Italy's Silvio&nbsp;Berlusconi&nbsp;was forced to clarify on Friday remarks about long-time friend Vladimir Putin after suggesting the Russian leader was "pushed" by his entourage into invading Ukraine.

The 85-year-old former prime minister's party is expected to return to power following Italian general elections on Sunday as a junior partner in a government led by Giorgia Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy.

"Putin has fallen into a truly difficult and dramatic situation,"&nbsp;Berlusconi&nbsp;told Rai television late Thursday.

He said a delegation of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region went to Moscow to appeal for help against what they claimed were attacks by Ukrainian forces.

"Putin was pushed by the Russian population, by his party, by his ministers, to invent this special operation... to enter and within a week reach Kyiv, replace the (Volodymyr) Zelensky government with good people and in another week go back,"&nbsp;Berlusconi&nbsp;said.

His comments sparked an outcry in Italy, prompting the former premier to insist he was misunderstood and had just been reporting what others had said.

"The aggression against Ukraine is unjustifiable and unacceptable," he said in a statement on Friday, offering his support for the EU and NATO.

Enrico Letta, head of the centre-left Democratic Party, called his comments "scandalous".

Berlusconi&nbsp;has long been friends with Putin. The other member of his alliance with Meloni, League leader Matteo Salvini, has in the past often expressed admiration for the Russian president.

Meloni strongly supports, however, the policy of the outgoing Italian government in sending weapons to Ukraine and backing Western sanctions against Russia.

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Italy's Silvio Berlusconi was forced to clarify on Friday remarks about long-time friend Vladimir Putin after suggesting the Russian leader was "pushed" by his entourage into invading Ukraine.

Italy's Silvio Berlusconi was forced to clarify on Friday remarks about long-time friend Vladimir Putin after suggesting the Russian leader was "pushed" by his entourage into invading Ukraine. The 85-year-old former prime minister's party is expected to return to power following Italian general elections on Sunday as a junior partner in a government led by Giorgia Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy. "Putin has fallen into a truly difficult and dramatic situation," Berlusconi told Rai television late Thursday. He said a delegation of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region went to Moscow to appeal for help against what they claimed were attacks by Ukrainian forces. "Putin was pushed by the Russian population, by his party, by his ministers, to invent this special operation... to enter and within a week reach Kyiv, replace the (Volodymyr) Zelensky government with good people and in another week go back," Berlusconi said. His comments sparked an outcry in Italy, prompting the former premier to insist he was misunderstood and had just been reporting what others had said. "The aggression against Ukraine is unjustifiable and unacceptable," he said in a statement on Friday, offering his support for the EU and NATO. Enrico Letta, head of the centre-left Democratic Party, called his comments "scandalous". Berlusconi has long been friends with Putin. The other member of his alliance with Meloni, League leader Matteo Salvini, has in the past often expressed admiration for the Russian president. Meloni strongly supports, however, the policy of the outgoing Italian government in sending weapons to Ukraine and backing Western sanctions against Russia. 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.

Former Italy premier Silvio Berlusconi clarifies Putin 'pushed' into Ukraine war remark

Amid public outrage and nationwide protest in Iran over the death of a woman in the morality police's custody, the country's army warned on Friday (September 23) that it would "confront the enemies" to ensure security and peace.

Amid public outrage and nationwide protest in Iran over the death of a woman in the morality police's custody, the country's army warned on Friday (September 23) that it would "confront the enemies" to ensure security and peace. The army said, "These desperate actions are part of the evil strategy of the enemy to weaken the Islamic regime." The military also said that it would "confront the enemies' various plots to ensure security and peace for the people who are being unjustly assaulted." Protests erupted in Iran and some other parts of the world after the authorities in the Islamic Republic announced the death of a young woman, who was arrested by the morality police last week. The 22-year-old Mahsa Amini had been held for allegedly wearing a hijab headscarf in an "improper" way. ALSO READ | Female news anchor 'refuses demand to wear hijab', Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi cancels interview As per the reports by the AsrIran website, intelligence minister Mahmoud Alavi on Friday warned "seditionists" that their "dream of defeating religious values and the great achievements of the revolution will never be realized." Iranian news websites reported that Iran's intelligence ministry warned on Thursday that attending protests over the death of a woman in police custody is illegal and demonstrators would face prosecution. WATCH | Iran anti-hijab protest: Iranian police battle protesters in Tehran × ALSO READ | Iran's president pledges probe of woman's death that sparked protests Iran president vows probe Meanwhile, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday said that Amini's death needed to be investigated, but he also accused Western powers of hypocrisy for raising concerns. While speaking at a news conference in New York where he attended the UN General Assembly sesssion, Raisi said Amini was not beaten, a finding rejected by protesters. Raisi said, "But I don't want to rush to a conclusion. If there is a party at fault, it certainly must be investigated. I contacted the family of the deceased at the very first opportunity and I assured them personally that we will continue steadfastly to investigate the incident." 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.

Iran's army warns anti-hijab protesters, says will 'confront enemies' to ensure peace

From Amsterdam to Athens: Protests intensify worldwide over death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini

India has asked its nationals in Canada to "exercise due caution and remain vigilant" because of the "sharp increase in incidents of hate crimes, sectarian violence and anti-India activities in Canada".&nbsp;

In a statement on Friday (September 23), India's ministry of external affairs said that the perpetrators of these crimes have not been brought to justice so far in Canada.&nbsp;

The statement added that the ministry and High Commission/Consulates General in Canada have taken up these incidents with the Canadian authorities. The authorities have also requested them to investigate the said crimes and take appropriate action.&nbsp;

"In view of the increasing incidences of crimes as described above, Indian nationals and students from India in Canada and those proceeding to Canada for travel/education are advised to exercise due caution and remain vigilant," the ministry mentioned.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/majority-of-indian-pilots-doze-off-in-cockpits-due-to-fatigue-survey-claims-519001">Majority of Indian pilots doze off in cockpits due to fatigue, survey claims</a>&nbsp;

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Advisory for Indian Nationals and Students from India in Canada<a href="https://t.co/dOrqyY7FgN">https://t.co/dOrqyY7FgN</a> <a href="https://t.co/M0TDfTgvrG">pic.twitter.com/M0TDfTgvrG</a>
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The advisory from the Indian ministry comes a day after India on Thursday termed the so-called Khalistan referendum conducted by separatist groups as a "farcical exercise".&nbsp;

While speaking at a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India had conveyed its concerns to Canada about the use of its territory by politically motivated "extremist elements".&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-rupee-hits-new-low-slips-below-81-mark-against-us-dollar-for-first-time-ever-518948">Indian Rupee hits new low, slips below 81-mark against US dollar for first time ever</a>&nbsp;

"We would term it as farcical exercise. A farcical exercise was held by extremists and radical elements supporting the so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada," Bagchi said.&nbsp;

He said, India has deeply objected that "politically motivated exercises by extremist elements" are allowed to take place in a friendly country like Canada.&nbsp;

Earlier in September, a prominent Hindu temple in Canada was defaced by 'Canadian Khalistani extremists' with anti-India graffiti.&nbsp;

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Watch: MEA Spox <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/abagchimea?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abagchimea</a> calls so called "Khalistani referendum" as "farcical exercise" &amp; has raised the matter with Canadian Government. <a href="https://t.co/NbSFz8kgso">pic.twitter.com/NbSFz8kgso</a>
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India has asked its nationals in Canada to "exercise due caution and remain vigilant" because of the "sharp increase in incidents of hate crimes, sectarian violence and anti-India activities in Canada".

