Canada on Monday (Oct 30) banned Chinese messaging platform WeChat and the Russian antivirus program Kaspersky on government-issued mobile devices due to privacy and security risks.

Canada on Monday (Oct 30) banned Chinese messaging platform WeChat and the Russian antivirus program Kaspersky on government-issued mobile devices due to privacy and security risks. In a statement, Canada's treasury board said that the ban was announced after an assessment by the country's chief information officer that WeChat and Kaspersky presented an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security. "The decision to remove and block the WeChat and Kaspersky applications was made to ensure that government of Canada networks and data remain secure and protected and are in line with the approach of our international partners," the statement said. The board also said that it had no evidence that government information had been compromised, but the collection methods of the applications provide considerable access to a device's contents. China criticises ban by Canada China on Monday criticised the ban imposed on WeChat. The Chinese foreign ministry said that the ban was issued without any real evidence, under the guise of maintaining data security. The ministry added that the ban abused national power and unreasonably suppressed the behaviour of enterprises in specific countries. On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, "We hope that the Canadian side will discard ideological prejudices, abide by the principles of market economy and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises." Kaspersky, meanwhile, was surprised and disappointed with the ban and said that Canada decided without warning or an opportunity for the firm to address the government's concerns. In a statement, the antivirus giant said, "As there has been no evidence or due process to otherwise justify these actions, they are highly unsupported and a response to the geopolitical climate rather than a comprehensive evaluation of the integrity of Kaspersky’s products and services." WeChat and Kaspersky were removed from government devices and users would be blocked from downloading the applications in future. In February, Canada banned TikTok on government devices due to similar privacy and security concerns. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Canada bans WeChat, Kaspersky on govt devices due to security risks

The war between Israel and Hamas is intensifying with each passing day. On Oct 7, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel, and Israel hit back hard at the Gaza Strip.

The war between Israel and Hamas is intensifying with each passing day. On Oct 7, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel, and Israel hit back hard at the Gaza Strip. Thousands of people have died and thousands have been injured on both sides of the conflict. The Israeli offensive at Gaza has targeted several commanders and officials of Hamas. However, many top leaders of the Palestinian militant group enjoy safety and luxury far from the conflict. According to a report by y net news on Monday (Oct 30), Hamas' political chief Ismail Haniyeh was in his residence in Qatar on Oct 7 when the group's attack started. The report said that Haniyeh left his luxurious residence in Gaza's al-Shati refugee camp more than two years ago, relocating to Doha. Click here to follow LIVE updates on the Israel-Hamas war While Haniyeh's wife and children joined him, his brother stayed in Gaza, witnessing the destruction of his house by Israeli strikes and the loss of other family members, the report added. Khaled Mashal, the former political chief of the militant group, also resides in Qatar. The y net news report also said that Mashal has been living in Qatar since 2012, after Hamas shifted its offices from Syria because of the onset of a civil war there. Also read: Who is Ismail Haniyeh? Hamas leader who masterminded attack on Israel, while sitting in Doha Since the October 7 conflict, Qatar became a key intermediary over the fate of hundreds of hostages held by Hamas militants. In Qatar, Hamas officials met diplomats and envoys from various countries, including Iran and Russia, the report said. Also read: Shani Louk beheaded by Hamas after she was kidnapped and paraded in Oct 7 terror attacks, says Israeli prez Apart from Qatar, Lebanon has emerged as a second home for key Hamas figures, including Saleh al-Aaruri, who is heading the group's politburo. The report by y net news said that al-Aaruri convened with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhala in Beirut. Last Friday, Qatar told the United States that it was open to reconsidering the presence of Hamas in Qatar once a crisis was resolved to secure the release of scores of hostages taken to Gaza by the militant group, the Washington Post reported citing a senior US official. The official said that this understanding was reached at a meeting in Doha earlier this month between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

As Israel-Hamas war rages on, militant group's top brass enjoys luxury far from conflict

