Eight Game of Thrones Episodes To Watch Before House of The Dragon

If you wish to binge on the House of the Dragon, you might want some revisions to the Game of Thrones. While time constraints may not allow you to watch all eight seasons, some eight episodes will do the revision for you.

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1. Winter Is Coming, S01E01 - IMDb: 9/10


The way House Targaryen is far from its peak of power, 200 years after the events of House of the Dragon, gives an insight into the incredible belief into Targaryen ascent at the worst moments of their Thronian decline.


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The birth of dragons is one of the most iconic moments of the Thrones. A significant part of HotD is about dominance into seven kingdoms by the Targaryens because who can ride the dragons but a silver-haired Targaryen.


3. The Dance of the Dragons; S05E09 - IMDb: 9.4/10

The conversation between Princess Shireen Baratheon and her father Stannis details upon a key plotline of  the House of the Dragons. 'The Dance of the Dragons: A True Telling' by Grand Maeston Munkun was the book the princess read.


4. The Battle of the Bastards, S06E09 - IMDb: 9.9/10

A monumental accomplishment in dramatic storytelling, the episode was showered with seven Emmy awards. While much of the episode is set in the North, the episode begins far east in Mereen where Daenerys Targaryen fights to liberate Slaver's Bay with her three dragons. Drogon, who was never chained, demonstrates the effect of freedom on a dragon's growth.


5. The Spoils of War, S07E04 - IMDb: 9.7/10

The episode has one of the most spectacular scenes of dragon warfare. While HotD has its fair share of the same, they are yet to top the moments when Daenerys rode her dragons to shake the throne beneath Cersei Lannister.


The limitations of dragon warfare are significant and 'Beyond the Wall' shows exactly that.


The assertion that 'Madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin' holds remarkable relevance in this controversial GoT episode. The thin line between bravery and monstrosity stemming from vulnerability of character is incredibly exposed.

8. The Iron Throne, S08E06 - IMDb: 4.1/10


The episode, a blend of Machiavellian politics and Platonic realism, is a wonderful depiction of sensibilities of a dragon that holds relevance throughout the House of the Dragon.


While time constraints may not allow you to watch all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, some eight episodes will do the revision job for you.

<p>India's culture ministry informed on Sunday during the G20 Culture Group meet&nbsp;that nearly 150 artefacts are expected to be returned by the US over the next three to six months.</p>

<p>The third G20 Culture Group (CWG) meet began in Karnataka state's Hampi&nbsp;on Sunday. The G20 Culture Group Meet&nbsp;would be hosted by the ancient city dotted with numerous temple complexes from the Vijayanagara Empire&nbsp;from July 9 to 12.</p>

<p>It has emerged&nbsp;that the meeting, named&nbsp;'Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property'&nbsp;will be attended by delegates from G20 members, guest nations and several international organisations.</p>

<p>"The UNESCO convention of 1970 enjoins on signatory parties to voluntarily return those artefacts or antiquities belonging to other countries which have been taken there because of colonial plunder, or because of post-colonial misappropriation like smuggling, theft etc", Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, said, according to an official release.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-govt-says-238-stolen-smuggled-antiquities-brought-back-to-country-since-2014-590610">Indian govt says 238 stolen, smuggled antiquities brought back to country since 2014</a></strong></p>

<p>The Cultural Property Agreement being negotiated between India and US will enable the US authorities to intercept smuggled goods and artefacts and return them expeditiously, he said, adding, "Around 150 artefacts are expected to return from the US in the next three to six months."<br />
<br />
India is focused on four priorities for the G20 Culture Group meet.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India to help Greece reclaim artefacts from UK</strong></p>

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<p>"The four priority areas are -- Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property; Harnessing Living Heritage for a Sustainable Future; Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy; and Leveraging Digital Technologies for the Protection and Promotion of Culture," Govind Mohan&nbsp;added.</p>

<p>"Focus is on coming out with a joint statement along with other member countries for the Culture Ministerial Meeting to be held in August at Varanasi," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last month, during his state visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed satisfaction that the United States was going to return more than 100 Indian antiquities that had been "stolen from us".</p>

<p>"I am happy that the American government has decided to return more than 100 Indian antiquities that had been stolen from us. These antiquities may have gotten to the international market in different ways – some legal, some illegal. I express my gratitude to the American government for returning these items," Modi said during an interaction with members of the Indian-American community at the Ronald Reagan Centre in Washington DC.</p>

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<p>He added that the effort at these meetings is for all the G20 countries to become signatories to the convention which will benefit India, adding that New Delhi&nbsp;was trying to reach bilateral agreements with countries in this relation.</p>


India's culture ministry informed on Sunday during the G20 Culture Group meet that nearly 150 artefacts are expected to be returned by the US over the next three to six months.

India's culture ministry informed on Sunday during the G20 Culture Group meet that nearly 150 artefacts are expected to be returned by the US over the next three to six months. The third G20 Culture Group (CWG) meet began in Karnataka state's Hampi on Sunday. The G20 Culture Group Meet would be hosted by the ancient city dotted with numerous temple complexes from the Vijayanagara Empire from July 9 to 12. It has emerged that the meeting, named 'Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property' will be attended by delegates from G20 members, guest nations and several international organisations. "The UNESCO convention of 1970 enjoins on signatory parties to voluntarily return those artefacts or antiquities belonging to other countries which have been taken there because of colonial plunder, or because of post-colonial misappropriation like smuggling, theft etc", Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, said, according to an official release. Also read | Indian govt says 238 stolen, smuggled antiquities brought back to country since 2014 The Cultural Property Agreement being negotiated between India and US will enable the US authorities to intercept smuggled goods and artefacts and return them expeditiously, he said, adding, "Around 150 artefacts are expected to return from the US in the next three to six months." India is focused on four priorities for the G20 Culture Group meet. Also watch | India to help Greece reclaim artefacts from UK × "The four priority areas are -- Protection and Restitution of Cultural Property; Harnessing Living Heritage for a Sustainable Future; Promotion of Cultural and Creative Industries and Creative Economy; and Leveraging Digital Technologies for the Protection and Promotion of Culture," Govind Mohan added. "Focus is on coming out with a joint statement along with other member countries for the Culture Ministerial Meeting to be held in August at Varanasi," he added. Last month, during his state visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed satisfaction that the United States was going to return more than 100 Indian antiquities that had been "stolen from us". "I am happy that the American government has decided to return more than 100 Indian antiquities that had been stolen from us. These antiquities may have gotten to the international market in different ways – some legal, some illegal. I express my gratitude to the American government for returning these items," Modi said during an interaction with members of the Indian-American community at the Ronald Reagan Centre in Washington DC. 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. He added that the effort at these meetings is for all the G20 countries to become signatories to the convention which will benefit India, adding that New Delhi was trying to reach bilateral agreements with countries in this relation.