India has asked its nationals in Canada to "exercise due caution and remain vigilant" because of the "sharp increase in incidents of hate crimes, sectarian violence and anti-India activities in Canada". In a statement on Friday (September 23), India's ministry of external affairs said that the perpetrators of these crimes have not been brought to justice so far in Canada. The statement added that the ministry and High Commission/Consulates General in Canada have taken up these incidents with the Canadian authorities. The authorities have also requested them to investigate the said crimes and take appropriate action. "In view of the increasing incidences of crimes as described above, Indian nationals and students from India in Canada and those proceeding to Canada for travel/education are advised to exercise due caution and remain vigilant," the ministry mentioned. ALSO READ | Majority of Indian pilots doze off in cockpits due to fatigue, survey claims Advisory for Indian Nationals and Students from India in Canadahttps://t.co/dOrqyY7FgN pic.twitter.com/M0TDfTgvrG — Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) September 23, 2022 × The advisory from the Indian ministry comes a day after India on Thursday termed the so-called Khalistan referendum conducted by separatist groups as a "farcical exercise". While speaking at a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India had conveyed its concerns to Canada about the use of its territory by politically motivated "extremist elements". ALSO READ | Indian Rupee hits new low, slips below 81-mark against US dollar for first time ever "We would term it as farcical exercise. A farcical exercise was held by extremists and radical elements supporting the so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada," Bagchi said. He said, India has deeply objected that "politically motivated exercises by extremist elements" are allowed to take place in a friendly country like Canada. Earlier in September, a prominent Hindu temple in Canada was defaced by 'Canadian Khalistani extremists' with anti-India graffiti. Watch: MEA Spox @MEAIndia @abagchimea calls so called "Khalistani referendum" as "farcical exercise" & has raised the matter with Canadian Government. pic.twitter.com/NbSFz8kgso — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 22, 2022 × 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.

India asks its nationals in Canada to 'remain vigilant' over sharp increase in hate crime incidents

Hanan Elatr, the wife of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, said she will sue the spyware maker NSO Group as she is reportedly preparing a lawsuit in the United States. She claimed that the Israeli company's Pegasus software targeted her, The Guardian reported on Thursday.&nbsp;

Elatr was quoted as saying, "It is important to make everyone involved in this horrible crime accountable. My husband was a peaceful man. I believe in American justice." She is currently living in the US and seeking asylum there.&nbsp;

Khashoggi, who had been sharply critical of the Saudi rulers, was claimed to be assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. The incident was criticised by the US and other Western countries.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-ukrainian-provinces-all-set-to-hold-referendums-on-joining-russia-518891">Referendums on joining Russia begin in four captured Ukrainian provinces, Kyiv and West condemn move</a>&nbsp;

For the lawsuit, Elatr now wants to acquire all the electronic devices belonging to Khashoggi that are apparently possessed by the Turkish authorities.&nbsp;

Last year, when her legal counsel attempted to obtain the devices from the Turkish embassy in Washington, the request was denied. She was advised to file a legal application in Turkey.&nbsp;

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Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/danielboffey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielboffey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/guardian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@guardian</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AgnesCallamard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AgnesCallamard</a> for your help in trying to get my husband’s <a href="https://twitter.com/JKhashoggi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JKhashoggi</a> phones from <a href="https://twitter.com/RTErdogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RTErdogan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JamalKhashoggi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JamalKhashoggi</a> <a href="https://t.co/C9rFYErkqx">https://t.co/C9rFYErkqx</a>
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ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/han-lay-outspoken-myanmar-beauty-queen-held-by-thai-immigration-519050">Han&nbsp;Lay: Outspoken Myanmar beauty queen held by Thai immigration</a>&nbsp;

Agnes Callamard, who is the Amnesty International chief supported the efforts made by Elatr. Callamard, who led a UN probe into Khashoggi's murder, said in a statement: "The Turkish government has been clear that it does not intend to proceed with the investigation and the trial." She referred to a Turkish court's decision in April to suspend the trial of 26 suspects and send the case to Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

She further added, "It should therefore hand over any evidence still in its hands to those that are truly and authentically determined to reveal the truth about Jamal's killing. Determining whether his phones had been hacked, whether he was under digital surveillance, identifying the spywares – these are all crucial elements both for the purpose of truth-telling and for understanding and preventing targeting of dissidents."&nbsp;

Callamard said that when she had requested for Khashoggi's electronic devices to be examined by other cyber experts, it was denied by the Turkish officials.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, NSO said that its spyware was never used to attack the phones of Khashoggi or Elatr.&nbsp;

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Hanan Elatr, the wife of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, said she will sue the spyware maker NSO Group as she is reportedly preparing a lawsuit in the United States.

Hanan Elatr, the wife of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, said she will sue the spyware maker NSO Group as she is reportedly preparing a lawsuit in the United States. She claimed that the Israeli company's Pegasus software targeted her, The Guardian reported on Thursday. Elatr was quoted as saying, "It is important to make everyone involved in this horrible crime accountable. My husband was a peaceful man. I believe in American justice." She is currently living in the US and seeking asylum there. Khashoggi, who had been sharply critical of the Saudi rulers, was claimed to be assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. The incident was criticised by the US and other Western countries. ALSO READ | Referendums on joining Russia begin in four captured Ukrainian provinces, Kyiv and West condemn move For the lawsuit, Elatr now wants to acquire all the electronic devices belonging to Khashoggi that are apparently possessed by the Turkish authorities. Last year, when her legal counsel attempted to obtain the devices from the Turkish embassy in Washington, the request was denied. She was advised to file a legal application in Turkey. Thank you @danielboffey @guardian @AgnesCallamard for your help in trying to get my husband’s @JKhashoggi phones from @RTErdogan #JamalKhashoggi https://t.co/C9rFYErkqx — Mrs Hanan Elatr Khashoggiحنان العتر خاشقجى (@hananelatr) September 22, 2022 × ALSO READ | Han Lay: Outspoken Myanmar beauty queen held by Thai immigration Agnes Callamard, who is the Amnesty International chief supported the efforts made by Elatr. Callamard, who led a UN probe into Khashoggi's murder, said in a statement: "The Turkish government has been clear that it does not intend to proceed with the investigation and the trial." She referred to a Turkish court's decision in April to suspend the trial of 26 suspects and send the case to Saudi Arabia. She further added, "It should therefore hand over any evidence still in its hands to those that are truly and authentically determined to reveal the truth about Jamal's killing. Determining whether his phones had been hacked, whether he was under digital surveillance, identifying the spywares – these are all crucial elements both for the purpose of truth-telling and for understanding and preventing targeting of dissidents." Callamard said that when she had requested for Khashoggi's electronic devices to be examined by other cyber experts, it was denied by the Turkish officials. Meanwhile, NSO said that its spyware was never used to attack the phones of Khashoggi or Elatr. 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.