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged on Monday (Oct 30) that Kerala under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has shown tolerance towards radical elements and radicalisation.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged on Monday (Oct 30) that Kerala under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has shown tolerance towards radical elements and radicalisation. Addressing a press conference, Union Minister Chandrasekhar said that the Left in Kerala and the Congress party have a history of appeasement of radical elements in the state. A day back, Chief Minister Vijayan hit out at Chandrasekhar over his social media posts criticising him (Vijayan) over serial blasts at a meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Ernakulam. Also read: Who are Jehovah's Witnesses, the community targeted in Kerala serial blasts? Without naming Chandrasekhar, Vijayan sought to know based on what information the Union minister made such remarks against him and how a person holding a responsible position could come out with such statements while the investigation was going on. Speaking to reporters, the chief minister alleged that the statements made by the Union minister were the reflection of an absolute communal outlook. The social media post "Dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited CM (and HM) Pinarayi Vijayan besieged by corruption charges Sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel when in Kerala open calls by Terrorist Hamas for Jihad is causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians," Chandrasekhar said in a post on X on Sunday. On Monday, Chandrasekhar told reporters that he did not mention any community in his social media posts. "I had talked about Hamas and it was almost like the CM was trying to equate Hamas with the broader Muslim brothers and sisters of our state and country," he said. #WATCH | Kochi: On Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan's statement, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar says, "To accuse me of being communal, or to accuse our party of doing anything other than looking after the best interest of every Indian, is to be a liar. He (Pinarayi Vijayan) is a… pic.twitter.com/wkN2A8xRIK — ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2023 × The Union Minister added that his post "in the context of the Hamas chief being given an opportunity, with no intervention by the Kerala government or police, to address a large gathering of youth and inciting them with radicalism." "To accuse me of being communal, or to accuse our party of doing anything other than looking after the best interest of every Indian, is to be a liar. He (Pinarayi Vijayan) is a liar...If not having links with the SDPI, PFI and Hamas is the qualification for being called communal, I am proud to say that nobody in BJP has any linkages with SDPI, PFI and Hamas..." he further said. Three killed in serial blasts, over 50 injured The serial blasts during the Jehovah's Witnesses convention in Kalamassery killed three and injured more than 50 others. The attacker, Dominic Martin, was a former member of the community. Martin posted a video on Facebook claiming responsibility for the attack, before he surrendered to the police. On Monday, Martin was arrested and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act besides other sections. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

After CM Vijayan's veiled dig, Indian minister says Kerala under him tolerant towards radical elements

The United States has started bulk buying Japanese&nbsp;seafood&nbsp;to supply its military there in response to China's ban on such products imposed after Tokyo released treated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.

Unveiling the initiative in a Reuters interview on Monday, US&nbsp;ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said Washington should also look more broadly into how it could help offset China's ban that he said was part of its "economic wars".

China, which had been the biggest buyer of Japanese&nbsp;seafood, says its ban is due to food safety fears.

The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog vouched for the safety of the water release that began in August from the plant wrecked by a 2011 tsunami. G7 trade ministers on Sunday called for the immediate repeal of bans on Japanese food.

"It's going to be a long-term contract between the US&nbsp;armed forces and the fisheries and co-ops here in Japan," Emanuel said.

"The best way we have proven in all the instances to kind of wear out China's economic coercion is come to the aid and assistance of the targeted country or industry," he said.

Asked about Emanuel's comments at a press conference on Monday, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: "the responsibility of diplomats is to promote friendship between countries rather than smearing other countries and stirring up trouble".

The first purchase of&nbsp;seafood&nbsp;by the US&nbsp;under the scheme involves just shy of a metric ton of scallops, a tiny fraction of more than 100,000 tons of scallops that Japan exported to mainland China last year.

Emanuel said the purchases - which will feed soldiers in messes and aboard vessels as well as being sold in shops and restaurants on military bases - will increase over time to all types of&nbsp;seafood. The US&nbsp;military had not previously bought local&nbsp;seafood&nbsp;in Japan, he said.

The US&nbsp;could also look at its overall fish imports from Japan and China, he said. The US&nbsp;is also in talks with Japanese authorities to help direct locally-caught scallops to US-registered processors.

<h2>'Not a China hawk'</h2>

Emanuel, who was former US&nbsp;President Barack Obama's White House chief of staff, has in recent months made a series of blunt statements on China, taking aim at various issues including its economic policies, opaque decision-making and treatment of foreign firms.