G20 Culture Group meet: India to receive 150 stolen artefacts from the US in next 6 months

<p>Al-Qaeda terrorist&nbsp;Ikramul Haque alias Abu Talha, widely described as one of 'India's most wanted', was arrested in Bangladesh along with his wife in a raid recently, Bangladesh daily Prothomalo reported. He was arrested from the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on May 30.</p>

<h2><strong>India's 'most wanted' arrested: Who is&nbsp;Ikramul Haque alias Abu Talha?</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>He is&nbsp;the top leader of the Dawah wing of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and has nearly a dozen terrorism-related cases registered against him in India. A key recruiter for Al-Qaeda in the subcontinent, the members of&nbsp;Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent arrested in India have named Abu Talha as their recruiter. He is&nbsp;known as 'Maulana Sabet' within Al-Qaeda.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Bangladeshi citizen, Talha&nbsp;entered India on a tourist visa and&nbsp;admitted himself to Deoband Seminary. He later forged an Indian identity card (Aadhaar Card)&nbsp;in the name of Noor Hossain.</p>

<p>Reports in Bangladeshi media cited CTTC officials as saying that Ikramul’s wife Faria Afrin is also a member of the women’s wing of the terror group.</p>

<h2><strong>The hunt for India's 'most wanted': How Abu Talha was arrested?</strong></h2>

<p>Talha was reportedly arrested on May 30 by Bangladesh's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) officials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a Dhaka-based intelligence source cited by Prothomalo newspaper, India’s anti-terrorism agencies had been seeking Ikramul since last year for his recruitment activities for an Al-Qaeda offshoot. Indian intelligence authorities&nbsp;discovered that Talha had escaped to Bangladesh, following which they contacted their Bangladeshi counterparts. One month before obtaining the information that Talha was one of India's 'most wanted', CTTC had detained him for similar recruitment activities for Al-Qaeda.</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/al-qaeda-says-latest-video-narrated-by-al-zawahiri-dead-for-five-months-546223">Al-Qaeda says latest video narrated by Al-Zawahiri, deemed 'dead' for five months</a></strong></p>

<p>"Ikramul Haque alias Abu Talha is the top leader of AQIS. There are at least 10 cases against him in India. He was most wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies. Recently, after some Bangladeshis were arrested as members of AQIS in Gujarat, they also named Abu Talha as a recruiter. Abu Talha along with his wife was arrested in a raid recently," the Head of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) of Dhaka and Additional Commissioner of DMP Asad Uz Zaman was quoted as saying by Bangla Tribune.</p>

<h2><strong>Abu Talha's arrest and crackdown on Al-Qaeda offshoot in India, Bangladesh</strong></h2>

<p>The crackdown on Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) started in India after the arrest of a Bangladesh-based terrorist&nbsp;by Assam Police in March 2022. According to sources cited by news agency ANI, the arrest was a result of several months of intelligence operations run by Assam Police going back to at least September 2021. Subsequently, there have been more than 50 arrests all across India. The latest of these was by Gujarat ATS last month where 5 AQIS operatives from Bangladesh were arrested.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;38-year-old teacher arrested for terror-related offences in Singapore</strong></p>

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<p>In October 2022, the Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested 8 AQIS members from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, some of them&nbsp;Bangladeshi nationals. They reportedly&nbsp;identified Inamul Haque alias Abu Talha as their top leader to Indian law enforcement agencies.</p>

<p>In May 2023, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested 4 more AQIS members from Gujarat, all Bangladeshi citizens, who too identified Ikramul Haque, alias Abu Talha, as their recruiter.</p>

<p>Talha regularly trained and recruited members for AQIS in India and Bangladesh.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Al-Qaeda terrorist Ikramul Haque alias Abu Talha, widely described as one of 'India's most wanted', was arrested in Bangladesh along with his wife in a raid recently, Bangladesh daily Prothomalo reported.

Al-Qaeda terrorist Ikramul Haque alias Abu Talha, widely described as one of 'India's most wanted', was arrested in Bangladesh along with his wife in a raid recently, Bangladesh daily Prothomalo reported. He was arrested from the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on May 30. India's 'most wanted' arrested: Who is Ikramul Haque alias Abu Talha? He is the top leader of the Dawah wing of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and has nearly a dozen terrorism-related cases registered against him in India. A key recruiter for Al-Qaeda in the subcontinent, the members of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent arrested in India have named Abu Talha as their recruiter. He is known as 'Maulana Sabet' within Al-Qaeda. A Bangladeshi citizen, Talha entered India on a tourist visa and admitted himself to Deoband Seminary. He later forged an Indian identity card (Aadhaar Card) in the name of Noor Hossain. Reports in Bangladeshi media cited CTTC officials as saying that Ikramul’s wife Faria Afrin is also a member of the women’s wing of the terror group. The hunt for India's 'most wanted': How Abu Talha was arrested? Talha was reportedly arrested on May 30 by Bangladesh's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) officials. According to a Dhaka-based intelligence source cited by Prothomalo newspaper, India’s anti-terrorism agencies had been seeking Ikramul since last year for his recruitment activities for an Al-Qaeda offshoot. Indian intelligence authorities discovered that Talha had escaped to Bangladesh, following which they contacted their Bangladeshi counterparts. One month before obtaining the information that Talha was one of India's 'most wanted', CTTC had detained him for similar recruitment activities for Al-Qaeda. Also read | Al-Qaeda says latest video narrated by Al-Zawahiri, deemed 'dead' for five months "Ikramul Haque alias Abu Talha is the top leader of AQIS. There are at least 10 cases against him in India. He was most wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies. Recently, after some Bangladeshis were arrested as members of AQIS in Gujarat, they also named Abu Talha as a recruiter. Abu Talha along with his wife was arrested in a raid recently," the Head of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) of Dhaka and Additional Commissioner of DMP Asad Uz Zaman was quoted as saying by Bangla Tribune. Abu Talha's arrest and crackdown on Al-Qaeda offshoot in India, Bangladesh The crackdown on Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) started in India after the arrest of a Bangladesh-based terrorist by Assam Police in March 2022. According to sources cited by news agency ANI, the arrest was a result of several months of intelligence operations run by Assam Police going back to at least September 2021. Subsequently, there have been more than 50 arrests all across India. The latest of these was by Gujarat ATS last month where 5 AQIS operatives from Bangladesh were arrested. Also watch | 38-year-old teacher arrested for terror-related offences in Singapore × In October 2022, the Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested 8 AQIS members from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, some of them Bangladeshi nationals. They reportedly identified Inamul Haque alias Abu Talha as their top leader to Indian law enforcement agencies. In May 2023, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested 4 more AQIS members from Gujarat, all Bangladeshi citizens, who too identified Ikramul Haque, alias Abu Talha, as their recruiter. Talha regularly trained and recruited members for AQIS in India and Bangladesh. (With inputs from agencies) 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.

Al-Qaeda recruiter, 'most wanted' in India, arrested in Bangladesh

<p>The year was 1984. Nearly half of all Indians lived in poverty. India was still seven years away from being a free-market economy. Internally, simmering tensions in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Assam states were beginning to erupt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today’s fifth largest economy of the world was not in an aspirational shape about four decades ago. But Mithun Chakraborty-starrer&nbsp;‘Disco Dancer’ (1982) was a big hit in the Soviet Union with <a href="https://twitter.com/RusEmbIndia/status/1272864543056642049">reportedly</a> 120 million tickets sold.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="A poster of Indian actor Mithun Chakraborty-starrer 'Disco Dancer' in Russian | Twitter/@RusEmbIndia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ca54529c-0670-41c8-a66d-8f7d36d416a0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-07-09T122027.561.png" /></p>

<p><em>A poster of Indian actor Mithun Chakraborty-starrer 'Disco Dancer' in Russian</em> | <em>Twitter/@RusEmbIndia</em></p>

<p>Then on one remarkable day in the spring of 1984, the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appeared on state broadcaster Doordarshan. Over the satellite link emerged Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian person in space, who began speaking from a Soviet spacecraft. Alongside him were five other members of the Soyuz T-11 space mission, all Soviet nationals.</p>

<p>Gandhi asked Sharma: “What does India look like from space?”</p>

<p>Sharma replied by quoting poet Iqbal’s famous composition: “<em>Ji main baghair kisi jhijhak se keh sakta hu, saare jahan se achha…</em>” (Without any doubt, better than the whole world.)<br />
<br />
It was one rare moment of collective national pride which the Indians of 1984 witnessed due to New Delhi’s close ties with Moscow.<br />
<img alt="Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, flight engineer Gennady Strekalov and commander Yury Malyshev alongside screengrabs of the-then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's interaction with Rakesh Sharma" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="99837563-b157-41e6-81b1-b53696c0ce06" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-07-09T123411.047.png" /></p>