Jamal Khashoggi's wife planning to sue NSO Group over spyware: Report

A Myanmar beauty queen who spoke out against the military coup in her homeland appealed Friday for help after being refused entry to Thailand by immigration officials.

Thaw Nandar Aung, better known by her professional moniker&nbsp;Han&nbsp;Lay, has been held at Bangkok's main international airport since Thursday after arriving on a flight from Vietnam.

She made headlines in March 2021 when she urged the world to "save" the people of Myanmar from the military, which had seized power a month earlier.

Thai immigration officials said she was denied entry to the kingdom because of a problem with her passport.

In a post on her verified Facebook page on Friday,&nbsp;Han&nbsp;Lay&nbsp;said she feared the Myanmar police would come and get her at the airport. &nbsp;

"I request to Thai authority from here please help for me," she wrote in English, adding that she had contacted the UN refugee agency.

A Thai official told AFP that Myanmar police had not spoken to her and said it was up to her to decide where to fly to from Bangkok.

While in Bangkok competing in the Miss Grand International contest, the former psychology student spoke out against the coup, which ousted the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

"I want to say from here to the world: please support the Myanmar people," she told Thailand's Khaosod English news outlet.

"So many people die in Myanmar by the guns of the military... Please save us."

Myanmar has been in chaos since the coup, with the junta struggling to quell resistance to its rule.&nbsp;

A military crackdown on dissent has left more than 2,300 civilians dead, according to a local monitoring group.&nbsp;

The junta puts the civilian death toll at almost 3,900.&nbsp;

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A Myanmar beauty queen who spoke out against the military coup in her homeland appealed Friday for help after being refused entry to Thailand by immigration officials.

A Myanmar beauty queen who spoke out against the military coup in her homeland appealed Friday for help after being refused entry to Thailand by immigration officials. Thaw Nandar Aung, better known by her professional moniker Han Lay, has been held at Bangkok's main international airport since Thursday after arriving on a flight from Vietnam. She made headlines in March 2021 when she urged the world to "save" the people of Myanmar from the military, which had seized power a month earlier. Thai immigration officials said she was denied entry to the kingdom because of a problem with her passport. In a post on her verified Facebook page on Friday, Han Lay said she feared the Myanmar police would come and get her at the airport. "I request to Thai authority from here please help for me," she wrote in English, adding that she had contacted the UN refugee agency. A Thai official told AFP that Myanmar police had not spoken to her and said it was up to her to decide where to fly to from Bangkok. While in Bangkok competing in the Miss Grand International contest, the former psychology student spoke out against the coup, which ousted the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. "I want to say from here to the world: please support the Myanmar people," she told Thailand's Khaosod English news outlet. "So many people die in Myanmar by the guns of the military... Please save us." Myanmar has been in chaos since the coup, with the junta struggling to quell resistance to its rule. A military crackdown on dissent has left more than 2,300 civilians dead, according to a local monitoring group. The junta puts the civilian death toll at almost 3,900. 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.

Han Lay: Outspoken Myanmar beauty queen held by Thai immigration

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was overheard insulting lawmakers of the United States. The incident, which was caught on a microphone, happened on Wednesday when the South Korean leader was leaving a brief chat with US President Joe Biden at a Global Fund event where Biden had just pledged $6 billion.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was overheard insulting lawmakers of the United States. The incident, which was caught on a microphone, happened on Wednesday when the South Korean leader was leaving a brief chat with US President Joe Biden at a Global Fund event where Biden had just pledged $6 billion. Yoon is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which is underway in New York. ALSO READ | 'We had a good handshake,' says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif after meeting Joe Biden - Watch In a broadcast on South Korean television, Yoon was heard telling his Foreign Minster Park Jin in New York, "What an embarrassment for Biden, if these idiots refuse to grant it in Congress." The small clip of Yoon's comments went viral on social media platforms. It was uploaded on YouTube and garnered over two million views just hours after it was posted. "The president's words and actions are the national dignity of the country," one YouTube commenter wrote. Watch the video here: South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol in New York: "How could Biden not lose damn face if these f***ers do not pass it in Congress?" 🍉 pic.twitter.com/veVXYVSWvi — QUAN Quan 全权 كمال (@QuanQuan_1231) September 22, 2022 × ALSO READ | Female news anchor 'refuses demand to wear hijab', Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi cancels interview It appears Yoon has landed himself in trouble as the opposition South Korean lawmakers saw his comments as damaging to the country's image. On the other hand, Bloomberg reported that a senior South Korean presidential office official said that Yoon's remarks were unofficial and unverified. Yoon's crude comments appear to refer to Biden's drive to increase US funding to the Global Fund, which would require congressional approval. The United States is South Korea's key security ally, with Washington stationing about 27,000 troops in the country to help counter nuclear-armed North Korea. (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.

'If these idiots refuse to...': South Korean president insults US lawmakers, hot mic moment goes viral - Watch

There was one topic of conversation among the women bundled up in front of a bombed-out building the other day as they waited in a long line at a humanitarian food truck, a nippy wind swirling around them.

“When are you going to get your glass?” one asked.

“Have you called about the glass?” another said.

“It was really cold last night. Didn’t you feel it?” said a third. “When’s the glass coming?”

This is becoming a big problem in Ukraine. So many windows have been shattered by explosions — “millions of them,” one humanitarian official estimated — that there is a nationwide run on glass.

In the towns and cities that the Russian military has pounded with earthshaking artillery barrages, nothing has been spared — not the high rises, not the schools, not the squat little cottages. The shock waves from a powerful Russian missile that exploded less than 900 feet from a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Monday blew out more than 100 windows at the plant.