That has come as top US&nbsp;officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have visited Beijing in an effort to draw a line under strained ties.

Asked if he considered himself hawkish on China, Emanuel rejected the term and said he was a "realist".

"I don't consider it hawkish but just consider it realist and honest. Maybe the honesty is painful, but it's honest," he said.

"I'm all for stability, understanding. That doesn't mean you're not honest. They're not contradictory. One of the ways you establish stability, is that you're able to be honest with each other."

He said China faced major economic challenges exacerbated by a leadership intent on turning their backs on international systems.

"The kind of loser in this is the youth of China. You now have a situation where 30% of the Chinese youth, one out of three, are unemployed. You have major cities with unfinished housing ... you have major municipalities not able to pay city workers. Why? Because China made a political decision to turn their back on a system in which they were benefiting."

The most recent official youth unemployment data from China, published in July before Beijing said it was suspending publication of the numbers, showed it jumping to a record high of 21.3%.

Emanuel said he was also keeping an eye on how China's leadership responds to the recent death of former Premier Li Keqiang, a reformist who was sidelined by President Xi Jinping.

"What's ... interesting to me, that I think is telltale, is how they will be treating his funeral and how they'll be treating comments about him," he said.

"I do think that there's kind of a section of China that sees what kind of policies he was pursuing as kind of the best of China. But that's up for China to decide."

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The United States has started bulk buying Japanese seafood to supply its military there in response to China's ban on such products imposed after Tokyo released treated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.

The United States has started bulk buying Japanese seafood to supply its military there in response to China's ban on such products imposed after Tokyo released treated water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. Unveiling the initiative in a Reuters interview on Monday, US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said Washington should also look more broadly into how it could help offset China's ban that he said was part of its "economic wars". China, which had been the biggest buyer of Japanese seafood, says its ban is due to food safety fears. The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog vouched for the safety of the water release that began in August from the plant wrecked by a 2011 tsunami. G7 trade ministers on Sunday called for the immediate repeal of bans on Japanese food. "It's going to be a long-term contract between the US armed forces and the fisheries and co-ops here in Japan," Emanuel said. "The best way we have proven in all the instances to kind of wear out China's economic coercion is come to the aid and assistance of the targeted country or industry," he said. Asked about Emanuel's comments at a press conference on Monday, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said: "the responsibility of diplomats is to promote friendship between countries rather than smearing other countries and stirring up trouble". The first purchase of seafood by the US under the scheme involves just shy of a metric ton of scallops, a tiny fraction of more than 100,000 tons of scallops that Japan exported to mainland China last year. Emanuel said the purchases - which will feed soldiers in messes and aboard vessels as well as being sold in shops and restaurants on military bases - will increase over time to all types of seafood. The US military had not previously bought local seafood in Japan, he said. The US could also look at its overall fish imports from Japan and China, he said. The US is also in talks with Japanese authorities to help direct locally-caught scallops to US-registered processors. 'Not a China hawk' Emanuel, who was former US President Barack Obama's White House chief of staff, has in recent months made a series of blunt statements on China, taking aim at various issues including its economic policies, opaque decision-making and treatment of foreign firms. That has come as top US officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have visited Beijing in an effort to draw a line under strained ties. Asked if he considered himself hawkish on China, Emanuel rejected the term and said he was a "realist". "I don't consider it hawkish but just consider it realist and honest. Maybe the honesty is painful, but it's honest," he said. "I'm all for stability, understanding. That doesn't mean you're not honest. They're not contradictory. One of the ways you establish stability, is that you're able to be honest with each other." He said China faced major economic challenges exacerbated by a leadership intent on turning their backs on international systems. "The kind of loser in this is the youth of China. You now have a situation where 30% of the Chinese youth, one out of three, are unemployed. You have major cities with unfinished housing ... you have major municipalities not able to pay city workers. Why? Because China made a political decision to turn their back on a system in which they were benefiting." The most recent official youth unemployment data from China, published in July before Beijing said it was suspending publication of the numbers, showed it jumping to a record high of 21.3%. Emanuel said he was also keeping an eye on how China's leadership responds to the recent death of former Premier Li Keqiang, a reformist who was sidelined by President Xi Jinping. "What's ... interesting to me, that I think is telltale, is how they will be treating his funeral and how they'll be treating comments about him," he said. "I do think that there's kind of a section of China that sees what kind of policies he was pursuing as kind of the best of China. But that's up for China to decide." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US military bulk-buys Japanese seafood to counter China ban over Fukushima n-reactor water release