<p><em>Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (centre), flight engineer Gennady Strekalov (L) and commander Yury Malyshev (R) alongside the screengrabs of the-then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's interaction with Rakesh Sharma |&nbsp;spacefacts.de/YouTube via Indian National Congress</em></p>

<section>
<p>One wonders how the millions of Indians — after they saw five Soviet nationals sitting beside their country’s first person in space — perceived the Soviets back then, if not as genuine friends of their nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The “generous collaboration” between India and Soviet Union — as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi termed the Soyuz T-11 space mission — was one of the most significant milestones in India's space journey. Rakesh Sharma going to space was&nbsp;the initial leap in the&nbsp;remarkable marathon of accomplishments that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) heralded in upcoming decades.</p>
</section>

<h2><strong>Moscow’s counter to the Washington-Islamabad-Beijing axis in India’s favour</strong></h2>

<p>India and the Soviet Union signed a comprehensive treaty of ‘Peace, Friendship and Cooperation’ on&nbsp;August 9,&nbsp;1971, the 29th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi-led ‘Quit India Movement’ for India’s freedom from the British.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Months later in December 1971, at the peak of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the then US President Richard Nixon’s administration deployed Task Force 74 of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet in the Bay of Bengal to prevent India from overrunning Pakistan. In response, the Soviets deployed two groups of cruisers and destroyers as well as a submarine armed with nuclear warheads in the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Moscow-Delhi partnership robustly countered the Washington-Beijing-Islamabad axis.</p>

<p>On December 5, 1971, the United States – sidelining the Pakistani military’s ferocious atrocities against people of present-day Bangladesh – made attempts for a UN-sponsored ceasefire. It was vetoed by the Soviet Union, twice.</p>

<p>A day later on December 6, 1971,&nbsp;India recognised Bangladesh as an independent nation.</p>

<p>Exactly 10 years before in 1961, when New Delhi liberated the Indian state of Goa from the colonial occupation of Portugal — a NATO ally — the erstwhile Soviet Union vetoed a UN security council resolution proposed by Portugal that asked India to withdraw its forces from Goa.</p>

<p>Over the decades India's military cooperation with the Soviet Union and then with Russia evolved from a buyer-seller framework to one involving joint research, development and production of advanced defence technologies and systems, reflecting the economic distance New Delhi travelled since its freedom from the British in 1947.</p>

<h2><strong>India-Russia ties: Generational goodwill cultivated over decades</strong></h2>

<p>In the 1970s, the West led by the United States — especially under US President Richard Nixon’s administration — was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/henry-kissinger-a-crooked-legacy-597010">remarkably anti-India</a> and notoriously pro-Pakistan and consciously fostered an Ivy League of jihadist organisations in India’s neighbourhood.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-tapes-reveal-former-us-president-richard-nixons-hatred-towards-indians-325427">New tapes reveal former US president Richard Nixon's 'hatred' towards Indians</a></strong></p>

<p>Indians carry with them a historical memory of a difficult past when economic growth was stagnant, prosperity was scarce and New Delhi consistently felt geopolitically cornered by the West.</p>

<p>During those moments, Indians found the Soviets beside them just like they saw five Soviet nationals alongside Rakesh Sharma on that spacecraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indians do not suffer from historical amnesia — a loss of collective national memory about a time — even as they march on to become the world’s third-largest economy in the next five years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Between India and Russia, there is a generational goodwill cultivated over decades that remains least shaken even after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imposition of the war on Ukraine.</p>

<p>Despite the optics of New Delhi’s opposition to the war in Ukraine, such as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-condemns-bucha-killings-supports-independent-investigation-468799">strongly-worded</a> “support [for] the call for an independent investigation” into alleged Russian atrocities in the Ukrainian town of Bucha early on during the war, a form of anti-Russia sentiment in New Delhi is almost non-existent.</p>

<p>This was best reflected during Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s New Delhi visit in March 2023, when a mostly Indian crowd at Raisina dialogues laughed as Lavrov claimed Russia was “trying to stop the war which was launched against us”. They subsequently applauded when Lavrov asked what the US and NATO were doing in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.</p>

<p><img alt="Sergey Lavrov in New Delhi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="67babf3f-c682-4d1a-b10d-a82b98b17c85" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-07-09T131941.720.png" /></p>

<p><em>Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov at Observer Research Foundation's Raisina 2023 dialogue in March 2023 | Mukul Sharma/WION</em></p>

<p>A Russian foreign minister, given Moscow’s scale of offensive in Ukraine, cannot expect such a reception in any other Washington-aligned capital but New Delhi.</p>

<p>(<em><strong>Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer</strong></em>)</p>

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The year was 1984. Nearly half of all Indians lived in poverty. India was still seven years away from being a free-market economy. Internally, simmering tensions in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Assam states were beginning to erupt.

The year was 1984. Nearly half of all Indians lived in poverty. India was still seven years away from being a free-market economy. Internally, simmering tensions in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Assam states were beginning to erupt. Today’s fifth largest economy of the world was not in an aspirational shape about four decades ago. But Mithun Chakraborty-starrer ‘Disco Dancer’ (1982) was a big hit in the Soviet Union with reportedly 120 million tickets sold. A poster of Indian actor Mithun Chakraborty-starrer 'Disco Dancer' in Russian | Twitter/@RusEmbIndia Then on one remarkable day in the spring of 1984, the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi appeared on state broadcaster Doordarshan. Over the satellite link emerged Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian person in space, who began speaking from a Soviet spacecraft. Alongside him were five other members of the Soyuz T-11 space mission, all Soviet nationals. Gandhi asked Sharma: “What does India look like from space?” Sharma replied by quoting poet Iqbal’s famous composition: “Ji main baghair kisi jhijhak se keh sakta hu, saare jahan se achha…” (Without any doubt, better than the whole world.) It was one rare moment of collective national pride which the Indians of 1984 witnessed due to New Delhi’s close ties with Moscow. Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (centre), flight engineer Gennady Strekalov (L) and commander Yury Malyshev (R) alongside the screengrabs of the-then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's interaction with Rakesh Sharma | spacefacts.de/YouTube via Indian National Congress One wonders how the millions of Indians — after they saw five Soviet nationals sitting beside their country’s first person in space — perceived the Soviets back then, if not as genuine friends of their nation. The “generous collaboration” between India and Soviet Union — as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi termed the Soyuz T-11 space mission — was one of the most significant milestones in India's space journey. Rakesh Sharma going to space was the initial leap in the remarkable marathon of accomplishments that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) heralded in upcoming decades. Moscow’s counter to the Washington-Islamabad-Beijing axis in India’s favour India and the Soviet Union signed a comprehensive treaty of ‘Peace, Friendship and Cooperation’ on August 9, 1971, the 29th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi-led ‘Quit India Movement’ for India’s freedom from the British. Months later in December 1971, at the peak of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the then US President Richard Nixon’s administration deployed Task Force 74 of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet in the Bay of Bengal to prevent India from overrunning Pakistan. In response, the Soviets deployed two groups of cruisers and destroyers as well as a submarine armed with nuclear warheads in the region. The Moscow-Delhi partnership robustly countered the Washington-Beijing-Islamabad axis. On December 5, 1971, the United States – sidelining the Pakistani military’s ferocious atrocities against people of present-day Bangladesh – made attempts for a UN-sponsored ceasefire. It was vetoed by the Soviet Union, twice. A day later on December 6, 1971, India recognised Bangladesh as an independent nation. Exactly 10 years before in 1961, when New Delhi liberated the Indian state of Goa from the colonial occupation of Portugal — a NATO ally — the erstwhile Soviet Union vetoed a UN security council resolution proposed by Portugal that asked India to withdraw its forces from Goa. Over the decades India's military cooperation with the Soviet Union and then with Russia evolved from a buyer-seller framework to one involving joint research, development and production of advanced defence technologies and systems, reflecting the economic distance New Delhi travelled since its freedom from the British in 1947. India-Russia ties: Generational goodwill cultivated over decades In the 1970s, the West led by the United States — especially under US President Richard Nixon’s administration — was remarkably anti-India and notoriously pro-Pakistan and consciously fostered an Ivy League of jihadist organisations in India’s neighbourhood. Also read | New tapes reveal former US president Richard Nixon's 'hatred' towards Indians Indians carry with them a historical memory of a difficult past when economic growth was stagnant, prosperity was scarce and New Delhi consistently felt geopolitically cornered by the West. During those moments, Indians found the Soviets beside them just like they saw five Soviet nationals alongside Rakesh Sharma on that spacecraft. Indians do not suffer from historical amnesia — a loss of collective national memory about a time — even as they march on to become the world’s third-largest economy in the next five years. Between India and Russia, there is a generational goodwill cultivated over decades that remains least shaken even after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imposition of the war on Ukraine. Despite the optics of New Delhi’s opposition to the war in Ukraine, such as a strongly-worded “support [for] the call for an independent investigation” into alleged Russian atrocities in the Ukrainian town of Bucha early on during the war, a form of anti-Russia sentiment in New Delhi is almost non-existent. This was best reflected during Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s New Delhi visit in March 2023, when a mostly Indian crowd at Raisina dialogues laughed as Lavrov claimed Russia was “trying to stop the war which was launched against us”. They subsequently applauded when Lavrov asked what the US and NATO were doing in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov at Observer Research Foundation's Raisina 2023 dialogue in March 2023 | Mukul Sharma/WION A Russian foreign minister, given Moscow’s scale of offensive in Ukraine, cannot expect such a reception in any other Washington-aligned capital but New Delhi. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer) 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.