Many of the buildings that have avoided total destruction during the war have had all their windows blown out. And winter is coming. Fast.

The other week here in Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine, the temperature dropped from about 80 degrees Fahrenheit to almost freezing.

No doubt that Ukraine is facing a host of crises within crises, but one of the most urgent is the scramble to get damaged homes ready for winter, and that is where the glass comes in.

Appreciate this material just for a moment, because hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians really need it right now. Glass lets in light and keeps out cold. You can see through it, so no matter how small or cramped your place is, you have a view. Glass keeps out birds, bugs and dust, and you can open a window and let in fresh air.

The alternatives, which you can see all over Ukraine now, have obvious deficiencies.

Plywood may cover a hole in the wall, but it leaves the inside space dark, which can be depressing. And the scraps of tablecloths or plastic film that a lot of people are using — one man said he had nothing better than the Ukrainian version of Saran Wrap to cover his windows — might let in sunlight. But they don’t seal well and leave people curled up at night under three blankets, dreading winter.

“That stuff?” said Oleksandr Zhyla, a retired architect who used the plastic food wrap on his blown-out windows in Chernihiv. He pointed to his handiwork and laughed: “It doesn’t keep us warm at all.”

Even before the Russian invasion in February, Ukraine had glass issues. One of its biggest glass factories was in the eastern Donbas region, but it was bombed during the pro-Russian rebellion there a few years ago, and shut down.

That left Ukraine relying heavily on Russia and Belarus for glass. But after this war started, those trade links were cut. So now almost all of Ukraine’s glass, two distributors said, is imported, much of it from pricier European markets.

And there are more problems. To make glass, you have to melt sand. And to melt sand, you need a lot of energy. And with global energy prices soaring, glass prices have risen sharply as well.

Add all of this up — the higher production costs, the increased demand, Ukraine’s logistical nightmares, like its seaports being blockaded by Russian submarines — and it’s no mystery that an ordinary pane of glass costs double, triple or even quadruple what it used to, according to glass suppliers. That makes it impossible for many people to fix their windows, even as the cold air begins to blow in. And every day, with the fighting still raging, more are being broken.

During a war, windows are always the first to go. If a bomb is powerful enough, the shock waves or reverberations will shatter glass far from the explosion, creating a blizzard of potentially lethal shards.

“You wouldn’t believe how small the pieces were,” said one woman, Nataliia Medvedok, who sat by a blown-out window in her living room in Chernihiv. She had been hiding in a shelter when her building was hit in March and came back to find the floor covered with pea-sized pieces of super-sharp glass.

Humanitarian groups have stepped in. A private French aid organization, ACTED, is helping Medvedok pay for her window repair, part of its plan to get people ready for winter.

“Everyone is rushing, rushing, rushing to do what we can, right now,” said Frances Oppermann, ACTED’s deputy country director for programs. Winter in Ukraine, she said, is “intense.”

It’s also long, nearly half the year, with wintry weather stretching from mid-October to mid-March, and temperatures can plummet to 10 below zero. Fixing windows is part of a broader winterization strategy laid out by aid agencies that includes buying tens of millions of dollars worth of blankets, coats, woolen hats and traditional felt boots.

In Chernihiv, a first look can be deceptive. It is a beautiful city of about 200,000 people. Gazing across its immense cobblestone town square lined with elegant old buildings and seeing people jogging through the parks with their perfectly clipped bushes, it almost looks as if nothing happened here. But then you notice how many windows are boarded up or missing.

Chernihiv was blasted by Russian missiles and rockets in March, but has not seen much fighting since then. While there has been a lightning Ukrainian offensive this month that pushed back Russian troops around the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Chernihiv has remained relatively quiet.

At the mayor’s office, there is still plywood covering some of the broken windows.

“I have bigger problems,” said the mayor, Vladyslav Atroshenko. “I can’t have children freezing in their apartments.”

His priority is to repair critical infrastructure to ensure the city is ready to turn on the heat when winter arrives, no small feat given the extent of the damage and how expensive energy has become.

Mykolaiv, a city in the south, has been shelled mercilessly by Russian forces. Vitaliy Kim, a top local official, said he has 50,000 square meters of windows to fix — that’s almost 10 football fields of glass.

“Even the windows in my own house are blown out,” he said.

Nationwide, the figures are staggering. Some 140,000 residential buildings have been destroyed; 44 million square meters of housing have been damaged; and millions of Ukrainians are living in homes “ill-suited to provide sufficient protection from harsh winter conditions,” according to the United Nations.

Considering that the front line zigzags for more than 1,000 miles and that Russia has hammered hundreds of places with artillery, it’s not hard to see how Oppermann came to an estimate of “millions” of broken windows. But no one really knows.

Zhyla went around his blown-out nine-story building in Chernihiv, counting the broken windows. He found 496. And that’s just one building.

He is worried that if the windows are not fixed by wintertime, the pipes in his building could turn to ice and burst, and then it will be really hard to live there.

“A simple $100 window can prevent an entire family from freezing this winter,” said Michael Capponi, the founder of Global Empowerment Mission, an aid group that has installed thousands of windows in Ukraine.

Viktoriia Markova, whose home in Chernihiv was smashed to smithereens by an artillery shell, was recently given a small shelter in her backyard for her, her husband and teenage son. It is the size of an ordinary bedroom, and its walls are made of the same material as a porta-potty.

It’s dark and stuffy inside and smells like plastic. And it doesn’t have any real windows.

“It’s not great,” Markova conceded. “But there’s just one thing on everyone’s mind. Victory. We’re all just waiting for victory.”

There was one topic of conversation among the women bundled up in front of a bombed-out building the other day as they waited in a long line at a humanitarian food truck, a nippy wind swirling around them.