Twelve people, including a baby, were killed on Sunday (Oct 29) in a small plane crash in the Brazilian Amazon. In a statement, the government of the northwestern state of Acre said that the plane, a single-engine Cessna Caravan, came down near the airport of Rio Branco shortly after takeoff. The plane had 10 passengers, the pilot and the co-pilot.

All died at the scene, the statement said. Citing local media, the news agency AFP reported that the plane erupted in flames on impact, causing a forest fire in a remote area near Brazil's border with Peru and Bolivia. Most of the passengers were returning to the neighbouring Amazonas state after receiving medical care.

Video supposedly of the crash site on social media showed flaming wreckage in the forest.

This cash crash comes after 14 people were killed in a plane crash in the Brazilian on September 16. The plane was flying a group of Brazilian sport fishermen into the northern town of Barcelos, when it crashed in stormy weather, apparently after starting its descent too late and skidding off the end of the runway, officials said.&nbsp;

Initially, local media reported that US nationals were aboard the plane, but Amazonas officials said preliminary investigations indicated all the victims were Brazilian. The passengers were all men.&nbsp;

In June, four Indigenous children survived a plane crash in the Colombian Amazon and then managed to stay alive for 40 days in the jungle before being rescued in a massive search.

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Twelve people, including a baby, were killed on Sunday (Oct 29) in a small plane crash in the Brazilian Amazon. In a statement, the government of the northwestern state of Acre said that the plane, a single-engine Cessna Caravan, came down near the airport of Rio Branco shortly after takeoff.

Twelve people, including a baby, were killed on Sunday (Oct 29) in a small plane crash in the Brazilian Amazon. In a statement, the government of the northwestern state of Acre said that the plane, a single-engine Cessna Caravan, came down near the airport of Rio Branco shortly after takeoff. The plane had 10 passengers, the pilot and the co-pilot. All died at the scene, the statement said. Citing local media, the news agency AFP reported that the plane erupted in flames on impact, causing a forest fire in a remote area near Brazil's border with Peru and Bolivia. Most of the passengers were returning to the neighbouring Amazonas state after receiving medical care. Video supposedly of the crash site on social media showed flaming wreckage in the forest. This cash crash comes after 14 people were killed in a plane crash in the Brazilian on September 16. The plane was flying a group of Brazilian sport fishermen into the northern town of Barcelos, when it crashed in stormy weather, apparently after starting its descent too late and skidding off the end of the runway, officials said. Initially, local media reported that US nationals were aboard the plane, but Amazonas officials said preliminary investigations indicated all the victims were Brazilian. The passengers were all men. In June, four Indigenous children survived a plane crash in the Colombian Amazon and then managed to stay alive for 40 days in the jungle before being rescued in a massive search. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

12 people, including baby, killed in plane crash in Brazilian Amazon

Four former students of the University of Hong Kong were jailed for two years on Monday (Oct 30) for praising a knife attack on a police officer in 2021. According to a report by the news agency AFP, the students — Kinson Cheung, Kwok Wing-ho, Chris Todorovski and Yung Chung-hei — pleaded guilty to the alternative charge of "inciting others to wound police officers" that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and district judge Adriana Tse Ching sentenced them to 24 months in jail.