Putin’s actions in Ukraine do not make Indians anti-Russia. Here’s why

<p>Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has said that the new Threads app is not aimed at promoting politics or hard news. The chief executive of one of the most-used social media applications added that the potential drawbacks associated with political content and news, such as increased scrutiny, negativity, and integrity risks, outweigh any benefits in terms of user engagement or revenue.<br />
<br />
"There are more than enough amazing communities — sports, music, fashion, beauty, entertainment, etc. — to make a vibrant platform without needing to get into politics or hard news," Mosseri was quoted as saying by The Verge.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Threads: All about Meta's new app</strong></p>

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<p>Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Threads, has distanced itself from news and politics in recent years. The social media giant has reduced the visibility of political content on Facebook and even removed the term "News" from the name of the Facebook Feed.</p>

<h2><strong>The goal is not to replace Twitter: Instagram CEO</strong></h2>

<p>Mosseri later clarified his initial statement, stating&nbsp;that Threads will not actively discourage or down-rank news or politics.<br />
<br />
However, the app will not actively pursue or prioritise them, as Facebook has done in the past.<br />
<br />
He acknowledged that Facebook may have made excessive promises to the industry in the early 2010s and pointed out the importance of learning from past mistakes.</p>

<p>While Threads may be seen as Instagram's version of Twitter, Mosseri has grander aspirations. Echoing Mark Zuckerberg's goal of reaching 1 billion users, Mosseri expressed his intention to think beyond Twitter's current challenges under new ownership.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/zuckerberg-launches-twitter-copycat-threads-app-to-outfox-elon-musk-at-microblogging-game-612460">Zuckerberg launches Twitter copycat Threads app to outfox Elon Musk at microblogging game</a></strong><br />
<br />
"The goal is not to replace Twitter. The goal is to create a public square for communities on Instagram that never really embraced Twitter and for communities on Twitter (and other platforms) that are interested in a less angry place for conversations, but not all of Twitter," he added.<br />
<br />
Threads launched recently and has already garnered significant success in terms of the number of downloads. It's still weeks away from dropping active monthly users' figures, a more reliable yardstick used to denote the success of a social media platform.<br />
<br />
So far, Threads has had over 70 million signups.</p>

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Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has said that the new Threads app is not aimed at promoting politics or hard news. The chief executive of one of the most-used social media applications added that the potential drawbacks associated with political content and news, such as increased scrutiny, negativity, and integrity risks, outweigh any benefits in terms of user engagement or revenue.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has said that the new Threads app is not aimed at promoting politics or hard news. The chief executive of one of the most-used social media applications added that the potential drawbacks associated with political content and news, such as increased scrutiny, negativity, and integrity risks, outweigh any benefits in terms of user engagement or revenue. "There are more than enough amazing communities — sports, music, fashion, beauty, entertainment, etc. — to make a vibrant platform without needing to get into politics or hard news," Mosseri was quoted as saying by The Verge. Also watch | Gravitas: Threads: All about Meta's new app × Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Threads, has distanced itself from news and politics in recent years. The social media giant has reduced the visibility of political content on Facebook and even removed the term "News" from the name of the Facebook Feed. The goal is not to replace Twitter: Instagram CEO Mosseri later clarified his initial statement, stating that Threads will not actively discourage or down-rank news or politics. However, the app will not actively pursue or prioritise them, as Facebook has done in the past. He acknowledged that Facebook may have made excessive promises to the industry in the early 2010s and pointed out the importance of learning from past mistakes. While Threads may be seen as Instagram's version of Twitter, Mosseri has grander aspirations. Echoing Mark Zuckerberg's goal of reaching 1 billion users, Mosseri expressed his intention to think beyond Twitter's current challenges under new ownership. Also read | Zuckerberg launches Twitter copycat Threads app to outfox Elon Musk at microblogging game "The goal is not to replace Twitter. The goal is to create a public square for communities on Instagram that never really embraced Twitter and for communities on Twitter (and other platforms) that are interested in a less angry place for conversations, but not all of Twitter," he added. Threads launched recently and has already garnered significant success in terms of the number of downloads. It's still weeks away from dropping active monthly users' figures, a more reliable yardstick used to denote the success of a social media platform. So far, Threads has had over 70 million signups. 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.

The goal is not to replace Twitter: Instagram boss on Threads app's future

<p>US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that the world is big enough for both the United States and China to co-exist and that there&nbsp;is "ample room" for the US and Chinese companies to boost trade and investment. Yellen's remarks came as she concluded her visit to China in a display of Washington-Beijing geo-economic showdown.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yellen said she had "direct, substantive, and productive" talks with Chinese leaders, including Premier Li Qiang and Pan Gongsheng, the Communist Party chief of China's central bank.</p>

<p>Speaking at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing with Chinese financial tycoon He Lifeng on Saturday, the US treasury secretary said a "wide swath" of the American and Chinese&nbsp;economies should be able to interact in ways that emerge "uncontroversial to both governments".</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Janet Yellen's high-stakes China visit</strong></p>

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<p>"The fact that despite recent tensions we set a record for bilateral trade in 2022 suggests there is ample room for our firms to engage in trade and investment," Yellen was quoted as saying by Financial Times.</p>

<p>Yellen repeated Washington's pitch for&nbsp;the two countries to enhance communication while being surrounded by a complicated global economic outlook.</p>

<p>"Amid a complicated global economic outlook, there is a pressing need for the two largest economies to closely communicate and exchange views on  various challenges," Yellen further said. "No one visit will solve our challenges overnight. But expect that this trip will help build a resilient and productive channel of communication."</p>