There was one topic of conversation among the women bundled up in front of a bombed-out building the other day as they waited in a long line at a humanitarian food truck, a nippy wind swirling around them. “When are you going to get your glass?” one asked. “Have you called about the glass?” another said. “It was really cold last night. Didn’t you feel it?” said a third. “When’s the glass coming?” This is becoming a big problem in Ukraine. So many windows have been shattered by explosions — “millions of them,” one humanitarian official estimated — that there is a nationwide run on glass. In the towns and cities that the Russian military has pounded with earthshaking artillery barrages, nothing has been spared — not the high rises, not the schools, not the squat little cottages. The shock waves from a powerful Russian missile that exploded less than 900 feet from a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Monday blew out more than 100 windows at the plant. Many of the buildings that have avoided total destruction during the war have had all their windows blown out. And winter is coming. Fast. The other week here in Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine, the temperature dropped from about 80 degrees Fahrenheit to almost freezing. No doubt that Ukraine is facing a host of crises within crises, but one of the most urgent is the scramble to get damaged homes ready for winter, and that is where the glass comes in. Appreciate this material just for a moment, because hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians really need it right now. Glass lets in light and keeps out cold. You can see through it, so no matter how small or cramped your place is, you have a view. Glass keeps out birds, bugs and dust, and you can open a window and let in fresh air. The alternatives, which you can see all over Ukraine now, have obvious deficiencies. Plywood may cover a hole in the wall, but it leaves the inside space dark, which can be depressing. And the scraps of tablecloths or plastic film that a lot of people are using — one man said he had nothing better than the Ukrainian version of Saran Wrap to cover his windows — might let in sunlight. But they don’t seal well and leave people curled up at night under three blankets, dreading winter. “That stuff?” said Oleksandr Zhyla, a retired architect who used the plastic food wrap on his blown-out windows in Chernihiv. He pointed to his handiwork and laughed: “It doesn’t keep us warm at all.” Even before the Russian invasion in February, Ukraine had glass issues. One of its biggest glass factories was in the eastern Donbas region, but it was bombed during the pro-Russian rebellion there a few years ago, and shut down. That left Ukraine relying heavily on Russia and Belarus for glass. But after this war started, those trade links were cut. So now almost all of Ukraine’s glass, two distributors said, is imported, much of it from pricier European markets. And there are more problems. To make glass, you have to melt sand. And to melt sand, you need a lot of energy. And with global energy prices soaring, glass prices have risen sharply as well. Add all of this up — the higher production costs, the increased demand, Ukraine’s logistical nightmares, like its seaports being blockaded by Russian submarines — and it’s no mystery that an ordinary pane of glass costs double, triple or even quadruple what it used to, according to glass suppliers. That makes it impossible for many people to fix their windows, even as the cold air begins to blow in. And every day, with the fighting still raging, more are being broken. During a war, windows are always the first to go. If a bomb is powerful enough, the shock waves or reverberations will shatter glass far from the explosion, creating a blizzard of potentially lethal shards. “You wouldn’t believe how small the pieces were,” said one woman, Nataliia Medvedok, who sat by a blown-out window in her living room in Chernihiv. She had been hiding in a shelter when her building was hit in March and came back to find the floor covered with pea-sized pieces of super-sharp glass. Humanitarian groups have stepped in. A private French aid organization, ACTED, is helping Medvedok pay for her window repair, part of its plan to get people ready for winter. “Everyone is rushing, rushing, rushing to do what we can, right now,” said Frances Oppermann, ACTED’s deputy country director for programs. Winter in Ukraine, she said, is “intense.” It’s also long, nearly half the year, with wintry weather stretching from mid-October to mid-March, and temperatures can plummet to 10 below zero. Fixing windows is part of a broader winterization strategy laid out by aid agencies that includes buying tens of millions of dollars worth of blankets, coats, woolen hats and traditional felt boots. In Chernihiv, a first look can be deceptive. It is a beautiful city of about 200,000 people. Gazing across its immense cobblestone town square lined with elegant old buildings and seeing people jogging through the parks with their perfectly clipped bushes, it almost looks as if nothing happened here. But then you notice how many windows are boarded up or missing. Chernihiv was blasted by Russian missiles and rockets in March, but has not seen much fighting since then. While there has been a lightning Ukrainian offensive this month that pushed back Russian troops around the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Chernihiv has remained relatively quiet. At the mayor’s office, there is still plywood covering some of the broken windows. “I have bigger problems,” said the mayor, Vladyslav Atroshenko. “I can’t have children freezing in their apartments.” His priority is to repair critical infrastructure to ensure the city is ready to turn on the heat when winter arrives, no small feat given the extent of the damage and how expensive energy has become. Mykolaiv, a city in the south, has been shelled mercilessly by Russian forces. Vitaliy Kim, a top local official, said he has 50,000 square meters of windows to fix — that’s almost 10 football fields of glass. “Even the windows in my own house are blown out,” he said. Nationwide, the figures are staggering. Some 140,000 residential buildings have been destroyed; 44 million square meters of housing have been damaged; and millions of Ukrainians are living in homes “ill-suited to provide sufficient protection from harsh winter conditions,” according to the United Nations. Considering that the front line zigzags for more than 1,000 miles and that Russia has hammered hundreds of places with artillery, it’s not hard to see how Oppermann came to an estimate of “millions” of broken windows. But no one really knows. Zhyla went around his blown-out nine-story building in Chernihiv, counting the broken windows. He found 496. And that’s just one building. He is worried that if the windows are not fixed by wintertime, the pipes in his building could turn to ice and burst, and then it will be really hard to live there. “A simple $100 window can prevent an entire family from freezing this winter,” said Michael Capponi, the founder of Global Empowerment Mission, an aid group that has installed thousands of windows in Ukraine. Viktoriia Markova, whose home in Chernihiv was smashed to smithereens by an artillery shell, was recently given a small shelter in her backyard for her, her husband and teenage son. It is the size of an ordinary bedroom, and its walls are made of the same material as a porta-potty. It’s dark and stuffy inside and smells like plastic. And it doesn’t have any real windows. “It’s not great,” Markova conceded. “But there’s just one thing on everyone’s mind. Victory. We’re all just waiting for victory.”

One big problem for Ukraine is clear: Glass

President Vladimir Putin of Russia, in a speech Wednesday that was a reminder of how easily the war in Ukraine could spread, doubled down on his nuclear threat, accused the West of seeking to “destroy” his country, and suggested that Ukrainians are mere pawns of the “military machine of the collective West.”

In a videotaped address to the nation, he effectively conceded that the war he started Feb. 24 has not gone as he wished. By calling up roughly 300,000 reservists to fight on what he called a 620-mile front, and abandoning the original objective of demilitarizing and “de-Nazifying” all of Ukraine, he acknowledged something he had consistently denied: the reality and growing resistance of a unified Ukrainian nation.

But Putin cornered is Putin at his most dangerous. That was one of the core lessons of his hardscrabble youth that he took from the furious reaction of a rat he cornered on a stairwell in what was then Leningrad.

His speech at once inverted a war of aggression against a neighbor into one of defense of the “motherland,” a theme that resonates with Russians, and warned the West in unmistakable terms — “this is not a bluff” — that the attempt to weaken or defeat Russia could provoke nuclear cataclysm.

“Russia won its defensive wars against Napoleon and Hitler, and the most important thing Putin did here from a psychological perspective was to claim this, too, is a defensive war,” said Michel Eltchaninoff, the French author of “Inside the Mind of Vladimir Putin.” “It was an aggressive war. Now it’s the defense of the Russian world against the Western attempt at dismemberment.”