Four former students of the University of Hong Kong were jailed for two years on Monday (Oct 30) for praising a knife attack on a police officer in 2021. According to a report by the news agency AFP, the students — Kinson Cheung, Kwok Wing-ho, Chris Todorovski and Yung Chung-hei — pleaded guilty to the alternative charge of "inciting others to wound police officers" that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and district judge Adriana Tse Ching sentenced them to 24 months in jail. They were initially charged with inciting terrorism under the national security law that China imposed on Hong Kong following the 2019 pro-democracy protests. The attack On July 1, 2021, 50-year-old Leung Kin-fai stabbed and wounded a police officer in a busy shopping district before taking his own life in what authorities called an act of "domestic terrorism". Days later, a student union council at the University of Hong Kong passed a motion to mourn the attacker, and to "appreciate his sacrifice for Hong Kong". During the meeting of the council, the students expressed respect for Leung's act and criticised the government's characterisation of it as terrorism. On Monday, district judge Ching said the four students not only openly defied laws and targeted police officers but also used the student union council as a platform to "glorify the incident". "The Defendants were abusing their powers as members of the Executive Committee," the judgement read. Ching also pointed out the fact that the student union council's meeting got widespread local and international media coverage was also an aggravating factor. Kwok Wing-ho, who was the union's president, called the attacker a "martyr". Kwok told the court on Monday that the public sympathised with Leung after the police crackdown on the 2019 protests, AFP reported. "The clashes between police and civilians have brought Hong Kong indelible trauma," Kwok wrote in his mitigation letter to the court. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Four former Hong Kong university students jailed for glorifying attack on cop

At least 15 people were shot dead at a Halloween party in Chicago's west side on Sunday (Oct 29). A <a href="https://home.chicagopolice.org/media_incident/1200-block-of-s-pulaski-on-october-29-2023-at-approx-104-am-10th-district/">statement issued by the Chicago Police Department</a> said that the victims included six women and nine men between the ages of 26 and 53. "The offender fled on foot and was placed into custody by responding officers a short distance away. A handgun was recovered on his person and the offender was transported to the area for questioning by detectives," the statement said.

The officers responded to shots fired in the area and observed an unknown male shooting into the location where a gathering was taking place, it said The offender fled on foot and was placed into custody by responding officers a short distance away, the statement further added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/maine-shooting-deceased-shooter-suffered-from-mental-health-issues-police-652448">Maine shooting | Deceased shooter suffered from mental health issues, say police</a>

Two people were reported to be in critical condition: a 26-year-old woman who sustained a gunshot wound to the left hip and right buttocks, and a 48-year-old man who sustained a gunshot wound to the right hip, thigh, and two gunshot wounds to the left thigh.&nbsp;

This shooting in Chicago comes days after a man killed 18 people at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston and later died by suicide. Forty-year-old Robert Card was found dead inside a tractor-trailer near a recycling centre where he used to work.

Card, an army reservist, suffered from serious mental health issues, Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference, Sauschuck said that Card had reportedly been hearing voices and suffering from paranoia. "Clearly, there's a mental health component to this," he told reporters.

An investigation was on to determine the motive behind the massacre. 
 
&nbsp;

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At least 15 people were shot dead at a Halloween party in Chicago's west side on Sunday (Oct 29). A statement issued by the Chicago Police Department said that the victims included six women and nine men between the ages of 26 and 53.

At least 15 people were shot dead at a Halloween party in Chicago's west side on Sunday (Oct 29). A statement issued by the Chicago Police Department said that the victims included six women and nine men between the ages of 26 and 53. "The offender fled on foot and was placed into custody by responding officers a short distance away. A handgun was recovered on his person and the offender was transported to the area for questioning by detectives," the statement said. The officers responded to shots fired in the area and observed an unknown male shooting into the location where a gathering was taking place, it said The offender fled on foot and was placed into custody by responding officers a short distance away, the statement further added. Also read: Maine shooting | Deceased shooter suffered from mental health issues, say police Two people were reported to be in critical condition: a 26-year-old woman who sustained a gunshot wound to the left hip and right buttocks, and a 48-year-old man who sustained a gunshot wound to the right hip, thigh, and two gunshot wounds to the left thigh. This shooting in Chicago comes days after a man killed 18 people at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston and later died by suicide. Forty-year-old Robert Card was found dead inside a tractor-trailer near a recycling centre where he used to work. Card, an army reservist, suffered from serious mental health issues, Maine public safety commissioner Mike Sauschuck said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference, Sauschuck said that Card had reportedly been hearing voices and suffering from paranoia. "Clearly, there's a mental health component to this," he told reporters. An investigation was on to determine the motive behind the massacre. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US: At least 15 shot dead at Halloween party in Chicago

On Sunday (Oct 29), the Indian state of Kerala was rocked by serial blasts at a meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Ernakulam. Two women were killed and more than 50 were injured in the attack.

