with many fearing the premier would reject the proposal.

Israeli and US flags dotted the crowd in the central plaza they have dubbed Hostages Square, alongside banners urging: "Bring them home!"

"Biden is our only hope," protester Abigail Zur, 34, told AFP.

The US president said on Friday that Israel was offering a new three-stage roadmap towards a full ceasefire, including the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

Demonstrators told AFP they were worried that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would disown the deal.

"Biden cares about our hostages more than Netanyahu does," said Karen, a protester in her early fifties, as others chanted: "Now, Now".

Netanyahu was more concerned about his own political future, said protester Diti Kapuano, 46.

"I hope that somehow Biden puts enough pressure so the government and Netanyahu will take the deal," she said.

Campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement: "In light of President Biden's speech last night, we will demand that the Israeli government immediately approve the (hostage release deal) and bring all the hostages home at once.

"We will also call on all government ministers and coalition members to publicly commit to supporting the deal and not to allow the possibility of torpedoing it and endangering the hostages," the group said, adding that it had contacted various embassies to urge them to support the plan.

Netanyahu insisted on Saturday that the plan laid out by Biden did not preclude fighting on until Hamas's ability to rule Gaza and pose a threat to Israel had been destroyed.

Hamas said it "views positively" the plan laid out by Biden.

The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,189 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Militants also took 252 hostages, 121 of whom remain in Gaza, including 37 the army says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 36,379 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

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

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