<h2>We strive to put US-China relationship on surer footing<strong>: Janet Yellen</strong></h2>

<p>Yellen's visit is the second such recent visit by a US cabinet official to Beijing in a matter of weeks as Washington appeals to a belligerent China towards cooperation despite months of inflaming geo-economic tensions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/yellen-stresses-importance-of-us-china-ties-says-decoupling-economies-impossible-612979">Yellen criticises China's 'punitive' measures against US companies, but says decoupling 'impossible'</a></strong></p>

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_ED5CECA1-A448-72C1-27D7-383634144C2E@published">"Broadly speaking, I believe that my bilateral meetings&nbsp;—&nbsp;which totalled about 10 hours over two days — served as a step forward in our effort to put the US-China relationship on surer footing," Yellen said.</p>

<h2 data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_92C3EA6B-082B-D23F-1E4E-3814C52B9911@published"><strong>US not seeking to decouple from China: Janet Yellen</strong></h2>

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_92C3EA6B-082B-D23F-1E4E-3814C52B9911@published">Yellen added that the United States is not seeking to decouple from China. It would be&nbsp;"disastrous for both countries and destabilising for the world" and "virtually impossible to undertake."</p>

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_3B55A774-1A17-D1E0-A883-38430F870E70@published">"There is an important distinction between decoupling, on the one hand, and on the other hand, diversifying critical supply chains or taking targeted national security actions," she said.</p>

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US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that the world is big enough for both the United States and China to co-exist and that there is "ample room" for the US and Chinese companies to boost trade and investment.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that the world is big enough for both the United States and China to co-exist and that there is "ample room" for the US and Chinese companies to boost trade and investment. Yellen's remarks came as she concluded her visit to China in a display of Washington-Beijing geo-economic showdown. Yellen said she had "direct, substantive, and productive" talks with Chinese leaders, including Premier Li Qiang and Pan Gongsheng, the Communist Party chief of China's central bank. Speaking at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing with Chinese financial tycoon He Lifeng on Saturday, the US treasury secretary said a "wide swath" of the American and Chinese economies should be able to interact in ways that emerge "uncontroversial to both governments". Also watch | Janet Yellen's high-stakes China visit × "The fact that despite recent tensions we set a record for bilateral trade in 2022 suggests there is ample room for our firms to engage in trade and investment," Yellen was quoted as saying by Financial Times. Yellen repeated Washington's pitch for the two countries to enhance communication while being surrounded by a complicated global economic outlook. "Amid a complicated global economic outlook, there is a pressing need for the two largest economies to closely communicate and exchange views on  various challenges," Yellen further said. "No one visit will solve our challenges overnight. But expect that this trip will help build a resilient and productive channel of communication." We strive to put US-China relationship on surer footing: Janet Yellen Yellen's visit is the second such recent visit by a US cabinet official to Beijing in a matter of weeks as Washington appeals to a belligerent China towards cooperation despite months of inflaming geo-economic tensions. Also read | Yellen criticises China's 'punitive' measures against US companies, but says decoupling 'impossible' "Broadly speaking, I believe that my bilateral meetings — which totalled about 10 hours over two days — served as a step forward in our effort to put the US-China relationship on surer footing," Yellen said. US not seeking to decouple from China: Janet Yellen Yellen added that the United States is not seeking to decouple from China. It would be "disastrous for both countries and destabilising for the world" and "virtually impossible to undertake." "There is an important distinction between decoupling, on the one hand, and on the other hand, diversifying critical supply chains or taking targeted national security actions," she 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.

World is ‘big enough for both our countries to thrive’: Janet Yellen tells China

<p>Monsoon rains over the past 48 hours have resulted in the loss of at least 12 lives in various cities and towns of northern India. India's weather department, the&nbsp;India Meteorological Department (IMD), says that it expects&nbsp;more rain&nbsp;in the upcoming days.</p>

<h2><strong>Monsoon mayhem: Heavy rainfall forecasts</strong></h2>

<p>Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir are all expected to receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, as per the IMD's forecasts.</p>

<p>The prevailing western disturbance in northern India has led to an intense rainfall event, including in Delhi, where the season's first heavy rain was observed.</p>

<h2><strong>India monsoon updates: Waterlogging, traffic congestion in the national capital</strong></h2>

<p>This excessive rainfall has caused waterlogging in several areas of the national capital, resulting in severe traffic congestion.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-receives-heaviest-july-rainfall-in-more-than-two-decades-imd-issues-yellow-alert-613550">Delhi receives heaviest July rainfall in more than two decades, IMD issues 'yellow' alert</a></strong></p>

<p>In a span of 24 hours, Delhi recorded a remarkable 153 mm of rainfall, the highest for a single day in July since 1982.</p>

<p>Over the weekend, heavy rain persisted in Delhi and its adjacent National Capital Region (NCR), leading to waterlogging and power outages in various parts of Gurugram.</p>

<h2><strong>Monsoon mayhem strikes Northern India</strong></h2>

<p>A 58-year-old woman lost her life in Delhi when the ceiling of her apartment collapsed on her, while four individuals lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Rajasthan.</p>

<p>In Uttar Pradesh state's Muzaffarnagar, about 128 km from New Delhi, a woman and her six-year-old daughter were killed early on Sunday morning when their house collapsed due to the heavy rain.</p>

<p>In Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, three members of a family lost their lives in a similar incident.</p>

<p>In Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, two Army soldiers tragically died after being swept away in flash floods yesterday.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Jammu &amp; Kashmir: Rescue operation underway to trace two Indian Army personnel washed away in the Poshana river in Poonch <a href="https://t.co/zWl5ofhO0o">pic.twitter.com/zWl5ofhO0o</a></p>
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<p>The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in over nine districts of Rajasthan, namely Rajsamand, Jalore, Pali, Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Dausa, Dhaulpur, Jaipur, and Kota.</p>

<p>Due to the relentless rain and landslides, the annual Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir has been suspended for the third consecutive day.</p>

<p>A section of the Srinagar-Jammu Highway has suffered a collapse, leaving around 3,000 vehicles stranded.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Jammu &amp; Kashmir: Road in Chabba Seri at<br />
Jammu Srinagar National Highway (NH44) washed away due to heavy rainfall. <a href="https://t.co/4yoyROOUMm">pic.twitter.com/4yoyROOUMm</a></p>
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<p>Down south, Kerala and Karnataka have also experienced incessant rainfall in many areas. The IMD has issued a "yellow" alert for four districts in Kerala—Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod.</p>

<p>The weather office has issued a "red" alert for seven districts in Himachal Pradesh following landslides and flash floods that have blocked several roads in Shimla, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, and Solan.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Cars swept away by an overflowing river near Manali, a popular tourist destination in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Heavyrainfall?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Heavyrainfall</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/manali?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#manali</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeavyRain?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeavyRain</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> <a href="https://t.co/ujPwdvzpKk">pic.twitter.com/ujPwdvzpKk</a></p>
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<p>Furthermore, in the Kullu district, a portion of the national highway was washed away as the Beas River breached the danger mark.</p>

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Monsoon rains over the past 48 hours have resulted in the loss of at least 12 lives in various cities and towns of northern India. India's weather department, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), says that it expects more rain in the upcoming days.