On Sunday (Oct 29), the Indian state of Kerala was rocked by serial blasts at a meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Ernakulam. Two women were killed and more than 50 were injured in the attack. The man, identified as Dominic Martin, was behind the attack and he was a former member of the community. Martin surrendered at a police station in Thrissur, around 40 kilometres from the site of the blasts. This explosion in Kerala caused India's national capital New Delhi, and the country's financial capital Mumbai, among others to be on alert. The explosion has raised safety concerns about members of the Jehovah's Witnesses in India. The group has about 60,000 followers in India. Who are Jehovah's Witnesses? Jehovah's Witnesses are an international Christian denomination founded in the United States around 1870. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the community is known in many countries for door-to-door evangelism. It accepts some ideas of Christianity and believes that the world will end very soon. The community believes in Jesus Christ but does not believe that he is the Almighty God. Jw.org, a website that provides all details about the community, says that the community offers prayers in Jesus' name, adding, "We believe that Jesus is the Head, or the one appointed to have authority, over every man." Also read: Kochi man claims responsibility for IED blast at religious gathering; terror angle being probed However, the website adds that it is different from other religious groups that are called Christian. "For example, we believe that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, not part of a Trinity. We do not believe that the soul is immortal, that there is any basis in Scripture for saying that God tortures people in an everlasting hell, or that those who take the lead in religious activities should have titles that elevate them above others," the website further says. The community's presence in India According to jw.org, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been present in India since 1905. The community established an office in Mumbai (then called Bombay) in 1926 and obtained legal registration in 1978. The community benefits from the guarantees of the Indian constitution, which include the right to practice, profess, and propagate one’s faith. "Jehovah’s Witnesses generally worship without hindrance in India. However, in some states, they have been victims of mob attacks and other acts of religious intolerance," the website adds. A landmark case involving the community was Bijoe Emmanuel vs State of Kerala. The case was about three children from the community- Bijoe, Binu Mol and Bindu Emmanuel, who were expelled from school in 1985 after they refused to sing India's national anthem. As per court documents, when the anthem was played during the morning assembly, the children stood respectfully but did not sing since it was against their religious faith as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Upon expulsion, their father filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court, contending that the expulsion of his children was an infringement of their fundamental rights to freedom of expression under Article 19 and freedom of religion under Article 25. The court dismissed the case, finding that “no words or thoughts” in the national anthem were capable of offending religious convictions. The father later filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court. The apex court discussed the applicability of Section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971, under which: “Whoever, intentionally prevents the singing of the National Anthem or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing shall be punished." However, the court held that standing up silently “clearly does not either prevent the singing of the National Anthem or cause disturbance to an assembly engaged in such singing.” It ruled that the expulsion from school violated the children’s rights to freedom of expression and religion. It accordingly set aside the High Court’s judgment and ordered the then Kerala government to readmit the children to school Jehovah’s Witnesses in India continue to meet with government officials and apply to the courts to protect their right to practice their religion freely. The serial blasts that shook the community The serial blasts at the three-day-long Jehovah's Witnesses convention in Kalamassery killed two women and injured more than 50 others. Addressing a press conference, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said 17 people were in intensive care with five in critical condition. Earlier, state Health Minister Veena George told the news agency Reuters that a 12-year-old girl with 95% burns was also in a critical state. Dominic Martin posted a video on Facebook claiming responsibility for the attack. "I am taking full responsibility for this. I carried out the bomb explosion. I am making this video to make it clear why I did this," Martin said in the video which was on Facebook for four hours before it disappeared. He shortly surrendered at the police station in Thrissur. Speaking to Reuters, police public relations officer Pramod Kumar said, "Dominic is still being questioned in Kochi. He is in our custody but we have not recorded his arrest so far." "We are still trying to ascertain the veracity of his statement, it will take some time. We are not in a position to confirm his involvement in the case right now, investigation is ongoing," Kumar added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: Who are Jehovah's Witnesses, the community targeted in Kerala serial blasts?