That “Russkiy Mir,” or imagined world imbued with some inalienable Russian essence, grew in size as Putin suggested in the speech that the country’s nuclear arsenal could be used to defend eastern and southern areas of Ukraine captured since the war began.

Putin said Russia would support imminent referendums on the future of four regions in Ukraine. This method, described this week by President Emmanuel Macron of France as “simulacra” of referendums, was used in Crimea in 2014 to justify Russian annexation.

It seems likely that the referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south — which the United States and Western allies have denounced as “sham” votes — would also lead to Russian annexation. At that point, a Ukrainian attack next month on the city of Kherson in the south, captured by Russia at the start of the war, could, in Russia’s view, be viewed as an attack on Russian soil, justifying a nuclear riposte.

A Ukrainian counteroffensive is underway in the Kherson region, and senior Ukrainian officials have vowed to recapture the city.

“If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will of course use all means at our disposal to defend Russia and our people,” Putin said.

His speech, which may of course be a bluff despite his denial, nevertheless placed before the West a dilemma that has been inherent in its policy from the start of the war: How far can intense military and logistical support of Ukraine — effectively everything short of NATO troops on the ground — go without setting off nuclear confrontation?

It was also an attempt to divide the West before a winter that promises to be hard, with inflation and energy costs rising. While the Biden administration has little apparent interest in diplomacy at this stage, France, Germany and Italy still seek the “dialogue” with Russia that Macron mentioned in his speech Tuesday to the United Nations, a dialogue judged necessary, he said, because “we seek peace.”

President Vladimir Putin of Russia, in a speech Wednesday that was a reminder of how easily the war in Ukraine could spread, doubled down on his nuclear threat, accused the West of seeking to “destroy” his country, and suggested that Ukrainians are mere pawns of the “military machine of the collective West.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia, in a speech Wednesday that was a reminder of how easily the war in Ukraine could spread, doubled down on his nuclear threat, accused the West of seeking to “destroy” his country, and suggested that Ukrainians are mere pawns of the “military machine of the collective West.” In a videotaped address to the nation, he effectively conceded that the war he started Feb. 24 has not gone as he wished. By calling up roughly 300,000 reservists to fight on what he called a 620-mile front, and abandoning the original objective of demilitarizing and “de-Nazifying” all of Ukraine, he acknowledged something he had consistently denied: the reality and growing resistance of a unified Ukrainian nation. But Putin cornered is Putin at his most dangerous. That was one of the core lessons of his hardscrabble youth that he took from the furious reaction of a rat he cornered on a stairwell in what was then Leningrad. His speech at once inverted a war of aggression against a neighbor into one of defense of the “motherland,” a theme that resonates with Russians, and warned the West in unmistakable terms — “this is not a bluff” — that the attempt to weaken or defeat Russia could provoke nuclear cataclysm. “Russia won its defensive wars against Napoleon and Hitler, and the most important thing Putin did here from a psychological perspective was to claim this, too, is a defensive war,” said Michel Eltchaninoff, the French author of “Inside the Mind of Vladimir Putin.” “It was an aggressive war. Now it’s the defense of the Russian world against the Western attempt at dismemberment.” That “Russkiy Mir,” or imagined world imbued with some inalienable Russian essence, grew in size as Putin suggested in the speech that the country’s nuclear arsenal could be used to defend eastern and southern areas of Ukraine captured since the war began. Putin said Russia would support imminent referendums on the future of four regions in Ukraine. This method, described this week by President Emmanuel Macron of France as “simulacra” of referendums, was used in Crimea in 2014 to justify Russian annexation. It seems likely that the referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south — which the United States and Western allies have denounced as “sham” votes — would also lead to Russian annexation. At that point, a Ukrainian attack next month on the city of Kherson in the south, captured by Russia at the start of the war, could, in Russia’s view, be viewed as an attack on Russian soil, justifying a nuclear riposte. A Ukrainian counteroffensive is underway in the Kherson region, and senior Ukrainian officials have vowed to recapture the city. “If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will of course use all means at our disposal to defend Russia and our people,” Putin said. His speech, which may of course be a bluff despite his denial, nevertheless placed before the West a dilemma that has been inherent in its policy from the start of the war: How far can intense military and logistical support of Ukraine — effectively everything short of NATO troops on the ground — go without setting off nuclear confrontation? It was also an attempt to divide the West before a winter that promises to be hard, with inflation and energy costs rising. While the Biden administration has little apparent interest in diplomacy at this stage, France, Germany and Italy still seek the “dialogue” with Russia that Macron mentioned in his speech Tuesday to the United Nations, a dialogue judged necessary, he said, because “we seek peace.”

A cornered Putin is more dangerous than ever

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an informal meeting with United States President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which is underway in New York.&nbsp;

After the informal meeting, when WION reporters asked Pakistan PM as to how was his&nbsp;meeting with US President Joe Biden, Sharif said, "We had a good handshake."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-pm-yair-lapid-supports-two-state-solution-in-unga-speech-518839">Israel PM Yair Lapid supports 'two-state solution' in UNGA speech</a>&nbsp;

Watch WION's exclusive video here:&nbsp;

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The world will be watching Sharif as he is set to address the UNGA session on September 23. His focus will be on the challenges faced by Pakistan in the wake of the recent climate-induced catastrophic floods.&nbsp;

Biden also announced another USD 2.9 billion for a fund aimed at helping to resolve global food insecurity, in addition to the "USD 6.9 billion assistance to support global food security already committed this year".&nbsp;

During his UNGA address on Wednesday, Biden urged the world to help Pakistan which is still 'under water'.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/female-news-anchor-refuses-to-wear-hijab-iranian-president-ebrahim-raisi-cancels-interview-518790">Female news anchor 'refuses demand to wear hijab', Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi cancels interview</a>&nbsp;

Biden said, "We all know we're already living in a climate crisis. No one seems to doubt it after this past year. We meet - we meet - as we meet, much of Pakistan is still under water; it needs help."&nbsp;

Biden urged the world to help Pakistan as a third of the nation is submerged in water. The country is facing its worst floods, which have apparently caused $30 billion of damage. Over 1,500 people have died and thousands have been displaced.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
"Families are facing impossible choices, choosing which child to feed and wondering whether they'll survive. This is the human cost of climate change. And it's growing, not lessening," said Biden in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.&nbsp;