Monsoon rains over the past 48 hours have resulted in the loss of at least 12 lives in various cities and towns of northern India. India's weather department, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), says that it expects more rain in the upcoming days. Monsoon mayhem: Heavy rainfall forecasts Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir are all expected to receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, as per the IMD's forecasts. The prevailing western disturbance in northern India has led to an intense rainfall event, including in Delhi, where the season's first heavy rain was observed. India monsoon updates: Waterlogging, traffic congestion in the national capital This excessive rainfall has caused waterlogging in several areas of the national capital, resulting in severe traffic congestion. Also read | Delhi receives heaviest July rainfall in more than two decades, IMD issues 'yellow' alert In a span of 24 hours, Delhi recorded a remarkable 153 mm of rainfall, the highest for a single day in July since 1982. Over the weekend, heavy rain persisted in Delhi and its adjacent National Capital Region (NCR), leading to waterlogging and power outages in various parts of Gurugram. Monsoon mayhem strikes Northern India A 58-year-old woman lost her life in Delhi when the ceiling of her apartment collapsed on her, while four individuals lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Rajasthan. In Uttar Pradesh state's Muzaffarnagar, about 128 km from New Delhi, a woman and her six-year-old daughter were killed early on Sunday morning when their house collapsed due to the heavy rain. In Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, three members of a family lost their lives in a similar incident. In Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, two Army soldiers tragically died after being swept away in flash floods yesterday. #WATCH | Jammu & Kashmir: Rescue operation underway to trace two Indian Army personnel washed away in the Poshana river in Poonch pic.twitter.com/zWl5ofhO0o — ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2023 × The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in over nine districts of Rajasthan, namely Rajsamand, Jalore, Pali, Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Dausa, Dhaulpur, Jaipur, and Kota. Due to the relentless rain and landslides, the annual Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir has been suspended for the third consecutive day. A section of the Srinagar-Jammu Highway has suffered a collapse, leaving around 3,000 vehicles stranded. #WATCH | Jammu & Kashmir: Road in Chabba Seri at Jammu Srinagar National Highway (NH44) washed away due to heavy rainfall. pic.twitter.com/4yoyROOUMm — ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2023 × Down south, Kerala and Karnataka have also experienced incessant rainfall in many areas. The IMD has issued a "yellow" alert for four districts in Kerala—Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod. The weather office has issued a "red" alert for seven districts in Himachal Pradesh following landslides and flash floods that have blocked several roads in Shimla, Sirmaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, and Solan. #WATCH | Cars swept away by an overflowing river near Manali, a popular tourist destination in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.#Heavyrainfall #manali #HeavyRain #India pic.twitter.com/ujPwdvzpKk — WION (@WIONews) July 9, 2023 × Furthermore, in the Kullu district, a portion of the national highway was washed away as the Beas River breached the danger mark. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Watch | Monsoon mayhem submerges parts of India's north; at least 12 dead

<p>In one of the biggest protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's justice system reforms, tens of thousands reportedly gathered on Saturday in Tel Aviv, Israel's top business hub.&nbsp;According to N12 News and Channel 13, while a huge number of people&nbsp;participated in demonstrations across the world, the rally in Tel Aviv drew significantly larger crowds.</p>

<p>The wave of protests began in January when the government announced plans to overhaul the judiciary, which critics said, would reduce the Supreme Court's powers and grant the coalition more influence in appointing judges.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/middle-east/thousands-of-israelis-again-took-to-streets-to-protest-government-judicial-reforms-582928">Thousands of Israelis again hit the streets to protest government judicial reforms</a></strong></p>

<p>The protests had subsided somewhat in late March when Netanyahu, facing domestic pressure, suspended the reform plan to engage in compromise talks with opposition parties while aiming to reach a broad agreement on justice reforms.</p>

<h2><strong>Netanyahu's standoff on justice system reforms</strong></h2>

<p>The talks between the Netanyahu government and the opposition parties did not yield any results last month, following which Netanyahu revived his government's pursuit to rein in what it says is an overreaching, left-leaning, and elitist Supreme Court.</p>

<p>He claimed that the new proposals are more moderate in nature.</p>

<h2><strong>Israel judicial reforms: Parliamentary vote next week</strong></h2>

<p>The Israeli Parliament, Knesset, is scheduled to conduct the first of three votes on the initial bill next week.</p>

<p>This is after a legislative committee chaired by a Netanyahu ally last week approved a bill that would prevent Israel's courts from scrutinising the “reasonableness” of decisions made by elected officials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The legislature could hold a preliminary vote on the bill as early as Monday.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-protests-clashes-breaks-out-as-judicial-reform-protest-enters-26th-week-611511">Israel Protests: Clashes breaks out as Judicial reform protest enters 26th week</a></strong></p>

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<p>The aforementioned bill aims to limit the Supreme Court's power to overturn decisions made by the government, ministers, and elected officials.</p>

<p>Opposition parties argue that this step represents a dangerous erosion of judicial independence, which could ultimately subject the Supreme Court to political influence and pave the way for corruption.</p>

<p>Benjamin Netanyahu faces an ongoing corruption trial. Amid that, he has sought to reassure Western allies and foreign investors that the proposed changes will enhance the separation of powers within the government.</p>

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In one of the biggest protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's justice system reforms, tens of thousands reportedly gathered on Saturday in Tel Aviv, Israel's top business hub.

In one of the biggest protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's justice system reforms, tens of thousands reportedly gathered on Saturday in Tel Aviv, Israel's top business hub. According to N12 News and Channel 13, while a huge number of people participated in demonstrations across the world, the rally in Tel Aviv drew significantly larger crowds. The wave of protests began in January when the government announced plans to overhaul the judiciary, which critics said, would reduce the Supreme Court's powers and grant the coalition more influence in appointing judges. Also read | Thousands of Israelis again hit the streets to protest government judicial reforms The protests had subsided somewhat in late March when Netanyahu, facing domestic pressure, suspended the reform plan to engage in compromise talks with opposition parties while aiming to reach a broad agreement on justice reforms. Netanyahu's standoff on justice system reforms The talks between the Netanyahu government and the opposition parties did not yield any results last month, following which Netanyahu revived his government's pursuit to rein in what it says is an overreaching, left-leaning, and elitist Supreme Court. He claimed that the new proposals are more moderate in nature. Israel judicial reforms: Parliamentary vote next week The Israeli Parliament, Knesset, is scheduled to conduct the first of three votes on the initial bill next week. This is after a legislative committee chaired by a Netanyahu ally last week approved a bill that would prevent Israel's courts from scrutinising the “reasonableness” of decisions made by elected officials. The legislature could hold a preliminary vote on the bill as early as Monday. Also watch | Israel Protests: Clashes breaks out as Judicial reform protest enters 26th week × The aforementioned bill aims to limit the Supreme Court's power to overturn decisions made by the government, ministers, and elected officials. Opposition parties argue that this step represents a dangerous erosion of judicial independence, which could ultimately subject the Supreme Court to political influence and pave the way for corruption. Benjamin Netanyahu faces an ongoing corruption trial. Amid that, he has sought to reassure Western allies and foreign investors that the proposed changes will enhance the separation of powers within the government. 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.