The death toll from a train crash in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday (Oct 29) has climbed to 14 with at least 50 others injured. The accident occurred in Kantakapalli, Vizianagaram when the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train stopped due to a break in an overhead cable and the Visakhapatnam-Palasa Express service rammed into it from the rear, derailing two carriages of the stationary train.

The death toll from a train crash in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday (Oct 29) has climbed to 14 with at least 50 others injured. The accident occurred in Kantakapalli, Vizianagaram when the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train stopped due to a break in an overhead cable and the Visakhapatnam-Palasa Express service rammed into it from the rear, derailing two carriages of the stationary train. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed for rescue operations. This accident comes months after nearly 300 people were killed in a train crash in Odisha's Balasore. Here's a look at the latest updates on the Andra Pradesh train tragedy: > Till now, 14 people have been killed and 50 others have been injured as authorities looked through the damaged carriages to determine what caused the collision. > On Monday, the railways ministry said a preliminary investigation found that "human error" led to "overshooting of signal" by the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada train. > "The driver of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train was responsible for the accident, as he overshot a signal and hit the rear end of the Palasa train. The driver of the Rayagada train was also killed in the accident," said Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relations Officer, East Coast Railways. > Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy paid a visit to a Vizianagaram government hospital to meet the injured passengers. > Chief Minister Reddy also conducted an aerial inspection of the train accident location. > Reddy also told officials to pay an ex-gratia amount of ₹10 lakh ($12,000) each to the kin of the deceased and ₹2 lakh ($2,400) each to the injured from the state. further announced a compensation of $2,400 each for the kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 ($600) each for the injured from other states. > On Sunday, the Prime Minister's Office said, "The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased due to the train derailment between Alamanda and Kantakapalle section. The injured would be given ₹ 50,000." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Andhra Pradesh train tragedy: Death toll climbs to 14, preliminary probe finds 'human error'

On Oct 29, 2022, a Halloween event in South Korea's capital city Seoul turned fatal after 159 people were killed in a stampede due to crowding. A year later, families of the victims have demanded a special investigation into the tragedy.

On Oct 29, 2022, a Halloween event in South Korea's capital city Seoul turned fatal after 159 people were killed in a stampede due to crowding. A year later, families of the victims have demanded a special investigation into the tragedy. According to a report by the news agency Associated Press on Monday (Oct 30), the families visited the Itaewon area, laid flowers and offered condolences at an alley where the stampede occurred. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you. I loved you,” Song Jin Young, 55, the father of one of the victims, said. The report said that the families attended multi-faith prayer services in Itaweon for their loved ones. Families demand safety minister's resignation While attending the prayer services, the families chanted slogans asking South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to offer a more sincere apology and demanded the resignation of Safety Minister Lee Sang-min. Also read: Seoul night-life hotspot marks one year of deadly Halloween crush “Apologise! Apologise!” the families shouted before they arrived at a square in Seoul for a memorial service. In a speech, Lee Jeong-min, a representative for the families, urged President Yoon to support efforts to legislate a special law to open an independent investigation into the disaster. “We did our utmost to raise our children but we couldn’t even touch them when they vanished all of sudden. Where can we talk about our resentment toward this reality?” Lee said. Lee pointed out that the special law would be the most important legislation to find the cause of the stampede and also discuss the prevention of similar disasters. Several opposition leaders criticised Yoon for failing to attend the memorial service, which ended with the crowd shouting “We’ll remember you” when names of each of the 159 victims, mostly in their 20s and 30s, were called. Top-level officials not charged An invitation was given to the president to attend the ceremony, but he instead appeared at a service for the victims at a church in Seoul. Yoon's office did not mention his absence (from the memorial), but local media said it was because of concerns that the event could be politically used by his rivals. In January, a special probe by the police concluded that police and municipal officials had failed to formulate effective crowd control steps despite correctly anticipating a huge number of people in Itaewon. As per investigators, police also ignored hotline calls by pedestrians who warned of crowding before the stampede started. Currently, over 20 police and other officials are on trial. However, the report said that no top-level officials have been charged- which is one of the reasons why the victims' families have demanded a probe. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

2022 South Korea Halloween crush: A year after tragedy, victims' kin demand special probe

Take a look at the extensive labyrinth of tunnels built by the Hamas militant group which stretches across the densely populated strip, hiding fighters, their rockets and ammunition. The tunnels inside Gaza are believed to be as much as 30m (100ft) below the surface.