Sharif thanked Biden "for highlighting the plight of the flood victims in Pakistan". In a tweet on Thursday, he urged the world for an "immediate response."&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an informal meeting with United States President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which is underway in New York.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an informal meeting with United States President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), which is underway in New York. After the informal meeting, when WION reporters asked Pakistan PM as to how was his meeting with US President Joe Biden, Sharif said, "We had a good handshake." ALSO READ | Israel PM Yair Lapid supports 'two-state solution' in UNGA speech Watch WION's exclusive video here: × The world will be watching Sharif as he is set to address the UNGA session on September 23. His focus will be on the challenges faced by Pakistan in the wake of the recent climate-induced catastrophic floods. Biden also announced another USD 2.9 billion for a fund aimed at helping to resolve global food insecurity, in addition to the "USD 6.9 billion assistance to support global food security already committed this year". During his UNGA address on Wednesday, Biden urged the world to help Pakistan which is still 'under water'. ALSO READ | Female news anchor 'refuses demand to wear hijab', Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi cancels interview Biden said, "We all know we're already living in a climate crisis. No one seems to doubt it after this past year. We meet - we meet - as we meet, much of Pakistan is still under water; it needs help." Biden urged the world to help Pakistan as a third of the nation is submerged in water. The country is facing its worst floods, which have apparently caused $30 billion of damage. Over 1,500 people have died and thousands have been displaced. "Families are facing impossible choices, choosing which child to feed and wondering whether they'll survive. This is the human cost of climate change. And it's growing, not lessening," said Biden in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif thanked Biden "for highlighting the plight of the flood victims in Pakistan". In a tweet on Thursday, he urged the world for an "immediate response." 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.

'We had a good handshake,' says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif after meeting Joe Biden - Watch

Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader on Thursday (September 22) said that he would prefer to die in India, a free and open democracy. During a two-day dialogue with youth leaders at his residence in Dharamshala, Dalai Lama said that he would want to breathe his last surrounded by the genuine and loving people of India, rather than among “artificial” Chinese officials.&nbsp;

The interaction was organised by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Dharamshala, a city in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

Dalai Lama said, "I told the former Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh…I told him when…of course, I will live another 15-20 years…there is no question. But, at the time when I die, I prefer in India. It is surrounded with (by) people who really show you love. Not artificial something. If I (am) dying surrounded with (by) these Chinese officials…too much artificial. So, I much prefer dying (in) this country…free…democracy…open."&nbsp;

Every year, Dalai Lama interacts with 28 USIP youth leaders who are from conflicted homelands. The Tibetan spiritual leader encourages them to establish peace and stability there.&nbsp;

ALSO READ&nbsp;| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-e-commerce-company-announces-11-day-break-to-employees-for-recharging-518834">Indian e-commerce company announces 11-day break for employees to recharge</a>

WATCH |&nbsp;India an example and role model for religious harmony, says Dalai Lama&nbsp;

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Earlier, in March 2019, the Dalai Lama said it was possible that once he dies his incarnation could be found in India, where he has lived in exile for 60 years.&nbsp;

He has also warned that any other successor named by China would not be respected globally. But China on the other hand says Dalai Lama is a dangerous separatist, who rules Tibet with a tough grip. Beijing also doesn't allow the public display of Dalai Lama's pictures and any public display of devotion towards him is also prohibited.&nbsp;

Previously, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that India is a role model of religious harmony in the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader on Thursday (September 22) said that he would prefer to die in India, a free and open democracy. During a two-day dialogue with youth leaders at his residence in Dharamshala, Dalai Lama said that he would want to breathe his last surrounded by the genuine and loving people of India, rather than among “artificial” Chinese officials.

Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader on Thursday (September 22) said that he would prefer to die in India, a free and open democracy. During a two-day dialogue with youth leaders at his residence in Dharamshala, Dalai Lama said that he would want to breathe his last surrounded by the genuine and loving people of India, rather than among “artificial” Chinese officials. The interaction was organised by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Dharamshala, a city in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Dalai Lama said, "I told the former Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh…I told him when…of course, I will live another 15-20 years…there is no question. But, at the time when I die, I prefer in India. It is surrounded with (by) people who really show you love. Not artificial something. If I (am) dying surrounded with (by) these Chinese officials…too much artificial. So, I much prefer dying (in) this country…free…democracy…open." Every year, Dalai Lama interacts with 28 USIP youth leaders who are from conflicted homelands. The Tibetan spiritual leader encourages them to establish peace and stability there. ALSO READ | Indian e-commerce company announces 11-day break for employees to recharge WATCH | India an example and role model for religious harmony, says Dalai Lama × Earlier, in March 2019, the Dalai Lama said it was possible that once he dies his incarnation could be found in India, where he has lived in exile for 60 years. He has also warned that any other successor named by China would not be respected globally. But China on the other hand says Dalai Lama is a dangerous separatist, who rules Tibet with a tough grip. Beijing also doesn't allow the public display of Dalai Lama's pictures and any public display of devotion towards him is also prohibited. Previously, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that India is a role model of religious harmony in the world. (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.

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama says he would prefer dying in India, among its loving people

Multi-agency teams spearheaded by the NIA arrested 106 functionaries of the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) on Thursday in near-simultaneous raids at 93 locations in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country, officials said.&nbsp;

Officials described the mega crackdown as the "largest-ever investigation process till date" against the PFI.

Kerala, where the PFI has some strong pockets, accounted for the maximum number of 22 arrests, officials said, adding that its chairman O M A Salam was among those arrested.&nbsp;

The arrests were made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the police forces of the states concerned.

The PFI, formed in 2006, claims to strive for a neo-social movement ostensibly for the empowerment of marginalised sections of India, and is often accused by law enforcement agencies of promoting radical Islam.

Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for 20 arrests each, Tamil Nadu (10), Assam (9), Uttar Pradesh (8), Andhra Pradesh (5), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry and Delhi (3 each) and Rajasthan (2).

Details of all the arrested functionaries were not immediately available.

The officials said the searches took place at the premises of persons allegedly involved in terror funding, organising training camps and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations.

As the raids, which began in the early hours of Thursday continued, Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting of top officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, during which they are believed to have discussed the searches at premises linked to the PFI and action against terror suspects.

Besides Doval, the meeting was attended by Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, director general of National Investigation Agency (NIA) Dinkar Gupta and other top officials.

The nationwide raids sparked an angry response from the PFI which called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala on Friday and termed the arrest of its leaders as a part of "state-sponsored terrorism".

"A hartal will be observed in the state on September 23 against the RSS-controlled fascist government's attempt to silence dissenting voices using the central agencies," A Abdul Sathar, PFI's state general secretary, said.

However, the Kerala unit of the BJP termed the proposed hartal as "unnecessary" and urged the state government to take stringent action against those involved in this action.

Alleging that all the previous hartals called by the PFI had ended in riots, BJP state chief K Surendran said the state authorities should be ready to ensure adequate security for people's life and property.

Several Muslim organisations appealed to the youth from the community to remain patient on the action taken by the law enforcement agencies against the PFI.