Israel judicial reforms: Testing times for Netanyahu as countrywide protests expand

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<p>Philippines flagged an unprecedented show of maritime assertion by China after dozens of Chinese fishing vessels were seen being escorted by the Chinese Coast Guard and Navy near the Iroquois Reef and the Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea that Manila claims as its own as part of its exclusive economic zone.</p>

<p>China refers to the West Philippine Sea as the South China Sea and the dispute has been internationalised by the latter nomenclature.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>China-Philippines&nbsp;tensions: Latest escalation</strong></h2>

<p>The Filipino military's Western Command (WESCOM) issued a statement earlier this week that said that the number of Chinese fishing vessels "swarming" the Iroquois Reef rose to 47 in June 2023.</p>

<p>"China must cease its swarming of vessels to respect our sovereign rights," Ariel Coloma, spokesperson for the Western Command, said in an official statement.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;US-Philippines exercise in South China sea; China irked by America's growing presence in sea</strong></p>

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<p>The Philippine military said their flights had also recorded the presence of three China Coast Guard ships and two Chinese navy vessels "regularly loitering" at Sabina Shoal, which is inside the country’s special economic zone.<br />
"These developments raise alarming concerns about China's intentions and actions within these disputed waters," WESCOM said.</p>

<p>Open Source Intelligence Monitor on social media said that the area is close to the oil and natural gas-rich Reed Tablemount.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Philippines' rights over West Philippine Sea internationally recognised</strong></h2>

<p>The Philippines won a landmark arbitration case in 2016 that invalidated China's expansive claims in the West Philippine Sea that Beijing continues to designate as the South China Sea.</p>

<p>According to trade figures published by Reuters, about $3 trillion worth of sea-borne goods pass through the disputed maritime region every year.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-china-operate-balloons-to-spy-on-several-countries-including-india-and-japan-559989">Did China operate 'balloons' to spy on several countries, including India and Japan?</a></strong></p>

<p>The ruling, which treaty ally the United States backs and China refuses to recognise, clarified Philippine sovereign rights in its 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to access offshore oil and gas fields, including the Reed Bank, where a natural gas exploration project operated by Philippine firm PXP Energy Corp has been stalled.</p>

<p>In recent years, satellite imagery has shown China’s increased efforts to reclaim land in the West Philippine Sea by physically increasing the size of islands or creating new artificial islands altogether.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Beijing has literally piled sand onto existing reefs,&nbsp;and constructed ports, military installations, and airstrips.</p>

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Philippines flagged an unprecedented show of maritime assertion by China after dozens of Chinese fishing vessels were seen being escorted by the Chinese Coast Guard and Navy near the Iroquois Reef and the Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea that Manila claims as its own as part of its exclusive economic zone.

Philippines flagged an unprecedented show of maritime assertion by China after dozens of Chinese fishing vessels were seen being escorted by the Chinese Coast Guard and Navy near the Iroquois Reef and the Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea that Manila claims as its own as part of its exclusive economic zone. China refers to the West Philippine Sea as the South China Sea and the dispute has been internationalised by the latter nomenclature. China-Philippines tensions: Latest escalation The Filipino military's Western Command (WESCOM) issued a statement earlier this week that said that the number of Chinese fishing vessels "swarming" the Iroquois Reef rose to 47 in June 2023. "China must cease its swarming of vessels to respect our sovereign rights," Ariel Coloma, spokesperson for the Western Command, said in an official statement. Also watch | US-Philippines exercise in South China sea; China irked by America's growing presence in sea × The Philippine military said their flights had also recorded the presence of three China Coast Guard ships and two Chinese navy vessels "regularly loitering" at Sabina Shoal, which is inside the country’s special economic zone. "These developments raise alarming concerns about China's intentions and actions within these disputed waters," WESCOM said. Open Source Intelligence Monitor on social media said that the area is close to the oil and natural gas-rich Reed Tablemount. Philippines' rights over West Philippine Sea internationally recognised The Philippines won a landmark arbitration case in 2016 that invalidated China's expansive claims in the West Philippine Sea that Beijing continues to designate as the South China Sea. According to trade figures published by Reuters, about $3 trillion worth of sea-borne goods pass through the disputed maritime region every year. Also read | Did China operate 'balloons' to spy on several countries, including India and Japan? The ruling, which treaty ally the United States backs and China refuses to recognise, clarified Philippine sovereign rights in its 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to access offshore oil and gas fields, including the Reed Bank, where a natural gas exploration project operated by Philippine firm PXP Energy Corp has been stalled. In recent years, satellite imagery has shown China’s increased efforts to reclaim land in the West Philippine Sea by physically increasing the size of islands or creating new artificial islands altogether. Beijing has literally piled sand onto existing reefs, and constructed ports, military installations, and airstrips. 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.

Philippines accuses China of violating its special economic zone with 'swarming' fishing vessels

A Game of Thrones Guide Into Making Of A Dictator

All her life, Daenerys was driven by purpose of sitting on iron throne— and Cersei — to keep the Lannister's hegemony over it.


Even during their lowest of lows, they believe they are irreplaceable.

More often than not, they are alone in life


When the Red Keep fell to Danaerys' dragons, Cersei was alone. When Daenerys chose to burn down King's Landing, she was alone.

They want to break the existing "wheel" of rules of the game of power.


Daenerys chose the extremes 'bend the knee' or 'die'. She didn't choose to negotiate even when she had a choice. 

Daenerys Targaryen's faith monologue to Jon Snow reflected her faith in her destiny that she was meant to be on the Iron Throne. 

Among the leaders, there were tyrants. This is your Game of Thrones guide into making of a tyrant

<p>Chinese leader Xi Jinping renewed Beijing's territorial assertiveness and&nbsp;called upon the country's military to enhance its combat readiness to ensure victory in actual combat, Xinhua news agency reported. Xi made the call while addressing the troops of Eastern Theater Command responsible for securing the&nbsp;disputed international boundaries in eastern China, including the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-9">"We must persist in thinking and handling military issues from a political perspective, dare to fight, be good at fighting, and resolutely defend our national sovereignty, security, and development interests," Xi told the Eastern Theatre Command.</p>

<p>Beijing renewed its&nbsp;aggression against Taiwan in 2019 when it&nbsp;crossed the median line&nbsp;—&nbsp;a maritime boundary that demarcates Taiwan from mainland China&nbsp;—&nbsp;for the first time in 20 years.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-cautions-top-chinese-officials-to-prepare-for-worst-case-scenarios-598918">Xi Jinping tells national security team to prepare for ‘worst case scenarios’, warns of ‘stormy seas’</a></strong></p>

<p>Earlier this year, soon after cementing his control over the Communist Party of China for an unprecedented third term, Xi&nbsp;had&nbsp;called on Chinese forces to enhance their&nbsp;ability to safeguard national security and turn its military into a "Great Wall of Steel".</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-10">In April, Xi inspected the Southern Theater Command, whose sphere of responsibility includes the South China Sea, whose status remains disputed.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-11">Xi had&nbsp;similarly stressed the need to deepen military training and preparation.</p>

<h2 data-testid="paragraph-11"><strong>China's 'unification' goal&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>China released a white paper in August 2022, just days after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.</p>

<p>It sought to realise "China's complete reunification" as a "historic mission" of the Communist Party of China (CPC).</p>

<p>But conventional military means are not in the Chinese books of strategy.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;World leaders lining up to meet Xi Jinping</strong></p>

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<p>The Science of Military Strategy,&nbsp;the guiding text for the Chinese military,&nbsp;aims at creating a new normal in its favour by repeatedly indulging in incursion-based armed movements&nbsp;— just like what it does alongside the Line of Actual Control with India.</p>

<p>"The only difference is that in the case of India, they use&nbsp;border defence units and in the South China Sea, they use maritime militia,"&nbsp;Suyash Desai, Taiwan-based research scholar&nbsp;on China's military and foreign policy, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwans-extended-conscription-and-loss-of-face-for-xi-jinping-547113">told</a> WION in December 2022.</p>