Israel-Hamas war | Troops conducted overnight operation | Israeli tanks reportedly seen & firing

Former United States president Donald Trump, who is a 2024 presidential hopeful, on Saturday (Oct 28) promised the re-imposition of a controversial order that targeted a slew of mostly Muslim countries if he becomes president again.

Former United States president Donald Trump, who is a 2024 presidential hopeful, on Saturday (Oct 28) promised the re-imposition of a controversial order that targeted a slew of mostly Muslim countries if he becomes president again. Addressing a Republican Jewish convention in Las Vegas, Trump said, "We will keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country." "You remember the travel ban? On day one, I will restore our travel ban," he added. Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Trump said he would defend "our friend and ally" Israel like nobody ever has. The conflict between Israel and Hamas is "a fight between civilization and savagery, between decency and depravity, and between good and evil," he said. What is the Muslim travel ban? After winning the 2016 US presidential election, Donald Trump signed an executive order in late January 2017 that prohibited travel and refugee settlement from select predominately Muslim countries. The order banned travel to the US for 90 days from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, and also suspended the resettlement of all Syrian refugees. Also read: Trump gaining ground in New York? Poll shows dip in Biden's popularity, rise in Republican's "As President, I must act to protect the security and interests of the United States and its people. I am committed to our ongoing efforts to engage those countries willing to cooperate, improve information-sharing and identity-management protocols and procedures, and address both terrorism-related and public-safety risks," Trump said on September 24, 2017. "Some of the countries with remaining inadequacies face significant challenges. Others have made strides to improve their protocols and procedures, and I commend them for these efforts," he added. Trump pointed out that it was Washington's policy to protect American citizens from terrorist attacks and other public safety threats. Screening and vetting protocols and procedures associated with visa adjudications and other immigration processes play a critical role in implementing that policy, he said. 2017 order sparked nationwide stir According to a report by Immigration History, Trump's Muslim travel ban order sparked protests across the US at airports, and immigration rights, refugee resettlement, and civil liberties organisations undertook several legal challenges to the order on the grounds that it constituted religious discrimination. The suits against the travel bans resulted in court injunctions temporarily blocking the order and groups in opposition to the ban also blocked a second iteration of the executive order, the report said. In June 2018, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 opinion, ultimately allowed a third version of the executive order to go into force, which expanded the list of barred travellers to include nationals from Venezuela (limited to government officials) and North Korea. Two years later, the Trump administration expanded visa restrictions to six more countries–Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania–citing screening and national security concerns in those countries. Biden reverses ban Upon his victory against Trump in the 2020 presidential election, current President Joe Biden reversed the ban in his first week in office. A White House spokesperson said that Biden "was proud to overturn the vile, un-American Muslim ban enacted by Donald Trump. In a statement on January 20, 2021, Biden criticised the Muslim travel ban order. "The previous administration enacted a number of Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations that prevented certain individuals from entering the United States — first from primarily Muslim countries, and later, from largely African countries. Those actions are a stain on our national conscience and are inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all," Biden said. He said that the travel ban order undermined the US national security, and jeopardised the country's global network of alliances and partnerships. "Make no mistake, where there are threats to our Nation, we will address them," Biden added. Biden revoked the following: Executive Order 13780 of March 6, 2017 (Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States), Proclamation 9645 of September 24, 2017 (Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats), Proclamation 9723 of April 10, 2018 (Maintaining Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats), and Proclamation 9983 of January 31, 2020 (Improving Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats). He called for the resumption of visa services for the affected countries, a review of information-sharing relationships, and a plan to strengthen partnerships. "Where there are opportunities to strengthen information-sharing with partners, we will pursue them. And when visa applicants request entry to the United States, we will apply a rigorous, individualized vetting system," the president also said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Trump promises to reimpose Muslim travel ban. What is it?

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