The organisations said they have faith in the judicial system, law and Constitution of the country, according to a tweet in Hindi by the Muslim Students' Organisation of India (MSO), an apex students and youths body of Muslims working on promotion of Sufism and inclusive India.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a 'Bharat-Jodo' yatra, said "all forms of communalism regardless where they come from should be combated."

"There should be zero tolerance towards communalism and it should be combated,"&nbsp;Gandhi said when asked by reporters in Kochi for his reaction to the raids.

The ED has been investigating the PFI's alleged "financial links" in connection with charges of fuelling the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in the country, the 2020 Delhi riots, alleged conspiracy in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh over alleged gang-rape and death of a Dalit woman, and a few other incidents.

The probe agency has filed two charge sheets against the PFI and its office-bearers before a special PMLA court in Lucknow.

In February last year, the ED filed its first charge sheet against the PFI and its student-wing Campus Front of India (CFI) on money laundering charges, claiming its members wanted to "incite communal riots and spread terror" in the aftermath of the 2020 Hathras gang rape case.

Those named in the charge sheet included K A Rauf Sherif, national general secretary of CFI and a member of PFI; Atikur Rahman, national treasurer of CFI; Masud Ahmed, Delhi-based general secretary of CFI; journalist "associated with PFI" Siddique Kappan; and Mohammed Alam, another CFI/PFI member.

In the second charge sheet filed this year, the ED had claimed that a hotel based in the UAE "served" as a money laundering front for the PFI.

In Maharashtra, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested 20 activists of the PFI during the raids conducted in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad, Pune, Kolhapur, Beed, Parbhani, Nanded, Malegaon (in Nashik district) and Jalgaon, an official said.

The ATS has registered four offences in Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad and Nanded under various Indian Penal Code Sections including 153-A (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riots), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the State) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), and provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), he said.

Simultaneous raids were conducted by the NIA in more than a dozen locations in Bengaluru, Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, Kalaburagi, and Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district, official sources said.

As the offices were being raided, many Muslim youth gathered and raised 'NIA go back' slogans at some places.

They also tried to hinder the raids at some locations, but the police thwarted their attempt by taking them into preventive custody.

Police sources said the NIA team seized documents, literature, computers, laptops and phones as well.&nbsp;

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Multi-agency teams spearheaded by the NIA arrested 106 functionaries of the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) on Thursday in near-simultaneous raids at 93 locations in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country, officials said.

Multi-agency teams spearheaded by the NIA arrested 106 functionaries of the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) on Thursday in near-simultaneous raids at 93 locations in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country, officials said. Officials described the mega crackdown as the "largest-ever investigation process till date" against the PFI. Kerala, where the PFI has some strong pockets, accounted for the maximum number of 22 arrests, officials said, adding that its chairman O M A Salam was among those arrested. The arrests were made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the police forces of the states concerned. The PFI, formed in 2006, claims to strive for a neo-social movement ostensibly for the empowerment of marginalised sections of India, and is often accused by law enforcement agencies of promoting radical Islam. Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for 20 arrests each, Tamil Nadu (10), Assam (9), Uttar Pradesh (8), Andhra Pradesh (5), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry and Delhi (3 each) and Rajasthan (2). Details of all the arrested functionaries were not immediately available. The officials said the searches took place at the premises of persons allegedly involved in terror funding, organising training camps and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations. As the raids, which began in the early hours of Thursday continued, Union home minister Amit Shah held a meeting of top officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, during which they are believed to have discussed the searches at premises linked to the PFI and action against terror suspects. Besides Doval, the meeting was attended by Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla, director general of National Investigation Agency (NIA) Dinkar Gupta and other top officials. The nationwide raids sparked an angry response from the PFI which called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala on Friday and termed the arrest of its leaders as a part of "state-sponsored terrorism". "A hartal will be observed in the state on September 23 against the RSS-controlled fascist government's attempt to silence dissenting voices using the central agencies," A Abdul Sathar, PFI's state general secretary, said. However, the Kerala unit of the BJP termed the proposed hartal as "unnecessary" and urged the state government to take stringent action against those involved in this action. Alleging that all the previous hartals called by the PFI had ended in riots, BJP state chief K Surendran said the state authorities should be ready to ensure adequate security for people's life and property. Several Muslim organisations appealed to the youth from the community to remain patient on the action taken by the law enforcement agencies against the PFI. The organisations said they have faith in the judicial system, law and Constitution of the country, according to a tweet in Hindi by the Muslim Students' Organisation of India (MSO), an apex students and youths body of Muslims working on promotion of Sufism and inclusive India. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a 'Bharat-Jodo' yatra, said "all forms of communalism regardless where they come from should be combated." "There should be zero tolerance towards communalism and it should be combated," Gandhi said when asked by reporters in Kochi for his reaction to the raids. The ED has been investigating the PFI's alleged "financial links" in connection with charges of fuelling the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in the country, the 2020 Delhi riots, alleged conspiracy in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh over alleged gang-rape and death of a Dalit woman, and a few other incidents. The probe agency has filed two charge sheets against the PFI and its office-bearers before a special PMLA court in Lucknow. In February last year, the ED filed its first charge sheet against the PFI and its student-wing Campus Front of India (CFI) on money laundering charges, claiming its members wanted to "incite communal riots and spread terror" in the aftermath of the 2020 Hathras gang rape case. Those named in the charge sheet included K A Rauf Sherif, national general secretary of CFI and a member of PFI; Atikur Rahman, national treasurer of CFI; Masud Ahmed, Delhi-based general secretary of CFI; journalist "associated with PFI" Siddique Kappan; and Mohammed Alam, another CFI/PFI member. In the second charge sheet filed this year, the ED had claimed that a hotel based in the UAE "served" as a money laundering front for the PFI. In Maharashtra, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested 20 activists of the PFI during the raids conducted in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad, Pune, Kolhapur, Beed, Parbhani, Nanded, Malegaon (in Nashik district) and Jalgaon, an official said. The ATS has registered four offences in Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad and Nanded under various Indian Penal Code Sections including 153-A (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riots), 121A (conspiring to commit certain offences against the State) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), and provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), he said. Simultaneous raids were conducted by the NIA in more than a dozen locations in Bengaluru, Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district, Kalaburagi, and Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district, official sources said. As the offices were being raided, many Muslim youth gathered and raised 'NIA go back' slogans at some places. They also tried to hinder the raids at some locations, but the police thwarted their attempt by taking them into preventive custody. Police sources said the NIA team seized documents, literature, computers, laptops and phones as well. 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.

Mega crackdown on PFI, 106 functionaries arrested on terror funding charges in NIA raids across 15 states

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Srishti Sisodia

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