<p>"But the People's Republic of China&nbsp;uses the People's Liberation Army&nbsp;with Taiwan, which makes the dispute much more escalatory," Desai had added.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-11"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Chinese leader Xi Jinping renewed Beijing's territorial assertiveness and called upon the country's military to enhance its combat readiness to ensure victory in actual combat, Xinhua news agency reported.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping renewed Beijing's territorial assertiveness and called upon the country's military to enhance its combat readiness to ensure victory in actual combat, Xinhua news agency reported. Xi made the call while addressing the troops of Eastern Theater Command responsible for securing the disputed international boundaries in eastern China, including the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. "We must persist in thinking and handling military issues from a political perspective, dare to fight, be good at fighting, and resolutely defend our national sovereignty, security, and development interests," Xi told the Eastern Theatre Command. Beijing renewed its aggression against Taiwan in 2019 when it crossed the median line — a maritime boundary that demarcates Taiwan from mainland China — for the first time in 20 years. Also read | Xi Jinping tells national security team to prepare for ‘worst case scenarios’, warns of ‘stormy seas’ Earlier this year, soon after cementing his control over the Communist Party of China for an unprecedented third term, Xi had called on Chinese forces to enhance their ability to safeguard national security and turn its military into a "Great Wall of Steel". In April, Xi inspected the Southern Theater Command, whose sphere of responsibility includes the South China Sea, whose status remains disputed. Xi had similarly stressed the need to deepen military training and preparation. China's 'unification' goal China released a white paper in August 2022, just days after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. It sought to realise "China's complete reunification" as a "historic mission" of the Communist Party of China (CPC). But conventional military means are not in the Chinese books of strategy. Also watch | World leaders lining up to meet Xi Jinping × The Science of Military Strategy, the guiding text for the Chinese military, aims at creating a new normal in its favour by repeatedly indulging in incursion-based armed movements — just like what it does alongside the Line of Actual Control with India. "The only difference is that in the case of India, they use border defence units and in the South China Sea, they use maritime militia," Suyash Desai, Taiwan-based research scholar on China's military and foreign policy, told WION in December 2022. "But the People's Republic of China uses the People's Liberation Army with Taiwan, which makes the dispute much more escalatory," Desai had added. (With inputs from agencies) 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.

Xi Jinping asks troops to be combat-ready, flexes military muscle against Taiwan

<p>Silvio Berlusconi, the scandalous former Italian prime minister who died in June at the age of 86, has left&nbsp;€100 million (over&nbsp;₹9 billion or $108.9mn) to his girlfriend Marta Fascina, 33.</p>

<p>As per the will, Berlusconi left&nbsp;control of his business empire to his two eldest children — aged 56 and 54 —&nbsp;and another €30 million (over ₹2.7 billion) to a business associate.</p>

<p>The details of Berlusconi’s will were released on Thursday (July 6), about&nbsp;three weeks after thousands&nbsp;attended the three-time prime minister’s state funeral in Milan.</p>

<p>Berlusconi succumbed to Leaukaemia on June 12.</p>

<h2>Silvio Berlusconi-Marta Fascina's mock marriage</h2>

<p>Berlusconi last year called off a marriage ceremony with Fascina after reportedly being convinced by his children from tying the knot.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/who-was-silvio-berlusconi-the-ex-italian-pm-who-died-at-86-check-net-worth-cause-of-death-controversies-603463">Who was Silvio Berlusconi, the ex-Italian PM who died at 86? Check net worth, cause of death &amp; controversies</a></strong></p>

<p>In an optically vibrant&nbsp;mock wedding ceremony, the couple walked up the aisle of a chapel, exchanged rings and cut a cake but did not really marry.</p>

<h2><b>Who is Marta Fascina?</b></h2>

<p>Marta Fascina, 33, is an MP with Berlusconi's Forza Italia. Fascina is reportedly expected to take&nbsp;an influential role in the late leader's party despite being nicknamed 'the Mute' by party colleagues, according to a report in The Times.</p>

<h2><strong>Berlusconi's will: How else got what?</strong></h2>

<p>After Fascina, the second top&nbsp;beneficiary of Berlusconi’s wealth was Marcello Dell’Utri, 81. Dell'Utri is known to have&nbsp;helped Berlusconi launch Forza Italia in 1994.</p>

<p>Dell'Utri was jailed in 2014 for four years for alleged dealings with the Sicilian mafia. He served out his time in prison following an extradition from Lebanon&nbsp;where he had fled before sentencing.</p>

<p>In the will, Berlusconi gave up his stake in his holding company Fininvest to leave his two oldest children Marina, 56, and Pier Silvio, 54, with a combined 53 per cent controlling stake.</p>

<p>Marina is chairwoman at Fininvest and also runs publishing company Mondadori. Her brother Pier Silvio manages the TV network MFE.</p>

<p>A combined minority stake of 47 per cent stays in the hands of Berlusconi’s three children from his second marriage, Barbara, 38, Eleonora, 37, and Luigi, 34.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Silvio Berlusconi dies at the age of 86 | Italy News</strong></p>

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<p>"The 53 per cent for Marina and Pier Silvio is a sign of stability and continuity, showing they are the children who will continue to run things," Alan Friedman, a Berlusconi biographer was quoted as saying by The Times.</p>

<p>"This was touted as the real life version of the TV show Succession, but its more like Star Trek: Next Generation."</p>

<p>Berlusconi's party is a partner in the coalition government run by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.</p>

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Silvio Berlusconi, the scandalous former Italian prime minister who died in June at the age of 86, has left €100 million (over ₹9 billion or $108.9mn) to his girlfriend Marta Fascina, 33.

Silvio Berlusconi, the scandalous former Italian prime minister who died in June at the age of 86, has left €100 million (over ₹9 billion or $108.9mn) to his girlfriend Marta Fascina, 33. As per the will, Berlusconi left control of his business empire to his two eldest children — aged 56 and 54 — and another €30 million (over ₹2.7 billion) to a business associate. The details of Berlusconi’s will were released on Thursday (July 6), about three weeks after thousands attended the three-time prime minister’s state funeral in Milan. Berlusconi succumbed to Leaukaemia on June 12. Silvio Berlusconi-Marta Fascina's mock marriage Berlusconi last year called off a marriage ceremony with Fascina after reportedly being convinced by his children from tying the knot. Also read | Who was Silvio Berlusconi, the ex-Italian PM who died at 86? Check net worth, cause of death & controversies In an optically vibrant mock wedding ceremony, the couple walked up the aisle of a chapel, exchanged rings and cut a cake but did not really marry. Who is Marta Fascina? Marta Fascina, 33, is an MP with Berlusconi's Forza Italia. Fascina is reportedly expected to take an influential role in the late leader's party despite being nicknamed 'the Mute' by party colleagues, according to a report in The Times. Berlusconi's will: How else got what? After Fascina, the second top beneficiary of Berlusconi’s wealth was Marcello Dell’Utri, 81. Dell'Utri is known to have helped Berlusconi launch Forza Italia in 1994. Dell'Utri was jailed in 2014 for four years for alleged dealings with the Sicilian mafia. He served out his time in prison following an extradition from Lebanon where he had fled before sentencing. In the will, Berlusconi gave up his stake in his holding company Fininvest to leave his two oldest children Marina, 56, and Pier Silvio, 54, with a combined 53 per cent controlling stake. Marina is chairwoman at Fininvest and also runs publishing company Mondadori. Her brother Pier Silvio manages the TV network MFE. A combined minority stake of 47 per cent stays in the hands of Berlusconi’s three children from his second marriage, Barbara, 38, Eleonora, 37, and Luigi, 34. Also watch | Silvio Berlusconi dies at the age of 86 | Italy News × "The 53 per cent for Marina and Pier Silvio is a sign of stability and continuity, showing they are the children who will continue to run things," Alan Friedman, a Berlusconi biographer was quoted as saying by The Times. "This was touted as the real life version of the TV show Succession, but its more like Star Trek: Next Generation." Berlusconi's party is a partner in the coalition government run by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. 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.

Berlusconi's girlfriend, 53 years junior to him, will get over $100mn; children to inherit businesses

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